Killer Frogs

TCU Football: Keys to the Game v. Kansas State

No. 8 TCU readies for yet another crucial Big 12 matchup

Ian Napetian

© Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
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Head Coach Sonny Dykes and No. 8 TCU Football are coming off a fabulous 43-40 double overtime victory as they top No. 11 Oklahoma State.

In what was a tremendous 4th quarter comeback, touchdowns from Kendre Miller and Jared Wiley put 14 unanswered points on the board for TCU to send the game into overtime. This would not have been possible without the Frogs’ lock-down defense and tide-turning interception by safety, Bud Clark.

Looking ahead to Saturday, the Frogs will need to stay on their toes as the No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats come to town. In order for TCU to continue its undefeated season, the Frogs must execute these keys to the game.

Contain Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn

The Kansas State Wildcats are coming into Saturday’s game off a bye week following their slim 10-9 victory against Iowa State. That said, this team has a few offensive players that could pose a massive threat to the Horned Frogs.

Quarterback Adrian Martinez has 900 passing yards and four passing touchdowns through six games this season, averaging just 150 yards per game. But the senior from Fresno, California makes up with his ground game, accumulating 396 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in just the last three games.

While Martinez doesn’t raid opponents in the air, his swift ability to move the chains with the ground game may be problematic on Saturday.

Another threat on the Wildcats offense is none other than running back Deuce Vaughn. The junior from Round Rock, Texas is having a tremendous season, totaling 661 yards and three rushing touchdowns. He is averaging 5.5 yards per carry and is an absolute workhorse for the Wildcats.

The stout TCU defensive line will have to continue to apply lots of pressure to keep both Martinez and Vaughn in check.

Win the turnover battle

It will be crucial for the Horned Frogs to win the turnover game against the Wildcats, who are a team with 11 takeaways–nine interceptions and two fumble recoveries. What is positive for the Frogs is their accuracy in the air and ball security on the ground. Max Duggan has continued to shine this season as one of the most accurate quarterbacks in all of college football with only one interception.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Frogs have some of the hungriest pass rushers and linebackers in the Big 12. Furthermore, with the interception against Oklahoma State, the Frogs now have six picks on the season.

Establish the rushing game

The rushing game has been a constant for the Horned Frogs this season, and it is a part of the game they must dominate if they want to get a win on Saturday.

Through six games this season, the Frogs are averaging 229.2 rushing yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry. This can be attributed to not just Kendre Miller, but Emari Demercado and Emani Bailey who have played crucial roles as secondary options for the ground game.

While the Horned Frogs are averaging over 200 rushing yards per game, they are facing a Wildcats defense that limits its opponents to an average of 132 yards per game.

Saturday’s game against Kansas State is another opportunity for the Frogs to further impose their dominance over the Big 12 and take control of the conference. It won’t be an easy game, but the Frogs will look to defend the Carter once more.

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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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