No. 3 TCU not satisfied with making the College Football Playoff
After the program made its rounds through awards season, it’s back to business for TCU as the Horned Frogs turn their complete attention to the College Football Playoffs.
No. 2 Michigan awaits them in Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31 and now that TCU has had a chance to take a deeper look at the Wolverines, the Horned Frogs have a better sense of what they have to overcome.
“I just think they’re so well-coached and they play so well on both sides of the ball,” Max Duggan said this week. “They fly around, they know what they want to do and they do it so well. It’s going to make our job tough. We know how good they are and how good they’ve been the last couple of years.”
As the Horned Frogs gear up to face one of the sport’s juggernauts, Duggan said the emphasis remains on just doing their job and not get too caught up in the bright lights that came with the playoffs.
The Wolverines will be the best team TCU has faced, but the Horned Frogs have noticed some similarities between Michigan and some of their Big 12 rivals.
“They’re a run-first team, we’ve played a couple of those,” Johnny Hodges said. “Texas was a run first team, Kansas State was a run-first and they really want to establish the run.”
While the Wolverines will be without running back Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards has filled in nicely and is blossoming into stardom himself. Edwards rushed for 216 yards against Ohio State and 185 vs. Purdue in the Big 10 championship.
As impressive as he’s been, Hodges said the real eye-catcher on offense is quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
“The way he can run, he can really run and scramble and throw well on the run,” Hodges said. “I think that’s such an underrated part of their offense. You’re so worried about their offensive line and how they run the ball, but they’ve got tight ends that can catch, receivers that can catch and a quarterback that can really run and pass.”
The decision to go with McCarthy over Cade McNamara (who has transferred to Iowa) has paid off in a big way for Jim Harbaugh. This version of the Wolverines is the best offense he’s had in Ann Arbor and meshes well with a defense that lost some star power, but is still among the best in the country.
“On defense they’re very solid,” Quentin Johnston said. “They’re a sound defense, they’re always going to be in the spot they’re supposed to be. I’ve got a lot of faith in our offense. I feel like if we execute we’ll be just fine.”
Johnston said of Michigan’s strengths reminded him on Kansas State, especially in the secondary.
“As far as length, they’re like K-State. They’re big, 6-foot-2, 6-3, 190 pounds,” Johnston said.
His matchup will likely be five-star freshman Will Johnson, who is coming off the best game of his promising career with two interceptions against Purdue in the Big 10 title game.
A quarterback with special talent, a fundamentally sound defense and another emerging star at running back await TCU in Arizona. It’s a challenge the Horned Frogs are eager to face. TCU isn’t just satisfied with just being in the final four after being picked to finish seventh in their own league.
The Horned Frogs have greater ambitions than that.
“But Coach Kaz and Coach Dykes have helped hit the point you’re going there to win. This isn’t just a vacation,” Duggan said.
