Spring Questions
by Purple Wimple on Feb 22, 2011 10:22 PM CST
in TCU Football
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PrintA few key questions that TCU and each of its D-1A opponents look to answer this spring.
Air Force- Will Ken Lamendola, out for most of two seasons with injuries, reclaim a starting role at linebacker? And who's going to replace Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright in the secondary?
Baylor- Skipping passed the obvious (replacing RB Jay Finley), can new coordinator Phil Bennett revive the defense like Art Briles has done to the offense? He has to replace six starters while he's doing it (DT Phil Taylor, LBs Chris Francis and Antonio Johnson, Ss Tim Atchison and Byron Landor, and CB Mikail Baker).
Boise State- will a go-to receiver emerge to replace Titus Young and Austin Pettis?
BYU- is it safe to stop makes excuses for Jake Heaps, and simply demand better, now?
Colorado State- it's put up or shut up time about the run game in Fort Collins. First, who is going to replace Guy Miller and Ty Whittier, and finally stop opponents on the ground? Second, with four returning starters on the line and a pack of returning runningbacks, who will channel his inner Gartrell Johnson and finally make hay toting the rock?
Louisiana-Monroe- Every meaningful playmaker for the Warhawks returns, and transfer Mitchell Bailey has finished sitting out a year. Is the offense going to go ballistic?
New Mexico- is this the season the defensive line plays to its potential? Ugo Uzodinma and Reggie Ellis didn't improve the rush defense in '10; Calvin Watkins is not a true freshman anymore. What gives? Stump Godfrey can't save Locks's job by himself.
San Diego State- Even more than Boise State, the wide receiving corps is being recast with new players. It's open season at the position. Only two receivers, Dominique Sandifer and Dylan Denso return, having caught a pass in a game. Ezell Ruffin, Osmond Nicholas, King Holder, David Lamar, and Jay Waddell all will get a chance during the spring. Ruffin created the most buzz on the practice squad, but there's room for a handful to stand and deliver.
SMU- It's time for the Mustang's version of the run-n-shoot to go ballistic. Kyle Padron had a solid sophomore slump, but 2011 is SMU's time to shine. It gets TCU in a rebuilding year; but its offense has to improve to make headway against the Frogs' ferocious D. Only one Mustang starter leaves-- WR Aldrick Robinson. Inexperience doesn't exist on this team anymore.
TCU- It's year 1 A.D. (After Dalton) in Fort Worth. Can Casey Pachall hold off Matt Brown for top spot on the two-deep at quarterback? And can James Fry hold off redshirt freshman Michael Thompson at center?
UNLV- offensive identity? Anyone? RB Tim Cornett became an unlikely light for the ground game last season; who will rise to match his intensity?
Wyoming- half a dozen Cowboy recruits enrolled early, and four of last year's offensive line recruits have completed a redshirt year. And a good thing, because some of Wyoming's best playmakers left the team after the season, including QB Austyn Carta-Samuels. Suddenly the two-deep is very fluid.
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Ezra, how’s recruiting shaping up? I see a commit from Pope and very strong interest from that Crockett receiver and (gasp) Gray. Your thoughts?
by Uncle Teardrop on Mar 12, 2011 6:11 PM CST reply actions
It’s early in the recruiting season, but the Big East move and the Rose Bowl win clearly have propelled the Frogs’ recruiting to new heights. If the rebuilt offense doesn’t go 2007 on us, I think signing day ‘12 will be a happy one in Fort Worth. TCU isn’t among those schools whose recruiting is largely finished by the spring game… But, within that perameter, the Frogs are continuing their talent-upgrade trajectory. Rivals shows seven commits in the fold at present, including another defensive lineman from West Monroe, Louisiana (2011 DT Chuck Hunter’s school). Two pro-style QBs have picked the Frogs, the headliner probably being Tyler McPherson from Kansas. That’s a touch odd, because the Frogs are pretty committed to the spread. Kilgore runningback LaDarius Anthony decommited from Baylor and picked TCU; whether or not that has any bearing on Aledo’s runningmonster Jonathan Gray’s choice remains to be seen.
That Gray is seriously considering TCU (with Texas and A&M, usually reported as a Texas lean) speaks volumes about the program Gary Patterson has built. As recently as last year, that kind of Texas player was easy pickings for Mack Brown. Now that ain’t the case. Were the Frogs to land Gray, he would be their first-ever five-star recruit. I still have to wipe my eyes when I read Gray is considering the Frogs. It’s twilight-zone material, but true.
Defensively, TCU has a verbal from Edward Pope, another hotshot prospect from Carthage (Dwight “The Myth” Smith’s alma mater). Pope is a rangey safety who brings the pain. Here‘s the offer list ($) as the Frogs’ Rivals reporters can confirm.
by Ezra Hood on Mar 15, 2011 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions
here’s OrangeBloods on Pope:
“I have a ton of thoughts on Pope, the first of which is there probably isn’t a better playmaking safety in the state than the 6-3, 175-pounder. Even after tearing an ACL last year, he returned as an impact player down the stretch for one of East Texas’ top programs. If you’re looking for a guy on the back end of your defense to rough up teams in run defense and scare the hell out of receivers, then Pope is your guy. From a physicality standpoint, he has the goods in a way that a guy like former big-time prospect Craig Loston had them. When he’s headed downhill, he can create turnovers and that has a tremendous value. He’s also a guy that has pretty good pass skills, but I don’t know that he’s a guy that you wanted matched up much with elite receivers because their quickness is going to give him some issues. He actually plays much bigger than his listed weight and it wouldn’t completely surprise to see him eventually spin down to linebacker once he fills out his frame because his style of play is well-suited for it. Bottom line – when Pope is 100 percent, he’s a game changer.”
by Ezra Hood on Mar 22, 2011 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions
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