One sack in two games? Why TCU football isn’t concerned about its pass rushers ... yet
TCU coach Gary Patterson hasn’t lost sleep over his pass rushers combining for just one sack in the first two games.
“No,” Patterson said, “because Cal max protected and they blocked with seven, and kept the running back and tight end in, and made our secondary have to play.
“Is that they’re holding a long time, or are they throwing the ball quick? That’s the thing you’ve got to decide.”
Well, Cal liked to get the ball out quickly. So does SMU, TCU’s opponent on Saturday.
The Mustangs have not allowed a sack through three games. They also lead the country in touchdown passes.
“Our job is to stop them,” Patterson said. “They’ve done a great job.”
TCU managed two sacks against Cal — one from linebacker Dee Winters and one from safety La’Kendrick VanZandt — but would like to see its pass rushers emerge against SMU’s high-scoring offense.
One way to slow the Mustangs down is by getting pressure on quarterback Tanner Mordecai. Mordecai, an Oklahoma transfer, is off to a fast start by completing 73% of his passes for 1,023 yards with a nation-leading 16 TDs to just two interceptions.
TCU defensive end Ochaun Mathis called Mordecai a great player and then paused.
“I’m just ready to go out there and play,” said Mathis, TCU’s active leader in career sacks with 12.5.
“I can’t really speak too much on his behalf.”
What Mathis could speak on is TCU’s pass rush corps. There is no faith lost in the talent in the room, especially when Khari Coleman returns. Mathis and Dylan Horton have been the starters early on with Colt Ellison and Thomas Armstrong serving as the primary backups.
Mathis has made more plays than his one sack may suggest. This is the man who delivered a stop when Cal went for a potential game-tying 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter. That tackle helped preserve TCU’s 34-32 victory.
“I looked back and saw the ball was out. I wasn’t sure who made that play but apparently I did,” Mathis said, smiling. “That was something to remember more than anything. It got us to 2-0, going on to 3-0. To have that stop and keep that going for the season was a blessing for sure.”
Mathis has also drawn attention from opposing offenses with chip blocks by running backs, or double teams.
“Cal probably gave some good film with the running back coming out and chipping the defensive end position,” Mathis said. “Who knows if any other team might pick up on that, but we’re looking forward to it as well.”
At the end of the day, Mathis is confident better days are ahead. He had just one sack through the first five games last season before finishing the year with nine sacks, which tied for the fifth-most in the country.
Mathis closed the 2020 season with a career-high nine tackles and two sacks against Louisiana Tech. He acknowledged that it takes time to find his rhythm, but is hopeful to find it sooner than later this season.
“The intensity of me making more plays in the backfield has grown,” Mathis said. “I’m going to make it to the point where I can make plays faster than that and make that intensity keep rising.”
TCU and SMU are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
