CFN TCU Preview

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http://cfn.scout.com/2/1189401.html

All it took was nine double digit-win seasons since 2000, two BCS appearances and a win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl to finally show the world that TCU might be ready to show what it could do in a bigger and better conference. And for those who think that the step up in weight class will expose a program that spent years fattening up on WAC teams, then Conference USA teams, and then Mountain West teams, the surprise might be that TCU will be more than fine.

But don’t judge the Horned Frogs over the next several seasons on how many Big 12 titles they win or how many BCS appearances there are. Remember, your daughter’s powder-puff flag football team has as won as many Big 12 titles as Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Missouri and Texas Tech combined, and last year was the first time Oklahoma State was able to break through. Texas A&M only one once and that was back in the late 1990s. Kansas State only one it all once and that was with an upset of all upsets. It’s hard to win a Big 12 championship if you’re not Oklahoma or Texas, but TCU has exactly what it takes to give it a run.

In the Big 12, everything starts with the offense. Texas has had one of the best defenses in the country over the last few seasons and it hasn’t meant squat. In this league, forget about being competitive on a regular basis if the offense isn’t built to hang up 450 yards and 40 points. TCU’s can do that.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to play a little D to do just enough to break serve to let the offense do its thing. The TCU defense might have been down a bit last year, but it was No. 1 overall for three straight years from 2008 to 2010 and expects nothing less than the same sort of success.

But TCU was No. 1 during that time because it was in the Mountain West, right?

Yes, but over those three years the Horned Frogs faced Stanford, Oklahoma, Clemson, Baylor, Oregon State, Virginia and Wisconsin along with Boise State twice and BYU, Utah, and Air Force three times. The D really was that good, and it could be close in the near future.

And then there’s the coaching staff. Gary Patterson could’ve taken over just about any job opening over the last five years and turned them all down time and again. He has built a system that works and now he’s about to reap the rewards of all the years of high-level success without always bringing in the high-level talent.

How good is Patterson? Forget about the consistency on the field; he has done everything possible to make things right in a bad situation with the marijuana controversy that rocked the program this offseason. He never ducked from it and he never tried to make excuses, and in this day and age of issues and scandals across the college football landscape, trying to right the wrong and not trying to sweep things under the rug goes a long way. Fortunately for the Horned Frogs and Patterson, the Big 12 season and not the criminal charges will be all anyone talks about throughout the summer.

The offense is loaded led Casey Pachall, who’s as good as passer and baller as any quarterback in the conference. The running backs are deep, experienced and quick, while the receiving corps could be the Big 12’s best if everyone plays up to their potential.

The defense won’t be No. 1 in the nation, and it’s gutted a bit in certain spots, but it’ll be good enough to get by. The aggressiveness will be there as always, but the pass rush has to be ramped up a bit and the consistency has to be there against all the big-time Big 12 offenses.

The team is good enough to be a player and the conference is ready to add an old Southwest Conference team into the fold. The Horned Frogs are a great addition, and they’re about to show why.

What to watch for on offense: The passing game should explode. It was good when it had to be last season, but it only finished 63rd in the nation averaging 232 yards per game. Part of the reason was that Casey Pachall didn’t have to chuck it all over the yards against Portland State, Wyoming and Colorado State when the running game was going crazy, but he mounted a big comeback in the loss to Baylor and he was brilliant in the win over Boise State. He has the size, the arm and the receiving corps to do a lot more in a league that will once again be known for its shootouts. Josh Boyce and Skye Dawson are a good 1-2 combination, and Brandon Carter, Cam White and LaDarius Brown will put up huge numbers, too.

What to watch for on defense: The back seven. Part of the foundation of the great TCU defenses in recent history has been tone-setting leaders at linebacker. Tank Carder is done, while Tanner Brock is out of the mix as part of the off-the-field issues and now he’s off to UTEP. The linebackers are expected to be fine in time, but the pressure is of Deryck Gildon and Kenny Cain to be great against the run. The problem, though, is a secondary that needs to be far stronger at corner and needing more plays from the safety. The pass defense is a concern which is why …

The team will be far better if … the secondary can keep the yards to a minimum. The defensive backs will be the key to the season against the great-passing Big 12 teams. If the Horned Frogs can’t slow anyone down the offense will have to ramp things up. The D gave up over 250 yards four times last season and gave up more than two touchdown passes just twice. Both of those games with three or more scoring passes came in losses to Baylor and SMU, allowing 414 yards and 349 yards, respectively. The other two games with more than 250 passing yards allowed came against Boise State (320 yards and two scores) and Louisiana Tech (264 yards and two scores), and those were the only other close calls winning both games by a touchdown or less.

The schedule: Welcome to the Big 12, TCU. Now go to Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Texas.

Patterson has a strong team that can beat anyone on the schedule, but the new kid on the block isn’t getting any favors over the second half of the season with just one home game from mid-October to December 1st. Does anyone else in America have to go on the road in back-to-back weeks to face teams - West Virginia and Oklahoma State - that won BCS games last year? No. Considering Kansas State was good enough to have gone to the BCS, and Texas and Oklahoma are Texas and Oklahoma, it could be argued that TCU has the nation’s toughest finishing kick.

The Horned Frogs get five conference road games, but they also get a little bit of a break with Kansas State and Oklahoma at home and a week off before going to Texas. The non-conference schedule isn’t a breeze after warming up against Grambling State, hosting Virginia and going to SMU.

Best offensive player: Junior QB Casey Pachall. He was valiant in defeat against Baylor, being outplayed by Robert Griffin III but almost pulling out the win late. He was phenomenal in Boise State throwing for 473 yards and five touchdowns in the epic victory. While he was efficient, he was also consistent and careful with only just one game with more than one pick - throwing two in the 27-14 win over San Diego State. With his size, mobility and arm, he’s soon going to be a red-hot pro prospect. This year he’ll have the stats to jump-start the hype.

Best defensive player: Junior DE Stansly Maponga. TCU always seems to have a star pass rusher who sets the tone for the defense and turns out to be an unstoppable pass rushing force. While he was decent against the run, his real worth was as a pass rusher making nine sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. At 6-2 and 265 pounds he’s a bit short, but he’s stocky and tough to go along with his quickness. In a league full of top quarterback, Maponga has to dominate and disrupt.

Key player to a successful season: Sophomore OT Tayo Fabuluje. James Dunbar will be tried out on the left side from time to time, but it’ll be Fabuluje, a transfer from BYU, who’ll likely have the job of keeping Pachall clean. The pass protection was terrific last year, allowing just 13 tackles, and now the pressure is on for the 6-7, 315-pound sophomore to be great right out of the box. With his frame and long arms he’ll be tough to get around.

The season will be a success if … The Horned Frogs win nine games. For a program used to winning ten games or more, the idea of shooting for anything less might seem a bit disappointing. However, moving to the Big 12 really will be difficult with a brutal back half of the slate to deal with. If TCU can start out 6-1, at worst, it should be able to pull off at least one upset against the league’s elite over the final six games and hope to win the bowl game. That’s assuming there won’t be any major clunkers, but still, with the offense the Horned Frogs are bringing they should be able to come up with a strong record.

Key game: Nov. 10 vs. Kansas State. It’s the home oasis in a horrible run of road games with trips to Oklahoma State and West Virginia in the weeks before facing Kansas State, and with a date at Texas to follow. Hoping to roll through the early part of the schedule is a must, and beating the Wildcats could be needed to avoid falling off a cliff over the second half.

2011 Fun Stats:
- 4th Quarter Scoring: TCU 132 - Opponents 54
- Rushing Touchdowns: TCU 38 - Opponents 7
- 4th Down Conversions: TCU 9-of-11 (82%) - Opponents 7-of-19 (37%)

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What You Need To Know: The Horned Frogs couldn’t be better equipped to jump into the Big 12. The offense exploded for close to 41 points per game, and if the left tackle situation can be solidified, the numbers should be special once again. QB Casey Pachall has the potential to be one of the league’s best passers and a top pro prospect. The passing game should shine with a tremendous receiving corps to work with led by Josh Boyce and a deep group that will be as good as any in the new league. The running game should once again be among the nation’s most effective with three backs - Ed Wesley, Matthew Tucker, and Waymon James - who ran for 700 yards or more. The line has potential, and it was able to produce despite losing four starters last year, but there are question marks at tackle.

Returning Leaders
Passing: Casey Pachall
228-343, 2,921 yds, 25 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: Waymon James
121 carries, 875 yds, 6 TD
Receiving: Josh Boyce
61 catches, 998 yds, 9 TD
Star of the offense: Junior QB Casey Pachall
Player who has to step up and be a star: Junior OT James Dunbar
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore WR Brandon Carter
Best pro prospect: Pachall
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Pachall, 2) WR Josh Boyce, 3) OG Blaize Foltz
Strength of the offense: Receivers, Skill Players
Weakness of the offense: Offensive Line Veterans, Tight End

Quarterbacks

As good as Andy Dalton was throughout his great career, last year, Casey Pachall was better completing 67% of his passes for a record 2,921 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions, while running for two scores. The 6-5, 216-pound junior showed the fight and the mental toughness to be great in the clutch, coming through with a brilliant performance in the win over Boise State, and coming this close to bringing the Horned Frogs back in the opening night thriller against Robert Griffin and Baylor. He’s big, strong, and is a fearless passer who did a great job of spreading the ball around, pushing it down the field, and keeping the mistakes to a minimum throwing more than one pick in just one game - the win over San Diego State. While he might not be a big-time runner, he’s mobile enough to take off from time to time and he’ll fight for the first down when needed. A star recruit who was wanted by several of the bigger boys, he’s going to be a hot NFL prospect over the next few seasons.

Sophomore Matt Brown is only 6-1 and 185 pounds, but he’s a nice passer and became dangerous around the goal line rushing for six touchdowns with four in a two game span against New Mexico and BYU. Don’t let his lack of size fool you; he has a great arm and was decent when getting his chances completing three of five passes for 90 yards. Brown is clearly the No. 2, while 6-2, 215-pound Trevone Boykin is battling for the No. 3 with star recruit Tyler Matthews, a big-time get with 6-3, 205-pound size and a world of upside. Matthews will probably redshirt and could be in the mix for the starting job next year if Pachall turns out to be good enough to leave early for the NFL.

Watch Out For … Pachall to take his game to another level. He has the size, the tools, the talent, and the receiving corps to blow past the 3,000-yard mark. He’ll be a perfect fit in the high-flying Big 12.
Strength: Talent. Pachall could be one of the best passers in the nation, even if he’ll have to battle just to get all-star honors in his own conference, while Brown and Matthews are terrific talents who could easily start and keep the production going.
Weakness: Backup experience. Brown was fine running when he had his chances, but it’s not like he got enough work in to make the coaching staff feel comfortable. Pachall is a physical player who’ll take shots, and Brown has to be ready.
Outlook: The Horned Frog quarterback situation is terrific. Pachall is a big-time talent who’s starting to blossom into a star. The pecking order is in place, but it would be nice if the reserves got a little more work. As long as Pachall is healthy he’ll be a major star.
Unit Rating: 8

Running Backs

The Horned Frogs are loaded with returning production and should be able to crank out big yards no matter who’s running the ball. 5-9, 200-pound senior Ed Wesley ran for 726 yards and six scores despite missing a chunk of time over the first half of the season. He cranked out 146 yards in the win over San Diego State and 120 yards and two scores against Wyoming, but he was mostly a part of a rotation instead of being the featured back. While he’ll never be a regular 25-carry workhorse, he has the tremendous quickness to bust any play big and with just enough toughness to pound out yards on the inside.

Junior Waymon James ended up leading the team with 875 yards and six scores with three 100-yard days. While he’s likely going to be the third man in the rotation, the 5-8, 203-pound plugger has the ability and potential to be a No. 1 back the offense works around. A big-time recruit after a phenomenal high school career - running for 4,732 career yards and 54 scores - he’s a talent able to work inside or out.

While all the TCU runners can work inside, 6-1, 218-pound senior Matthew Tucker qualifies as one of the team’s to thumpers. A power runner with enough speed to get by, he followed up a phenomenal freshman season with 709 yards and eight scores in 2010 and a pounding 702 yards and 12 scores last year. Not just a goal line back, he’s able to be a workhorse at times and can even catch a little bit when needed.

Senior Aundre Dean ran for 130 yards last year and is good enough to see more time. One of the team’s top recruits a few years ago, the 6-0, 215-pounder hasn’t been able to break through to become a major factor, but he has good size and enough experience to be used more. He’ll fight with star recruit B.J. Catalon for time. The 5-9, 200-pounder could be one of the team’s best receives out of the backfield and can hit the home run, scoring 32 times and running for 2,269 yards as a high school senior.

Watch Out For … even more of a rotation. If Wesley is 100% and in a groove, he’ll likely be the No. 1 option, but he’s not going to be overused with so many other good backs in the mix. Dean and Catalon will help out the big three in the rotation, too.
Strength: Options. TCU is the only team in college football to return three players who ran for 700 yards or more. There’s never any reason to not have a fresh back in with so many good runners able to crank out five-to-seven yards a crack.
Weakness: Receiving. It’s not that the Horned Frog receivers can’t catch. They just don’t do it a lot. James was the leading receiver out of the backfield with just ten grabs.
Outlook: The TCU backfield rotation will be among the best in the Big 12. There’s not a ton of power, but there’s quickness to burn and veteran options to play around with. No, TCU wasn’t as productive last year with 2,712 yards compared to the 3,415 from 2010, but the 38 touchdowns weren’t bad. Chalk up the difference to even more from the passing game, but Wesley, Tucker and James will once again combine for well over 2,000 yards.
Unit Rating: 9

Receivers

Junior Josh Boyce was every bit as good as advertised in his first year, earning CFN Freshman All-America honors catching 34 passes with six scores. He was even better last year leading the team with 61 grabs for 998 yards and nine touchdowns highlighted by a five grab, 163-yard, three touchdown day against Boise State. At 6-0 and 203 pounds the junior has decent size to go along with great hands and gamebreaking ability averaging 16.4 yards per catch.

Boyce might be the star, but Skye Dawson could easily be the team’s No. 1 deep threat. The 5-9, 183-pound senior might not be all that big, but he’s a flash of lightning who finished with 45 catches for 500 yards and five scores. He finished as the Poinsettia Bowl MVP with four grabs for 85 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The team’s fastest payer was the Mountain West 60-meter champion, and now has to show off more of his speed as a deep threat. He’s a football player running track, and not the other way around, and he’s starting to put up the stats to prove it.

Sophomore Brandon Carter came up with a great freshman year after blowing off Oklahoma to come to TCU. While he finished fourth on the team with 23 catches, he rolled for 15.3 yards per grab with three touchdown catches. The 5-11, 161-pounder is lightning quick and great in the open field with the ball in his hands.

6-2, 190-pound Cam White only caught six passes for 90 yards as a true freshman, but now he’s expected to do far more with good size and high yard-after-catch potential. While he can work in the slot, he has the speed to stretch the defense. Also seeing time as a true freshman was David Porter, who caught a 19-yard touchdown pass on his first career grab against Baylor and scored the week after at Air Force. However, he only finished with seven catches on the year doing nothing in the middle of the season.

TCU has done a terrific job of recruiting receivers over the last few years, like Boyce, and it has two excellent talents waiting in the wings in David Bush and LaDarius Brown. The two were among the team’s top pickups last year and redshirted, and now they’re about to make their mark in different ways. The 6-4, 220-pound Brown is a strong, physical target who looks like a No. 1 receiver, while the 5-9, 180-pound Bush is a speedster who can stretch the field.

6-6, 255-pound senior Corey Fuller will take over the tight end job after starting four times last year. More of a blocker than a receiver, he caught just two passes for 35 yards but can be used as a short-range target. TCU uses its tight ends mostly for the ground game, and Fuller can be a big blocker. However, 6-5, 242-pound sophomore Stephen Bryant is a field-stretcher with defensive back athleticism in a good-sized frame.

Watch Out For … Carter. Boyce and Dawson might get most of the attention, but Carter has the skills to blow up as a deep threat who’ll take away the attention from the rest of the corps. Most of the time he’ll see single coverage and should make defenses pay.
Strength: Talent. This might be the most talented receiving corps in TCU history, and it might not even be close. If Brown and Bush can boost up the depth as expected, the Horned Frog receiving corps will be loaded.
Weakness: A proven tight end. Logan Brock only caught 11 passes, but he scored three times and was a decent outlet target. Even so, 11 catches weren’t a lot. Fuller has to prove he can become a regular target, while Bryant has to put it all together to be a part of the passing game.
Outlook: Loaded. Boyce is a true No. 1 and Dawson and Carter are big-play talents who can put up bigger numbers with QB Casey Pachall spreading the ball around more. There’s size, speed, quickness, and talent. Nowhere on the team has the recruiting been stronger over the last few years, and it’s about to show.
Unit Rating: 8

Offensive Line

Teams don’t focus their offensive lines around a right guard, but TCU’s best blocker might be 6-4, 310-pound senior all-star Blaize Foltz, a ridiculously strong run blaster who flattens his man and always pounds away for the key yards. He was always considered a good talent who just needed his shot, he got it last year and was terrific.

Foltz might be the star, but a top prospect at left tackle is 6-7, 315-pound sophomore Tayo Fabuluje, who’s ready to go after sitting out last year after transferring from BYU. Very big with a long frame, he’ll be tough to get around.

James Dunbar got a little time early on over the first half of last year, and now the right tackle job is his after starting out working on the left side. The 6-6, 305-pound junior was supposed to step up and be the team’s next great tackle, but it didn’t happen. He has the athleticism and the talent, but he has to be consistent. Stepping in at left guard is 6-5, 310-pound junior John Wooldridge, a key backup over the last few years with good size and mauling blocking ability.

All James Fry had to do was replace Rimington Award winner Jake Kirkpatrick at center, and he came up with a nice year. At 6-3 and 290 pounds he has good size, and was consistent, but he’ll still be pushed for time by junior Eric Tausch, a 6-3, 295-pound veteran who could end up at right tackle if needed.

Sophomore Nykiren Wellington isn’t as big as Febuluje, but he’s an athletic option at left tackle. The 6-6, 275-pounder only saw time in two games last year but he’ll get more time in the rotation. Backing up Dunbar on the other side will be redshirt freshman Bobby Thompson, a versatile 6-6, 290-pounder who can kick inside if needed. He’ll be a starter before his career is up.

Inside, the top backup prospect is Brady Foltz, brother of starting right guard, Blaize. Brady has 6-4, 300-pound size and a world of upside with the tremendous run blocking ability. He can play either guard spot and will likely start out working on the left side. 6-3, 310-pound senior Trevius Jones hasn’t seen a ton of time, but he has good size and has been around long enough to step in from time to time at either guard spot.

Watch Out For … Fabululje. A nice get from BYU, he has a huge frame and long arms. Can he shine on the left side? Probably not right away, but he should be terrific in pass protection.
Strength: The system. Four new starters stepped in last year, and it didn’t matter as the Horned Frogs were dominant in pass protection and terrific for the running game. There’s work to be done this year, too, but at this point the coaching staff is able to plug in new starters without a problem. The depth was prepared last year.
Weakness: Left tackle? TCU always gets production from the spot, but Dunbar hasn’t quite proven himself yet and Fabululje still needs a little bit of time. There’s a little bit of patching and a few more question marks than normal this year, but it’ll be sink-or-swim with Fabuluje.
Outlook: The line didn’t necessarily dominate last year, but it more than got the job done. This year, it could take a step back with a functional starting five, but few likely all-stars in the new league outside of Blaize Foltz. Strangely enough, while the starting five is a bit of a question mark, the depth should be solid.
Unit Rating: 6.5

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hat You Need To Know: Now the TCU defense will really be tested. It didn’t exactly fall off the map last year, but after years of being at or near the top of the charts in several defensive categories, last year was a problem with Robert Griffin and Kellen Moore bombing away on the secondary, and the run defense merely above-average instead of tremendous. On the plus side, even with several new starters in the secondary, the system is perfect for the Big 12 with five defensive backs who can all tackles, and good, sound linebackers. Stansly Maponga should be one of the Big 12’s top pass rushers, and there’s promise along the front four, but a second pass rusher has to emerge and the new starting tackles have to hold up from the start.

Returning Leaders
Tackles: Kenny Cain, 72
Sacks: Stansly Maponga, 9
Interceptions: Several at 1
Star of the defense: Junior DE Stansly Maponga
Player who has to step up and be a star: Sophomore NT Chuck Hunter
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore LB Deryck Gildon
Best pro prospect: Maponga
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Maponga, 2) LB Kenny Cain, 3) CB Jason Verrett
Strength of the defense: Run Defense, Young Talent
Weakness of the defense: Proven Depth, Second Pass Rusher

Defensive Line

While he wasn’t exactly Jerry Hughes, junior Stansly Maponga was a terror on the outside last season finishing with a team-leading nine sacks with 13.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. At 6-2 and 265 pounds he’s a bit squatty for a defensive end, but he’s lightning quick off the ball and is a tremendous closer. He’s not just a pass rusher; he’s stout against the run, too, with 55 stops.

Working on the other side will be senior Ross Forrest, a 6-4, 255-pound former walk-on who took over the starting job midway through last season and finished with 32 tackles with 1.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. He’s not a pure pass rusher, but he has a great motor and is always working. He has been around long enough to be one of the team’s steadiest defenders.

The Horned Frogs are young on the inside, but sophomore David Johnson is hardly green after taking over the starting job early on as a redshirt freshman and plugging things up as an interior pass rusher with three sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 28 tackles. While he’s not huge at 6-2 and 270 pounds, he’s active, smart, and talented. 6-2, 275-pound sophomore Jon Lewis made an impact as a true freshman with 16 tackles, a sack, and three tackles for loss. He got a start against Colorado State and proved to be a key backup with terrific upside. While he’s able to start on the nose, he’ll get the call at the other tackle spot.

Playing a big role on the inside will be sophomore Chuck Hunter, who started as a true freshman and turned out to be a nice part of the rotation with 17 tackles and two tackles for loss. At 6-1 and 305 pounds, he’s a plugger who can gum up the works inside, and he’s also a terrific talent with a world of upside.

Working in the rotation inside will be junior Ray Burns, a 6-1, 290-pound nose tackle who started three games last season and finished with seven tackles and a sack. He only played in seven games and was banged up, but he’s a quick option who step in and start if needed.

6-4, 280-pound sophomore Cliff Murphy is an end who brings a little flexibility to the line. He can be thrown inside if needed, but he’s a pass rusher with outstanding size. 6-2, 260-pound junior Jon Koontz is a solid veteran backup who made 16 tackles with four tackles for loss. He can work on either side of the line and be a rock against the run.

Watch Out For … Hunter. He was a great get for the Horned Frogs with the talent to have gone to other Big 12 programs. He’s a plugger of a nose tackle and will be tough to shove around.
Strength: Youth. 2011 was a bit of a rebuilding and reloading year for the line, and it showed. The production was fine, but not dominant compared to past TCU teams. That might quickly change with several players growing up in a hurry. Yes, this is a sophomore-dominated group, but it’s a quickly-maturing one.
Weakness: A sure-thing second pass rusher. Maponga is a mortal lock for All-Big 12 honors, but everyone will go out of their way to chip him unless Forrest, Murphy, or Koontz can shine on the other side. Maponga made nine sacks last year and no other end came up with more than two.
Outlook: The pass rush hasn’t put up the monster numbers over the last few seasons, but it’s effective and it’ll work this year thanks to Maponga. The run defense slipped a bit, but that’s partly because of the youth movement up front. The Horned Frogs will use waves of players in a rotation to keep everyone fresh and will hold up just fine, even if the talent level isn’t quite equal to the rest of the top teams in the conference.
Unit Rating: 7

Linebackers

Losing a star and a leader like Tank Carder would be a big problem if it wasn’t for the return of Kenny Cain to be one of the team’s leaders. While he’s built like a safety at 6-1 and 210 pounds, he’s tough enough to work in the middle and active enough to be a rock against the run on the strongside. Very fast and very quick, the second-team All-Mountain West star led the team with 72 tackles with four broken up passes and a sack. He’s fast enough to be used more as a pass rusher, and he’s terrific in the open field in pass coverage.

Stepping in for Carder in the middle is sophomore Deryck Gildon, who at 6-2 and 235 pounds is one of the team’s biggest linebackers after beefing up big-time since joining the program. Able to play right away as a true freshman, he made 21 tackles and was a star on the special teams. Very talented and with wide receiver-like athleticism, he has the potential to make the job his right away and be another Carder.

Sophomore Joel Hasley is a smallish 6-1 and 215 pounds, but he’s a good hitter who made nine tackles in his limited time. He can work anywhere, but he’ll mainly be a backup in the middle behind Gildon.

On the outside, 6-1, 220-pound sophomore Danny Heiss was supposed to be in the mix right away last year but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the opener against Baylor. Healthy now, he'll play behind Cain on the strongside.

Watch Out For … Gildon. Cain is the tackling machine and the new star, but Gildon has the potential to be special, too. The TCU linebackers are always active and they’re always making things happen, but everything will funnel inside. Gildon can handle it.
Strength: The defensive scheme. TCU only uses two true linebackers and allows them to plug things up as needed. With four different leading tacklers in the last four years, TCU always finds guys who can step up against the run.
Weakness: Depth. And here’s where the offseason problems could hurt. Tanner Brock was knocked out for the year early last season with a foot injury, but he was expected to return to his all-star status and become the star of the linebacking corps. With Brock booted off the team and with Carder graduated, there’s a bit of a drop-off from where the group looked to be last year at this time. However, Gary Patterson has gone out of his way to say he likes the progress of Hasley and Heiss.
Outlook: The potential is there to be fantastic. Cain is a good one to start with and Gildon is a high-riser. While the backups aren’t all that big and need to prove they can shine when the lights are on, the linebacking corps isn’t going to be a weakness in any way and there will eventually be a solid rotation.
Unit Rating: 6.5

Defensive Backs

The TCU secondary might have had a few problems and breakdowns, but junior Jason Verrett wasn’t necessarily the problem, at least against the run. The all-star made 58 tackles with a pick and four broken up passes coming in from Santa Rosa JC, and this year he should be one of the Big 12’s best tackling corners. Fast and with great toughness, the 5-10, 180-pounder can be thrown on an island and be just fine. Now he has to make more big plays when the ball was in the air.

5-10, 174-pound sophomore Kevin White will take over for Greg McCoy at the other corner after a promising first year. He got three starts and finished the year with 18 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, but he didn’t come up with a pick and has to be more of a ball-hawk. With most teams looking to stay away from Verrett, the opportunities will be there.

Gone after the offseason problems is strong safety Devin Johnson, who did a little of everything with 47 tackles with 2.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. Now the opportunity is there for 6-1, 220-pound sophomore Sam Carter to grow into the position after making eight tackle with a broken up pass in his first year. A star high school quarterback with great rushing skills, he had offers from several big-time schools as a dual-threat playmaker. At TCU, he was instantly converted to defensive back with the size and athleticism to become terrific.

Taking over the weak safety job from second-leading tackler Tekerrein Cuba is sophomore Jonathan Anderson, a great-looking 6-3, 208-pound prospect who came up with a terrific first year making 49 tackles with a pick including 17 tackles against BYU. Very smart and with great size and range, everything is there to become an all-star as he owns the position over the next three years.

5-10, 182-pound junior Elisha Olabode is a corner playing safety, working at free safety after making 15 tackles last year. While he’s not a big hitter, he’s a good tackler and physical for his size, and he has excellent quickness and speed. It might take a little bit, but he should be a good one with a little bit of starting time logged in. He’s been around long enough to know what he’s doing.

With three new full-time starters at safety, the chances are there for the reserves to see time right away in the rotation. 6-2, 200-pound redshirt freshman Chris Hackett is one of the team’s most promising defensive backs as a top recruit last year. He redshirted, and now he should be a big part of the rotation at free safety bringing more size than Olabode. Fellow redshirt freshman Quincy Aldridge will see time at weak safety, but he can play anywhere in the corps. At 6-2 and 195 pounds he has good size, great smarts, and has a great nose for the ball.

James Bailey is another redshirt freshman with good speed and nice quickness for a 6-1, 205-pound hitter. He’s a strong safety, but he has the moves to work at free.

At 6-1 and 195 pounds, redshirt freshman Travoskey Garrett is a bigger option at one corner than White, and he could move to safety if needed. He has good size and the athleticism to play anywhere in the secondary, while 5-10, 180-pound junior Keivon Gamble will get a shot at a starting job right away after coming in from Trinity Valley CC. He’s a pure cover-corner who at the very least is a ready-made backup.

Watch Out For … The redshirt freshmen. The Horned Frogs are set with the starting lineup, but the real talent and star power might be with the youngsters. Aldridge, Bailey, and Hackett will one day be a phenomenal safety trio.
Strength: Versatility. Verrett is a corner, but for the most part the TCU defensive backs can move around and play where needed. The safeties are interchangeable with some of them able to move outside and play corner in a desperate situation.
Weakness: Veteran safeties. The position is fine thanks to the expected emergence of the redshirt freshmen boosting up the depth, but losing Johnson stings and Cuba and Fobbs were productive hitters who combined for 135 tackles last season.
Outlook: This could be the trouble spot. TCU was No. 1 in the nation in yards allowed and pass efficiency defense in 2010, but last year the production took a major hit with Robert Griffin and others bombing away. This year’s secondary isn’t going to be a rock, and there will be a few growing pains at safety, but everyone can tackle and there won’t be too many yards gained after the catch. This will become a terrific secondary, but it might need a little bit of time.
Unit Rating: 7

Special Teams

Gone is Ross Evans, the ultra-accurate and reliable kicker who nailed 14-of-17 kicks last season and was a rock for four years. Sophomore Ryan DeNucci has a big leg and could have better range than Evans, who topped out at just under 50 yards. He was used on kickoffs late last year.

The punting game struggled last year averaging under 35 yards per kick, and now it’ll be up to senior Cale Patterson to take over for Anson Kelton. After waiting his turn, Patterson has to match Kelton’s 40.2-yard average, but he needs help from the coverage team that Kelton didn’t get.

The kickoff return game finished second in the nation with Greg McCoy averaging close to 31 yards per try with two scores, and Waymon James was terrific when he got his chance averaging 27.8 yards per try with a score. Lightning fast receiver Skye Dawson will get the first shot at the kick returning job, while Brandon Carter and Ed Wesley will try to boost up a punt return game that was okay, but not great with Dawson averaging just 4.9 yards per try. Wesley averaged 10.9 yards per pop, and Carter averaged 13.7 yards per try.

Watch Out For … Carter as a punt returner. It was a three-headed punt return monster last year, and Carter was the best of the lot. He should explode with more chances.
Strength: Kickoff returns. The Horned Frogs were awesome here last year with McCoy coming up with a terrific year, but James and Dawson will be outstanding.
Weakness: Kick and punt coverage. It was hardly a big problem, but it could use some tightening up. TCU allowed 21 yards per kickoff and 7.4 yards per punt return. The punting game could use some more pop.
Outlook: The special teams slipped a bit last year after being among the best in the nation and now there are some real concerns after losing Evans and Kelton. The kickers have to prove themselves, but the return game should turn out to be terrific and the coverage teams will be stronger.
Unit Rating: 7

[PK]

You have to wonder about the credibility of a writer who doesn't know the difference between "one" and "won".

[CalallenStang]

Stopped reading here.

How good is Patterson? Forget about the consistency on the field; he has done everything possible to make things right in a bad situation with the marijuana controversy that rocked the program this offseason. He never ducked from it and he never tried to make excuses, and in this day and age of issues and scandals across the college football landscape, trying to right the wrong and not trying to sweep things under the rug goes a long way.

That's total BS and we all know it. When asked how many of his players failed a drug test, Patterson flippantly told the media that maybe he should run a drug test on them and see how many would pass. He also said that the "real number" was "maybe it's five, and maybe it's 82" and that he wasn't going to tell the media anything further than that.

[PonyKai]

It's the same Fiutak who compared our 80's heydey Boise St. calling it a "nice little run" like they had. Thus endeth the credibility.

[westexSMU]

Hey it says in this article that x TCU LB Tanner Brock is going to UTEP for his SR. season. Tanner Brock was one of TCU's starting LBs in 2010 who played in the Rose Bowl. Brock was also arrested in the TCU Drug Bust. I heard his brother, who was a starting TE last year for TCU, has also left TCU and will also attend UTEP. True ?

[ThisIsOurTime]

Hey it says in this article that x TCU LB Tanner Block is going to UTEP for his SR. season. Tanner Brock was one of TCU's starting LBs in 2010 who played in the Rose Bowl. Brock was also arrested in the TCU Drug Bust. I heard his brother, who was a starting TE last year for TCU, has also left TCU and will also attend UTEP. True ?

The Brock family has 3 sons. Tanner and Logan Brock played at TCU. The youngest, Cooper committed to UTEP (was not offered by TCU). There has been some talk that Tanner would transfer there after the arrest. However, this has also been refuted by the Brocks and UTEP but that could be just pretext until the legal case's outcome is known. Now, the oldest brother, Logan was a TE for TCU last year but he graduated and is now playing in the NFL as he signed with the Houston Texans.

[East Coast Mustang]

Why is there a thread about a TCU preview on our board?

[Charleston Pony]

here's a wild guess...probably because they are on our schedule?

[ThisIsOurTime]

Why is there a thread about a TCU preview on our board?

Because the TCU game is your team's Super Bowl. Maybe you have not noticed but there is a bit of an obsession about anything TCU related (especially if bad) here.

[westexSMU]

I would say the aggies at SMU is our super bowl this year. They kicked our butt last year, and now they are an SEC team. Huge game for us at home.

[sbsmith]

Why is there a thread about a TCU preview on our board?

A link would have sufficed.

[SMUer]

Now two 700 rushers. And agreed. TCU ball-licking can and should be directed here. http://www.killerfrogs.com/

http://espn.go.com/dallas/ncf/story/_/i ... ly-reasons