Studs and Duds From TCU’s Season-Opening Loss to North Carolina

TCU Studs From the Loss to North Carolina

There weren’t many positives for TCU in a frustrating season-opening loss, but a handful of Horned Frogs delivered performances that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Running Back Jermey Payne

Payne was clearly the best offensive player for the Frogs. His burst from the jump was noticeable, and as Gordon Sammis leaned more heavily on the running game, Payne proved to be the right player to carry the load. Payne had 25 carries for 142 yards, and his highlight of the day was his longest rush of 48 yards on his second carry of the game. Payne also tallied 5 receptions for 27 yards. With the passing game never being able to get comfortable, Payne provided a steady option for this offense.

Expectations were high for Payne entering the season, and his Week 0 performance showed he may be ready to meet them. Payne’s performance was great, but it would be wrong not to credit the offensive line's run block success, especially in their stretch and zone schemes.

Defensive Tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh

TCU’s defense put in a middle-of-the-road effort against North Carolina, not giving up multiple touchdowns, forcing multiple turnovers, but also having soft coverage against the pass. TCU frequently played with softer coverage behind its pass rush, and Din-Mbuh took advantage early.. That worked in the first quarter due to Ansel Din-Mbuh's two sacks. His first sack came on a 3rd & 3, tackling quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. for a nine-yard loss, forcing the Tar Heels to punt. Later in the first quarter, Din-Mbuh would get his second with a three-yard loss on a 2nd & 10, forcing a long third down. Din-Mbuh proved an early punch that TCU needed.

TCU Duds From the Loss to North Carolina

In a five-point loss, the margin between winning and losing can come down to only a handful of plays. TCU’s penalties, missed opportunities and offensive struggles left several areas deserving of scrutiny. TCU had a lot go wrong: penalties and bad calls; however, when a team is losing by less than a touchdown, one or two different plays could have changed the game.

Head Coach Sonny Dykes

Starting the Duds list with the head coach in a losing effort feels right. Dykes talked about how this team improved over the summer and was ready to play, but then the team had eleven penalties for 89 yards, multiple of which killed drives and sealed the game for North Carolina. Slow starts have become a recurring concern during Dykes’ tenure, with TCU failing to reach October undefeated since the 2022 season. When an offensive-minded head coach struggles to put points on the board, he should get the first wave of blame.

Quarterback Jaden Craig

The Harvard transfer had the most hype going into Saturday’s game. Craig arrived from Harvard with considerable expectations after becoming one of TCU’s most important transfer additions. In his first Power Four game, Craig went 20/32 for 175 yards, no touchdowns, and one fumble. He missed numerous throws; the weather seemed to be a factor, but Craig denied that claim after the game.

In the end, the game came down to one play: if TCU got the first down and proceeded to score, then the bad performance and all would be forgotten. Gordon Sammis called a roll-out to the left side; Craig had an opportunity to throw it to Tight End Kari Ashley in the flat but proceeded to his second read, wide Reciever Jermey Scott in the end zone. For a right-handed quarterback to roll-out left, and then throw a semi-across-the-body on-the-run pass is extremely difficult, and it puts Craig in a tough situation, but there is also the fact that he could’ve gotten close to the first down with his legs. In Retrospect, it's a tough play for Craig, but it was his moment to make up for a lackluster performance, and he let the moment slip.

The Offensive Line’s Pass Protection

Craig rarely looked comfortable in the pocket, and TCU’s pass protection was a major reason why. It would be hard to single out one player on the unit, as the whole line struggled with North Carolina stunts. One play was the strip sack when North Carolina’s Defensive End Melkart Abou Jaoude beat TCU’s Left Tackle Ben Taylor-Whitfield. TCU's offense wasn’t the same after this play. Overall, Craig felt the pressure all game, which led to tough passes in tight windows. The pass protection should be a point of emphasis for the TCU offense to get back on track this season.

What TCU Must Fix During the Bye Week

TCU now has something it didn’t have before traveling to Dublin: two weeks of film showing exactly what needs to improve. The penalties have to be cleaned up, Craig and the passing game need to find a rhythm, and the offensive line must be better in pass protection.

The good news is that one loss in August doesn’t define a season. TCU returns to Fort Worth to face Grambling with an opportunity to correct its mistakes before the Big 12 schedule begins. Whether Dublin becomes an early wake-up call or a warning sign will depend on what the Horned Frogs do next.

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