Blogger Q&A: Poinsettia Bowl Version

TCU's quarterback play has been very steady this year with starter Andy Dalton and Marcus Jackson who filled in for a few games while Dalton was injured. The reason for the success is from the experience that Dalton received last year when he was a starter as a redshirt Freshman.

For the first time in a while TCU has a threat at the wide receiver spot in Jimmy Young who has had four games over 100 yards receiving plus a 226 yard game against Wyoming. Young can stretch the field and has averaged over 16 yards a catch, and that can open up plays across the middle.

The running game has always been strong and this year Aaron Brown was suspended for a few games, which lead to Joseph Turner getting experience and emerging as another weapon in the running game.
Aaron Brown is their star back, but both are good enough to split time and save each other from getting to fatigued late in games.

Boise's defense is very good and TCU has struggled against teams with good defenses when they lost to Utah and Oklahoma. TCU is a patient team and opportunistic team which means they will keep Boise State honest by trying to balance the play book.

TCU has the weapons on offense to be balanced and even in the games they lost they kept the plays even, so even with the good defense Boise has it will be difficult for TCU to get yards they will stick to their game plan.

The key for TCU is to get pressure on the quarterback and that starts with defensive end Jerry Hughes, who lead the nation in sacks and was second team AP All-American selection. The TCU defense was still coming together in the Oklahoma game, and if you look after the big first quarter they held their own, but that could be because Oklahoma was up so big.

Boise while they have good athletes do not have the same level of players that Oklahoma has, but if TCU can not get pressure on the quarterback then Moore will have a field day passing the ball.

Also, TCU does not want to give up the big play, but TCU has allowed the short and mid range gain. When TCU played Utah the Utes just keep running medium range routes to move down the field and had very few plays over 20 yards.

There are two backs the main is Aaron Brown, and the other is Joseph Turner. Brown would have had more yards but he was suspended for three games and by the time he got back the other running back Joseph Turner emerged as a threat. Both backs are legitimate starters and both needed to be accounted for. Also, TCU likes to put wide outs in the shot gun formation for designed draws, but that is maybe once or twice a game.

4. The Horned Frogs were very good at home but lost two road games and won a very close one at Colorado State. How will they overcome this in their travel to San Diego when they face a team that is, arguably, the second best team they will have faced and is a team that travels well?

The Colorado State game was a factor of TCU not caring with the next week games being the BYU game. Also, you need to look at who the road games which were Oklahoma who is in the title game and Utah who is in the Sugar Bowl. The other road games were blowouts, so the traveling factor will not really effect how TCU plays besides the quality of opponent they are playing.

5. TCU is arguably the best team in the MWC and just a couple of missed field goals from a possible BCS berth so how big is this game for the Horned Frogs?Especially with the rivalry between the WAC and MWC, what would a win do for TCU and the MWC? A loss?

TCU was very close to getting to a BCS game if they just could have finished off Utah, and this game is huge because TCU is full of young players. They will bring back their top runnng back, quarterback, wide out, and also their defense is a young and a win against a top 10 team could propel TCU to a high ranking next year. The same will be said for Boise State, and my opinion the winner of this game will be considered the front runner to make a BCS Bowl game along with BYU and Tulsa.

The conference rivalry is huge because if TCU wins it will show that the MWC is better then the WAC, just because Boise was the champ and TCU was not the champ. For the WAC if Boise wins it will validate how good Boise is and proves that they are most likely just as good as Utah and just build upon how good Boise is.

Final Score: TCU 20 Boise State 17