TCU Athletics has announced new security measures at home athletics contests that mimic ones used by the National Football League. Fans will no longer be allowed to bring in backpacks, diaper bags or other large bags, although “medically necessary” items will be allowed after they are inspected at entrance gates.
Beginning with Friday’s 2 p.m. home volleyball match versus West Virginia and the 6:30 p.m. football game against Baylor, only the following items will be permitted upon entrance into TCU athletics facilities:
Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and not exceeding 14 inches by 14 inches
One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar)
One unopened bottle of water
Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap with one of the clear plastic bags
Due to increased security screening, fans are asked to arrive at stadium/arena gates earlier than normal.
These changes are similar to procedures in place at other major universities. The NFL changed its policies in 2013.
Well, here we go. Game 11 and the Frogs are in a spot.
Sure, they’ve suffered tons of injuries and the pollsters and the national media have called for last rights, but I see it another way. The Frogs are in a spot to launch. And you should relish this situation. It’s one that GP and his staff have been in before (see Louisville ’02, BYU ’05, Boise ’11, Southern Miss ’01, OU ’05), and they can pull out all the stops in order to make the Frogs the best team on this one day. And it’s a day that will be paid attention to by those same national media and CFP voters … just to make sure there’s nothing going on at Memorial Stadium. For me, it couldn’t be better. Meacham & Co. will have a game plan to surprise and add spark, I’m sure … no matter who’s playing QB.
This is not as big a reach as you think. The 2005 TCU team that won in Norman pulled a HUGE upset and while they were quick and good, they didn’t have near the depth that this 2015 team does and they weren’t 9-1, thus, my stance.
Keys to the game:
Be good on firstdown on both sides of the ball. Get something on first down when TCU has the ball. Stop the run with OU has it.
Use misdirection and trick plays to slow OU’s attacking front seven. Let the OU defensive line take themselves out of the play.
Be GREAT in the kicking game. KaVontae Turpin could carry the day.
Force turnovers. In a game like this one – when the wind is blowing hard out of the north – field position will be key. Take it away and take a win back to Fort Worth.
Play loose and have fun. It’s OU who’s supposed to win. The experts all say so. No pressure, no problems, I always say.
The Big 12 Conference title is still in play for No. 18 TCU Football, and, with several breaks, so is making the College Football Playoff. But coach Gary Patterson told the media on Tuesday that his program will not jeopardize the health of quarterback Trevone Boykin or wide receiver Josh Doctson to win out.
“Our kids want to win a conference title, but I don’t think you do it at the sake of playing somebody when they’re not ready to go,” Patterson said.
Officially, Boykin and Doctson are considered questionable for Saturday’s showdown in Norman against No. 7 Oklahoma, but the quarterback, who hurt his ankle in the first half against Kansas last week, won’t practice until Thursday at the earliest, if he goes at all. Doctson, who is recovering from a wrist injury, will visit with a specialist again this week.
“We’ll know by Thursday or Friday,” Patterson said.
If Boykin can play, the coach said practicing at the end of the week is sufficient. In the meantime, backup players, notably quarterback Foster Sawyer, who came on in relief of Bram Kohlhausen versus the Jayhawks, will get all the snaps and prepare as if they’re the starters.
“We’ll be more prepared for that situation this week,” the coach said, adding that the Frogs had a good Sunday practice after a sluggish performance against Kansas. “Somebody said we didn’t have any emotion. I think we had a letdown because of Senior Day and a little bit of hangover from Oklahoma State. As the game went on, they became more emotional, had to overcome Trevone and Doc not being in a whole lot.”
Without Boykin and Doctson this week, the Horned Frogs would be heavy underdogs, which Patterson labeled, “perfect.”
The Frogs sprung a big upset in the 2005 season opener in Norman over the Adrian Peterson-led Sooners, but Patterson said Oklahoma’s 2015 team reminds him more of the juggernaut 2008 edition that humbled the Frogs, 35-10.
But this year, Oklahoma is just the next game in a November stretch that’s would test the Frogs, healthy or not.
“Going into these last four weeks, we knew what it was going to be like,” he said about the gauntlet of ranked foes Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Baylor.
The Sooners may be playing the best of any school in the conference, Patterson said, noting that Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is leading his team with “swagger.”
“We have quite a task,” Patterson said. “They’ve been playing good defense all year.”
Asked about the Sooner running back duo of Semaje Perine and Joe Mixon, the coach acknowledged that Oklahoma, like other foes, would “come right at us.” Patterson also noted Sooner receiver Sterling Shepard being difficult to cover one-on-one.
“I don’t think there’s any advantages in this matchup that go to us,” he said. “But anything can happen. This group here is not going to quit.”
Notable
Patterson acknowledged that third-string quarterback Foster Sawyer had “an edge” over second-stringer Bram Kohlhausen, based on the spark the Frog offense had in the fourth quarter against Kansas. Sawyer threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Shaun Nixon for TCU’s only offensive TD.
TCU’s next victory will earn the Frogs their sixth 10-win season in the past eight years.
Wide receiver Ty Slanina will be held out the rest of the year and seek a medical redshirt. Previously, it was believed that Slanina could return this week against Oklahoma.
Offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai is expected to return this week, but offensive guard Jamelle Naff is lost for the season.
Take a deep breath, Frog Fans. Now, take another. Relax. And I mean RELAX. This is your mid-week therapy session.
Since I got off the air after Saturday afternoon’s win over Kansas (that got the Frogs to 9-1), I’ve been bombarded with texts, questions, negative thoughts and dirges from down-in-the-mouth Frog fans who think this season is lost.
Sure, Trevone turned an ankle. It happens. It’s college football. Welcome to the corner of Unhealthy & Unhappy. But wait a minute. Time to count your purple blessings-all nine of them.
This TCU Football season has been great and, despite enough injuries to rival a war movie, the Frogs are still in “the conversation.” Twenty-three different players lost to injury and still 9-1. That shows depth. Big-time depth. The kind of depth that “those” types of programs have. Forever you’ve heard that college football saying, uttered in the most respectful tone:
“Ohio State, Nebraska, USC, Notre Dame … they don’t rebuild, they reload.”
Well, Coach P and staff have been reloading like Davey Crockett at The Alamo. So far, so good, I say. Pass the powder horn.
It could be the other way around. Let’s take a look back:
30 years ago TCU sat at 3-7 (0-7 in the SWC) with Texas A&M still to play (and no it wasn’t pretty). 53-6 to cap off senior day.
Or give a nose to the bouquet offered by this Cabernet Sauvignon from 40 years ago: TCU sat at 0-10 with a November 22nd date with Rice to go. TCU won 28-21 to avoid going winless. Anybody want to guess the attendance?
Further, I’ll offer this question to you: How many other teams have records worse than TCU? I counted ‘em. Out of 128 Football Bowl Subdivision programs, 115 have records worse than the Frogs, and 12 have records that are the same or better. Only five are 10-0: Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma State, Iowa and Houston.
It’d be hard for TCU to be in much better shape, record-wise. And you’re headed toward another bowl game. Now exhale!
Eleven a.m. kickoffs often involve sluggish starts for fans and football teams, and Saturday was no exception. Luckily, KaVontae Turpin brought enough morning energy for everyone. His dazzling 49-yard first quarter punt return to the end zone lit a fire under the Frogs. When the team came out of the halftime locker room still lagging, quarterback Foster Sawyer, in his first significant game action, amped up the passion and created a buzz felt around the stadium. With the game’s outcome still in question, true freshmen linebacker Ty Summers stole an interception to seal the win. Sometimes senior leaders need to rely on freshman enthusiasm, and the young guys delivered.
2. Reshuffling the deck
Deep balls have been a major nemesis of the 2015 football season, and the coaching staff isn’t finished figuring out how to remedy the issue. Against Kansas, members of the secondary continued to hop around the lineup in a continual effort to slide the healthy players into best-fit positions. With Derrick Kindred and Nick Orr playing well but nursing nagging injuries, the onus fell on guys like cornerback Torrance Mosley and safeties Ridwan Issahaku and Michael Downing. All three stepped up late to stop a determined Kansas in its tracks. Here’s to a repeat performance in Oklahoma next weekend.
3. Hunger of the line
The defensive line is perhaps the only area of the team not to be ravaged by injury this season. Benefitting from a cohesive lineup almost every game, the guys up front have been playing with more fire in each successive week. Seeing athletes, including Aaron Curry and Mike Tuaua, start toward the ball and fight for the stop on every down gives us a lot of hope going into the thicket of the final two regular-season games.
4. Mr. Dependability
With a workmanlike 177 yards on the ground, Aaron Green, passed the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He has now accumulated 2,127 in his TCU career. The afternoon’s yards were good for his career best in the purple and white (or, er, gray lizard camo). Green’s trustworthy play served as a foundation for an afternoon whose fortunes could have blown the other way. This was his eighth career 100-yard game, good for ninth in the record books. While his colleagues on offense have been largely dominating the highlight clips, Green’s dependability has been the backbone of the year’s success.
5. Senior day
Before the season started, if you gave any Frog fan a list of athletes who would miss action due to injury and asked this person to predict the team’s record after 10 games, few would have said 9-1. That the team continues to battle through epic hardship speaks volumes about its senior leadership. Coach Patterson said earlier this week that he moved senior day to the next-to-last home game to give the athletes more time with their visiting families and reduce the already-amped emotion surrounding the Baylor game. Good call. Too bad that Brady Foltz, Ja’Juan Story and Halapoulivaati Vaitai were too injured to play at all, and Trevone Boykin, Josh Doctson and Jamelle Naff are now limited by ailments. If we’ve learned one thing about this senior class, though, it’s that no one and nothing can hold them down.
Running back Aaron Green rushed for a career high 177 yards against Kansas. (Photo by Keith Robinson ’82)
Five stats that stood out
1. Running back/wide receiver Shaun Nixon led TCU in receiving for the second consecutive game with 78 yards on seven catches. His 42-yard reception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was his first career score.
2. Running back Aaron Green had a career-high 177 yards on 30 carries. It was the highest rushing total for the Horned Frogs since Waymon James’ 181 in 2011 at Wyoming. For Green, it was the fourth time this season he’s gone over 100 yards on the ground and the eighth time in his career. Only eight Frogs have more 100-yard career rushing games. Green also has 2,127 rushing yards for his career and is the Frogs’ active rushing leader, passing Trevone Boykin. With 973 rushing yards this season, Green has bested his 922 total a year ago and is on pace to become the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Ed Wesley in 2010. If Green gets 135 more yards on the ground over the remaining three games, he’ll have the most rushing yards in a season since LaDainian Tomlinson’s 2,158 in 2000.
3. Place kicker Jaden Oberkrom booted field goals of 42, 38 and 36 yards to raise his career total to 74. It’s already a TCU record, but it’s now one behind Oklahoma’s Michael Hunnicutt (2011-14) as the all-time Big 12 Conference leader.
4. The TCU defense recorded three sacks against Kansas, extending their streak of at least one in 27 consecutive games. It breaks a school record of 26 that was set from 2007-09. It is the fourth-longest active streak in the NCAA. The defense also held an opponent to three first downs or less in the second half for the second straight game. Kansas had just three first downs and 102 yards after halftime, while Oklahoma State totaled two first downs and 122 yards a week ago.
5. The senior class upped its record to 32-16 in its career at TCU. The class has won a share of the Big 12 title and a Peach Bowl victory. At home, the class is 22-8, including a 12-game winning streak. The group is 5-2 against ranked foes.
Backup quarterback Foster Sawyer provided a spark for the TCU offense in the second half. (Photo by Keith Robinson ’82)
Five tweets that told the tale
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t neat, and injuries continue to plague the Frogs, but it was a WIN. #TCU now 9-1 on the season #GoFrogs
Extremely emotional day for me. The love that I have for my teammates and my University is unexplainable… 9-1 #ForEverTCU — Aaron Green (@AaronGreen22) November 15, 2015
A loss at Oklahoma State amidst a road trip where nearly nothing went right. A drop in the polls. Myriad questions about Josh Doctson that seem to be never-ending. And talk that this season is lost. NOT.
What I believe is lost in this hurricane of ring bologna, opinions, poll discussions and conjecture is that the Frogs have had enough. They’re ready to get back on the field. And Play. Saturday’s game against Kansas is just what the doctor ordered, not just because it’s winless Kansas, but because it’s a chance for the Frogs to breathe and let it all out.
Gary Patterson’s beat up, injury-riddled Frogs have held it together to this point to get to 8-1. Head trainer David Gable’s been busy. This is the Anti-2014, when the Frogs lost all of two players (BJ Catalon and Mike Tuaua) to season ending injury late in the year. This year, it’s been an average of about 1.5 a week. Coach GP said this week it would be wrong for him to criticize his team because they’ve done a great job filling in, making do and getting to 8 wins. Damn right.
If the College Football Playoff committee considered depth as a component of ranking, the Frogs would be No. 1 – easily. No team in the nation has dipped deeper into the depth chart, redshirt vault and scout team than TCU. That’s the silver lining and it’s blinding. The Frogs are piling up experience and depth and there’s a training room full coming back next year. Smile, Frog fans.
Now to the business at hand: It’s a three-game season, and the Frogs can beat everyone on the schedule. Wind ’em up and let em go.
The rebound starts with Kansas, a team that has lots of needs. In fact, they remind me of teams I played on at TCU in the early 80’s: a smattering of talent, lacking depth, lacking offense and desperately trying to learn how to win. Thanks to former KU head coach Charlie Weis, the Jayhawks numbers are way down. Massive move-in (and then move out) of junior college recruits over two recruiting classes by Weis left new KU head man David Beaty with fewer than 75 scholarship players in the 85-scholarship era. (To frame that low number for your, FCS teams like Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Appalachian State have 65 scholarships). Walk-ons make up the balance of the squad. Bottom line: the Jayhawks need players, and they hope Coach Beaty and his Texas ties will bring talent from the Lone Star State to Lawrence to build up the program.
Things to know about KU:
The Jayhawks played one of their best games against Texas last week, scoring 20 points. (That’s the most in Big 12 play since they scored 20 against Texas Tech a month ago.) They’ve scored more than 23 just once.
The Jayhawks have not won a road game since in 2009. They’ve lost 37 straight road tilts and haven’t won a Big 12 road game since 2008.
KU has been pesky – the Frogs average margin of victory in three previous Big 12 games against Kansas is just 9.3 points.
KU and TCU had quite a rivalry, playing each other every year from 1944-1964, when a dispute over a recruit ended one of the Frogs longest-running non-conference series.
Tomorrow is Senior Day, and this group of players deserve your support as they’re presented tomorrow. This group has been through a lot, and the 5th year seniors have won two conference championships in their time: 2011 MWC and the 2014 Big 12. Can they win a third?
The anticipated dark clouds and rain held off, yet, in a different venue, TCU fell silent for a moment on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to remember women and men who have served.
The battalions of the Army and Air Force ROTC programs came together on Veterans Day to honor the service and sacrifice of all five branches of the United States Armed Forces.
One by one, five roses representing the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy were laid at the front of the platform inside Robert Carr Chapel. Moments later, TCU chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. and Air Force ROTC Col. Bill Dwiggins carried a wreath of red, white and blue flowers with cadets and campus members standing in honor.
Marine veteran and TCU student Andrew Lahey played “Taps” before a moment of silence.
Earlier in the program, cadets from each battalion and the TCU Student Veterans Alliance shared their own reflections on Veterans Day.
“Until I came to TCU and joined Air Force ROTC, Veterans Day not on my radar,” said Air Force ROTC cadet Lauren Corbet. “What struck me most, and what gives Veterans Day meaning to me now, is these people are willing to sacrifice so much: their personal time, time with families, even their lives, all in order to serve this country.”
Army ROTC cadet Mikala Hamilton spoke of the heroism veterans displayed that is often lost in the daily hustle and bustle of life.
“For our veterans, America the beautiful was important enough to endure suffering freezing conditions, missing birth of children, lost limbs, even loss of work,” she said.
Starpoint School students also read essays about helping families of veterans and treating them with respect as they move into civilian life.
Army ROTC cadet and battalion commander Chris Lamoureux, who served as emcee for the event, shared the history of the observance, which began as Armistice Day in 1919 to remember the end of World War I and honor the millions who perished.
Under clear skies, the remembrance moved outdoors to TCU Veterans Plaza with cadets bringing the wreath and roses and Starpoint students carrying flags and a Veterans Day banner. All participants planted flags in front of Frog Fountain in the Campus Commons.
1. Outgained All good things must come to an end. But for the second matchup of 8-0 teams in Big 12 history, we expected a closer game than the 49-29 final score delivered. The Horned Frogs walked away in tears after Oklahoma State broke their 16-game win streak. Inspection of the final statistics, though, paints a more even picture. TCU held onto the ball for 37:06, compared to OSU’s 22:54. In that time, the Frogs gained a whopping 663 yards of total offense, more than 200 better than OSU — utilizing mostly freshmen, no less. The guys in purple also won the first down battle, 36-16. Alas, football can be a game of big plays and intangibles, and the Frogs lost in both of those categories.
2. Young Guns November 7, 2015, will not go down as a happy day in Horned Frog lore, but several young offensive players had career games in purple and white jerseys. Running back Shaun Nixon, who has been limited this season in backing up Aaron Green after redshirting in 2014, led the Frogs with 146 yards receiving and showed flashes of brilliance. KaVontae Turpin, who has already earned a sizable portion of the season’s highlight reel, became Boykin’s clutch receiver in Josh Doctson’s absence. Turp accounted for a total of 282 yards through carries, receptions and kickoff and punt returns. So keep your heads up, TCU Nation. Seeing the streak end may sting, and we all wanted more for the seniors, but the future looks as bright as ever.
3. Unfair TCU fans, following the lead of Gary Patterson, have not engaged in whining or complaining about the endless injuries plaguing the country’s preseason No. 2 team. No one is making excuses for the loss, but watching Josh Doctson hold his wrist, an expression of obvious pain traveling across his face, drove home just how unlucky this season has been. Josh epitomizes the Frog Factor — a former walkon who grew into a vocal leader on his way to the top spot in numerous TCU record categories. For him to be taken out of a big game by what looked to be a freak injury seems beyond cruel.
4. Flag Festival The people who launder equipment for the Big 12 referees will be working overtime this week. The yellow flags seemed to be flying all night, and especially early in the game. From an illegal hit out of bounds to a spate of holding calls, the Frogs made numerous mistakes in the penalty department. Going on the road to beat an undefeated team in November required as mistake-free of a game as possible. A number of factors contributed to the loss, but seven avoidable whistles and the corresponding 70 penalty yards did not help the cause.
Sorry, I wear my heart on my sleeve when it’s comes to playing TCU football I really appreciate my Team for the love they showed me #ThruHim
5. No apologies, please Losses happen. That’s the way football goes. Excluding the Doctson injury, Saturday’s biggest hurt was seeing Trevone Boykin’s postgame tweet, in which he wrote, “Sorry, I wear my heart on my sleeve when [it] comes to playing TCU football.” Ouch! TCU’s player of the century does not owe a single person an apology. If anyone needs to say sorry, it’s we fans who didn’t make the trip to Stillwater to give the senior quarterback the support he deserves. In addition to providing consistent joy through athletic feats, which Frog fans will carry for decades, Boykin has inspired all of us with his good character, perseverance and kind heart. We have three more games to cheer for Trevone while he wears a TCU jersey. Let’s thank him loudly and ensure he knows that we feel uplifted, not let down.
TCU’s Michael Downing tackles Oklahoma State’s Zac Veatch during theCowboys’ 49-29 win in Stillwater. (Associated Press)
Five stats that stood out
1. Saturday’s loss ended several streaks for the Horned Frogs. TCU saw its school-record stretch of 16 games snapped. It was the second-longest active streak in the nation behind Ohio State. TCU also had won 22 consecutive games as an Associated Press Top 5 team and 12 straight Big 12 Conference games. Both streaks ended in Stillwater. 2. On a 12-yard second-quarter completion to Josh Doctson, quarterback Trevone Boykin passed Andy Dalton to become TCU’s leader in passing yards. With 445 yards passing against Oklahoma State, Boykin now has 10,526. Dalton had 10,314 from 2007-10. On Saturday, Boykin also totaled 73 rushing yards, giving him his seventh straight game with at least 300 yards passing and 40 yards on the ground. It is the longest streak in the last 20 years. No other player has had a streak longer than four games. Boykin’s 32-yard touchdown throw to Kolby Listenbee was the quarterback’s 24th consecutive game with a TD toss, tying for longest active streak in the nation. Boykin’s two rushing touchdowns were his 25th and 26th of his career, ranking seventh in TCU history. 3. Shaun Nixon had nine receptions for 146 yards, both career highs. Nixon became the fourth Horned Frog this season to reach triple digits in receiving yards, joining Doctson, Listenbee and KaVontae Turpin. 4. TCU snapped the ball 110 times compared to 53 for Oklahoma State. The Horned Frogs also outgained the Cowboys 663 to 456 and had 20 more first downs. But TCU’s season-high four turnovers led to 21 points, most allowed by the Frogs since yielding 21 points off turnovers in 2013 to Baylor. 5. TCU faced another large crowd on the road this season. On Saturday, 59,061 watched the game at Boone Pickens Stadium, sixth-largest crowd in Stillwater. In four of TCU’s five road games this year, the attendance has ranked in the top six of the home team’s stadium history.
TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin was 34 of 57 for 445 yards and a touchdown. But four interceptions proved costly in a 49-29 loss in Stillwater. (Associated Press)
Five tweets that told the tale
Oklahoma State fans were asking Trevone Boykin to stop so they could shake his hand. He did. pic.twitter.com/8Z62bncYFY — Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) November 8, 2015
Patterson said the way TCU bounces back these next three games will show what this team is made of looking ahead to next year
At the end of 2013 could you imagine TCU going 20-2 from then to now? There’s a lot to be proud of as a frog fan #FrogFam — TCU Fandom (@tcufandom) November 8, 2015
Happy November Frog Fans! Welcome to the Funhouse of College Football.
Much like those classic attractions at the state fair with mirrored walls, moving floors, rolling barrels and sudden shocks that pull all types of emotions out of us, college football’s seductive stretch drive is here. Frustrating College Football Playoff poll chatter, discussions of who’s the real “power” in the Power 5 and a Thursday night game between Baylor and Kansas State that held my attention to the end distracted and moved me all while I was trying to study up on Oklahoma State.
Four games to go: two on the road, two at home. And a ticket to the playoff hanging on every snap. Exactly where you want to be. Sure, it can be frustrating to see the Frogs roll out at No. 8, but there’s a long way to go. Remember, too, that Ohio State got to the pinnacle from the 16 spot in the first playoff poll last year. Lots of things are going to happen as we round the clubhouse turn in 2015. Thankfully, most of the committee’s work will be done for them … on the field.
Speaking of field, let’s turn out attention to Lewis Field. That’s what they used to call the stadium at Oklahoma State (now Boone Pickens Stadium) before Mr. Pickens stepped in and triggered a renewal in OSU Athletics. Trivia Item No. 2: Did you know that OSU used to be called Oklahoma A&M?
Other questions await with answers coming tomorrow at 2:30 Central time. Can the Frogs quiet the raucous crowd that well lean over the wall into their bench area? Boone Pickens Stadium is a snake pit for visiting teams. A fast start for the Frogs is a must to keep Cowboy fans quiet. Trevone Boykin will need to make the most of this opportunity against what may be the best (and most healthy) defense the Frogs have faced yet.
What’s most mysterious about OSU is that, much like the Frogs, they’ve survived close games and have found ways to win. And they’ve made it a habit. Oklahoma State (8-0) boasts one of the best defensive lines in the nation, led by Houston native Emmanuel Ogbah. He’s a beast who is on pace for another double-digit year in the Sack Dept. He had 11 last year. The Frogs need to know where he is at all times. Linebacker Jordan Burton is highly active, coming off a 13-tackle day last week at Texas Tech.
Offensively, Oklahoma State flies in the face of traditional college football knowledge. The old coaching adage is, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none.” Au contraire, says Cowboys’ Maître d’ Mike Gundy. He has a passer in Mason Rudolph, and a versatile runner/spark plug in J.W. Walsh. It’s a system that’s working for Gundy & Co.
They don’t always stay in character, either. Last week, Walsh, the runner, had two touchdown passes in excess of 70 yards, so the Frogs can’t just load up to defend the run when Walsh enters the game. Walsh’s dad, John, is the head football coach at Denton Guyer High School, so he’s got the game in his blood.
Keys for this one are going to involve the trenches. How the Frogs’ offensive line handles OSU’s front will be critical. The Cowboys will dial up stunts to increase pressure on TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin.
On the other side, the Frogs’ defense will have to contain Walsh and his zone-read magic. He’s good and running back Chris Carson (originally a Georgia commit) can find daylight.
And don’t forget the deep ball. The Frogs have to be mindful of James Washington, who burned Texas Tech for long pass plays last week (75 and 73 yards). To sum it up, there’s a lot to defend, but I like the way the Frogs’ defensive line has looked the last two games: fresh and fast. I expect to see more tomorrow.
Speaking of fresh, remember that the Frogs have had 10 days to recharge and repair after the West Virginia win. That’s something that seems lost on folks this week.
It’ll be sunny and 62 in Stillwater, and the field at Boone Pickens Stadium is a fast track (artificial turf).
When this season’s inaugural College Football Playoff rankings are revealed Tuesday night, TCU coach Gary Patterson said he won’t be watching.
Instead, he and the Horned Frogs will be finishing practice and grabbing a bite to eat.
“We shouldn’t be worried about that until four weeks. Our kids should be eating and going to study hall tonight,” the coach said at his weekly press conference.
The normally close-to-the-vest Patterson touched on a host of topics, including the number of teams in the playoff, quarterback Trevone Boykin’s Heisman Trophy chances, and a not-so-private midfield conversation with West Virginia coach Dana Holgerson.
But most immediate on Patterson’s radar is the Frogs’ undefeated opponent this week, Oklahoma State, who he said has had a similar path this season.
“They’re a little bit like us,” he said. They’ve won some ballgames on the road and found a way to win some close games.”
Like the Frogs, Oklahoma State has found ways to win with the game in the balance. One three occasions, the Cowboys have gone into the final minute of a game without the lead (at Texas, at West Virginia, Kansas State) and still won. Oklahoma State has also rallied from double-digit deficits to beat Texas Tech and Kansas State.
Patterson believes there’s even some commonality between his tenure at TCU and that of Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who has been the head man the Cowboys for 11 seasons.
“One characteristic is just consistency, being somewhere for a while and understanding your program and what you need to get done,” Patterson said. “They’ve always done a great job defensively, kind of modified what they do offensively compared to what they did a few years ago.”
The Cowboys will play big, physical receivers and feature both slashing and bruising runners on offense, he said. On defense, they still have Big 12 sack leader Emmanuel Ogbah with nine sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss, setting up TCU’s biggest test this season.
“Obviously, [Ogbah] has had a sack in a bunch of games. He’s relentless. He comes after you,” Patterson said. “They’ve got big corners. They’ve got secondary guys that can play man on you. They’re a challenge all the way up and down the field.”
The Frogs will also be ready for the Cowboys’ two-quarterback system with Mason Rudolph and J.W. Walsh.
“Kansas State had that a couple of years ago. They both run the offense. One probably runs a little bit better, and they both throw it,” he said.
Then there’s the venue itself. Stillwater is a place the Frogs have not won since joining the Big 12. Its sidelines are narrow and close to the fans, creating a loud, hostile environment.
But after trips to Lubbock, Manhattan and Ames, the Frogs are prepared.
“I don’t think it’s going to be any more emotional than the other ballgames we’ve had on the road,” Patterson said. “We’ve had some very emotional, some very big crowds. It’s always a great place because they love their football in Stillwater. It’s always a great ballgame to be a part of.
“If you want to win championships, you’ve got to be able to go do that. You’ve got to be able to play in those kind of environments.”
Other Patterson gems from a wide-ranging question-and-answer session:
On quarterback Trevone Boykin’s chances to win the Heisman Trophy: “I want to be able to help Trevone reach his goals. He’s helped us as a university and as a football team to reach ours. My job is to do everything in my power to help control the defense to give him an opportunity. Because he has a better chance of reaching everything he wants to reach if we can win the next four ballgames.”
On his players following the College Football Playoff standings each week: “I know my kids are going to see the rankings, but we have to play three of the teams that a combined 22-1. We’ll worry about it in a month.
On the fact that there are 11 undefeated teams and eight one-loss teams in the Top 25: “I look at it right now, and I watch and I think, This year, we’re going to come down wishing that we had an eight-team playoff, not a four.”
On Boykin giving West Virginia’s Holgerson a high-five during the third quarter of the Frogs’ 40-10 victory: “I don’t know what else you could do. He probably get in trouble if he gets mad at his own guys.”
On Boykin’s dedication to the Frogs: “He wants to win badly. He’s turned down a lot of interviews. He plays better when he stays focused with what he does. He wants to show he’s the best. That is why is he the way he is. He’d play in the parking lot.”
On his mid-field question to Holgerson about TCU’s chances versus Baylor: “Everybody wants to make a big deal of it, and it’s not a big deal. I call and ask coaches all the time the same question. I ask it just because they played them last. I ask that question all the time. I’ve asked that question against every person we’ve played this year, except the first couple. I get phone calls all the time asking the same question.”
When the College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night on ESPN, the Frogs were No. 8. The Frogs are ranked third in the USA Today Amway Coaches Poll and fifth in the Associated Press poll.
Marine veteran and TCU student Andrew Lahey played “Taps” before a moment of silence.
