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15 college football teams losing the most talent in 2018

By Nicholas Ian Allen

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Lamont Gaillard #53 of the Georgia Bulldogs prepares to snap the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff National Championship held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 for the national title. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Lamont Gaillard #53 of the Georgia Bulldogs prepares to snap the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff National Championship held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 for the national title. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /
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FORT WORTH, TX – NOVEMBER 24: Kenny Hill (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX – NOVEMBER 24: Kenny Hill (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
  • Early NFL Draft Entrants: 0
  • Starters Lost: 14 (9 Offense, 5 Defense)
  • Two-Deep Lost: 19 (13 Offense, 6 Defense)
  • Passing Yards Returning: 184 (5.52 percent)
  • Rushing Yards Returning: 1,547 (58.8 percent)
  • Receiving Yards Returning: 1,838 (56 percent)
  • Tackles Returning:5 (60.7 percent)

Though the team escaped the NFL Draft without an early entrant, no FBS team must replace more offensive starters than TCU, who tied UTSA with nine. Only Colorado State (15) must replace more total starters than the Horned Frogs, and only Navy (21) and UTSA (20) lost more seniors from their two-deep depth charts. As a result, head coach Gary Patterson and his coaching staff face one of the biggest roster rebuilds in the country ahead of the 2018 college football season.

Quarterback Kenny Hill was far from perfect, but he was productive after transferring from Texas A&M. Hill threw for 3,152 yards and 23 touchdowns and added 325 rushing yards (448 without counting sacks). And though Hill is likely the most well-known player from last year’s 11-win team, there are losses at every unit on the roster.

Led by All-Conference selection Matt Pryor, the Horned Frogs lost four of five starting offensive linemen (as well as a senior reserve) from last year’s squad. TCU also must replace a well-rounded group that includes its leading ball carrier (Kyle Hicks, 139 carries), leader in targets and yards per reception (John Diarse, 65, 16.4), co-leader in receptions (Desmon White, 41), leading tackler (Travin Howard, 84), leader in interceptions (Nick Orr, 3) and leader in sacks (Mat Boesen, 11.5) and leader in pass breakups (Ranthony Texada, 14). Howard, Orr, Boesen and Texada were all selected to the All-Big 12 First Team in 2017.

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