How should you remember this TCU team? Remember the players who made all the magic
In one of my first conversations with TCU coach Sonny Dykes, he stated that he wanted his football players to be the face of his program.
As we look back on a magical 13-2 season that ended in the national championship game, it’s important for TCU fans to not remember this team by lopsided 65-7 loss to Georgia in the final game of the college football season.
Instead when you talk about the 2022 TCU team, remember the players that made all the magic possible. Remember their stories, their love for one another and the program itself, their resiliency in the face of adversity and doubters.
That should be the defining memory of this team, but in case the pain of the championship loss is still too much to bare, let’s recap a few of the players that made an appearance in the championship game possible.
Some will return next season, but many will be off to the NFL or other endeavors. Here are eight players that were the spirit of one of the best teams in TCU history.
The warrior
Max Duggan’s final season at TCU was one for the history books. Duggan finished second in Heisman Trophy voting and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Davey O’Brien Award. He was viewed as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks by the time the season ended.
His meteoric rise under Dykes was special, especially considering that Duggan wasn’t the starter after fall camp. Chandler Morris clearly won the job, but an injury to Morris in the season opener allowed Duggan back in the lineup. He made the most of his opportunity. There are plenty of life lessons we can learn from Duggan’s season.
When you remember Duggan, remember the tears in his eyes when the Horned Frogs came up an inch short in the Big 12 title game vs. Kansas State. Remember his teary eyes in that postgame press conference and then remember how that sadness turned to jubilation once TCU made the playoffs.
The prodigy
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson was days, maybe hours away from playing his college ball at rival Baylor. His uncle, Hall of Famer and TCU legend LaDainian Tomlinson had to personally reach out to former coach Gary Patterson just so Hodges-Tomlinson could receive a scholarship offer.
Patterson listened and it paid off as Hodges-Tomlinson developed himself into one of the best cornerbacks in the country. 2022 was his best as he was the definition of a lockdown corner. Hodges-Tomlinson won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football and he earned it.
Despite his small stature, Hodges-Tomlinson had solid technique and wass fearlessness when facing some of the top receivers in the country. He followed in the footsteps of his uncle, one of the greatest football players ever, but was still able to create his own legacy at Fort Worth.
The smooth operator
Quentin Johnston will be one of the first names called in the NFL draft in a few months. If you were creating a wide receiver in a lab then there’s a good chance your creation would have many of the same qualities as Johnston. He is 6-foot-4 with blazing speed and an impressive vertical.
Johnston used all those tools for his best season as a Horned Frog with his first 1,000 yard season. But while you remember all the explosive catches and touches, don’t forget Johnston’s impressive mental makeup. He’s the exact opposite of a diva receiver.
With so many eyes on him due to his NFL potential, Johnston’s season started off slowly. He had just 114 yards in TCU’s first four games. He didn’t sulk, fuss or become envious of others around him getting touches. He celebrated his brothers’ success and then stayed patient for his opportunity. When they came he always made the most of them. He was the Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP and had four games with at least 100 yards, including 206 against Kansas.
He could be the next TCU superstar in the NFL.
The linebacker nobody wanted
When you hear Johnny Hodges speak or when you watch him play, his confidence is never lacking. But it wasn’t always like that. Hodges had constantly been told he wasn’t good enough to play the sport he loved. It’s why he initially was a lacrosse player at Navy before eventually switching to football.
After a solid stint, Hodges wanted to try his luck at the Power Five level. Nobody was interested, not even Northwestern. The lack of interest got to Hodges and he eventually stopped reaching out to schools in the portal. His father had to take up the task for him and Hodges is grateful for it.
TCU was his only offer, but it’s all he needed. Fort Worth was the right place for the throwback linebacker that quickly became one of the unit’s leaders. He led TCU with 87 tackles this year and could have an even better year if he returns next season.
The silent assassin
Kendre Miller never did a ton of talking, he mostly let his play do that for him. As the undisputed leader of the running back room, Miller established himself as one of the best running backs in the country. He rushed for almost 1,400 yards and had a touchdown in 13 straight games.
It’s a bummer that a knee injury prevented Miller from playing in the national championship game, but ultimately it was the right move for his future. Miller should be one of the top running backs available in the draft.
He showed all the qualities you want in a back. Power, sleek footwork, big play ability and most important; the desire to be coached up. He connected with new running backs coach Anthony Jones quickly and took in all his advice to produce his best season. Now Miller is poised to be another running back Jones has molded into a NFL player if he decides to declare.
The motivator
Josh Newton was a key transfer portal addition for the Horned Frogs and it was one of the more underrated portal pickups in the country. Newton arrived from Louisiana-Monroe with humility and gratefulness. Dykes said Newton was the least entitled player he’s ever been around.
There was no expectation that Newton would be a surefire starter despite his experience at ULM. Instead he merely worked to prove he belonged and he did that. Newton formed one of the best cornerback duos in the country with Hodges-Tomlinson. They called themselves the “lock boys’ for the way they would lock up opposing receivers.
The first team All-Big 12 selection also gave some of the best pregame speeches. Newton inspired his teammates with his words, his work ethic and his genuine personality. Newton was one of the players the media enjoyed interviewing the most and he became a fan favorite quickly.
The rock
TCU had one of the best offensive lines in the country and Steve Avila was one of the main reasons for that. The senior, who Miller called his big brother, was a team captain and the model of stability in the interior of the Horned Frogs’ offensive line.
Avila was a team captain and a consensus All-American, the first for the program since Josh Doctson in 2015. Avila didn’t allow a sack in the regular season and mauled defenders to pave the way for Miller and Emari Demercado. Avila declared for the NFL draft after the national championship game and will be one of the more significant roster losses from TCU.
When he wasn’t pancaking defenders, Avila was perfecting his podcast called ‘My Turn: Voices of Student Athletes’ with teammate Brandon Coleman. After a productive NFL fan, maybe fans will get to see or hear Avila on TV or radio.
The gentle giant
Dylan Horton was always soft spoken and thoughtful during his press conferences. He would always take his time to truly ponder the question asked to him before respond. On the field, Horton is as gifted as they come physically. A former high school safety at Frisco, Horton put on 70 pounds to become TCU’s leading pass rusher.
Horton made Bruce Feldman’s annual freaks list for his athletic gifts. Horton vertical-jumped 38 inches and broad-jumped 10 feet. He also clocked a 4.55-second 40-yard dash and has power-cleaned 400 and squatted 700 pounds according to Feldman. That’s rare for a 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman.
Under defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie, Horton endured a slow start, but played his best football down the stretch. He had four sacks against Michigan, two against Kansas State in the Big 12 championship and led TCU with 10.5 sacks. Horton is another player that will likely hear his name called in the NFL draft.
These eight players are just a fraction of the notable characters that emerged during TCU’s magical season. Players like Derius Davis, Dee Winters, Taye Barber, Mark Perry, Bud Clark and more played significant roles this season and deserve to be mentioned too.
The story of TCU’s roster was almost as compelling as their frantic games this season. Don’t just remember the wins and losses, remember the young men that you finally got a chance to know more about during this ride.
