Four TCU Players Who Could See Their Roles Grow

One good play does not earn a player a starting job.

It does not erase everything coaches have seen throughout spring practice, fall camp, position meetings and every practice leading into the season. It does not tell us whether a player understood his assignment or can be trusted to execute it consistently.

But one good play can earn something.

Another opportunity.

That is an important distinction as TCU prepares to face Grambling State and Arkansas State before beginning Big 12 play.

The Horned Frogs’ 15-10 loss to North Carolina exposed plenty that needs to improve. Eleven penalties, a 1-for-5 performance on fourth down, three scoreless quarters and a special-teams safety understandably received most of the attention.

Even in a disappointing performance, several players did something with the opportunities they received.

That does not mean they should immediately replace somebody or receive significantly more snaps. It means they showed enough for TCU to find out whether what happened in Dublin can be repeated.

John Schobel

The Schobel name already carries weight at TCU.

John’s father, Aaron Schobel, played defensive end for the Horned Frogs before spending nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills and earning two Pro Bowl selections.

That history may explain why TCU fans recognize John’s name. It is not why he belongs on this list.

The sophomore edge rusher recorded three tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss against North Carolina. On a night when TCU needed its defense to repeatedly keep the game within reach, Schobel showed he could create a negative play rather than simply hold his position.

Now TCU needs to find out whether he can do it consistently.

For an edge player, getting to the quarterback once gets everybody’s attention. Becoming someone an offense has to account for requires doing it repeatedly, playing the run and continuing to affect the quarterback even when the result does not show up as a sack.

One sack does not mean Schobel should be measured against his father, and he should not have to carry the expectations that come with his last name. But it does give him a chance to begin establishing his own.

Ka’Morreun Pimpton

Ka’Morreun Pimpton caught one pass against North Carolina.

It went for 40 yards.

That made it TCU’s longest completion of the game and accounted for nearly one-fourth of Jaden Craig’s 175 passing yards.

The obvious reaction is that Pimpton needs more targets. I understand it, but targets are not simply handed out because a player made one explosive play.

A tight end has responsibilities that never show up in the receiving statistics. He may be asked to block, help in protection, recognize formations and make adjustments based on what the defense presents. Those things help determine how often a coach can put him on the field.

What Pimpton showed is why TCU should want to find out more.

At 6-foot-6, he creates a different kind of matchup. Linebackers may struggle to run with him, while defensive backs have to deal with his size. More importantly, he showed the ability to change the field with one completion, something TCU desperately needed in Dublin.

Pimpton does not need 10 targets against Grambling State. He needs enough meaningful opportunities for TCU to determine whether the 40-yard reception was one big play or something the offense can build on.

Kaden McFadden

Kaden McFadden did not start against North Carolina, but he still found a way to affect the game.

#18 Kayden McFadden playing North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland, 2026 | Tony Beblowski for KillerFrogs.com

McFadden finished with four tackles and forced a fumble. Those are not empty statistics. Tackling and creating takeaways are two good ways for a defensive back to get noticed.

The next step is earning trust.

Four tackles and a forced fumble tell us McFadden produced when given an opportunity. What the stat sheet cannot tell us is how consistently he handled his assignments in coverage, communication and run support. That's what coaches will be evaluating next.

A defensive back can make the tackle and still be responsible for allowing the completion.

That is why coaches cannot evaluate McFadden simply by looking at four tackles and a forced fumble. They know what his assignment was and whether he was where he was supposed to be.

We don't.

What we do know is that when McFadden received his opportunity, he produced.

For a TCU secondary still establishing its depth, that deserves a longer look. Now, TCU needs to find out whether that physical production can be matched by dependable execution within the entire defense.

Jacobe Hayes

Jacobe Hayes only caught one pass in Dublin, but he turned it into a 23-yard gain.

That matters for an offense that struggled to consistently push the ball downfield. Jaden Craig completed 20 passes for only 175 yards, and much of the passing game operated close to the line of scrimmage.

Hayes showed that he might provide something different.

One reception is far too small a sample to make a declaration about his role. That is precisely why Hayes deserves another opportunity.

One catch cannot tell us whether Hayes is ready for a larger role. But a 23-yard gain in an offense that struggled to create plays downfield is enough reason to find out more.

Hayes gave TCU one piece of evidence against North Carolina. Now the Frogs need more.

The next two games should help answer a more important question: Can Hayes consistently create separation and produce the explosive plays this passing game was missing against North Carolina?

If the answer is yes, his opportunities should continue to grow.

Opportunity Must Still Be Earned

There is a difference between making a play, earning another opportunity and earning a larger role.

That is what makes the next two games important for TCU beyond the final score. Grambling State and Arkansas State give the Horned Frogs two opportunities to learn more about their roster before Big 12 play begins.

Can Schobel turn one disruptive performance into consistent pressure?

Can Pimpton become a matchup TCU intentionally builds into the offense?

Can McFadden combine physical production with the assignment reliability required to earn greater responsibility?

Can Hayes provide the downfield element the passing game lacked against North Carolina?

Football coaches give responsibility to players they trust, and that trust is built through far more than what we see on Saturday.

But Saturday still provided evidence.

Schobel, Pimpton, McFadden and Hayes have not earned bigger roles yet.

They have earned the chance to prove they deserve one.

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