FWST: TCU’s offensive line eager to get back on track — or shake-up could be coming

[SW toad]

Not sure on exactly what the rules are on NIL money, but there is this

Texas Tech Stuns CFB World With Massive $55,000,000 Player Payout Plan in 2025 | College Sports Network

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are reportedly prepared to spend $55 million on their athletes this coming year, making them potentially the highest paying college program of all time.

collegefootballnetwork.com

and this

CBS Sports: $55 million payout could put Texas Tech on top of college athletics

There's no question that we have entered into a new era of college athletics with NIL and revenue sharing. While paying college athletes has been part of the la

www.si.com

and this

Texas Tech's massive NIL spending second only to one historic college football team

Texas Tech wrote a lot of NIL checks this college football offseason. Find out just how much NIL money Texas Tech spent this season.

www.si.com

so do I believe that Tech is spending a lot of money on the football team? Yep. And more power to Cody Campbell if he wants to pay up. His 4 billion could last a while. Poor Okie State T. Boone died a few years too early

Check out 2027 recruit Jalen Brewster. Kid could probably start for some NFL teams now. Tech and Oilballs monied the kid up and this is what we got. It is currently beyond the wild wild west and no matter what one posts about cap space, transfer portal adds substracts, or other "roster balance" initiatives, there is a whole other game going on that can not be restrained by rules.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

We are not going to win the rest of our games, I can almost assure you of that. If that is the expectation, yes, be prepared to be disappointed. Based on the rest of the schedule I'd say 8-4 is probably the highest probability, and hope for better than that. I think every game will be almost a toss-up save for maybe the WVU game.

The problem with your statement is that Sonny assured us during the offseason that he fixed the OL. He didn't. In fact, it is a spectacular failure, and our horrid OL will be the reason we don't make the playoffs. We are lucky to be 4-1 and should be better than 8-4 in the new Big 12 with our talented skill players and improved D. Now, it is going to be a struggle to get to 8 wins.

That is what you are missing with your 24/7 defense of our coaching staff. They said our young OL were going to step up and lead the way. They were wrong and it will cost us a playoff spot. Sonny and his staff make a boatload of money and they whiffed on the most important part of the roster. Worse, how are they going to fix this going forward?

You are right.
Last spring Sonny said the OL was their #1 target for improvement; then this fall both Sonny and his coaches claimed this OL would be a noticeable improvement.

I believe they were counting on a healthy returning Bennett and a more experienced/developed Hughes to deliver those improvements.
But really all that happened is Deery moved from Guard to Center to replace Brockermeyer, and Bennett replaced Deery. That‘s a nothing burger, and Hughes did not pan out, at least not yet.
So our OL still sucks, and with Hughes injured, the line is actually much worse!!

 

[Wexahu]

We are not going to win the rest of our games, I can almost assure you of that. If that is the expectation, yes, be prepared to be disappointed. Based on the rest of the schedule I'd say 8-4 is probably the highest probability, and hope for better than that. I think every game will be almost a toss-up save for maybe the WVU game.

The problem with your statement is that Sonny assured us during the offseason that he fixed the OL. He didn't. In fact, it is a spectacular failure, and our horrid OL will be the reason we don't make the playoffs. We are lucky to be 4-1 and should be better than 8-4 in the new Big 12 with our talented skill players and improved D. Now, it is going to be a struggle to get to 8 wins.

That is what you are missing with your 24/7 defense of our coaching staff. They said our young OL were going to step up and lead the way. They were wrong and it will cost us a playoff spot. Sonny and his staff make a boatload of money and they whiffed on the most important part of the roster. Worse, how are they going to fix this going forward?

What SD says doesn’t really matter. Had he said “our O-line is really gonna struggle this year so we’re gonna have to try like heck to scheme around that deficiency”, would that make everyone feel better? I highly doubt it.

I’m not saying everything is great because it’s clearly not. But some of you act like TCU should just roll over 75% of this conference every year and make the playoffs every other year. That ain’t happening. It’s never happened on any kind of consistent basis at all here, save for a little stretch in the late 00’s against mostly overmatched MW programs. It all may come crashing down but I think the current coach is highly underappreciated by this fan base. Trust me, it could be A LOT worse. The lack of support that he gets sucks.

 

[Virgil Cain]

What SD says doesn’t really matter. Had he said “our O-line is really gonna struggle this year so we’re gonna have to try like heck to scheme around that deficiency”, would that make everyone feel better? I highly doubt it.

I’m not saying everything is great because it’s clearly not. But some of you act like TCU should just roll over 75% of this conference every year and make the playoffs every other year. That ain’t happening. It’s never happened on any kind of consistent basis at all here, save for a little stretch in the late 00’s against mostly overmatched MW programs. It all may come crashing down but I think the current coach is highly underappreciated by this fan base. Trust me, it could be A LOT worse. The lack of support that he gets sucks.

Think a lot of our fans had that expectation after OU/UT left and the media talking heads said we should take up the mantle of conference leader. The reality since moving to the Big XII is similar to what we’re seeing now. We’ve always had solid defense and good/great skill position players.

Very few years have we ever fielded an OL that had 5 guys who were bound for NFL rosters. It sucks, but this year is no different and not at all surprising given our history.

 

[Virgil Cain]

Sooo! When is the shake up coming on the offensive line? Just asking per thread title. Who do you add? A switch for a defensive lineman or two to the offense? Just asking? The coaches have the power in the player position changes. The evaluation for players on the offensive side of the ball is atrocious! Lineman and running backs. Looking at you Briles!!!
Go Frogs!!

At this point we are what we are on the OL. It’s incumbent on Briles to throw in wrinkles to generate yards in the run game like last year.

We need more motion and more eye candy, similar to what Gus Malzhan has done everywhere he’s been. If I’m Briles, Major Everhart becomes a big part of my offense.

The Colorado DC was shown on TV shouting about Everhart entering the game. When he goes in motion, the LBs eyes follow and they buy time for Barnes & co. To find space. Best illustration of this was a 3rd or 4th and short on Colorados side of the field. Everhart went in motion opposite of the play and the handoff went to Barnes who lined up like an offset fullback. He banged it ahead for a 1st down easy. We’re gonna need more of that to manufacture yards.

 

[Purple Hearted]

I’d be willing to try anything or anyone! Nothing would surprise me.
I could even see the old Leach Air Raid with the 3 foot wide linemen splits to spread the defense and create large gaps for inside runs.
If the coaches don’t find some new wrinkle or a couple new linemen don’t step up big; then I don’t see TCU winning either of our next 2 games.
Our OL without Hughes has such a drop off that our RBs will be hit almost as soon as they receive the ball and Hoover will be running to extend every pass play over 8 yards.
Harris replacing Hughes is a massive drop off, and BT-W was even worse than Harris last week. To top it off Bruno was really struggling, so coaches tried to get him some relief by splitting snaps with Strickland. Strickland was the lowest scoring lineman on the field Saturday, so they had sit him & go back to Bruno full time.
We’re in some real trouble here.

Curious, I haven't seen the OL scores so I'm wondering what our RT (56) scored. While they all struggled, he was the one that jumped out most often watching it live.

 

[Purple Hearted]

We are not going to win the rest of our games, I can almost assure you of that. If that is the expectation, yes, be prepared to be disappointed. Based on the rest of the schedule I'd say 8-4 is probably the highest probability, and hope for better than that. I think every game will be almost a toss-up save for maybe the WVU game.

I just don't think we're good enough to get through the stretch of games ahead of us and not have a slip up or two. Were we to someone make it to the CFP, barring some vast improvements in certain areas, we'll get boat-raced in round 1.

While you drive me crazy at times, I agree with most of this. I don't know what the highest probability is because I think they are all toss ups from here on. Even WVU.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

Curious, I haven't seen the OL scores so I'm wondering what our RT (56) scored. While they all struggled, he was the one that jumped out most often watching it live.

53, he was the lowest scoring starter.

 

[Purple Hearted]

53, he was the lowest scoring starter.

Gotcha. I missed the starter qualifier with Strickland.

 

[Frog Attack II]

Well dang .. here I was happy (and pleasantly surprised and just enjoying the season) that we are 4-1... Guess I should be wishing we were worse. Man, I wish our line was as good as UT. I would rather be 3-2 Texas with that OL than 4-1 TCU.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

Gotcha. I missed the starter qualifier with Strickland.

Yes, Strickland didn’t have all that many snaps.
They put him in to give Bruno some relief because he was struggling. However, Strickland was so bad they abandoned the effort.

 

[G Mother Froggen P]

What SD says doesn’t really matter. Had he said “our O-line is really gonna struggle this year so we’re gonna have to try like heck to scheme around that deficiency”, would that make everyone feel better? I highly doubt it.

I’m not saying everything is great because it’s clearly not. But some of you act like TCU should just roll over 75% of this conference every year and make the playoffs every other year. That ain’t happening. It’s never happened on any kind of consistent basis at all here, save for a little stretch in the late 00’s against mostly overmatched MW programs. It all may come crashing down but I think the current coach is highly underappreciated by this fan base. Trust me, it could be A LOT worse. The lack of support that he gets sucks.

I was very bullish on Billy Napier during the search process… shows you what I know, but no doubt it could be worse.

 

[An-Cap Frog]

Well dang .. here I was happy (and pleasantly surprised and just enjoying the season) that we are 4-1... Guess I should be wishing we were worse. Man, I wish our line was as good as UT. I would rather be 3-2 Texas with that OL than 4-1 TCU.

Worst 4-1 team in the country!!!

 

[FrogBall09]

We are not going to win the rest of our games, I can almost assure you of that. If that is the expectation, yes, be prepared to be disappointed. Based on the rest of the schedule I'd say 8-4 is probably the highest probability, and hope for better than that. I think every game will be almost a toss-up save for maybe the WVU game.

I just don't think we're good enough to get through the stretch of games ahead of us and not have a slip up or two. Were we to someone make it to the CFP, barring some vast improvements in certain areas, we'll get boat-raced in round 1.

how you feeling now? pretty stupid I would assume if you have any level of self awareness but then...

You asked why I hate this team - I don't, sucking is killing me.

I hate mediocrity - and that is Sonny Dykes - always has been.

And now it is our program.

And evidently a lot of fans like you have adjusted to it being acceptable.

 

[NewFrogFan]

Well dang .. here I was happy (and pleasantly surprised and just enjoying the season) that we are 4-1... Guess I should be wishing we were worse. Man, I wish our line was as good as UT. I would rather be 3-2 Texas with that OL than 4-1 TCU.

I think if TCU played with their OL against, OSU, loss, Florida, loss, Oklahoma, loss.

 

[Wexahu]

how you feeling now? pretty stupid I would assume if you have any level of self awareness but then...

You asked why I hate this team - I don't, sucking is killing me.

I hate mediocrity - and that is Sonny Dykes - always has been.

And now it is our program.

And evidently a lot of fans like you have adjusted to it being acceptable.

I’m fine, thanks. Sucks that we lost but we’ve lost like 62 other times since we joined this league, let’s not pretend this is a new thing under Sonny. The prior coach was 4-6 against that team. I knew it would be a difficult game.

 

[The TCU Football Jerk]

I don't know what the highest probability is because I think they are all toss ups from here on. Even WVU.

Toss ups. Man, those hopes are all dashed.

 

[gohornedfrogs]

What SD says doesn’t really matter. Had he said “our O-line is really gonna struggle this year so we’re gonna have to try like heck to scheme around that deficiency”, would that make everyone feel better? I highly doubt it.

I’m not saying everything is great because it’s clearly not. But some of you act like TCU should just roll over 75% of this conference every year and make the playoffs every other year. That ain’t happening. It’s never happened on any kind of consistent basis at all here, save for a little stretch in the late 00’s against mostly overmatched MW programs. It all may come crashing down but I think the current coach is highly underappreciated by this fan base. Trust me, it could be A LOT worse. The lack of support that he gets sucks.

We are in a conference now where we have all the advantages over our competition. TCU and Utah stand above all the others as far as accomplishments this century. But we have the Texas recruiting advantage over them. Without UT and OU, we should be in the top 3-4 nearly every year.

We are a long way from holding that trajectory with Dykes. It didn’t help that our former AD alienated many of the people who could have made us a player in the NIL market.

What does Dykes do that impresses you? I’ve defended him until now and have been okay with Kendall. I watch this team, though, and I no longer see a team that punches above its weight and has a will to win that propels them to do it, which is what made us special. Sonny doesn’t seem to project any leadership on the sidelines other than berating the officials. I can’t seem to pinpoint anything he does exceptionally well.

 

[FrogBall09]

I’m fine, thanks. Sucks that we lost but we’ve lost like 62 other times since we joined this league, let’s not pretend this is a new thing under Sonny. The prior coach was 4-6 against that team. I knew it would be a difficult game.

Losing to the worst teams in the conference definitely never be a new thing under Sonny - he has done it his entire career consistently

 

[JTFrogFran]

I’m fine, thanks. Sucks that we lost but we’ve lost like 62 other times since we joined this league, let’s not pretend this is a new thing under Sonny. The prior coach was 4-6 against that team. I knew it would be a difficult game.

The prior Coach got fired for Poor Performance his last few years—The current Coach should be evaluated on his Performance the last few years period! What exact value does Sonny Dykes bring to the table? Hasn’t recruited well—does not have a real skill set on Defense or Offense? Paces up and down the sidelines. Really not a whole lot of emotion. Sorry but just don’t get the suppport.