TCU Football - Spring Recap

[Cheesesteak]

Mountain West spring recap
By Brett Edgerton - Special to ESPN
May 3, 2006

Texas Christian University

2005 overall record: 11-1
Conference record: 8-0

Returning starters
Offense: 5, Defense: 7, Kicker/punter: 2

2005 statistical leaders (*returning)
Rushing: Robert Merrill* (911 yds)
Passing: Jeff Ballard* (1,801 yds)
Receiving: Cory Rodgers* (685 yds)
Tackles: Jason Phillips* (71)
Sacks: Chase Ortiz* (9)
Interceptions: Quincy Butler (5)

Spring Answers: After missing most of last season and taking a medical redshirt, Lonta Hobbs looked fine in his return this spring. What does that mean? That means the TCU backfield boasts two 1,000-yard rushers in Hobbs and Robert Merrill) along with Aaron Brown, last year's Mountain West Freshman of the Year. That doesn't seem very fair. … And if you're counting at home, the Horned Frogs return their top eight rushers, four of their top five receivers and a quarterback (Jeff Ballard) who was 8-0 as a starter last fall. … As if the defensive line needed any more ammunition with terrors like Chase Ortiz and Tommy Blake, it looks like tackles Lorenzo Jones and James Vess are only getting better. Both played as true freshmen last season and both had really strong springs. That seemed to be a running theme among the defenders. The TCU defense led the country with a mind-boggling 40 forced turnovers in 2005. Well, most of the key contributors are back and don't show any signs of slowing down. … While there's an air of confidence around the Frogs, who own the nation's second-longest win streak (10), there's also a sense that the seniors are keeping this team in line to ensure recent history doesn't repeat itself. The veterans know the feeling of going 11-1 in 2003 and following that up with a miserable 5-6 season. The program also lost six games in 2001, a year after finishing 10-2. It would take a rash of injuries and a rather shocking turn of events for this group to take a similar tumble.

Fall Questions: While the staff is high on many of the young replacements, losing four starters on the O-line is nothing to scoff at. Senior Herb Taylor is a good anchor at right tackle, but the other spots still will be up for grabs in August. Fans have to hope the line performs as admirably as the 2005 edition, which lost three starters from the year before. If this offense is going to live up to its potential, it can't be worrying about the big guys up front. … If there's a vulnerability on defense this fall, it probably will emerge in the cornerback position. The Frogs lost two all-conference performers there and the potential replacements come from a pool of two seniors with limited experience (Mike Salvage and Vernon Russell) and two redshirt freshmen (Nick Sanders and Rafael Priest) with no experience. And did we mention Texas Tech and BYU come to town on back-to-back weeks in September? (Gulp). … Can TCU possibly keep up its fourth-quarter dominance? Since 2003, the always-well-conditioned Frogs are 15-3 in games decided by seven points or less, including 5-0 last year, when they outscored the opposition 69-31 in the final quarter. That's yielding an average of less than three points in the final stanza per game.

[cheesepony]

Cory Rodgers is NOT coming back - drafted by Green Bay.

[BUTitan]

The first note of the spring.........TCU looks forward to thier first shot at a win in their 2nd game .