TCU chasing sunnier outlook in Dykes' reconnection with Stanford

TCU coach Sonny Dykes faces Stanford in the season opener for both teams this Friday night in Palo Alto, California. Dykes, who couldn’t secure a win against Stanford during his four seasons at Cal, aims to start strong this year. The Cardinal are also looking for their first home victory after finishing 0-7 at home in 2023 under coach Troy Taylor. “They’re very well-coached, and I’ve known Sonny Dykes for a long time,” Taylor said. “They’ll present challenging schemes, but we’ll be prepared.”

Stanford defeated Dykes’ teams four times from 2013-16, including a 50-point rout in his first season at Cal. Last season, TCU, under Dykes, was a national runner-up but struggled with a 5-7 record and missed out on bowl eligibility. The Horned Frogs are hoping for a bounce-back season, led by top wide receiver Savion Williams, who recorded 573 receiving yards last season. “He showed me consistency, which hasn't always been there,” Dykes said. “He has the talent to make plays every day.”

Williams, 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, considered entering the NFL draft but chose to return for more experience. “I felt like I needed another year,” he said. “I wasn’t getting as many targets as I needed last season.”

Josh Hoover, who will be throwing to Williams, has shown he can perform under pressure, with over 300 passing yards in each of his final four starts last season, including a 412-yard game against Baylor. 

Stanford starts its first season in the ACC after three consecutive 3-9 seasons in the Pac-12. The Cardinal are still deciding on a starting quarterback among Ashton Daniels, Justin Lamson, and freshman Elijah Brown. “We feel good about all three quarterbacks,” Taylor, also the quarterbacks coach, said. Daniels passed for 2,247 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and rushed for 292 yards, while Lamson led the Pac-12 with 334 rushing yards among quarterbacks.