TCU football sees similarities with ‘dangerous’ Baylor team

When TCU head coach Sonny Dykes looks at Baylor, he doesn’t see a FOOTBALL team that’s underachieved and not reached its preseason expectations.

From his perspective there’s a striking resemblance between the 10-0 Horned Frogs and 6-4 Bears, who will meet Saturday at McLane Stadium.

“They’re very dangerous, they’re a very good football team,” Dykes said Tuesday. “They’re very similar to us in the way they’re built. They’re really good on both fronts, big on both lines of scrimmage with a lot of speed and guys that can make plays.”

The numbers show that Dykes is onto something. TCU averages 214 yards per game on the ground while Baylor averages 200. Defensively Baylor and TCU are No. 3 and No. 4 at stopping the run in the Big 12. Both defenses are allowing exactly 25.2 points per game.

TCU has allowed 30 touchdowns while Baylor has allowed 29. The biggest difference lies in the passing game where the Horned Frogs have the edge with players like Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis. Max Duggan has outperformed Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen as well.

Dykes can see why Baylor was picked to win the Big 12 and even though that’s unlikely to happen unless there’s chaos across the league’s final two weeks, it doesn’t take away from the challenge the Bears will present physically.

“Jeff Grimes is their offensive coordinator and he’s an offensive line coach by trade,” Dykes said. “He’s a really good one. Any time you play someone that has the line of thinking, that mentality it’s going to be a physical ball game. We have to be up for the challenge.”

The Horned Frogs handled themselves well in the same type of game against Texas, with TCU’s offensive line wearing down the Longhorns front as time wore on.

In what’s expected to be another tight game, TCU’s offensive line is hopeful to start faster.

“They’re a pretty big group in size. All talented, well coached so we’re going to prepare ourselves like we do every week and have the same plan,” Brandon Coleman said.

Typically this game could be viewed as a trap game with TCU already clinching a spot in the Big 12 title game after beating Texas.

Will the Horned Frogs be looking ahead or finally let all the noise from the College Football Playoff race get to them?

Dykes didn’t seem particularly worried.

“There’s been times in my career I stayed up all night Sunday trying to think of ways to motivate the team,” Dykes said. “What can we tell them that may or may not be true that’s going to invoke and inspire the guys to practice hard? We just haven’t had to do that this year. We never had to do it in fall camp, didn’t have to do it during spring training.”

Dykes added that the players buying into that type of thinking has made his job a lot easier. He hasn’t felt the need to try and refocus the team even as the Horned Frogs continue to gain more and more national attention.

The next game is the biggest one and there’s an obvious incentive for Baylor to deliver TCU a loss to knock them out of the CFP conversation and also maintain their hope for sneaking into the Big 12 title game.

“We know Baylor wants to do to us what we did to them last year,” Coleman said. “But we’re trying to just block all that noise out and stay focused on going 1-0 that week and preparing like we always do and winning that game.”

DiNunzio out for season

On the injury front, tight end Dominic DiNunzio is out for the remainder for the season after breaking his leg at the end of the victory over Texas. DiNunzio didn’t record a stat this season, but appeared in every game and started at Kansas.

His impact as a blocker will be missed.

“He’s meant a lot to our team, he’s a guy that probably doesn’t get mentioned as much as he should,” Dykes said. “He’s a real leader on our special teams, he’s kind of the guy on special teams. It’ll be a big loss for us.”

Avila headed to Senior Bowl

TCU offensive lineman Steve Avila’s stock continues to rise. The team captain and midseason All-American accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl.

The postseason all-star game showcases the best NFL draft prospects that have exhausted their college eligibility. Avila projects as either a center or guard in the NFL and will have a chance to continue to impress scouts after leading one of the best offensive lines in the country.