The Athletic: TCU defied the odds to reach college football’s mountaintop — then lost by 58. Now what?

[TopFrog]

TCU defied the odds to reach college football’s mountaintop — then lost by 58. Now what?​

Sam Khan Jr.

FORT WORTH, Texas — It was more than a month before TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie could stomach the tape. Head coach Sonny Dykes isn’t even sure he made time to watch it with his players.

After such a nightmarish ending to a dream year, it was understandable that TCU coaches were hesitant to turn on the game film of their 65-7 loss at the hands of Georgia in the College Football Playoff national championship game, a horror movie for the Horned Frogs from start to finish.

“I didn’t watch it until after I got off the road recruiting and vacation, just because I couldn’t do it,” Gillespie said.

Read more at https://theathletic.com/4513987/2023/05/17/tcu-football-sonny-dykes-georgia/

 

[Eight]

TCU defied the odds to reach college football’s mountaintop — then lost by 58. Now what?​

Sam Khan Jr.

FORT WORTH, Texas — It was more than a month before TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie could stomach the tape. Head coach Sonny Dykes isn’t even sure he made time to watch it with his players.

After such a nightmarish ending to a dream year, it was understandable that TCU coaches were hesitant to turn on the game film of their 65-7 loss at the hands of Georgia in the College Football Playoff national championship game, a horror movie for the Horned Frogs from start to finish.

“I didn’t watch it until after I got off the road recruiting and vacation, just because I couldn’t do it,” Gillespie said.

Read more at https://theathletic.com/4513987/2023/05/17/tcu-football-sonny-dykes-georgia/

was told by an old coach it is time to get out when you aren't willing to look at the losses because the film doesn't hide anything

worst, best sales training i ever went through was being videotaped and then watching it with some peers and our regional manager

 

[CardFrog]

It happened and its not going to unhappen by not watching it ,so time to move the fug on. Next up, kicking the crap out the Buffs!

 

[bc puckett]

Colorado

 

[Dutch]

TCU was out of juice after a season of thrilling finishes. UGA was experienced with the 15 th game and a great team. They slipped in on an Ohio State missed field goal. Frogs beat Michigan who crushed Ohio State.

 

[BrewingFrog]

I don't buy all the "Oh, they hadn't seen SEC power!" crapola that is thrown about. We had quick and strong athletes out there, too. Nor do I hold with the "They just out-schemed them" theory, either. None of those arguments explains a total blowout of that magnitude. Something else was in play, a huge mental letdown or other anti-motivation (demotivation?) event that just deflated the kids to such a degree that they were just going through the motions.

 

[Wexahu]

I don't buy all the "Oh, they hadn't seen SEC power!" crapola that is thrown about. We had quick and strong athletes out there, too. Nor do I hold with the "They just out-schemed them" theory, either. None of those arguments explains a total blowout of that magnitude. Something else was in play, a huge mental letdown or other anti-motivation (demotivation?) event that just deflated the kids to such a degree that they were just going through the motions.

Georgia was a much better team (duh), but after they scored so easily to go up 17-7 our guys pretty much threw in the towel. The play where Bennett scrambled and ran it in for a score is when I knew we had no chance and was just hoping to not get completely blown out. It looked like our defense was playing with 8 guys.

 

[Eight]

I don't buy all the "Oh, they hadn't seen SEC power!" crapola that is thrown about. We had quick and strong athletes out there, too. Nor do I hold with the "They just out-schemed them" theory, either. None of those arguments explains a total blowout of that magnitude. Something else was in play, a huge mental letdown or other anti-motivation (demotivation?) event that just deflated the kids to such a degree that they were just going through the motions.

mentioned before the story of a guy i know who was an olympic class marathoner

he qualifies to run in his first boston and he is stoked, trains his butt off, thinks he has done everything right, gets to roughly 18 miles in, just where things start to get tough terrain wise and he bonks terribly, to the point he almost doesn't finish

this is a guy who later ran boston in 2:06, but for that one race he really didn't have the aerobic base, really hadn't prepared how he needed to, didn't control his emotions prior and early in the race how he needed to, and while he could keep up with the lead pack most of the way he wasn't ready for that last 8.2

frogs weren't ready for a 15-game season and has been said above they were finished going into that game, uga had been prepping for a 15-game season since the day after the prior championship game

 

[BrewingFrog]

mentioned before the story of a guy i know who was an olympic class marathoner

he qualifies to run in his first boston and he is stoked, trains his butt off, thinks he has done everything right, gets to roughly 18 miles in, just where things start to get tough terrain wise and he bonks terribly, to the point he almost doesn't finish

this is a guy who later ran boston in 2:06, but for that one race he really didn't have the aerobic base, really hadn't prepared how he needed to, didn't control his emotions prior and early in the race how he needed to, and while he could keep up with the lead pack most of the way he wasn't ready for that last 8.2

frogs weren't ready for a 15-game season and has been said above they were finished going into that game, uga had been prepping for a 15-game season since the day after the prior championship game

So, what's the difference in prepping for a 15 game season vs. a 14 game season? Do all of the kids suddenly turn into overcooked pasta the day after the Fiesta Bowl? Dissolve into puddles of goo? I simply don't buy that.

The kids were playing for the National Championship. I cannot imagine a better motivation scenario than that. Yet, from looking at the kids on the field, they were beat in the pre-game warmups...

 

[Eight]

So, what's the difference in prepping for a 15 game season vs. a 14 game season? Do all of the kids suddenly turn into overcooked pasta the day after the Fiesta Bowl? Dissolve into puddles of goo? I simply don't buy that.

The kids were playing for the National Championship. I cannot imagine a better motivation scenario than that. Yet, from looking at the kids on the field, they were beat in the pre-game warmups...

think they in part got overwhelmed by the moment, this was not a team that the spring before had even an inkling they would make the cfp ,let alone the title game and they were spent after that semifinal win over michigan

you can only draw on reserves so many times and that team was physically done, add the emotions in that type of situation that can just as easily overwhelm as they can motivate and it happens

 

[East Coast]

We had 1 chance to make it a game; when we scored to make it 10-7. Hold Georgia to even a FG there and everything could have been different.

IMO, in approximate order of importance, the reasons we got blown away were

1) Things started rolling down hill and we couldn't recover
2) Georgia has way more staff in the analyst area, and had an entire game plan ready to go for us even before the semifinal. They just needed to install and tweak it.
3) We were emotionally spent after all the close games, and were more vulnerable after the B12 Championship loss (which was entirely on our coaching staff)
4) Honestly, Georgia had more talent. I think we would have had about a 30% chance to beat them mid season on a neutral field.
5) Riley was halfway out the door, and had nothing specifically prepared for Georgia. (In contrast, the D often was making the right read, but was just a little slow reacting and just not getting there)
6) We had no answer for their tight end.

I thought going in that a 20 point loss was likely, but that we had a puncher's chance. Items 1, 2, and 5 are what made it an epic beatdown.

Oh, and I wish we had gone after Bennett when he started acting like a complete clown. Way back in time in the neighborhood, that is exactly what would have happened.

 

[Prince of Purpoole II]

Sometimes you just run into a buzz saw. See the Ole Miss Peach Bowl

 

[06DallasFrog]

We had 1 chance to make it a game; when we scored to make it 10-7. Hold Georgia to even a FG there and everything could have been different.

IMO, in approximate order of importance, the reasons we got blown away were

1) Things started rolling down hill and we couldn't recover
2) Georgia has way more staff in the analyst area, and had an entire game plan ready to go for us even before the semifinal. They just needed to install and tweak it.
3) We were emotionally spent after all the close games, and were more vulnerable after the B12 Championship loss (which was entirely on our coaching staff)
4) Honestly, Georgia had more talent. I think we would have had about a 30% chance to beat them mid season on a neutral field.
5) Riley was halfway out the door, and had nothing specifically prepared for Georgia. (In contrast, the D often was making the right read, but was just a little slow reacting and just not getting there)
6) We had no answer for their tight end.

I thought going in that a 20 point loss was likely, but that we had a puncher's chance. Items 1, 2, and 5 are what made it an epic beatdown.

Oh, and I wish we had gone after Bennett when he started acting like a complete clown. Way back in time in the neighborhood, that is exactly what would have happened.

I don't agree with your offensive and defensive assessments. If we hit on two long TDs that were over thrown in the first half, then you're assessing the offense completely differently. And, our D approached the game the same way they did the Michigan game, thinking they were going to try to dominate us with the run. Then they showed run, and passed all over the field.

 

[Spike]

We did run 6 non productive plays before finally giving the ball to Demercado. He touched the ball 4 of the 7 plays on our lone scoring drive.

 

[Hoosierfrog]

If ifs and buts we’re candy and nuts…

 

[LisaLT]

Sometimes you just run into a buzz saw. See the Ole Miss Peach Bowl

Or us against the horns in a few glorious match ups from the past. 50-7 was a nice memory.

I also think that peach bowl victory could have been a lot more lopsided. I think Gary P put on the brakes a bit in the second half.

 

[Michael Milton's Jaw]

Or us against the horns in a few glorious match ups from the past. 50-7 was a nice memory.

I also think that peach bowl victory could have been a lot more lopsided. I think Gary P put on the brakes a bit in the second half.

Still remember the powerful SEC team calling timeout at the end of the Peach Bowl so they could run out the field goal team to avoid the shutout.

 

[East Coast]

I don't agree with your offensive and defensive assessments. If we hit on two long TDs that were over thrown in the first half, then you're assessing the offense completely differently. And, our D approached the game the same way they did the Michigan game, thinking they were going to try to dominate us with the run. Then they showed run, and passed all over the field.

It's good to disagree. They passed all over the field, mostly against our safeties because we had no pass rush. I thought the long overthrows were desperation heaves under duress trying to make things happen. Plus, they ran all over us too, but there it looked like we were often a step too slow. The pain is starting to come back...

 

[East Coast]

Or us against the horns in a few glorious match ups from the past. 50-7 was a nice memory.

I also think that peach bowl victory could have been a lot more lopsided. I think Gary P put on the brakes a bit in the second half.

This is true, plus Boykin didn't have his best game. He missed a lot of open receivers.