TCU football has been giving up big plays in bunches. Gary Patterson says it’s on him.
TCU coach Gary Patterson is looking in the mirror when it comes to his defense’s issues in limiting big plays early on this season.
“I’ve got to do a better job in the box,” Patterson said.
Well, given Patterson’s track record, the hope is that it’s a short-term problem for the Horned Frogs. This is a team that can’t afford to continue being gashed on big plays.
Iowa State gained 249 of its 423 yards on five plays in its season-opening victory against TCU two weeks ago. Texas gained 225 of its 388 yards on five plays in last Saturday’s 33-31 loss to TCU.
The Cyclones and Longhorns averaged 47.4 yards on those 10 plays (474 yards). The rest of the plays? TCU limited the teams to a combined 3.3 yards per play (337 yards on 101 plays).
The big plays have come via run and pass. Iowa State had TD runs of 75, 49 and 32 yards. The Longhorns had a 45-yard TD pass, as well as two other 52-yard completions.
For Patterson, it starts with containing the rushing attack. ISU rushed for 212 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, while Texas averaged 6.3 yards per carry (152 yards on 24 carries).
“In the run plays, I’ve got to give them more help as far as leverages,” Patterson said. “Hopefully we’ll do a better job of that this week in fixing some of those things. … As far as the run game is concerned, which is where we’ve been hurt the most which is a Cardinal sin, I just have to do a better job. We’ve just got to do a better job preparing these guys.”
TCU ranks ninth in the 10-team Big 12 early on in run defense (182 yards). The good news is Kansas State’s offensive rushing attack ranks ninth in the Big 12, but that is a little misleading.
The Wildcats are coming off a week in which they rushed for 198 yards against Texas Tech. Deuce Vaughn, a freshman out of Cedar Ridge High School in Round Rock, has rushed for a touchdown in each game, including a game-tying 38-yard TD run against Oklahoma two weeks ago and topping the 100-yard mark against Tech.
Vaughn is also a weapon in the passing game. He had a 70-yard TD reception against Tech to close out the game, and was the leading receiver against OU (four catches for 129 yards).
“Just watching the film, he’s a very good player,” Patterson said of Vaughn earlier this week.
The Horned Frogs know they must contain Vaughn and the rest of the Wildcats playmakers on Saturday afternoon. Of course, K-State is well aware of TCU being prone to the big play this season too.
It’s an area K-State will try to exploit. This is a team that used a big play of its own to knock off TCU 24-17 last season in Manhattan, Kansas.
Wildcats quarterback Skylar Thompson had a 61-yard run on a 95-yard, game-deciding scoring drive in the fourth quarter last season.
Asked about making big plays, K-State coach Chris Klieman said: “It’s more players making plays when they’re in space. I’ve seen a few of the plays that have happened [against TCU], sometimes a guy gets open and runs free. We’ve let one of those go against Oklahoma, and Oklahoma let one of our receivers run as well. Those are errors in coverage, but a lot of times, look at Deuce Vaughan, it’s making somebody miss at the point of attack and all of a sudden you’re in a foot race.
“Football is a game of matchups. If you can find the right matchup and make a guy miss in space, usually you’re going to get an explosive play.”
