Why Sonny Dykes is excited about TCU’s new defense

The TCU football program has entered a new era on defense under new coordinator Andy Avalos and the early returns from spring training camp show why head coach Sonny Dykes was so eager to bring Avalos into the program.

Practice No. 5 of spring ball on Monday clearly went to the defense as Avalos’ scheme led to plenty of quarterback pressure and five interceptions on defense by four different players.

Utah transfer cornerback JaTravis Broughton picked off two passes, while Avery Helm, Jordan Lester and Nevada transfer Richard Toney Jr. added interceptions as well. Despite learning a new scheme and having plenty of new faces at starting positions, the defense has been able to play with a synergy of a unit that’s been together much longer.

“Five days in I like the way we’re practicing and the way we’re playing,” Dykes said on Monday. “There’s a lot of depth and tons of competition. You sit down and look at all the DBs across the board, you look at the linebackers, we have a lot of guys competing. Sometimes you look out there and the (third team) is going and there’s pretty good players out there, which is a sign of good things.”

Among the biggest differences between Avalos’ scheme and former defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie’s is just how many different things Avalos is willing to do.

Under Gillespie, TCU was in the 3-3-5 alignment on virtually every play except inside the five-yard line. Under Avalos the Horned Frogs have transitioned back to a 4-2-5 alignment with a different wrinkle.

Avalos uses three defensive linemen with the fourth spot being reserved for his pass rusher like Jonathan Bax, Marcel Brooks or Tulane transfer Devean Deal. Consistently sending four rushers has been a game changer for the defense and players like Brooks and Notre Dame transfer Nana Osafo-Mensah have racked up plenty of quarterback pressures.

“I think the biggest difference for us has been the consistent pressure we’ve been able to put on the quarterback,” Dykes said. “As a result of creating that pressure, we created a bunch of turnovers and I think that’s the biggest key for us. Obviously you have to stop the run, but No. 2 you have to pressure the quarterback and put them in duress, forcing them to speed things up and make bad decisions.”

Both quarterbacks, Ken Seals and Hauss Hejny, struggled against the pass rush as the offensive line couldn’t keep a clean pocket. Part of that was the variety in which Avalos had the defense attacking the offensive front.

In one alignment TCU went to a dime defense with six defensive backs in a 4-1-6 alignment. Avalos had a linebacker creep up to the line of scrimmage with the four other defensive linemen to present a five man front and on one play maybe he’ll have the linebacker rush while the edge rusher drops to the flat. Or maybe he’ll have the linebacker drop into coverage while the defensive linemen runs a stunt.

There’s no telling where the pressure is coming from and that’s exactly what Dykes envisioned when he hired the former Boise State coach.

“I just needed somebody to come in and be the head coach of the defense,” Dykes said. “What I mean by that is have a plan, have a method of achieving the plan and being detailed and having a way to approach recruiting. Having been a head coach Andy kind of understood those things.

“He knows the kind of players he wants to recruit, he knows the guys that fit and he’s been running this defense for a long time at different levels with success. I needed a lot of leadership in that room and I think he’s provided all those things.”