Steven Johnson: We’re about to learn a lot more about TCU football after the bye week
It’s been so far, so good in the Sonny Dykes era as TCU has recorded back-to-back blowout wins.
The Horned Frogs set a number of offensive records in their 59-17 win over Tarleton Saturday night. The passing game looked much better against the FCS opponent as the Horned Frogs threw for more than 400 yards and effortlessly moved the ball up and down the field.
TCU has done what has been expected of it so far this season and that’s an accomplishment, especially after a wacky Week 2 that saw Texas A&M fall to Appalachian State and Notre Dame be pushed around by Marshall.
If this Saturday taught us anything, it’s to not take for granted your team just going out and doing what it’s supposed to.
However, things are about to get real for the Horned Frogs who will have a bye week before facing SMU on the road on Sept. 24.
“We know this is going to be the last one of these games. Like I told the players, everything from here on out is going to be a dogfight. We know that and understand. We’ve got to do a good job of getting prepared for that,” head coach Sonny Dykes said.
We’re still in the information gathering portion of college football and as it stands today, we still don’t know much about the competition that looms ahead of TCU.
Oklahoma struggled for a half with Kent State and Oklahoma State’s defense looks to have taken a step back. Texas looks talented as always. The Longhorns outplayed Alabama but will be without Quinn Ewers for at least a month.
Texas Tech is dealing with a quarterback injury and West Virginia was just defeated by Kansas. Kansas State looks like it’ll enter Big 12 play 3-0.
In other words, the conference is as wide open as we expected. The Horned Frogs will find out how they stack up quickly, but the first objective is to maximize the bye week. Even though Dykes wishes it was occurring later.
“I don’t like having a bye this early in the season. We’re playing pretty well and when you’re playing well, it doesn’t serve you particularly well to have a bye. The ideal situation would have been to have it midseason, but it is what it is. We don’t make the schedule,” Dykes said. “Our goals is to get our guys healthy and rested. The second goal is to get them better. We have to play better, execute better and coach them better.”
The injury list has steadily grown for TCU with receivers Quincy Brown and Savion Williams exiting the Tarleton game early. Starting kicker Griffin Kell also missed Saturday’s game along with Chandler Morris and Bud Clark.
The timing may not be ideal for Dykes, but it does give the Horned Frogs an opportunity to get some of these key contributors back for the stretch run.
TCU has shown it can dominate overmatched competition in different ways. The Horned Frogs used the ground game and a bend, but don’t break style on defense to down Colorado.
Against Tarleton, it was an aerial assault led by Max Duggan, who set a career-high with five touchdowns and 390 yards. A few timely turnovers by the defense helped out as well.
The next thing we’ll find out is how the Horned Frogs stand up against a team with a similar level of talent. The Mustangs are off to a 2-0 start with blowout wins over North Texas and Lamar.
SMU has a big road game at Maryland before returning to host Dykes and the Horned Frogs in two weeks.
While it will certainly be a contest that stokes the rivalry flame between the two fanbases, Dykes doesn’t think it will be an overly emotional game for him.
“Every game is big. It’s funny people always talk about do you have this game circled or that game circled? Then you lose one you shouldn’t lose and that’s the one that costs you what you’re competing for. A chance to go to a bowl game or play for a conference championship. Every game is critically important,” Dykes said.
Whether or not Dykes will be emotional when he faces the program he helped rebuild, one thing is for sure: it will be the first measuring stick game for him and TCU.
The entire program will have a long two weeks to think about that.
