Killer Frogs

TCU Football: Keys to the Game Against Kansas State

Horned Frogs and Wildcats face off in the Big 12 Championship

Ian Napetian

TCU Football: Keys to the Game Against Kansas State
TCU Football: Keys to the Game Against Kansas State /
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The TCU Football Cinderella season continues as Sonny Dykes has led the Horned Frogs to the Big 12 Championship in his first season as head coach.

Beating Iowa State Saturday, TCU finished its 12-0 season in convincing style posting 62 points against the best defense in the Big 12. With Saturday’s victory, the Frogs moved into No. 3 on the AP Poll, just behind Georgia and Michigan.

In looking ahead to the Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium, these are the keys to the game against Kansas State.

Establish the Running Game Early:

Kendre Miller played a massive role when TCU defeated Kansas State in October, and he will need to have yet another big day in Arlington for the Frogs want to have success again.

He’s coming off a strong performance against Iowa State where he accumulated 72 yards on 15 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns. The matchup on Saturday is looking to favor Miller as he gained 153 rushing yards and scored 2 touchdowns against the Wildcats in October.

The junior running back has 16 touchdowns this season and has been a core piece in an impressive Horned Frogs offense. In addition to Miller, Emari Demercado and Emani Bailey will surely provide alternative rushing options. These two fierce backs have combined for an additional 686 yards and seven touchdowns this season to Miller and will be a critical element in the offensive game on Saturday.

Contain Deuce Vaughn:

Perhaps one of the most underrated stars in college football, and by-far the most explosive part of the Wildcats offense, is running back Deuce Vaughn. While the Horned Frogs held Vaughn to only 83 rushing yards and a touchdown in their meeting in October, Vaughn has accumulated 1,295 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season.,

Averaging a massive 5.3 yards per carry, Vaughn also poses a threat as a pass-catching running back with over 300 yards to his name and three receiving touchdowns.

While TCU’s defense surrenders 144.8 yards per game to opposing rushers, the defensive line and linebacking core will play a crucial role in preventing this monstrous part of the Wildcat offense.

Pressure Will Howard:

Another crucial aspect of the game will be the amount of pressure the TCU defense is able to apply to quarterback Will Howard and his offensive line.

Starting the season as a backup to Adrian Martinez, Howard took the reins after injury saw Martinez sidelined against TCU. Since then he’s started four games for the Wildcats, leading them to three consecutive wins.

Coming off a two-touchdown performance against the Kansas Jayhawks, Howard has thrown for 1224 yards this season. A careful quarterback, Howard has tossed 13 touchdowns in five games with only two interceptions.

By pressuring Howard and forcing the pocket to collapse, the Frogs will have their sights set on a Big 12 Championship game victory and continuation of this amazing season.

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Ian Napetian
IAN NAPETIAN

Ian Napetian is currently pursuing a double-major in Journalism and Sports Broadcasting at TCU. He is the creator and host the sports-talk radio show Riff Ram Review on 88.7 KTCU The Choice. He also hosts pregame and postgame shows for TCU Baseball and Women's Basketball on 88.7 The Choice. Additionally, he enjoys attending TCU sporting events with his friends.

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