If TCU wants to upset Oklahoma, it must start fast. Here’s what else to watch for.
TCU football has been prone to stumble out of the gates this season.
Last week, though, the Horned Frogs got off to a fast start at Texas Tech and must do so again Saturday at Oklahoma.
TCU coach Gary Patterson pointed to last year’s game when OU jumped out to a 28-7 lead early in the second quarter and went on to a 52-27 victory.
“We need to understand we better start faster,” Patterson said. “Both sides of the ball.”
Of course, a fast start doesn’t necessarily guarantee a victory. TCU blew an early 24-3 lead before rallying late to knock off Tech.
The Baylor Bears jumped out to a 28-3 lead on Oklahoma last week, too, before blowing it in the second half.
“[Baylor] ran the quarterback draw. A lot,” Patterson said. “Then what Oklahoma did was put two or three guys on the quarterback and then they no longer could have the quarterback draw.”
Here’s what else to watch —
Replacing Gladney
TCU’s secondary will be without top cornerback Jeff Gladney in the first half. The senior will be sidelined following a targeting penalty he received in the second half of the Texas Tech game.
Patterson and TCU didn’t appeal the penalty, as Gladney launched upward and led with his helmet into the head and neck area to break up a pass intended for a Tech receiver.
As far as a teaching takeaway, Patterson simply said: “Stay low.”
Gladney is regarded as one of the top corners in the Big 12 and is leading TCU with 12 pass breakups. The Frogs will go with freshmen Kee’yon Stewart and Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson to fill the void in the opening half.
Fellow senior cornerback Julius Lewis has been impressed with the progress Stewart and Tomlinson have made.
“Since the beginning of the year, each week they’ve gotten better and their understanding of the defense has gotten better,” Lewis said. “They’ve come along well.”
Containing Hurts
If it wasn’t for LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts may be the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback who can beat your with his arm or his legs.
TCU knows this as well as anyone and it can’t miss possible sacks when defensive linemen come free in the backfield. That was an issue last week against Tech’s Jett Duffey.
As Patterson said, “You can’t think you’re going to go kill him because that’s not what’s going to happen if you blitz and you come free. It’s not how you get them down, it’s just get them down.”
Being explosive
Oklahoma’s defense has given up plenty of points in recent weeks. In OU’s only loss, K-State hung 48 on it.
Iowa State followed by scoring 41, and then Baylor scored 31 in the first-half before being shut out in the second half last week.
So TCU should be able to put points on the board and must do so by relying on its playmakers. Jalen Reagor hasn’t had the season most envisioned, but he remains a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.
Sophomore Taye Barber continues to show flashes, too, coming off a career-day with 138 yards receiving on eight catches at Tech. Fellow sophomores John Stephens Jr. and Te’Vailance Hunt have made their marks at times, but must become more consistent.
“They’re just going to keep growing in the system,” Patterson said. “It’s all part of the process. I keep talking about the cocoa — you got to keep pouring the hot water in there until you get the temperature you want.”
Takeaway watch
Winning the turnover battle more often than not means winning the game.
In its three Big 12 wins this season, TCU is plus-4 in turnover margin. In its four losses, TCU is minus-6.
The Frogs should have a chance to come out on top in this category. The Sooners have forced just eight takeaways, the second-fewest among Big 12 teams. Offensively, OU has turned it over only 13 times.
But Hurts has thrown an interception in consecutive games and the Sooners have lost fumbles in each of the past two games as well.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Norman.
This story was originally published November 22, 2019 at 3:11 PM.
