FORT WORTH – Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson believes in love at first sight because he experienced it with a football when he was a baby. The famous family story goes like this – it was picture day, and the TCU defender was a nine-month-old baby who wouldn’t stop crying. The professional photographer tasked with snapping the memories had an idea – give the baby a ball. But not just any ball, a football. 

“They gave that football to me, and my mother said that I didn’t make a sound from then on,” Hodges-Tomlinson remembered with a smile as we chatted on TCU’s practice facility on Tuesday afternoon. “She knew from then on that I would be a football player.” 

Mothers know best. Hodges-Tomlinson is not just a football player, he’s a Thorpe Award Finalist, which means he’s one of the three best defensive backs in college football. 

He arrived in Fort Worth as a true freshman in 2019. He immediately made an impact, appearing in 12 games and earning his first start that year against Baylor. Expectations were high because of his last name. His uncle, LaDainian Tomlinson, won the Doak Walker Award and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a Horned Frog back in 2000. He’s the program’s all-time leading rusher and a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Some might view those expectations as pressure. Others would’ve avoided following directly in those footsteps at TCU. Not Hodges-Tomlinson. He doesn’t shy away from anything, least of all expectations. His own are higher than anyone else’s. 

“The Tomlinson name means a lot. That name holds weight,” Hodges-Tomlinson admitted. “He set the foundation and the standard for how to perform at this level. It isn’t pressure because I know that I have the ability and mentality to achieve things, as well.”

He was right. Accolades began pouring in after a 2020 season that ended with Hodges-Tomlinson rated by Pro Football Focus as the nation’s highest-graded cornerback in coverage at 90.6. He allowed just 12 catches on 45 targets over the final nine games of the season. The Big 12 named him first-team all-conference, while the Associated Press awarded him Second-Team All-American honors. 

The honors continued in 2021 despite TCU finishing with a 5-7 record and dismissing long-time head coach Gary Patterson – a man that also coached the older Tomlinson at TCU. Hodges-Tomlinson recorded a team-high seven pass breakups despite offenses avoiding his area for large periods of action. He recorded the first two interceptions of his college career, and even proved he could play safety in a pinch, en route to a second All-Big 12 first-team selection.

Not bad for a three-star recruit who stands 5-9, 185 pounds. Fighting against the odds is nothing new for the senior from Hewitt Midway. His first taste of tackle football came at seven years old when he played on a team filled with 10-year-olds. 

“I knew I could play with the older kids then, just like I know I can compete with the best in college football now,” he said. “They label me as an undersized defensive back, but when I’m out there, I see it as you’re on an island with me and we’re in a battle.” 

Hodges-Tomlinson doesn’t lose many battles. But his team lost a lot of games. TCU was 16-18 in his first three seasons on campus, including five-win seasons in 2019 and 2021. The only winning record the Horned Frogs managed during his time in Fort Worth was the 6-4 mark in 2020. A season that didn’t include a bowl game because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even after adding the loss of a head coach to that list, Hodges-Tomlinson never blinked.

“I was always leaning towards staying here because I’m not a person to run from situations,” he said. “And when we hired a great, new staff, that solidified my status.” 

That new staff was led by Sonny Dykes, and he immediately brought about changes. One of those changes took place in the spring when TCU fans were allowed to attend practices. Hodges-Tomlinson attributes that added element to the 12-0 record in 2022 that has the Horned Frogs a win away from claiming a Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

“That was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in college; I’m not even going to lie to you,” he said. “I wish I had that my whole career, and it is something that more coaches should investigate because it raises the energy level to have fans out here for practice. It makes it more competitive.”

Practice is never dull for Hodges-Tomlinson. The battles between the defensive backs and wide receivers are must-watch. On one side there are defenders such as Hodges-Tomlinson, Josh Newton, and Mark Perry. On the other are wide receivers such as Quentin Johnston, Taye Barber, and Derius Davis. Johnston and Hodges-Tomlinson are potential first round NFL draft picks in 2023. The others might join them in the professional ranks. 

“You better be on point when you show up to practice because you don’t want to be out here getting torched,” Hodges-Tomlinson laughed. “I don’t like to give up any plays to anybody, even in practice. Going up these guys in practice feels like a game situation.” 

That mentality is what separates Hodges-Tomlinson from most defenders, according to Dykes. Sure, Hodges-Tomlinson is blessed with tremendous quickness and lateral movement. He can jump out of a gym. He’s always been one of the fastest and most athletic players on the team, even when he was the starting cornerback at seven on a team filled with kids three years older. But there are a lot of great athletes playing defensive back in college football. Not very many combine that with the physicality to help in run support and the maturity to erase good and bad moments from memory. 

“He likes the physical part of playing corner, and that’s not easy to find,” Dykes said at his Tuesday press conference. “He’ll have an exceptional NFL career because of that. He likes to play football.” 

Almost everyone is surprised that TCU is on the doorstep of becoming the first Texas college to reach the College Football Playoff. A win over Kansas State on Saturday in the Big 12 championship game with guarantee a spot. Even Dykes, who says he knew this team would win a lot of games, admits that he can’t quite put his finger on how this team went from 5-7 to 12-0 in the first year of new regime. 

Hodges-Tomlinson is not surprised. Talk to him for any length of time and he’ll tell you that the struggles in the first three years shocked him more than the triumphs of 2022. He knew the talent was there the moment he stepped on campus with the 2019 recruiting class. That talent is finally living up to its potential. 

“Since I’ve been here at TCU, I’ve always thought we would go undefeated entering the season because we have some real dudes over here,” he said. “I’d tell people every day, whether I was at the barbershop or out to eat, that we were going all the way. It so happens that it is going to be this year.” 

One more win and he can add prophet to his list of superlatives.