How a ‘selfless’ Jack Bech helped TCU avoid a disastrous upset loss at Stanford

During spring football, TCU was ravaged by injuries at the wide receiver position, allowing Jack Bech to emerge as one of the team’s top playmakers.

Coach Sonny Dykes called Bech the offensive MVP due to his performance in March and April.

Fast forward a few months later, with injuries mounting in the program’s receiver room, and Bech was a key performer in TCU’s 34-27 win at Stanford.

Bech hada career-high 134 yards on six receptions and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 3:13 remaining in the game.

Dykes said he had a feeling Bech was capable of a breakout game.

“We had some guys banged up, Dylan (Wright) got banged up at the end of camp, we weren’t sure if he’d be available,” Dykes said. “JoJo Earle was kind of banged up as well, we weren’t sure if he was going to be available, so for us it was just trying to get the best guys on the field.

“We felt like Jack could’ve had a game tonight, he’s just that type of guy. The more he plays, the more opportunities he has to catch the ball and make plays, he does it.”

TCU could’ve turned to a number of players to start such as Boise State transfer Eric McAlister, but Bech’s consistency and availability gave him the edge. Bech quickly proved that the staff was right to trust in him.

Bech has been known for his strong and reliable hands, but he also showcased he can make plays after the catch. On reception Bech reeled in a pass, used a stiff arm to shrug off a defender and picked up 10 more yards to keep TCU moving.

His best catch came at the end of the first half, when he was able to slip past the Stanford secondary on a post route and Josh Hoover found him for a 46-yard strike. Bech showed elite concentration securing the pass despite having defenders around him.

It was a shame that the drive didn’t end in points, but Bech wasn’t done impacting the game. Savion Williams started the game hot with eight receptions and a touchdown in the first half.

But the Cardinal began to focus more and more on limiting TCU’s budding star receiver. That just opened the door for Bech to take advantage of single coverage.

Like in the third quarter when he caught a pass at the Stanford 30-yard line and nearly outran his defender for a touchdown, eventually being tackled at the 2. Bech’s strength with contested catching was crucial as Stanford tried to increase the pressure on defense. That’s where the reliability factor came in once again.

Williams and JP Richardson had a few costly drops and a fumble that nearly overshadowed their own brilliant games, but when the ball was in Bech’s vicinity there was no dropping the ball.

“He’s a guy that Josh really counts on and believes in,” Dykes said. “We felt like four or five days ago we were going to make that move and for a guy that hasn’t played that position a lot, he really played well.”

That’s what made Bech’s performance even more impressive. Even during his time at LSU, Bech was used more as a slot receiver, as he has most of the time in Fort Worth.

There’s a different approach to playing the slot compared to the outside spot. The potential route tree is different, as is the potential matchups on defense. But it didn’t matter to Bech, whatever adjustments needed to be made were made and that’s why Bech continues to earn respect and support from the locker room.

“He was unbelievable,” Hoover said. “For his first game out there, he was awesome. Great feel... he did a great job. I’m proud of him for the way he adjusted. He’s a selfless guy, he’ll play any position on the field. That’s what makes this team special and that’s what makes my love for this team so great. Guys like that, that are willing to play whatever position to help our team and he’s doing that.”

During the biggest drive of the game late in the fourth quarter with TCU trailing, it was Bech that got the drive started with a 13-yard reception. It was also Bech that ended the drive as he showed his improved route running to cook his defender at the line of scrimmage and all Hoover had to do was lob it up to a wide open Bech for the game-clinching touchdown.

Bech’s breakout is the type of story that made us all college football fans. He battled injuries last season and had just 12 catches, but with his team facing another upset that would’ve drastically impacted the season and state of the program, Bech had his best moment as a Horned Frog.

Based on what Bech has shown this season, there will be more moments to come.