TCU stages 'grand entrance' to welcome Sonny Dykes

The TCU Horned Frogs hired SMU head coach Sonny Dykes to replace long-time head coach Gary Patterson, and it appears that the university will welcome its newest head coach on Monday night.

First, the university announced a news conference for a “major announcement regarding the TCU football program” on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., presumably to introduce Dykes via press conference. Then, shortly thereafter, TCU spread word of what the Star Telegram called a “grand entrance” to welcome Dykes to campus. Fans are encouraged to attend the welcoming festivities at 5:30 p.m., which will be held in TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. Open seating will be available in the lower bowl on the east side.

Despite the planned announcement and the grand welcome, TCU has not yet officially announced Dykes as its head coach, but reports say they have agreed to a deal. The deal should become official either during the entrance tonight or during tomorrow’s news conference.

Dykes filling out staff at TCU

Less than 30 days removed from the split with longtime head coach Gary Patterson, Horned Frogs’ athletics director Jeremiah Donati went just 35 miles down the road to Dallas to pick up his new head coach.

Dykes, 52, has led SMU to a 30-16 record in his four seasons at the helm on the Hilltop. The Mustangs achieved rankings in the AP top 25 in each of his last three seasons since taking over for former Arkansas head coach Chad Morris. They ascended as high as No. 15 in 2019 before finishing the season unranked with a loss in the Boca Raton Bowl.

As Dykes assembles his TCU staff, it appears as though he’ll bring many SMU staffers along with him. Four Mustangs coaches — running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples, wide receiver coach David Gru, defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and strength and conditioning coach Kaz Kazada — are following Dykes to TCU, according to reports.

This year, SMU is 8-3 on the year, a record that includes a win over Gary Patterson’s TCU squad in Week 4. Since losing their undefeated record to Houston four weeks ago, the Mustangs have lost three of four games. The No. 2-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats held Sonny Dykes’ high-powered offense to 14 points this past weekend.

Despite the recent losses, SMU’s offense ranks in the top-10 in points per game, thanks to junior quarterback Tanner Mordecai. The offense has finished in the top 15 in scoring in each of the last three years under Dykes.

To try to hold on to Sonny Dykes, earlier this month, the Mustangs reportedly offered the fourth-year head coach a $4 million salary with a five-year extension. Also allegedly on the table: a larger pool of money for assistant coaches and plans to build a new football-only facility.