Well, here we go! It’s just about time to turn your compass heading toward Amon G. Carter Stadium, where the Frogs have played since 1930, some 88 years ago.

And speaking of the 1930’s, tomorrow we’ll celebrate Davey Day in commemoration of the 80^th Anniversary of Davey O’Brien’s 1938 Heisman Trophy. It will be a special day as Davey’s family will be on hand and the Frogs will wear special stickers on their headgears.  There’ll also be special #8 caps on sale tomorrow only inside the stadium. And they look pretty cool.

Trivia Question: Davey O’Brien’s number 8 was retired long ago. I’m my lifetime, no one has worn 8 at TCU. Who was the last player to wear number 8 at TCU?  

OK, now – remember that you’re out of practice going to football games and it’s been 10 months since TCU’s last home game. Here’s your pregame checklist:

• Make sure you have your tickets – the right tickets. You’d be surprise how many fans either forget their tickets or bring the wrong ones.
• Make sure you have your parking pass – all parking passes have bar codes this year. No pass, No entry. (www.gofrogs.com for more info)
• Get there early – parking lots open at 6 a.m.
• Get that cooler packed – with lots of water. It will be warm.
• Get over to the Walk of the Frogs – it’s moved due to stadium construction. The Frogs will arrive in front of Schollmaier Arena and walk past the big Frog statue and touch it on the nose for Good Luck. Make sure you do the same after the team goes through. It’s a new tradition, kind of like Howard’s Rock at Clemson.

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Saturday morning the Frogs go for their fifth straight win in a season opener against the Southern Jaguars of the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference). The SWAC is a 10-team league that historically produces great players – too many to name, but consider Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams from Grambling and Michael Strahan, a Texas Southern alum.

Southern is coached by Dawson Odums and they’re better than you want them to be. Odums is in his 7^th year at the helm in Baton Rouge and over the last five years, his teams have averaged eight wins a year. In 2013, they won the SWAC Championship.

The Jaguars run a multiple offense – a mix of 5-wideout, power stack formations and option wrinkles every now and then. It’s an offense that keeps you guessing and my guess is that the Jags will take a lot of chances Saturday.

The offensive line is big – they average 314 pounds and the left side of the O-Line averages 335! They’ll be protecting a new quarterback. Sophomore John Lampley will get the nod. He was a hot shot high school quarterback in Georgia. In his time at Southern, he’s thrown a total of 26 passes and played in seven games. Watch for running back #9 Devon Benn and wideouts #6 Jamar Washington (the team’s leading returning receiver) and big #4 Hunter Register, a 6′ 5″ transfer from Minnesota.

On defense, Southern runs a 4-3 package that’s built on speed up front and size at linebacker. The defensive line is the deepest group at Southern in years. Linebacker #52 Calvin Lunkins covers a lot of ground along with #44 Middle Linebacker Alfred Palomino. Cornerback #14 Demerio Houston is the leader in the secondary.

We’re less than 24 hours away from kickoff and the Frogs are ready to get the season going. Opening day is always special and anything can happen — that’s what makes college football so much fun (and interesting). And the games will start coming fast. A week from today, the Frogs will be at SMU and in the space of a less than week the season will be two games old.

The Frogs will have to get healed up quickly. Coach Gary Patterson, at the Frog Club’s Patterson Luncheon Thursday, said the team will be without as many as 10 starters tomorrow. Stay tuned for more news on this. Brian, Landry and I are on the air tomorrow at 10 a.m. on the TCU Sports Network. Join us!

Have a great season, Frog fans! Get your purple on!

Until tomorrow,

Kick ‘Em High!