TCU football preview: Could the new scheme open up more opportunities for the defensive line?

A new defense under coordinator Andy Avalos presents a new opportunity for TCU’s defensive linemen in the upcoming season.

Avalos, the former Boise State head coach, runs a 4-2-5 defense compared to 3-3-5 defense the Horned Frogs utilized for the last two seasons under Joe Gillespie. In that defense, the defensive line faced a lot of double teams with the purpose of occupying blocks to allow the linebackers behind them to make plays.

In this defense, the linemen will be able to attack more and have more 1-on-1 matchups. With four men rushing constantly instead of three, it should also create more pressure on the quarterback. Despite losing Damonic Williams to Oklahoma, the TCU defensive line was among the top position groups during camp and this unit will be the key to a successful first season for Avalos.

With the way Avalos runs his defense, this preview will include one of the outside linebacker positions at edge rusher.

Ahead of TCU’s season opener at Stanford on Friday, here’s a look at TCU’s defensive line:

The starters

Defensive tackle: Caleb Fox, Tymon Mitchell

Defensive end: Nana Osafo-Mensah

Edge: Devean Deal

Breakdown: The defensive line looks to have taken a step forward in the new defense after having dominant stretches during both spring and fall camp. Osafo-Mensah has been a game changer at defensive end after transferring in from Notre Dame. He’s been a quality run stopper and one of the most consistent pass rushers on the team. Fox and Mitchell are veterans enjoying bigger roles. Fox was a starter last season and said over the summer how much he’s enjoyed the switch to the new defense.

Deal was transfer brought in from Tulane and is the older brother of Markis Deal. He’s been consistently the first edge rusher with the starters and seems to have a good grip on the position. The unit feels like it will be able to make more plays than a year ago and if the pre-season was any indication, there’s a good reason why they should feel so optimistic about this upcoming season.

Next up

Defensive tackle: Markis Deal, Zach Chapman

Defensive end: Paul Oyewale

Edge: Cooper McDonald

More names to know: Jonathan Bax, Marcel Brooks, Hakeem Ajijolaiya, Travis Jackson, Avion Carter, Keviyan Huddleston, Michael Ibukun-Okeyode, Tristan Johnson

Breakdown: The second group up front is a promising one with a number of young players emerging during fall camp. Deal was one of the highest-rated recruits in the 2023 class and has made a nice jump as a redshirt freshman. The same can be said for Chapman, a versatile pass rusher that can play inside or at defensive end if needed. Chapman also received first team reps in certain pass rushing packages as well.

Oyewale was limited most of camp, but was able to dress out in pads and do some workouts. Sonny Dykes said Oyewale began to ramp up his rehab last week and there’s still optimism he could be available for Stanford. McDonald was one of the surprises of training camp, quickly taking over the second edge rusher spot. He had an interception of Josh Hoover and made a number of other notable plays throughout practice.

There’s good depth behind McDonald with Brooks and Bax having flashes throughout the spring and fall. Ajijolaiya could move up to second team if Oyewale isn’t available and allow Chapman to move to end. The Horned Frogs added Ajijolaiya from Houston through the transfer portal and while he mostly ran with the third-team defense, he’s an experienced player with 40 appearances and six starts.

Of all the younger defensive linemen listed, Jackson was eye-catcher during camp. Working with the second team, Jackson held up well against in the run and formed a nice duo with Deal at times. The true freshman’s future is bright and he could be a name to watch in the rotation.

Best case scenario: The Horned Frogs’ defensive line makes the most of the new defense, racking up over 20 sacks and being solid against the run. Young players like Deal and Chapman are able to get extensive reps and improve rapidly to set up the 2025 season that could be even better.

Worst case scenario: The unit is better at getting after the quarterback, but it will miss Williams’ ability to stuff the run leading to an uneven year up front and the defense as a whole only showing modest improvement.