TCU Bolsters Coaching Staff With Director For Human Football Performance

The TCU Horned Frogs announced their latest coaching hire in Darl Bauer, Assistant AD, Director of Football Human Performance.

Bauer arrives in Fort Worth with immense experience, spanning nearly the last two decades. He spent the previous two seasons as the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Troy. In 2025, the Trojans went 8-6 overall and 6-2 in the Sun Belt Conference West. They suffered a narrow 17-13 loss to Jacksonville State in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

His coaching career began shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Hillsdale College in Michigan in 2008. He served as a student assistant coach, working with the defensive backs. Bauer then went to West Virginia and subsequently graduated with a master’s of science in athletic coaching education in 2010.

He would go on to spend the next several years in Morgantown, first as a graduate assistant, and then as a full-time staff member. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning and Director of Applied Performance in 2017.

After the 2018 season, Bauer followed Dana Holgorsen to Houston and became the Director of Strength and Performance. He coached 12 NFL draft picks while in Houston, playing a prominent role in leading the Cougars to wins over Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl and Louisiana in the Independence Bowl.

Bauer spent five years at Houston before moving to Troy for the next two seasons.

This move comes just over a week after TCU Football parted ways with Kaz Kazadi, who had been the Frogs’ Assistant AD for Football Human Performance. Kazadi had spent the last four seasons in Fort Worth, coming to TCU alongside Sonny Dykes in 2021. He had spent the previous four years with Dykes at SMU as well, where he oversaw strength and conditioning.

TCU continues to bring in various coaches as it looks to take a significant stride forward toward competing for a Big 12 title in 2026. Hires, including offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis, quarterbacks coach Brad Robbins, and running backs coach Antonio Wilcox, have continued to bolster an exciting, youthful Frogs team.

What’s Next for the Horned Frogs?

With just a few days left in the transfer portal window, the Frogs will look to put the finishing touches on what has been an efficient and effective two weeks. With work still to be done, Sonny Dykes and the program have made calculated and intentional moves both on and off the field to prepare the Frogs for the spring.

What’s Next for the Horned Frogs?

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