Frog Recap: What we learned from TCU’s shutout win over LIU

The Horned Frogs were dominant on defense, while Cam Cook emerged as a red-zone threat in the run game.

TCU football cruised in its home opener on Saturday evening, dominating the Long Island Sharks 45-0 to remain unbeaten with a 2-0 record on the season. The Horned Frogs controlled the game from start to finish and made few mistakes throughout the evening. With a 31-0 halftime lead, TCU was able to empty its bench during the third and fourth quarters, where the team’s younger players earned valuable reps in preparation for the Big 12 Conference opener against UCF this coming weekend. Below are some of the biggest takeaways from TCU’s lopsided victory against the Sharks on Saturday evening.

Cam Cook could become a red-zone weapon for the Horned Frogs

The sophomore running back rushed for 58 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries Saturday evening, with all three scores coming inside the red zone, an area TCU has had issues since the arrival of offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. Cook was notable the one who iced TCU’s road win against Stanford last weekend, rushing for a red-zone touchdown to clinch a 34-27 victory over the Cardinal in Palo Alto. Although the Horned Frogs weren’t super efficient in the run game on Saturday, averaging 3.4 yards per carry, TCU finished four red-zone drives with rushing touchdowns, a sign that the offense could be moving away from the quick passing game and toward running the football near the goal line.

TCU took another step forward on the defensive side of the ball

The Horned Frogs allowed only 68 passing yards and 59 rushing yards to the Sharks on Saturday evening. While TCU was a 45.5-point favorite and almost everyone expected the team to dominate an inferior FCS opponent, it was still nice to see the defense build on a promising outing against Stanford last weekend. Defensive linemen NaNa Osafo-Mensah and Zach Chapman each recorded sacks, while linebacker Namdi Obiazor had 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception. The Sharks were just 5-for-17 on third down and quarterback Luca Stanzani was 8-for-18 throwing the ball. A notable individual performance came from safety Richard Toney Jr., who tied for a team-high seven tackles in place of starting safety Bud Clark, who was sidelined with an illness. TCU had six tackles for loss and five passes defensed. Additionally, 17 different players recorded at least one tackle in the game.

JoJo Earle and Eric McAlister will be players to watch at wide receiver

Earle made his 2024 debut against the Sharks on Saturday evening, finishing with three catches for 24 yards and a touchdown at outside receiver. McAlister got plenty of run during the second half, where the former Boise State transfer hauled in two grabs for 53 yards. McAlister, who went for over 800 receiving yards with the Broncos in 2023, didn’t record a catch against Stanford, but his track record suggests he’ll become more involved in the offense as the season progresses. Earle, meanwhile, concluded a mostly quiet 2023 campaign with a strong showing in the finale against Oklahoma, recording four catches for 94 yards and a touchdown after moving from slot to outside receiver. Earle is returning to an outside receiving role this season and even though TCU is starting Savion Williams and Jack Bech on the outside right now, Earle should continue to remain involved offensively.

TCU’s RB2 battle appears to still be ongoing

Trey Sanders, Dominique Johnson and true freshman Jeremy Payne all took on carries during Saturday’s win over the Sharks. While Payne earned all of his work in the fourth quarter when the game was basically over, the former four-star recruit took the ball for 30 yards on eight carries. Payne also earned praise from head coach Sonny Dykes, who said after the game that TCU is still seeking production from its RB2 position. Sanders struggled in his first season with the Horned Frogs last year, while Johnson is new to the team after transferring in from Arkansas. Should neither veteran step up over the next few weeks, it’s plausible that TCU could turn to the freshman running back Payne for additional work. Payne rushed for a 10-yard touchdown on Saturday, but a penalty negated the score.