TCU News: Drops a big issue for Frogs’ WR corps

Football

Patterson concerned about recurring drops by TCU receivers | Fort Worth Star Telegram

Patterson emphasized during his Tuesday press conference that drops can be drive killers. The Frogs have dropped 17 passes through four games this year. More than four per game.

“Those are the things you have to have to keep drives alive,” Patterson said. “Especially if they’re going to line up and bring everybody (to rush the passer) and have man coverage. You have to be able to beat the one-on-ones.”

5 takeaways from TCU’s media availability | Dallas Morning News

John Diarse is becoming one of the leaders this team needs. What a huge get from LSU.

Patterson said Diarse could be considered for captaincy when the Frogs take on Oklahoma, a big honor for a player in his first year at TCU. The coach was enamored with Diarse's toughness last week, when he returned from being on the receiving end of a targeting hit to burn SMU several times in the second half.

Baker Mayfield has plenty of motivation against TCU | NewsOK.com

“Both parties have said they’re over it, so we’re going to keep writing about it.” - NewsOK, probably.

“I'm 21,” Mayfield said. “That was four years ago when all that happened. That's in the past. All that last year got blown out of proportion so that's way in the past.”

Patterson, too, has said he's moved on.

“I can't speak for Baker. I'm past it,” Patterson said this week. “He's in a great place. He's up for the Heisman Trophy. I'm just trying to win games at TCU. I wish him the best of luck.”

For Frogs, it’s a make-or-break date with Oklahoma | Fort Worth Star Telegram

There’s been obvious growth defensively over the first four weeks of the season, and it will need to continue on Saturday if the Frogs want to keep their dreams alive.

“You can tell our guys are better now than they were four weeks ago, trying to get ready for South Dakota State,” Patterson said Tuesday.

“It’s taken us a little while for our guys to grow up and start playing together. But we seem to have played defensively a little bit better every week. Last week we tackled better.”

TCU spirited after win, but Patterson still wants faster starts | Fort Worth Star Telegram

It’s good to hear there’s more energy at practice this week, as we’ve been told that’s been lacking for the first month of the season.

“One of the things you can’t take for granted, the home crowd can give you emotion, but it can’t be your emotion,” Patterson said. “That’s one thing as a young football team you’ve got to learn. You can feed off of it, but you already have to have it.”

Patterson said the team got off to a good start with that on Sunday. He said practice was spirited after a day off on Saturday following the Friday night victory at SMU.

“It was a combination of a win, we played better, also getting a day off,” he said. “We all do better with that.”