Extra Points

There’s a lot of news on the TCU front today and it’s a busy week. As the rock band Rare Earth used to sing, “Get Ready!”

First, a shoutout and tip of a cap to a TCU alumna (yes, that’s the correct term) Angela Stanford on her win at major championship, the Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France. (You know… the place where the mineral water comes from – it’s really at town in the north part of France!) Stanford battled all week to come away with a one-shot victory over fellow American Amy Anderson. It was Stanford’s 76^th start in a major without a win. In 18 years on the LPGA tour, she had played in 435 events. At 40, she battles talented teenagers and 20-somethings every week. And this week was the week. She fought through some opening-round trouble (double bogeyed the first hole of the tournament), held on to her “stick-to-it-iveness” and let her talent and experience take over on her way to the victory. She joins 1971 Masters Champion Charles Coody as the only two Horned Frog golfers to win a major.

This is a great story. Even greater if you know Angela and that she captured the biggest win of her career at a time when her mom, Nan, is battling cancer for a second time. Say a prayer for Angela’s mom’s recovery.

Angela is a class act and supports TCU Women’s Golf and the Horned Frogs in a number of ways. She makes it to a lot of TCU Basketball games and always stops by the broadcast table to say hello. I’m very happy for her and you should be, too. She’s one of us. When one of our alums win, we all win. Let’s just leave it this way: Stanford won and so did TCU.

Whether it took 18 years or 18 months, savor your first major @Angela_Stanford! Congrats on a gutsy final-round 68 (just 25 putts!) at @EvianChamp to erase 5-shot deficit. You earned it! Now enjoy it! And since 40 is the new 30, go win a few more! 🏆 @LPGA pic.twitter.com/aCXvrolvrj

— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) September 17, 2018

Now, I mentioned it’s a busy week around TCU Athletics. Since TCU Football got so much attention last week (and will again this week), I thought I would highlight some of our other sports, many who dive into Big 12 play this week.

TCU Athletics Highlights

For you golfers out there, the 40^th Annual Horned Frog Classic is coming up on Monday, October 15^th at Colonial Country Club. This iconic TCU event generates funds for scholarships for our TCU student-athletes. Sign up today at www.tcufrogclub.com.

I’ll be back with you from Austin, Texas, on Friday.

Until then,

Kick ‘Em High!

These are great days. It’s what college football is all about and where the focus should be.

Excitement on campus, ESPN College GameDay and the distant whistle of a big game coming down the track. Don’t miss the 7:05 on Saturday — as the O’Jays sing in their ’70s hit “Love Train,” — “If you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you.”

It’s No. 4 vs. No. 15 in the featured game of the week in college football. This will be a test for both teams. You can almost hear the late, great iconic announcer Keith Jackson … “There’s Ohiooo State! And here come the Fuh-roogs!”

KaVontae Turpin, seen here in a play against Southern, was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week following the 42-12 victory at SMU. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

Both teams have cruised through their first two games with wins.

Both teams have new starting quarterbacks with similar experience levels.

Both teams have loads of talent.

One team has lots of size.

One team has lots of speed.

Only one team will win — where does the difference show up?

Thankfully as we head into this one, we know that the weather will not play a factor in the game. It’s a dry, fast track at AT&T Stadium.

Neither TCU nor Ohio State has been taken to the mat yet in the young season. Ohio State hung 77 on Oregon State and then cruised over Rutgers last week. The Frogs’ biggest challenges so far have been lighting and weather delays.

Ohio State’s offense is a multiple system that uses a deep rotation of running backs and wide receivers, and all are strong with the ball. The offense also utilizes the tight ends well, mostly as blockers placed off the line of scrimmage. But watch out for the tight ends as pass targets near the goal line. Quarterback #7 Dwayne Haskins has taken over for J.T. Barrett. Much like TCU’s Shawn Robinson vs. Texas Tech, Haskins made one big appearance last year as the backup QB, taking over for an injured Barrett against Michigan and engineering a 31-20 win over the Wolverines. Haskins is six feet three inches tall and runs the offense well. There are many weapons and Haskins has a tendency to overthrow receivers — there’s an INT out there somewhere. Haskins hands it to #2 J.K. Dobbins, a well-built running back who is a double threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield. The Buckeyes’ #25 Mike Weber, Jr. gets his share of carries as well. The wide receivers are many. Ohio State returns its top six pass grabbers from last year, led by #1 Johnnie Dixon, who’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball. I also like #11 Austin Mack and #83 Terry McLaurin. All the wideouts are strong and will require gang tackling.

This offense works behind an experienced offensive line with three of five starters standing six feet seven inches, and all five are over 310 pounds.

Defensively, the Buckeyes feature one of the top two defensive lines in college football in their 4-3 scheme. Defensive end #97 Nick Bosa, younger brother of OSU great Joey (San Diego Chargers) warrants watching and double teams. He’s a speed rusher who nobody’s blocked yet in two games. Ohio State had 45 sacks last year and looks to match that number this year. The linebackers are large (all around 240 pounds) and the best of the bunch is middle linebacker Baron Browning, whose dad, Barry, played for TCU in the late ’90s. The secondary is solid as always, even though it replaces three starters. Amazing stat: Since 1997, Ohio State has had 33 defensive backs drafted to the NFL, with 13 of those being first-round picks! The coverage scheme involves lots of tight coverage and a lot of zone. The Frogs can use their speed to make plays underneath — watch for that.

The stage is set for a great night and a bowl-like environment early in the season. ESPN’s College GameDay is setting up and the show starts at 8 a.m. Then Frog fans, you need to get to Arlington and get ready. Get your Purple On – the Frogs, the home team, will be wearing purple chrome helmets. I don’t think you’ll want to miss this.

Get some rest.  Saturday’s coming.

Kick Em High!

#FrogSwag x #BeatTheBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/U8rcjJChfO

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 13, 2018

Horned Frogs and Buckeyes alike are expected to fill the 80,000-seat AT&T stadium on Saturday as TCU faces Ohio State. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

Flags on the east side of TCU’s campus commemorate 9/11. Photo by Amy Peterson.

The excitement over week three in the Horned Frogs’ long football season has certainly gone over the top already. The high-profile matchup featuring No. 4 vs No. 15 has finally arrived and along with it tons of predictions, what-ifs and even ESPN’s College GameDay in The Commons on Saturday. We’ve come a long way in the past 20 years and we have a lot to be thankful for in the TCU community.

But this week is full of things that help us keep a college football game in perspective. And I’m not talking about the Frogs having to stay focused because it’s Texas next week and Iowa State after that, etc. etc.

I’m talking 9-11 and hurricanes.

The images, sounds and gravity of that morning in New York City 17 years ago all came to the front of our minds yesterday. I’m not sure I can remember any event in my lifetime that has been more stunning, more impactful, more surreal. For most of us, it was getting to witness war firsthand. On our soil. Kind of the Pearl Harbor of the time.

The total confusion, the scrambling to assess the situation and the nation rallying as one was happening so fast.

I have two vivid memories of that day that I’d like to share: The first, that morning, my young daughter (who’s a freshman at TCU this fall) pointing at the television saying, “Candles!” as she pointed and I turned my attention to see the smoke coming off the top of the first tower hit at The World Trade Center. Candles.

The other was later in the day at my then-office near DFW Airport as plane after plane landed quickly in accordance with an order shutting down all U.S airspace. On a normal day, a plane came over our office every 40 seconds; we got used to it.   For the next several days, there were none. Nothing but the wind whistling. The quiet around DFW Airport was a constant reminder that things were about to be different. And never the same again, especially if you travel often by air. One other thought on 9-11 is that it totally derailed the presidency of George W. Bush. Prior to 9-11, the hot topic and debate was over stem cell research and its appropriate uses and application. TCU’s football game versus Marshall on September 15th (along with hundreds of others around the U.S.) was cancelled.

Then there’s Hurricane Florence. The “Storm of a Lifetime” they are calling it. It’s huge and barreling down on the East Coast, taking aim at North Carolina and South Carolina. We go through this every year, and the storms bring devastation and danger during and after the storm. The scenes of interstate highways being turned all one way — OUT. These, too, are life-changing events for those who are affected, and it takes faith, guts and time to get through it all. Say a prayer for those folks today, especially those who choose to “ride it out.” Their challenge begins late Thursday.

The Frogs’ challenge will not be the weather, as the roof will be closed at AT&T Stadium on Saturday. We’ll look at Ohio State on Friday.

Until then, Remember and…

Kick Em High!

Happy Friday, everyone! It also happens to be game day. Game two already and as we get deeper into the season, it seems that the challenges keep coming faster — especially this short week.

During the season opener against Southern, TCU quarterback Shawn Robinson became the first Horned Frog since 2006 to account for five touchdowns in the first half. He had three scoring passes and two touchdown runs. He completed 17-of-24 passes for 182 yards in playing just the opening two quarters. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

As I worked the TCU-Southern game last Saturday, and then watched more games last Saturday night, I realized how glad I am to see the college football season underway, not just because we have games to watch and enjoy, but because that’s where college football is it’s best. College football is about game day. Thankfully, the season got here because college football had a rough off-season, especially in August. Now the focus is back on the field: the players, the matchups and the games. And the games come fast.

Tonight’s game at SMU brings an intriguing situation. Sonny Dykes – another SMU coach in a long line is trying to take the team to another level. He took the job last winter after spending a year as an offensive analyst on Gary Patterson’s staff, seeing how things are done, sitting in staff meetings and absorbing the way the Frogs are built, trained, plan for opponents. Dykes is a smart guy. He’s been a head coach and his teams are always well-prepared. At Louisiana Tech, his teams were tough with big offensive lines and a smash-mouth style on both sides of the ball. In the 2011 Poinsettia Bowl, TCU has to fight every second of the game to grab a win over La Tech, 31-24.

The big question tonight is what will show up for SMU and Sonny Dykes. The Mustangs had high hopes going into last week’s game at North Texas and hit a wall, almost from the start. The Mustangs got down early, couldn’t protect quarterback Ben Hicks and couldn’t run the ball. Linebacker Trevor Denbow got ejected for targeting early in the first quarter (he’s a big part of the SMU defense) and the tailspin began. SMU went deep into the second half with only one first down to show for their offensive effort. North Texas rolled 46-23. It was not the type of start Sonny Dykes had planned.

Jack White ’49 created this cartoon when times were different for TCU and SMU. The Mustangs were successful in gridiron challenges against TCU in the 1940s. Was this illustration also a predictor of things to come: SMU coach Sonny Dykes reeling in transfers like Notre Dame wide receiver CJ Sanders? Courtesy of the TCU Archives

Sonny Dykes has a vision for SMU. He’s gone out on the recruiting trail and pulled in players from all over, including several transfers from Division I-A programs like Notre Dame, West Virginia and even an offensive lineman from KU. He’s creative and he’s already making moves on the recruiting trail. Some experts rank his 2019 SMU recruiting class the best in the Group of 5 (non-Power 5 conferences). That’s saying something.

The question for today, however, is what does he roll out tonight and get from this SMU team vs TCU? My guess is that SMU is not nearly as inept as they showed vs. UNT. The old adage says you see the most improvement in a team from game one to game two. For SMU, there’s much to prove. For TCU, there’s much for which to prepare.

The offense that Dykes wants to run involves running the ball a lot. To do that you must have a big offensive line and a stable of larger backs (over 200 lbs.). To start in that direction, Dykes hired Rhett Lashlee as offensive coordinator. Lashlee comes from UConn and spent most of his career working for Gus Malzahn at Auburn, where they’re run heavy. The long-term goal for Dykes & Co. is to install a run heavy system and meld it with Dykes’ quick strike passing attack that he picked up while working for Mike Leach at Tech. So the task for Gary Patterson and the TCU defensive staff has been to watch video of the following offenses to get ready for tonight: UConn, Auburn, Cal (where Sonny Dykes was head coach for three years), Louisiana Tech (where Dykes was head coach before he went to Cal) and last week’s SMU/UNT video. That’s a lot of material to sift through, but that’s what this game tonight is all about.

What will SMU do? Sonny Dykes needs to pump some life into his team and let them have fun. To me that means they pull out all the stops, go for broke against the No. 16 team in the nation. An upset would quickly erase the loss to UNT. How do you keep a superior opponent off balance? Keep them guessing, try things that are illogical. Show looks that they haven’t seen before. In other words, the Frogs need to be ready for any and all things. The bag of tricks may actually hold the game plan for SMU.

But how? SMU’s offensive line gave up nine sacks last week to UNT. Pony quarterback Ben Hicks got knocked around. He’s pretty good, but without time to throw, he can’t make the plays SMU needs to win. Or keep drives alive for that matter. Gone are NFL-caliber wide outs Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn. The best receiver on the Hilltop is #3 James Proche, who was a TCU recruit but decided to go to SMU.

Frog fans faced temperatures in the 90s for the season opener against Southern. Tonight’s game against SMU comes with a 40 percent chance of rain. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

On defense, the line is the strength of the unit, but the linebacker group is much improved, thanks to the insertion of junior college transfer Trevor Denbow (who TCU recruited) and Richard Moore (a transfer from Texas A&M.) #23 Jordan Wyatt is the best of the defensive backs, but he was not himself last week.

Frogs have won 16 of the last 18 in the series and the last six in a row. The biggest SMU win in Dallas was in 2005, the week after TCU had upset Oklahoma in Norman, 17-10. Now I know you’re thinking, “Why did Denton have bring to that up?” Well, I can bet you that Coach P has reminded the Frogs of that game multiple times this week. A coachable moment that says, “Don’t let THIS happen to you.”

Stunning “I’m getting old” thought: Current freshmen at TCU were five years old when the Frogs lost to SMU in 2005.

Take the afternoon off and head to Dallas for this one, Frog fans. It’s a luxury to have a road game so close. I’ll stop in at Campisi’s for the Hamburger/Canadian Bacon pregame pizza. You should do the same. And bring your rain gear. Horned Frogs are built for all conditions.

I’ll talk to you from Dallas at 6 p.m. on the TCU Sports Network.

Kick ‘Em High!

OK, Game 1 is in the books and we can all cool off after the win over Southern. The Frogs did what they needed to do: Maximize the upside, play 80 players and minimize the injuries. Check. Check. Check.

This week’s different. It’s SMU.

SMU is more personal. We know them. Like a nemesis neighbor from down the street, we know when they back out of their driveway and hit out garbage cans and they know when we make a move. It’s been that way for a long, long time. Friday will mark the 98th meeting at the mailbox.

TCU true freshman wide receiver Derius Davis (#12) was named the Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week for his efforts in the Sept. 1 win over Southern, 55-7.
Davis, from St. Francisville, La., had three receptions for 49 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown, while also returning a punt 73 yards for a score. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

From 1915, when the Frogs won the first three games in the series by a combined point total of 102-3 to the 1918 TCU forfeit when the Frogs’ bus got stuck in the mud in Grand Prairie to the 1935 heartbreaker in new, state-of-the-art TCU Stadium, it’s been cozy. Don’t forget the Doak Walker years and the resurgence of Mustang Mania in the late-70’s and early 80’s with the Pony Express running attack with Craig James and Eric Dickerson almost leading SMU to a national championship. At one point from 1972 through 1986, SMU rattled off 15 straight wins over TCU. Then, in 1987, the Death Penalty came down on Mockingbird Lane and SMU took two years off. It took World War I to cause the only other two-year hiatus in the series in 1919 and 1920.

While the TCU venue for the series hasn’t changed since 1930, SMU has had multiple homes: The old Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus, the Cotton Bowl, Texas Stadium in Irving from the late-70s to the mid-80’s, back to Ownby Stadium in 1989, then to the Cotton Bowl, then back to campus to the new Gerald J. Ford Stadium in 2000. (Note: some people think the stadium is named for former President Ford – it’s not – he’s Gerald R. Ford, R-Michigan). Gerald J. Ford is a generous donor to SMU.

There’s even a connection among coaches. Now, I’m not referring to the fact that current Peruna head coach Sonny Dykes officed at Amon G. Carter Stadium last year as a member of Gary Patterson’s staff.

There’s another one.

Coach Matty Bell, who led SMU to the 1936 Rose Bowl with a win over TCU in the 1935 game of the century, was actually TCU’s head football coach from 1923-1928, before he defected to Texas A&M. He was handed the reigns at SMU in 1935, after tiring of College Station. He coached SMU through the 1941 season, then returned after World War II to coach the Mustangs from 1945-1949 to enjoy the Doak Walker era. Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1948, then when Walker was done at SMU after the 1949 season, so was Matty. Apparently he knew when to get out.

Speaking of getting out, make your plans to get out early Friday and get to Dallas to support the Frogs. Leave at lunchtime — the Frogs need you in Dallas. Sure it may rain, but it’s going to be warm and Ford Stadium is waiting for you to take it over. Get your tickets at 214-SMU-GAME.

SMU is the focus. No peeking.

Kick ‘Em High!

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.

https://www.facebook.com/TCUAthletics/videos/1692205564159265/?hc_ref=ARTVGhCsPsBjRKHYVsZ4Xp0kFWjxqrHj7e_xCwuNLdhX__zy-MZUB6S2DFb2a8fbtdU&__xts__[0]=68.ARD_C4W6F8mZ1vqfwQpNOQCnag4i9IPXDiNwISmYzO1wDRZnLMFaglEwhoFkcG0DHm4r-hhiXlpz-mGXos-ffNgpbTe3GQQfezzLE8-TJIx3q5aZBLNICP2JAQy_s_0_eEU5Zj5bo5MGszm4CeSMh91dy3-eJ4geu1LRSvQQd73DEy7qtXbVIgs&__tn__=FC-R&fb_dtsg_ag=AdxPkZINOKgEWOd0e6LsYUTuwb5cGIRbRJ_zrYItuO9kFA%3AAdykuL-B5f-hTGdydb8udR28Hmxm-GKkl_i_mZFqUQ-AFQ

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!

As my 30^th football season on the TCU Sports Network draws near, I can’t help but think about games, venues, players and coaches I’ve met along the way. And there are a lot of players. Good ones.

Jason Cauble bears down on Air Force quarterback Dee Dowis before a homecoming crowd of 23,593 in 1989. Photo courtesy of TCU Archives

Today’s Extra Points Honoree is Jason Cauble, a tough defensive end/outside linebacker from Brownwood High in Texas, who played for high school coaching legend Gordon Wood. Cauble’s TCU coach was Jim Wacker and Cauble played four years, 1987-1990.

With the opener against Southern coming up, let’s look back at some openers from the past.

The 1980 opener at home against Auburn was there for the taking, but the Frogs offense sputtered in the 2^nd half and War Eagle prevailed, 10-7. That was also the year that TCU followed up Auburn with three games in a row against highly ranked SMU at Texas Stadium, eventual national champion Georgia in Athens and No. 14 Arkansas in Fayetteville.

1982 — The home opener vs Utah State — the Frogs first win in an opener in eight years.

1984 — The Frogs opened on the road as 14-point underdogs to Utah State and won 62-18. At that time is was most points scored in a game by the Frogs since 1932 (68-0 over Austin College). Note: In the Patterson era, the Frogs have hung 62 or more on the board NINE times.

1988 — My first game on the TCU Sports Network in Athens against Georgia. Lee Newman put the Frogs up 3-0 with an early field goal before Georgia head coach Vince Dooley turned two running backs Rodney Hampton and Tim Worley loose on the way to 38 straight points. Georgia 38-10.

1991 — Jim Wacker’s last opener as TCU head coach. The Frogs poured it on a hapless New Mexico team 60-7. TCU would end up 7-4 that year, maybe Wacker’s best coaching job of his TCU tenure. Not near the talent or healthy team that he had in 1984, but he still got it done. Sadly, the Frogs were passed over for a bowl. It’s still the only TCU team in history to win seven games and not receive a bowl invitation.

1996 — Pat Sullivan takes his underdog Horned Frogs and controls Oklahoma with tough defense and a crafty offensive screen game the nets a 20-7 victory. And it really wasn’t that close.

1998 — The Frogs open the Coach Fran era with a 31-21 win at Iowa State. Things were going to be different — we just didn’t know how different. It was also the first game that Brian Estridge and I worked together.

2002 — The Frogs drop a heartbreaker 36-29 in OT on Labor Day weekend at Cincinnati to the Bearcats and their quarterback Gino Guidugli — you can look it up.

2003 — The Frogs travel to New Orleans for a season/conference opener against Tulane and survive 38-35 over another good Conference USA quarterback named J.P. Losman.

2004 — The early 2000s were full of wild games, but none more crazy than this one. TCU and Northwestern went back and forth and it took two overtimes before the Frogs won it on a Peter LoCoco 47-yard field goal, 48-45.  It was the Frogs’ fourth straight win over schools from BCS conferences, earning victories over Northwestern (twice – 2000 and 2002), Vanderbilt (in ’98) and at Arizona (in ’03). That seems strange to read that note about BCS schools now, doesn’t it?

TCU sophomore safety David Roach (left) and senior defensive end Chris Hayes (right) bring down Oklahoma sophomore running back Adrian Peterson during the fourth quarter of the Horned Frogs’ 17-10 victory over the Sooners in 2005. Photo courtesy of TCU Archives

2005 — TCU 17, No. 5 OU 10. Enough said. No wait, the Frogs defense forced two turnovers and held Adrian Petersen to 63 yards.

2007 — TCU opened against Baylor and shut out the Bears 27-0.

2009 — The Frogs started a Fiesta Bowl season with a 30-14 win at Virginia. The game’s start was delayed a few minutes while EMT’s checked on the Cavalier mascot who was thrown by his horse when a cannon went off to signal the entry of the Virginia football team. You can’t make up this stuff.

2010 — The Frogs play their first game at Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T) and protect their No. 6 ranking with a 30-21 win over Oregon State.

2012 — Gary Patterson becomes the all-time winningest coach at TCU with 56-0 win over Grambling in the first game in the new Amon G. Carter Stadium.

2015 — The Frogs traveled to Minnesota for the opener, looked rusty at times but came away with a win over the Big 10’s Gophers 23-17.

Fun to look back those games and think about what’s coming Saturday morning. From talking to the Frogs, they are ready to play someone else and get into game mode.

They’ll do it against an experienced (and big in places) Southern team.

More on them Friday.

Until then,

Kick ‘Em High!

2018 TCU Football Schedule
Sept. 1 — Southern
Sept. 8 — at SMU
Sept. 15 — vs. Ohio State^
Sept. 22 — at Texas*
Sept. 29 — Iowa State*
Oct. 11 — Texas Tech*
Oct. 20 — Oklahoma*
Oct. 27 — at Kansas*
Nov. 3 — Kansas State*
Nov. 10 — at West Virginia*
Nov. 17 — at Baylor*
Nov. 24 — Oklahoma State*
Dec. 1 — Big 12 Championship Game^

^AT&T Stadium; Arlington, Texas
*Big 12 game

Hello from Detroit and Little Caesar’s Arena.

Located in Downtown Detroit, Fox Theatre opened in 1928. The 5,048-seat theatre is the largest surviving movie palace of the 1920s. Photo by John Denton

Wednesday night we got a look at the city, the famous Fox Theater and a downtown Detroit that’s coming back to life – there’s a lot of construction and renovation underway in the Motor City.

It was a busy day for the Frogs. We all found out that the Frogs will face Syracuse on Friday night since Syracuse defeated Arizona State on Wednesday night 60-56 to get here.

The Orange is one of college basketball’s card-carrying big boys. Jim Boeheim has been the coach there for 42 years. They are long and big and play that famous 2-3 zone. Syracuse is not a deep team, playing just seven players. More on them Friday.

The Frogs had a great practice Thursday morning and a Shoot Around at the arena that afternoon after Coach Jamie Dixon and players Kenrich Williams, Vlad Brodziansky and Ahmed Hamdy met with the media.

Photos by John Denton

I’ll have a scouting report on Syracuse Friday.

Until then,

Kick ‘Em High!

It’s happening.

The Frogs are on their way to Detroit for their first Big Dance appearance in 20 years.

The team will arrive in Detroit this afternoon and settle in for what we all hope will be a long weekend.

Fun fact: Desmond Bane led the Big 12 in 3-point field goal shooting at 47 percent. He made 58 from downtown this year.

Talk to you tomorrow from MOTOWN.

Kick ‘Em High!

TCU readies for the snap at the line of scrimmage in the November game against Baylor. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

Happy December, everyone! Just 24 shopping days to Christmas and just one day until the much-awaited matchup between the Frogs and Sooners in the “new” Big 12 Championship. It’s the first Big 12 Championship since 2010. OU has appeared in eight of the league’s 15 title games. Its record in such games is 7-1.

Lots swirling around this game:

·       The ongoing discussion about OU quarterback Baker Mayfield’s November 11 pregame pass that didn’t show up anywhere on the stat sheet (intended receiver TCU’s Niko Small). Irony is that it might be his most famous throw of the year so far.

·       The impact of this game on the Big 12’s chances to get a team into the College Football Playoff.

·       Bowl implications for the Frogs – Cotton or Alamo. Fiesta and Peach are outside possibilities.

·       The “new” Big 12 Championship – born from the 2014 Final CFP committee that dropped the Frogs from No. 3 to No. 6. Then-chairman Jeff Long told the Big 12 that no title game hurt the Frogs because of the lack of a “13^th data point.” Then, in 2016, while the Big 12 planned this year’s inaugural Big 12 Championship, the committee plopped Ohio State into the playoff despite the fact that they didn’t even qualify for the Big 10 Championship game. Every time I hear the term “13^th data point” I get “that feeling” in my belly.

·       The oddness of playing an opponent twice in three weeks – it doesn’t happen often in college football. More on that later.

Mat Boesen (#9) set a TCU record with 5 1/2 sacks to give him a team-best 11 1/2 on the season. He has at least one sack in six of the last seven games. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

We’re all very familiar with OU. You know all the players. Heisman finalist Baker Mayfield went from walk-on to wonder. If he wins the Heisman, it’s due to this year’s supporting cast. OU offense came out of no where to put the Sooners at the top nationally at 593 yards per game, 8.6 yards per play and 72 offensive touchdowns. OU’s offensive line is mammoth. TCU needs to figure out a way to get pressure – great coverage in the secondary will help that. Having sack machine Mat Boesen for an entire game will help. OU tailback Rodney Anderson punished TCU by air and land three weeks ago in Norman for 290 all-purpose yards (151 rushing, 139 receiving). He must be contained. Mayfield likes to go to the backs out of the backfield if tight end Mark Andrews or speedster Marquise Brown are not open. Again, the key to quieting all this mayhem is controlling Mayfield.

Defensively, OU comes in as No. 4 in total defense in the Big 12, allowing 390 yards per game and 25.7 points. It’s No. 3 in pass defense at 241 yards per game. Up front is all about #31 Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (my game chart says o-BO-ny-uh k-kor-RON-kwo), who has a habit of making plays behind the line of scrimmage. #4 Emanuel Beal is the leading tackler as weakside linebacker and the secondary is young with two freshmen in the lineup.

OU’s kicking game is solid with Austin Siebert handling the kicking and the punting duties. He hit a career-long 51-yard field goal last week against West Virginia.

Sewo Olonilua (#33) escapes a tackle in the November game against Baylor. Photo by Glen E. Ellman

Keys for a Frog win will be:

·       A fast start – don’t let OU run away with the game. The first 10 minutes will be key. Make plays, keep your head and settle in – no mental errors or dumb penalties.

·       Run the football – Kyle Hicks and Sewo Olonilua can make hay on the outside. Patrick Morris back at center should help.

·       Keep the Sooners below six yards per play (they average 8.6).

·       Tackle on first contact – the Frogs had a season-full of missed tackles three weeks ago in Norman.

·       Contain and confound Mayfield and create at least one turnover. In three games against the Frogs, Mayfield has never thrown an interception.

·       Score in the kick return game.

·       Hold OU to 33 points or less.

·       Play the full 60 minutes (and be prepared to go longer).

This will be an epic slugfest. I predict Frogs win 34-31.

Notify the committee.

Did You Know?

The last time TCU played the same team twice in a season exactly three weeks apart was 1909? Coach J.R. Langley’s Frogs won at Baylor 9-0 on October 23 and then beat Baylor again “at home” 11-0 on November 13 in what was then a cross-town rivalry. Both schools were located in Waco at the time.

We’re on the air at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow from AT&T Stadium. Join Brian, Landry and me on the TCU Sports Network on WBAP 820AM, KTCU 88.7FM and Sirius/XM83.

Kick ‘Em High!