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          Big 12 Blog

          Position that needs improvement: TCU

          • Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff WriterJan 29, 2015, 11:00 AM ET
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              Jake Trotter covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2011 covering college football. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him on Twitter @Jake_Trotter.
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          This week, we’re taking a closer look at one specific area each Big 12 team needs to improve before 2015. We continue the series with TCU, which doesn't have much to improve after a 12-1 season:

          Position to improve: Secondary

          Why it could be a problem: The TCU secondary was the best in the Big 12 last season, with safeties Chris Hackett and Sam Carter and cornerback Kevin White all earning all-conference honors. The problem is, Carter and White have both graduated, while Hackett declared early for the NFL draft. The Horned Frogs have talented secondary players coming back, but Carter has been a linchpin on the TCU defense, while Hackett and White were difference-makers this past season. The Horned Frogs will have to rely on some semi-new faces in the defensive backfield.

          How it can be fixed: The good news is that many of the expected new faces aren't exactly new. Kenny Iloka likely will step in for Carter or Hackett in the starting lineup after playing a key reserve role last season. In TCU's three-safety defense, they'll be alongside Derrick Kindred, who's been a quality starter the last season-and-a-half. Ranthony Texada is coming off a banner 2014 as a starting redshirt freshman cornerback opposite White. Texada got better as the season wore on and seems primed to take over as TCU's primary corner. Someone will have to step in at the other corner, but the Horned Frogs have plenty of possibilities in Nick Orr, Torrance Mosley and Corry O'Meally -- who were all newcomers last season -- and Cameron Echols-Luper, who will be converting over from receiver.

          Early 2015 outlook: On paper, the Horned Frogs have the potential to be solid in the defensive backfield, if not better than that. But they are replacing a ton of playmaking from a secondary that helped the Horned Frogs lead the nation in interceptions. Kindred is the only returning Horned Frog that had more than one pick this past season. With 10 starters back, the offense is going to remain a juggernaut, so the Horned Frogs don't have to be great in the back end. But to contend for a Big 12 title and a playoff spot, they need at least to be pretty good. That will hinge on how the likes of Texada and Iloka respond to their expanded roles.