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SMU_Alum11 wrote:I will say I'm shocked at the people that assume TCU will whoop us. I think 3 games in TM looks better but still a work in progress. I think like JasonB said the Oline is doing good on pass protection. As long as Riley doesn't call stupid plays, I think this offense will take advantage of TCUs not great secondary.

Conversely, it appears TCU is run focus and much like 2019, I want them to be one dimensional and force their QB to throw it and let our S and CB make a play and force some turnovers.

I really believe this team will be ready and I think we have the weapons to compete with them. Cal is not a good team and they struggled at home with them. This will be a rivalry game and we will be psyched up.

The oline is doing fine in pass protection. But we haven't seen a DL like this yet. In order to have success, we are going to have to hit the safeties when you have a limited time to throw. That means anticipating that receivers get open instead of waiting for them to actually be open.

Remember, in these modern offenses, there are a lot of option routes. The receiver and QB have to read a play the same way. It looks to me that Tanner is holding the ball and watching those deeper receivers to see if they actually run the route he expects them to, and then wait for them to get open. That is why he takes so long to release (remember him getting blown up just as he threw the ball against ACU), and why it takes so long before he checks down (which is why he ends up scrambling the last two games).

The scrambling is actually an indication that he is starting to get a clock in is head, so after so many seconds he knows the rush is coming, which is a good sign of growth. But the next sign is when he starts to actually throw the ball before the break, because he knows what the receiver will do, and where they will be.

Tanner has been awesome the first three games. I'm not trying to rip him or say that he isn't going to get better. Just that he still has some development to do, and when you play against a good defense like TCU it can hurt you if you wait too long.

I think you guys are being too harsh on the OC. A lot of these option calls are on the QB, even in the running game. Tanner is in his first year as a starter and as expected needs to improve with pre-snap reads. It sucks that it isn't there yet, but hey, we have some inexperienced QBs. When SB and GG came in, they had already been starters at UT and gone through these growing pains.

And I get that it is silly to talk about growing pains after 16 TDs in 3 games . I'm just expecting him to hit some significant challenges this week.

I think you guys are being too harsh on the OC. A lot of these option calls are on the QB, even in the running game. Tanner is in his first year as a starter and as expected needs to improve with pre-snap reads. It sucks that it isn't there yet, but hey, we have some inexperienced QBs. When SB and GG came in, they had already been starters at UT and gone through these growing pains.

This.

I've wondered, and asked a couple of times, if his shortcomings, no matter how minor, may be contributing to a lack of options in the play calling. If he's got to grow into those calls then it's not going to get anywhere just blaming Riley, who's job it is to, ya know, coach him up.

Jason - appreciate the feedback. TCU is definitely a different animal but I would argue that LA Tech isn't far off from them. They went into Starkville and should have gotten the W but lost by a point whereas TCU struggled to beat mediocre CAL at home. I'm hoping 4 games in TM makes the necessary growth and is ready for them. From looking at the play by plays, TCU feels a bit one dimensional in being their best offense is the run and controlling the clock.

To both of you, I hope you are right but it feels from what I've seen that playcalling has been very question both last year and this year. Every OC has to go through new faces but it seems like he's having a hard time than others. I really believe if we have Lashlee, we would be in a much better situation. Damn hurricanes.

We have a 50% chance of winning which means they have a 50% chance of losing.

I am predicting an OT win. 52-49.

Sportsbook has TCU - 10 and an over/under of 65.

Water Pony wrote:Sportsbook has TCU - 10 and an over/under of 65.

I believe it opened at 12.5 and sunk to 9.5 and now resting at 10. I think people aren't even touching the spread and just betting straight. It's like an OU/UT game, you have no idea what you are going to get.

Most the sites I posted said take SMU with the spread and pick the under. There's very little confidence in TCUs offense and SMUs is just slightly above them. It will come down to whether our defense can keep them off the board.

Water Pony wrote:Sportsbook has TCU - 10 and an over/under of 65.

If I were betting the game, I think it is more likely that TCU beats the spread and it hits the under.

But I would do one extreme or the other - TCU and the under or SMU and the over.

SMU_Alum11 wrote:To both of you, I hope you are right but it feels from what I've seen that playcalling has been very question both last year and this year. Every OC has to go through new faces but it seems like he's having a hard time than others. I really believe if we have Lashlee, we would be in a much better situation. Damn hurricanes.

Have you not seen the UM offense this season? Pretty awful. Thank you Hurricanes.

37-34 SMU

HubbaHubba wrote:

SMU_Alum11 wrote:To both of you, I hope you are right but it feels from what I've seen that playcalling has been very question both last year and this year. Every OC has to go through new faces but it seems like he's having a hard time than others. I really believe if we have Lashlee, we would be in a much better situation. Damn hurricanes.

Have you not seen the UM offense this season? Pretty awful. Thank you Hurricanes.

Nope don't watch alot of non-SMU games. Basically if I do it's either our conference teams to help with the ratings or SWC teams.

I'm only speaking from the fact that our offense was prolific under Lashlee and red zone was far better.

If I was neutral...I would take the frogs. With 2 weeks to prepare, at home and revenge on their tiny purple minds...but, Big Al is not not neutral. Annual frog and Pony show- Ponies upset the toads by one.

PurplePimpleOozing seems like a fun guy with a lot going on.

As is tradition when playing TCU, we keep it interesting for a quarter or two but they pull away, though not as far as in years past. Our o-line and play execution just aren't strong enough. 29-12 frogs.

Give em hell Ponies, I pray I am wrong.

SMU 30 TCU 24