Building the ultimate team from the Gary Patterson era

To have some fun while we wait for the season to start, I have put together what I believe to be TCU’s best lineups on offense and defense that have suited up for the frogs while under Patterson’s guidance. Throughout his 20 years at TCU, Gary Patterson has produced loads of NFL-caliber talent. Though I do not have any current players on this ‘ultimate team’ if you will, there is plenty of room for adjustments in the future.

It certainly appears that Trevon Moehrig has garnished loads of hype around him for his outstanding performance last season; could he be the next frog on this list? Or maybe sophomore Max Duggan will have a breakthrough season like many people are expecting him to have and break some Horned Frog records?

First and foremost, the offense:

QB: Andy Dalton

HB: LaDainian Tomlinson (Matthew Tucker as second option)

WR: Josh Doctson, Josh Boyce, Jalen Reagor, Jeremy Kerley

LT: Marcus Cannon

LG: Halapoulivaati Vaitai

C: Jake Kirkpatrick

RG: Marshall Newhouse

RT: Lucas Niang

I chose to go with four wide receivers rather than including a tight end simply because the Frogs have had many more notable receivers rather than a true tight end.

Deciding between Andy and Trevone Boykin was a tough call, but overall I believe Dalton did more for the program and raised the bar for years to come which is why he earned the spot. I know Patterson only had LaDainian Tomlinson for a year but you just can’t deny his greatness; my honorable mention would be Lonta Hobbs at half back.

Lots of names for the receivers, but I believe this is the most set and stone group of the entire ‘ultimate team.’ Not that there weren’t plenty of other great options, such as Jimmy Young, I just feel like these were the all around top 4 in my book.

The offensive line is where things got hard, and for the most part the positions are interchangeable. I know it was a stretch to put Niang in so soon, but I feel if he had an injury-free career he would be on this list without a doubt.

Now to take a look into the Gary Patterson era ‘ultimate team’ defense and special teams:

DL: Jerry Hughes

DL: Bo Schobel

DL: Ben Banogu

DL: Tommy Blake

LB: Tank Carder

LB: Paul Dawson

CB: Jason Verrett

CB: Jeff Gladney

CB: Marvin White

FS: Derrick Kindred

SS: Colin Jones

K: Jaden Oberkrom

KR/PR: Jeremy Kerley

I mapped this out based on Gary Patterson’s infamous 4-2-5 defensive formation and I’ve got to say, choosing only four defensive linemen in the Patterson era was a challenge. While looking at all the NFL talent produced by Patterson as well as defensive stats, I came to the revelation that TCU has got to be D-Line U. I mean the amount of D-Lineman to come out of TCU and succeed in the NFL is absurd. Honorable mentions include Stansly Maponga, Ross Blacklock, L.J Collier, and Wayne Daniels.

If you don’t agree with my decision to put Tank Carder in the ‘ultimate’ lineup, a trip down memory lane should be on your to-do list. Though he never fully blossomed in the NFL, Carder dominated for the Frogs and left a lasting impact; his most memorable play was batting down the 2-point attempt to secure a Rose Bowl victory in 2011.

The second LB spot was a coin flip between Dawson and Travin Howard. Though Howard leads the Horned Frogs in solo tackles in the GP era, I believe Dawson was the better player all-around. Plus who can forget that sweet pick-6 to seal the deal against Oklahoma in 2014.

I feel as if the rest of the positions are self explanatory. Though Jalen Reagor almost snatched the PR sport from Kerley in my eyes, I still give the edge to Kerley. That crazy whirlwind of a punt return against Colorado State in 2009 will always hold a special place in my memories.

Whether you agree or disagree with my GP era ‘ultimate team,’ I think we all know that some new faces will take those spots in years to come. As long as Patterson is on the sidelines, we can expect to see more Pro Frogs for years to come.

Have thoughts? Put your ultimate team in the comments!