TCU Post-Game Press Conference

[Aaron Carrara]

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[Sirhornsalot]

Swoopes does not have the mental ability to play quarterback at this level. Can he learn it? Maybe. But I would not burn Heard's red shirt now. Play a walk on if we have to. The kind of performance we witnessed tonight by the offense must not be repeated.

Our quarterback looked lost out there most of the game. He cannot see the field and he cannot be decisive. Sad. Lots of physical ability, but no mental ability.

The truth right there.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

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[Shannon Kelley]

The backs only had 2.1 yrds per carry because TCU had 8 men in the box the whole game daring Swoopes to beat them. I'm sure Swoopes is a good kid and bless his heart for getting thrown into this but Heard will be the starting QB next year. If not right away, I say before the ou game.

The D played well except for Diggs. You have to feel for Diggs because he has been one of the better defensive players all year.

Some truth...8 men in the box? That is what a 4-2-5 is. It's playing a nickel  with drop down safeties. Thus, 8 men in the box. It's what TCU does and has done all year. Bottom line, Swoopes didn't have to throw it every down. But when your OLine gets no push upfront, that eliminates your ability to run affectively. As you know, our OLine has been riddled with injury and dismisses this year. Swoopes may not be the guy, buy dang, please look at the entire picture!

 

[DMAC]

Some truth...8 men in the box? That is what a 4-2-5 is. It's playing a nickel with drop down safeties. Thus, 8 men in the box. It's what TCU does and has done all year. Bottom line, Swoopes didn't have to throw it every down. But when your OLine gets no push upfront, that eliminates your ability to run affectively. As you know, our OLine has been riddled with injury and dismisses this year. Swoopes may not be the guy, buy dang, please look at the entire picture!

OL played terrible but 2 of those INTS should never have been thrown and had no pressure on him. VY and Ricky both called the same thing in post game review. Swoopes doesn't look off the primary at all. He stares them down making easy Pickens for DBs

Plenty of room for improvement to go around but the QB is the obvious one

 

[java]

Shannon, I agree that many of us rush to judgement far too quickly, but Swoopes hesitations are punishing.  I believe it was in the third quarter when he handed it off to Mal Brown, and he hesitated briefly.  I have no idea why - it was like a freeze frame on a movie - but that hesitation telegraphed the play and cost yards.  I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.  It appears he is processing a checklist at each point.

The coaching he has had at this point has been intense, without distractions or injuries to interfere.  His processing speed should be quicker - I would think.  When you were playing at Texas, how many qb's had to share the coach?  Swoopes, I would think, has had to share some minutes with Heard, but he has had the lion's share of starter's reps since the end of week 1, plus a great deal of attention in the film room.  Surely that makes a difference.

I am discouraged. 

 

[Matt Cotcher]

It's a chicken-egg argument with Swoopes and the OL. Swoopes gets jumpy in the pocket and appears to be overthinking things, but is that an OL problem at the root level?

 

[Shannon Kelley]

Shannon, I agree that many of us rush to judgement far too quickly, but Swoopes hesitations are punishing.  I believe it was in the third quarter when he handed it off to Mal Brown, and he hesitated briefly.  I have no idea why - it was like a freeze frame on a movie - but that hesitation telegraphed the play and cost yards.  I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.  It appears he is processing a checklist at each point.

The coaching he has had at this point has been intense, without distractions or injuries to interfere.  His processing speed should be quicker - I would think.  When you were playing at Texas, how many qb's had to share the coach?  Swoopes, I would think, has had to share some minutes with Heard, but he has had the lion's share of starter's reps since the end of week 1, plus a great deal of attention in the film room.  Surely that makes a difference.

I am discouraged. 

I think your observation is fair. I just like to look at the entire picture when observing. There certainly are many other contributing factors that have lead for bad play much of the time. 

 

[Shannon Kelley]

It's a chicken-egg argument with Swoopes and the OL. Swoopes gets jumpy in the pocket and appears to be overthinking things, but is that an OL problem at the root level?

Can be, however the QB has to be able to "trust" his protection. If he can't trust it, then 2 things start to happen.

1) his eyes start looking at the rush, rather than on his reads. A QB has to "feel" the rush while keeping his eyes down field. You take your eyes off your reads, that sets you up for thinking you see something that really is not there, thus forced balls thrown, or you hurry your throws without ever having your feet set. This contributes to poorly thrown balls that get picked. You know the old saying with D-lineman? If you can't sack 'em, then make sure you hurry 'em! "Hurried throws beget poor mechanics.

2) he stops reading altogether and just tries to find an open receiver. So you go from reading your keys which drops you from primary receiver to secondary receiver to alternate receiver (as your progression would go) TO------> "I know i have a post by Z, a dig by X, and a drag by Y. I'll check the post and if he's not open, then I'll look for the dig (all the while hopping around in the pocket hoping and praying you'll find the guy) while paying no attention to ANY of your keys"

Both of these scenarios set you up for inconsistant play and no long term success. 

So to answer your question, it can be very difficult for a guy with little experience. That being said, in no way shape or form is an EXCUSE for turning the ball over over. HOWEVER, it IS a contributor!

 

[LHornjack]

I feel sorry for Charlie. That was just a complete blow up by the offense. Kudos to the defense for most of the game.

BCherry,

I do feel sorry for him indeed, an excellent job on the D side this year for sure...full congrats there....

Really though we were pretty ineffective in all other aspects this year....

Strong needs to be the head coach not just a DC, otherwise he becomes Muschamp....

He can point to UL on O, but he did not have just a game manager at QB,  he had a playmaker in Bridgewater... I keep hear him saying he wants a game manager at QB and that worries me...Think our recruits at QB are game managers...Need playmakers...

Hope from the bottom of my heart he digs us from this hole...

 

[JimR]

I agree with everything bcherry said except "diggs was great." He got torched by a taller receiver three times, two for scores, dropped a sure INT that would have been a big play and had the punt fiasco. He played a solid game otherwise, but that is a huge otherwise. He ran his mouth all week, as usual, and sometimes karma is around the next corner.

Swoopes was abysmal, and the Oline was only a little better. Does Wickline ever talk to the press? I would like to hear his analysis of what happened. I called plays for my HS teams for seven years, and when you cannot block anybody, knowing what to call is very difficult.

Watson must be the most frustrated coach in America. He sees the tremendous ability and potential in Swoopes, but TS lacks a big something inside. The most glaring deficiencies are football IQ and confidence. I would have played Trey Holtz in the 4th quarter. Swoopes was broken.

 

[JimR]

One other thing. I have read all year that CS "must be a head coach, not a DC." That is nonsense. Did you ever hear of Darrell Royal? He was the OC for his teams and called plays with help from the press box. Mike Campbell ran the defense with no input or advice from DKR. Favoring one side of the ball and trusting someone else to run the other does not mean CS or DKR were not head coaches.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

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THIS is a guy I feel bad for! A SR with really good talent that got absolutely screwed by terrible QB play HIS ENTIRE CAREER, and the OLine issues. I wish the young man all the luck in the world...

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Very telling when you avg 2.1 yds per carry against the number 5 team in the Country. Unless you have a guy at QB that can hang the moon, 2.1 avg rushing yds is not gonna help. The D played well enough to allow us to compete. We got stops, we just didn't answer with scores. OLine has just been in a very tough position all year and as i have said before so goes your OLine, so goes your year as far as Offense is concerned. I know Swoopes is gonna get hammered, but guys unless you have a running game, it's brutal on a QB that is in his first year of game time experience. We have no other answer at this point, so you ride what you have. Turnovers killed us, and not answering with scores eliminated us.

I will say that the game has and will continue to change as far as recruiting "length" these days. A 6'4" receiver has a huge advantage on a 5'10" Corner. Two things you can't coach, speed and length. 2 things you CAN recruit, speed and length. 

Coach Strong knows the medicine that is needed, and he will go get it. He's a a very fine coach and he will get it done!

I get what youre saying about the run game but that goes both ways... Both the run game and the passing game have to support each other. When Swoopes plays like Swoopes you cant expect the run game to do well... TCU brought the house most of the time because they had, justifiably so, zero respect for Swoopes as a passer. The OLine directly effects the passing game and the running game but our RB talent is much better than our QB talent. Which means the RBs can be targeted all night with little to no worry that Swoopes is gonna beat you through the air...

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Diggs was great. Dropping the interception was caused by looking to run before he caught the ball. He should have fielded the punt. Sad to see that happen. He has been a great player and a great leader. Doctson was 6 inches taller. He played the balls well, but was just not tall enough.

I really appreciate what he has meant to our team this year.

Diggs has been nothing short of a GREAT person to have on this team. He played at a high level and more importantly he was a great rolemodel for the younger players... I love what he brought to the team He will be greatly missed.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Does Wickline ever talk to the press? I would like to hear his analysis of what happened. 

Joe Wickline met with the media in August and hasn't been available since then.

 

[JimR]

Diggs had a great career, but he was merely good last night. A shorter CB cannot play behind a taller receiver on a jump ball pass. Poor body positioning got him beat for big plays three times.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Diggs had a great career, but he was merely good last night. A shorter CB cannot play behind a taller receiver on a jump ball pass. Poor body positioning got him beat for big plays three times.

Agreed... Diggs should have adjusted for the size mismatch, rather, he decided to play jump balls with the frog WRs. I thought at some point the DBs would come to this realization and instead of attempting to attack the ball at its highest point they would shift attacks to ensuring the WR didnt come down with the ball.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Agreed... Diggs should have adjusted for the size mismatch, rather, he decided to play jump balls with the frog WRs. I thought at some point the DBs would come to this realization and instead of attempting to attack the ball at its highest point they would shift attacks to ensuring the WR didnt come down with the ball.

Diggs wasn't alone. Thompson and Thomas also chose poor positioning on passes last night.

It happened enough (and since several players did it) that I think it had to be something they worked on and planned during the week. Very strange.

 

[java]

Credit Q, he accepted responsibility for his play.  I love the guy.  He has a great heart, and he truly loves The University and the game.