FORT WORTH, Texas — Fall camp is officially underway at Amon G. Carter Stadium, and the modern college football calendar leaves no time for knocking off summer rust.
Instead of treating the opening session as a conditioning test, TCU hit the field running—literally and operationally. Behind a sharp opening practice and a roster heavily reloaded via the transfer portal, the Horned Frogs enter fall camp with clear eyes and high standards as they prepare for an international Week 0 kickoff.
The stakes are immediate: an Aug. 29 season opener against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland at Aviva Stadium marks the program’s first-ever game overseas and serves as the official opening step of the 2026 campaign.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of everything happening on the ground as TCU gears up for its journey across the Atlantic.
Clean Operations and the Standard of Excellence
Day 1 set a high bar for operational execution. The Frogs posted zero turnovers, avoided pre-snap penalty flags, and suffered only a single late snap exchange deep on the third-string depth chart.
Even with clean mechanics, the coaching staff made it clear that basic execution remains the baseline, not the ceiling.
“We’ve got to make our layups when we have them,” the head coach emphasized following practice. “I thought we had some opportunities today to make layups and we didn’t do it. So that’s where we got to get better… but overall, it was a good first day.”
While consecutive nine-win seasons maintain a solid foundation, internal expectations in Fort Worth remain fixed on competing for Big 12 titles and securing a spot in the College Football Playoff. To get there, summer conditioning focused heavily on three core tenets: physical toughness, mental discipline, and frontline leverage.
Offensive Outlook: Signal-Caller Transition & Returning Firepower
The offense enters a transitional phase following major veteran departures under center. However, the unit returns proven playmakers and adds dynamic depth across every skill group.
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TCU OFFENSIVE PROJECTED STARTERS & DEPTH
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[ WR: Jordan Dwyer ] [ WR: Jeremy Scott ]
(730 Yds, 7 TDs in '25) (South Alabama Transfer)
[ LT: Ben Taylor-Whitfield ]
[ LG: Cade Bennett / Jaheim Buchanon ]
[ C : Cooper / Noah McKinney ]
[ RG: Cade Bennett ]
[ RT: Ryan Hughes ]
[ QB: Jaden Craig ]
(Harvard Transfer: 2,800+ Yds, 25 TDs)
[ RB: Jeremy Payne ]
(623 Yds; Alamo Bowl Hero)
[ RB: Landon Walker ]
(D-II Transfer: 2,220 Yds, 29 TDs)
Jaden Craig Commands the Quarterback Room
Harvard transfer Jaden Craig arrives as the headline addition of TCU’s transfer portal class. Craig—who passed for over 2,800 yards and 25 touchdowns last year while finishing as Harvard’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns—brings immediate veteran leadership to the position battle. Early reports from practice show Craig making rapid progression through his reads and getting the ball out on time.
Proven Weapons & Portal Additions
- Jeremy Payne (RB): The junior back returns after a 623-yard campaign, best remembered as the breakout star of TCU’s Alamo Bowl victory over USC. He leads a diverse five-man backfield competition that now includes Landon Walker, a Division II standout from Colorado School of Mines who compiled 2,220 yards and 29 touchdowns over 39 career games.
- Jordan Dwyer (WR): Dwyer provides crucial continuity after serving as the team’s second-leading receiver in 2025 with 730 yards and seven touchdowns. The wideout room also gains physical target Jeremy Scott (South Alabama), who posted 417 yards and four scores last season.
- Trenches & Protection: Left tackle Ben Taylor-Whitfield, left guard Cade Bennett, and right tackle Ryan Hughes return to anchor the front five. Depth gets a major boost from portal additions Noah McKinney (Oklahoma State) and Jaheim Buchanon (FIU), an All-C-USA second-team guard who started all 13 games last season.
Defensive Rebuild: Restocking the Front Seven & Secondary
Defensive competition is fierce across all three levels as the coaching staff looks to solidify core positions before heading to Dublin.
| Position Group | Returning Anchors | Key Transfer Additions | Operational Focus |
| Defensive Line | DE Paul Oyewale, DT Markis Deal, DT Ansel Din-Mbuh | EDGE Cheta Ofili (Texas Tech), EDGE Koron Hayward (WKU) | Replacing edge rusher Devean Deal with speed and length. |
| Linebacker | Max Carroll | LB Michael Short (Virginia Tech) | Rebuilding middle depth following losses of Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Namdi Obiazor. |
| Secondary | CB Vernon Glover | S Jacob Fields (La Tech), CB Kalen Carroll (Central Mich), CB Teon Parks (Colorado) | Tightening pass coverage and forcing turnovers. |
| Special Teams | Returning Coverage Core | P John Hoyet Chance (Louisiana Tech) | Solidifying punting depth and hidden yardage. |
Defensive Highlights
- Secondary Depth: Safety Jacob Fields arrives as the reigning Conference USA Co-Defensive Player of the Year after recording 91 tackles and three interceptions at Louisiana Tech. He pairs with All-MAC First Teamer Kalen Carroll (Central Michigan) and veteran corner Vernon Glover to form a deep secondary capable of running six deep at cornerback.
- Pass Rush Evolution: Former four-star edge Cheta Ofili (Texas Tech) and versatile end Koron Hayward (Western Kentucky) give the Frogs dynamic pass-rushing tools alongside returning defensive end Paul Oyewale.
Health, Heat, and Dublin Preparation
Acclimatizing to summer heat was a point of emphasis throughout summer workouts, double-purposed to build conditioning for the condensed Week 0 schedule.
Aside from minor nagging bumps and a temporary hand injury keeping one defensive lineman off the field, the Horned Frogs enter fall camp remarkably healthy. The sidelined lineman is expected to return to drill work next week and remain fully available for the Aug. 29 clash against North Carolina in Ireland.
