Pachall's Availability: Decoy or Real Deal?

Well folks, this is earlier than expected, and frankly I never thought he would suit up in the Purple and White (and black and red) again, but Casey Pachall is officially available to play in Saturday night's game against Texas.

Last night, Stefan Stevenson broke the news:

#TCU's Casey Pachall will be available Saturday vs. #Texas, Patterson says. READ: http://t.co/4OaOZ9zZb3

— Stefan Stevenson (@FollowtheFrogs) October 24, 2013

Now, it is incredibly unlikely that Pachall will get the start on Saturday, but how likely is it that he'll see the field? I think he may get a few snaps, if for no other reason than to get Texas thinking about him. Heck, if he actually successfully throws the ball down field, he may stay in the game.

Remember, Pachall was not great in his two appearances this season, throwing for just 17 of 30 and 175 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception, against LSU and Southeastern Louisiana. However, as Stevenson notes, he has been running with the scout team for the past few weeks, and has been throwing against a very good TCU defense. Maybe that will have him ready to face Texas? Who knows.

What we do know is that if Pachall does play, and appears in games the rest of the season, he will be ineligible for a medical redshirt (which I think he already was, but still).

If anything, Pachall's early return and potential to play Saturday, and for the rest of the season is probably an effort to assist with his NFL Draft stock.

I'm glad to see him back, but if Rusty Burns can't create a good game plan, it'll probably be a moot point.