TCU football had its worst passing offense since joining the Big 12 last season. The Horned Frogs averaged just 196.3 yards per game through the air, the first season in which they failed to reach the 200-yard mark since 2002 (166.9 yards).

But TCU coach Gary Patterson is hopeful about the strides made in the passing game following the spring season.

“The key to it is you either run by them or you run sideways on them, and we can do that,” Patterson said before Saturday’s spring scrimmage. “We’re a lot better out of play action. We really worked hard on our play-action game this spring.”

Saturday’s open scrimmage before an estimated 4,000 fans at Amon G. Carter Stadium provided mixed results.

Junior quarterback Max Duggan looked sharp early on. He had a 15-yard play-action pass to sophomore receiver Quentin Johnston on the opening series. And Duggan and Johnston hooked up for a 23-yard pass on the second series.

But Duggan didn’t lead a touchdown drive in either of his two series. Instead, the first drive stalled in the red zone and ended with a field goal. The second drive resulted in a punt.

The second-team offense had a home-run play, though, with backup Matthew Downing finding Blake Nowell for a long, 70-plus yard touchdown. That was one of two touchdowns the offense scored in the hour-long scrimmage. The other was a 75-yard run by sophomore running back Zach Evans.

Downing showed some flash later in the scrimmage by keeping a play alive and then hitting Blair Conwright down the far sideline for a 25-yard gain.

The results from the spring game could be taken multiple ways. There were plays that showed the passing game had promise, but there were also drops and overthrows.

Patterson spoke before as scrimmage, not after, saying that the day was “for the fans and the kids.” As for the team’s development, the coach offered mixed results. “We got better on offense. Defensively, we’re going to get a lot better when we get everyone back.”

Both sides of the ball ran pretty vanilla formations and sets. Patterson said the true results of the passing game won’t be known until the season gets underway in the fall.

TCU hasn’t averaged more than 250 yards passing since 2016, when logged 268.2 yards a game, and 300 yards since they posted a gaudy 347.4 yards a contest in 2015.

“You can’t really tell [where our passing game is at]. You won’t find that out until next September when we’re going forward,” Patterson said. “They simplified the passing game offense to make it better, make it more explosive. I think it’s helped us. It’s helped the quarterbacks. It’s helped the wide receivers. It’s helped all of us. As we go forward, we’ll see how that works. I’m excited about that.”

Patterson went on to say he felt that Duggan had a “great” spring camp. This is a guy who had his 2020 offseason program cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Frogs only had four spring practices before the pandemic shut down sports in March 2020. Then Duggan missed most of fall camp after enhanced COVID-19 tests revealed a previously unknown heart condition that required surgery.

That forced TCU to open the 2020 season with Downing, although Duggan played in the season-opener and started the rest of the year. Duggan finished throwing for 1,795 yards with 10 passing TDs. He also rushed for 526 yards and 10 TDs.

Patterson feels Duggan’s numbers and progress will only improve going into his junior season. He mentioned now-quarterbacks coach Kenny Hill as a player who not many outsiders were high on and ended up leading the team to an 11-3 season and top 10 ranking in 2017.

“Nobody thought Kenny could play his junior year,” Patterson said. “In our program, it’s always been about development. Max didn’t get a chance to go through an offseason last year. He’s just going to keep progressing.

“His leadership qualities are unmatched. It’s his football team from the offensive standpoint.”

TCU opens the 2021 season at home against Duquesne on Sept. 4.

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