This is the second piece of a 12-part series previewing Arkansas' 2016 football opponents.

TCU is coming off an 11-2 season that was capped by a dramatic 47-41 triple-overtime win over Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, in which it trailed 31-0 at halftime. The Horned Frogs went 7-2 in Big 12 play, finishing tied for second in the conference.

They were No. 7 in the final Associated Press poll.

2016 outlook

TCU opens its season Sept. 3 at home against South Dakota State and follows the Arkansas game with another home game, hosting Iowa State on Sept. 17.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Horned Frogs are projected to win 7.3 games. That would be a large drop-off from the previous two seasons, in which they won 12 and 11 games.

The FPI also has TCU at No. 30 in the country, which is sixth in the Big 12 and three spots behind Arkansas (No. 27).

Las Vegas has a little more faith in TCU. The Golden Nugget casino put the Horned Frogs’ win total at 8.5 when it released several college football over/under totals last month.

Significant departures

There will be several holes TCU needs to fill in 2016, as 10 players from last year’s team were either drafted or signed as undrafted free agents.

Most notably, the Horned Frogs must replace first-round pick Josh Doctson, an all-American receiver who finished his career with a school-record 2,785 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. They’ll also have to replace the player who responsible for throwing him those passes, quarterback Trevone Boykin. The two-time all-American threw for 3,575 yards and 31 touchdowns last season, while also rushing for 612 yards and nine touchdowns.

Safety Derrick Kindred (87 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3 PBU, 2 int., 2 forced fumbles) was taken in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai (30 career starts) in the fifth round and wide receiver Kolby Listenbee (30 rec., 597 yds., 5 TD) and offensive lineman Joey Hunt (36 career starts) in the sixth round.

Running back Aaron Green (244 car., 1,272 yds., 11 TD), defensive end Terrell Lathan (34 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 5 PBU), offensive lineman Jamelle Naff (25 career starts) and kicker Jaden Oberkrom (59 of 60 PAT, 21 of 25 FG, long of 57 yds.) signed undrafted free agent contracts.

Key returners

While TCU must replace its top quarterback, wide receiver and running back, it will have some firepower back on offense.

Wide receiver KaVontae Turpin is arguably the Horned Frogs’ most explosive returning player. As a true freshman, he finished second on the team with 649 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, while also rushing for 116 yards on 20 carries. Turpin is also valuable in special teams, returning 17 punts for 181 yards and one touchdown and 27 kickoffs for 729 yards last season.

Although he is listed as a running back, Shaun Nixon filled in at receiver because of injuries last year. He rushed for only 66 yards on 16 carries, but caught 47 passes for 501 yards and one touchdown. His 47 receptions were second on the team to Doctson.

Juniors Kyle Hicks and Trevorris Johnson are TCU’s leading returning rushers, as the both finished with 262 yards on the ground in 2015. Hicks found the end zone four times (3 rushing, 1 receiving), but Johnson did not score.

Defensively, the Horned Frogs are led by senior defensive end Josh Carraway, who finished third in the Big 12 with nine sacks last season. He also had 47 tackles, including 11.5 for loss, nine quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries.

They also have junior linebacker Travin Howard, who led the team with 105 tackles and also had eight tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and an interception, and senior safety Denzel Johnson, who had a team-high 13.5 tackles for loss to go along with 79 total tackles, eight pass breakups and one interception.

Sophomore cornerback Ranthony Texada will be back in the mix, as well, after playing only three games last year because a knee injury ended his season. As a redshirt freshman in 2014, he was named a second-team freshman all-American by Scout.com.

Notable additions

The biggest addition for TCU this season is at quarterback, where Kenny Hill will be eligible to play. The former Texas A&M quarterback set out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, but is one of just two quarterbacks on TCU’s roster that has thrown a collegiate pass, with the other being sophomore Foster Sawyer (11 of 27, 155 yds., 2 TD, 3 int.).

With the Aggies, Hill – nicknamed “Kenny Trill” – made an early splash by throwing for 511 yards against South Carolina and started the first eight games before being replaced. He led Texas A&M to a 35-28 win over Arkansas in 2014 by throwing for 386 yards and four touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter and one in overtime.

TCU’s 2016 signing class is rated No. 22 in the country and No. 4 in the Big 12 and features six four-star prospects according to Rivals.

Of those six four-stars, four of them are junior college transfers and could provide an immediate impact: wide receivers Taj Williams and Ryan Parker, linebacker Tyree Horton and defensive back Markell Simmons. The other two will be true freshmen: athlete Sewo Olonilua, who enrolled for the spring semester and is listed as a running back, and defensive end Isaiah Chambers.

Another junior college transfer, three-star Chris Gaynor, could provide help along the offensive line, which has just one returning full-time starter (junior Joseph Noteboom). Gaynor enrolled early.

Parker, Williams, Horton and Gaynor are among Athlon Sports’ top 25 impact JUCO transfers for 2016.

Coaching staff

Gary Patterson enters his 16th season at TCU as the winningest head coach in program history, compiling a 143-47 record. He has led the Horned Frogs to six outright or co-conference championships spread across three different leagues – C-USA (2002), MWC (2005, 2009-2011) and Big 12 (2014) – and been named the national coach of the year twice (2009, 2014).

Patterson was rumored to be John L. Smith’s replacement following the 2012 season, but Arkansas hired Bret Bielema and Patterson remained at TCU.

At the coordinator positions, Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie are in their third season as co-offensive coordinators and Chad Glasgow is in his second season as defensive coordinator.

Meacham came to TCU after one season as Houston’s offensive coordinator, while Cumbie spent one season as the co-offensive coordinator at Texas Tech before taking the TCU job. Together, they lead an air raid style offense.

Meacham’s career also took him through Arkansas, as he was the offensive coordinator at Henderson State in Arkadelphia from 1999-2000.

Glasgow served as a co-defensive coordinator last season, but was promoted to sole defensive coordinator when DeMontie Cross left for the same position at Missouri. This is Glasgow’s second stint with the Horned Frogs, as he was their safeties coach from 2001-2010. He spent one year as Texas Tech’s defensive coordinator before returning to Fort Worth.

Series history

Arkansas and TCU have met 68 times, with the Hogs holding a 43-23-2 edge in the series. All of the matchups came between 1920 and 1991, when they were Southwest Conference foes. In their final SWC meeting, Arkansas beat TCU 22-21 in Fort Worth.

Since joining the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas is 11-7 in nonconference games against former SWC members.

Recent SEC history

The Horned Frogs have played only two SEC teams the last five seasons, splitting the games.

TCU crushed Ole Miss 42-3 in the 2014 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and lost to LSU 37-27 in its 2013 season opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Arkansas ties

While Arkansas’ roster includes many players from Texas, TCU’s roster includes only one player from the Natural State: defensive tackle James Terry Jr., who played at Central Arkansas Christian in Little Rock and joined the Horned Frogs as a walk-on during the spring semester.

Arkansas walk-on tight end Anthony Antwine played with TCU offensive lineman Joseph Noteboom at Plano Senior High.

TCU defensive tackle Chris Bradley was teammates with Arkansas wide receiver Jared Cornelius and defensive back Santos Ramirez at Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, La.

Arkansas wide receiver Eric Hawkins and TCU linebacker Travin Howard played together at Longview, Texas, High.

TCU offensive lineman Trey Elliott and Arkansas walk-on wide receiver Marty Murad were teammates at Jesuit College Prep School in Dallas.

It’s also worth mentioning that TCU defensive line coach Dan Sharp’s bio includes this tidbit: He played tight end at TCU and caught a touchdown in a 32-21 win over Arkansas in 1984, helping the Horned Frogs to their first win in Fayetteville in 29 years.

Thoughts from a beat writer

To get an even better idea of what TCU will look like in 2016, WholeHogSports reached out Carlos Mendez, who covers the Horned Frogs for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. We asked him several questions about TCU. Here are his responses:

WHS: What would you consider reasonable exceptions for TCU in 2016?

CM: Reasonable expectations for TCU in 2016? Wish I knew what they were going to be at the quarterback position. But if this team gets some improvised playmaking and deep balls along the lines of what Trevone Boykin provided the last two years, combined with care of the ball and what should be a good defense, TCU can win the Big 12. But this is a team breaking in a new quarterback, either Kenny Hill or Foster Sawyer. New quarterbacks always take their lumps.

WHS: From what you've seen, how well do you think Kenny Hill will replace Trevone Boykin? Also, how will TCU fill the void left behind by Josh Doctson and Aaron Green?

CM: Hill showed a good touch in the spring scrimmage, and you can tell he’s comfortable running with the ball, either by design or if something breaks down. The talent and pedigree are there. I think he’ll thrive. But Foster Sawyer keeps getting good reviews. Bigger arm, bigger body. Might be an interesting fall camp. Now, who are they going to throw to? There are lots of options. Jaelan Austin, Jarrison Stewart and KaVontae Turpin did some heavy lifting as freshmen. Emanuel Porter has the Doctson-type body. The Horned Frogs also brought in two top JUCO receivers, and they get back a veteran slot possession receiver, Ty Slanina, from a broken collarbone and speedster Deante’ Gray from knee surgery. So we’ll see. There are options.

WHS: Which players do you expect TCU to lean heavily on?

CM: Offensively, they’re going to try to get the ball to Turpin. Fast, elusive. Tough kid. Defensively, the linebackers will be asked to be as good or better than last year. Travin Howard and Montrel Wilson have already come a long way, though, considering they were safeties last year drafted to play linebacker because of need and had to learn on the run.

WHS: Are there any key additions that will play large roles for the Horned Frogs in 2016?

CM: There’s a safety named Markell Simmons who transferred in from Pima JC. Big need for a playmaking type in the secondary. And watch out for Taj Williams, one of the JUCO receivers they brought in. Big touchdown producer. Looks polished.

WHS: How do you think TCU will fair against Arkansas in Week 2?

CM: If (the Horned Frogs) can stop the run, they’ve got a chance to win the game. Patterson has been talking about that run game for months.