Sonny Dykes highlights Dallas/Fort Worth area's role in transfer portal wins
Coaches will take any advantage that they can get when it comes to recruiting. That’s why TCU’s Sonny Dykes is as happy as he is to coach in a talent hotbed like Texas.
Dykes explained the way in which his program’s location in Fort Worth is able to help him bring in talent during an interview with On3’s Andy Staples. He started his answer by recalling how proximity already helped him back when he was coaching the Mustangs.
“Our first year at SMU, we had Reggie Roberson, a kid from Mesquite that came home and ended up being a really good player for us. And then, the next year, we were fortunate enough to get Shane Buechele,” said Dykes. “Shane came over, was at Texas, and was from Arlington. Shane really changed our program at SMU. Just came in and provided such a spark, gave us that kind of leadership and quarterback played that we needed.”
Those are just examples from his time with SMU. Now, with TCU, he has found similar success as five of the team’s 13 incoming transfers come from The Lone Star State. That result only gives him more of a reason to maintain relationships since you never know when you’ll be able to strengthen your pitch by being able to bring a talented prospect back home.
“You’ve got to get those kinds of kids. The great thing was, as you said, in the metroplex? Whether it’s SMU or TCU, theses kids go off sometimes to school and maybe it doesn’t work the way they want it to,” said Dykes. “I think Dallas, Fort Worth, the metroplex provides tons of opportunities for us to go out, get kids to come back, and play for a program that’s going to play in big games on a national stage and have a chance to win championships.”
Again, recruitment can come down to the narrowest of margins in the end. With that in mind, Dykes is more than capable of parlaying his program’s success with its placement in order to get the players that he wants to compete for TCU.
Greg McElroy: TCU poised to become perennial Big 12 contender
Greg McElroy believes TCU could stake their claim as one of the Big 12’s top teams in the future. With Oklahoma and Texas set to leave the conference after this season, the league will soon look a lot different. It is set to add eight new members over this year and next.
The Horned Frogs find themselves in prime position to take advantage. That’s especially so since they are coming off of a national championship appearance.
Speaking on ‘Always College Football’, McElroy explained how that can propel them moving forward.
“When Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC? I think there is absolutely no reason whatsoever why TCU shouldn’t be at the top of the food chain or at least near the top of the food chain in the Big 12 as it related to profile and possible ceiling and trajectory,” the ESPN analyst said. “I think they are really well-positioned in the future because of this most recent run. It gave a media credibility to Sonny Dykes. It gave a media credibility to the program.
“Knowing that the Big 12 might not be as strong as far as resources are concerned in the near future? TCU should be able to compete with anybody moving forward.”