Whats it going to take for TCU to get revenge and beat Baylor
It's Thanksgiving week and the Frogs are coming home to take on the Baylor Bears on Friday night in front of a packed house at Amon G. Carter stadium. TCU is coming off of a one-point loss in Norman while the Bears are coming off of a big win in Stillwater over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
A lot it is riding on this rivalry game for both teams. With a win, the Bears stay in the CFB Playoff picture, while the Frogs can lock up third place in the Big 12 conference with a win. Both teams are banged up and have one less day to get prepared for this one. It's gonna be a war in The Fort, get ready.
TCU
Welcome Back Trevone
Trevone Boykin should be back under center for the Frogs after missing last week and all but one series against Kansas. The offense has sputtered without their dynamic quarterback at the helm. The offense averaged 46 points per game with Boykin and only 26 per game without him. Just getting the leader back and in front of the home crowd one last time should have this team fired up and ready to go.
Run The Ball
Getting Boykin back helps the running game as well. His ability to scramble was sorely missed in the last few games, but Aaron Green continued to run effectively.Baylor has the nation's #1 offense so TCU may change up their strategy and run a little more to milk some time off of the clock and keep the Baylor offense on the sidelines. Baylor is also banged up on the defensive line with DT Andrew Billings missing last week and DT Beau Blackshear doubtful this week.
Win the Special Teams Battle
Baylor kicker Chris Callahan guaranteed victory for the Bears this week, that's more than we can say about his kicking this year as he's only 7-10 on the season. By comparison, TCU's Jaden Oberkrom is 17-21 on the season and has made 13 of his last 14 kicks. Baylor is also only averaging 22.3 yards per return, while TCU is averaging 24.1 with KaVontae Turpin averaging 26 yards/return. TCU has the advantage in the kicking game in this one.
Pressure Chris Johnson
Baylor is down to their 3rd string QB in Chris Johnson, who played the first half of the season as a WR. He threw 2 TD's in the second half against Oklahoma State. The Frogs will need to mix up their coverages and blitzes and make him try to adjust on the fly.
Don't Get Beat Deep
I know, easier said than done, but all three of Baylor's top wide outs are averaging over 19 yards/catch. Corey Coleman amy be the top WR in the nation so it's crucial to not let him or Jay Lee and KD Cannon to get their confidence early. The good news is these are realistically the only guys that catch passes for the Bears.
Baylor
Protect the Quarterback
The Baylor Bears are down to their last quarterback on the depth chart in Chris Johnson. Johnson also likes to run the ball, but he may have to play conservatively with no one left behind him ready to play. The offensive line will need to keep him comfortable in the pocket or the Bears season is like over.
Take Shots Downfield
Corey Coleman, Jay Lee, and KD Cannon all have great speed and will challenge the TCU defensive backs all game long. They are also great at making plays in the ball while it's in the air. If they can get the deep ball working it will be a long day for the Frogs.
Run The Ball
Shock Linwood has run for 1240 yards and 10 TD's this season and is a key cog in their system, but he is questionable for Friday's game. Johnny Jefferson (78-461) and Terence Williams (61-417) will have to pick up the slack if Linwood is unable to go. They need to run the ball to elevate pressure off of QB Chris Johnson.
Gamble on Defense
The Bears are banged up on defense going into this game so the DB's may have to gamble a bit more and try to force some TCU turnovers. TCU is playing a lot of freshmen WR's and they are a bit more timid when being pressed in coverage. This could be Baylor's advantage in this game by jamming the receivers and throwing off the timing of their routes.
Convert 3rd Downs
Baylor has converted 51% of their 3rd downs this season while TCU is only allowing a 28% conversion rate. They will need to convert an keep the offense on the field and keep the TCU offense on the sideline.
Don't forget to check out the Purple Menace Podcast on PodOmatic and iTunes. New episodes every Tuesday from myself, Billy and Matt. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @geoffrey_craig Go Frogs!