After a disastrous home loss against West Virginia, TCU made a big move this weekend, firing co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach AJ Ricker. This wasn’t some minor shake-up either, especially with the Horned Frogs being a 10.5-point favorite in that brutal home defeat.
A Weekend of Coaching Changes, But TCU Went Assistant First
While NC State and Baylor were shaking up their head coaching spots across college football this weekend, TCU went a different route, letting an assistant go instead of Head Coach Sonny Dykes. Ricker, who’d been with Dykes since their SMU days, joined the Horned Frogs staff in late 2021 after two seasons at SMU. It’s a quick turnaround for a coach who has also had stints at Kansas, Oklahoma State, Houston, Missouri, Illinois, and Western Michigan.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: A Struggling O-Line
The writing was pretty much on the wall when you look at how bad TCU’s offensive line has been this season. These guys are only averaging a paltry 3.3 yards per carry, which is just brutal. And quarterback Jaden Craig? He’s been sacked a staggering 20 times in seven games. The West Virginia game was the final straw, with Craig getting sacked three times. On the final sack, Craig fumbled the ball, and West Virginia scooped it up to seal their 24-20 upset win. Talk about a punch to the gut when you’re supposed to dominate.
Another Shake-Up for the Horned Frogs’ Offense
So who’s stepping up? Offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis and assistant offensive line coach Ryan Swingle are reportedly taking over the position group, according to HornedFrogBlitz. Ricker’s firing isn’t the only change for the offensive staff either. We’ve seen former OC Kendal Briles bounce to South Carolina, and ex-running backs coach Jimmy Smith left for Georgia Tech. Sammis stepped in for Briles, and they brought in Brad Robbins as quarterbacks coach and Antonio Wilcox, formerly of UConn, for running backs. With Sammis and Swingle now taking over the offensive line, it marks yet another significant shift for the Horned Frogs’ offensive staff this year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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