West Virginia’s defense is in no position to get comfortable, but TCU’s backfield has suddenly made the matchup a lot easier to frame.
The Horned Frogs are walking into this game with a run game that has been stuck in the mud all season, and the injury situation only makes it worse. Third-stringer Landon Walker was ruled out earlier in the week, and now starter Jeremy Payne has gone from questionable to doubtful.
That leaves TCU trying to patch together a rushing attack that has not done much even when healthy. Payne has been the clear lead back, taking 54% of the carries at running back with 88 rushes for 429 yards and two touchdowns. Behind him, Jon Denman has 29 carries for 90 yards this season, and over 79 career carries he has averaged only 3.4 yards per carry.
The Frogs also do not have a quarterback who can erase those problems with his legs. Jaden Craig can move around some, but he is not a true running threat, much like Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor.
That lack of balance has put even more pressure on Craig as a passer. Opposing defenses have been able to crowd the line, force TCU into predictable situations, and tee off. Through six games, the Horned Frogs have allowed 17 sacks, a mark that ranks 111th in the country.
For West Virginia, the task is simple enough on paper: stop the run and make TCU prove it can beat them through the air. If the Mountaineers can keep a player with 29 carries from becoming a problem, they give themselves a much better shot at winning a second straight game. And if they do that, they at least avoid the kind of all-around damage that has burned them so often lately.
In Other News...
Sonny Dykes Had A Frustrated Reaction To West Virginia's Win
West Virginias 24-2 win over TCU had the kind of closing sequence that can tilt a game from competitive to lopsided in a hurry. After both teams spent much of the afternoon fighting through stalled possessions, David Afoghos late strip sack and Ben Cutters recovery gave the Mountaineers the kind of defensive break that can put a game out of reach and leave the opponent looking back at all the missed chances.
For Sonny Dykes, the frustration showed up quickly afterward. The TCU coach pointed to the Horned Frogs inability to finish drives, along with turnovers, missed field goals and other failed critical plays, as the difference in a game where his team managed to outgain West Virginia in several statistical categories. From West Virginias perspective, it was another reminder that style points do not matter much when the defense keeps producing the one play that ends the night. [Read more 🡒]
Ross Hodge Made Clear What WVU Still Must Fix Fast
West Virginias 103-66 exhibition win over Glenville State offered a cleaner look at where the Mountaineers are settling in under Ross Hodge, and where the work still needs to continue before the games count. The result moved WVU to 1-1 in preseason play, and Hodge used the postgame to frame the night as more than just a tune-up, touching on the significance of the outing and the way his team handled itself on both ends.
There was also a little bit of the usual October injury watch to sort through, along with some encouraging signs from practice that Hodge has seen from one players rebounding and competitiveness. Even in a lopsided exhibition, those are the kinds of details that matter for a roster trying to sort out its rotation and sharpen its identity before the season gets moving for real. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Defense Reaches A Breaking Point Before Crucial Bye Week
West Virginia has been grinding through eight straight weeks without a break, and the timing of the upcoming bye could hardly be better. Before it gets there, though, the Mountaineers still have one more game to navigate against TCU, with the defense carrying plenty of attention after a stretch that has left Rich Rodriguez wanting a reset far earlier than this point.
Zac Alley has described the units play as inconsistent, and that has made the open date feel less like a luxury than a necessity. The hope now is that the extra time will give West Virginia a chance to regroup, clean up the issues on that side of the ball and head into the final weeks of the regular season with a better answer for the tougher matchups ahead. [Read more 🡒]