2015 TCU Horned Frogs football team

Previous season

The 2014 TCU Horned Frogs football team notched a 12–1 record and finished the season ranked #3. The Horned Frogs introduced a new, up-tempo offense in 2014 under new co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie, led by junior quarterback Trevone Boykin, who finished 4th in the 2014 Heisman Trophy voting. The Frogs' sole loss came at #5 Baylor, 58–61. TCU knocked off three top-10 teams during their 2014 campaign, #4 Oklahoma, #7 Kansas State and #9 Ole Miss. During the regular season, the Horned Frogs ranked as high as #3 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and were in the mix to be included in the inaugural, 4-team College Football Playoff. In the next-to-last CFP rankings, the Frogs checked in at #3; however, even after a decisive 55–3 win over Iowa State in the final week, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee dropped the Big 12 Co-Champion Horned Frogs from #3 to #6, and out of the Playoff, in the final regular-season rankings. The Horned Frogs were invited to play in the 2014 Peach Bowl, in Atlanta, Georgia, against the Ole Miss Rebels of the SEC. The Horned Frogs shut down the Rebel offense and picked apart the vaunted Ole Miss defense in a decisive 42–3 TCU victory.

Recruiting

National Signing Day unofficially kicked off the new season on February 5, 2015. The Horned Frogs inked 21 high school seniors to National Letters of Intent and added two additional playmakers by grayshirt. Hoping to build on the success of the new up-tempo offense installed by Co-Offensive Coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie in 2014, the 2015 signing class included six wide receivers. Three signees graduated from high school in December 2014 and enrolled at TCU for the spring term.

In addition to the above-listed signees, TCU added consensus 3-star wide receive Darrion Flowers (5'9", 170, Sam Houston HS, Arlington, TX), who accepted a track and field scholarship for 2015–16 and will join the football team before the 2016 season. Similarly, TCU added kicker Jonathan Song (5'9", 160, All Saints HS, Fort Worth, TX), who will also grayshirt during the 2015–16 season and count against the 2016 recruiting class. Flowers and Song will fill areas of need in 2016 after the loss of PK, P, and WRs at the conclusion of the 2015 season.

It was widely reported in early 2015 that former Southlake Carroll standout and Gatorade Football Player of the Year Kenny Hill would transfer from Texas A&M to TCU before the 2015 season. Hill confirmed his transfer on May 22, 2015, and enrolled for the summer term. As a transfer, Hill can practice with the 2015 team, but he will be ineligible for play until 2016.

During the summer, TCU added walk-on athlete Rocket Ismail, Jr. (5'11", 176, Ranchview HS, Carrollton, TX), son of All-American, Notre Dame legend and former CFL and NFL player Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. Ismail is immediately eligible and joins a number of additional walk-ons on the 2015 roster.

Coaching staff changes

Patterson formally announced coaching staff changes on February 25, 2015. Following the retirement of long-time TCU defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas, Patterson promoted safeties coach and former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow and TCU linebackers coach DeMontie Cross to co-defensive coordinators. TCU director of player personnel Dan Sharp was reassigned as the defensive line coach, and three-year graduate assistant Paul Gonzales was named the Frogs' cornerbacks coach. Further coaching staff changes include the shuffling and addition of analysis and graduate assistants, including the addition of former TCU linebacker and 2009 5th-round draft pick Jason Phillips.

Spring practice

The Horned Frogs' formal spring practice ran from February 28 through April 10. In their April 9 spring game, the Frogs were without quarterback Trevone Boykin, who underwent minor surgery on his non-throwing wrist prior to the final week of spring practice. The focus of spring ball was squarely on the defense, where Coach Patterson must replace 5 starters, including 2 linebackers. Offensive coordinators Meacham and Cumbie, meanwhile, focused on improving the year-old up-tempo offense and identifying a backup quarterback.

Spring 2015 "way-too-early" pre-season rankings from most major sports news outlets, issued after the end of the 2014 season tabbed the 2015 Horned Frogs at #1 (ESPN-Martin Rickman), #2 (Sports Illustrated), #2 (CBSSports), and #2 (ESPN-Mark Schlabach).

Fall camp

In July, TCU was selected as the overwhelming favorite to win the Big 12 regular season crown, and Trevone Boykin emerged as the frontrunner in the 2015 Heisman Trophy race. During Big 12 media days, the media's attention fell heavily upon league frontrunners TCU and Baylor. Fall camp began on August 4, 2015.

Little news was released by Gary Patterson during the Horned Frogs' fall camp. Rumors of injuries sustained by starting wide receivers Josh Doctson and Deante Gray, as well as starting defensive tackle Davion Pierson were unconfirmed, and Patterson revealed in late August that Doctson would likely play in the opener at Minnesota while Gray's readiness for the September 3 game remained questionable. Late in fall camp, junior wide receiver and special teams punt returner Cameron Echols-Luper, son of TCU running backs coach Curtis Luper, announced his transfer to Arkansas State, where Echols-Luper hopes to play quarterback.

TCU was ranked #2 in both the preseason Amway (USA Today) Coaches Poll and the preseason AP Poll.

Schedule

TCU was one of only four teams in the country to play six road games against Power 5 Conference opponents. The Horned Frogs' road schedule included a non-conference season opener at Minnesota and five Big 12 road games. The Frogs will had only one mid-season bye during week eight of the regular season.

Returning starters

TCU anticipated the return of the below-listed starters (10 offensive starters, 5 defensive starters, and 2 players on special teams). Preseason and early-season injuries plagued the Horned Frogs, rendering several of the returners unavailable for all or part of the 2015 season, including Deante' Gray (season), Kolby Listenbee (several weeks), Ty Slanina (early, season-ending injury), James McFarland (season), Terrell Lathan (several weeks), Davion Pierson (several weeks), and Ranthony Texada (early, season-ending injury). Additionally, week 1 starting linebacker Mike Freeze left the team for personal reasons, and starting linebacker Sammy Dougals and starting safety Kenny Iloka suffered early season-ending injuries.

Depth Chart

As released October 12, 2015, prior to the Frogs' week 7 game at Iowa State: