Dawgs Daily

CFP National Championship: TCU Players to Watch

TCU has been this season's Cinderella story, but as a P5 team in the state of Texas, the Horned Frogs will throw plenty of great players at Georgia.

Christian Goeckel

TCU, a 200-1 pick to win the National Championship before the season, is just one win away from pulling off the most shocking run in the history of the College Football Playoff. 

First-year head coach Sonny Dykes inherited a team that finished just 5-7 the year prior. So how has TCU turned it around so quickly? Putting players in the right positions. The Horned Frogs aren't an elite recruiting team, but they aren't devoid of talent, either. 

We all know the story of quarterback Max Duggan, but who are some other players to watch as TCU tries to take down Georgia?

Dee Winters (13) - Linebacker

Dee Winters, a senior linebacker out of Brenham, Texas, is the heart of TCU’s 3-3-5 defense. The 6-foot-1 linebacker plays all over the field for the Horned Frogs as a do-it-all athlete. Against Michigan in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Winters tallied: 7 tackles, 3 for a loss, and intercepted a JJ McCarthy pass in the third quarter, taking it to the house to give TCU a 34-16 lead.

Seen as a mid-to-late round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, Winters is an excellent blitzer, taking advantage of the gaps TCU’s unique defense creates. On the season, Dee Winters has tallied 14.5 tackles for a loss, including 7.5 sacks.

Dylan Horton (98) - Defensive Lineman

One of the guys clearing holes for Winters is defensive lineman Dylan Horton. A transfer from New Mexico prior to the 2020 season, Horton is a prototype for the modern-day defensive end. At 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, he has enough size to line up inside the offensive tackle’s shoulder, but still has enough speed to get out and make tackles in space. There have been countless times where Horton has gotten out to make a tackle against a slip screen on the perimeter. Some of his plays remind you of those that Georgia defensive linemen have made in years past.

Like Winters, Horton saved his best performance for TCU’s biggest game. Against Michigan, Horton tallied 4.0 sacks, bringing his season total to 10.

Quentin Johnson (1) - Wide Receiver

6-foot-4, 215 pounds, is all you need to know about Johnson. The junior wideout has outstanding range, and features high-level acceleration to go with it. Johnson is far and away the No. 1 receiver on this team. His 1,066 yards are over 400 yards clear of the next closest receiver.

What makes Johnson so dangerous is his ability to run the full route tree. He can take you deep on the 9-route, is lethal on back shoulder throws, and can accumulate a ton of yards after catch on drag routes. Georgia has struggled at times this season to slow down elite receivers - granted, most teams struggle to slow down elite receivers, that’s what makes them elite - and they’ll have to be hyper-focused on Johnson at all times.

Kendre Miller (33) - Running Back

You don’t see bell cow running backs much in modern football, but that’s exactly what Kendre Miller has been for TCU. So far this season, Miller has accumulated 240 touches, or 17 touches a game. That might not seem like a ton, but in TCU’s biggest games this season (Kansas State, Texas, and Oklahoma State), Miller has 29, 21, and 22 carries, respectively. For reference, Kenny McIntosh leads Georgia in touches with 183. That’s 57 less than Miller.

Now, Kendre Miller’s status for the College Football Playoff National Championship is in doubt after having to leave the Fiesta Bowl with a knee injury. If he can’t go, TCU will turn to Emari Demercado, who ran for 150 yards against Michigan. 

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Christian Goeckel
CHRISTIAN GOECKEL

Christian Goeckel is a Staff Writer for Dawgs Daily on SI.com. Christian has covered College Football for nearly a decade, writing for multiple sites and hosting radio shows across Southern Georgia and South Carolina. 

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