Sonny Dykes has led TCU to a 3-0 start in 2025, marking a successful tenure as the team’s head coach. In the four seasons since he was hired, he’s posted a 28-13 record, good for a .683 winning percentage.
In fact Dykes, has been successful in almost every stop as a head coach, posting a winning record at three out of the four. It shouldn’t really come as a surprise, though, as Sonny is the son of former Texas Tech head coach Spike Dykes. Growing up in and around the game has set him on the path to building a strong program at TCU with dreams of a College Football Playoff birth this season.
Sonny Dykes Football Career
Sonny grew up as a football and baseball player in Texas and would go on to play first base at Texas Tech. After his collegiate career ended, he spent time coaching both high school baseball and football before leaping to college at Navarro College as a running back coach.
Unlike his father, Spike, Sonny cut his teeth on the offensive side of the ball and eventually would go on to be a wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator at Texas Tech the season following his father’s retirement there.
In 2010, Dykes got his first opportunity to be a head coach in college football, and he never looked back. He would go on to spend 15 of the last 16 seasons as a head coach for Louisiana Tech, Cal, SMU, and now TCU, posting a 101-76 record over that time.
Spike Dykes Legacy at Texas Tech
Spike spent 14 years, from 1986 to 1999, as the head coach at Texas Tech. During that span of time, he went 82-67-1 giving him a winning percentage of .550.To add to his legacy, he was the first coach in Texas Tech history to defeat the Texas Longhorns in six different seasons.
Can Sonny Dykes Lead TCU to a Title?
If there is a knock on Spike’s resume, it’s that he was just 2-5 in bowl games. So far, his son Sonny has been far better in post-season play, but his goal remains to win a national title. Sonny is 3-4 in bowl games with one loss in the National Championship back in 2022.
TCU is currently 24th in the nation and has the 25th-best title odds at +15,000. This week, they have a tough matchup against 3-1 Arizona State and star receiver Jordyn Tyson.
TCU’s Sonny Dykes on facing ASU WR Jordyn Tyson this season after seeing Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan in 2024.
“I think Tyson is probably just overall a better player.” pic.twitter.com/kZnPWsyZZ2
— PHNX Sun Devils (@PHNX_SunDevils) September 24, 2025
Tyson has 31 catches for 357 yards and five touchdowns this season and will present a strong challenge for the Horned Frogs. Slowing down Tyson and earning a win this weekend would go a long way in the pursuit of a championship.
Sonny has carried the torch in college football that his father started for the family. With a national championship appearance under his belt and life spent around the game, he’s looking to take TCU to the promised land this January. These two kick off on Friday at 9 PM ET.
