Report: SMU Football Coach Sonny Dykes to Be Named TCU Coach

Dykes will succeed longtime Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson, who the university parted ways with on Oct. 31.

After weeks of rumors and coaching interviews, SMU coach Sonny Dykes will reportedly become TCU's next football coach, according to 247Sports.

Dykes, who has led the Mustangs to a 30-17 record and three consecutive bowl-eligible seasons, will coach SMU on Saturday against Tulsa. Despite earning spots in the Associated Press Top 25 poll during his tenure, the Mustangs have failed to make an appearance in the American Athletic Conference Championship game.

According to ESPN's Ian Fitzsimmons, SMU offered him a package up to $4 million to remain with the program but TCU brought "significantly more" to the table.

The Mustangs started the 2021 season 7–0 including a 42–34 victory against TCU on Sept. 25. When TCU parted ways with Patterson, Dykes was one of several candidates in coaching rumors for the job that included names such as Louisiana's Billy Napier, Iowa State's Matt Campbell and Jackson State's Deion Sanders.

According to ESPN's Ian Fitzsimmons, SMU offered him a package up to $4 million to remain with the program but TCU brought "significantly more" to the table.

Dykes will succeed longtime TCU coach Gary Patterson, who had been with the Horned Frogs program since 1998 as a defensive coordinator before being named head coach in 2000.

While Patterson was the winningest coach in TCU history, he struggled in the 2021 season as the Horned Frogs were 3–5 when the university parted ways with him on Oct. 31. 

Chris Hummer of 247Sports also reported that Dykes plans to hold interviews with current TCU coaches on Sunday. SMU will likely hire current Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee as its next coach and has spoken with coaches around the country for his potential staff, according to Hummer.

Lashlee left SMU after serving as the offensive coordinator 10-win season with the program in 19. He took over a Hurricanes' offense that garnered success despite the program's latest offensive woes and injuries this season.