TCU Heads to Little Apple For Next Conference Battle

Family ties to Kansas State, offensive line update among talking points at TCU weekly press conference.

TCU linebacker Namdi Obiazor makes a tackle against Colorado. | Tony Beblowski - KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

TCU will continue conference play in Manhattan on Saturday against a team that might carry the mantle of the unluckiest team in the Big 12. 

Kansas State (2-4 overall, 1-2 Big 12) has lost four games by a combined 13 points, including last week’s 35-34 decision at Baylor that ended on a blocked field goal with two seconds left. 

“They've lost a couple of games this year at the very end of games, had some bad things happen to them down the stretch, but this is a typical Kansas State team,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said at his weekly press conference. “They're dangerous, they're well-coached. They play hard, do things the right way.”

TCU's last win at Kansas State came in 2017. The most recent visit two years ago ended in a 41-3 loss as quarterback Josh Hoover made his second career start. 

“Things were kind of fresh and moving fast and [I] don't remember a whole lot about it,” Hoover said. “I remember it got out of hand pretty quick and wasn't the best night for us. So, I think we all definitely brought that up and thought about it, and we're excited.”

For the fourth straight game, TCU (3-1, 1-1) will face a dual-threat, running quarterback. 

Kansas State signal-caller Avery Johnson has run the ball 47 times for a team-high 209 yards while also completing 63% of his passes for 1,363 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions. 

Johnson ranks in the top-10 for career rushing yards by a Wildcat quarterback. 

“It kind of makes it hard because you have to respect him,” TCU linebacker and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Namdi Obiazor said. “I mean, just even in your pass drops, just knowing that you cover everybody up, he's going to step up and run.”

SMU and Colorado quarterbacks combined for 24 yards on 13 carries against TCU’s defense. Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt found more success, rushing 13 times for 62 yards and a touchdown.  

Dykes described Johnson as “the best athlete of the bunch” and noted the Horned Frogs will encounter more designed quarterback runs in critical situations, like third down and in the red zone, than past games. 

“They're going to put the ball in the hands of the best player,” Dykes said. “You look at the quarterback draw last week against Baylor, I think he went for 35, 40 yards for a touchdown. No one laid a hand on him. And he's just got that kind of speed and big-play ability."

A Family Affair

The Manhattan trip will serve as more than a game for Obiazior. It's also a family reunion since his brother, Chiddi, plays defensive end at Kansas State. 

“I got a lot of family and friends coming to that game,” Obiazor said. “Played him two years ago, and he was a true freshman, so he didn't get much playing time back then. So, this is actually going to be the first time we're both really playing each other.”

The brothers graduated from Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota three years apart and hope to continue their football journeys for several more years. 

“Football’s definitely been a big part of our lives,” Obiazor said. “So, you know, we've been trying to play in the league together. So, this is just one step closer.”

Chiddi arrived at Kansas State in 2023 and appeared in three games. Last season, he played in all 13 games, racked up 16 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, and earned Honorable Mention Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year accolades. 

This season, Chiddi has tallied 12 tackles and a team-high five quarterback hurries. Fellow defensive ends Cody Stufflebean and Travis Bates each have four hurries, while Tobi Osunsanmi leads Kansas State with four sacks.  

During Big 12 play, Kansas State has set the standard for sacks (8) and forced fumbles (3) and ranks second in interceptions (3) and third-down conversion rate (25%). 

“Their front is really talented,” Hoover said. “Obviously, eight (Chiddi) is a tremendous player. He's twitched up, really strong, big dude. So, it's going to be a challenge.”

Linebackers Austin Romaine and Des Purnell have combined for 72 tackles, seven quarterback hurries, and three pass break-ups this season, a duo Dykes called “two best, as a group, linebackers probably in the league.” 

Offensive Line Challenges Continue

TCU will take on Kansas State’s defense without starting left tackle Ryan Hughes. Hughes left the Colorado game with a leg injury in the first quarter. He will undergo season-ending surgery this week, Dykes said. 

Hughes’ absence is a big hit for an offensive line that has struggled finding a rhythm. The last two games against Arizona State and Colorado, in particular, exposed pass- and run-blocking problems. Hoover was sacked eight times, and TCU rushed for a combined 104 yards on 60 carries, or 1.7 yards per attempt. 

“There's some scheme things. There's some fundamental things. There's some things that people have done to us,” Dykes said. “There's the fact that people have kind of sold out at times to stop the run. I mean, there's a million different things, but they all add up to the same conclusion, and that's that we're not as efficient running the football as we need to be.”

Injuries have contributed as well, as starting right tackle Ben Taylor-Whitfield is among those who have missed time, forcing players like Quinton Harris to step up. Getting healthy and finding a consistent lineup could help the Horned Frogs establish a more consistent rushing attack. 

“I think Wes Harvey and Whit both are getting close to getting ready to play,” Dykes said. “And I think those are two guys that we've had really high expectations for.”

Up Next

Kickoff between Kansas State and TCU is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. from Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. The game will be televised on FOX.