TCU News: QB Justin Rogers is the Frogs’ Best Recruiting Advantage

Football:

TCU recruiting soaring with No. 2 dual-threat QB Justin Rogers on board | The Star-Telegram

Justin Rogers is the straw that stirs the drink, but this class is deep, strong, and fills a ton of needs.

“He’s one of those players that’s a marquee player that people are going to gravitate toward because good recruits want to surround themselves with other good recruits,” said Jeremy Clark, publisher of HornedFrogBlitz.com on the 247Sports network of recruiting sites. “You’re talking not only about a good recruit, but the most important position on a football field, where a guy that's rated so high has decided to come to TCU. It’s definitely made an impact on the recruiting trail.”

Rogers is one of five four-star players on the TCU commitment list, including the most recent addition, Mississippi running back Fabian Franklin, who flipped from Mississippi State last week.

Following Rogers’ commitment on May 31, the Frogs and coach Gary Patterson added two more four-star players — receiver Tevailance Hunt of Texarkana Texas High and Iowa junior college tackle Anthony McKinney.

“That’s awesome, just seeing what Coach P has done and what that coaching staff has done over the years with players who maybe had one offer out of high school or weren’t ranked,” said safety Atanza Vognor of South Grand Prairie, the first four-star commit in the Frogs’ 2018 class. “Seeing what he did with those guys and now bringing in top recruits? That’s awesome.”

Patterson praises Sonny Dykes’ ‘humility’ in year with TCU football | The Star-Telegram

It’s a great move for Dykes, a perfect fit for SMU, and though they’ll be rivals, GP seems happy for his friend.

TCU coach Gary Patterson credited Sonny Dykes for his selflessness in his year with the Horned Frogs as an offensive analyst, a non-coaching, non-recruiting position.

“You got a guy that’s been a head coach in college, did his own calls and did all of it,” Patterson said Friday after practice. “I think it shows a lot about his humility. He could have just sat out. He didn’t have to do anything. But he came over here, was part of our staff and did things. To me, that says a lot about the kind of guy that he is and the kind of coach that he is.”

Alamo Bowl Odds: Stanford vs. TCU Betting Pick, Analysis | Bleacher Report

A lot of people seem to be picking against the Horned Frogs...

TCU owns short statistical edges on both offense and defense, but Stanford played a slightly tougher schedule. Also, Cardinal running back Bryce Love was hampered by sore ankles late this season, but four weeks off should help. This one should be close, but ultimately the betting value probably resides with the underdog Cardinal.

College football betting trends

The total has gone under in eight of TCU's last nine games.

TCU is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games in the postseason.

Stanford is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games after a loss.

Basketball:

TCU takes care of Texas Southern to win 16th straight game | TCU 360

It wasn’t a clean win, but I’m not worried. The Frogs will be sharp come Big 12 play.

TCU entered Monday first in the Big 12 and second in the NCAA in field goal shooting at 53.1 percent, but the Horned Frogs were hampered by shooting woes in the first 20 minutes, making just 15 of their first 35 shots and hit just one of its six first-half three-pointers.

“These guys got away with using the zone on us early, we missed shots and didn’t get the ball inside enough,” TCU head coach Jamie Dixon said. “Texas Southern, have so much respect for those kids, and they have the No. 1 strength of schedule in the country, pretty sure they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament again.”

Another factor in the Tigers’ first-half success was point guard Demontrae Jefferson, who scored 13 of his game-high 29 points in the opening 20 minutes.

“We stepped it up defensively in the second half because we let Jefferson get going in the first half, which we didn’t want to happen,” TCU forward JD Miller said.