TCU didn’t plan to start QB Max Duggan as a true freshman. But it’s been working out.
Max Duggan isn’t TCU’s starting quarterback if junior Mike Collins stays healthy. Or if Shawn Robinson doesn’t transfer to Missouri. Or if Justin Rogers recovers fully from a severe knee injury sustained in high school.
TCU coach Gary Patterson rattled off a number of scenarios where Duggan likely would’ve been in line for a redshirt season rather than starting as a true freshman earlier this week. But, make no mistake, Patterson has no complaints with how it’s unfolded to this point.
Duggan has gone through the expected growing pains as an inexperienced quarterback at the college level, but has shown signs of being the future face of TCU football. He’ll be back under center for his eighth start at Texas Tech on Saturday.
“We’ve basically played the hand that we’ve been dealt,” Patterson said. “We’ve basically played the hand as good as we could probably play it, and we’re going to keep playing it for another three ballgames.”
Duggan has had his moments throughout the season, showcasing his grit and toughness. He isn’t going to set any passing records, but he’s kept TCU in games more often than not.
Of the Frogs’ five losses, four have come by one score or less.
For the season, Duggan is 134-of-240 passing (55.8% completion) for 1,545 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
He’s also rushed for 365 yards and four TDs on 92 carries, leading the team in rushing three times.
“I’ve had more than one head coach when I come pregame that says you’re quarterback is going to be really good,” Patterson said. “And most of those guys are all offensive guys. I’m one of the very few knucklehead defensive guys. They’re all offensive guys.
“They like watching him cause they see the same thing I do. The one thing you can’t teach is the drive to want to be really good.”
Duggan’s drive for greatness has become clearer each game.
In his first career start against SMU, Duggan opened just 1-of-10 passing for 22 yards in the first half. But he battled through it and had TCU within striking distance late.
Against then-No. 15 Texas last month, Duggan made clutch throws and runs to seal the victory in the fourth quarter. Nobody will forget his game-sealing TD run in which he threw the “Knuckles Up” sign toward the crowd.
And, in last week’s loss to No. 12 Baylor, Duggan fought through an injury on the middle finger of his right (throwing) hand and again had TCU on the cusp of victory.
“The kid’s got heart,” senior right tackle David Bolisomi said. “That’s one thing you cannot question from him. That makes us want to block even harder for him as an O-line. He shows that he doesn’t give up. He’s a fighter. He’s going to keep swinging, keep swinging, keep swinging.”
Bolisomi has seen Duggan’s growth as a leader, too. Just last season, Duggan was playing high school football in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Now he’s leading a Big 12 program that has become a powerhouse over the last two decades.
“You can see he’s much more comfortable with the spotlight,” Bolisomi said. “You see he’s much more confident in himself. He understands his role as a leader. There’s certain drives in the fourth quarter, he’s like, ‘OK guys, it’s our time. Let’s get this.’
“You see it from him. It’s really inspiring. You’re starting to see that it’s starting to click for him.”
Patterson sees the same thing from his young quarterback, even if Duggan has risen up the depth chart quicker than expected.
Patterson went through a list of reasons why Duggan is the starter in 2019, something nobody saw coming less than a year ago. But TCU’s quarterback situation has been in flux since Robinson decided to transfer last season.
If Robinson stays, Patterson said, TCU likely doesn’t sign a graduate transfer such as former quarterback Alex Delton. The Frogs simply needed another arm to get through spring practices and Delton had interest and was available.
Duggan arrived in January, too, but Collins and Rogers were still recovering from injuries. That left Duggan and Delton as the two QB options in the spring.
Going into fall camp, the QB race had dwindled down to Duggan, Delton and Collins. Patterson revealed earlier this week that Rogers “wasn’t ready” for game action.
Then Collins exited the competition for the season-opening job when he sustained a bone bruise in his foot early in fall camp, which sidelined him from team scrimmages.
If Collins would have stayed healthy, he might’ve emerged as the season-opening starter over Delton and Duggan.
“Max probably never comes about if Mike Collins doesn’t get hurt,” Patterson said earlier this week.
So that left Duggan and Delton as the top options going into the season. Both split snaps at QB before Duggan emerged as the clear-cut starter.
It hasn’t been the smoothest ride with Duggan, but Patterson sees promise going forward.
He recalled the locker room scene following the Baylor loss, and how much it affected Duggan.
“You’ve got to understand, winning is real important,” Patterson said. “I went back through the locker room, he was still sitting down. It’s not a kid that’s, ‘Oh, we lost. Now I’m going to go to a party and go about my business.’
“It’s really important for him. It’s really important for him to be successful and for us to be successful.”
This story was originally published November 14, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
