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TCU Preview: Defense

July 21, 2008 By toddler Leave a Comment

The challenge for the Horned Frog defense in 2008 will be replacing Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz who were two of the best DE’s in TCU history and All Mountain West Conference performers.  The Frogs return just one of their top four tacklers from 2007, but the foundation has been laid for TCU to have another good defense.

Sr. LB Jason Phillips has been named the top linebacker in the state of Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, but he is also an All Mountain West performer and was named as Preseason MWC Defensive Player of the Year.  Phillips was the leading tackler for TCU in 2007, registering 87 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 pass break ups and 1 INT.  Also returning for the Frogs are Sr. LB Robert Henson (66 tackles, 2 INT’s) and Sr. SS Stephen Hodge (57 tackles, 7 pass break ups).  While Henson was not a starter, he rotated into the game often with Phillips and former LB David Hawthorne.  Hodge (6-0, 221) returns as the SS, but he is often used like a LB in TCU’s unique 4-2-5 defense where the Frogs use 4 defensive linemen, 2 LB’s, and 5 in the secondary.  Hodge led the nation for defensive backs with 8 sacks.

While the Frogs lose Blake and Ortiz, they return staring NT Cody Moore as well as several lettermen from the 2007 team.  At DT/NT the Frogs will rely on Sr. John Fonua (5-10, 270), So. Cory Grant (6-2, 303), Sr. James Vess (6-3, 290), and So. Kelly Griffin (6-1, 280) who started as a true Freshman (1st ever for Gary Patterson) earning Honorable Mention Freshman All American by the Sporting News.  At DE, the Frogs return lettermen Jr. Jerry Hughes (6-2, 248) and Sr. Matt Panfil (6-2, 232) along with Redshirt Freshman Braylon Broughton who was voted as Preseason MWC Freshman of the Year.  Broughton (6-6, 240) was ranked number 59 at DE out of high school and a 3 star recruit by Rivals.com in 2006 and is expected to fill some of the void left by the departure of Blake and Ortiz.

In the secondary, the Frogs return Hodge, and Sr. FS Steven Coleman (6-3, 204).  Coleman had 48 tackles, 6 pass break ups, and 3 INT’s.  At CB, the Frogs will rely on returning starters Jr. Nick Sanders (5-10, 174) and Jr. Rafael Priest (5-10, 163).  Sanders and Priest only accounted for 4 INT’s last year, and they need to be better at the take aways if TCU is to return to double digit wins.  The WS spot is up for grabs between Jr. Corderra Hunter (6-2, 202) and So. Tejay Johnson (6-1, 195).  Whoever wins the job will be a fist time starter.

If the TCU defense has an X Factor, it’s Jr. Daryl Washington (6-3, 228).  Texas Football has tabbed him as their Breakout Player for TCU.  According to DCTF, Washington had a great spring practice and worked out at both at LB and Safety.  Washington is a beast as he also recorded 3 blocked punts last season to along with his 32 tackles as a backup including 2.5 for a loss.

Special Teams

Ranked number 2 by Phil Steele for 2007, TCU will have to return Kicker Chris Manfredini who was almost a given when he kicked and Punter Derek Walsh who averaged 42.5 yards per punt.  Penciled in for TCU is Ross Evans at Kicker and Anson Kelton at Punter.  Evans will be a True Freshman in 2008, coming from Burnet, TX where he was All State two years straight and had 37 career field goals ranking number 2 all time in the state of Texas.  Kelton, who red-shirted for the Frogs in 2007, is from Aledo, TX and averaged 44 yards per punt as a senior.  TCU returns Aaron Brown at Kick Return but will have to replace Donald Massey who will not return in the fall.  The Frogs will turn to Jeremy Kerley to return punts.

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TCU Preview: Offense

July 20, 2008 By toddler Leave a Comment

For the Horned Frogs offense to improve on the 26.1 points per game, the Frogs will have to be lead by So. QB Andy Dalton.  Dalton was the Texas Bowl MVP last year and Honorable Mention Freshman All American by the Sporting News in 2007.  Dalton managed the TCU offense with increasing efficiency ending the year with 2459 yards passing with 10 TD’s and 11 INT’s as well as 232 yards rushing.  Dalton’s TD/INT ratio has to be better, but last year Dalton threw just 2 INT’s in his last 96 attempts.

TCU also needs to have its two best running backs healthy for 2008.  Sr. Aaron Brown returns from injuries which slowed him last season and looks to return to the form that he had his Sophomore season where he generated 1256 yards of total offense (801 yds. rushing, 455 yds. receiving).  The Frogs are also hoping that Jr. Joseph Turner (597 yards, 6 TD’s) will be healthy and ready to go in the fall.  Turner is a big, powerful back that complements Brown’s style of speed and receiving out of the backfield.  Turner has the bulk to run between the tackles and has a career average of 5.48 yards per carry.  Both backs have the luxury of running behind an experienced line as 4 of 5 starters return.  The Offensive Line is anchored by Sr. C Blake Schlueter (6-3, 272) and Jr. LT Marshall Newhouse (6-3, 317).  Schlueter was a 2007 Second Team All Mountain West selection and currently on the Rimington Trophy Watch List which is awarded to the nation’s top center.  Newhouse was an Honorable-mention All Mountain West selection in 2007.

Dalton’s options became a little more limited at receiver when it was announced that TCU receiver Donald Massey would not return this fall.  Also gone is last year’s leading receive Ervin Dickerson who was a Sr.  However, Dalton returns receivers Walter Bryant (27 rec. , 337 yds), Jimmy Young (23 rec., 325 yds.), and Jeremy Kerley (9 rec., 97 yds).  In addition, Aaron Brown (24 rec., 161 yds.) is a great receiver out of the backfield and RB/WR Ryan Christian (18 rec., 139 yds.) is a versatile player who is a capable receiver either out of the backfield or in the slot.  Finally, Sr. Shae Reagan is a big play TE who has a career average of 19.7 yards per catch.

With the presence of a balanced attack and a more experienced QB, TCU is primed to have an explosive season on offense.  Dalton came up big on the road at Stanford last year when he was 23 for 34, 344 yards, 2 TD’s and no INT’s.  Dalton has the ability to play under center or out of the shotgun.  And, with a healthy backfield to keep the offense balanced, we may see even more passing yards from Dalton in 2008.

You can learn more about TCU Football at Gofrogs.com.

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Success at TCU is a Tradition

June 23, 2008 By toddler Leave a Comment

Sitting in my favorite eating establishment this morning, The Old Neighborhood Grill in Fort Worth, I was thinking about Dan Jenkins.  Dan is one of the greatest sports writers in the last 50 years, and he is a native TCU Helmetof Fort Worth.  He is also a big TCU fan.  Peter, the owner of Old Neighborhood Grill, and I were talking about some of Dan’s books including his latest one.  Dan is a reminder of just how successful the program has been in years past.  And, recently, with coaching of Gary Patterson, the program has returned to prominence.  It is telling when you realize that the Frogs won 8 games last year, including the Texas Bowl, and that was considered a disappointment.

For years, the Horned Frogs were a part of the old Southwest Conference.  Usually, any team who was at the top of the Southwest Conference was considered relevant in the national rankings, scene.  When the conference folded, the Frogs missed out on going to the Big Twelve.  They spent time in the Western Athletic Conference and the Conference USA before moving the Mounatin West Conference a few years ago.  They seem to have found a home.  As conference strength goes, the MWC is the toughest outside of the BCS power conferences.  It boasts at least two teams with national championships:  TCU and BYU.  TCU came close to busting the BCS “glass ceiling” in its first year in the MWC going 11-1.  Its lone loss was to SMU one week after beating Oklahoma in Norman, keeping it out of the BCS bowls.

When people think of TCU, they might think of “Slingin Sammy” Baugh, Davey O’Brien, Bob Lilly and LaDainian Tomlinson.  You might not realize that the Horned Frogs have two national championships.  The 1930′s were very good to the Frogs as they took the 1935 and 1938 national titles.  TCU has 14 conference championships in 5 different conferences (source).  For a team that is not in a “power” conference, TCU has a pretty rich tradition.  Recently, winning games has become an expectation again.

TCU is not afraid to play against their share of BCS conference teams.  As I mentioned earlier, TCU knocked off OU in Norman in 2005.  They have played Texas Tech home and away, Baylor, Stanford (who comes to Fort Worth this year) and Texas in Austin.   And TCU has beaten every team mentioned but Texas in the past 3 years.  What’s more, the Frogs travel to Norman again this season to take on the Sooners.  The past two trips to Norman have been wins for the Frogs.  Do you think the people in Norman remember?

Bowl games against BCS teams have been successful too.  They started this recent success by knocking off USC in the 1998 Sun Bowl.  Granted, that wasn’t a Pete Carroll coached team, but it was a win over USC.  Then, the Frogs knocked off Iowa State in the 2005 Texas Bowl.  They also own victories this decade over Vanderbilt,  Arizona, and Northwestern.  They have suffered losses to Texas A&M (2001 Bowl game) and Nebraska (2001).  And, the Frogs have a future date with the SEC’s Arkansas.

If the past is any indication, especailly the recent past, the Horned Frogs look to have another succes-field season.  Look for the Frogs to contend for the Mounatin West Conference Title once again.

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Running the Spread: Frequent Flyer Miles May Add Up in DFW

May 7, 2008 By toddler 1 Comment

In a metropolitan area which is home to two of the largest airlines in the country, three NCAA Bowl Subdivision football teams will take the field in 2008 logging as many air miles as any team in the country. It’s an exciting brand of football for the fans to be sure, and with signing of June Jones to be the new head coach at Southern Methodist University, the tickets just might sell. Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas are neighbors in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

If anyone throws the ball as much as Jones did at the University of Hawaii, it would be Todd Dodge out of his no huddle Spread Offense at UNT (University of North Texas) known as “Dodge Ball.” Last year Dodge’s team averaged 46 passes per game for 3476 total yards on the season.

Jones’ Hawaii team averaged 51 passes a game for a total of 5713 yards on the season. In case you are wondering, that’s about 476 yards per game (12 games). Jones uses the old “Run and Shoot” offense that was used so well at the University of Houston in the 80′s. Jones has the services of two year starter Justin Willis, if he can pull it together and get himself back on the team.

UNT, of course, is located in Denton, TX, just north of Dallas, and SMU is located in Dallas. In Fort Worth, Gary Patterson is the head coach of TCU (Texas Christian University), where the passing game has always helped balanced the usually stellar running game. In the past, TCU has used dual threat Quarterbacks to complement such running backs as LaDainian Tomlinson, Lonta Hobbs, and Robert Merrill. However, in QB Andy Dalton, TCU is starting to benefit from a strong, accurate arm. TCU averaged 34 passes per game for a total of 2881 yards on the season, up from 27 passes per game in 2006 and 29 passes per game in 2005. With a more confident Dalton, will the Frogs throw the ball more? The Frogs have never been afraid to throw the ball when it needed to. In recent years the TCU QB has had big passing games. TCU is not a one dimensional team.

DFW college football may be exciting in the 2008 season. While watching a game, you might look to the skies. However, it may not be just to see the airplanes.

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Top Ten Coaches

May 5, 2008 By toddler 6 Comments

I wrote in a previous post that I would reveal my top ten coaches list. Here is my list. Of course, I know it is a subjective exercise. Most will not agree with me. That’s fine. But I’ll give you my list, and I will also try to explain why. As before, this list is not in ascending or descending order.

1. Jim Tressel, Ohio State University–It’s hard to argue with Tressel’s success at Ohio State. However, he won four national titles in Division I-AA before jumping to Division I-A (now the Bowl Championship Division) to coach Ohio State. In 21 years as a head coach Tressel has 11 Ten Win seasons. Four titles in Division I-AA and one in Division I-A while at Ohio State. His accomplishments should not be diminished by the Buckeye losses in two straight national title games. The Buckeyes will be an early favorite to make a third straight appearance in 2009, and this time they might win the game. Tressel’s ability to lure prize recruit Terrelle Pryor may have been the advantage he needed to win the title.

2. Urban Meyer, University of Florida– Coach Meyer has been head coaching for 7 years, and 3 of those seasons were Ten Win seasons. Remarkably, Meyer has not finished a year as a head coach with less than 8 wins. Meyer is the hot new young coach for most. His Gators expect to be a major contender both in the SEC and nationally during the 2008-09 season behind returning QB and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.

3. Pete Carroll, University of Southern California– Few could argue with Carroll’s inclusion on a Top Ten Coaches list. USC had an astounding 10 players taken in the 2008 NFL draft. Carroll was 6-6 in his first season at USC, but then he won at least 11 games in each of his next six seasons. Carroll led USC to 2 BCS National title game appearances, 2 AP and 1 BCS National Championships, and six straight top 4 finishes. Carroll’s Trojans have either won or tied for the Pac 10 Championship for six straight seasons. In the last three years, USC has been an early season favorite to play in the BCS National Championship Game. Carroll’s resume is impressive.

4. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State University–In 21 seasons as head coach, Erickson has 7 10 win seasons and 2 National Championships. Erickson has coached six different college football teams and is prone to jumping around a bit. Nevertheless, when Erickson takes over a program, he usually makes it a winner. His first year at Arizona State, Erickson led the Devils to 10-3 record and a share of the Pac 10 Championship. Erickson is leading a Devil Storm in the Desert.

5. Bob Stoops, University of Oklahoma–Stoops had a fast start in Norman. In just his second year, the Sooners won the National Championship. Rarely does Stoops lose the annual Red River Rivalry against Texas. Stoops has seven 11 win seasons in 9 years as the head Sooner coach. Stoops’ teams have reached a BCS Bowl 6 different times, winning the first 2.

6. Mac Brown, University of Texas–Brown’s resume was punctuated by a National Championship in 2005 with a thrilling win over USC in one of the greatest 1 vs. 2 and National Championship Games ever. Led by QB Vince Young, Brown’s Longhorns answered every challenge during the year by several teams to make it to the Rose Bowl for the National Title. USC did not have answer for UT’s Young as he scrambled and passed his way to a second consecutive Rose Bowl title and the BCS National Championship. Brown has ten 10 win seasons in 20 years of coaching.

7. Phillip Fulmer, University of Tennessee–Fulmer has nine 10 win seasons in 16 years as head coach of the Volunteers. Fulmer has six SEC East Division Titles (1 shared) and 2 SEC Championships. Fulmer’s Vols have been to two BCS Bowl games and won one National title. Fulmer has a 76.6% winning percentage. All he has done at Tennessee is win. In Knoxville, there are 109,000 screaming fans singing Rocky Talk.

8. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech University–Beamer has been a head coach for 27 years, yet he still produces good teams. Beamer has nine 10 win seasons including four straight. Bearmer’s teams are usually among the best in special teams, and players regularly compete for a lunch pail.

9. Mark Richt, University of Georgia–Richt has five 10 win seasons in 7 years as a head coach, all at Georgia. Richt’s teams have been to three BCS Bowls and has two SEC Championships. Richt’s ‘Dawgs are many people’s pre-season favorite to win the 2008-2009 BCS National Championship. Georgia rallied last year after two early season losses to finish number 2 in the final polls. The Bulldogs were widely considered the hottest team at the end of the 2007-2008 season.

10. Gary Patterson, Texas Christian University–Patterson’s Horned Frogs have four 10 win seasons in his 7 years as head Frog. Patterson’s teams have finished ranked four times. The Frogs have accomplished all of this during the Patterson era while competing in three different conferences and knocking off teams from BCS conferences. Twice in the Patterson era TCU knocked at the BCS Bowl party door. The Frogs under Patterson have upsets against Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Iowa State. The Frogs recently knocked off Stanford in 2007 the week after the Cardinals upset USC at the Coliseum. The Frogs return a lot of talent to make another run at the Mountain West Conference Title.

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