Quick Thoughts: TCU 34, Baylor 37

TCU loses in Waco for the first time in a decade

Cowardly Punt

4th down decisions can be a really tough call – you can go from the scapegoat to the hero depending on the result. While play calls can often be debated, it’s rare in modern football, with all the analytics and data pointing towards clear-minded decision making, to see a kick-vs-go decision so poorly adjudicated as the one TCU made in the 4th quarter Saturday. The Horned Frogs made one such well-educated decision: on 4th & 2 inside the 10 in a tie game in the third quarter, TCU lined up Savion Williams as a wildcat QB and he threw a TD pass to Jack Bech. In that case TCU could’ve taken the chip shot FG for a small lead and kept it moving, instead choosing to take advantage of the opportunity. It was the right process, right decision, and ultimately the play call was well executed and worked. However TCU had another such opportunity and chose the objectively wrong course. With 11 minutes left to play in the game, the Horned Frogs faced a 4th & 2 at the Baylor 46 yard line with the game tied at 27. Maybe one could believe “I’m putting my trust in my defense,” except neither team forced a stop since the first drive of the half; TCU’s defense surrendered 499 yards and showed no signs of slowing anything Baylor wanted to do. That is some seriously misplaced trust if that’s the thought there. You also have to really trust your punt unit to execute in a way that forces a difficult drive, but the resulting punt netted just 27 yards on field position with Baylor taking over at the 19, yards which the Bears easily got back with four plays on two quick first downs en route to a go-ahead touchdown.

By choosing to punt, TCU surrendered its opportunity to go take control of the game on the road while giving Baylor the opportunity to bleed the clock while grabbing the reins, putting the Frogs on the back foot playing catch up the rest of the way. Rather than taking the shot there, the Frogs were forced into a do-or-die 4th & 3, now trailing and only 2 minutes to play – TCU ended up converting that and scoring on the next play, but it was a near identical situation as the one you choose to punt, except now you’re chasing the game and still hoping your defense can save it in the end. It’s the kind of decision you would’ve seen from a Gary Patterson team playing caveman football – the difference being he may have had the nation’s best defense on his side and a case for trusting it to make the critical stop. Which brings us to:

Defensive Dumpster Fire

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

This was another disastrous performance from the TCU Defense. Baylor ran for 5.8 yards per carry, amassing 257 yards and 5 scores on the ground. It’s the third most rush yards allowed during the Dykes era, trailing only last season’s shameful performance at Kansas State (343 yards) and the ugly collapse vs. UCF earlier this year (289 yards). TCU had no hope of slowing any of the Baylor rushers, including QB Sawyer Robertson who was able to pick up a key 4th down conversion run. Some defenders made some nice plays – a Jevon McIver pass break up, Johnny Hodges & Devan Deal sacks, sure tackles from Jamel Johnson & NaNa Osafo-Mensah – but as a unit the performance was horrific. First contact on every rush was several yards off the line of scrimmage and the runners were never being brought down at first touch. The change to Andy Avalos has certainly not solved the woes of this unit, even as it had looked somewhat improved during the wins over the previous two games.

TCU’s Favorite Halloween Candy: Butterfinger

Chris Jones-Imagn Images

TCU WR/RB/QB Savion Williams had one helluva night. He was the Frogs’ leading rusher with 57 yards on 7.1 yards per carry while adding 92 yards receiving and a touchdown pass. Of the nine times Josh Hoover threw it his way, Williams hauled in eight of them. However the one he didn’t bring in was as brutal a drop as you can see in college football. Early in the 2nd quarter on a 3rd & long, Williams broke wide open – we’re talking practice field running routes against air open – and Hoover threw it his way. Now, could that ball have been given a bit more touch given the level of open of his receiver, sure, however….the ball hits off Williams’ hands then again off his outstretched finger tips falling harmlessly to the McLane Stadium turf. It would’ve been a no-doubter 81-yard touchdown that would’ve given the Frogs the lead and the desperately needed explosive moment. Instead TCU punted and Baylor scored on an explosive play of it own. It wasn’t only Savion’s drop though, Eric McAlister and Trent Battle each showed hands of concrete on catchable passes while LaMareon James had a dropped interception that to be fair would’ve been an impressive play had he brought it in. One TCU receiver did have sticky hands, as Jordyn Bailey earned his first career touchdown in acrobatic fashion with a tremendous one-handed grab in the endzone.

Clean Hoover

Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It might be time to bring back the old Solid Verbal “In A Losing Effort” sound for TCU’s Josh Hoover. The man had a terrific game on Saturday despite the final result, on first thought I cannot think of one single play where his lack of execution contributed to the loss. TCU fans have been clamoring for the clean game from the Horned Frogs signal caller and they got it this week. He was only sacked once and it was finally a game with no fumbles and no interceptions; he had maybe one dangerous throw, but that one resulted in a Jack Bech catch and run for a first down. He only had nine incompletions – three of which were drops – for 333 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-tying laser to Jack Bech with under two minutes to play. He also had the QB sneak rushing TD, another QB sneak for a first down and often maneuvered out of trouble in the pocket when needed. It’s unfortunate this performance wasn’t awarded with the win, but at is something positive and deserving of the tip of the hat.