Drives to Survive
For as uninspired as the TCU offense was for much of the game Saturday in Morgantown, the unit finally executed a key part of the game that it has been sorely missing much of this season: lengthy 4th quarter
drives to close out contests with the lead. The surface numbers sound poor: TCU only had two 4th quarter drives, totaling just 52 yards and resulting in only three points. However, those two drives included 19 total plays, burning over ten minutes of game clock while holding the scoreboard advantage. TCU had just stopped the Mountaineers on 4th down during WVU’s first possession of the final quarter, retaining a ten point advantage with 12 minutes to play; WVU wouldn’t see the ball again until under 5 minutes to play. TCU went on a drive that included three 3rd down conversions, featuring eight rushes and four passes, eventually leading to a Nate McCashland 41-yard kick to push the lead to 13 points. WVU was able to quickly answer with a 93 second touchdown drive to bring the game within one score. While adjudicating the onside kick attempt was a scary moment and the drive opened with a false start penalty, TCU was able to get the one first down it needed on a 21-yard catch and run from Eric McAlister on 3rd & 6. The gutsy play call to go to the air in that situation with WVU out of timeouts paid off and the Horned Frogs were able to kneel out the remainder of the clock. McAlister starred through the air, catching 9 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown while Trent Battle led the ground attack with 89 yards and a score, serving together as the two-headed monster of a balanced attack that allowed TCU to leave Morgantown with a win for the fourth time in seven tries since becoming conference mates in the Big 12 in 2012.
Major Contribution
With true freshman Ed Small sidelined with injury, Josh Hoover had his narrowest target tree of the season, completing passes to just six different players including running backs and tight ends. Stepping up in a big way vs. West Virginia was Major Everhart. The fourth year former four-star running back had the best game of his collegiate career, hauling in four key receptions for 45 yards. But the play of the game may have been his quick instincts to fall on a fumble to secure the win for TCU after Eric McAlister relinquished the rock during his run after catch that provided the game-sealing third down conversion. A turnover there would’ve made the final two minutes extremely stressful, but thanks to Major’s major play, Frog fans can sleep soundly with another notch in the win column.
Defense to the Rescue
It was again the defense bailing out a Horned Frogs, picking up the slack from an offense that often gets all the accolades but too often turns into a pumpkin after half time. The defense fully dominated the first quarter on Saturday, as West Virginia’s first four possessions resulted in two punts and two turnovers on downs. For the game, TCU would go on to force five total 4th down stops for turnovers, holding WVU to a combined 5-21 on 3rd & 4th downs. Despite giving up 342 total yards on nearly five yards per play, TCU was able to own this side of the ball, again offering up the type of performance that could have resulted in a lopsided result on the scoreboard. For the second week in a row TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr reached 16 total tackles, including a sack and 1.5 tackle for loss; per TCU this is the first Horned Frog to go consecutive games with 15+ tackles in consecutive games since 1995. Bud Clark delivered a career-best 13 tackles, his first game with double digit stops in his lengthy Horned Frogs career. Up front Ansel Din-Mbuh & Markis Deal were difference makers, combining on an early sack and dominating the line of scrimmage while Devean Deal was again all over the map swatting down passes and making six tackles of his own. Eventually TCU will play a complete game on both sides of the ball as it did in the season opener vs. North Carolina, but until then at least this defense is able to shoulder the load when the offense isn’t running on all cylinders.
McCashland Rules Everything Around Me
The work that goes on in the dark when no one is watching, the unnoticed reps with no guarantee of bearing any result is the grinding plight of those below the top lines of a college football depth chart. This can be especially so at the Specialist positions where being below top billing means you may never have a chance to show your skills, you may toil in anonymity for the duration of your career. Entering the 2025 season, placekicker Nate McCashland was engaged in a camp battle with presumptive starter Kyle Lemmermann, a highly touted kicking prospect who earned the starting kicker role as a true freshman in 2024. Lemmermann emerged as the starting kicker for the season opener vs. North Carolina, but suffered an injury and has been held out of game action since. McCashland was called to be the lead kicker and the Horned Frogs were tentative to use him, often opting for short punts or aggressive 4th down attempts early in the campaign. Entering Saturday vs. WVU, McCashland had only been given opportunity to attempt three field goals this season, making only one while delivering a perfect 29-29 on extra points. In Morgantown, the Horned Frogs finally fully put faith in McCashland, calling on the third year placekicker to deliver the game’s winning points. McCashland converted all three of his field goal attempts, splitting the uprights from 35, 22, and a career-best 41 yards. McCashland was personally responsible for 11 of TCU’s 23 points on the night, and while none were as clutch as Jaden Oberkrom kicking in Morgantown in 2014, McCashland has earned even more trust to handle the big moments that are sure to come over the rest of the season.
