The Texas 10:
Part II
Vol. 2
5. You Need To Know Jack
Stephen F. Austin is ranked No. 5 in the latest D-IAA poll but it’s next game is not a gimme. The Jacks play at McNeese State on Saturday, a place where they are 4-8-1. McNeese is only 2-2, but usually are loaded with enough good athletes to scare teams. The Jacks should win.
4. Ponies Are Good Enough to Win the Conference
Perhaps it’s an indictment on CUSA, but what SMU is doing should be noticed. The Ponies host a 3-2 Tulsa team in Dallas on Saturday night and are looking for their first 3-0 conference start since 1986.
People bagged on TCU’s margin of victory against SMU, but this is a decent team and only improving. Only four of its 22 starters are seniors. QB Kyle Padron is going to start putting up those crazy June Jones numbers that Colt Brennan did before too long.
4.24 Now that SMU Has Changed its Policies to Admit Student Athletes TCU Needs to Look Out
One of the unwritten rules in college football is coaches who are trying to rebuild need to take a few “risk” players to win. TCU did it when Dennis Franchione was first hired and the rewards are self-evident.
This week, SMU announced that it was going to change its policies to admit student athletes. Translation - Coach Junes, you can have the borderline kids, now don’t embarrass us.
It was no secret that Jones was irritated when SMU blocked admission to a pair of recruits before the start of fall camp even though they qualified by NCAA standards. So rather than use their own guidelines to admit student athletes, SMU will now use the NCAA’s standards. This will only help keep Jones around should other schools call.
The recruiting lines between TCU and SMU just got a little more interesting.
3. Utah’s QB Is the Best Passer in the Mountain West
TCU fans will loathe hearing this, but Utah’s Jordan Wynn is the Mountain’s best QB right now.
The 4-0 Utes travel to play at Iowa State this week. All of the non-AQ verbiage has been reserved for Boise State and TCU, but don’t lose sight of the No. 10 Utes.
Wynn is back from a two-game absence due to a bum thumb. The SO is 5-2 as a starter; he’s completing 64.8 percent of his passes with 5 TDs and 1 Int.
Not saying the Utes beat the Frogs in a few weeks, but this is not the same team TCU rolled in Fort Worth last fall. The Utes were thought to be a year away, but clearly things have changed.
3.14 The Difference Between Wynn and Dalton Are Plays
Dalton has etched his name at TCU by his ability to not screw up, and make plays with his feet, arm and head. But the eye-ball test so far says Dalton is not creating the types of plays that Wynn is.
Dalton is completing 64.5 percent of his passes with 6 TDs and 4 Ints. He’s better than what he’s shown. To quote an NFL scout about Dalton, “He’s got another level.”
3.13 TCU’s Running Game Is So Good It May Not Matter
The Frogs offensive line is punishing, and the runners are so good the offense may not need Dalton to be Wynn.
2. Time for the Frogs to Look Like Boise State
Since college football uses a scoring system not too much different from rhythmic gymnastics, the Frogs need to pull out their pretty moves and colorful twirling things beginning now.
They will continue to be judged against the ’10 Boise State standard. And right now the East German judge is saying the Broncos are prettier.
A non-AQ team is supposed to roll their “weak” conference opponents, much like Boise State did last week, 59-0 against New Mexico State. That win made TCU’s 27-0 win against Colorado State look weak. Is it fair? No.
2.12 TCU Will Cover Against Wyoming, But So Will The Broncos.
The Frogs are favored by 34 against the Cowboys. They cover. It would help if Boise State, favored by 39 at home against Toledo, does not.
1.26 A&M’s Best Chance is To Grind the Clock
The Aggie running game, led by Christine Michael, is proficient enough it can keep Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett on the bench. That’s their best chance.
1.34 Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett Must Go Down, and He Must Go Down Hard
The only chance that Mallett doesn’t go off is if the Aggies front seven hits him enough that he gets happy feet, or goes stupid. As the second half of the Aggies’ loss in Stillwater showed, all the opposing passer has to do is get the ball out of his hands fast enough and yards are there to be had.
1. A&M Isn’t There Yet
The Aggies remain one of the most mystifying college programs in America. All programs suffer down cycles, but this current present stretch in College Station doesn’t make a lot of sense. And that will continue at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday when the No. 11 Hogs beat the Aggies. The Hogs are beatable, but it just doesn't look like the Aggies are ready to do this yet.
Some people insist this is a QB Jerrod Johnson issue.
My issue are the lines. The lines are too young and raw and leave either the secondary or their own passer exposed at the wrong times.
- Mac Engel
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@MacEngelProf
Good call on Wynn. That guy is a stud and he is going to be a pain in the Horned Frogs' rear for a while. TCU pummeled him at the Carter as a true freshman last year, but he showed some moxie and really fought back.
Posted by: Taco Jordan | October 08, 2010 at 03:38 PM