TCU Football: Duggan Or Morris?
Looking ahead at the upcoming TCU football season, many players are competing for starting roles on both sides of the ball. Similarly, the position of starting quarterback remains an open race with new head coach, Sonny Dykes, evaluating and considering his options.
While Max Duggan has been an undeniable leader for this Horned Frogs football team throughout his career here, a combination of injuries and inconsistent play last season allowed for Chandler Morris to step up and show glimpses of what he is capable of doing. Whether it’s Duggan or Morris that gets the nod from Coach Dykes to open the season, the Frogs will be in good hands.
The experience that Duggan has gained while playing under Gary Patterson or even enduring the mid-season coaching change to Jerry Kill is unparalleled. Duggan has been through thick and thin with the Horned Frogs and is the best prepared to occupy the role as a starter. An aspect of Duggan starting that can propel TCU Football to the next level is his understanding of the offense–having been the reigning starter for the Horned Frogs since 2019 and having built great chemistry with some of the most crucial players on both offensive and defensive. Consistency and resilience are key aspects of Duggan’s game; while Sonny Dykes the starting quarterback decision, there’s a realization that must take place–Duggan is a known entity and as a coach he knows exactly what he can and will get out of him.
In addition to his established role on the team, Duggan’s abilities on the field to escape the pocket will continue to play a massive factor in the Horned Frogs’ success, giving the offense yet another option on offense. An elusive and sturdy quarterback, Duggan can maneuver past opponents in the backfield and turn an otherwise blown play into something rather remarkable. Duggan also possesses a rushing ability that can save broken plays as well as catch unexpecting defenders looking for a passing play. As one of the quickest, most explosive quarterbacks in the Big 12 is something that coach Dykes will certainly utilize in support of a successful season.
While Duggan brings many positives to the team, naturally, there are also areas for development. While having mastered the playbook, Duggan’s downfield inaccuracy at times has proven to be a point for concern and missed opportunities. While Duggan can break from the pocket, his recognition of second and third options have at times proven to be problematic. Instead of naturally going through all of his progressions, Duggan tends to use his legs to escape, missing out on another option downfield. This was evident when TCU lost to SMU 42-34 during the 2021 season. With the first play resulting in Duggan being strip-sacked at his own nine yard line, SMU took advantage of the opportunity with a touchdown two plays later. It’s crucial situations like these, that although may be overlooked when looking back, are determinant factors for a head coach in choosing the starter at the quarterback position.
Duggan has shown his value over the last three seasons, yet this season sees Chandler Morris competing for the starting job as well. The transfer from the University of Oklahoma got his most clear cut opportunity following the coaching change from Patterson to Kill. With limited chances to play and his full potential not yet fully known, Morris has clearly turned heads and has the potential to lead this team.
TCU fans first saw Morris play when he came in the second half of the Horned Frogs loss to Kansas State, but his most prominent performance came when he threw for 461 yards to upset Baylor. Between his intelligence and elusiveness in the pocket and showing off his accurate arm, Morris’ fearlessness shone bright against the Bears. Morris didn’t let his smaller build stop him as he converted on 29 of 41 passes with two touchdown passes while also rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown. He threaded passes through tight windows and also made perfectly lofted touch-passes into the outstretched arms of waiting receivers.
Despite his fabulous performance against Baylor, it is necessary to also acknowledge that due to the lack of game film and scouting information, Baylor was likely limited in their preparations for Morris. To Morris’ credit, he absolutely capitalized on the opportunity he was afforded and had a tremendous performance. While euphoric, Morris’ success from this game was short-lived; following his performance against Baylor, which rightfully earned him another opportunity, Morris started against Oklahoma State who defeated the Horned Frogs 63-17.
The key to containing Morris was the defensive line’s insurmountable pressure resulting in five sacks. Distressed for much of the game, Morris was limited to a mere 125 passing yards on 11 of 20 pass attempts. It didn’t get much better in the ground game as he had six carries for minus 25 yards.
| Player | Games Played | Completions | Attempts | Interceptions | Total Passing Yards | Touchdowns | QB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Duggan | 32 | 472 | 806 | 20 | 5920 | 41 | 64.9 |
Morris | 4 | 50 | 76 | 0 | 717 | 3 | 79.5 |
The prospect of using Duggan and Morris has also recently been a topic of conversation as they offer different dimensions to the game–a situational competitive advantage. Whether Coach Dykes decides to start the season with Duggan or Morris, the starter will have to consistently perform and execute at a high-caliber level to retain his starting job on the team. The Horned Frogs will open their season on September 2 against the Buffaloes at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Stadium.
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