TCU @ T-Tech Lessons learned

TCU, U, BYU, and BSU were frequently considered Cinderella teams but criticized for having weak schedules.



TCU now plays a Big 12 Schedule. They were thought to be loaded this year. Ranked of course. They are now 1-2 after losing to 3-0 T-Tech.



U plays a PAC 12 Schedule and are in their 3rd year doing it. A lucky win over USU at home and a laugher vs Weber State have them at 2-0 coming into their 3rd home game to be followed by a rivalry game where BYU could help them start their annual slide. Either way - PAC should humble them again even with some down teams. U will only have 3 more home games after OSU.



BYU has been scheduling up. Lost 5 of those last year. Road games were killers. BYU lost their season opener this year to favored UVA - on the road of course. But killed Texas - at home of course.



BSU scheduled up, but less so. MWC, watered down as it is, is a little tougher than WAC. But UW spanked them. BYU gets them at home - opportunity to stop our string of losses to them. BSU will face few other challenges, but teams like USU, and SDSU could also trip them up. But, they will go bowlin.



Anyway, the above hints at some lessons learned, but the TCU loss tonight had several reminders. Add yours. I will add a bunch.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Home field matters. T-Tech gave TCU many chances to win this game. TCU could not get it done on the road. Home Field. That is why I hate 2fers and 1 and done. TCU has to play tough conference road games. But they are 1 for 1 deals. And they lose some. No point in playing any more of those than you have to. And this was not Texas, Oklahoma, Okie State, etc.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

You obfuscated your usually good point made. I agree on this. Utah is better this year than last, maybe last two. TCU lost its starting qb. But yes, look at them. BYU has the D to keep them in most gAmes this year. But BYU had not even risen to the recent BCS bowl game success that TCU and the Pukes had (although that looks ALOT like Urbania's leftovers) and these two are struggling. It's hard to argue with that. I like where BYU is,

QB matters. Inexperience shows. Mistakes everywhere tonight for both teams. You need backups. They need to be ready.



Paschal, the gang banger looking TCU QB that sat out much of last year due to substance abuse issues, has a broken arm. Boykin, the young buck who replaced him last year is back. He is a tuck and run guy. Mediocre passer, at best. But they run him hard to utiluze his strength. He got chewed out for sliding before getting the first down. Got knocked around alot. I hope 3rd string is ready to go.



Announcers indicated the soph expected to start for T-Tech in 2013 is injured, so a walk-on freshman was running the show. Started out strong, then sputtered. Mistakes. Penalties. Eventually got injured. Might have been a kick to the groin. Another freshman came in and sparked them to the win despite the receiver tossing the ball down 6 inches early as he ran unimpeded into the endzone. Luckily, nobody jumped on it, so they got it back, but an unrelated side-line penalty put them at the 15. Scored anyway. He was 3rd string.



You need backups, they need to be ready, run first QBs usually do not throw well, inexperienced QBs make mistakes. That is what I saw.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougs_Rule wrote:
You obfuscated your usually good point made. I agree on this. Utah is better this year than last, maybe last two. TCU lost its starting qb. But yes, look at them. BYU has the D to keep them in most gAmes this year. But BYU had not even risen to the recent BCS bowl game success that TCU and the Pukes had (although that looks ALOT like Urbania's leftovers) and these two are struggling. It's hard to argue with that. I like where BYU is,

I plan to further obfuscate it - several things were shown in that game.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Defense matters. Especially when fumbles, interceptions, penalties, and other mistakes by the offense or just 3 and out keeps happening to your offense like TCU because it could run but not throw.



Both defenses kept their teams in the game.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Special teams matters. TCU missed a key field goal. But they took a punt to the house, had it called back because the returner sort of did and sort of didn't signal fair catch. So later, TCU took another punt to the house. But T-Tech kicked about 2 of 3 field goals and iced the game with the last one.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Officiating matters. Several calls were reviewed. A TT TD was correctly nullified on review because the RB couldn't quite wait till he crossed the endzone to toss down the ball. But a late TT fumble was not over-turned - evidence was not conclusive enough. A million penalties were called. Even a first down for TCU was reversed by replay. Although TT got a play off before one play could be reviewed, It got called back anyway and they lost track of what down it was.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

You do not need to be playing a powerhouse opponent to lose. Especially 50/50 games or 60/40 games and especially on the road.



Ie



Games like BYU@UVA happen with inexperienced QBs and OL and especially on the road where officials rarely give you a break. Great defense can keep you in it, but special teams can lose it.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Hold onto the ball until you are at LEAST 5 yards deep in the endzone. Idiot.

Y 4 Ever wrote:
Hold onto the ball until you are at LEAST 5 yards deep in the endzone. Idiot.

Yes. Exposure. National TV. Thursday night. Everyone watching. BAM.



Exposure. Bad Exposure. His coach was pretty calm about it. I am sure he will hear about it from Sports Center tonight.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Gosh, Bib, you make some excellent points. So just let me nit-pick on one little comment buried in your initial post. You indicated the BSU might get "tripped up" by that powerhouse SDSU. This year, I think the only thing SDSU will trip up is themselves over their own shoelaces. They pretty much suck. I don't expect more than 2-3 wins for them this year.



And I don't feel the least bit bad about that.

1967cougar wrote:
Gosh, Bib, you make some excellent points. So just let me nit-pick on one little comment buried in your initial post. You indicated the BSU might get "tripped up" by that powerhouse SDSU. This year, I think the only thing SDSU will trip up is themselves over their own shoelaces. They pretty much suck. I don't expect more than 2-3 wins for them this year.



And I don't feel the least bit bad about that.

I have to admit that I have not followed SDSU at all. Nor MWC much. But, BSU will be challenged less than TCU, U, or BYU. And if SJSU or FSU, or AFA nip them, it will be because BSU is a little vulnerable. They did schedule UW and BYU out of conference, to their credit.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib wrote:
U plays a PAC 12 Schedule and are in their 3rd year doing it. A lucky win over USU at home and a laugher vs Weber State have them at 2-0 coming into their 3rd home game to be followed by a rivalry game where BYU could help them start their annual slide. Either way - PAC should humble them again even with some down teams. U will only have 3 more home games after OSU.

Interesting that the preseason polls had 5 PAC 12 teams in the top 25. I think that was the most PAC 12 in the top 25 in more than 20 years. Then, Oregon State (preseason #25) lost to FCS E. Washington and USC (preseason #24) lost to Washington State (both at home).



This week should prove a lot about whether the PAC 12 has some legitimate competition - or whether it's the PAC 2 +10. Some good PAC 12-Big Ten matchups this weekend. #16 UCLA plays AT #23 Nebraska, #19 Washington plays AT Illinois, and Arizona State (just outside the top-25) hosts #20 Wisconsin.

YNot wrote:

U plays a PAC 12 Schedule and are in their 3rd year doing it. A lucky win over USU at home and a laugher vs Weber State have them at 2-0 coming into their 3rd home game to be followed by a rivalry game where BYU could help them start their annual slide. Either way - PAC should humble them again even with some down teams. U will only have 3 more home games after OSU.

Interesting that the preseason polls had 5 PAC 12 teams in the top 25. I think that was the most PAC 12 in the top 25 in more than 20 years. Then, Oregon State (preseason #25) lost to FCS E. Washington and USC (preseason #24) lost to Washington State (both at home).



This week should prove a lot about whether the PAC 12 has some legitimate competition - or whether it's the PAC 2 +10. Some good PAC 12-Big Ten matchups this weekend. #16 UCLA plays AT #23 Nebraska, #19 Washington plays AT Illinois, and Arizona State (just outside the top-25) hosts #20 Wisconsin.

Probably 10+2. But UW could win that one on the road. The other two could go either way. Parity. Especially when 10+2 West plays 12+2 Midwest.



Parity. The way it is supposed to be.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib wrote:

Hold onto the ball until you are at LEAST 5 yards deep in the endzone. Idiot.

Yes. Exposure. National TV. Thursday night. Everyone watching. BAM.



Exposure. Bad Exposure. His coach was pretty calm about it. I am sure he will hear about it from Sports Center tonight.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

If I were a coach, I'd teach my players to hand the ball to a ref who has both arms in the air signalling touchdown...

What we learned about TCU's ability to compete in the Big 12, they still need to recruit better in the QB department. After losing Paschal the last two years, there is a huge drop off.



TCU would have been better last year and this year with their first string QB. That's the bottom line. And they've been competitive, even with less than good QB play.

Another one...the time of the game matters. Night games usually favor the home team more...fans get more energized and "wake up" in the evening and get loud, which boosts their team. At 2:00, everyone is ready for a nap. There's not a ton of energy at a game that starts at 2:00 in the afternoon. As proof, BYU's road afternoon game turned into a night game--good for UVA, bad for BYU. BYU's home afternoon game turned into a night game. Good for BYU, bad for Texas.



So, if you are on the road, you prefer earlier start times. If you are at home, you prefer later start times. Of course, no one gets to pick start times since those are lined out by those who hold the broadcast rights, but it is good info for predicting games. A night game is good for about 7 points for a home team. A guy I work with that is an excellent predictor of college football games (around 80%) told me that. Don't ask me how he knows that. Funny thing is, he has picked BYU wrong both times this year. He says there is one team every year that does this to him, and he knows it is going to be BYU this year. I told him to pick the :utard: . ;)