'Step in the Right Direction!' Sonny Dykes on TCU's Win Over Grambling

TCU notched its first win of the season Saturday and it came in emphatic fashion for the Horned Frogs in a 63-7 beatdown of Grambling State.

Following a less-than-ideal debut in Dublin against North Carolina, TCU found its identity that had been long discussed in the offseason back in the friendly confines of Fort Worth.

READ MORE: TCU Left Out of Coaches Poll Despite 63-7 Blowout Win

But it was not an immediate turnaround inside Amon G. Carter Stadium.

With only a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, TCU caught fire from then on out and outscored Grambling 21-7 before halftime and 42-0 in the second half.

Quarterback Jaden Craig was finally able to showcase what made him so sought after by the program following his stint at Harvard.

He finished 24-of-31 for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions in a polar opposite performance to the one seen in Ireland.

Following the game, head coach Sonny Dykes spoke highly of his starting quarterback in his first victory as a Horned Frog.

"I think he...gained some confidence and seemed like he was pretty well settled from the get-go...it was what we needed," said Dykes.

Outside of Craig, TCU as a whole seemed to shake the jitters that hung them up two weeks prior and proved that there is still reason to keep an eye on them.

Much like the loss to the Tar Heels, one game will not define the entire season for TCU, but Dykes still took encouragement from the complete reversal for the Horned Frogs.

"That was a step in the right direction for us," expressed Dykes.

Dykes took especial appreciation in the resiliency showcased by his team in those early moments and continued tenacity as it got more lopsided.

"I think as the game went on, we got stronger...so I was encouraged by that," said Dykes.

"Sometimes in these games when you pull ahead, it can get a little bit ugly. You lose focus a little bit and the game gets sloppy. And I was proud of our team tonight. That didn't happen."

Despite the strong outing, there were still some things that caught the attention of Dykes that he said need to be addressed ahead of next week.

"We missed some opportunities, you know...Jaden made three good throws and we dropped three potential touchdowns."

This also included penalties, which saw a drastic decrease from the seemingly fatal amount against North Carolina, but still reared their head.

"We had three penalties on special teams that we can't afford to have...we got to get that number reduced again. Just got to play a little bit cleaner," Dykes explained.

READ MORE: TCU Gets Right in Big Way in 63-7 Home Win Over Grambling

With the first win under their belt, the Horned Frogs will look to fully move past the season opening blunder in their non-conference finale against Arkansas State.

TCU welcomes the RedWolves to Fort Worth's Amon G. Carter Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.