TCU Football: Keys to the Game, Week 8

Frogs travel to Manhattan for a date with the Wildcats

The TCU Horned Frogs earned a much-needed victory in their 44-11 rout of the BYU Cougars last weekend. To many’s surprise, the team found a way to bounce back, generating perhaps their most complete performance of the season.

While the Frogs move to 4-3 on the season, the road to a bowl game looms. Only needing two wins from their last five, the Frogs will need to play their best brand of football against the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday.

TCU takes on Kansas State in Week 8. What are the keys to the game for the Frogs?  :: Brian McLean, On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs

Let Josh Hoover Sling It

To many’s surprise, quarterback Josh Hoover led the charge against BYU completing 37 of 58 passes (63.8%) for 439 yards and four touchdowns. While these flashy stats sparkle in the box score, it is the 58 passes that caught fans’ attention.

The game plan was clear–let Hoover sling it. For a backup quarterback to make his first collegiate start and throw 58 times is unheard of, but Sonny Dykes and Kendal Briles knew what Hoover was capable of and allowed him to put it on full display.

Part of the reason for so many passes was also due to how BYU set up on defense. Stacking the box and rushing the line, BYU was left with holes in their defense, allowing Hoover to sit back and exploit them. Depending on what the Wildcats bring on Saturday, we could see the same or a very different game plan for Hoover.

But despite having the same players to throw to, the same lineman blocking, and the same running backs in the backfield, Hoover has unleashed a part of the offense that hadn’t been seen with Chandler Morris.

Minimize Penalties

The penalties are an aspect of the game that TCU needs to clean up. Earlier in the season, particularly against Colorado, it was understandable that the team would commit penalties throughout the game–that is the natural part of getting back to game speed. But as the season has progressed, it has become clear that the discipline penalties continue to hurt the team.

At Tuesday’s press conference, Dykes explained, “We’ve had way too many pre-snap, false start penalties, wide receiver penalties. Kind of silly stuff that good football teams don’t do.” Against BYU, the Frogs surrendered 59 yards on seven penalties–most of which were the discipline penalties Dykes continues to wrestle with.

With Manhattan, Kansas being as hostile as it is, the Frogs will need to ensure proper communication on the field as well as between its coaches and players. The team needs to be on the same page for each play so they minimize the opportunity for getting caught up in flags.

Be Ready for Will Howard and Avery Johnson

The Frogs have historically struggled when preparing for two quarterbacks. Going back to last season against Kansas State when Adrian Martinez was injured, and Will Howard stepped in, or even against Kansas when Jaylon Daniels went down, and Jason Bean gave the Frogs a run for their money.

In the case with Howard and Avery Johnson, these quarterbacks could not be more different. Howard is much more of an accurate passer of the ball and prefers to stay in the pocket. Johnson, who broke out for five rushing touchdowns last week, is more accustomed to running the ball and scrambling out of the pocket.

These two different styles make it incredibly difficult to prepare defensively as well. Dykes said, “There’s a lot of unknown with the young quarterback [Avery Johnson]. Some people view him as a one-dimensional player. I don’t see that as the case at all.”

The Frogs will travel to Manhattan to take on the Wildcats with kickoff at 6:00 p.m., which will be a crucial test of this young TCU team.

TCU Football: Tori's Thoughts - TCU Took A Step Forward, Kansas State Has Quarterback Depth

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