At the halfway point of the 2024 season, the staff looks for positives that point to a 2nd half turnaround
Say something nice about the TCU Offense
- Anthony: The arsenal of pass-catching weapons this offense can deploy has shown a clear ability to generate both the home run plays and the chain-moving plays. Eric McAlister has been a major addition to the unit, while Jack Bech has taken the leap to elite in realizing his tremendous talent upside. JP Richardson continues to be a hyper-reliable target while adding big plays in the return game. Savion Williams delivers the stunning highlight reel plays that few people can execute anywhere in college football. All this while Hoover has found a connection with each and the offense is designed to utilize the ample talents of these weapons. If the play-calling can more consistently match the moments of the game and Hoover is able to clean up some of the decision-making lapses and avoid the confidence spirals that come from mistakes, the offense can perform at a very high level and produce winning opportunities going forward.
- Austin: Josh Hoover is having a better season than expected. I wasn’t all too high on the sophomore before the beginning of the season, but he has the makings of a star quarterback. Plus, Jack Bech is incredible. The senior receiver ranks in the top 10 in the nation in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Watching Bech operate at every receiver position is a sight to behold. Furthermore, the offensive line has done a great job of pass blocking. Although the front five looks far different from a season ago, they’ve held up well thus far—allowing only six sacks on the season.
- Russ: Jack Bech has been a star. He’s the best player on the offense right now and he could be the best overall player on the roster. After struggling with injuries last season, Bech earned Senior Bowl Midseason All-American honors and is playing like one of the top wide receivers in the Big 12 and in all of college football.
- Wyatt: The Wide Receiver room has been even better than I expected. There is a handful of receivers that can be explosive on any given play.
Say something nice about the TCU Defense
- Anthony: I love watching Abe Camara play football. He brings that fire that TCU defenses used to have at all 11 positions, playing with a speed and nose for the ball carrier that has been missing in the post-GP era. His targeting penalty vs. Houston was killer, because even early in the game he was everywhere already making plays. Despite missing most of that game, he’s still third on the team in passes defensed, sixth in tackles, and has forced a fumble. His tackling has improved in 2024, as sometimes in previous seasons he was still flying all over the field, but might fly right past the ball carriers in space. If he can harness that energy, avoid his intensity leading to penalties, Camara can be the creator of chaos that this defense needs in the back half of its schedule.
- Austin: Johnny Hodges is a big-time difference-maker. After missing most of last season, the Navy transfer has looked like his old self, flying around the field, leading the Horned Frogs in tackles with 46 through six games. Another tackling machine is sophomore Jamel Johnson. The Arlington native appeared in seven games a season ago before entering 2024 as the starter. Through six games, Johnson has amassed 42 tackles. Already a stout box safety, there’s plenty of room for Johnson to grow into an All-Big 12 player when his collegiate career is all said and done. Finally, the TCU pass defense has performed quite well this season. The Horned Frogs have allowed only a 200-yard passer this season. TCU ranks fifth in opponent completion percentage and second in opponent passing yards per game.
- Russ: I’m happy to see Johnny Hodges back healthy. Not having him for most of the 2023 season was a big loss for a defense that struggled mightily and ultimately lost its coordinator. He’s already eclipsed his tackle count from last season and he’s on pace to surpass the number of total tackles (87) he had during the magical 2022 season.
- Wyatt: During both the Kansas and Houston games, the defense made adjustments and played better during the second half. Over the pst 2 games, the defense has only given up 16 second half points compared to 41 first half points.
What “halftime adjustment” will TCU make to reach bowl eligibility?
- Anthony: As our friend Parker Fleming (@statsowar) let us know this week, TCU ranks dead last in the Big 12 in defensive EPA/Game. The defense opened the season with a splash of havoc plays with four sacks and 10 tackles for loss in the win at Stanford. In the five games since, the Frogs are averaging just 3.6 tackles for loss per game while getting absolutely run through and only generating 3 total turnover. The Andy Avalos defense has been too much “new boss, same as the old boss” and not enough of the multiple looks, swarming pass rush from all angles, and speed to attack the ball carrier that had been promised with the new defensive scheme. A reset to that hunter mentality will be necessary to bring that basement-level performance up to a level that produces winning football.
- Austin: The ground game must improve on offense and defense. While it’s easier said than done, the Horned Frogs’ playcalling must get more creative on the offensive side of the ball. Cam Cook showed improvement in last week’s loss, and Jeremy Payne appeared to be on the cusp of a mini-break out against Kansas. The running backs have looked better as of late, getting both backs the ball in space will do wonders for the ground game in the second half of the season. On defense, the Horned Frogs must find the most reliable set of down linemen. TCU has struggled to control the line of scrimmage, allowing quarterbacks and running backs to escape past the first wave of defenders easily. A new scheme, such as a 4-2-5 (with four down linemen), might be the best option.
- Russ: Changes need to be made in the trenches on both sides of the ball. TCU has been inconsistent in running the football and the defense has had no answers for stopping the run. We’ve seen minimal adjustments from either coordinator in terms of scheming the offense and defense. Additionally, veteran players like Caleb Fox, Tymon Mitchell, Mike Nichols and others, who TCU has counted on to step up this season, haven’t done so.
- Wyatt: TCU needs to come out ready to play. It feels like the team starts the games off flat, and has to try and dig themselves out of the hole. The exception to this of course being the UCF game.
TCU midseason MVP
- Anthony: The correct answer is Jack Bech, he’s been the brightest beacon of hope, standing high above the fray. However, I’m going to make a case for Josh Hoover. We now have a 12-game sample size with Hoover as the starter behind center, a full regular season-worth of data on the sophomore gunslinger. His 4,044 yards in those 12 starts would surpass the program record for single-season passing yardage by over 500 yards. Hoover put up historic numbers in what amounts to his first season. When compared to first 12 starts of recent legendary Horned Frog QBs, Hoover’s passing stats stack up better than each in every category. Three consecutive games with multiple interceptions is certainly quite concerning and gives him 13 picks in those 12 starts, which is the same number Trevone Boykin had in his first 12 starts while Hoover attempted an additional 129 passes. Perhaps more concerning has been the complete lack of mobility and utilization in the run game, paired with ball security issues leading to a nation-worst four lost fumbles this season. It’s clear the offense doesn’t wish to use Hoover in that way, but the fumble problem must get fixed for Hoover to take that next leap forward. While some TCU fans (and some TCU coaches) may have been ready to bail on Andy Dalton, Trevone Boykin, and Max Duggan after 12 starts, each would go on to win a BCS/NY6/CFP bowl, earn the Frogs Top 5 rankings, and be etched in program lore. Hoover has outperformed those three legends through 12 starts and while patience is difficult during these struggling times, perhaps he should be offered a chance to reach those heights as well.
- Austin: Jack Bech by a long shot. Bech has been far better than advertised this season. In addition to Bech’s astounding play, the former LSU Tiger has been extremely consistent. In all but one game, Bech has scored a touchdown. And in all but two games, Bech has recorded more than 130 receiving yards. The terrific receiver has put College Football on notice—recently being named a Midseason All-American by the Senior Bowl.
- Russ: I’d make a case for Josh Hoover if he didn’t throw six interceptions and lose three fumbles over his last three games. The obvious answer is Jack Bech, who now has 39 receptions for 702 yards and seven touchdowns over his first six games of the season. Bech is on track to have a career-best season by a large margin and given that he’s a fourth-year senior, his play could land him on NFL radars by the time the 2025 NFL Draft comes around.
- Wyatt: The only answer is Jack Bech. He has been a bright spot on this 3-3 TCU squad. He is explosive and one of the top receivers in the country.