56 Days Until Kansas Football: 2018 Opponent Preview - TCU

Eight weeks from today, there will be football on TV. I promise. I mean, it won’t be this game, but, I digress. Let’s take a look at the eighth opponent on KU’s 2018 schedule, TCU.

Game Info

TCU @ Kansas

October 27, 2018, Time TBD

Lawrence, KS: Memorial Stadium (50,071)

About the TCU Offense

While TCU returns just two starters on offense, they return 44% of their production from last season. What that tells me is that they played a LOT of guys last year. However, the projected starting QB, sophomore Shawn Robinson (13-27, 184 yds, 3/0 TD/INT) was not one of them. Like Kenny Trill last year, Robinson is known for his mobility. However, it would be foolish to not mention Penn transfer Michael Collins, who has reportedly been pushing Robinson in the offseason.

At RB, junior Darius Anderson (128 car, 768 yds, 8 TD) led TCU in rushing yards last year but not in attempts; he looks to be a strong offensive weapon for Gary Patterson. Junior Sewo Olonilua (64, 330, 7) and sophomore Kenedy Snell (25, 88, 1) will back up Anderson.

As for WR, TCU is very effective at spreading the ball across multiple receivers. While TCU loses three of their top five yardage receivers from 2017, this unit is still pretty loaded with talent for 2018, and whoever gets the starting QB nod should have an easier transition due to these guys. Sophomore Jalen Reagor (33 rec, 576 yds, 8 TD), senior KaVontae Turpin (41, 394, 1), and senior Jaelan Austin (15, 242) headline a unit that per recruiting stars looks pretty deep.

About the TCU Defense

On defense, TCU returns 61% of its production, including six starters. The defensive line looks to be the strength of the Frog D in 2018. The group is led by senior DE Ben Banogu (55 tak, 16.5 TFL, 8.5 sk), who was projected to have been an NFL draft pick should he have declared. Sophomore DT Ross Blacklock (27, 6.5, 2) looks to move into a starting position this year, as well as senior DE LJ Collier (18, 4.5, 4).

The LB corps features a pair of seniors in Ty Summers (64, 8, 4) and Arico Evans (36, 0.5, 0), The secondary also features a pair of seniors in safeties Ridwan Issahaku (66, 6, 2) and Niko Small (46, 1, 0), but junior Innis Gaines (37, 6, 2) may beat one of them out for a starting spot. CB will be an inexperience spot; while juniors Jeff Gladney (28 tak, 2 INT) and Julius Lewis (10 tak) both saw action in 2017, not very many others did, and Lewis’ playing time was limited.

Fearless Prediction

So, TCU lost A LOT and is coming to Lawrence this year? Great, you say. No so fast, my friends, because by the time KU runs into them, they’ll have seven games under their belt. Until last year, Kansas had played TCU very well since their entry into the Big 12 in 2012. But we all know what happened last year, and someday, hopefully someday soon, we shall look back on what happened and laugh at how far we’ve come.

Gary Patterson has something going down there in Fort Worth, and Kansas isn’t in a good enough position to slow it down any longer. Plus, maybe Gary Patterson knows Doug Meacham better than Doug Meacham knows Gary Patterson. I expect it to be a long afternoon for the crimson and blue faithful. TCU 45, Kansas 24.