Malachi Nelson transfer portal rumors: 5 best destinations for USC QB
By John Buhler
3. TCU Horned Frogs are needing some juice with Chandler Morris out
This is the first one where I sort of get it. TCU went from national runner-ups to not even making a bowl game a year later. Sonny Dykes had an extraordinary first year in Fort Worth after leaving nearby SMU in Dallas last season. Unfortunately, that season looks to have been an outlier, as the Horned Frogs regressed massively this past year. They went 5-7, meaning they were eight wins worse off...
I get that losing former offensive coordinator Garrett Riley very late in the cycle hurt the Horned Frogs, as well as seemingly everyone of note on offense turning pro. However, Dykes need to align himself with a star quarterback the caliber he had at Cal with Jared Goff and at TCU with Max Duggan. Nelson certainly checks that box, and could flourish playing in Kendal Briles' offensive system at TCU.
Briles' Air Raid is different than the one Lincoln Riley ran at USC. Riley's may be more balanced with a powerful running game attached to it, whereas Briles' is a bit more by the book, so to speak. It is not quite as passing-heavy as what the late, great Mike Leach ran for years at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, but this is a scheme that would get Nelson to New York at some point.
TCU is only as good as their quarterback is, so losing Chandler Morris to the portal ain't no big thang.