TCU reportedly tabs SMU's Sonny Dykes as next head coach

Sonny Dykes will be the successor to Gary Patterson as head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs, according to ESPN's Dave Wilson.

Dykes, 52, has been the head coach of the SMU Mustangs since December 2017 and previously made a brief stop at TCU where he was an offensive analyst for part of the 2017 season. Prior to that, Dykes had a four-year stint as head coach of the California Golden Bears and spent three years as head coach of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

He'll have big shoes to fill at TCU where Patterson was the head coach for 21 seasons and led the Horned Frogs to appearances in the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl during his tenure. In 2016, TCU unveiled a statue of Patterson in front of Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. In October, Patterson and TCU mutually agreed to part ways after a 3-3 start to the year that included a 42-34 loss to SMU.

Dykes has led the Mustangs to a 30-17 record during his tenure, and the team entered Saturday with an 8-3 record. He previously had a 19-30 record during his time with California.

SMU has already zeroed in on Rhett Lashlee to be the team's next head coach, according to Wilson. Lashlee spent two seasons as the Mustangs' offensive coordinator before taking the same position with the Miami Hurricanes in 2020.