Report: Sonny Dykes TCU staff nearly complete

Friday night, reports surfaced that Sonny Dykes had accepted TCU’s offer to become head coach. Shortly thereafter, we learned who’s leaving SMU with him.

Four Mustangs coaches — running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples, wide receiver coach David Gru, defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and strengh and conditioning coach Kaz Kazada — are following Dykes to TCU, according to a report 247Sports’ Jeremy Clark.

More news from @JClarkHFB247: TCU has also poached SMU RBs coach Ra'Shaad Samples, WR coach David Gru, DL coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and S&C coach Kaz Kazadi to join Dykes' staff in Fort Worth. https://t.co/sze52Y9gOd

— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) November 26, 2021

The news came out as TCU was taking on Iowa State in its final regular season game and one day before SMU closes out its season against Tulsa.

Dykes’ name has been linked to TCU since Gary Patterson was fired mid-season. Jerry Kill took over as the Horned Frogs interim coach, and a report says he could become the next head coach at New Mexico State.

TCU hires SMU head coach Sonny Dykes as Gary Patterson’s successor

The TCU Horned Frogs are hiring SMU head coach Sonny Dykes to replace long-time head coach Gary Patterson, On3’s Matt Zenitz confirmed on Friday.

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

Dykes 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.

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.

The TCU job is filled, but other teams are still looking for coaches. Florida, LSU, USC, Washington, Washington State, Virginia Tech and more are still on the hunt.