The Power of TCU Football

Frog Football History

The hype around TCU football started back in 2010 with head coach, Gary Patterson.

Patterson, who holds the most wins in Horned Frog history, lit a fire under the team and coached the Frogs to a 13-0 season after their Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin.

2010 was a wildly successful season that has left a lasting impact on Frog fans. Andy Dalton, TCU’s quarterback, lead the team to victory in the Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, 2011.

While Dalton left to join the 2011 draft, TCU football continued to succeed and bring fans into the Carter.

Patterson finished out coaching at TCU in 2022 with twenty bowl trips during his time.

Former SMU head coach Sonny Dykes began his time at TCU following Patterson’s epic run.

For the first time since 2010, TCU held an undefeated regular season in 2022 under Dykes. Frog fans were once again re-energized.

The first season with Dykes had a nostalgic feel to the 2010-11 season. Quarterback Max Duggan led the Frogs all the way to the National Championship.

The game did not go the way the Frogs had hoped, but they were there, and they finally had the recognition that always seemed to elude them in past seasons.

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Flutie Effect

The Flutie Effect refers to the increase of student applications to a college after an athletic success.

This phenomenon originates in 1984 from a last second 48 yard “Hail Mary” pass from Boston College’s quarterback, Doug Flutie.

Griffin Kell, TCU kicker, had his own “Doug Flutie” moment during the 2022 season against Baylor. With four seconds left, Kell kicked a 40-yard winning field goal making it a 29-28 Frog win.

TCU’s Flutie Effect happened after their appearance on the National Championship stage. Prompting an increase in student awareness and applications for the upcoming school years.

There is still a lingering Flutie Effect happening now with a school record applicant of 25,000 according to President Pullin.

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What the Data Says

In an effort to understand why fans attend TCU football, the following survey was conducted:

Reason for Attendance

· Atmosphere

· Tailgating

· Time (one game a week – typically the weekend)

· Season

The results tell the same story across the majority of the participants, who all focus on the atmosphere, tailgating and the excitement of the overall season.

Fiesta Bowl win (Madeleine Thornhill)

The Undeniable Power of Football

Kaleb Gonzalez with Max Duggan after storming the field (Kaleb Gonzalez)

Kaleb Gonzalez

Junior, Kaleb Gonzalez, from Houston, Texas, enjoys attending many of TCU sporting event. But football stands above them all.

"During TCU's 2022 season, where we made it to the National Championship the games during the season were packed," Gonzalez said. "You had to plan to be at the Carter hours before to get a good seat."

"When game day rolls around, it's like a whole party on campus," he said. "Tailgates, music and everyone's just buzzing with excitement."

Chase Prince and sister at a tailgate (Chase Prince)

Chase Prince

Senior, Chase Prince, from Los Angeles, California, sports broadcasting major here at TCU. His love for sports grew under the lights of the Carter and will continue as he enters the sports journalism field.

"As a student during 2022 it was insane, so many games were so close," Prince said. "I have never seen people get so excited for Frogs Football."

"Starting the 2023 season we lost a lot of players to the draft," he said. "But the students still showed up for the Frogs."

Dillon Vestal with his two daughters at Fiesta Bowl (Dillon Vestal)

Dillon Vestal

TCU Alumnus, Dillon Vestal is a Season Ticket holder who loves to bring his family to his alma mater. He is continuing the tradition of having purple blood.

"For my family and I the atmosphere is what is makes TCU football different," Vestal said. "The games combined with tailgates makes for a great Saturday."

"Along with two other alum families, we drove 15 hours to the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona, to support the Frogs," he said. "And it was well worth it."

At TCU, Football Reigns Supreme

Game day brings a lot of unique things together in one college football game day. It is like nothing else.

The Amon G. Carter makeover in 2010, plays a huge part in driving fans to the game of football at TCU.

Opening in 2012, the stadium is worth $164 million. The excitement and commitment associated with Frog Football made the new stadium one of the fastest capital raises in school history.

Allowing fans to still be a part of the action whether they were in their seat, walking around or getting something from the concessions. It is a state-of-the-art facility that rivals any college.

An additional $113 million was donated to create the Legends Club and Suites, which opened in 2020.

It is like a destination; people want to go there not just on game days but for other outside events.

In an article discussing the Carter renovation, Chris Del Conte thanks the donors for making the renovations possible. It provides the Frog fan base with an outstanding venue to enjoy on game days.

Amon G. Carter has brought back old traditions and established new ones, bringing the generations together.

Heather Towell, TCU '92, grew up a Sooner and was familiar with southern football. But TCU was a whole new level of football.

"I watched the girls in my dorm get ready for the game with full hair and makeup," Towell said. "It was the most bizarre experience in the world."

TCU has hosted both College Gameday and Big Noon Kickoff placing them in the national spotlight.

It is all about the experience leading up to and during football games.

With the new tradition of the Hypnotoad in 2022, this brought on a different type of “hype” within the fan base.

Appearing in some of the most climactic parts of games, Hypnotoad gets the crowd going.

It has entered every aspect of TCU life, not just athletically.

Advertising for football is higher than other sports at TCU.

Maeve Molina, sophomore, arrived at the perfect time. Coming from Chicago, Illinois, she has never seen football like southern football.

“TCU rallies around their football team more than any other sport,” she said. “It would be rare for any other sport to get the same recognition and attention that football gets from TCU as a whole.”

It is the biggest advertised sport here on TCU campus. From social media to lawn signs, TCU is plastered with football advertisements.

Other sporting events get recognition but not like football. The next “hyped” sport would be men’s basketball.

Women’s sports do not get recognized nearly as much as men’s are. This semester we saw more from the women’s sporting events because they did so well.

What is Next?

Looking forward to the next academic year, TCU received a school record high of applicants. With 25,000 applications TCU is only able to accept 1 in 10 (2,400) applicants according to President Pullin.

Application Graphics by madeleine thornhill

Reflecting on previous generations of TCU students, each generation has impacted the University and TCU football. From Riff Ram to Hypnotoad, new and old traditions are being carried on by the students of TCU.

With these new students entering their time at TCU, one can only imagine new traditions and achievements will come about in the upcoming years.

Like the upgrades to the Carter, TCU athletics are building a new athletic facility, The Simpson Family Restoration and Wellness Center.

With these upgrades and new center, it is a sign of the advancements of TCU athletics and the future of TCU football.