TCU’s chances vs. heavily favored Georgia rest on the shoulders of star QB Max Duggan
Duggan #Duggan
LOS ANGELES – No matter how it turns out Monday, the irresistible tale of little ol’ TCU scaling the mountain of college football should take a left turn out of SoFi Stadium and head straight north a dozen miles to Hollywood. Billy Bob Thornton might even take another whack at a coach from Texas. But, for the record, Billy Bob should know that, as good as Sonny Dykes has been in his role, he’d only be up for best supporting actor.
Because Max Duggan is the star of the Horned Frogs’ improbable College Football Playoff run, and it’s in TCU’s best interests if he retains top billing against big, bad Georgia.
Sure, Quentin Johnston is the Frogs’ biggest talent, and he needs a breakout play or two if the Frogs want to prove the first double-digit spread in championship history was excessive. Kendre Miller, only a “50-50″ proposition with a sprained knee, would help against the nation’s best run defense.
And if Joe Gillespie’s 3-3-5 defense could complicate matters for Stetson Bennett, well, that’d come in handy.
But Duggan’s remarkable story has been the theme of what Sonny called Sunday “a little bit of a magical ride” this season. Maybe you’ve heard about the heart surgery, losing his starting job this season and, instead of hitting the portal like any other three-year starter would have done, saying he’d play whatever role needed to help his team. Then Chandler Morris, supposedly the better quarterback in practice, gets hurt, and what does Duggan do? Goes out and orchestrates the most improbable story in CFP history.
I mean, who writes this stuff?
If you weren’t a Max Duggan fan before the Big 12 title game, he won you over in the presser afterward. Arriving late to the podium after the Frogs’ 31-28 overtime loss to Kansas State, it was clear that, judging by the red streaks around his eyes, he didn’t get enough time. He seemed to believe TCU’s CFP hopes had been dashed. No matter how carefully reporters asked out of respect for his feelings, Duggan couldn’t complete an answer without breaking down. Made me think twice about putting him through it. But difficult situations often invite the best answers. When I asked if he’d wanted a shot at the end zone instead of handing off in a pivotal series that might have changed their fortunes, he said he’d have gladly sat on the bench if they’d only won.
Over a long and fairly inconspicuous career, I’ve observed my share of athletes in similar settings. Some were more eloquent than others, but the sentiments are always the same. No one likes to lose. Duggan’s replies weren’t much different, but that wasn’t the message received, either. In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone take losing as hard. No one comes close.
The subsequent headlines and leads after the K-State loss characterized Duggan as a hero who came up just short. No question he was the only reason TCU was still in it at the end.
But the truth of it is that Duggan didn’t play a great game at JerryWorld, just as he didn’t in the semifinals against Michigan. Not by the standards of a guy who finished runner-up for the Heisman, anyway.
Against the Wildcats, Duggan was just 18 of 36 for 251 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He followed that up with a rather homely 14 of 29 for 225 yards, two touchdowns and another pair of interceptions in the semis.
Of course, Duggan still willed the win over the second-ranked Wolverines, and he nearly did the same against K-State.
Which begs the question: What if he plays the kind of game he’s proved capable of this season?
What if he’s got a little magic left in him?
He’ll have to walk a fine line. When I asked him at Saturday’s media day what was the difference between his previous three seasons at TCU and this season, the year he became a household name, he said it came down to Sonny’s mantra for the team:
Do your job.
“I was always trying to be perfect and make the perfect play,” he said, “but I think now just letting guys around me be the guys and be athletic and not really be too tight playing. I think that’s something that I’ve learned and seen myself grow in that respect.
“Not trying to be too much. Not trying to do anything outside of my job.”
No question, Quentin Johnston will have to come up as big Monday as the top 15 draft pick he’s projected to be. Kendre Miller needs to play, period. Gillespie’s defense must rise to the occasion, too.
But, if TCU does, indeed, write the kind of ending that would make Hollywood happy, the author will be Max Duggan. “Heart and soul” of the Frogs, as Stetson Bennett called him. Scouting reports don’t come any better.
Twitter: @KSherringtonDMN
More TCU-Georgia national championship coverage…
— TCU-Georgia CFP championship central: How to watch, news and more
— How TCU stands to benefit from CFP championship game, win or lose
— TCU running back Kendre Miller (knee) will be game-time decision for national championship
— 5 things to know about Georgia: The Bulldogs have flaws the Horned Frogs can expose
— All glory for TCU’s playoff run goes to the Hypnotoad
— Mutual admiration, underdog status between TCU-Georgia QBs Max Duggan, Stetson Bennett
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