TCU QB Max Duggan focused on winning football games, not endorsements
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is nearing $1 million in endorsement money, according to coach Nick Saban. Southlake Carroll quarterback Quinn Ewers is skipping his senior season to enroll early at Ohio State and cash in on NIL money too. Panini has signed quarterbacks to deals in the trading card market. And the list goes on.
TCU quarterback Max Duggan isn’t among those cashing in. At least not yet. Companies have reached out to Duggan, but he’s more focused on preparing for the 2021 season.
“He told me, ‘It’s time to go win football games,’” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “If that happens then good things will happen. He’s not worried about what’s happening in front, he’d rather do it on the back end of it.
“I think that speaks volumes of what the group is and where we’re trying to get to and what we’re trying to do.”
Duggan’s approach sounds similar to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during his rookie season in 2016. Prescott didn’t sign any endorsements during his sensational rookie season but is now among the highest-paid NFL players for off-field endorsements.
Much like Prescott with the Cowboys, Duggan is the unquestioned leader of the Frogs. He’s expected to have a standout junior season. Last year, Duggan threw for 1,795 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for a team-leading 526 yards and 10 TDs.
Duggan has earned preseason hype, being named to a number of watch lists including the Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award and the Manning Award. He was named to the Manning Award watch list Thursday, which is the only national quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performance in its ballot.
The most encouraging sign for Duggan from the 2020 season is seeing his completion percentage jump from 53.4% as a freshman in 2019 to 60.8% as a sophomore last season. That improvement came after he missed most of fall camp due to a heart condition discovered through enhanced COVID-19 protocols.
Spring football was limited to just a handful of practices going into the 2020 season, too, due to the pandemic.
“Having a fully healthy Max going through all spring, then all through the summer, and then getting to come into camp is a big deal for us,” Patterson said.
All of it should lead to TCU improving what was its worst passing offense since joining the Big 12. The Horned Frogs averaged just 196.3 yards per game through the air in 2020, the first season in which they failed to reach the 200-yard mark since 2002 (166.9 yards).
TCU hasn’t averaged more than 250 yards passing since 2016, when it logged 268.2 yards a game, and 300 yards since they posted a gaudy 347.4 yards a contest in 2015.
Patterson tried to downplay last year’s passing numbers, pointing to varying factors. Against Kansas, for instance, TCU emphasized running the football since it wanted to end the game as soon as possible given the depleted roster due to COVID-19 protocols.
Going into this season, though, Patterson sees the passing offense improving. Duggan has had a full offseason under his belt and his receiving corps is more experienced.
“The guys that had the most success were younger and now they’re all a year older,” Patterson said. “Max went through his thing. We’re throwing the vertical ball better. I think as we go forward, we’re going to find out exactly what we are.”
Patterson went on to say that an effective passing offense comes down to offensive line play. Quarterbacks need protection and receivers need time in order to get open.
As far as TCU’s O-line is concerned, Patterson likes the first team and top backups. However, the team needs to have a couple others emerge during camp.
“We feel pretty good about the first five, maybe six or seven but we’re trying to get to 10,” Patterson said. “Backup offensive tackle is the big concern.”
With that being said, if TCU is able to have a more effective passing game, the running game will benefit. Duggan led the team in rushing last season, but that’s not necessarily a positive.
TCU would like to see one of its young running backs emerge.
“I don’t think anybody wants their quarterback to do too much,” Patterson said. “There’s some things we can do where it’s not going to be on the quarterback to have to be able to do that; it’s not going to be as much of a read. If you can back people up with throwing the football then running the ball becomes a lot easier because you have less people in the box.”
TCU opens the season against Duquesne on Sept. 4 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
