2024 TCU Football Season Recap: Safeties

The Horned Frogs deployed a veteran group led by All-Big 12 honorees Bud Clark and Abe Camara.

A disappointing development throughout the 2023 TCU football season was the team’s struggles on defense. The Horned Frogs allowed over 400 total yards per game, including nearly 254 yards passing, despite deploying a veteran secondary that included playmakers like cornerback Josh Newton and safety Millard Bradford, who both found their way onto NFL rosters. Looking to fix their defensive woes, the Horned Frogs made a coordinator change over the offseason, parting ways with Joe Gillespie and hiring former Boise State head coach Andy Avalos to serve as the team’s new defensive coordinator.

With Avalos in the fold, TCU went into the transfer portal to improve the secondary, adding multiple corners including Utah’s JaTravis Broughton, Old Dominion’s LaMareon James and Austin Peay’s Jevon McIver Jr. The Horned Frogs also addressed the safety position, signing Memphis’ Cam Smith along with Tulsa’s Jaise Oliver and Nevada’s Richard Toney Jr. While Avalos’ scheme shared similarities to the 3-3-5 scheme Gillespie utilized during his time at TCU, the new defense placed greater emphasis on mixing up fronts and rushing the passer in order to alleviate the pressure of having to cover for extended periods in the secondary.

The result was an improved secondary that, despite losing Newton and Bradford to the NFL, held opposing teams to only 185.2 passing yards per game, an improvement of roughly 70 yards from 2023. The Horned Frogs intercepted 10 passes this season, two more than last, while breaking up 48 pass attempts, nine more than last season. All-Big 12 free safety and team captain Bud Clark was responsible for three of those interceptions, two of which came over the second half of the season. Clark was one of TCU’s best players this season, earning All-Big 12 Second Team honors after totaling 68 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble to go along with his three interceptions. Clark has been a fixture of the secondary over his five years at TCU, recording 158 total tackles, 24 pass breakups and 11 picks.

Senior nickelback Abe Camara arguably reaped the most benefits of the team’s new defensive scheme. An on-and-off starter over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Camara became a full-time starter at the nickelback position, earning an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention after totaling 55 tackles and six tackles-for-loss while adding six pass breakups in 2024. Known for his hard-hitting ability, Camara forced a fumble during TCU’s road win over Cincinnati and broke up two passes during the team’s home victory against Arizona in November. Camara, who began his collegiate football career as a JUCO athlete before recently completing his fourth season at TCU, is one of many players who may be eligible to receive a waiver to continue his collegiate career in light of the recent lawsuit filed by Diego Pavia.

Strong safety was a rotating spot for the Horned Frogs, who didn’t have Memphis transfer Cam Smith for five of their first six games due to injury. TCU leaned on true sophomore and former four-star recruit Jamel Johnson, who recently took his name out of the portal after opting to enter the portal in early December. Johnson was an immediate contributor during his freshman season in 2023, but he took a significant step forward in 2024, recording 73 total tackles (third-most on the team) as well as three pass breakups and a forced fumble. Johnson was all over the field early in the season, finishing with 11 total tackles against both Stanford and UCF. Smith appeared in eight games once he was healthy, ending the season with 24 total tackles and an interception in TCU’s New Mexico Bowl win over Louisiana.

As TCU prepares for the 2025 season, it’s possible the Horned Frogs could have all three of their starting safeties back in the fold. Clark is a redshirt junior with one year of eligibility remaining, while Johnson has two years remaining and Camara may be able to obtain a JUCO waiver. Should one (or more) of those players depart, TCU will look to the depth chart for answers. One player to watch will be junior and former Texas transfer Austin Jordan, who posted 16 total tackles and one sack during the 2024 campaign. Another player to keep an eye on will be former LSU redshirt freshman safety Kylin Jackson, who is one of eight transfers TCU has signed in the 2025 recruiting cycle. A four-star high school recruit from Louisiana, Jackson spent two years with the Tigers, registering five tackles in that time.

The Horned Frogs lost Richard Toney Jr. to the transfer portal after one season, while redshirt senior Jaise Oliver registered 12 total tackles for the Horned Frogs after spending five years at Tulsa. TCU has several unproven freshmen who could crack the depth chart in 2025. Among those safeties are redshirt freshman Jordan Lester, who snagged his first career interception in the win over Louisiana, as well as true freshmen Kaden McFadden and Devyn Hidrogo. Looking at the 2025 recruiting class, TCU has signed three safeties including three-stars Joseph Albright, Julius Simms and JUCO safety Kollin Collier.