Here’s your mid-week oil check, Frog Fans!

Or should I say, “blood pressure check.”

That was a wild one last Saturday night against Arkansas – it had just about everything. And the emotional swings were like riding the old Comet Coaster at the State Fair of Texas: High speed and lots of ups and downs — you were holding on for dear life and hoping that the car stayed on the track! By the way, The Comet and its wooden frame next to the Cotton Bowl is long gone, but its impact on me is still there. Kinda like last Saturday.

But now’s time to get over it. My dad, Joe, always says that “losses are good learning experiences.” He should know. He’s nearly 92.

“When you lose, don’t lose the lesson,” is the famous quote. Here are some lessons from last Saturday:

1. The Frogs need to start faster. A 20-7 hole is hard situation to overcome. The Frogs made a super effort and great plays to get back into the Arkansas game.
2. When you’re fortunate enough to get back the lead in such a game, finish!
3. I really like the mental toughness of this team. The Arkansas game will pay dividends later in the season.
4. There will be more games like this. College football scoreboards these days look like tote boards at a telethon.
5. The Frogs have two big games coming in the course of six days (Iowa State

Saturday followed by SMU the next Friday). This is an important stretch and Iowa State is a capable team.

More on the Cyclones on Friday.

Kick ‘Em High!

Coach Patterson huddles with the defense. (Photo by Leo Wesson)

There is something special about a Friday during football season before a big home game. Vendors are busy setting up on campus. The field at Amon G. Carter has a fresh coat of paint (Love those purple end zones!), and you can feel the build-up and countdown to kickoff. It should be a great Saturday. Spruce it up — the SEC is coming to town.

And here comes Arkansas.

Arkansas is the first SEC team to visit “The Carter” since Vanderbilt stopped by in 2003. The Frogs beat #20 Vandy 30-14.

They’ll drop their gear at Amon G. Carter Stadium for the first time since October 5, 1991. Lots has changed since then, and the difference will be noticeable to Hog fans. This is not the same TCU from 25 years ago. Four conference affiliations, a Rose Bowl win and a brand-new stadium later, Hog fans will no doubt say, “Love what you’ve done with the place!”

Arkansas rolls in with the size that you’d expect from a SEC team — huge offensive line, a 500-pound backfield and a slow-down, bulldozer system that Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema calls “Huddle Football.” It’s a throwback to the old days of the SWC. Nobody else plays like that anymore, except maybe Kansas State. Quarterback Austin Allen is a talented, but new, quarterback who threw for two touchdowns (but also two interceptions) versus Louisiana Tech last week. He has a deadly tandem of wideouts to throw to in Keon Hatcher and Drew Morgan. Both have speed and are dangerous. Add to that another huge target in tight end Jeremy Sprinkle at 6-6 and 256 pounds, and suddenly coverage combined with a mean pass rush are musts for the Frogs. TCU will also have to be uber-physical on defense.

Key stat: Arkansas gave up four sacks last week to Louisiana Tech with an offensive line that is trying to break in three new starters.

Defensively, Arkansas runs a 4-3 scheme with a lot of 4-2-5 mixed in throughout the game. The defensive line is one of the largest in the SEC (next to Alabama) and features defensive end Deatrich Wise, Jr., who has 7.5 sacks in his last five regular-season games). Experienced defensive tackle Taiwan Johnson holds down the middle; he’s making his 28th start. The linebackers are young and improving. The secondary is where Arkansas needs work. Last year they gave up an average of 275 yards per game through the air, and they didn’t look much better against Louisiana Tech. Former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads is the new secondary coach, and he has his hands full. And he’s running out of bodies.

Key stat: Since the start of fall camp, Arkansas has lost three corners to injury, two for the season. They’re taping up injured cornerback DJ Dean and will likely have to play him Saturday. Frog receivers, are you listening? Hello!

Game program from the 1989 showdown between TCU and the University of Arkansas.

Extra Extra Points:

· The weather is going to be perfect with the kickoff forecast for 80 degrees. It’s fall and you can tell by the angle of sunlight – it’s changing.

· Arkansas is the first SEC team to visit “The Carter” since Vanderbilt stopped by in 2003. The Frogs beat #20 Vandy 30-14.

· Arkansas cornerback DJ Dean is the nephew of former TCU defensive end Kevin Dean, who played for the Frogs from 1983-86 and was a member of the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl team that defeated Arkansas 32-31 in Fayetteville.

Bring your big Frog voices, TCU fans. You will be challenged Saturday. Time to own “The Carter”

Kick ‘Em High!

Bring your big Frog voices for Saturday’s showdown against Arkansas, writes John Denton. (photo by Leo Wesson)

)

… and that means we’re about to get rolling downhill toward Saturday and a reunion with an old SWC foe: Arkansas.

Finally, the Frogs get to play Arkansas – the last former member of the Southwest Conference that TCU hasn’t played in football since the conference went away in 1995. In the years since we laid the SWC to rest, the Frogs faced Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Houston, SMU, Rice and Texas A&M – played them all. But not Arkansas, which adds to the appeal of this matchup.

The last time the Frogs and Hogs played was in Fort Worth in 1991 – a wild game that saw the Frogs bolt to a 21-0 lead, only to fumble it away in a 22-21 last-minute loss. Former head coach Jim Wacker was in his last year at TCU. Jack Crowe was in his last year as head coach at Arkansas.

The next year Arkansas was off to the SEC.

Ironic that 25 years later, if you go looking for the most recent conference football championship trophy in the Arkansas case, it says “1989 SWC Champions”. That’s the last one for the Hogs. They played Tennessee in the 1990 Cotton Bowl, losing 31-27.

TCU Football program from the 1952 game against the University of Arkansas.

The last time the Frogs beat Arkansas at home was in 1981, a delicious 28-24 win that saw the Frogs end a 22-game losing streak to the Hogs. That’s right … 22. Quarterback Steve Stamp engineered a 99-yard, fourth-quarter drive and found Stanley Washington in the north end zone of Amon G. Carter Stadium for the winning touchdown. Before that game, 1958 was the last time TCU had beaten Arkansas, so to celebrate, they left the scoreboard on until Monday! It was TCU head coach F.A. Dry’s signature win for the program.

This year’s freshman class at TCU was born the same year that the Frogs beat USC in the Sun Bowl.

Nonetheless, it’ll be fun to hear them “call the Hogs” and bring all that Arkansas has to offer on a football Saturday. For those 45 and older, it’ll remind of the old days. Can the ’80s and ’90s really be the good ol’ days?? Wow, I’m getting old.

Fact is, new Frog fans don’t know about Arkansas, or the SWC … or losing. This year’s freshman class at TCU was born the same year that the Frogs beat USC in the Sun Bowl. Fathom that stat.

More on Arkansas on Friday.

Here are some takeaways from the Frogs’ win over South Dakota State:

1. Kenny Hill is for real. Just let him get a little more rust knocked off.
2. The wide receiver corps is deep – nine different Frogs caught passes last Saturday.
3. South Dakota State was better than people thought – told you. It will pay off down the road.
4. The defense was a little slow out of the blocks. Not to worry. GP has his tool box open. Bolt tightening under way.
5. Turpin-Time – that punt return was a thing of beauty. It doesn’t seem like he had an off-season. He’s always on.

See you Friday.

Kick ‘Em High!

John Denton interviews TCU defensive end James McFarland at the TCU Football media luncheon on Sept. 6, 2016.

It’s September! That means dove season in Texas. I heard hunting expert Big Billy Kinder, a TCU Football alumnus, say there will be 250,000 Texas dove hunters out spraying shot this weekend in pursuit of birds … wow!

AND it’s finally football season. What a lineup for the first weekend.  Looking at the schedule, I almost thought I “Rip Van Winkled-it” through the fall and it was bowl season already. Look at what the College Football Playoff has given us: more meat and fewer cupcakes; real games between ranked teams early in the season. And a nice list it is!

TCU wide receiver Ty Slanina returns after missing much of 2015 due to injury.

Big 12 fans need look no further than No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Houston. Could this be the play-in game for the Coogs’ Big 12 future?

No. 4 Florida State takes on No. 11 Ole Miss. Don’t laugh, Frog fans. Ole Miss is improved and they have a great quarterback.

No. 2 Clemson visits Auburn. And Georgia at No. 18 takes on No. 22 North Carolina. And don’t forget, Wisconsin hosts No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field … can you say physical?

Are you detecting the heavy Southeastern Conference sauce like I am??

Closer to our Big 12 home, Bill Snyder and his Kansas State Wildcats take their mojo to No. 8 Stanford; No. 10 Notre Dame rolls into Austin to take on Texas; No. 16 UCLA tries on the humidity for size in College Station against the Aggies.

Oops, I nearly forgot … No. 1 Alabama tunes up the machine at Jerry World against No. 20 USC in what will be the yawner on the menu. Tide rolls.

But those games are not why you’re reading this. You’re interested in the Frogs … and you should be.

Last year’s injury-dotted march to 11 TCU wins and a historic bowl victory for the ages set the stage for this season. Now that we’re on the silver-lining side of the 2015 season and all those injuries that vaulted redshirts and freshmen into duty (especially on defense), Coach P has a team that’s mature beyond its years and has depth to show for last year’s storm that ended perfectly at the Alamo Bowl. And then … those seven home games … huge!

Now add Kenny Hill after 18 months at Camp Frog, where he learned the TCU way. Then add a recruiting class full of talent, many of whom will make their way onto the field this year, to a defense with depth aplenty.

Things I’m looking forward to:

• Watching the impact of quarterback Coach Sonny Cumbie on Kenny Hill. If you thought Trevone Boykin was good after a makeover, then just wait for this one.
• Opposing offenses trying to deal with the speed and power of defensive ends James McFarland and Josh Carraway coming full speed at them at the same time. How many opposing running backs will be on the field solely to block?
• The fleet of receivers vying to answer the question: “Who’s going to replace Josh Doctson?” The answers are in place, believe me. It all will unfold.

As we begin the season, here are some names to keep an eye on:

On offense: Emanuel Porter (#1) is primed to have a great year. His hands are always in the right spot, and you saw what he can do in the Alamo Bowl. Kyle Hicks (#21) is a back about to blossom – he showed glimpses last year. This year you’ll see the whole picture.

Ty Slanina’s back from injury, ‘nuff said. Same for Deante Gray – fast! Another receiver, Taj Williams (#2) will make plays; over the last two years at Iowa Western Community College he had 128 catches! Watch out for tight end/halfback Cole Hunt (he’s Joey Hunt’s little brother); he can run deep routes really well. And watch out for frosh (that’s old school for freshman) Sewo Olonilua at running back. He’s 6-3, 225 pounds and knows which way the end zone is. Don’t’ forget running back Darius Anderson, either. Too bad we can only play 11 at a time!

On defense:  Lots coming back, and a lot of new faces. And all of them can run. I already mentioned McFarland and Carraway, and the defensive tackles get my attention, too. Joseph Broadnax had a great fall camp, as did Aaron Curry. Chris Bradley has nine starts at defensive tackle and knows his way around a block. L. J. Collier is hungry and motivated. At linebacker, welcome back Sammy Douglas. In the secondary watch out for two freshmen, safety Innis Gaines and cornerback Vernon Scott. At the other corner are Jeff Gladney and former wide receiver Tony James. He threw a 20-yard pass in the Alamo Bowl. (Remember the double pass play Doug Meacham called early in the third quarter?) James is now a corner and can keep up with anyone.

The kicking game took a hit with Jonathan Song’s injury, opening the door for kickers Ryan Graf and Brandon Hatfield to step up. Punter Adam Nunez had a great fall camp. He’s a pure punter.

South Dakota State brings a young, talented team into “The Carter.” The Jackrabbits are ranked No. 8 in the Football Championship Subdivision for a reason. They’re better than you want them to be. It’ll be a good idea for the Frogs to start quick in this one.

Happy Football Season!

Kick ‘Em High!

Every year, millions of people watching the NFL’s Super Bowl catch a glimpse of Ben Nix ’63. But what viewers really see what’s he’s holding — the shiny Lombardi Trophy that goes to the big game’s winner.

A former Dallas Cowboys security officer and FBI agent, Nix has worked for the NFL since 1981. Each year, his job is to coordinate the travel and protection of the league’s ultimate prize.

The trophy, made by Tiffany’s, weighs 7 pounds and costs about $50,000. It’s made of sterling silver. Unlike the Stanley Cup in hockey, the Lombardi Trophy is made anew each year. The winning team keeps it forever rather than giving it back at the start of the ensuing season.

Starting the week of the Super Bowl, Nix goes wherever the trophy goes, transporting and guarding it at numerous appearances at the site of the big game each year. Photos are OK, but no one touches it without white gloves, until it’s time to hand it to the league commissioner at the trophy presentation.

“The most difficult part is to keep the hands off it until the team gets it,” he said. “It smudges up pretty easily and so we try to keep that from happening.”

Nix, a former TCU football player, gets busy at the fourth quarter winds down.

“About four minutes left in the game, [I] bring it out to the field and eventually hand it to the presenter who takes it down to the winning team,” he said.

And when that final minute runs off the clock and the handoff is made, Nix exhales.

“There’s always a sense of relief,” he said. “There’s no question about that. Yeah, a big sense of relief.”

Today is a big day for actor and film producer Arturo Muyshondt ’94. His new film “The Pastor” debuts at 400 theaters nationwide, including two in Fort Worth — Ridgmar 13 and Hulen Movie Tavern — and four in Dallas.

The film is billed as “a gritty, strong-messaged, gang thriller,” and it has personal meaning for Muyshondt, who grew up amid a violent civil war in El Salvador. He also conducted much of his research for the film in United States cities with gang activity and jails in the U.S. and Central America.

The movie draws from his own life. Muyshondt plays the title character who is a former gang leader in Brooklyn who survives a knife attack in prison and then discovers his faith in God while in solitary confinement. Upon his release, he becomes a pastor, finding his true purpose, and seeks to serve underprivileged youth of the community to steer them away from the gang life he once led.

Turf wars ignite between two prominent gangs, and the new-found pastor finds himself and his growing community targets. Will he maintain his faith or turn back to the cold-blooded killer he once was.

“The film and my character have taken a life of its own as they relate to my personal story,” said Muyshondt, who also wrote and produced the film.

He’s also a global spokesman. Earlier this month, the United Nations invited him to speak at its conference on Poverty, Inequality and Social Violence. Afterward, he showed the film to audiences in his native El Salvador.

Muyshondt’s interest in acting and filmmaking dates back as far as 12 years old, when he created short films in El Salvador.

But it wasn’t until 2003 when he really tried his hand at acting after a successful but tiring career as an investment banker in Miami, where he worked for Dresdner Bank AG, a German financial conglomerate. After advising governments, banks and corporations in Latin America and structuring investment products for wealthy clients, he wanted something new and began acting training at Coconut Grove Playhouse.

By 2007, he launched his own production company WolfGang Cinema and went to Los Angeles to intensify his new career at The Joanne Baron Studio. His goal: Establish himself as a leading Hispanic producer in Hollywood.

Today, Muyshondt has turned WGC into a cross-cultural enterprise, producing films that focus on a multicultural audience.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

I hope all of you have a great holiday and enjoy all your family traditions, whatever they may be. This holiday is all about family and food. And it wouldn’t be complete without some football with one of our Big 12 family … and feud.

Baylor-TCU is a game that’s been long-anticipated, sort of like Grandma Denton’s sweet potatoes … with melted marshmallows.

The campuses are only 83 miles apart. These two are each other’s closest neighbors on Big 12 Lane. And the shared fence has taken a beating of late. It’s a rivalry that’s complete — from the guy in the last row to the players and all the way down to the head coaches. It’s thorough and thick, and it’s amazing that it’s taken this long.

Sure, Baylor and TCU played 110 times all through the early years and throughout the history of the SWC, but it never had the heat that it has now. In the old days, the Bears view of the Brazos was ruined on a regular basis by the hated Aggies, and TCU couldn’t stand SMU, a mere 30 miles east.

TCU and Baylor will play for the 111^th time tonight, and it’s one of the most played series in college football. If the SWC hadn’t broken apart, this would be one of the top three series in college football in terms of total games played.

It’s hard to imagine these two teams going at it more than once a year, but when these two schools were located in Waco, multiple meetings were commonplace: They played twice in 1901, three times in 1902, twice in 1904, three times in 1905, three times in 1907, three times in 1908, three times in 1909 and twice in 1910. The Frogs and Bears lost 10 games when didn’t play each other after 1995 until 2006.

The flames on this rivalry really got fanned in 2010 when Andy Dalton and the Rose Bowl-bound Frogs (from the MWC) welcomed RGIII and his Superman cape into Amon G. Carter Stadium. TCU led 35-3 at the half and dismantled Baylor in grand fashion, 45-10. That made it three straight TCU wins over Baylor and the folks in Waco didn’t like it. The next fall, when Casey Pachall and the Frogs rolled into Waco, Art and RGIII and big pass plays were waiting. While the Frogs had a chance to win it at the end, this shootout victory by Baylor leveled the table. Since the Frogs entered the Big 12 in 2012, it’s been a year-round tussle in worthy of neighborhood attention.

Even though TCU has lost two games and Baylor has lost one, there’s still a lot on the line, especially bragging rights and who gets to have fun with billboards in I-35 and team photos for the next year. It’s the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and these two teams are shopping for weaknesses to exploit and good gets that no coupon can bring. The store opens at 6:30 p.m. Don’t be late for these door busters!

• Quarterbacks – Who will they be?   Not exactly the scenario that everyone from Lee Corso to Dave Campbell anticipated at the beginning of the year. Trevone Boykin is hobbled but available and Baylor has no Seth Russell and no Jarrett Stidham. Chris Johnson has moved back to quarterback from wide receiver to fill in and he did a nice job vs. Oklahoma State. And he’s big.
• Running Backs – I like this matchup between Shock Linwood and TCU’s Aaron Green. Two of the more productive backs in the Big 12. These backs both bring the BALANCE to their respective offenses.
• Defenses – The Frogs have had problems defending deep passes and Baylor has had problems stopping the run. How each group has healed up since last week’s battles will be key here.
• Kicking Game – TCU has the best field goal kicker in TCU history in Jaden Oberkrom, and he’s almost done as a Frog. Watch and appreciate him. He may be the difference in this one. And don’t forget the return game … it may be Turpin-Time!

It’s a Purple Out game at The Carter, so lay off the tryptophan and get amped up for this one.

Kick ‘Em High!

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 first down 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.

Kick ‘Em High!

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!

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 5^th year seniors have won two conference championships in their time: 2011 MWC and the 2014 Big 12. Can they win a third?

Kick ‘Em High!