Steven Johnson: Four goals for TCU vs. Tarleton
With TCU facing a FCS opponent on Saturday with Tarleton coming to Fort Worth, it seems appropriate to take a temporary break from my three reasons why game previews.
Let’s be honest, the odds of the Horned Frogs losing are extremely low. Minuscule even. Finding three reasons why they might lose would take an amazing stretch of the imagination.
Instead let’s pivot to focusing on what goals TCU should have before its bye week. It’s one final opportunity to iron out kinks on both sides of the ball before conference play begins and of the course the rivalry matchup at SMU on Sept. 24.
The most obvious goal is to get out of Saturday’s game as healthy as possible. Injuries are starting to pile up, particularly on defense, where three reserve linebackers are either out for the season or for a lengthy portion of time.
Free safety Bud Clark could also miss his second game and quarterback Chandler Morris has also been ruled out for Tarleton.
Injuries are unavoidable in this sport, but the teams that emerge at the top of their conference standings aren’t just the most talented or have the best coaching. They’re also usually the healthiest.
Here are three more goals for the Horned Frogs:
Refine the passing game
It didn’t matter against Colorado that TCU’s passing game was out of sync and it likely won’t matter against Tarleton either. With the Horned Frogs’ offensive line and running back depth, piling up yards on the ground shouldn’t be an issue. However, it’s a guarantee there’s going to be at least a few opponents that are able to slow down the running game enough to make TCU beat them through the air.
The Horned Frogs have more than enough proven talent at receiver to do so, but it’s crucial for everybody to get on the same page. That includes the coaches, quarterbacks and receivers. Both Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley said the offense had a number of mental mistakes in the sluggish first half against Colorado.
Missed throws, running the wrong routes, not enough shots down the field. The Texans will be a perfect opportunity to start getting on the same page. Ideally you’ll see Max Duggan and Sam Jackson complete a number of intermediate and deep passes to put the Texans away.
TCU rushed for 275 yards against Colorado, it would be nice to see them reach that number through the air on Saturday.
Get younger players some action
Thanks to the strong second half, TCU was able to get a number of younger players into the game last week. 70 total players played against Colorado and the coaching staff is extremely high on the team’s depth, especially offensively.
As it stands right now, there aren’t any gimmes on paper in the Big 12 or against SMU, so this could be one of the final opportunities for some of those players to get extended playing time.
Who are the some of the names fans should be eager to see? You have to start with freshman wide receiver Jordan Hudson, who caught a pass against Colorado. Hudson will be in the rotation after Tarleton, but still has a ways to go before he’s starting.
Another is true freshman running back Major Everhart. Everhart generated some nice buzz during preseason camp. Freshman cornerback Kyron Chambers played against Colorado and could see more time. It’ll also be interesting to see if true freshman tackle Quinton Harris gets on the field.
Start fast
This might be the biggest goal for the coaching staff after the last game. There’s no reason to fret about the start considering it was the first game on the road in a raucous environment. But if it were to happen again at home against a FCS opponent, then it’ll rise to the level of concerning.
How long the Texans remain in the game will be all about TCU’s effort and execution. If it’s on point this one could be over before halftime. But if it’s not, then Tarleton could make the Horned Frogs work much harder than anticipated.
This story was originally published September 9, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
