Duggan, TCU hopes to exploit Georgia's defense
Duggan, TCU hopes to exploit Georgia's defense
LOS ANGELES — Max Duggan believes No. 3 TCU has what it takes to knock off defending national champion and No. 1 Georgia on Monday in the CFP national title game.
The senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy final has led the Horned Frogs to a 13-1 record.
Duggan is hoping to exploit a Bulldogs’ defense that has struggled their last two games.
However, the Iowa native has a lot of respect for them and understands it will be a tall task.
“They do a lot defensively that’s special. They are well-coached and (very) talented,” Duggan said. “They do a lot with coverages, with their backers and their pressures up front.”
Duggan has completed 253 of 397 passes (63.7 percent) for 3,546 yards, 32 TDs and six INTs this season for TCU. He’s also rushed for 461 yards on 127 attempts and eight scores.
Last week, Duggan wasn’t sharp but did enough to lead the Horned Frogs past No. 2 Michigan. He completed 14 of 29 passes for 226 yards, two TDs and two INTs. Duggan was also successful o the ground against the Wolverines, rushing for 57 yards and two TDs.
He anticipates that Georgia will bring the pass rush and pressure to knock him off-balance.
“We know what they will be like and we know it will be a challenge with how good they are,” Duggan said. “Something we have to do is execute at a higher level than we did against Michigan. We know if we don’t execute or have opportunities that we take, it’s going to be a long night.”
Bulldogs’ head coach Kirby Smart has a lot of respect for Duggan and TCU’s offensive attack.
“He’s got great players to do it with. He understands defenses. I think he’s very smart. There’s no defense he’s going to see that he hasn’t seen before,” Smart said. “You’re not tricking an experienced quarterback. He is very similar to Stetson (Bennett) and You’ve got to do it better than they do it. You’ve got to out-execute them. There’s no tricking them. And he does a tremendous job of that. They have a system to allow him to manage that. And to get back to third downs where you’ve got a shot to convert them.”
Georgia’s defense is still considered elite, despite giving up 71 points in its last two outings. The Bulldogs rank No. 11 nationally in total defense and No. 5 in scoring defense, respectively. They will hope to shut down Duggan and the Horned Frogs on Monday.
Nevertheless, TCU’s offense is no joke, though. The Horned Frogs are ranked No. 13 overall in total offense. They are averaging 474.1 yards per game and 6.85 yards per play.
TCU likes to spread the ball around to make its playmakers, too. Running back Kendre Miller, who is questionable for Monday’s game with an injury, is a 1,000-yard rusher. He’s totaled 1,399 yards on 224 attempts (6.2 yards per carry) and 17 scores this season.
The Horned Frogs also heavily rely on wide receiver Quentin Johnson in the passing game. He’s hauled in a team-leading 59 receptions for 1,059 yards and six TDs as a junior. They’re also dependent on Taye Barber (36 catches, 605 yards, six TDs), Derius Davis (37 catches, 430 yards, five TDs) and Savion Williams (29 catches, 392 yards, four TDs).
TCU’s offensive “explosiveness” has definitely caught Georgia’s attention, especially senior safety, Chris Smith.
“Well, the main thing that stands out about them is their explosiveness. They know what they want to do and they execute very well,” Smith said. “They (have) got a lot of great athletes, starting off with (No.) 15, 11, one, four and 18. All those guys are vital parts of their offense. That's something we need to be able to contain if we want to win the game.”
Duggan displays a lot of faith in his TCU teammates to succeed in the title game. He acknowledged that he doesn’t believe that the Horned Frogs are a “Cinderella” story, either.
“We don't really see it as a Cinderella story. We believe in ourselves and we feel like we've earned this position,” Duggan said. “Obviously, we know what type of challenge is in front of us with Georgia and how great they are offensively, defensively, and on special teams. I think it's just a great opportunity for us and we're looking forward to it.”
Here is the video from Duggan’s interview during the CFP title game Media Day: