TCU season on the brink of missing a bowl as Kendal Briles’ offense can’t score
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes spent a lot of capital to hire Kendal Briles, and the first six games of this relationship has produced losses, turnovers, and not many points.
After six games, TCU is not a good team. What went down in middle America on Saturday night confirmed as much.
TCU traveled to Iowa State on Saturday to reverse what was starting to feel like a lost season. Iowa State was just 2-3, and a decent team should kick around the Cyclones.
That this game was at night, and the fall temperatures would dip below 60 degrees, is a recipe for weird. What happened on Saturday night wasn’t weird.
What happened on Saturday night was boring, and a little sad, too.
An average team easily defeated a sub average team. Iowa State is average. TCU is not.
Iowa State defeated TCU 27-14, and yet it felt somehow worse than 65-7.
“A bad one tonight; we have not played winning football,” Dykes said after the game. “Our players are playing hard. There are no effort issues.”
If that’s the case, then it comes down to execution, talent, and coaching. Take your pick.
Starting quarterback Chandler Morris suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and that is not even close to the reason TCU was demolished by mighty Iowa State.
TCU turned the ball over four times, had a punt blocked, too. Its defense allowed ISU to run for 215 yards, and generated no turnovers.
TCU is now 3-3, and 1-2 in the Big 12. One season after winning the Fiesta Bowl and reaching the national title game, TCU is looking down a toilet bowl of having to sweat out qualifying for the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
The last time a team reached the national title game and flopped like this the next year was none other than Texas; the Longhorns reached the title game in 2009, and finished 5-7 in 2010.
TCU needs to find three wins among the following future opponents: BYU, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma. Winning any more than three out of that schedule feels a bit too Disney.
This team has issues on special teams and defense, too, but start with the offense.
While TCU fans bemoan that quarterback Max Duggan, who was in attendance on Saturday, passed on the chance to return for an additional season, more than a few of those people wonder how things might be had Garrett Riley
remained as offensive coordinator.
Riley went to Clemson, and Dykes hired Briles. Thus far his offense has devolved from frustrating, to promising, to downright bad; a parade of turnovers and punts.
After scoring 21 points in the first half last week against West Virginia, TCU nearly went the next six quarters with seven points combined. Only a last minute touchdown against ISU prevented the streak from reaching a full six quarters.
“We can’t get out of our own way,” Dykes said. “We just make critical mistakes in critical situations.”
Before Morris suffered his injury in the third quarter, the offense was terrible then, too. Dykes said after the game he is not sure about Morris’ status.
Redshirt freshman Josh Hoover replaced Morris, and he showed a live arm, and inexperience, too.
Other than tight end Jared Wiley and running back Emani Bailey, the offense is sub average. Bailey ran for more than 150 yards against Iowa State, and all of that production meant nothing.
“When you have somebody that averages 7.2 yards a carry and runs for 152 yards typically you win a game because you don’t usually turn the ball over four times,” Dykes said.
Wiley is one of the best tight ends in the country, but he was targeted but twice against ISU.
Wide receiver Savion Williams is talented, and not the scary mismatch like a Quentin Johnston, who is now in the NFL.
Before Morris suffered his knee injury, he’s been all over the place and unpredictable. It’s not a lack of effort, but the way he plays he looks like a player who is 4,531 miles into his own head.
On Saturday night, TCU was easily moving the ball in the first quarter but Morris threw two interceptions. Neither pass was particularly pretty. TCU’s next drive resulted in a turnover on downs near midfield.
Late in the first half, Iowa State converted a blocked punt into points, and led 10-7 at the break.
The second half was a mess. Morris suffered his injury. The defense eventually wore down against a barely average team.
Hoover threw an interception. He also missed on a fourth-down pass in the red zone that should have been a touchdown.
For some reason, Briles had receiver JP Richardson throw an option pass late in the fourth quarter. Iowa State covered it well. Richardson, who is, again, not a quarterback, threw it anyway.
Naturally, the pass was intercepted.
Hoover did throw a touchdown pass with 1:17 remaining to make a game that played out like a blowout feel closer when it wasn’t.
What went down on Saturday night in Ames wasn’t weird. TCU isn’t very good, and it is in real danger of not even making a bowl.
This story was originally published October 7, 2023 at 10:10 PM.
