Drafting the All-Time Greats: TCU Offense

A couple days ago, TCU Athletics posted this:

Well, with real football two weeks away, you can bet this piqued our pigskin-starved interests. But we wanted to have a little fun with it too, so we decided to make it a competition and turn it into a draft in true Frogs O War style. To make things fair, we did it snake style, with the first round bookended by our two most recent grads. Here’s how it went:

Round One:

Mason - LaDainian Tomlinson

Jamie - Andy Dalton

Melissa - Josh Doctson

Scott - Trevone Boykin

Chris - Davey O’Brien

Round Two:

Chris - Jake Kirkpatrick

Scott - Jim Swink

Melissa - Sammy Baugh

Jamie - Ki Aldrich

Mason - Jeremy Kerley

Round Three:

Mason - Kenny Hill

Jamie - Josh Boyce

Melissa - Kenneth Davis

Scott - Marshall Newhouse

Chris - Cy Leland

Round Four:

Chris - Mike Renfro

Scott - Marcus Cannon

Melissa - Stanley Washington

Jamie - Tony Jeffery

Mason - Joey Hunt

Round Five:

Mason - KaVontae Turpin

Jamie - Herb Taylor

Melissa - IB Hale

Scott - Johnny Vaught

Chris - Darrell Lester

Round Six:

Chris - Halapoulivaati Vaitai

Scott - Jimmy Young

Melissa - Cory Rodgers

Jamie - Stephen Shipley

Mason - WC Nix III

Round Seven:

Mason - Kolby Listenbee

Jamie - Kelly Blackwell

Melissa - Matt Schoebel

Scott - Blake Schlueter

Chris - Phil Epps

Round Eight:

Chris - Mike Brumbelow

Scott - Bart Johnson

Melissa - David Bobo

Jamie - Norm Evans

Mason - Norm Hamilton

Round Nine:

Mason - Ty Slanina

Jamie - Barrett Robbins

Melissa - Ryan Tucker

Scott - Ryan Christian

Chris - James Maness

Round Ten:

Chris - Doug Conaway

Scott - Josh Vernon

Melissa - Mike Sullivan

Jamie - Richard Woodley

Mason - Tayo Faboulaje

Round Eleven:

Mason - Brady Fultz

Jamie - Jake Williams

Melissa - Guy Morriss

Scott - Reggie Harrell

Chris - Deante’ Gray

Mason’s Team:

QB: Kenny Hill

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson

WR: Jeremy Kerley, KaVontae Turpin, Kolby Listenbee, Ty Slanina

OL: Joey Hunt (C) , WC Nix III (LG), Norm Hamilton (LT) , Brady Foltz (RG), Tayo Fabuluje (RT)

So maybe I just didn’t read the instructions well enough (or at all), but I approached this more from the fantasy side of things so that is why you don’t see a lot of old school players on my team. I got weapons that I know would get yards and touchdowns on the outside. Except for Ty, that pick was just a pick for Mason. It was also important that I added versatile weapons on my squad. Turpin and Kerley are going to get me at least 2-4 punt or kickoff returns for TD’s and a ton of return yards. Of course it goes without saying that LT would be my first pick considering he rushed for 20+ tuddies in his prime at TCU, along with standout games where he rushed for the all time single game record (at that time). Of course with the O-line I adopted the approach of the eye test. I know for sure that the guys I’ve watched can get the job done, and in Joey Hunt’s case have a fabulous head of hair while doing it. And of course I’d be mistaken if I didn’t mention how I have the 20117-2018 Heisman winner as my QB. Yes, a lot of my picks were younger guys, but I also believe that athletes tend to get bigger, faster, stronger as time goes on. So ya, come at me old school.

Jamie’s Team:

QB: Andy Dalton

RB: Tony Jeffery

WR: Josh Boyce, Stephen Shipley, Kelly Blackwell, Richard Woodley

OL: Herb Taylor (LT), Barrett Robbins (LG), Ki Aldrich (C) ,Jake Williams (RG), Norm Evans (RT)

I feel like I was drafting for a balanced offense. A Dalton + Jeffery backfield is capable of toting the rock and getting critical yards on the ground, while I also worked to give Andy a corps of receivers that were reliable and versatile. Boyce, Shipley, and Blackwell are three of TCU’s top eight all-time leading receivers, and Woolley isn't far behind either. The combination of deep threats and reliable short options makes this pack of receivers a handful for opposing secondaries. Of course, I had to get in the way back machine and snag Ki Aldrich in the second round, because he's arguably the best center TCU has ever had (no disrespect to Jake Kirkpatrick, who is obviously also in the conversation). While my O-Line may not have the name recognition of Chris’, it would certainly be capable of protecting Dalton, while also creating big running lanes for Jeffery, arguably TCU’s second-best running back of all time.

Melissa’s Team:

QB: Sammy Baugh

RB: Kenneth Davis

WR: Josh Doctson, Stanley Washington, Corey Rodgers, Matt Schobel

OL: IB Hale (OT), David Bobo (OT), Ryan Tucker (C), Mike Sullivan (OG), Guy Morriss (OG)

With the third pick, I knew I was going to have the chance to pick up some of the top all-time talents. I started things off with who I think is the second-best skill player to ever come through Fort Worth in Josh Doctson, and gave him a QB whose style he would be familiar with in picking up slinging Sammy Baugh - and hey, they both play(ed) for the Skins. At running back, Davis was a steal - though some Frog fans may not look upon him as fondly due to the issues that arose with his signing, the fact is - the dude was damn good. Davis rushed for over 1600 yards and 16 touchdowns during his All-American junior season - in which he finished fifth in the Heisman vote - a year before being suspended for taking benefits from boosters. He went on to a nine year NFL career after matriculating from TCU. My OL is stacked with a mix of old school and newer talent, loaded with all-conference and All-American selections. Davis won’t have to make a cut until he’s five yards in, and Slingin’ Sammy will have all the time in the world to chuck it deep to Doc and a slough of talented WRs. I love Corey Rodgers in the late rounds, and Matt Schoebel was a sentimental pick - but also a great pass catching option and a smart blocker. The only pick I struggled with was Morriss... we was undoubtably one of the all-time greats, but selecting a former Baylor-coach (albeit not a very good one) made me throw up in my mouth a little bit.

Scott’s Team:

QB: Trevone Boykin

RB: Jim Swink

WR: Jimmy Young, Bart Johnson, Ryan Christian, Reggie Harrell

OL: Marshall Newhouse (LT), Marcus Cannon (RT), Johnny Vaught (G), Josh Vernon (G), Blake Schlueter (C)

My goal for drafting the best All-Time TCU Offense was to get the best Offensive Line possible. So naturally, when Trevone Boykin fell all the way to me with the fourth pick of the first round, I took the best player available approach and snagged him. Then, I proceeded to choose one of the all-time greatest running backs in Southwest Conference history, two-time All-American and punisher of all things Longhorn Jim Swink. After that, it was time to get to work on the line. Marshall Newhouse and Marcus Cannon anchored the right and left side of the offensive line for 4 years, culminating in a undefeated regular season in ‘09 for both and a 13-0 Rose Bowl win year for the latter (both were multiple-year all-MWC selections). The wide receiver corps is a group of seasoned vets, who all came into their prime by their senior years. Reggie Harrell broke records at TCU including becoming the first TCU receiver to break the 1,000 yard mark in a season and established a new record for receiving yards in a bowl game. Jimmy Young came painstakingly close to breaking that 1,000-yard barrier not once but twice, and Ryan Christian was a half-back/slot receiver combo who was as reliable as they come. Of course, Bart Johnson will always be best known and beloved for his touchdown catch in the Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin.

Chris’s Team:

QB: Davey O’Brien

RB: Cy Leland

WR: Mike Renfro, Phil Epps, James Maness, Deante’ Gray

OL: H. Vaitai (LT), Darrell Lester (LG), Jake Kirkpatrick (C) , Mike Brumbelow (RG), Doug Conaway (RT)

The strength of my team is definitely up front with my offensive line. Anchored by TCU’s only Rimington Trophy winner, Jake Kirkpatrick, the line also features three All-Americans. Big V may never have been an All-American, but his size and reliability make him perfect for protecting Davey O’s blind side. That group of big boys up front will protect the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner so he can get the ball to all of his different weapons. Leland is a speedster out of the backfield who was once tied for the world record in the 100m dash and averaged 7.2 yards per carry in a season. My weapons outside may not be well-known names for some of us young TCU fans, but they can be found all over the TCU career receiving records. Renfro alone is in the top three for career receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. The Mr. Irrelevant of this draft, Deante’ Gray, was overlooked by the others in my opinion, as his 2014 campaign (36 catches for 582 yards and 8 touchdowns) was a big part of TCU’s Peach Bowl season.

---

Give us your thoughts on our teams - and pick you own - in the comments. We had a ton of fun doing this, mostly the ripping Mason’s every pick part, and we hope that you will too!