TCU football insider: Now it’s offense’s turn to have the best day of camp
After TCU’s defense dominated in Wednesday’s practice with multiple turnovers, there was pressure on the offense to respond as the Horned Frogs went through their first full padded practice Thursday.
The result was the offense’s best showing of camp, as TCU went through lengthy 11-on-11 periods that focused on red zone offense, goal-line offense and even a full-field drive for the first- and second-team offenses.
The offense won the day by a huge margin in each category, which forced defensive leader Bud Clark to challenge the defense after practice.
It’s crucial during camp season that there’s a healthy back and forth between the offense and defense, as one unit constantly dominating is often a troubling sign of what’s to come. The fact that the offense was able to respond in such fashion bodes well for TCU’s chances of having quality units on both sides of the ball.
Here’s a recap of some of the offensive highlights from Thursday’s practice:
Hoover-McAlister connection grows stronger
Senior wide receiver Eric McAlister had his best practice of fall camp as he showed why he was voted preseason all-Big 12. McAlister had two highlight plays during team drills, with the first coming in the red zone period. After a first down, junior quarterback Josh Hoover floated a perfectly placed jump ball to McAlister in the back of the end zone, and the 6-foot-4 target went up and over a defender to make the touchdown grab.
Sophomore cornerback Vernon Glover had great coverage on the play, but it didn’t matter to McAlister, who showed off his impressive ability to win contested catches. The next came during the full-field period, as the offense was tasked with putting together a drive starting from its 3-yard line. After getting near midfield, Hoover launched another perfectly placed deep ball, and McAlister reeled in a touchdown of at least 50 yards, outrunning the nearest defender.
It was also Hoover’s best day, as he displayed his arm strength and his mastery of TCU’s offensive scheme.
Kevorian Barnes makes statement
The biggest storyline of fall camp so far has been senior Kevorian Barnes seemingly having the lead to be TCU’s starting running back. Barnes rushed for less than 250 yards last season at Texas-San Antonio after combining to rush for 1,500 in the two seasons prior.
With TCU’s nutrition program helping him, Barnes appears closer to the running back he was as a freshman when he was voted Conference USA freshman of the year.
Barnes ripped off a 30-yard run to get the first-team offense out of the shadow of its own end zone Thursday. He also scored a touchdown during the goal-line period.
There are more explosive running backs in the room, but Barnes is the biggest and one of the most experienced. The staff knew Barnes would be a valuable power back, but he’s shown he can be more during camp.
Young receivers continue to flash
With TCU losing three of its top four receivers from last year, that’s opened the door for younger pass catchers to have more opportunities. The Horned Frogs brought in Joseph Manjack (Houston) and Jordan Dwyer (Idaho) from the transfer portal, but so far it’s been a handful of young players who have flashed the most alongside McAlister.
One of those young receivers is freshman Dozie Ezukanma, a Fort Worth native (Keller Timber Creek) who has emerged as a clear contender for the first receiver off the bench. He scored a critical touchdown Thursday on fourth down during the red zone period. The offense was facing a fourth-and-1, causing the defense to go all out. Ezukanma slipped past a defender and got wide open for an easy 15-yard touchdown.
Freshman Jacobe Hayes from Mansfield also had another big play as he caught a deep ball of at least 30 yards from freshman quarterback Adam Schobel. Hayes has been one of the biggest surprises in camp and will push the others for playing time. With Ezukanma, Hayes and true freshman Ed Small, TCU has an intriguing group of young receivers that should see the field.
Jon Denman’s truck stick
True freshman running back Jon Denman hasn’t gotten as many reps as he did during the spring, but when he has gotten his opportunities, he made the most of them. Before McAlister’s touchdown, the highlight of camp came from Denman.
During a full-field team period, Denman lowered his shoulder and ran through a defender, drawing a big reaction from the sideline. Denman ran for at least 30 yards after the truck stick, shedding another tackle in the process. It was the most physical run of camp and showed why Denman may have the most upside at the running back position.
Speedy Adam Schobel?
Schobel was known for his passing prowess coming out of high school, but this week the 6-4 signal-caller has shown a different aspect of his game. Schobel had multiple scrambles of at least 10 yards that raised a few eyebrows.
He showed enough speed in the open field to get away from the defenders, and his size should make him tough to bring down. Could Schobel carve out a role being used on read options and QB power plays? With the athleticism he’s shown, it surely has to be on the mind of Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles.
TCU returns to practice Saturday and will have its first camp scrimmage Sunday.
