TCU News: “I think it puts me ahead of the curve.”

Football:

Who will steal the show for the Horned Frogs in 2019? John Denton breaks down TCU football ahead of upcoming season | Sports Day

This is a great Q&A with a guy who knows the program as well as anyone not named Gary Patterson.

JD: I’ve been impressed with Justin Rogers from the day he arrived at TCU. He’s handled the misfortune of a terrible leg injury with the mindset of a much older player. That alone may say more about his candidacy for the starting quarterback job at TCU. He’s mature and he’s highly confident -- very confident -- and that’s something I want in my quarterback if I’m head coach Gary Patterson. Rogers believes he is going to make the play every play.

Patterson’s defense continues to give players an edge during transition to NFL | TCU 360

Gary Patterson’s reputation in the NFL is as strong as any coach’s - his defenders work hard and perform annually.

Ben Banogu, who was selected to the All Big 12 first team twice, didn’t just work on rushing the passer during his two seasons at TCU. Patterson’s scheme taught him how to drop back and cover tight ends — things that edge rushers don’t usually have proficiency in.

“I think it puts me ahead of the curve,” Banogu said. “I know it put LJ [Collier] ahead of the curve too. We do a lot of complicated stuff at TCU, a lot of things that the coaches ask of the D-line that they don’t ask at other schools.”

The Horned Frogs’ defense has been a strong pipeline for NFL teams since Patterson took over at TCU in 2000.

Twenty-one defenders have been drafted under Patterson, with three more likely to be added to the group at this month’s NFL draft in Nashville.

Around the Big 12:

ESPN Lands Three More Big 12 Championship Games in New TV Deal With League | Sports Illustrated

This is an interesting deal for the conference from a coverage standpoint - but should help with non revenue sports, especially baseball.

Texas was excluded because it has a deal with ESPN’s Longhorn Network for rights to at least one football game per season. Oklahoma had a local television agreement for at least one game per season.

Also, all Big 12 men’s basketball games not appearing on an ESPN television network—expected to be at least 75 per season—will be shown on ESPN+.

Fox and ESPN share television rights to Big 12 games and are in the middle of 13-year deal worth $2.6 billion signed in 2012. Three years ago the Big 12 brought back its football championship game, and while ESPN paid for the rights to the even-year games, Fox declined to buy the rights to the 2019, ‘21 and ‘23 editions.