There’s a reason to root for Max Duggan, and it has nothing to do with being a fan of TCU football or his long, flowing locks.
Duggan is a senior who started all four years at the same college. he is also a star. In this day and age, these are combined as often as “zero calorie” and “chocolate hot fudge sundae.”
But here we have Duggan. His team has just won an impressive 43-40 double overtime win against previously undefeated Oklahoma State, clinching his first-place finish in the Big 12. He’s gearing up to face No. 17 Kansas State. .
He’s never flashy, throwing the ball 75 yards down or doing a sub 4.4 40-yard dash. However, he represents something bigger than college football. He is a shining example of an individual who fought adversity, stayed on course and came out on top.
“[Duggan] That’s one of the reasons I love college football,” FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Kratt said in a recent airing of his podcast.Joel Kratt Show.“
The Story of TCU QB Max Duggan
Hear why Joel Klatt is a big fan of QB Max Duggan and one of the reasons he loves college football.
To fully understand Duggan’s journey, we need to go back to August 2020. In preparation for the start of the next season, Duggan had regular doctor visits. However, due to COVID-19, additional team his protocols were introduced that year, including his EKG test, which records the electrical activity of the heart.
Meanwhile, doctors discovered a rare abnormality in Duggan’s heart. He was found to have a congenital condition and required procedures before he could continue playing football.
Questions begin to arise about Duggan’s future, and whether this discovery puts his season, and possibly his football career, in doubt.
But that wasn’t the case.Duggan returned to the field in the season opener against Iowa State in the Horned Frogs, and was set to start under center every game that season. He threw for 1,795 yards with 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions, leading TCU to a 6-4 mark.
What seemed like an incredible comeback story for the Horned Frogs signal-caller was hit hard again midway through the 2021 season. After his 31-12 loss to Kansas State in late October, TCU and head coach Gary Patterson decided to part ways. After starting the first eight games of the season, Duggan was benched for the loss to the Wildcats, and the school announced Patterson was out the next day.
Chandler Morris, who moved to TCU after spending his freshman season at the University of Oklahoma, took over the starting QB role after Patterson left. Duggan started the final two games of the 2021 campaign, but the team finished 5-7, missing a bowl game for the second time in eight years.
“Do you know how many college football players enter the transfer portal as soon as it happens?” Klatt asked. “Not Max Duggan”
Instead, Duggan chose to stick it out at TCU and compete with Morris to become the team’s starter heading into the 2022 campaign. However, Oklahoma’s transfer left the game late in the third quarter after a defender landed on his left foot and did not return.
It was in that moment that everything changed for Duggan. For the first time in a long time, he was perfectly healthy and didn’t have to look over his shoulder for another QB to come in for his job. That’s exactly the senior QB’s five starts this season.
Since taking over at center, Duggan has thrown for 1,591 yards with 16 touchdowns and just one interception. He has completed his 70% of passes. This would break his one-his-season completion percentage record for the school.
Last weekend against Oklahoma State, Duggan had 343 total yards and 3 runs to pull the Horned Frogs back from a 17-point deficit. He was named the Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.
“Last week’s game against Oklahoma State put his entire career in one game,” Crutt said. “They were dropping multiple scores, but the man never quit.”
When the Horned Frogs take to the field under the lights at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Saturday, all eyes will be on Duggan as he tries to lead TCU in their first 7-0 start since 2017. .
Will he be able to continue his magical run?
“He just keeps playing and keeps playing as hard as he can,” Crutt said of Duggan. “I love that he has the fortitude to face adversity as a young man and overcome adversity.”
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