Frog fans, R-E-L-A-X.
November 17, 2015
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!
Feeling better now? Good. See you in Norman.
Kick ‘Em High!
About Extra Points with John Denton
John Denton has been the color analyst for the TCU Sports Network from IMG since 1988. A former standout for the Horned Frog football team, Denton went from walk-on to a four-year lettermen as a kicker and punter for the Purple and White from 1981-84 and completed his career at the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl. Shown here with his former coach, the late Jim Wacker, Denton currently serves as the Associate Athletics Director for Athletics Alumni Relations & Executive Director of the Block T Association.
Your comments are welcome
4 Comments
I appreciate the point of view, but this is a lost season. Referencing past years for comparison purposes fails to appreciate the overall significant growth of the football program. The Frogs were supposed to be a playoff team or at least a top 10 team if they stumbled along the way. This is not 1975, thank gosh. My grandfather was chairman of the board, and I believe that I was at both of the games that you mentioned. He wouldn’t even recognize the campus or program today. Gary Patterson has done a remarkable job of fielding competitive efforts this year, BUT injuries have robbed the team of the preseason potential. TCU still doesn’t quite have the depth of Alabama, Ohio state or Notre Dame. TCU MUST improve its non-conference schedule particularly without a conference championship game. Playing any FCS schools is a joke. For the record, your inclusion of Nebraska is misplaced. Their walkon days are over, and they haven’t finished in the top 10 in recruiting rankings since 2005. FYI – I’m a fan, but let’s put the rose-colored glasses away.
Yeah, we’ve had worse seasons record-wise, but not expectation-wise. This season is nothing but a failure(not faulting the team, they can’t help injuries) because we had legitimate national championship hopes. We had a legitimate shot at having a Heisman Trophy winner. So while I admire your optimism and what we do have here at TCU, this season can marked down as nothing but a let down.
Change the caption of this article… I thought you were going to say Boykin is playing.
This has been a crazy TCU season, not only because of injuries, but more significantly because of raw tenacity and clawing our way to some hard wins. There have been spells of sheer beauty, at times sustained. The thing is, as I see it, this was never a one man show or even a two man show, and it was never a magic act even when it felt like it was. it has been a coach with a team and a megaton of incredible heart. That has not changed. I will be coming from Florida for TCU’s last two games of conference play. I expect to see tenacity and execution. As a class of ’74 grad I remember the horrible seasons of that era. That’s not who we are. Indeed Sooners are talented and playing well, but they’ll have to take us seriously even on their home turf. It’s a football game; crazy stuff happens. Baylor will see us on Carter turf; regardless of what does or doesn’t happen in Norman, the game in the 27th will be an episode of its own. Don’t tell me this season is over until it’s actually over. No magic! Just hard-ass sportsmanship and unrelenting, raging nut case possibility until the last quarter ticks down to .00. I’m traveling to see us win, and I’ll scream my head off to the end. They will FEAR THE FROG!
Related Reading:
KU — Who’s Got What?
As we get deeper into November and Saturdays’ Senior Day home finale for this year, the over-arching thought comes to mind as I think of TCU vs. Kansas. Who’s got what? TCU is coming off a 63-17 blowout loss to a very good Oklahoma State team. Better than the CFP committee has them ranked. What
Stirring it Up in Stillwater
The season rolls on. And what a difference a win makes. After an entertaining, breath-taking, unexpected and energizing win over No. 12 Baylor last week, the Frogs get a reward. The prize? No. 10 Oklahoma State in Stillwater at night. One of the toughest places to play in the Big 12 will be packed and