Christmas presence: The inspiring tale behind TCU’s Johnny Hodges

TCU linebacker Johnny Hodges with his dad Brian and brother Joe this season following a TCU game at Amon Carter StadiumFORT WORTH — Junior linebacker Johnny Hodges’ remarkable Christmas gift a year ago came in a surprise phone call from new TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie.

With Johnny focusing on end-of-semester exams a little more than a year ago, Brian took over his son’s email, writing in Johnny’s name. The incredible result is Johnny leading the defense of No. 3 TCU into the College Football Playoff — the first time a team from Texas has made the four-team CFP — on Saturday against No. 2 Michigan in the semifinals in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.

“We had reached out to pretty much everybody,” Brian said of the fall of 2021 in trying to find Johnny a new team to play his final two seasons. “At that point Johnny started getting ready to play lacrosse. He started losing weight and running every day. I asked him if he wanted me to keep reaching out to schools and he said yes. That’s when I kind of took over his email.

Brian, an account manager for a building supply company, first tried emailing Dykes at TCU - the email bounced back because Dykes had just been hired - and then when Dykes hired Gillespie as his defensive coordinator Brian tried emailing Gillespie. That inquiry bounced back, as well. “I had to pretend there was other stuff going on,” Johnny said with a chuckle. “I told let me talk to my family about it and pray on it. … as soon as he called, I knew I was coming to TCU. I had never even been to Texas.”

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