Thoughts on the TCU game

[JasonB]

- Like I said before the game, TCU is a really good team. Top 25 for sure, and I think the third best team in the Big12.
- I know Rhett is going to get a lot of crap for the play calling. I mentioned before the game that the 3-3-5 is really hard to RPO against, and it caused a ton of confusion from Preston. You have to try and throw when they are pressing run and then run when they think throw. SMU came out throwing the ball, which I think was important and set up the success of the running game the rest of the first half. On the downside, they came out throwing in the second, went three and out, and the running game never really got reestablished.
- That said, the 4th down run wide was rough.
- I've mentioned all season the lack of an elite WR, and that it would hurt us in this game, and you can see the impact. At some point, you have to throw it up to Sutton or Rice or Proche and they are going to make a play for you. WRs had chances to go up and make plays and just couldn't do it. Yes, Preston should have never thrown that ball on the second interception, and yes he had a guy wide open at the ten to get yardage. But a really good receiver is making a play on that ball. Instead, our WR is struggling to get his footing and it is an easy pick. I am guessing that the Colorado offense will look a lot different today now that Travis Huner is out. It makes a big difference when you have "that guy".
- Wheaton looked really good again. He lost his footing a couple of times, otherwise he would have had a huge afternoon. A really good RB had a good day against a very good defense. A RB playing at an elite level doesn't lose his footing and ends up with 150 yards and totally changes that game. Camar is that 150 yard guy next year.
- QB is where the game was lost. On the TCU side, Morris was absolutely fantastic. He made great throws and then also bailed them out in the running game, and it totally screwed up our defense. He won the game for TCU. On the other side, outside of a few great throws, Stone really struggled. He was unwilling to sit in the pocket against the 3 man rush, backing up continuously even though there was no rush. He forced throws. But again, this is a really tough defense to throw against when they drop 8, which they did a lot. Quick throws aren't there. I thought Stone did a great job of not taking the bait - TCU will allow you to hit an RB on a swing pass and then all of a sudden everyone on the defense shows up and it is a 1 yard gain and a wasted play. But you have to sit in the pocket or you have to scramble wide. Dropping 30 yards back isn't the right play, because it just shrinks the field that has to be defended. There is going to be a lot on tape for Stone to learn from in this game. The difference in the performance of the two QBs was the difference in the game. Anyone who thought SMU would win expected Stone to outperform Morris, and that just didn't happen.
- The TCU OL did a great job preventing the DL from getting too much pressure on Morris and eventually wore them down in the second half. Nobody in our conference is going to be able to do that.
- We have good, solid LBs, but we saw in this game that they aren't at the highest level - they struggled against a really good running QB and a really good TE.

So, I think with the 2-2 start we are exactly what we thought we were. We can hold our own against the best teams in the Big 12, but we aren't quite good enough to win away games against the best teams in that conference. To win against the best teams, you need a QB, WR, and RB performing at a really high level. Hudson, Stone, and Wheaton aren't quite ready for that level yet - maybe next year they will be.

That said, we also know that we have a defense that is going to dominate in the AAC because of the line. And we have an offense that while it might not be explosive play dominant is good enough to rack up points and yards against AAC opponents. We aren't good enough for the CFP this year, but we sure as hell are good enough to win the AAC. The real season starts next week with Charlotte.

[peruna81]

TCU chose to go no-huddle and push the clock on offense...I thought it worked well against our defense, giving less time to read and adjust at the LOS.

Morris was solid. Stone was a step away from a touchdown on the first series, and Cam was a step away from a critical early first down. Those steps cost. TCU to their credit adjusted to miscues and made us pay when we made ours.

Sigh. Sure wanted this one. No looking back, it is time for conference.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Chandler Morris was really good. He’s a very impressive QB. Stone by comparison looked young. I think Stone will be great, but Morris was the guy out there today and that’s that. Very disappointed in the result. But TCU is clearly better than I thought they were. I think our program is still heading in the right direction though.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

The toads lost to Colorado which is getting whopped by Oregon. I believe TCU is probably 20-30 in college football, and we showed that we’re not ready to fight to be there. This team doesn’t believe in itself and it starts with the coaching. I hate to be too critical but from Lashlee’s play calling against both OU or TCu, we didn’t believe we could win. The QB comparison was abysmal and that’s on Lashlee. The questionable play calling just leaves your head scratching, against OU and again today. This toads team was there for the taking, and we came out with a poor game plan and poor offensive execution.

[Statler]

Just “sigh.” Oh well, take conference and then next year.

[redpony]

MM- 100% correct. Not sure RL is the coach to make us a top ACC team and Stone proved he sure is not the guy to do it.

[tristatecoog]

TCU fans I met don’t want to give Chandler much credit even though he’s played great for two weeks in a row. The knock is that he’s afraid to get hit and that he’s not Max Duggan.

I agree those couple plays are what slowed momentum for the Ponies. Stone didn’t seem as sharp in the second except for the long bomb which was perfect. What about Hudson as an elite receiver? Someone said he got $150k to come over.

[DiamondM75]

Our youth was apparent today.

RH is only in his second year as a D1 HC and Stone is in his first year as a D1 QB. I give them both a partial pass this year. We can still win the conference.

[JasonB]

The toads lost to Colorado which is getting whopped by Oregon. I believe TCU is probably 20-30 in college football, and we showed that we’re not ready to fight to be there. This team doesn’t believe in itself and it starts with the coaching. I hate to be too critical but from Lashlee’s play calling against both OU or TCu, we didn’t believe we could win. The QB comparison was abysmal and that’s on Lashlee. The questionable play calling just leaves your head scratching, against OU and again today. This toads team was there for the taking, and we came out with a poor game plan and poor offensive execution.

As I mentioned in my preview, Colorado is exactly the team that makes TCU's defense struggle - elite WR that go wide, an elusive back and a QB who can run. The deep threat backs everyone off the line, and then the RB and QB exploit space. Colorado today is not only finding out that their OL and DL aren't good enough, but that one elite player on offense and defense makes a huge difference. TCU is a better team overall.

That said, nothing today was sharp and that is a problem.

[EastStang]

Watching Rice and USF. Both of these teams are beatable.

[JasonB]

TCU fans I met don’t want to give Chandler much credit even though he’s played great for two weeks in a row. The knock is that he’s afraid to get hit and that he’s not Max Duggan.

I agree those couple plays are what slowed momentum for the Ponies. Stone didn’t seem as sharp in the second except for the long bomb which was perfect. What about Hudson as an elite receiver? Someone said he got $150k to come over.

Hudson has a shot to be that elite guy, for sure. But look, the Colorado WR/DB was a super elite 5 star player and the rare guy who dominated early. Marvin Harrison Jr didn't play much as a true frosh and then exploded his sophomore year. Those guys are exceptions. Way more common are the Rashee Rice's of the world, who make catches their frosh and sophomore year and then explode as a junior or senior. You have to be big, tough, and physical to be that guy, and it takes a few years in the weight room, because most receivers get away with pure speed in HS.

The hope this year was that Kerley would be that guy. But his body I don't think is ever going to let him be that elite physical receiver. So, right now we have 8 nice receivers, which is going to work out just fine for us in league play. We just need "that guy" to be able to take out top teams.

[soccermom]

At this time, I’m thinking our game against Rice might be a good one.

[Charleston Pony]

TCU fans I met don’t want to give Chandler much credit even though he’s played great for two weeks in a row. The knock is that he’s afraid to get hit and that he’s not Max Duggan.

I agree those couple plays are what slowed momentum for the Ponies. Stone didn’t seem as sharp in the second except for the long bomb which was perfect. What about Hudson as an elite receiver? Someone said he got $150k to come over.

TCU fans need to remember that Chandler Morris beat out Duggan as QB1 for the toads last year and but for his injury, who knows whether they would have accomplished what they did with Duggan?

[JasonB]

Watching Rice and USF. Both of these teams are beatable.

EVERYONE in our conference is beatable. Rice, USF, ECU, UTSA, FAU, Temple, Charlotte, UAB are all very meh. We are way better than that. Tulane is good. Memphis we will find out about tonight, but after watching them against Navy I don't think they are very good at all.

The separator is defense and the OL. Playmakers on offense you can find in recruiting, there are a ton of good ones out there. But there are a limited number of good defensive players and offensive linemen in recruiting cycles. A lot of our conference games are going to be similar to the first half of the Louisiana Tech game, where the DL dominates and our offense does enough to score - old school games where we control the line of scrimmage and win by 20. The big question is whether or not we can start hitting on explosive plays before we get to the conference championship game - that will really turn the needle.

[fan]

Just got back home after a long day. Thought we were fine in the trenches which bodes well. Agree with Jason B that our receiving corp didn't step up. We also got out QB'd. But overall this is what a big boy conference looks like. We need 1-2 guys (receivers) and we compete for the ACC championship.