A new era will begin for the TCU Horned Frogs when they visit the Colorado Buffaloes on Friday night at Folsom Field in the season opener for both teams. TCU is coming off a 5-7 campaign in 2021, leading to the program parting ways with legendary head coach Gary Patterson. Colorado is looking to improve from a 4-8 mark last season as it enters year three under Karl Dorrell.
This is the first-ever meeting between these two programs.
For the first time since 2000, TCU will enter a season with a coach other than Patterson on the sideline as it missed a bowl for the second time in three years with a 5-7 campaign in 2021, leading to a change in favor of former Cal and SMU head coach Sonny Dykes. An upset of archrival and eventual Big 12 champion Baylor was the highlight, but TCU's normally stout defense was shredded throughout the year.
Dykes, who found success at both Louisiana Tech and SMU but struggled with a 19-30 record at Cal, will bring his version of the air raid offense to Fort Worth. What's unclear is who will get the most snaps under center as Dykes indicated that three quarterbacks will take the field on Friday.
Max Duggan is the most experienced option with the Horned Frogs after going 145/227 for 2,048 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding 352 rushing yards. Chandler Mo rris will also get some run after going 50/76 for 717 yards and three scores last season, while highly-rated redshirt freshman Sam Jackson is also in the mix.
Kendre Miller will be key in the backfield after turning in an efficient 83 carries for 623 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Quentin Johnson is back after leading the team in 2021 with 33 receptions for 634 yards and six scores. Dylan Horton is a defensive leader after putting up 51 tackles including nine for a loss and four sacks a year ago.
TCU was a middling scoring team at 28.7 points per game last year on a prolific 431.5 yards per contest, although will be very different stylistically with Dykes calling the shots in 2022. The defense was one of the worst in college football, allowing 34.9 points and 491.5 yards per game a year ago.
There have been no official injury reports out of TCU camp heading into the opener.