Could Sonny Dykes Be TCU's Play Caller in the Alamo Bowl?

The TCU Horned Frogs have suddenly found themselves without an offensive play caller ahead of their bowl game versus USC.

Nov 29, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes looks on with his team before the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

With Kendal Briles leaving to take the offensive coordinator position at South Carolina under head coach Shane Beamer, and new OC Gordon Sammis likely not picking up the mantle until next season, the Horned Frogs suddenly find themselves without an offensive play caller ahead of their matchup with No. 16 USC in the Alamo Bowl.

In his weekly press conference, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said that there are several contingency plans in place for who will be the play caller with Briles no longer being an option and new offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis unlikely to call plays for the bowl game. One of those plans includes Dykes himself opening up the playbook and getting back to his old roots as an offensive tactician.

When Did Dykes Last Call Plays?

Sep 24, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Sonny Dykes walks to the sideline against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the second half at Sun Devil Stadium. The Sun Devils won 51-41. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Dykes hasn’t been the primary play caller for a team he’s coached ever since taking the head coaching gig at Louisiana Tech in 2010. That applies to his stints at California, SMU and now at TCU, where he has employed both Garrett Riley — who took the Clemson job following the 2022 season — and Briles.

The last time that Dykes called plays was as the offensive coordinator at Arizona from 2007 to 2009. It was there that Dykes helped the Wildcats achieve back-to-back eight-win seasons (Arizona hadn’t won more than six games since 1998 prior to 2008) while calling an offense that performed better than it did prior to his arrival. It was after the 2009 campaign that Louisiana Tech came calling, and Dykes’ play-calling duties subsequently went to the wayside.

Dykes said in 2015 while at California that letting his then-offensive coordinator Tony Franklin handle the brunt of the duties was the best way to make sure the operation ran smoothly, though he conceded that it was sometimes difficult to not get involved.

“It’s hard because I get too involved at times, but at the end of the day, I have complete, 100 percent trust in him,” Dykes said in 2015. “I try to stay out of it as much as I can. For me to come in and mess up his flow, mess up his rhythm, I think is counterproductive.”

He’s operated under that same philosophy to this day, but could that be changing ahead of the Alamo Bowl?

Dykes Could Call Plays in San Antonio

Oct 18, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes on the sidelines against the Baylor Bears during the second half of a game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

When asked about whether he could be an option for offensive play caller, Dykes didn’t rule it out. In fact, he said that it was one of the backup plans should TCU be in need of such a thing.

“We’re trying to figure that out,” Dykes said. “The world of college football is always working on contingency plans. And so I think that there’s always Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, Plan E, Plan 1E, Plan 2E, Plan 3E, all the way down the road.”

Dykes went on to add that he just wants to do what’s best for the team. He specified that being a play caller requires hours and hours of film study and arduous preparation, implying that he might not have all that time given his other duties as head coach.

“You’re either all in or you’re not,” Dykes said. “Back in the old days of college football, it was pretty simple. You had your players and they were here and you sat in a room and you came up with a game plan and you went and coached."

So, could Dykes call plays for TCU at the Alamo Bowl? Maybe. For now, it seems the staff is exploring every possible avenue in the wake of Briles’ departure to South Carolina. But if TCU needs someone to step in on short notice, Dykes could very well be the guy. All he’d have to do is grab the play sheet, throw on the headset, shake off the signal-calling rust and get to work.

What’s Next for the Horned Frogs?

TCU will match up against No. 16 USC in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game will be televised on ESPN.