The Second Time Around Reveals More About TCU's Win Over Grambling State

A closer look at the Horned Frogs’ 63-7 victory revealed encouraging progress, lingering concerns and details that were easy to miss live.

Kari Ashley, TCU Horned Frogs, 09/15/2026 | Tony Beblowski, KillerFrogs/TCU ON SI

The TCU Horned Frogs earned their first win of the season over the weekend, defeating Grambling State 63-7 in their home opener.

During the game, I published a few articles detailing what happened, including halftime thoughts and the main takeaways from the game once it was all said and done and the postgame press conferences were over.

Those articles, however, were written “in the moment,” with no time to slow down and really take everything in.

So, here is a new series that will come out every other week or so called “The Second Time Around,” where I will share my thoughts after rewatching the game.

Something Left to Be Desired

The Frogs looked like a completely different offense than they did in Week Zero, when uncharacteristic struggles that were not present in fall camp reared their ugly head overseas.

That left doubts, and many wondered whether the offense would struggle all season and whether Harvard transfer quarterback Jaden Craig was the right guy for the job.

Then, in his home debut, he threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns while completing 77 percent of his passes. He also ran for 53 yards.

Sure, the level of competition does not exactly inspire confidence that this is what should be expected for the rest of the year, but the performance did seem to inspire confidence in Craig and the rest of the roster. Sometimes, that is more important.

With that said, there was still more left on the field that could have happened. There were key drops, including one by Terry Shelton and James Scott, that could have been huge gains for the offense. Ed Small, while being one of the more reliable targets in the first two games, also suffered back-to-back drops, a problem that is beginning to plague the offense.

The group found success on home-run plays, a welcome sight after they were noticeably absent in Week Zero. The drops have to get ironed out. As those game-speed connections grow and Jordan Dwyer returns, they should become less of an issue.

For now, though, there are still some kinks to work out.

TCU cornerback Gil Jackson Jr. battles a Grambling State receiver during the Horned Frogs’ 63-7 victory at Amon G. Carter Stadium. | Emma Swinney for KillerFrogs.com

What Stood Out in the Rewatch

• The offensive line is getting beaten on a lot of stunts and twists, a problem that began against North Carolina. The issue seems to stem from jump-setting, which is when the offensive line closes the gap on the defense during the pass rush rather than letting the defender come to them. As the Frogs face better defensive fronts deeper into the season, that could become a bigger problem.
• Craig was impressive, and his ability to throw the deep ball, which was my biggest concern entering the season, looked really strong. The drops did not help him, but he took shots and gave his receivers chances to win.
• However, it still seems that the game is moving a little fast for him at times. There were a few throws that he needed to deliver more quickly, but hesitation kept him from doing so. Part of that comes from being a cautious quarterback and avoiding turnovers. His instincts should take over more as he becomes increasingly comfortable in the offense.
• Grambling’s offense ran a lot of pick plays, which created confusion in the TCU secondary, especially at safety. Teams will pick up on that while studying the film, but getting Jamel Johnson back should help.
• There is an ongoing battle at kicker, and head coach Sonny Dykes has alluded to wanting more consistency from Nate McCashland and Kyle Lemmermann. That issue dates back to camp, and finding consistency there will remain a focus.
• As much as discipline was an issue in Week Zero, the Frogs had no penalties in the first half against Grambling. That was encouraging to see. Accountability and responsibility were emphasized throughout camp, and there was a noticeable change in the win.
• Jeremy Payne has yet to score a touchdown this season. While he is still the guy in the backfield, his breakout game has yet to come.
• The rotation of Witten Van Hoy and Killian Registre is starting to settle in. Both looked strong against Grambling.

The level of competition leaves some hesitation about whether this performance was everything everyone has been waiting to see, but progress is still progress.

With the Arkansas State Red Wolves coming to town, the Frogs get another chance to smooth things out. This week, it is about executing more consistently and cleaning up the details before Big 12 play begins.

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