Is Sonny Dykes Already Among TCU’s Best Head Coaches of All-Time?

After a stunning start to year four, it’s time to take a look at where Sonny Dykes ranks among TCU’s all-time head coaches.

Through his first 41 games Dykes has led the Frogs to a record of 28-13 (.683), putting him amongst the program’s most successful coaches. There are only three others who have outperformed Dykes through their first 41 games as head coach.

Leading the way is Francis Schmidt, who coached TCU from 1929 to 1933. He dominated the gridiron and posted a 33-4-4 (.854) record.

Following him is Dutch Meyer, who led TCU to a 30-8-3 (.768) record, including a National Championship in 1935 and a Cotton Bowl victory in 1936. Meyer soon took TCU to the pinnacle of college football with another National Championship in 1938 before going on to become the first head coach in program history to win over 100 games.

Next up is the beloved Gary Patterson, whose 22-year reign in Fort Worth began with a 29-12 (.707) record through his first 41. In his third year of coaching, Patterson’s Frogs won the Liberty Bowl in 2002. He would go on to become TCU’s winningest head coach in history with a record of 181-79.

Below is a list of TCU head coaches and their record through their first 41 games:

While Dykes ranks amongst TCU’s most successful head coaches, Horned Frog football has witnessed both sides of the coin under the head coach.

Since taking over in 2022, Dykes has taken TCU Football to new heights. The obvious standouts include a CFP Fiesta Bowl win over Michigan and a National Championship appearance against Georgia. That being said, the Frogs also dealt with a fall from grace in 2023, going 5-7 overall and 3-6 in conference play, before bouncing back in 2024.

There were even murmurs surrounding the idea that the 2022-23 season was achieved with players recruited by and developed in the Patterson era. In year four, we will have enough data to begin measuring the effectiveness of recruitment and development under his program.

Nonetheless, Dykes has given TCU a fresh look and a new culture and standard, and with a high bar set for the 2025 season Dykes and the Frogs will look to keep it Sonny in Fort Worth.

The TCU Horned Frogs play their first home game of the season when they host Abilene Christian on Saturday, September 13. The game is at 7 p.m. CT in Fort Worth at Amon G. Carter Stadium. It can be seen on ESPN+.