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).

Looking for 9-0!

Kick ‘Em High!

The Frogs tee it up tonight with Halloween looming this weekend. “The Carter” will be rockin’ with a full-on blackout and another sellout crowd.

Trick or Treat? The second season is here.

A five-game gauntlet awaits the Frogs. Three at home. Two on the road. Three of them against ranked teams. Two trips to the state of Oklahoma: one against a Cowboys team that just keeps winning, and one against an OU team that’s just mad and may be the most dangerous of the five remaining. And a finale against a wounded Bear who is now young at heart. Buckle up, Frog fans. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

But that’s what you want. Remember back in July when you were craving college football? You were almost seven months into your withdrawal, and you’d watched all your archived games on your DVR or on DVD? That 1998 Sun Bowl is just as good the 118^th time, huh? But nothing satisfies like the new season. Well, here it is in a nice, neat five-week package … full of tricks!

As I always say, in September, you can draw a line from the result of a game to the depth chart. That’s when teams are fine-tuning. In November, though, you draw lines from scores directly to your team’s post-season fate. It gets serious, and it gets your attention. Just like the old days, TCU would much rather be in the Cotton Bowl (one of the College Football Playoff semifinal sites), instead of the Sugar Bowl, a New Year’s Six game this year. Did I just write that???

Be careful with West Virginia. Sure, they’ve lost three straight, but look who they fell to: OU, Baylor and OSU – three hurdles still on the menu for the No. 5 Frogs. And they have a crafty coach. I like Dana Holgersen and what he does with his offense. He likes balance and he loves the screen game. WVU won’t be afraid to run the ball, and TCU will get tested early.

On defense, the Mountaineers load their muskets with a 3-3-5 scheme that disguises blitzes and makes reads tough. Because of all that movement, the linebackers are sometimes late to the party, especially on blitzes. This could open the door for big plays for TCU. Additionally, if I was coaching WVU’s defense, we’d be working on tackling.

If you like kickers, as I do, this is your game. Jaden Oberkrom has made more field goals that anyone who’s ever taken a swing at it at TCU. Josh Lambert for WVU is strong and can hit from long-range, as can Oberkrom. These guys have ended the last two games in this series. You may see some long kicks tonight.

Something else to look for tonight: Abby Faber, the little girl and Iowa State fan, who has become Trevone Boykin’s new best friend, will be in the house tonight. Keep your eyes open for her. Now that’s a treat!!!

Oh, and how about Coach Jill Kramer and the VolleyFrogs???  Love that “net” result over Texas last night!

Kick ‘Em High!!

TCU alums Bradley Lovell ’10 and David Smart ’13 were reppin’ the Horned Frogs this week at the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail. The 2,658-mile route follows a continuous hiking trail from the California-Mexico border to the Washington-Canada border. “It took us nearly six months,” Smart wrote us just three days after completing the journey. “We started the journey on April 23 and completed on October 17. We’re so glad we had the opportunity to represent such an amazing school!” Smart and Lovell are graduates of the Neeley School of Business and hail from Dallas.

Howdy from Ames, Iowa! We woke up to assurance that it is indeed autumn. The thermometer read 30 this morning.

That’s just a reminder that we are on the road and that the Frogs need to heat up early tonight against Iowa State.

The Cyclones can run the ball. Recall last week’s tussle at K-State? The Frogs’ defense will need to carry over last Saturday’s second-half effort early in this one. ISU running back Mike Warren is the hottest ball-carrier in the country over the last month, averaging 8.8 yards per tote, and he shredded Texas Tech for 245 rushing yards last week.

Iowa State’s offensive line is best when run blocking, so the Frogs need to make the Cyclones believe that they’re a passing team, much like what TCU did to KSU last week after halftime. If the ‘Clones do decide to throw, there are weapons at wide receiver in the Cardinal & Gold: D’vario Montgomery (6-6) and Allen Lazard (6-5) are tall matchup problems, and No. 9 Quenton Brundrage can fly. Don’t forget that Iowa State’s offensive coordinator is Mark Mangino, former head coach at Kansas, who’s a master game-planner.

On defense, Iowa State has gotten better. They needed to. Last year, ISU was dead last in the nation in total defense. They gave up an average of 571 yards per game in Big 12 play.

This year, they’re up to No. 101 in the nation — not great but a jump ahead. Nose tackle Demond Tucker is my favorite. He’s a big-time player for Iowa State, maybe the biggest recruit head coach Paul Rhoads has landed in his seven years at the helm. The linebackers are OK, but the secondary is the strength of the ISU defense. I think the Frogs will test that ISU secondary early.

All in all, the Frogs’ seventh week of the season should be their best. I believe this team has learned its lessons well — especially last week’s close shave.

Kick ‘Em High!

It’s the halfway point in the regular season, and here’s what to look for (along with a few musical references) as the Frogs are On The Road Again (Willie Nelson) to a place they’ve not yet won in as a member of the Big 12.

Coming off the explosive win over Texas, Coach P hinted that the light is starting go on for some of his young defensive players. I’d say so.

It’s That Time of the Season (The Zombies) when players hit another gear mentally and you can tell the difference. A lot of it has to do with the consulting firm of Pierson & Tuaua, experts in adding heart and fuel to defense.

The offense has hit another gear as well and running like a new Mercedes! A surprisingly explosive running game has been complimented as expected by the air game and Josh Doctson. But it’s the New Kid in Town (Eagles), KaVontae Turpin whose time has come.

Kansas State is as beat up on offense as the Frogs have been on defense, and the next new quarterback they run out will be their sixth of 2015.

Keys for the Frogs are to start fast and take advantage of their speed. Defensively, the Frogs have to get K-State off the field, or they’ll play “keep away” and shorten the game.

Bill Snyder is a master game planner, and he’ll have his beat-up troop ready to face the Purple Rain (Prince). The Frogs only win in Manhattan came in 1985 by a score of 24-22. Hopefully, this will be The Second Time Around (Sinatra).

See you on the radio at 5:30 p.m. on the TCU Sports Network, live from Manhattan.

Kick ‘Em High!

Happy Homecoming, Horned Frogs!

In a Homecoming game matchup that never would have happened in my day, the Frogs welcome the Texas Longhorns to Amon G. Carter Stadium for an 11 o’clock kick. It’s Breakfast at The Carter!!!

I’m surprised a bit by the early kick time, given that the Frogs are No. 4 in the nation, and Texas always draws a huge audience. But the upside is that the Frogs/Horns are nationwide on ABC as soon as “ESPN College Gameday” is over.

This game features two teams battling different sets of problems and challenges. The Frogs are clinging to a Top 5 ranking without most of their defensive starters and young players are getting a lot of “OJT” (see footnote).   The Horns, on the other hand, are just trying to find the inside pieces to the puzzle — and their season has been puzzling so far — to all Orangebloods.

After looking a gear behind against Notre Dame, Texas has looked better the last three weeks. They’re improving, but they’ve been victimized by meltdowns on fourth down that involve putting foot to leather — a missed PAT against Cal that would have sent the game to overtime, and last week, the punter failed to follow Step 1 in The Punting Handbook: CATCH THE SNAP.

Nonetheless, Charlie Strong’s crew will come in and play hard, believing that the odds are going to swing in their favor sooner than later. Speaking of Sooner, Oklahoma awaits the ‘Horns next week in Dallas. But don’t think for a minute that the Horns will be looking ahead. They’re focused on the Frogs, and here’s how they’ll attack TCU:

1. Jerrod Heard will run off TCU coverage with long pass patterns — UT has some good receivers — and try to use his legs to keep Texas in the game. Heard is the leading rusher for the Longhorns, and he is the key to this offense. Five-star running back Johnathan Gray is still trying to overcome the effects of an Achilles’ injury and the surgery that slowed him last year. So look for UT to use multiple backs.
2. They’ll throw deep and try to hit the big play. Marcus Johnson had a huge game against TCU in the Storm Game two years ago in Fort Worth, and he’s to be respected. One-time TCU commit Daje Johnson is a threat to toast a defensive back every time the ball is snapped.
3. When the Frogs have the ball, watch for the ‘Horns to take chances and blitz TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin. Texas likes to bring linebackers from the edge, and defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway, at 314 pounds, brings it up the middle. The Longhorns will have to pick their spots though, as Horned Frog wide receiver Josh Doctson loves to find the open spaces created by blitzes. A chess match to watch Saturday, for sure.

It was great to see TCU defensive tackle Davion Pierson bring attitude to the Frogs defense last week. You might see Mike Tuaua back on the field this week doing the same.

For the Frogs, I think they just need to keep doing what they’re doing. They are starting to find real rhythm on offense. Saturday could be another one of those record days of 700-plus yards of total offense.

Defensively, the Frogs are getting better each week. Experience earned now will pay huge dividends down the stretch.

Have a great Homecoming Weekend, enjoy the great weather, and …

Kick ‘Em High!!!!

Trevone Boykin and the Horned Frog offense will have to run the ball to keep Texas Tech’s defense on the field.

As we head to the South Plains for a visit with Texas Technical College (Tech’s original name), both teams are approaching this game from different places than what might have been anticipated before the season.

Tech is 3-0 and hot, coming off a win over Arkansas (in Fayetteville) last weekend. Their offense is back to its old self, and the defense is showing signs of improvement, especially creating turnovers. Tech still has trouble stopping the run (more on that later), but new defensive coordinator David Gibbs may just be the “offseason hire of the year” in the Big 12. He’s definitely had an impact.

A sold-out crowd will greet the Frogs Saturday afternoon at AT&T Jones Stadium. It will be loud, and Tech fans, believing that their team should be ranked, will be ready to distract the No. 2/3 Frogs.

Taking the crowd out of the game will be key. That means a fast start by the offense.

Here are some other huge factors to the game:

• The Frogs have to control the ball (and the clock) to protect their ad hoc defense. Those guys are playing hard, but it’s not the crew Coach P and the defensive staff envisioned a month ago. So you have to give them all the help you can. I think that means running the ball – yes, I said it – even though the Air Raid offense rules at TCU. This season’s situation calls for alternate measures. The Frogs have done a good job on the ground at 231 yards per game. Meanwhile, Tech’s run defense is ranked No. 122 in the nation, giving up 257 yards per contest. Sam Houston State ran for 317 on the Scarlet & Black. Sure, throw it when it’s there, but running the ball and running the clock is good for all 22 this week.

• Tacking is key in this one – and I mean on first contact. Tech’s receivers will make catches. The difference is stopping them at the point of the catch. Don’t allow them to get up-field with sloppy tackling. “Hunting together,” as Coach P likes to say is critical.

• Special teams play will be big in this one. Lubbock is a windy place, and it’s also a very bright place on a sunny day. Returners are going to have to secure the ball while fighting the sun while working from north to south. Punters and kickers are going to have to be solid at impact when kicking into the breeze.

• Frogs need a fast start. TCU has been good at this. So has Tech. The Red Raiders have scored on their opening possession in each of their first three games. If this turns out to be a shootout, it’s good to score first (and have the ball last).

Dinner’s at The Fifty Yard Line steakhouse tonight…a Lubbock legend.

Kick ‘Em High!

If you like dual-threat quarterback, then Saturday night’s 95^th edition of TCU-SMU is the ticket for you.

Trevone Boykin, TCU’s Heisman Trophy candidate, will match skills with the Ponies’ athletic signal caller Matt Davis. Ironically, both had to fight for their quarterback lives at one point in their careers. You know the story of Boykin and his path from quarterback to wide receiver to taking on Matt Joekel for the starting role in 2014 to exploding on the college football world.

But Matt Davis’ path is even more circuitous. Davis was signed by Mike Sherman to play at Texas A&M. When Kevin Sumlin showed up as the new head coach in College Station, and Johnny Football exploded as Aggie signal caller, then Davis decided he better look elsewhere for work. So he transferred to Tyler Junior College for a  year, then landed at SMU where he saw his first action last year. If you count them up, new SMU head coach Chad Morris is Davis’ fifth coach in his college career.

Well, don’t feel too sorry for Davis. He’s landed quite nicely at a place that wants him and is playing for a coach that wants to be at SMU. Head coach Chad Morris has pumped lift into the SMU program, and he has the Mustangs believing they can compete and win. An Art Briles starter kit, Morris cut his coaching teeth with 15-plus years as a Texas high school coach before moving on to Tulsa and then Clemson as an offensive coordinator. He will mend recruiting fences in Texas that were abandoned and left to rust under June Jones.

TCU Football at SMU photographed at Ford Stadium on the SMU campus in Dallas, Texas on September 27, 2012. Photos by Michael Clements.

Matchup #1: Davis vs. the TCU defense — Morris has installed an offense in which Davis can thrive. SMU will line up and run the ball. Yes, I said run the ball straight at you. They’ll throw it, too. They call it Pony Up Tempo and Davis is the key. So far he’s done most of his damage running with the football when four and five wideouts fail to get open and he has to take off. He’s averaging 120 yards per game on the ground so far. Davis is a great decision-maker and he will spread out and test TCU’s ability to contain.

Matchup #2:  Boykin vs. the SMU secondary — Much like TCU, SMU’s defensive strength is its defensive line. They are large and they are improved. Beyond the line, things get murky for the Mustangs. That’s where Boykin and the Horned Frog receiving corps should have room to work. SMU has struggled in coverage. They prefer to play a lot of man-to-man, but have resorted to zone coverages to try to minimize the big plays prevalent in their loss to Baylor.

History Lesson: TCU and SMU began their series in 1915. The Frogs hold a 47-40-7 lead and have won 13 of the last 16. There has been one forfeit in the series in 1918 when heavy rains left roads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in terrible shape with many impassable. On the way to Dallas, the Frogs’ bus got stuck in the mud, and the team couldn’t make it to the stadium. So TCU had to forfeit the game, officially a 1-0 loss.

Kick ‘Em High!

This week for College Colors Day, Teresa Baker ’87 and her fellow Horned Frog alums at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst, Texas, proudly showed their school spirit.

Baker is in her 8^th year as a counselor at Bell after teaching English for 20 years. She is one of six TCU graduates spanning three generations in her family.

“We like to say we’ve been through the good, the bad and the ugly, and it’s nice to be around for the awesome,” she wrote us.

At Bell, TCU alums are a strong and loyal following and enjoy sharing the excitement of football season, Baker said.

In an effort to promote the school’s annual college fair and to generate excitement for preparing for college in general, Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district sponsors a College Colors Day when employees are encouraged to wear college gear from their alma maters.

“I thought it would be fun to get a picture to the magazine. I’m pretty sure the alumni from the different universities were jealous,” she wrote.

Bell High School faculty wearing TCU gear included (top row, left to right): Eric Oglesby ’83, Kathleen (Chapman) Chase ’97, Louis (Harris) Woodruff ’82, Natalie (Rodriguez) Caruso ’06, Lee (Anderson) McGuire ’71, Sandra Honc ’85.  Bottom row left to right:  Holly (Lewis) Gregg ’02, Teresa Baker ’87, Amy (Lester) Stach ’95, Bobbi (Brack) Choe ’07.

The Frogs open the 2015 home slate tomorrow against Stephen F. Austin, and it’s already apparent that this is a different year. Last year, the Frogs got on a roll with a new offense and the blessing of little or no injuries until late in the season.

It’s Week 2 for the Frogs, and they already have taken hits to the two-deep, including two linebackers — an area that Coach P and the defensive staff were already working on. Junior linebacker Sammy Douglas is gone for the year due to injury, and freshman Mike Freeze has taken a leave of absence. Along the defensive line, it was announced that Peach Bowl juggernaut James McFarland is likely done for the year with a broken toe. All this news leads me to the key matchup for TCU vs. SFA: TCU’s defensive front 6 vs SFA’s experienced offensive line.

SFA returns all five starters along their offensive line. Two juniors and three seniors who have played 151 games combined and 115 starts. They know what they’re doing, and they’re the key to SFA’s offensive hopes on Saturday. TCU’s defensive line will need to be great as they try to confuse SFA and protect the Frogs’ young linebacker corps. SFA quarterback Zach Conque (pronounced Konk) is the head coach’s son, and he’s a big dual-threat QB who has two good receivers in Aaron Thomas and Robert Sylvester. They throw it around. Eight different ‘Jacks caught passes last week.

On offense, the Frogs and their fans will be looking to light the roman candle on the 2015 version of the “Meacham Field” air attack. Wide receiver Josh Doctson told me that he didn’t have a good game against Minnesota and that he had a lot to work on this week. I’ll remind you that Josh had eight catches for 74 yards and a touchdown … and he’s not satisfied. I like his attitude, and my guess is that the entire offense (coaches Meacham and Cumbie included) feel the same way. I look for a much smoother, faster, swishy showing tomorrow.

By the way, I was asked this week, “Who was Stephen F. Austin?”

OK … Stephen Fuller Austin is known as the “Father of Texas.” A Yale-educated statesman who, along with his father, Moses, gained approval to bring 300 American families into the Mexican colony known as Texas. He chose an area consisting of 200,000 acres between the lower Colorado River and the Brazos River for his settlement. He spent time in prison at the hands of Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna and later served as a commander in the Texas Revolutionary Army. He saw Texas through from a colony to an independent republic, and he lost the Texas presidential election to Sam Houston in the fall of 1836. The state capital is named for him … Austin.

A little football and a little history for you.

Kick ’Em High!