TCU dismisses defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie
TCU has parted ways with defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie, the Star-Telegram has learned.
Gillespie just completed his second season as the head of the Horned Frogs’ defense, but after another disappointing year head coach Sonny Dykes opted to make a change.
While TCU did reach the national championship game last season it was more so in spite of the defense than because of it.
The Horned Frogs finished 95th in total and 91st in scoring defense despite having the Jim Thorpe Award winner Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson and two more draft picks in Dylan Horton and Dee Winters.
TCU expected to take a big jump on defense this season with seven starters returning and another year of familiarity with the 3-3-5 defense. However, in the first game of the season the defense was picked apart by Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes in a stunning Week 1 upset.
The Horned Frogs would’ve reached bowl eligibility had they won that game. Overall the entire defense took a step back on each level as TCU finished 100th in total defense and 83rd in scoring offense. The defense allowed 41 points to Kansas State, 62 to Oklahoma and 35 to Texas Tech using a backup quarterback.
Dykes hired Gillespie from the University of Tulsa after Gillespie was there for seven years, his final three as the defensive coordinator. His best season came in 2020 when he was named Linebackers Coach of the Year and a finalist for defensive coordinator of the year by FootballScoop.
Tulsa had one of the best passing defenses in the country that season and Gillespie developed future first round pick Zaven Collins at linebacker. Dykes’ familiarity with Gillespie from his time at SMU played a big part of bringing Gillespie to Fort Worth.
While the Horned Frogs had some good moments like shutting down Bijan Robinson and Texas last season, there were still too many blown coverages. There were too many moments where the three man front gave the quarterback too much time or couldn’t generate enough penetration to stop the run.
Now TCU is on the market for a defensive coordinator and it’s the biggest hire of the Dykes era after a disappointing season.
