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FWST: TCU scored its fewest points in two decades. How the Frogs plan to be more explosive

TopFrog

Lifelong Frog
TCU scored its fewest points in two decades. How the Frogs plan to be more explosive

By Drew Davison

TCU had its worst scoring average of the Gary Patterson era in 2018.

The Frogs averaged just 23.5 points a game last season, the program’s worst mark in two decades. It hasn’t been that low since they put up 22.3 points a game in 1998.

Co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie pointed to the turnovers as the No. 1 issue in dissecting a forgettable offensive year.

Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/sport...niversity/article233793322.html#storylink=cpy
 

Limp Lizard

Full Member
Good to see that he is, or at least claims to be, evaluating the coaching, like GP has been shown to do. Sometimes you get the feeling not all coaches are as self-critical as GP.

The best play caller in the world calling plays for TCU would maybe won us another game last year, I think. We had many good plays last year, followed by fumbles...the 26 turnovers ranked tied for #118! Games are won by what happens Sunday-Friday. A one-armed QB and all the injuries really hurt, too.

This is the season where Cumbie show us whether or not he is up to all the pro-Cumbie hype in the media.
 

Limp Lizard

Full Member
As far as explosives plays go, in 2014 TCU was #7 in the country for plays 20 or more yards(88), tied for #109(47) in 2018. With more explosive plays, less plays to a TD and less chance for a bad mistake. Plus keeps the defense on their heels.
 

Limp Lizard

Full Member
I watched the first half of the UT game yesterday... things would be rolling and then we would get close and the wheels would just fall off. SR actually looked really good for the most part
Not play calling, just turnovers, missed assignments and penalties? That would be my guess.
 

McGregor's Goat

Active Member
Any way you look at it, TCU's offense was bad in 2018 and turnovers weren't the primary reason. I think Bill Connelly went into some detail recently (I can't remember where) and came to the conclusion that TCU's 2018 offense was fine between the 20's but remarkably terrible in scoring opportunities and in 3rd and long.

I don't buy play calling as the main problem. If you have a well-designed offense that is committed to a specific and effective philosophy, and where the players are well drilled and know what to do, the offense is probably going to be effective. Last year I kept thinking, "this is a poorly designed offense with no identity, but at least Reagor can bail them out sometimes."

I think the most optimistic alternative theory is "the offense could have been fine in 2018, but the combination of bad quarterbacks and injuries derailed the whole thing."
 

jake102

Active Member
Not play calling, just turnovers, missed assignments and penalties? That would be my guess.

Play calling was definitely part of it. For example - we got down to the 4 yard line, rush Sewo up the middle for no gain, then tried to run SR around the edge, loss of 7.

Later on we had a "pass" to Reagor that went backwards four yards, followed by a run by Anderson for a loss of 2 yards. Two plays that started behind the LOS ended in negative 6 yards, tough to do.

And then SR totally collapsed in the 2nd half.
 

Zubaz

Member
That average is even worse when you remember that we scored 55 against Southern and 42 against SMU. We only got over 30 ONCE against P5 teams, the 31 we scored against Oklahoma State.

Yikes, I remember it was bad, but I didn't think it was that bad. Definitely thought 2012 was worse.
 

Eight

Member
a quick look at the 3rd down conversion percentage and td/redzone ratio for the past 4 years:

2018 37% on 3rd down and 16 td/ 34 rz trips

2017 46% on 3rd down and 36 td/ 54 rz trips

2016 41% on 3rd down and 33 td / 60 rz trips

2015 43% on 3rd down and 43 td/ 66 rz trips

single biggest thing that jumps out is the steady decline in red zone trips from 2015 to 2018

frogs in 2015 averaged just over 5 red zone trips a game, 2016 4.6, 2017 3.9, and 2018 2.6.
 

Froggish

Active Member
I think what I hate the most about our offense is our desire to stretch the width of the field as a means of finding space. We’ve become so predictable on that WR screen that just about every decent CB was blowing up the blocker and practically beating our WR to the catch.

Someone mentioned how poorly designed the offense has been and I’m right there with them. It seems to me that Cumbie is an air raid guy who’s now being asked to design and call a run first principle RPO game and whatever he landed on looked incoherent and disjointed..It looked like an identity crisis
 

4th. down

Active Member
IMO, Cumbie didn't have much to work with but still, cannot give him an out due to the last game, Cal. 3 weeks to game plan and practice and he comes out passing with Mule in the 1st. quarter then again in the 3rd. quarter - my wife who doesn't know [ Finebaum ], asked"why does TCU keep throwing the ball?"
 

texas_sicilian

Full Member
I really sincerely hope that this is the year that it all comes together for Cumbie.

We’ve invested a lot in him, and while it’s not easy to practice against a CGP defense, it should only make you that much better.
 
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