Extra Points

Good Friday to you. The rain is very nice, and cooler temps are on the way. Maybe the weather will help the Rangers wash away memories of yesterday’s 10-1 playoff loss to Toronto and the cool off the Blue Jays’ hot bats? Better luck to the Rangers today. I went to the first Rangers game in 1972 at the old stadium, and I’ve gone every year since. Yes, I’m getting old.

The Frogs make their first real road trip this weekend. When they get to Lawrence, Kan., they’ll find a team that reminds me a lot of SMU. New coach David Beaty has scoured Texas for players and has raised the program’s talent level. The Jayhawks’ defense is better and more athletic this year. KU’s offense has struggled … and has been struggling for a while. Ponder this: in its last 32 games, KU has scored more than 21 points just twice.

One of those games was this year’s 55-6 win over Rhode Island.

CAUTION: The other was the 2014 game versus TCU, when the Frogs escaped with a 34-30 score.

Frog defenders wrap up a Kansas receiver during TCU’s 23-17 win on Nov. 14, 2015. (photo by Keith Robinson)

Offensively, Kansas has struggled. And they have a mild quarterback controversy brewing. They’ve played three QBs this year, including redshirt freshman Carter Stanley, but #2 Montell Cozart and #13 Ryan Willis have taken the most snaps. Cozart has the most experience and runs better, but Willis had a solid game last week against Texas Tech in Lubbock, so he’ll get the start against the Frogs. Willis has a great arm but is not quite as mobile. Hello, Josh Carraway, James McFarland and the TCU defensive line!

Willis’ dad was a kicker at Kansas State. I played against his Wildcat teams in 1983 and 1984. What?!! Again, I’m getting old.

KU’s skill people include running back Ke’Aun Kinner. He’s a tough kid who played all of last year with a shoulder that would pop out on a regular basis. It’s fixed now. Wide receiver threats include Texas A&M transfer LaQuivionte Gonzalez, #1, and Patrick Sims, who wears #11. Both are Texans.

Defense is where Kansas’ talent level has improved. Watch out for defensive end Durance Armstrong, #2, and linebacker Joe Dineen, #29, who is an up-and-coming player. In the secondary, one of my All-Denton Name Team selections is #2 Fish Smithson, who returns at safety. He’s fast; he’s in on just about every play and is one of the top tacklers in the nation.

Head coach David Beaty has taken over the play-calling for the Jayhawks, demoting former offensive coordinator Rob Likens. In fact, Beaty made many moves after his first year at Kansas, as five of nine assistant coaches either left the program or were demoted.

Memorial Stadium has not been friendly to the Frogs in their first two trips to “Rock Chalk Land” as members of the Big 12, and I don’t think trip three will be a cakewalk, either. On the road, a fast start will help.

A bit of history for you: The Frogs and Kansas played against each other every year from 1944 through 1964, until a rift over a player broke up the football romance. As the story goes, Bert Coan had just completed his freshman season at TCU in 1958. During the offseason, he attended an all-star game, and a KU booster paid for his trip. Coan suddenly transferred to Kansas. He was a key element of the Jayhawks’ success in the early ‘60s. Once the game contracts between the two schools ran out in 1964, “Head Frog” Abe Martin looked elsewhere for non-conference opponents. In 1965, TCU opened the season against No. 1 Nebraska. The Frogs and Kansas would not play again until 1982.

Trivia: Did you know that Hallmark Cards has a huge printing facility in Lawrence? If you’ve received a Hallmark card lately, chances are it came out of the Kansas plant. You can see it on the main road as you drive into the city.

Gameday weather calls for sunny skies with a high temperature of 71.

I’ll talk to you at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Kick ‘Em High!

The 1956 Horned Frog yearbook boasts about TCU’s 47-14 win over Kansas in 1955.

It seems that just yesterday we were talking about the beginning of TCU’s football season. I remember thinking how once that first game comes, the rest of the season goes very quickly.

Suddenly, here we are at week six — halfway done with the regular season. Time flies.

Time. That reminds me of a song. Last week we heard from Rod Stewart. Today we visit 1967. Enjoy The Chambers Brothers and their song, “Time Has Come Today.” Give it a listen. I bet you recognize it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqempUuFVj0

For the Frogs, it’s time to go on the road for real. To Lawrence, Kansas. The land of Dorothy, Toto and the yellow brick road. Rock Chalk, Allen Field House and Memorial Stadium.

Time for the stretch drive in the Big 12. And time to play a complete game.

We’ve seen flashes of brilliance from this TCU team on its way to a 3-2 start. And we saw the 2nd and 3rd quarters from last week’s game against Oklahoma. Not to take anything away from OU, as the Sooners looked like the team we’ve been expecting all season in the middle two quarters last weekend. And then a near-miracle climb out of a huge hole. Much to learn from that OUting.

My old TCU coach, Jim Wacker, used to hang a sign in the Frogs’ locker room that said simply “IT IS TIME” next to a big red dot. It was everywhere, and the reminder served as an alarm, an alert that the game was on.

Same for the Frogs this week. They need to dial it in, and as Coach P said yesterday, “Pay attention to detail.” Seven opportunities for wins await, and just like medicine, they’re to be taken one dose at a time. One at a time.

And it all starts Saturday at Kansas, just below that big Campanile (means bell tower), built to honor 277 KU alumni, students and faculty/staff who died in World War II. It stands watch over Memorial Stadium and chimes out the time of day. Time.

More on the Jayhawks on Friday.    Until then,

Kick ‘Em High!

The Campanile at the University of Kansas honors 277 alumni, students and staff who died in World War II. (photo courtesy of the University of Kansas)

October is here, and the cooler weather makes me think I’m in Laguna Beach, or Dana Point or Newport Beach … pick a spot. I love this time of year and the great weather telling us that it’s seriously football season.

And I mean seriously. OU’s coming to town.

Aaron Green ran away from two Oklahoma defenders during TCU’s visit to Norman, Okla., on 11-21-15. (photo by Michael Clements)

The Frogs are back in the polls at #21, and they have a lot to build on coming off last week’s win against SMU. The defense looked like an old friend, shutting down SMU for 55 minutes of the game, getting sacks and creating turnovers. Kenny Hill continued putting up big numbers. In the second half, receivers made catch after catch. Wide receiver John Diarse had his second big game in a row. I like him. Diarse is a mature player who came back into the game after getting whacked with a big hit I thought would end his night. Instead, he made SMU pay with a 75-yard catch-and-run to open the second half. Talent and toughness – a deadly combination.

Oklahoma can be deadly, too. The Sooners are unranked with a 1-2 record, and everybody wonders what’s wrong with them. Nothing is wrong with OU; they’ve played a brutal schedule. Losses to No. 6 Houston and No. 2 Ohio State are nothing to be embarrassed about. Still, OU doesn’t like losing. And the Sooners have not lost back-to-back games since 1999.

OU’s offense has lots of weapons. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is a swashbuckler. If Errol Flynn played football, this is what he’d look like. Mayfield moves fast, takes chances and keeps plays alive. He’s fearless and confident. But at times, he can be forced into mistakes. Against Ohio State, pressure caused him to throw two interceptions, and he completed just 53 percent of his passes, well off his normal 65 percent. Last year against TCU, he tried to run through traffic and was knocked out of the game. Still, he finished fourth in votes for the Heisman Trophy. He’s a classic dual-threat quarterback who has to be contained. The Frogs can’t allow him to run around the backfield and turn mayhem into touchdowns. He makes it up as he goes, and that unpredictability is what keeps defensive coaches up at night. The running back tandem of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon are the best in the nation. Power and speed. Mixon is a multi-threat who must be stopped. Giant wideout Mark Andrews, #81, is this week’s oversized route-running challenge for TCU’s defensive backs, and speedster A.D. Miller has the ability to score each time he has the ball.

Defensively, OU runs a 50 front (five on the line, with three down linemen and two standup linebacker/defensive end hybrids). The secondary is solid – maybe the best the Frogs have faced so far this year. They run well to the ball.

Defensive end Matt Dimon, #94, has experience and will be playing his 36th game. Linebacker Jordan Evans, #26, knows how to get to the ball. In the back half, cornerback Jordan Thomas, #7, doesn’t need much help in coverage, and strong safety Steven Parker, #10, can bring the lumber.

Weather won’t be a factor, as we’ll see a perfect, sunny 80 degrees.

The Frogs will unveil their new black helmets on Black Out Saturday at “The Carter.” The Frogs have done well in blackout games the past two years, with wins over Kansas State and West Virginia. Will OU be next?

We’ll know “Sooner” than later.

See you on the radio a 3 p.m.   Go Frogs!

Kick ‘Em High!

The Frogs unveiled a new black helmet, which will make its debut for the showdown versus Oklahoma. (photo courtesy of TCU Football)

Rod Stewart’s “Maggie Mae” is one of my favorite songs. There’s a line in it that says, “It’s late September and I really should be back at school.” As I thought about where we sit on the calendar and on the football schedule, with game five coming, “late September” made me think of the song.

If you’ll allow another departure from the normal topic, what a roller coaster the past few days have been. First was the shocking loss of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, lost at 24, and then the amazing things happening to his team as they remember their young teammate.

On the other end of the age spectrum, we say goodbye to Arnold Palmer. I used to be in the golf tournament business on the Senior PGA tour, and I had the privilege to meet and spend time around “The King.” Let me tell you that everything they say is true: classy with an aura of strength. There won’t be another Arnold Palmer.

And last Sunday, Dodger broadcaster and legend Vin Scully called his last game at Dodger Stadium, ending a 67-year run. This year marks my 28th on the TCU Radio crew … kind of pales in comparison, huh? Vin has called 20 no-hitters and three perfect games. He’s the greatest ever. I had a chance to meet him at Dodger Stadium last July 3, and he, too, is everything you’ve ever heard. I asked him if I could borrow his voice when he retired … he has a great one. See the photo – think I was thrilled? You have one more chance to hear Vin this Sunday when he calls the Dodgers’ regular-season finale in San Francisco. Find it if you can … and press record.

Two legendary sports broadcasters, John Denton and Vin Scully, pose at Dodger Stadium on July 3, 2016. (photo courtesy of John Denton).

The change in weather makes it feel like football season. For the Frogs, it’s time to step into the Big 12 grind. Conference games from here on out. Serious business.

Oklahoma is hurting, and let me tell you that there’s nothing wrong with the Sooners, except for the teams they’ve played. Their losses are to two Top 5 teams: Houston and Ohio State. They’re loaded. They’ll be ready to play.

More on the Sooners in detail on Friday.   Until then,

Kick ‘Em High!

The big purple caravan from Fort Worth will be rolling down the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike (that’s what they used to call I-30 before 1978 – you actually had to pay a toll to drive between Dallas and Fort Worth, and you handed the attendant at the toll gate 35 cents – no toll tags!!)

Frog fans need to get there early to beat the traffic and be loud once you get there.

This is the 96th meeting between the two schools. It would be the 99th time, except the Frogs and Mustangs didn’t play in 1987 and 1988 due to the now-infamous “Death Penalty” that the NCAA handed down to SMU.

I always enjoyed playing against SMU. In the games I had the privilege to tee it up in from 1981-1984, the four TCU-SMU games were decided by a total of 24 points. A three-point loss in ’82 and a four point loss in ’83 were the toughest. In 1983, late in the game, the Frogs had it first-and-goal at the SMU 4-yard-line to win it. SMU’s great defense, led by All-America nose tackle Michael Carter, held us out of the north end zone of Amon G. Carter Stadium for four consecutive plays to seal a 21-17 win.  Talk about tears in the locker room.

Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a very nice venue for watching college football. Can you name all the homes of SMU football since 1970?

I mentioned that the Frogs will have to do some fancy trick-riding to stay on the horse tonight – SMU has improved. They’re gaining on it.

Head Coach Chad Morris has committed to signing players from Texas, and through two recruiting classes, he’s just about done that. He’s added tons of Texans to the SMU roster, which is an about-face from the June Jones era. Still haven’t figured that one out – what football coach doesn’t want to recruit the state of Texas?

SMU’s defense is more athletic than any you’ve seen in awhile. One defensive end, #99 Justin Lawler, is playing the best football of his career and has 4.5 sacks on the season. The best linebacker is #11 Kyran Mitchell, a hitting machine. In the secondary, #9 Horace Richardson has three interceptions on the year (SMU is No. 1 in the nation in interceptions with nine).

On offense, SMU took a hit early when star quarterback Matt Davis injured a knee against North Texas; he’s done for the year. Ben Hicks has stepped in and done an admirable job, leading the Mustangs to a 2-1 record, but he’s thrown five interceptions. The Ponies are struggling in the red zone. Many of those struggles are attributable to an offensive line that will get another lineup shuffle tonight.

Running Back Braeden West ran for 220 yards against Liberty last week, and keep an eye on the wide receivers. Courtland Sutton, #16, is a big and tall receiver who had nine touchdown catches last year; he has four already this year. He’s a nightmare for cover men. Redshirt freshman James Proche, #3, is another threat who leads SMU in catches with 16. SMU is improved on offense. Even without Davis under center, the Mustangs are averaging 491 yards per game.

Make no mistake. The Frogs will get SMU’s best shot, and TCU will have to be ready from the start to avoid another one of “those games in Dallas.” Speaking of Dallas, here’s a stat that got my attention: In the last 10 TCU-SMU games played in Dallas, the Frogs are 6-4 — almost even.

OK, back to that question about SMU’s football homes since 1970.  The Mustangs have certainly moved around. SMU called the Cotton Bowl home from 1948-1978, then moved to Texas Stadium (the “old” Cowboys’ stadium in Irving for those under 30) in 1979 and played there until the Death Penalty took SMU out of football in 1987 and 1988. Back at it in 1989, SMU decided to play on campus at old Ownby Stadium, which sat on the site of the current Gerald J. Ford Stadium. In the late ’90s, the Ponies went back to the Cotton Bowl for a few years while the new stadium was being built and then, finally, moved into Ford Stadium in 2000, where they’ve been ever since.

See you in Dallas for pizza at Campisi’s at 2:30!

Kick ‘Em High!

TCU kept the Iron Skillet in Fort Worth by beating SMU on September 19, 2015. (Photo by/Sharon Ellman)

The Frogs and Mustangs first met in 1915. Along the way, there have been some great games and some interesting stories. Pull up a chair; let’s take a look back:

• TCU lost the 1918 game by forfeit (the official score was 1-0) because the TCU team bus got stuck in the mud in Grand Prairie following heavy rains in the area.
• The 1935 game – at the time called the “Game of the Century,” played at (then) TCU Stadium: SMU beat TCU, 20-14, with a late fake punt that turned into a SMU touchdown. (Legendary sportswriter Dan Jenkins ’53 was there and is still not over it –just ask him.) SMU went to the Rose Bowl and lost. Frogs went to the Sugar Bowl and won. TCU eventually won the 1935 National Championship.
• 1948 – The Frogs’ defense contained SMU’s Doak Walker, the year’s Heisman Trophy winner, and battled to a 7-7 tie.
• 1951 – The Frogs downed SMU, 13-2, to lock up the SWC championship.
• 1966 – SMU’s Jerry Levias broke the color barrier as the first African-American scholarship athlete in the SWC. SMU cruised, 21-0.
• 1997 – A freshman running back burst onto the scene and led a 1-10 TCU team to its only win.  Thanks, LaDainian Tomlinson ’05!  The loss knocked SMU out of what would have been its first bowl game since the early ’80s. Bookmark that game in this series. The two programs have been on different paths ever since.

I look forward to Friday’s game with great anticipation. SMU has raised its talent level, and the Frogs will need some fancy trick-riding to stay on the horse. More details on the Ponies Friday morning.

Kick ‘Em High!

Happy Homecoming, Frogs! And happy Parents Weekend, too. Couldn’t we find one other major event to pile on this one weekend? Game tickets are scarce.

After a long summer and much anticipated beginning to football season that we never thought would get here, today we find ourselves at Game 3. 25 percent done with the regular season. It goes fast.

At the quarter pole, the Frogs have a lot on their plate in the wake of the Arkansas loss. Sure they dropped out of the Top 25 and there’s a new road map to getting to the CFP playoffs (by the way, cheer for Arkansas and OU and Texas) and don’t forget it’s a short week to prepare for SMU next Friday. All kinds of “looking ahead” conversation among the TCU faithful.

But I’m good with this Frog team. Don’t get me wrong, losing is tough. And it’s no fun to experience as a player or talk about on the radio, but I think the pressure’s off a little bit. No ranking. No hype. Just 1-1 and Iowa State coming to town.
I think Coach P summed it up Tuesday at his press conference when he said, “I’m just trying to beat Iowa State.” Focus.

The best teams at the end of the year are the ones who learn to play in the eye of a hurricane. Lots of thunder, lightning, debris swirling all around but calm on the inside. That’s what great teams do and it’s that time for the Frogs.

Things for the Frogs to do:
1. Figure out a way to start fast. In this day and age of basketball scores in college football, getting out of the blocks quickly is a must. The effort the Frogs made to get out of 20-7 hole last week would have the stuff of legend if they’d won.
2. Tinker with the defense. Not fix it, just adjust. The Frogs have given up 41 points in three straight, if you include the Alamo Bowl. Again, cut that number by 10 points with a few takeaways and all’s well.
3. Play fast and loose.
4. Throw deep….test the secondary for big plays.
5. Let QB Kenny Hill do what he does. You’ve just gotten a peak so far. He’s a very gifted player.

Iowa State comes in with a new coach, new schemes and a lot of new faces. Head coach Matt Campbell is the youngest head man in Division 1-A at 36. He brings in a team that is 0-2 and, like TCU, is coming off a loss. Their offense has two big weapons in WR Allen Lazard, who had 147 receiving yards against TCU a year ago and is among the nation’s leaders in yards per game at 120.

Running back Mike Warren was a freshman “phenom” last year as the Big 12’s Offensive Freshman of the Year, but he’s had trouble getting going behind a patchwork offensive line, which features center Brian Bobek, a graduate transfer from Minnesota who lined up against the Frogs at UM last year. The Iowa State offense has struggled.

The Cyclones were kept out of the end zone last week against Iowa, prompting a quarterback situation. Incumbent QB Joel Lanning gave way to Georgia transfer Jacob Park, a Top-15 national recruit when he signed with Georgia, but things didn’t work out for him in Athens. Based on what I’ve seen on video, Park moves the offense and really gives Iowa State a spark. Good arm.

If Iowa State has a something to lean on, it’s the defense. Iowa State returns seven starters and has a good secondary. They get back corner Nigel Tribune from a two game suspension and the defensive line is active with DE #9 Jhaustin Thomas who’s tall and rangy. I also like Linebacker #9 Reggan Northrup, who gets to the ball. He reminds me of TCU’s Travin Howard, about 210 pounds and can get to the quarterback.

The Frogs lead the all-time series 6-1, with the first game being played in 1998. The Frogs won the season opener that day with new head coach Dennis Franchione and a young, feisty defensive coordinator named……well, you know.

It’s an early start Frog Fans. Set your alarms as the parking lots open at 6 a.m. for this 11 o’ clock kickoff.

Now I have to run and pick up a corsage (with lots of bells). Happy Homecoming!

Kick ‘Em High!

Students brought noise and spirit during Iowa State’s last visit to Amon G. Carter Stadium, in 2014. (Photo by Sharon Ellman)

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.