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Thursday takeaways: Frogs don't need to fret, but Arizona should
It's great to have you back, college football, but the eight-month wait makes it that much harder not to react wildly to Week 1 results. Was the winner that good or the loser that bad? We have no frame of reference.
With that in mind, here are some tempered reactions to Thursday night's games.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT TCU (YET)
With Gary Patterson's team coming off a 12-1 season and ranked No. 2 in the country heading into this one, I'm sure some people are already breaking out the "overrated" label after the Horned Frogs' modest 23-17 win at Minnesota. But I would have been more surprised if they went on the road and hung 45 on a respectable Big Ten opponent.
Considering TCU had to replace several of the most accomplished members from last year's defense, Patterson would have been pleased (or as close to pleased as he allows himself) with that unit's performance up until it allowed a last-minute 91-yard touchdown drive. Free safety Derrick Kindred (nine tackles, one forced fumble) is now the face of a unit that mostly silenced an admittedly limited Minnesota offense.
As for Trevone Boykin, the Heisman front-runner did not put on a Heisman-type performance (26 of 42, 246 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) but largely responded to how Minnesota defended him. With the Gophers dropping back in coverage, he largely stuck to underneath throws early and perhaps ran the ball more than expected (18 carries for 92 yards). He broke a speed option keeper for a 19-yard touchdown run. Jerry Kill's Gophers defense is better than most realize, and in fact tougher than most that Boykin will face in the Big 12.
"The good news is we won and we didn't play our best football," Patterson said.
WORRY ABOUT ARIZONA
Sadly, it appears we've already lost one of the nation's best players for an extended period this season. Arizona linebacker and reigning Nagurski Trophy winner Scooby Wright left Thursday night's 42-32 win against UTSA early with a knee injury and was seen on the sideline later in street clothes, walking with a cane. Wright is one of the few players so dominant that his absence could swing a team's entire season.
Coach Rich Rodriguez said Scooby Wright would get an MRI Thursday night: "I don't think it's an ACL or MCL, but we'll find out."
The Pac-12 South champion Wildcats defense was mediocre last season even with its one-man wrecking machine; without him Thursday, it allowed 32 points and 5.5 yards per play to a C-USA team that my colleague Bruce Feldman picked to finish 2-10. Ouch. QB Anu Solomon and the offense looked fine against UTSA, but you can't read much into that. In fact, Arizona struggled against this same team last year, then turned around and beat Oregon a month later.
UTAH WILL BE A TOUGH OUT IN THE PAC-12
Jim Harbaugh's much-anticipated Michigan debut went about as I expected, partially because we knew the dreadful offense he was left with but also because the Utes defense is always tough. That proved the case again Thursday, as two standouts that suffered season-ending injuries last year — brash linebacker Gionni Paul (14 tackles), a former Miami transfer, and safety Tevin Carter (nine tackles) — helped stifle the Wolverines all night in a 24-17 win. Uncharacteristically, the Utes did not notch a single sack.
But the fact that Utah won despite a slow start from star tailback Devontae Booker (22 carries, 69 yards; seven catches for 55 yards) may be the most promising sign for the Utes. Senior quarterback Travis Wilson, inconsistent most of his career, looked noticeably sharper in notching 261 total yards. The Pac-12 South is tough enough as it is, but Utah — which failed to crack the preseason Top 25 — will make life miserable for the other contenders.
"We're a dangerous team," Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said on the "FOX Sports Live" postgame set. "People understand that we can beat anybody on any given day. I don't think that was the case a couple of years ago. ... You better play your best game if you're going to have a chance to beat us."
SOUTH CAROLINA'S GOT ITS WORK CUT OUT
Yes, the Gamecocks got a victory, 17-13 over North Carolina, and theoretically that's all that counts, but as coach Steve Spurrier admitted: "The football gods smiled on the Gamecocks tonight." The Tar Heels mostly outplayed their border rivals, averaging an impressive seven yards per play to South Carolina's 5.3, but could not overcome two mind-numbing Marquise Williams interceptions in the end zone and a third in the red zone.
New South Carolina quarterback Connor Mitch was noticeably shaky throughout a 9-of-22, 122-yard night, but perhaps his confidence will increase with experience. Also, Spurrier might want to consider giving more touches to tailback Shon Carson, whose 48-yard touchdown run proved the game-winner. Credit DC Jon Hoke's defense for notching four sacks and several key stops, but UNC's Elijah Hood also gashed them for 139 yards on 12 carries.
VANDERBILT'S DEFENSE GOT A LOT BETTER
After a disastrous 3-9 debut season, second-year Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason took over defensive coordinator duties this year. Thursday night brought memories of Mason's Stanford defenses shutting down Marcus Mariota, as the Commodores completely shut down prolific Western Kentucky QB Brandon Doughty (No. 3 nationally in total offense last season) for most of the night.
Unfortunately, Vandy still lacks an offense, though, and fell 14-12 to its C-USA opponent.
RON TURNER IS RELEVANT AGAIN
Believe it or not, the former Illinois coach and NFL coordinator is still an FBS head coach. On Thursday, his FIU team — 6-19 in his first three seasons — stunned two-time American champ and 2014 Fiesta Bowl victor UCF 15-14. You never know in the first game whether the winning team was underrated, the losing team was overrated or both, but perhaps Turner's Panthers will contend for their first bowl berth since 2011.
