How TCU football is preparing for one of the Big 12’s most hostile environments
The last time TCU football traveled to Manhattan to face Kansas State, it endured one of the program’s ugliest losses since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12.
In 2023, the Wildcats ran wild over TCU in a 41-3 blowout that left head coach Sonny Dykes almost speechless.
Historically, Manhattan has been a difficult place for the Horned Frogs to find success at. TCU is just 3-6 all-time at Kansas State and has lost the past three road games against the Wildcats. The Horned Frogs’ last win in Manhattan came in 2017.
So what makes the environment at Kansas State so difficult to play in? It starts with a fan base that treats K-State like it’s a pro team.
“They’ve been consistently good, I think their fans are smart fans,” Dykes said Tuesday. “I think they appreciate the culture that exists within Kansas State’s program. I think everyone is united. I think that’s what makes that place special through the years.”
On that October night in 2023, the fan base came together to make that environment as hostile as possible for the Horned Frogs, and the thousands of fans who descended on Bill Snyder Family Stadium were successful.
There aren’t many holdovers from that 2023 team on TCU’s roster, but the ones that are still here remember how quickly that game got away from the Horned Frogs.
“It was definitely a cool environment. It was my second start in college,” quarterback Josh Hoover said. “Things were kind of fresh and moving fast. Things got out of hand pretty quick, and it wasn’t the best night for us. I think we all have brought that up and thought about it.”
That game served as Hoover’s “welcome to college football” moment, as he completed only 23 of his 43 attempts for 187 yards and an interception just a week after he lit up BYU for 439 yards in his first start.
2023 team didn’t weather adversity at Kansas State
It was also a humbling experience for the defense, as the Wildcats mauled TCU for 587 yards, including 343 on the ground. Linebacker Namdi Obiazor said the 2023 team didn’t fight back when adversity popped up that night.
“I remember the start of the game. I think the first three drives they were just marching down and scoring,” Obiazor said. “I felt like that put down some of the players’ [spirits] and they just bent over.”
TCU has made a number of significant changes since then.
Hoover is a more experienced quarterback who has had his fair share of success since that game. Obiazor is emerging as one of the Big 12’s best linebackers under second-year defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.
That game was one big reason Dykes brought in Avalos after the 2023 season concluded, and the Horned Frogs have become a much more physical defense since he took over.
With all the changes TCU (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) has made, plus the fact Kansas State is struggling at 2-4 (1-2), that would make Saturday seem like an easy task, right?
Not so fast. The Wildcats have underachieved, but Kansas State’s issues aren’t about a lack of talent, especially on offense. The Wildcats have more speed than usual, led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson, the fourth straight mobile quarterback TCU has faced.
“Avery’s the best athlete of the the bunch. They’ve all been really good athletes, but he’s the best runner,” Dykes said. “He’s the fastest. There’s going to be more designed quarterback runs than we’ve faced all season, particularly in the red zone and particularly on third down.”
Johnson is Kansas State’s leading rusher with 209 yards and has also thrown for 1,363 yards, 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions on the season. The Wildcats operate at their highest capability when Johnson is making plays with his legs.
It helps him build confidence to spread the ball around to a group of skill players that Dykes believes is underrated.
“Their running back [Dylan Edwards] and No. 1 [Jayce Brown] are two of the fastest skilled guys in the Big 12,” Dykes said. “[Brown] in particular is just a long, athletic big-play guy. You kind of go, what can he do? Well, what can he not do? He does it all well. The tight ends are good receivers, and we’re going to see more two tight end sets. Overall their receiving corps is really good. They have good size and good speed.”
Brown serves as the home run hitter of the group and also can create chunk plays receiving jet sweeps. The 6-foot-5 tight end Garrett Oakley is the third-leading receiver on the team with 200 yards and could be a matchup problem in the red zone.
Kansas State’s four losses all close
Defensively, Kansas State hasn’t been as imposing as past seasons, but Dykes still sees a defense that has plenty of playmakers in the front seven, led by linebackers Austin Romaine and Desmond Purnell.
“I’ve been very impressed with their linebacking play,” Dykes said. “They’re probably the two best linebackers in the league. They’ve got guys up front that are athletic and play with relentless effort. We’re going to need to do a good job against those guys.”
When TCU looks at Kansas State, it doesn’t see a team that’s 2-4 or coming off of a frustrating 35-34 loss to Baylor.
It sees the Wildcats as a team that is only a few plays away from being arguably a top-15 team, as each of Kansas State’s losses came by a single possession.
That mentality could be the key in TCU snapping its losing streak in Manhattan.
