What We Noticed:

1. Thrilled with Hill

Okay, TCU fans, it’s time to acknowledge that we’ve been spoiled by years with Andy Dalton and Trevone Boykin, both of whom are now making football magic on Sundays. It’s no wonder we’ve come to expect perfection from the quarterback position, even if this demand is not, ahem, very realistic. Lest we forget, though, both #14 and #2 needed some time to get comfortable under center. Not true for Kenny Hill, who is off to the best start for a quarterback in TCU history. Hill is fourth in the nation in average passing yards and has thrown for more than 400 yards in half of his games as a Frog. We’re excited to see what new heights the offense will reach this season. Hope you are, too.

2. Hawks in the Sky

The Horned Frogs had snagged exactly ZERO interceptions through 15 quarters this season … until Niko Small reversed the voodoo early in the fourth quarter against SMU. Until his pick, opposing teams had thrown 181 consecutive safe passes. The TCU secondary is starting to gel, as evidenced by the two picks grabbed from the air in the fourth by Small and then Nick Orr. When safeties and cornerbacks gain confidence, the interceptions start racking up, and the season is really rolling. We would love to see a few more INTs against Oklahoma on Saturday.

3. Slow Starts

Good things take time, but oh Frogs, so many lessons in patience this season. We know SMU has improved and all, but a three-point lead at the half? We would have preferred something along the lines of 33-3, but thank you so much for helping us evolve as football fans. Hope the team is on fire earlier against Oklahoma so we no longer have to appreciate the tried-and-true axiom: Good things come to those who wait. Patience is so hard.

4. Soft Hands

What luck to be able to witness John Diarse fill the #9 jersey recently vacated by another JD. Arriving stealthily as a LSU transfer and leading the team in receiving yards with 290, Diarse has been the surprise of the season. His downfield blocking has been a thing of beauty, too. As the season is progressing, he and Kenny Hill look to be developing the intangible chemistry suggestive of something special, and we wish them well as they continue to grow the connection.

5. A Scholar and a Superstar

Filling on for an injured KaVontae Turpin, Desmon White had his best game as a Frog, garnering 123 total yards, highlighted by a sneaky 31-yard punt return. Anyone who attends Gary Patterson’s press conferences knows he is exceptionally selective about which players are allowed to speak on behalf of the program, usually trusting seasoned seniors to choose the right words. Well, last season, a sophomore Desmon White made several appearances and wowed the attending press with his precocious wisdom and obvious intelligence. Seeing him shine that bright light on the field was a nice treat.

Five Tweets that Told the Tale

🐸>🦄

— Aaron Green (@AaronGreen22) September 24, 2016

TOUCHDOWN!!! Hello Mr. Diarse! Hill to Diarse on the first play. 75 yards to the house!

TCU 13, SMU 3, 3Q 14:50 pic.twitter.com/1VWqNKN4eW

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 24, 2016

In his first 4 games as a Horned Frog, @Kennyhill13 already has 2 of the top 8 games for passing yards in TCU history.

— Mark Cohen (@TCUCohen) September 24, 2016

Interception-less streak is over. Niko Small gets under one on the carpet. Had been 181 passes without a pick against TCU.

— Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) September 24, 2016

#TCUvsSMU Horned Frogs celebrate retaining the Iron Skillet as TCU beat SMU 33 – 3 in college football in Dallas, TX, Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 pic.twitter.com/JGRoLwa5Me

— Max Faulkner (@mfaulknerphotog) September 24, 2016

Bonus tweet:

That's cool that we still have the iron skillet but it's been 50 years…can we get an upgrade from Williams Sonoma? #GoFrogs

— Delisa Gross (@delisaGross) September 24, 2016