TCU Insider: Could Rick D’Abreu be the key to TCU’s pass rush issues?
Once again the pass rush appears to be a question mark for TCU (0-1) after the week 1 defeat to Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes.
On the surface, four sacks sounds like a pretty good outing for a defense except for the fact that Shedeur Sanders dropped back more than 50 times. According to the TCU box score, the only player credited with a quarterback hurry was Jamoi Hodge with two.
So out of the 50 or so dropbacks, TCU was only apply to bring pressure or take the quarterback down on six of them. That’s not a great pressure rate, but one player that showed he could bring juice in that area is East Carolina transfer Rick D’Abreu.
D’Abreu had three tackles including a tackle for loss and generated the most push consistently on passing downs. TCU coach Sonny Dykes was pleased with what he saw from the transfer.
“I was happy with the way Rick played,” Dykes said. “As guys make plays and continue to help us win they’re going to get more reps. He’s a guy that’s brought more competition and the guys that make plays are the ones that are going to get snaps on defense.”
After spending his whole career at East Carolina, D’Abreu admitted last Saturday was the biggest stage he’s played on. Not getting the win was tough, but playing in Amon G. Carter Stadium in the most watched game of the day was still surreal.
“It was really exciting, that first snap I got in there I can’t even describe the feeling,” D’Abreu said. “That first contact and just being able to tackle the guy and hear the crowd. It gave me chills, it gave me goosebumps. It was just really exciting to hear that, see that and feel that.”
As D’Abreu continues to learn the ins and outs of TCU’s 3-3-5 defense, his role could continue to expand in the future. Despite arriving just before fall camp, D’Abreu already is firmly entrenched in the two-deep and could be the pass rush specialist the Horned Frogs need going forward.
“Once I really get it down, I feel the world will be open for me,” D’Abreu said.
The Horned Frogs kick off against Nicholls State at 7 p.m. Saturday.
