Generating excitement is a priority for TCU’s Dykes
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes had an extensive to do list when he took the job, moving from SMU and Dallas to Fort Worth to take over the Horned Frogs. He talked about that and more during his appearance at Big 12 Media Days July 14.
Dykes, who is the son of former Horseshoe Bay resident Spike Dykes, said he lives two blocks from the TCU campus and generating excitement among the fans and Fort Worth residents is a priority.
“We want to get people on campus and get fans to watch,” he said. “I think it’s always good to be transparent. There’s an energy to get people out there. I love the energy, the way our guys met the challenge of practicing with the same effort. It’s an unbelievable place.”
He credits former head coach Gary Patterson for instilling a commitment to improve every year, a goal that is still important to those who continued with the Horned Frogs, Dykes said.
Dykes was the head coach at Louisiana Tech and at California at Berkley before taking over the Mustangs. He thanked Mike Leach for hiring him to be on his Texas Tech staff years ago, which gave the younger Dykes a start in the business.
“Being back in Texas, no one appreciates it more than I do,” he said. “When I was able to get back meant the world to me. The Big 12 is where it all started for me with Mike Leach and the Air Raid. It’s fun to be back in the league. One thing you know that happens in college football is change.”
Though he will install his Air Raid, he didn’t name a starting quarterback. The battle is between Max Duggan and Chandler Morris.
“We feel like we can win big games with those guys under center,” the coach said. “They had great springs. They competed hard. I think we’ll have a good quarterback. Which guy can make the team better? Whoever makes the team better is who’ll we’ll go with.”
Dykes said he is committed to fielding the best defense, a nod to Patterson’s commitment to the same task.
“TCU was successful because they played great defense,” he said. “We won’t win championships at TCU without playing great defense. To consistently be at a championship level you have to play defense. We’ve had a history of being successful. We have to be great on offense and defense.”
He added that the quality of linemen have “pleasantly surprised” him and the skill players are talented, too. He pointed out the defensive backs have great speed. The key, he said, is building the defensive front seven.
Dykes said TCU will always be committed to recruiting players located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and east Texas.
“The best high school football played in the country is in the Metroplex,” he said. “These guys are very well coached and very well developed.”
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