TCU football preview: Chandler Morris leads a talented, but unproven quarterback room

JULY 18, 2023 8:59 AM
TCU quarterback Chandler Morris rolls out during the first half of the team’s NCAA college football game against Colorado on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Boulder, Colo. He’s on target to face Colorado in the 2023 opener in six weeks.
In just over two weeks, the TCU Horned Frogs will begin preseason camp on Aug. 2 as Sonny Dykes tries to follow up last year’s magical season.
To get you ready for the 2023 season, the Star-Telegram will be rolling out its position previews. First up is the most important position, quarterback.
Chandler Morris leads a room that has upside, but is still mostly unproven. Let’s jump right into a complete breakdown of the position and what to watch for during fall camp.
QUARTERBACK PREVIEW
Players listed on the roster: Chandler Morris, Josh Hoover, Chance Nolan, Luke Pardee, Grant Tisdale, Jacob Porter
Production from 2022: Morris threw for 145 yards and a touchdown in three games. Nolan threw for 939 yards and seven touchdowns with eight interceptions at Oregon State.
Projected starter: Chandler Morris
Next up: Josh Hoover
Breakdown: Dykes has the tall task of finding a signal caller to replace Heisman runner-up Max Duggan, who was dominant on the field and a tremendous leader off of it. What could make the task easier is the fact Morris originally beat Duggan in fall camp last season before being knocked out of the season opener at Colorado with a knee injury.
Based off the spring, when Morris took all the first-team reps, the job is his. As for what type of player he is, Morris brings different strengths to the table than Duggan. He’s smaller and doesn’t have the same straight line speed, but he makes up for it with his accuracy and touch on his passes. Morris also has good mobility that allows him to be a factor in the quarterback run game or to extend plays outside of the pocket. Those improvisation skills could be the key for a breakout year.
Morris has shown glimpses of good decision-making and processing skills. Now it’s just about doing it for a complete season. Behind him, Hoover made a big leap during the spring with improvements to his body and more confidence as a player. The Rockwall-Heath native impressed coaches and teammates alike with what they saw during the spring. He needs to continue to develop, but the staff is more than pleased with the progress he’s made on campus.
Nolan was a late addition through the transfer portal from Oregon State and provides value as an experienced back-up. If something were to happen to Morris or Hoover isn’t ready to go, Dykes will be able to turn to a quarterback that’s started over 20 games in the Pac-12 and one that earned some all-conference love in 2021 after throwing for 2,677 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Nolan’s production dipped last year as he dealt with an injury and was eventually benched mid-season. Now the senior is at TCU and the hope is he can be a valuable resource to Morris and Hoover while also providing depth.
Biggest question: How quickly can Morris, or the other quarterbacks, become comfortable with first-year offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ scheme? Briles’ track record suggests that TCU’s quarterback should have a big year, but when do things start to click?
Best-case scenario: Morris becomes the latest quarterback to have a huge year in Briles’ offense. Averaging about 250 passing yards and 2.5 touchdowns per game, Morris throws for over 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns as he contends for an all-conference spot and more while leading TCU back to the Big 12 title game.
Worst case scenario: Whether it be because of another injury or inconsistencies on the field, Morris isn’t able to provide stability at the position forcing Dykes to turn to Hoover or Nolan. The Horned Frogs still make a bowl game, but finish with seven or eight wins.