Frog Thoughts: TCU fans speak after win over Houston

After week one’s loss to Colorado, which now seems like forever ago, TCU football fans couldn’t be silenced — but no one was cheering. Ask any fan after that game what the ‘State of the Frogs’ was and their answers wouldn’t have been pretty.

Fire Joe Gillespie. Fire Kendal Briles. Is Chandler Morris the guy?

That was the State of the Frogs after that 45-42 loss, and who could blame us? Since then, despite all fans knowing the two games after that one were far more winnable, the State of the Frogs has improved.

Thousands of fans made the trip down to Houston for TCU’s first road game of the summer and hundreds more left with confidence. That looked more like the Horned Frog team we all were expecting preseason — now, is this what we’ll continue to see?

Fans I talked to in Houston said they’d like to see a two-touchdown win over SMU to keep this momentum going... but what else is on Frog fans’ minds after three games played?

“You see what happens when Emani [Bailey] gets the ball,” said Logan Atwell, a 43-year old Frog fan who made the trip from San Antonio. “Good things happen, all over the field,” he said.

After a DAY from Bailey in which he had 23 carries for 126 yards and a TD, Atwell wasn’t the only fan clamoring for Bailey to get the ball

“Just give the man the damn football, said Lamar Tudor, a 24-year old Frog fan living in Houston, “I want to see the same workload out of him we saw out of Kendre [Miller] last season.”

The play of Miller was a huge reason the Frogs were so dominant in the trenches — and a key reason the Frogs didn’t lose a single regular season Big 12 game. If we can see the same workload and production from Bailey, this team should very much improve as the season progresses, and fans agree.

But — another key part of the Frogs’ success last season was the play of Max Duggan. Duggan finished as runner-up for the Heisman trophy, played efficient, smart football all season and led the team with reverence. Could Chandler Morris even sniff Duggan’s play? Fans don’t seem to think so, though they like the improvement they’ve seen.

“Where’s his confidence?” Mike McGlinchey, a fan who made the trip from Fort Worth said. “A few years ago he had confidence in his legs, we need to see that again.”

McGlinchey isn’t wrong. When Morris runs the football effectively, his passing gets that much better. Last week’s game against Houston was easily Morris’ best game on his legs so far this season, and it’s no coincidence it was his best passing game.

He looked good. He looked comfortable. McGlinchey said he believes Morris can continue solid, efficient play far into the Big 12 season — a solid performance against SMU could only bolster that belief.

Will the Frogs hit their Vegas win total of 7.5?

Logan Atwell: YES

“It’s gonna get trickier down the line — but I’ve seen the playcalling get better, I’ve seen Morris get better... I think we can get to 8 wins”

Lamar Tudor: YES

“Can we keep giving the ball to Bailey? If so, yes... Big 12 rushing defense across the league seems weak this season. If Bailey can run it down a few teams’ throats, we’ll get to 8 wins.”

Mike McGlinchey: NO

“Big 12 is worse than we all thought it was, but so are we. I have a feeling we’re gonna lay some eggs against either a Baylor or an Iowa State... just think the league may have far too much parity for us to reach eight wins.”