TCU’s 31-7 win over Arkansas State did plenty to keep the Horned Frogs moving in the right direction, but the film also made one thing clear: the comfortable final score doesn’t tell the whole story.
The Horned Frogs finished their final nonconference game at 2-1, and now the real test arrives with Big 12 play ahead. After watching the tape, two themes jump out fast - Jaden Craig is trending up, and the defensive front still has some proving to do.
Craig, for one, turned in what looked like one of his better outings. He built on the momentum from the Grambling State game, showed comfort throwing on the move, and made several strong throws throughout the afternoon. He looked increasingly settled in TCU’s offense.
That said, the film also showed a few moments where he seemed to miss an open receiver or fail to identify the best option on a route. This wasn’t about holding the ball too long - Craig is averaging 2.82 seconds in that category this season. On the interception he threw at the end of the first quarter, Kari Ashley was open across the middle at the 21-yard line and was nearly on the same plane as the intended target, making him look like the easier throw to find.
Even with that mistake, the overall passing performance was encouraging. Craig generally made the right read and hit his target on most of his attempts, and his accuracy continues to improve.
The bigger concern remains up front on defense. Ansel Din-Mbuh was again a steady force on the defensive line and one of the unit’s best performers in Week 3. He clogged the middle, drew attention from the Arkansas State offensive line and kept showing up in the right spots.
Beyond him, though, the rest of the defensive front didn’t consistently create enough disruption. On designed runs, the line of scrimmage often ended up in a stalemate. TCU wasn’t getting pushed backward on a regular basis, but it also wasn’t consistently winning the battle either.
The edge was the shakier part. Arkansas State ran outside the tackles 11 times for 73 yards, a 6.6-yard average. Inside, the Red Wolves managed 37 yards on 14 carries, just 2.64 yards per attempt.
The pass rush brought more mixed results. Koron Hayward and Paul Oyewale stood out, and along with Din-Mbuh, they were the only defenders who consistently won their rushes. Hayward worked well off the edge, while Din-Mbuh forced attention inside, sometimes drawing double-teams.
That’s the part TCU has to sort out before conference play starts. The next opponents on the schedule will bring stronger offensive lines, and more time in the pocket could become a problem in a hurry if the Horned Frogs can’t generate more pressure.
The film from Saturday leaves TCU with both optimism and urgency. Craig is moving in the right direction. The defensive front, especially its edge-setting and pass-rush production, still has work to do.
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UCF Opens Big 12 Play Facing An Early Test They Cant Dodge
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