Keys to the Game: TCU at Stanford

Frogs open the 2024 season out west against the Stanford Cardinal

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover / © Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

After a troubling 2023 season that saw the Horned Frogs finish 5-7, TCU Football is officially back as the season gets underway on Friday night against Stanford.

In his 3rd season as head coach Sonny Dykes will look to lead the Frogs to a bounce back season in what is now a new, expanded era of the Big 12. But for the Frogs to come home with a victory, they will have to play a strong brand of football against the Cardinal.

Goin’ out to Cali ✈️ #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/7DEN9fKW9Q

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) August 29, 2024

Perhaps one of the most exciting pieces of this TCU team is its new defense with Andy Avalos calling the shots in his first year since leaving his head coaching role at Boise State. This new look defense is going to have a chance to flex its muscles and impose itself on the game.

Put Pressure on the Stanford Quarterback

One aspect the Frogs must inherently improve upon if they want to be more successful is getting pressure on the opposing quarterback. Last season under Joe Gillespie, the Frogs fell in the middle of the pack when it came to getting to the quarterback. TCU’s 26 sacks was ranked 7th out of 14 teams last year. With Avalos at the helm, expect to see a new look with more rushers on the line, even a linebacker or two perhaps.

The Horned Frog defense will battle an offensive that includes two sophomores, a junior and two 5th years protecting junior quarterback Ashton Daniels. Going against a very young Cardinal offense, TCU has a chance to impose themselves early and make a considerable difference.

Protect Josh Hoover

With that in mind, TCU must also protect their own Josh Hoover. Last season TCU allowed the 3rd-most sacks with 29 for a total loss of 224 yards. Now the offensive line looks incredibly different from previous years with only one returning starting offensive lineman in right tackle Mike Nichols. Joining Nichols on the line is left-tackle Bless Harris, left guard Colton Deery, center James Brockermeyer and right guard Carson Bruno.

There will undoubtedly be wrinkles along the offensive line to iron out throughout the season, but the more protection and time for Hoover the better. With more time and less pressure, Hoover can find his favorite targets, including returning wide receivers Savion Williams and J.P. Richardson. Other notable skill-position returners include running backs Cam Cook and Trey Sanders, along with wide receivers Jack Bech, Dylan Wright, Major Everhart and Jojo Earle.

Win the Turnover Battle

If the offense finds its groove and the defense causes problems for Stanford, the cherry on top is winning the turnover battle. With flags and turnovers tending to be more prominent in season openers, the Frogs will want to play as clean of a game as possible. Playing a clean game goes for the offense, but defensively there has to be hunger.

In 2023 the Frogs threw the 3rd-most interceptions (15) in the Big 12. TCU also ranked 2nd-worst in interceptions (8) and forced fumbles (4).

Stanford is a team TCU should beat. The only thing stopping the Frogs are themselves. A clean game with minimal flags and a positive turnover ratio would give TCU a tremendous opportunity to get a win to open the season.

The TCU Horned Frogs will take on the Stanford Cardinal on Friday, August 30 with kickoff slated at 9:30pm (CST) with streaming available on ESPN.

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