NEWS: TCU transfer forward David Punch has committed to Texas, he told @On3<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 6-7 sophomore averaged 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game this season. Earned All-Big 12 honorable mention.https:\/\/t.co\/P2CLLLO2iq<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R2pXHfUDlX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n David Punch, however, did not. The standout sophomore forward entered the transfer portal and is reportedly headed to Austin to play for Sean Miller and the Texas Longhorns.<\/p>\n What a blow.<\/p>\n It was obviously a disappointing development, one that sent some TCU fans spiraling. But let\u2019s take a step back, take some deep breaths and walk through this unfortunate news one step at a time.<\/p>\n Where Does TCU Go Now? TCU Horned Frogs forward David Punch (15) and TCU Horned Frogs guard Liutauras Lelevicius (3) box out Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) Saturday, March 21, 2026, during the NCAA Men\u2019s Basketball Tournament second round game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin\/Greenville News \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n The clear starting point is to ask, \u201cWhat now?\u201d With Punch gone and no other impact portal additions coming to Funky Town just yet, is there a path for TCU to contend next season? The answer to that question is an unequivocal yes. \u201cTrust Jamie\u201d should be the rallying cry for all TCU fans, because let\u2019s face it: When has he ever led this program astray to an otherworldly degree? Sure, there have been times when things have seemed down in the dumps, but it\u2019s always important to remember that the best seasons in program history have occurred under his watch. No other head coach has ever done what he\u2019s done in Fort Worth, and that goodwill should continue to be at the forefront of every TCU fan\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n But the past isn\u2019t the only part of this whole endeavor that\u2019s encouraging \u2014 the core that returned<\/a> is also a major reason why optimism is still the correct response. Robinson and Edmonds are legit stars in the making on the basketball court, and their return can\u2019t be understated. Even with Punch out of the picture, those two players can single-handedly deliver TCU a season of its dreams should they continue to level up. Add in the fact that Harding, who in many ways was one of the team\u2019s most important players, even if he wasn\u2019t always the most potent scoring threat, is also coming back, and the whole outlook becomes a lot rosier.<\/p>\n Sure, it would\u2019ve been amazing if Punch could\u2019ve also decided to run it back. But that\u2019s just the way life goes in the transfer portal era. Sometimes, especially at a school like TCU that doesn\u2019t necessarily invest its life and soul into basketball, players are going to seek other opportunities. The Frogs just have to take it on the chin, move forward, and find a way to compete with the extraordinary pieces they have at their disposal.<\/p>\n The Frogs Have Been There and Done That<\/p>\n Are we trusting Jamie yet? If not, it\u2019s important to remember another key detail of this whole journey heading into the 2026-27 season: TCU, no matter who is on the roster, won\u2019t go down without a fight. This truth has been the case for the entirety of Dixon\u2019s tenure in Fort Worth, and there\u2019s no reason to believe that it\u2019s stopping anytime soon.<\/p>\n Just flash back to the beginning of this season. Yes, the loss to New Orleans stung quite a bit, but what did the Horned Frogs turn around and do in the immediate aftermath? They almost took down Michigan \u2014 the national champions \u2014 and beat Florida and Wisconsin, two formidable foes that both ended up making the NCAA Tournament. At the time, it was thought that this iteration of the Frogs would be one to be forgotten. But even with all that doubt, the team turned it around and had a fantastic season.<\/p>\n While there’s no certainty that the same success that Dixon\u2019s squad saw during this last season will come to fruition in the next, it can be safely assumed that at least a little bit of the momentum built will persist once everything tips off in November. Because for all the hand-wringing over the loss of Punch, one single player doesn\u2019t make or break an operation \u2014 at least if that operation is running smoothly. TCU\u2019s men\u2019s basketball program is bigger than David Punch. It will find ways to win without him. Heck, it might even go on a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament without him, for all we know.<\/p>\n At the end of the day, just trust Jamie. Trust that he, in all his infinite wisdom, will continue to do what he\u2019s done for TCU basketball since he returned a decade ago: win at levels the program has never seen before.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"TCU](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpbh64nwcskf9tvfd1.jpg\" "\\"TCU")
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