There’s plenty of reasons for optimism in Fort Worth this season. The TCU Horned Frogs run things back off a 9–4 campaign under a dynamic QB1 in Josh Hoover and an experienced coaching staff. Sonny Dykes is out to prove that 2022 and 2024 are the norms at TCU. He has the roster to prove just that. The goal is to win the Big 12 title but the road is not all roses and sunshine.

When Josh Hoover met with reporters after the first fall practice, he wasn’t talking Heisman odds or gaudy yardage goals. His message was grounded about their off-season priority. “I think just decision making and continuing to move forward in that area,” Hoover said. “I mean, the more you play, the more you learn, the more you see things… you notice looks, you notice what’s about to happen. You understand what they’re going to do to you.”

Hoover went on to add this about his quarterback play for the upcoming season. “I think I’ve taken really big strides in that area and looking forward to improving that for the next three weeks going into North Carolina.” That’s what made the next moment all the more surprising. When asked if he’d watched any New England Patriots film this offseason, Josh Hoover gave a calm, casual “Yeah,” without elaborating.

He’s no longer flying under the radar. He’s got the frame, the processing speed, and now, the tape. A near-4,000-yard sophomore season doesn’t hurt either. What makes Josh Hoover’s evolution even more fascinating is the ecosystem around him. TCU’s offense is in a quiet reload mode. The offensive line brings back players who have 93 combined starts. These include center Coltin Deery and guard Carson Bruno being the core stabilizers up front. But the pass-catching crew is almost entirely new.

Gone are familiar safety valves like Jack Bech. This leaves Idaho transfer Jordan Dwyer, a 1,200-yard weapon, to step in as the potential WR1. It’s a chemistry experiment happening in real-time, but one Hoover seems equipped to manage. He’s not Rocco Becht or Sam Leavitt in terms of Big 12 buzz. But he might be the most complete signal caller in the league.

Of course, the other half of the field can’t be ignored. Andy Avalos, in his first year coordinating TCU’s defense, saw his unit struggle early in 2024. But he managed to claw back into competence down the stretch. The Frogs gave up too many chunk plays and lacked consistent edge pressure. Five of the team’s top seven tacklers return. This is led by LB Namdi Obiazor, who tallied 81 stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, and an interception. Yet without a proven havoc generator on the edge, Avalos will need to scheme pressure with precision. Disguises, zone exchanges, and heavy rotations will likely be the name of the game.

The Horned Frogs look to be a dark horse in 2025. Josh Hoover and Sonny Dykes quietly have the goods to crash the Big 12 party. A few weeks before kickoff, and TCU still lurks in the shadows. Overshadowed by Baylor hype and new-coach buzz across the league. But that might just be the sweet spot.

Josh Hoover faces The Hoodie 

That Patriots film Josh Hoover admitted to watching this summer, it might come in handy sooner than expected. TCU and North Carolina are set to open the 2025 season in Ireland on September 1 in what will be Bill Belichick’s first game coaching the Tar Heels. Hoover just might be prepping for a chess match with the defensive grandmaster himself.

The one-word answer feels like a loaded confession, considering he might now be studying Belichick’s tendencies to eventually weaponize them against him. Maybe it’s not just a coincidence after all. Maybe this is Josh’s Jedi moment. Learn from the master. Then test your lightsaber in Dublin. Hoover certainly sounds like someone who’s leveled up. “I mean, going out there today, I felt so much different than I did a year ago, two years ago. Thinking back on it, it’s kind of funny, thinking about just what it used to be like. When you’re young, you don’t really understand. You’re just kind of out there, things just happen. And I feel like now I have a lot more control over what’s happening.”

Hoover then pulled back the curtain on his offseason groove. “But I think just where we’re at now as an offense, being in year three with Coach Phelps, it’s just a totally different feel situation.” Whether it’s the Pats tape, the Phelps continuity, or just straight-up QB play, Hoover’s playing the long game. But the Horned Frogs need to be careful. The Hoodie is well known for destroying a quarterback’s confidence in NFL games. Hoover and Dykes need to be at the top of their game to avoid this fate.