TCU Releases First Availability Report Ahead of Conference Play

For fans and media alike, the addition of official reports provides a clearer picture of who will be on the field on Saturdays, cutting down on speculation and uncertainty throughout the week. It also brings the Big 12 in line with the other major conferences, creating more transparency while ensuring teams don’t gain a competitive edge by withholding injury information.

The Availability Rundown

Last weekend, the Horned Frogs defeated the SMU Mustangs despite being without star running back Kevorian Barnes. The starting running back for the Frogs appeared to be a gametime decision last week but is currently listed as OUT for TCU's Big 12 opener.

While the absence of Barnes is unfortunate, the Frogs have a variety of available options in the backfield. Jermey Payne and Trent Battle got the majority of the team's rushing attempts on Saturday, both of which surpassed 50 yards on the ground.

Last season, TCU's offense struggled to run the ball in key scenarios widely because of their committee approach to the backfield. With another year under that committee's belt, Payne and Battle have more than proven they have what it takes to move the chains while Barnes gets back to full health.

Other notables that are labeled OUT as of right now include Avery Helm and Jordyn Bailey, who are both still recovering from injuries before taking the field again in conference play. Helm was limited in his action against Abilene Christian but managed to make an impact on the game with a tackle during his time on the field.

As for the rest of the names that appear on both the depth chart and injury report, it seems to be business as usual as the team heads to Tempe, Arizona in the coming days.

Reinforcements on the Edge

One of the positives that Frog fans can draw from the injury report is that Freshman All-American Zach Chapman is not listed as OUT for Friday's game. In 2024, Chapman totaled 24 tackles, including three sacks, and proved to be one of TCU’s most disruptive young defenders.

With Chapman's ability rushing the passer, the defensive end gives the Frogs a potential edge against a Sun Devils offensive line that has shown weaknesses in pass protection.