Report: SMU's Sonny Dykes front-runner for TCU head coaching job

The TCU Horned Frogs appear to have made a decision on whom they want to replace Gary Patterson as head coach.

SMU coach Sonny Dykes is the front-runner to take over the TCU job, according to Blake Brockermeyer, Jeremy Clark, Billy Embody and Chris Hummer of 247 Sports. Dykes has an offer on the table from TCU for over $4 million per year, while SMU has put forward a similar offer to try to keep him.

The 52-year-old Dykes has a TCU tie, as he spent the 2017 season as an offensive analyst on Patterson’s staff. He moved on to SMU after that, where he has posted a 30-17 record.

Despite rumors linking one high-profile coach to the job, Dykes looks to have been the clear front-runner at TCU all along. In fact, the Horned Frogs tipped their hand when they moved on from Patterson when they did, as they did not want Dykes going to another school before they had a crack at hiring him. When Texas Tech went in another direction with its hire, it was a pretty solid indicator that TCU is squarely in the race for Dykes.