Frogs O' War - 2017 TCU Football PreviewThe #1 TCU Athletics blog on the internet!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50293/fow-fav.png2017-08-31T12:00:01-05:00http://www.frogsowar.com/rss/stream/159237412017-08-31T12:00:01-05:002017-08-31T12:00:01-05:0012 for the Big 12: Predictions Guaranteed to Go Wrong
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Big 12 Media Days" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wkVIoc-7eDwHlw4lzxZ7zsGTad8=/170x0:4072x2601/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56230921/usa_today_10165899.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Ah the preseason, when everyone is undefeated and all your dreams can still come true.</p> <p id="eqgQew">I don’t claim to be a soothsayer, but like any sports fan, I feel strongly that I “know things”. That is certainly the truth when it comes to the Big 12 season in 2017, one that promises to be full of entertainment - and surprises. With that being said, I have some predictions for the season that I guarantee will probably, maybe, possibly, be right. Or completely wrong.</p>
<p id="k3p3FQ"><strong>A team not named Oklahoma will win the Big 12.</strong></p>
<p id="2xkPkk"><em>But will it be a team with Oklahoma in their name?</em></p>
<p id="eJSeVp"><strong>Iowa State will finish ahead of Baylor in the final standings.</strong></p>
<p id="pQFOj6"><em>The Bears will struggle in year one under Matt Rhule, as they deal with a gutted roster, shoddy o-line play, and making the transition to Rhule’s system. Five wins would be a solid first run, and bowl eligibility is no guarantee.</em></p>
<p id="bdzQPD"><strong>TCU will have at least one All-American.</strong></p>
<p id="yrjzr8"><em>With a pair of dominating linebackers and one of the most under-appreciated running backs in the country, the Frogs should have multiple players garnering national attention. Don’t forget about Ranthony Texada... and don’t rule out a freshman All-American or two, as well.</em></p>
<p id="2eHc2R"><strong>There will be a Big 12 player in NYC for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony, but his name won’t be Baker Mayfield.</strong></p>
<p id="FDzlyk"><em>Mayfield won’t make the banquet circuit for a second consecutive year - with games at Ohio State, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State looming - plus a renewed interest in the Red River Rivalry, first year head coach Lincoln Riley will have some growing pains, and that will cost Mayfield the video game like numbers of a season ago.</em></p>
<p id="GqNwlL"><em>So who will represent the conference in NYC? Mason Rudolph, James Washington, Kyle Hicks, or... wait for this one... Jesse Ertz could make it to the Big City.</em></p>
<p id="kXeHZw"><strong>Not only will Baker not be invited to NYC, he won’t be the best QB in the Conference in 2017.</strong></p>
<p id="pD8R7a"><em>See above, and see the competition: OSU’s Mason Rudolph, K State’s Jesse Ertz, Texas’ Shane Buechele, and yes, TCU’s Kenny Hill, could all be primed for big years.</em></p>
<p id="gI5HTu"><strong>Kliff Kingsbury’s final game as the head coach at Texas Tech will be Saturday, October 21st, after an embarrassing home loss to Iowa State. Bill Snyder’s last game as head coach of Kansas State will come on New Year’s Day, after a surprising bowl win.</strong></p>
<p id="5yghoV"><em>The only thing hotter than Kliff is his seat, and he doesn’t have Pat Mahomes to come running in with a cool towel or a Hail Mary miracle. Meanwhile, the elder statesman of college football will finally hang it up after 2017, riding off into the sunset after a successful Cats’ season.</em></p>
<p id="WgDikt"><strong>There will not be a single undefeated Big 12 team by the end of Week Five.</strong></p>
<p id="nWGnVA"><em>Just look at the schedule - it’s brutal. Heck, even Baylor scheduled a P5 team in the preseason (it’s Duke, but hey, at least they tried). Oklahoma State has the best chance, but I have them getting upset in week four ;).</em></p>
<p id="pAmzp5"><strong>The Big 12 will not make the Playoffs, for the second straight year. But they will play in, and win, two BCS bowl games.</strong></p>
<p id="HCLQQ4"><em>We are in for another off-season of realignment talk, as the Big 12 misses out on the postseason yet again. Some combination of Bama, Clemson, Louisville, Florida State, USC, Washington, Ohio State, and Penn State will edge out contenders like the Cowboys, Sooners, Wildcats, and... well, we will see.</em></p>
<p id="DKarJV"><strong>Tom Herman will win eight games in his first season as head coach of the Longhorns, including a come from behind victory in the Red River Showdown.</strong></p>
<p id="33F39s"><em>I really thought that the Horns had a chance for double digit wins, but they have a tough road, literally, to that in year one under their forehead kissing young leader. But, eight wins and a bowl game would be serious progress, and give UT enough momentum to make a real run in 2018.</em></p>
<p id="rnuDqK"><strong>Kansas will win not one, but TWO, conference games.</strong></p>
<p id="te5qgA"><em>You’re on upset watch, Baylor, Texas Tech, and... West Virginia (/ducks). If TCU wasn’t getting the Jayhawks at home, I would add them to that list as well.</em></p>
<p id="Cf3pAd"><strong>Mike Gundy’s mullet will reign supreme as the conference’s best hair, until Dana Holgerson one ups him by rocking a navy blue mohawk embellished with cans of Red Bull.</strong></p>
<p id="lifAAG"><em>This one is pretty obvious, right?</em></p>
<p id="JbeTEN"><strong>Five teams will finish the season ranked in the top 25, and after having only 14 players drafted a year ago, will have the second most of any conference with 42 players picked by the NFL in 2018.</strong></p>
<p id="sJd5Dg"><em>The narrative of the summer was how much trouble the Big 12 was in, until revenue numbers came out. But, in recruiting battles, the pro numbers matter, and to that end, the conference will have a nice bounce back campaign. Loaded senior classes across the board certainly help in that regard.</em></p>
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<p id="DhKac8">Do you have some predictions? Have problems with mine? Let us know in the comments!</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/31/16095868/12-for-the-big-12-predictions-guaranteed-to-go-wrongMelissa B. Triebwasser2017-08-30T14:30:02-05:002017-08-30T14:30:02-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: The Defense
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Texas Tech at Texas Christian" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/W6TL92KboaF28oP29knaGF8r59A=/0x0:3869x2579/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56426309/usa_today_9639883.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>GP hasn’t had a dominant defense since 2014. Can the Frogs return to their menacing ways this fall?</p> <p id="iapOE9">The days of the attacking 4-2-5 seem long ago lost, as the TCU Defense has fallen from it’s highest points with the insertion of the Frogs into the high-flying, high-scoring, Big 12. The Frogs have been one of the best defenses in the country since Gary Patterson first took the helm, but there is the impression that he, and they, haven’t adjusted to the pace and level of the power five conference.</p>
<p id="RMN3Ju">Before we take a look at the prospects for 2017, let’s go back in time.</p>
<p id="Qxv3J0">In 2012, TCU’s first year in the Big 12, the Frogs led the conference in rushing defense (105.4 yards per game), were fourth in pass defense (218.5 yards per game), were second in scoring defense (22.6 points per game), and first in total defense (323.9 yards per game). They were fourth in turnover margin, forcing 11 fumbles and picking off 21 passes for a +3 ratio. With mostly Mountain West players, the Frogs more than held their own in their first year as a member of the Big 12, as teams struggled to figure out the 4-2-5. Also notable, TCU led the B12 in time of possession at 32:44 per game.</p>
<p id="45yVsx">A year later, in 2013 - TCU’s worst year by record in the conference - the Frogs remained at the top of the food chain in rushing defense (130.8 ypg), fell to sixth in pass defense (225.6 ypg), fifth in scoring defense (25.2 ppg), but stayed at second in total defense (356.4 ypg) in what was a very rough year for the conference as a whole. The Frogs fell to eighth in turnover margin (-2) and fourth in time of possession (30:23) as the offense became detrimental to their success.</p>
<p id="bydJ4W">Enter 2014, and a wholesale change of philosophy. Despite an offensive strategy that revolved around speed, the Frogs jumped back up to second in TOP, holding the ball for 30:37 a game. The defense stacked with ball-hawks, playmakers, and general disrupters, forced 40 turnovers, and an offense led by Trevone Boykin, Josh Doctson, and Aaron Green only gave it away 22 times, leading to a staggering +18 margin. The Frogs were second in scoring offense and first in scoring defense, surrendering just 19 points per game, while holding opponents to just 108.8 yards per game on the ground (second) and 233 yards through the air (fourth). The Frogs were #1 in the conference in total defense yet again, as well.</p>
<p id="irYmo9">An injury plagued 2015 saw the Frogs fall off across the board, with passing defense falling to second, scoring defense falling to third, total defense to fourth, and rushing defense to fifth. The turnover margin plummeted as well, as the Frogs forced less than half what they did the previous year, 19, and turned it over 19 time as well. 2016 saw TCU struggle yet again, as the offense found itself stagnant for most of the year, the defense suffered. Fourth in rushing defense, fourth in pass defense, fourth in scoring defense, yet second in total defense. The Frogs has their first negative turnover margin, as they went without an interception for several games, finishing with just eight on the year, to go with 16 total TOs forced to 20 committed. Not ideal.</p>
<p id="dysU7H">So what does all that tell us heading into 2017? It reminds us, that despite the recent struggles, the TCU Defense has remained at or near the top of the Big 12, and continues to put the Frogs in position to win. If the offense can hold on to the football and put 28-30 points on the board per game, minimum - which should be easy enough to do - TCU should win a lot of games in 2017. </p>
<p id="0XbouZ"><strong>Defensive Line:</strong></p>
<p id="vJit1e">If there is an area of concern for GP’s defense in 2017, it’s the defensive line. Not for lack of talent, but lack of depth. After losing Tipa Galiea to disciplinary issues, Brandon Bowen to injury, and Isaiah Chambers to transfer, the Frogs are very thin up front. Redshirt freshman Ross Blacklock will be expected to shoulder a significant load - and should have little issue doing so, dude is MASSIVE - and true freshmen Corey Bethley and George Ellis III will also be called upon to play significant snaps. Senior Chris Bradley is the elder statesman of the unit, and will need to be both a playmaker and a leader up front. On the end, Mat Boesen should be more than a third down pass-rush specialist in his final year on campus, while juniors Ty Summers and Ben Banogu transition into big roles - for Summers, a completely new one. LJ Collier is the wild card, as the junior could vacillate between DT and DE depending on the matchup.</p>
<p id="NJipup">You can read our in-depth DL preview <a href="https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/11/16113912/2017-tcu-position-preview-defensive-line">here</a>.</p>
<p id="7VHYQz"><strong>Linebackers:</strong></p>
<p id="5a0241">If the D-Line is the most worrisome group, the linebackers are the most intriguing. After the dominance of Paul Dawson and Marcus Mallet, the Frogs fell on hard times, as injuries and attrition depleted what was once TCU’s strongest defensive unit. In 2015, it was literally a revolving door, before a former high school QB and former safety took over the roles and became 100+ tackle per season players. Those two remain - junior Ty Summers and senior Travin Howard - and Howard is locked in at the SLB. But Summers is, at least temporarily, being called upon to stabilize the line, made possible by the emergence of talented junior Arico Evans. Evans is the classic late-bloomer, a 6’2”, 215 pound former quarterback (yup, another one) who projected as a safety at the collegiate level. Though he’s played in 20 games in his first two years on campus, he has yet to start one - but that appears poised to change Saturday. Evans beat out one time starter Montrel Wilson and Alec Dunham, while Howard starts ahead of a pair of seniors, the talented but oft-injured Sammy Douglas and Garrett Kaufman. Notably absent from the three-deep is talented juco transfer Alex Bush, despite GP speaking highly of him earlier in camp. Of course, he has gotten some reps at defensive end, too, so it might just be a matter of figuring out where he fits, best. Ultimately, for the first time in a long time, the Frogs just have a lot of options in the middle of the D.</p>
<blockquote><p id="Ruggsc">“Sammy Douglas has had the best camp he’s ever had,” Patterson said. “Alec Dunham and Alex Bush have played well too, and with the depth at linebacker, that’s given us the ability to move Ty Summers down to give us some speed on the edges at defensive end, which means you don’t need as good of coverage guys in the secondary if the quarterback doesn’t have any time.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="zY5hqA">Our in-depth linebacker preview can be checked out <a href="https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/1/16071324/2017-tcu-football-position-preview-linebackers-travin-howard-ty-summers">here</a>.</p>
<p id="vRgRBR"><strong>Secondary:</strong></p>
<p id="whph44">This is as experienced as the back end of the D has been in a while, as the secondary sports a pair of seniors and trio of juniors on the first string, with a combined 80 starts between them. Both of those stats have a caveat about them, though, as the final CB slot will go to either junior Julius Lewis or sophomore Jeff Gladney. Safeties Nick Orr, Niko Small, and Ridwan Issahaku form a versatile and multiple look deep, while the corners - Gladney/Lewis and senior Ranthony Texada can both lock down their side of the field when called upon. A healthy Texada completely changes the strength of this unit as a whole - he is as good a shutdown corner as you will find in the conference, and can be a big time playmaker and ball hawk. Small and Orr really came on late a season ago; after moving around a lot in their first two seasons as injuries piled up and coaches tried to find their strengths, they settled into the free and weak safeties roles and solidified the secondary. The battle between Issahaku and Innis Gaines will likely stretch into the season; Gaines has been impressive all off-season, but got banged up in camp and thus, slid behind Issahaku. Vernon Scott, a super-athletic sophomore with good size and incredible reach, will get a lot of reps behind Orr. Two true freshmen also make the rotation, in Garrett Wallow (who eventually projects to linebacker, but has as high a football IQ as anyone on the team) and Kerry Johnson (a late signing who had to clear some academic issues but looks like a future superstar for TCU).</p>
<p id="3wn9az">The entire secondary preview can be checked out <a href="https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/7/16085824/2017-tcu-position-preview-defensive-backs">here</a>.</p>
<p id="CZLXg5"><strong>Five Keys:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li id="EKAXEF">
<strong>Turnovers:</strong> When TCU is at their best, they are ballhawking nightmares. The Frogs need to force at least 28 turnovers in 2017 and have at least a +5 margin to be successful.</li>
<li id="geapSb">
<strong>QB Pressure:</strong> The Frogs struggled to make plays in the backfield early last season, putting a ton of pressure on what was then a very young secondary to hold on to a slough of talented receivers for far too long. Don’t give the passers time, and all of a sudden you have a lock-down back end.</li>
<li id="i3yjK7">
<strong>Stop the Run:</strong> As we explored earlier, TCU has generally been really good against the run, a hallmark of GP’s 4-2-5. Getting back to that will be a big difference maker in 2017, as the Frogs look to solidify the trenches and own the front lines. The sheer size of the defensive line helps in that regard, as three rotation players go above 300 pounds, and the unit as a whole is just a lot better. Summers (242) and Banogu (245) will have to prove they can hold up on the ends.</li>
<li id="iaarxL">
<strong>Musical Chairs:</strong> Injuries have been such a significant issue over the past two years, as GP has rarely been able to roll out the same starting lineup for more than a game at a time. Getting some of the key players healthy, and keeping them there, allowing them to gain experience and chemistry, could be the biggest key to getting back to dominance.</li>
<li id="KO1LVX">
<strong>Swagger:</strong> That 2014 team wasn’t just super talented, but they had a certain confidence about them and a swagger that bled into their play. The 4-2-5 is at its best when the players have the knowledge and confidence to take chances - when guys like Kevin White, Paul Dawson, Sam Carter, Derrick Kindred, et al know what the offensive is going to do before they do. Youth, inexperience, and playbook deficiencies cost TCU a lot the past two years, but a lot of those issues have been addressed or aged out, and there shouldn’t be near as much looking back to the sideline for help this season. If the players on the field can handle the adjustments and audibles, they’ll make a lot more plays. They have the skill, they should have the knowledge, now they just need the confidence to go out and do the job.</li>
</ol>
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https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/30/16172168/2017-tcu-football-preview-the-defenseMelissa B. Triebwasser2017-08-30T12:00:01-05:002017-08-30T12:00:01-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: The Kenny Hill Farewell Tour
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Arkansas at Texas Christian" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8RA8-vP6f873j5av_8oV9DNNxYI=/0x186:4511x3193/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56426285/usa_today_9534292.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Here’s how to feel about Kenny Hill’s last season of college football.</p> <p id="qtxnEv">Friday, November 24 at approximately 11 AM CT, could potentially be the last football game that Kenneth Hill Jr. plays in. I certainly hope that isn’t the case because I’m the founder, CEO, treasurer, scribe, and security chair of the Kenny Hill fan club. </p>
<p id="eRhOOG">After all, I’ve pretty much followed him all the way back since his years at Southlake Carroll High School. I saw him during his senior year where he recorded 54 combined touchdowns and was awarded with the Gatorade Texas Player of the Year award. Then I watched him play at Texas A&M, where he backed up Johnny Manziel for a season, while getting some playing time as a true freshman every once in a while. Then the following year where he played like he was shot out of a cannon for 6 games right before he lost the starting job to Kyle Allen, before announcing his transfer to TCU at the end of the season. Then spending a year on the practice squad before taking his position as the starter for the 2016 season. So it’s been a strange journey for Kenny to say the least, but that’s why part of me enjoys watching him so much. Everything he does (for better or for worse) just makes the <em>Legend of Kenny Hill</em> that much more fascinating. </p>
<p id="kXu13K">Unlike at A&M, he wasn’t billed as the heir apparent to the program. He came from backing up one great player who wore #2 to more or less backing up another great player who wore #2 (I miss you Tre Tre). I’m sure the irony wasn’t lost on him.</p>
<p id="hUNg9t">For anyone that has either followed any of my writing or social media posts over the past year and a half will know that I am a Kenny optimist. I believe that he can be great, as good as some of the TCU greats that came before him and etc. Alas, last year he didn’t always play like that and I’m sure people on the Twitter will be quick to point out some of his flaws (and I’m sure he knows he needs to do better more so than anyone else).</p>
<p id="WEAwGK">For all you Game of Thrones fans allow me to inject a metaphor here. I’m like the Ser Davos to Kenny’s Jon Snow...or on his worst days his Stannis Baratheon. I’m always going to be his hype man, I’m always going to believe that he is the chosen one, I’m always going to be the first one to believe in Hill as we fall to a double digit deficit heading into the 4th quarter. Why? Well like I said earlier, maybe it’s because I’ve followed him for so long, more or less since the beginning of his football “stardom”, and I’m more emotionally attached than others. Maybe it’s because I pick TCU to go 12-0 every year and I buy into the prophecy that GP will lead us to the promised land one day? Who knows? Maybe he will stink this year and get benched in week 4 because CFB has a sick and cruel sense of humor. </p>
<p id="dLBA1o">So in my mind there’s really only three ways that this season goes for Kenny. </p>
<ol>
<li id="jxdHI9">We go 15-0, he wins the Heisman and the ‘Ship, goes down as the greatest TCU quarterback of all time, and rides off into the sunset like Tom Brady should’ve done last year</li>
<li id="3Nhx1p">We go somewhere in the ball park of 10-2 to 9-3, Hill gives a good performance all season, and then quietly slips out the door in a humble manner just like Tim Duncan did back in 2015.</li>
<li id="wsgwzl">We go 6-6 or something just as disappointing and Kenny is never able to reach his full potential. His last game of college football is one where there are no stakes at all (See Bryant, Kobe), which would be the most heartbreaking outcome because he deserves to be on a big stage. *<em>Kenny don’t let this happen*</em> </li>
</ol>
<p id="m7wJBe">Let’s now quickly preview each game and try to predict what the Kenny Hill farewell tour will potentially look like.</p>
<h3 id="2OnQbW">Week 1: Vs. Jackson State</h3>
<p id="RiQLRH">This season opener isn’t as close as last year’s, thanks to a better defense and HOPEFULLY LESS DOUG ON FOUR LOKO PLAY CALLS (<em>I still love you Doug). </em>Kenny gets in a rhythm early, throws for 4 TD’s and rushes for another. Puts up a bunch of yards in a more or less pointless game just like Lamar Jackson last year (unnecessary shade, but true). Frogs cruise to a 1-0 record. </p>
<h3 id="u89H7S">Week 2: @ Arkansas</h3>
<p id="rgIwZy">*Deep inhale* Revenge is a dish best served cold. A lot of Frog fans may be worried in this game, and could be asking themselves “<em>Is </em><em>K</em><em>enny going to get rattled on the road in a hostile environment?”</em> and I will for sure be one of those people. However he puts those worries to rest as the offense comes out calm and methodical. A KaVontae slant for a TD here, a forced fumble there, all of this leads to a solid performance by Kenny. It’s nothing flashy but he does rush for 3 TD’s, two of which are Tim Tebow five yard line QB keepers. Frogs leave Fayettevillle with a win. The train builds momentum as the Frogs are now 2-0.</p>
<h3 id="CLU5HM">Week 3: Vs. SMU</h3>
<p id="OjBaTi">This game could be closer than we think depending on how much improvement SMU has made between now and last season. That being said, I still think we are able to handle them thanks to a much improved defense, and nobody has to see the double reverse flea flicker ever again. Kenny throws for 450ish yards and 6 touchdowns, 3 of which go to all team swiss army knife Kyle Hicks. The Frogs pound the ponies to get to 3-0. </p>
<h3 id="6WLHAp">Week 4: @ Oklahoma State</h3>
<p id="IfnETX">Now we really get into the chosen one prophecy as conference play and the real competition begins. Nobody, not even Boykin, could win in Stillwater. Blame it on food poisoning and what not, but the Frogs still have never gotten a W on the Pokes’ home field. WELL THAT ALL CHANGES WHEN THE REBORN KENNETH OF HOUSE HILL, SECOND OF HIS NAME, HAS HIS FIRST HEISMAN MOMENT OF THE SEASON. </p>
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<p id="6sCLl1">In a game where over 90 points are scored, and what is considered to be a top 5 game of the entire CFB season, we finally see the first true signs of Kenny Hill fulfilling the Player that was Promised prophecy. Now I know 90 points is considered nothing special in the Big 12, but hang with me. TCU jumps out to a 14 point lead but not before Mason “Nice name” Rudolph and James “lemme run a vertical route” Washington gets the Pokes back in the game. Heading into the half, down by a score, TCU rallies behind Kenny and the offense and it turns into a back and forth contest all the way until the final minutes. </p>
<p id="4VVBVd">Hill leads an 80 yard drive where he hits Jalen Raegor in the back of the end-zone for the go ahead touch down, wrapping up his 5 TD day. The Pokes have one last drive that ends in a back breaking pick to Ranthony Texada, who immediately does his rendition of Lebron James’ The Silence celebration. TCU takes a knee and leaves the victors. Full speed ahead on the Hill Train, Frogs are 4-0.</p>
<h3 id="hfiqyD">Week 5: Vs West Virginia</h3>
<p id="oSe1yB">It would be easy for TCU to get caught with their proverbial pants around their ankles here. But Gary always keeps this team woke and in ship shape after a bye week. Nothing really special happens here, we get a big game from Kyle Hicks once again, but not before we get a nice 400 passing yard performance from Hill, and sends the Dana hot seat up in flames. A game that starts close gets blown wide open as TCU rolls to 5-0.</p>
<h3 id="zalqMa">Week 6: @ Kansas State</h3>
<p id="A2RsWG">Ouch. This is a tough one. The Kenny September hype train is in full motion, but Billy Snyder and Jesse Ertz send TCU off the rails in this one. It’s in Manhattan and I have a feeling a lot of us are really sleeping on this Wildcat team. I think they’ll show up big in a couple of games this season, this one included. All this being said, I think Kenny does his best to bounce back from an early turnover, but alas the K-State defensive front seven appears to be too much for our O line and it’s too late for the offense to get going. <s>Frogs take their first L of the season, 5-1.</s> You know what, hayul nah, I’m all in on this team and I’m going super homer pick here. </p>
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<p id="jPrbuO">For the second time in three years, the Frogs pull themselves out of a hole on the road in the house that Snyder built. Kenny does his best Deuce boogie impression and takes a 75 yard run to the house and I accidentally set my apartment on fire in celebration. Frogs escape with another dramatic win, all aboard the hype train 6-0.</p>
<h3 id="ui5zAk">Week 7: Vs. Kansas</h3>
<p id="rkt80Z">It’s the Doug Meacham homecoming everyone. In what has proven to be the closest game that TCU plays every year, every frog in Amon G. Carter stadium is on edge. As they should be, Doug’s got a chip on his shoulder and he helps coach up this Jayhawks squad to overachieve in this game. They hang 28 points on a good TCU team. </p>
<p id="AxEovC">Unfortunately for them they’re playing against the 2017/2018 Heisman winner, Kenny of house Hill. As “All The Way Up” by Fat Joe blasts through the speakers before kick off, TCU runs the score wayyyy wayyy waaaaaaaayy up on the hawks, sending them home behind a dominant running performance by all 3 running backs and 2 passing TD’s from our QB. Frogs win 55-28 and finally beat KU in a game that isn’t close. Make way for the hype train tracks, 7-0.</p>
<h3 id="rTFVJM">Week 8: @ Iowa State</h3>
<p id="ICwHBi">Stay on upset alert here folks, bad things can happen to good teams in Ames...but not today. Thanks to some Kenny escape out of the backfield magic, TCU is able to keep the momentum on several crucial drives alive. It’s closer than we would like, but the Frogs get up by 7 before hanging up two more scores in garbage time. No murder on the orient express today, as everyone is staying alive on this train. 8-0.</p>
<h3 id="OpM99C">Week 9: Vs. Texas</h3>
<p id="Li4PYc">Ahhhhh here we go. I am personally excited for this game because I want to see how Herman’s coaching ability and the talent recruited by the artist formerly known as Charlie Strong come together here. I think it’ll take one more year for Herman to really get the Horns going again, but that doesn’t mean that this game will be a walk in the park by any means. </p>
<p id="i1hUXG">The Horns come out swinging and strike first. It’s a deep ball love fest early in this one as both teams chuck it deep for their first two touchdowns. However, I still have to give TCU the coaching edge here and GP tells Herman to take a seat and watch how the veterans do it. Sewo runs through a gassed Texas defense and Hill runs some nice option plays. Add on some nice throws to Turpin, Cole Hunt, and another to freshman darling Jalen Reagor and next thing you know Hill has himself a 3 TD day. Texas may be on its way back to prominence, but it’s not today. </p>
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<h3 id="DtYlx8">Week 10: @ Oklahoma</h3>
<p id="9hJElJ">OOOOOOOH BABY LET’S GET READY FOR A CHIP FEST. Two players that will see each other again in New York for a certain award ceremony go head to head in this one. Hill against Mayfield. Who you got? You all already know who I got. It’s time for Kenny’s next big Heisman moment. After all, it’s time for the Sooners to put some respeck on his name.</p>
<p id="JU4fNp">It’s cold in Norman so we rely more on the run game than we have in the past. Kyle Hicks has the biggest game of his career, filling up the stat sheet like Le’Veon Bell. But this is a back and forth affair. Nothing is easy when you are a TCU fan, especially when it’s against OU. Luckily for us we don’t have any play calls where Kenny is throwing a lead block on an end around play (<strong>WTF DOUG</strong>). On the other end of the field the Frog defense is salty and coached up. The Sooners have talent, but during the half time break Gary tears his shirt in half and gets the Frogs way too hyped up to lose. </p>
<p id="QHDgdB">It’s time for the second half. The first play from TCU is a nice run by Kenny who gets shoved out of bounds on a late push, straight into Baker, and the flag is thrown. Kenny cocks his head back in the cheekiest way in front of Mayfield. Resulting in the chip on the latter’s shoulder to grow too big for him to throw straight passes anymore.</p>
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<p id="D1dBYC">TCU locks down on the Sooners and Kenny front flips into the endzone for the win. It’s dramatic, chippy, and all too fun for the team in purple. There’s a purple haze over Norman today (<strong>RIP PRINCE!!!</strong>). The heisman hype train is too much for ESPN to keep talking about the SEC every college game day. It’s not too late to get on board everyone, 10-0.</p>
<h3 id="pAAy2h">Week 11: @ Texas Tech</h3>
<p id="2kBi9f">We all know weird things happen in Lubbock. We also know that there are typically bad defenses in Lubbock. Hopefully this game gets scheduled in the morning or early afternoon because nobody wants to play in Raiderville at night. Nobody. I tried to hold myself back from making this pick, but in honor of Patrick Mahomes moving on to greener pastures, Kenny and the TCU offense try to do their best tribute to Mahomes. </p>
<p id="dJjuHt">800 yards of total offense later, TCU walks out of Lubbock with a landslide win. This pretty much guarantees the heisman coming home to Fort Worth. At this point everyone knows that Kenny’s going to win the most prestigious award in college football. It’s only a matter of time at this point. The hype train can barrel through anything now. 11-0. </p>
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<h3 id="gcWUOE">Week 12: Vs. Baylor</h3>
<p id="Nyqsqw">Do I even need to write a paragraph about how we’re going to beat Baylor 70-6?</p>
<p id="3qKTrY">*<em>Sighs*</em> okay.</p>
<p id="zszBCV">The day after Thanksgiving, all of the Frog fans have yet another thing to be thankful for. The magical journey that has been this season. The amazing spectacle that has been Kenny’s farewell tour. There are eyes full of tears of joy, even though we haven’t won the national championship (yet). TCU doesn’t let anything stand in the way of Kenny’s path to eternal glory and a potential championship berth. That includes the team in green and gold.</p>
<p id="W310Oo">TCU is way too up to back down now. The offense and the defense come out swinging hard. Baylor never stood a chance in this iteration of the annual rivalry game. Matt Rhule is a great guy and a good coach, but there will still be growing pains for the team in Waco. Kenny gets pulled after the 3rd quarter after the Frogs are up by 50, but not before he has a 5 TD day of course. It’s his award just give it to him already.</p>
<p id="bcG9cA">Fast forward to the second weekend of December. There are 6 finalists, but we all know who the one winner will be. After three years as a starter, Kenny was finally able to temper himself and become the player that was promised all of those years ago. He hears his name called at the heisman ceremony, hugs his parents and then GP, daps up Johnny Manziel on his way to the podium and then thanks the Frog faithful for giving him a second (and third) chance. He holds the trophy up high over his head and confetti falls over Fort Worth thousands of miles away.</p>
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<p id="xl22l4">No <em>you’re </em>crying right now. </p>
<p id="vTiyeg">So, like I said earlier, there are really three possibilities for the Kenny farewell tour. I chose the one that I believe can happen...than also happens to be my favorite. I do believe in Kenny and more importantly in this team. Patterson has always shown that he bounces back after a down season. Could we go 6-6? God I hope not, but it sure is possible since our schedule is more brutal than riding the Texas Titan at 6 flags for the first time. Is it more realistic for us to go 9-3 or 10-2? Absolutely, and I will count that season as a huge success. But I believe (every year) that we can go 12-0 and win the Big 12. I may be taking a huge gamble, but what can I say...I’m a man of fortune and I must seek my fortune.</p>
<p id="RWFX4a">Regardless of how it all ends, Kenny it’s been one hell of a ride.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/30/16181276/tcu-football-2017-preview-the-kenny-hill-farewell-tourMason Chreene2017-08-30T10:36:31-05:002017-08-30T10:36:31-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: New Offensive Coordinator, New Mojo?
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<figcaption>TCU vs Georgia in the 2016 Liberty Bowl | Melissa Triebwasser</figcaption>
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<p>Can Sonny Cumbie inject some new swagger into an inconsistent offense?</p> <p id="Le7GEc">Something was wrong with TCU’s offense in 2016, and everybody knew it. After two phenomenal years, years that saw Trevone Boykin, Josh Doctson, and Aaron Green lead the way for one of the best offenses in the country, something was different about TCU’s offense. </p>
<p id="ZQJ2wD">Just take a look at the numbers: </p>
<div id="tNANi0"><div data-anthem-component="table:624035"></div></div>
<p id="yG0JPS">People speculated like crazy: It’s Kenny Hill’s fault. They aren’t running the ball enough. Why are they using those formations in those situations? Seriously, why aren’t they running the ball? What’s up with these play calls? </p>
<p id="IkJPQJ">It was becoming apparent to TCU fans that something about the offense needed to be fixed, and the coaches noticed it too. Doug Meacham left the staff, taking the offensive coordinator job at Kansas, while Patterson promoted Sonny Cumbie and Curtis Luper to co-Offensive Coordinators. </p>
<p id="9aykbB">While Cumbie’s title didn’t change, his role certainly has. He’s now the “lead” offensive coordinator and the playcaller, in addition to his duties as quarterbacks coach. From everything coming out of camp this August, it sounds like Cumbie is ensuring the Frogs offense won’t be as easy to stop in 2017. </p>
<p id="GabT29"><a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article169348037.html">According to Patterson</a>, Cumbie and the offensive staff have gotten pretty creative when it comes to making changes to the playbook, and the head coach appreciates that teams won’t be able to “tee off” on the Frogs anymore. </p>
<p id="fOfEwB">Of course, when it comes to the passing game, there’s only so much Cumbie, or any other coach, will be able to do once the Frogs step on the field. The facts still remain the facts:</p>
<p id="2QkemM">Kenny Hill led the Big 12 with 13 interceptions, and TCU receivers led the country with 38 dropped passes. And thus, the passing game suffered greatly. </p>
<p id="phrc9m">Add to that the fact that Kyle Hicks, arguably TCU’s most dynamic offensive player (yes, KaVontae Turpin may have something to say about that), averaged just 15.6 carries per game, and fewer than 20 touches per game, and it’s understandable why TCU’s offense sputtered often in 2016. </p>
<p id="ai0287"></p>
<p id="u7ZBvu"><strong>The QB Situation - Kenny Hill’s senior campaign</strong></p>
<p id="fXzDzA">But in 2017, that all should change. Despite the struggles last season, Kenny Hill completed more than 61% of his passes, good for fourth in the Big 12, and all reports out of camp are that he’s dramatically improved in the offseason. </p>
<p id="sao0tX">There’s no doubt that he was pushed a bit by true freshman Shawn Robinson, who entered spring ball and almost immediately vaulted to No. 2 on the depth chart. While there were questions over the summer about whether or not Robinson would eventually take the top spot, Hill stepped up and has solidified himself as the starter. </p>
<p id="ZiDaPE">Now, Hill has one more season to prove to all the doubters that he has what it takes to be an elite quarterback at this level. Patterson suggested last week that Hill tried to be perfect in 2016, and that often caused him to make mistakes that could have been avoided. </p>
<p id="SfCZV9">It seems, though, like if Hill can just play pitch and catch with his receivers, TCU’s offense will start to click like it did in 2014 and 2015. I’d say more here, but Mason is rolling out an in-depth love-fest of Kenny Hill in just a few hours, so you should read it when it comes out. </p>
<p id="twUE0h"><strong>A bolstered WR corps is ready to roll</strong></p>
<p id="vYKvcG">TCU’s receivers have also received an injection of health and youth, both of which should improve this corps in 2017. The fully healthy KaVontae Turpin adds an undeniable dynamic to the receivers that was lacking in 2016, and the return of Shaun Nixon, who missed the entire 2016 season with an injury, adds a similar dynamic. Meanwhile, John Diarse and Taj Williams have another offseason under their belt to get more familiar with Kenny Hill. </p>
<p id="0Jb4Gu">Let’s not forget senior Ty Slanina, either, who battled through injuries for the majority of 2016, but is healthy and ready for the upcoming season. Adding a healthy Slanina, Turpin, and Nixon to this receiving corps is almost like getting three new players to bolster the ranks.</p>
<p id="iTizAx">Probably the most intriguing player in the receiving corps though, is true freshman Jalen Reagor. He’s currently listed alongside Jaelan Austin as the possible No. 1 Z receiver on the team. The speedster was a track star in high school, and one of the most dynamic receivers in the 2017 recruiting class. </p>
<p id="iYb0x4">Reagor adds a deep threat to TCU’s offense with his 5-11 size and blazing speed, something TCU desperately lacked in 2016. Frog fans will want to compare Reagor to former Frog speedster Kolby Listenbee, but there are a few key differences. </p>
<p id="btuErX">While Reagor’s speed is certainly on par with Listenbee’s, he’s a more accomplished route runner, and thus, is probably more versatile as to where he can be placed on the field. That being said, he’s also a few inches shorter than Listenbee, whose unique combination of height and speed was a perfect pairing with Josh Doctson for several seasons. </p>
<p id="Wc7LeY"><strong>#GiveKyleTheDamnBall</strong></p>
<p id="RnYx2S">This hashtag should probably be amended in 2017, now that Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua seem ready to take some of the reps in the backfield alongside Kyle Hicks. So, maybe just a #RunTheDamnBall tag is more appropriate. </p>
<p id="17itob">Patterson has hinted that TCU will run the ball a bit more in 2017, but insists that running it just for the sake of the running game won’t be a part of the offensive strategy. It makes sense, because if something isn’t working, it doesn’t make sense to keep doing it (as far as in-game adjustments go). </p>
<p id="2M7sK6">However, the trio of Hicks, Anderson, and Olonilua are a three-headed monster that has the potential to remind fans of the Ed Wesley, Waymon James, and Matthew Tucker trio that cranked out 270 yards/game on the ground in 2010. </p>
<p id="WBgbzz">Additionally, the promotion of running backs coach Curtis Luper to co-Offensive Coordinator sends the signal that Luper, a valued member of the staff and elite recruiter, likely has more say in game planning this year than in years past. </p>
<p id="tpI2tl">Ultimately, all signs are pointing to a greater commitment to the running game. </p>
<p id="NQ3GSy">This, of course, can help relieve some of the pressure from Kenny Hill, and help TCU put Hill in situations where he has a high chance to succeed. </p>
<p id="3FdbzW"><strong>The Big Uglies</strong></p>
<p id="Rn5yTG">Arguably the biggest addition to TCU’s coaching staff this season was offensive line coach Chris Thomsen. Thomsen is known for being an incredible coach, and he gets to work with a starting line that includes four seniors and a stud sophomore. He’s been improving the depth along the line too, simply by coaching players up, and it sounds as if the offensive line is ready to protect Hill and open up big holes for the backs. </p>
<p id="qoQd7D">One interesting change to the line from last season, is the swap of Austin Schlottmann from center to left guard, while former left guard Patrick Morris is now the starting center. Both are extremely solid </p>
<p id="qpfODn"><strong>New Mojo?</strong></p>
<p id="hbWaLs">In 2014 the addition of Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie brought more than just a new playbook to the Horned Frogs, it brought a new swagger. That swagger was obvious and the offense overwhelmed opponents. </p>
<p id="MDme7r">It seems as if the swagger is back, now that Cumbie is at the helm, and it signals that 2017 could be special for this offense. </p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/30/16226044/tcu-football-preview-new-offensive-coordinator-new-mojo-sonny-cumbie-kenny-hillJamie Plunkett2017-08-29T13:07:06-05:002017-08-29T13:07:06-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: Five Names to Know
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<figcaption>Ben Banogu will be terrorizing opposing QBs in a new uniform this season. | Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Which players will burst on to the scene in 2017? Here are the top candidates.</p> <p id="t55AUi">Each TCU Football season brings the fear - and/or the promise - of the unknown to the table, and part of the fun is predicting the players that are going to be the next wave of greatness. With that being said, we take a look at five players sure to make their mark for the Frogs starting on September 2nd.</p>
<p id="ijjFKK"><strong>Kenedy Snell (RB/WR):</strong> Everyone has been talking about Jalen Reagor, so I decided to go a different direction and brag on his former high school teammate a bit. We know that Reagor, and Omar Manning (once he is healthy) will likely be difference makers in year one for the Frog offense. But it’s Snell that has been a more than pleasant surprise this August, as the speedy multi-purpose back has caught up to the college game quickly and played a vita role in preparing the Frogs for opening night.</p>
<p id="0lzCna">With nicks and dings plaguing the Frogs this fall, as is often the case is camp, and GP wanting to rest Kyle Hicks and limit his reps, Snell has taking a large portion of the reps for TCU and been outstanding. In fact, Patterson did something he almost never does - compliment a freshman - when he spoke at length of the impression the two former Waxahachie Indians have made early:</p>
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<p id="tHrZDA">I’ll tell you, a guy that’s saved us is Snell. He’s playing running back, he’s doing all of it. Reagor and Snell, the two Waxahachie guys, have had an unbelievable two weeks.”</p>
<p id="dYzmMT">“They don’t seem to get tired,” Patterson said. “That’s a tribute to the way they practice at Waxahachie. They’re used to this kind of rigor and the way we do things.”</p>
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<p id="qGkiuM">With a three deep that features senior Kyle Hicks - one of the best all-around backs in the Big 12, if not the country - and sophomore Darius Anderson (speed on speed on speed) and Sewo Olonilua (a mix of speed and power and sheer terror coming at you), Snell will have his work cut out for him to get reps early. But I have a feeling Sonny Cumbie and Curtis Luper will find a way to get him on the field. He could also see time on special teams as a punt and kick returner, especially if GP decides to limit KaVontae Turpin’s touches in that area. Snell is just as fast and shows flashes of being just as dynamic, so I don’t see any reason he can’t make an impact there early.</p>
<p id="uv13vz"><strong>Lucas Niang (OT):</strong> It’s not often that TCU recruits Connecticut, but one of the most important signings from a year ago might very well come from The Nutmeg State. Niang is a massive human being at 6’6” and 340 pounds, and he performed well when thrust into duty last year due to injuries. Niang played in 12 of 13 contests in 2016 and more than held his own; the former three star recruit and top 50 tackle in the country showed good footwork and a high football IQ as he developed into a reliable pass blocker and someone who could open up holes for Kyle Hicks and company. </p>
<p id="ezhuFw">Niang will likely be the only non-senior starter on the offensive line for TCU this fall, and with questionable depth behind him, expected to play a significant role. Part of the Frogs’ struggles a season ago on offense are attributed to the line play, and improving upon that is one of the biggest keys to a successful 2017 campaign.</p>
<p id="2rxCGH"><strong>Innis Gaines (S):</strong> Unfortunately for the sophomore safety, his breakout has been delayed by injuries during fall camp, and as such, he continues to fly under the radar a bit. But Gaines has all the tools to be the next great safety in Gary Patterson’s defense, and though he may not start game one, it won’t be long before he works his way back up to first string.</p>
<p id="f08Yjl">No one was more active on defense in the spring game - well, almost no one, but we will get to the other standout in a minute - than Innis; whether it was covering receivers, standing up running backs, or pressuring the QBs, Gaines was all over the field in a stripped down version of TCU Football last spring. At 6’2” and 201 pounds, he is basically the prototype strong safety in the 4-2-5, and when you couple those measurables with his exceptional speed and quickness, he has a chance to terrorize opponents. Gaines gets side to side in a hurry and has really fluid hips, enabling him to change directions on a dime. He has long arms and a knack for timing, which means he should be a team leader in PBUs this year. He has a long of competition - getting snaps at strong safety will mean displacing junior Ridwan Issahaku, who was really solid last year when filling in for an injured Denzel Johnson, and holding off intriguing freshman Lakendrick Van Zandt, a freak of an athlete who GP is going to have to find a place for sooner rather than later.</p>
<p id="RttA0M">All of that being said, I really like Innis Gaines in the secondary, and he’s my number one breakout candidate for the season. Keep your eye on #6.</p>
<p id="rv7dn2"><strong>Ben Banogu (DE):</strong> It’s not even September yet, and already the defensive line looks very little like we expected it to when the calendar turned to August. With James McFarland, Aaron Curry, and Josh Carraway graduating, and Tipa Galeai being kicked off the team last spring, there were already plenty of holes to fill. But add in the season-ending injury to Brandon Bowen and the surprise transfer of Isaiah Chambers, and suddenly a position of strength feels awfully thin.</p>
<p id="ldC5PG">Enter: Ben Banogu.</p>
<p id="XWKMqn">A transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, Banogu redshirted his first season for the Warhawks before spending his freshman year terrorizing Sun Belt opponents to the tune of 5.0 sacks and 14.5 TFLs. Banogu then sacrificed his sophomore year to transfer to TCU, leaving him with two seasons left with the Frogs. At 6’4” and 245 pounds, he sure does look the part of a GP pass-rusher, and could well be another diamond in the rough identified by TCU’s head coach before becoming a household name. Banogu earned the starting nod out of fall camp, beating out L.J. Collier, and that pair, along with Ty Summers and Mat Boesen on the other side, form a strong quartet of of big, athletic dudes that can get in the backfield in a hurry. Health is going to be key for the defensive line, which is really good but not really deep.</p>
<p id="OJCNeg"><strong>Corey Bethley (DT):</strong> We have heard an awful lot about Corey Bethley over the last few weeks, and with the aforementioned attrition, it seemed he was primed to play a pivotal role early this season. But when the depth chart was released for game one, Bethley had fallen to third string.</p>
<p id="CeUdKP">Gary Patterson is a master motivator, and one of his favorite tactics is to demote a future star or promote a hard worker to send a message. Ross Blacklock is going to be a beast - it doesn’t take more than a cursory glance of the kid to realize that. But, maybe there were some ego/work-ethic issues for a young kid that probably never had to go 100% against high school competition, and he hadn’t quite figured out how to turn the hydrant on at full blast after redshirting his first year Bethley is super talented as well, but as a true freshman, might have more to learn. But he clearly showed GP something that had him elevating Bethley over Blacklock, even if it was temporary.</p>
<p id="YW0FD9">It appears that neither Bethley nor fellow true freshman George Ellis are in line for a redshirt year of their own, as both made the three-deep. And with how much GP likes to rotate his line in the name of freshness, both could see significant snaps. Add in the fact that Collier is likely to see significant time at DE, and Bethley especially should have the chance to make himself known this fall.</p>
<p id="ocJz6j"><strong>Lucas Gravelle (SN):</strong> Okay, you’re getting a bonus sixth breakout candidate, but it’s all in the name of getting you to stop asking about the TCU kicking game.</p>
<p id="Uqo1Fk">The Frogs don’t have one kicker, they have three, which could very well mean they don’t have any. Three sophomores, Ritchie, Jonathan Song, and Cole Bunce are all neck and neck to be the starting kicking come Saturday. Song is the most highly touted of the three, but has been dealing with injuries for the better part of to years; Bunce was the best of the bunch coming out of spring, but after being primarily the kick-off specialist a year ago, has yet to try a field goal in a game; meanwhile, Ritchie, a former Arkansas walk-on, has come into camp in August and gotten most of the reps and most of the attention - though his leg is far from football shape.</p>
<p id="SBcfYx">So why are we talking about the snapper, and not the kickers? Because that’s who Gary Patterson is talking about, too. Gravelle, who is as journeyman as a collegiate player can get - from Erie CC to Washington State to TCU - has stabilized the special teams in a way that was sorely lacking a year ago. Not only is he one of the best snappers GP has had in his tenure by skill, but he’s an exceptional leader and a true difference maker to the unit as a whole. I’m not sure who TCU’s kicker will be this fall, but I have far more confidence in that unit in 2017 than I did in 2016 due to the presence of Lucas Gravelle. He will make a notable difference for the Frogs.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/29/16175732/2017-tcu-football-preview-five-names-to-knowMelissa B. Triebwasser2017-08-28T15:15:02-05:002017-08-28T15:15:02-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: Is greatness around the corner?
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<figcaption>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Gary Patterson turns failure into fuel for greatness. Will that be true again in 2017?</p> <p id="pUJXKy"><a href="https://twitter.com/TCUFootball/status/891363027727134720">The tweet</a> was sent almost a month ago, on July 29th. TCU Football’s account sent a graphic into the ether featuring a profile photo of Gary Patterson in his iconic visor, and a quote. </p>
<p id="RzSPAr">“Greatness never happened ever without failure.” </p>
<p id="PBwjqB">Patterson would know. In 2001, his first season as TCU’s head coach, the Frogs went 6-6. The following season, Patterson used the failures of the 2001 season to motivate his players. TCU would go 11-1 and win their first bowl with Patterson as coach -- a Liberty Bowl victory over Colorado State. </p>
<p id="7OFqIj">He did the same thing again in 2005. Following a 2004 season that saw the Frogs go 5-6 and miss a bowl game for the first time since 1997, Patterson coached the Frogs to an 11-1 record and a Houston Bowl victory over Iowa State. </p>
<p id="GXyHXx">Patterson had to do the same thing in 2014. Following a 4-8 season where hardly anything went right, he made a philosophical change that led to two big hires: Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie. The Frogs would go on to a 12-1 record and a merciless beatdown of Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. A year later, they’d cap an 11 win season with the greatest comeback in bowl history over Oregon. </p>
<p id="desa3F">And yet, failure always seems to creep back into the picture again. All throughout the sports world, great programs have encountered failure. </p>
<p id="mGx2qq">USC hasn’t won the Pac-12 since 2008. UCLA basketball had a losing season in 2015-16, in the midst of three trips to the Sweet Sixteen. Miami baseball missed the college baseball playoffs this year for the first time in 44 years. </p>
<p id="pVvVt8">And in 2016, for the third time in the Patterson era, TCU football finished below .500. </p>
<p id="2RL5xw">Ten of Patterson’s sixteen seasons have finished with double-digit wins. He’s the greatest coach in TCU football history. He has a statue featuring his visor and his glare standing watch over Amon G. Carter. </p>
<p id="GoQp3v">There is no denying Gary Patterson’s greatness. There is also no denying that he has experienced failure. </p>
<p id="jMUz7D">One thing is explicitly clear - Patterson refuses to let failure linger. It doesn’t get to sit and fester and spread. He simply does not allow it to hang around. Instead he takes that failure, and he places it squarely on his shoulder, and the shoulders of his players and staff, where it forms a chip. The ultimate motivator, Patterson turns failure into fuel for greatness. </p>
<p id="50KE5l">And if you’ve heard him speaking over the last few weeks, it sounds like greatness could be right around the corner. He’s had that look over the past few weeks like he knows something no one else knows, and that gets me more pumped up than anything. </p>
<p id="QvGuvp">The 2017 season is here. The master motivator is back. </p>
<p id="q4rHT1">Eyes up, keep climbing. </p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/28/16216596/2017-tcu-football-preview-is-greatness-around-the-cornerJamie Plunkett2017-08-24T12:00:02-05:002017-08-24T12:00:02-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: Quarterbacks
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<figcaption>The guy on the right is starting game one? Will he start game 13? | Melissa Triebwasser</figcaption>
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<p>Kenny Hill? Shawn Robinson? Grayson Muehlstein? TCU has three QBs, but do they have “The One”?</p> <p id="dfhB3p">Every article. Every interview. Every quote.</p>
<p id="YBzUQG">They all make it clear: The 2017 TCU Football season comes down to one thing, and one thing only - the quarterback. And, more specifically, Kenny Hill.</p>
<p id="BSY3hZ">TCU has seven quarterbacks listed on their roster, but after the off-season transfer of Foster Sawyer, the position comes down to just two: the senior Hill and the true freshman, Shawn Robinson. Junior Grayson Muehlstein remains along with a trio of redshirt freshmen walk-ons as well as a transfer from Penn, Michael Collins, and intriguing prospect but one who is unlikely to crack the depth chart any time soon.</p>
<p id="s0DT5T"><strong>The Kenny Hill Experience:</strong></p>
<p id="s6g2e1">If you aren’t familiar with Kenny Hill’s story by now, well, let me know where that rock you have been living under is located please, because I would like to go to there. Hill burst onto the scene as a sophomore by setting several significant school and SEC records against South Carolina in the 2014 opener for Texas A&M, throwing for more than 500 yards and 44 completions. He would win the first eight games of the season for the Aggies, but then the calendar turned to November, the time of year annually when A&M forgets how to win football games.</p>
<p id="CSB4KY">After shining under the brightest of lights, Kenny fell on the darkest of times. Off the field antics combined with mediocre on the field play cost him his job, and when he ended up passed out in a planter, he lost his College Station home, as well. Hill left A&M and came back closer to home, matriculating to DFW and TCU. Gary Patterson gave him a laundry list of conditions to follow, and by all accounts, he did everything right. After sitting out 2015, watching and learning from veterans Trevone Boykin and Bram Kohlhausen, Hill beat out Foster Sawyer for the starting job a season ago.</p>
<p id="xCSaw2">Hill’s 2016 campaign was an exercise in consistency, as in the only thing that was consistent about his play was the inconsistency. A gesture that led to a devastating penalty, one that all but cost TCU the game against Arkansas, overshadowed an impressive performance through the air and on the ground for the mercurial QB. Hill finished with 3200 yards passing, another 600 on the ground, and accounted for 27 total touchdowns. He posted top five marks in completions, yards, and single-game passing numbers, but also threw 13 interceptions and was plagued by inaccuracy and drops - some of which were caused by inaccuracy. </p>
<p id="84JSsL">When you take a deep dive into Kenny Hill as a QB (and if you are so inclined, you can do that <a href="https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/5/22/15662366/fow-offseason-project-2017-is-kenny-hill-any-good-part-1-sdsu?utm_campaign=hawkeyedfrog&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter">here</a>, <a href="https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/5/29/15684220/fow-offseason-project-2017-is-kenny-hill-any-good-part-2-arkansas?utm_campaign=hawkeyedfrog&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter">here</a>, <a href="https://t.co/c55FDNRGQe">here</a>, and <a href="https://t.co/049kKP77m1">here</a>), you can start to pinpoint the small issues that led to some big struggles a season ago. It’s not that Hill can’t make the throws - he has a good to nearly great arm, moves really well in the pocket, and when given the freedom/encouragement to, knows how and when to break contain and reel off big yardage on the ground. Kenny throws a beautiful deep ball - that bomb to Isaiah Graham against OU falling harmlessly to the grass still haunts me - but doesn’t throw his receivers into yardage, but rather throws them to a stoppage. Hill will miss a guy by six inches or so, causing the receiver to have to adjust back to the ball, go to the ground, or leave his feet exposing him - making the catch either tougher than it needs to be or leading to a drop (especially with an inexperienced WR corp like he had last year). And that’s part of the reason the Frogs were one of the worst offenders when it came to the dropsies of any team in the country in 2016.</p>
<p id="mEXTeh">By all accounts, Hill has had a stellar off-season of work. Though he looked... well, bad... in the spring game, he put in a ton of work over the summer, seeking out a QB coach, attending some of the best camps in the country, and soaking up knowledge and opportunities exactly as you would want your senior starter to do. And he has looked outstanding in camp, with improved accuracy and better responses to the mistakes he does make.</p>
<p id="WBejXZ">But, we have heard this story before. No one within a program has come out in August and said Hill can’t get the job done, doesn’t have the tools, or isn’t any good. The fact of the matter is, he’s supremely talented physically and has a good understanding of the playbook and what decisions need to be made, when - on the field, at least. But Hill’s dedication to the game off the field has been questioned, as has the work he puts in when the lights are off.</p>
<p id="MDD2TL">Well, Kenny, this is it. Hill has NFL dreams, and NFL tools. But it will come down to this, his senior year, his last hurrah, to see if he can work his way into draft contention next spring. We certainly hope he does.</p>
<p id="yDS52G"><strong>The Shawn Robinson Question:</strong></p>
<p id="LdjvyC">But if he doesn’t...</p>
<p id="YfkGUt">Shawn Robinson has “IT”. That undefined, immeasurable, unexplainable quality that sets apart good from great. Trevone Boykin had IT. So did Andy Dalton. Those guys were winners, locker room leaders, and became TCU legends. It’s hard to predict how a QB will make the transition from high school hero to college, but the tools are definitely there for Robinson. A long time four star prospect (who was ridiculously dropped to three stars by some services just ahead of signing day), Robinson chose TCU over offers from 13 other schools, including Texas, Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC, and Ohio State. He committed to the Frogs early - June of 2015 - and held tight, due to a great relationship with Sonny Cumbie and Gary Patterson, though there was speculation he would flip to the Horns once Tom Herman was hired:</p>
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<figcaption>This is my most favorite thing.</figcaption>
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<p id="rYvuQR">Robinson enrolled in January and got to work right away, getting the bulk of the snaps throughout the spring and having every opportunity to impress. Though he is ahead of schedule according to GP, he hasn’t done enough to wrest the job away from Hill - yet. Robinson has great size at 6’2”, runs incredibly well (over 5000 rushing yards in his high school career), and has a nose for the end zone with 143 career touchdowns against 29 picks prior to enrolling at TCU. He led DeSoto to a state title and was a winner wherever he played. He’s charismatic on and off the field, and was one of the best recruiters for the Frogs from the moment he committed to the moment he signed. I have great visions of him connecting with Jalen Reagor and Omar Manning for big play after big play in the not too distant future.</p>
<p id="4O2FSz">The one thing we know is, barring injury, Kenny Hill is taking the first snap on Saturday, September 2nd. After that? I think Patterson would say he reserves the right to change his mind.</p>
<p id="BUpJqz"><strong>What to Do with the Mule:</strong></p>
<p id="9bpT5J">Grayson Muehlstein was one of those “well... he’s definitely intriguing” signings when he inked with TCU back in 2014. At 6’4” and 215 pounds, he looks the part of dangerous pocket passer, but showed some fancy footwork and the ability to make something out of nothing at Decatur High School. A three star prospect, he was ranked as high as fifth, by Scout, for QBs in the state of Texas. He came to Fort Worth under the old regime - both he and Foster Sawyer signed as pro-style quarterbacks before Meacham and Cumbie turned TCU into an Air Raid offense.</p>
<p id="A5UKGj">So little was known about Muehlstein that many assumed he was the next great thing; an under the radar talent that would develop behind Matt Joeckel before eventually overtaking Trevone Boykin and Foster Sawyer to lead the Frogs to great heights. If you don’t believe me, go back and look at our <a href="https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/4/24/5646628/meet-the-commits-grayson-muehlstein">“Meet the Commits”</a> piece on him from 2014. He just had a few accuracy issues - but he was smart and athletic and ‘oh no would his commitment make Foster look elsewhere?’! Well... here we sit, three years later... Foster has come and gone, as have Brennan Wooten, Jordan Kitna, and a handful of others. Mule has never made a serious push for the backup job, despite the attrition around him, and when the door was open for him this spring, he wasn’t able to overtake the true freshman that everyone had expected to redshirt. There’s nothing wrong with that, though, he’s been a great teammate, works hard, and has gotten a really great education at an amazing school. I would say he’s living right. </p>
<p id="7UxZ4b">Grayson has yet to attempt a pass in a game, instead rushing for 21 yards on six career attempts. He certainly knows the offense, and if the Frogs were to get in a bind with QB1 and QB2, he should be able to step on the field and execute. But the plan is probably for that not to happen.</p>
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<p id="6VMWpq">So, where do we sit? Exactly where we expected. Kenny Hill will be The Guy, until he’s not. Shawn Robinson is the heir apparent, and should have the inside track to the starting job in 2018 - and get some valuable experience in mop up duty, as an injury replacement, or as a straight up replacement this year. With Justin Rogers expected to enroll in January, next spring could be one of the more exciting and anticipated off-seasons in recent TCU history, as the two young guns battle it out to take over an offense that will be loaded with promise.</p>
<p id="abPflZ">But that’s then. This is now. And we just have to wait and see in the meantime.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/24/16170610/2017-tcu-football-preview-quarterbacksMelissa B. Triebwasser2017-08-17T14:30:02-05:002017-08-17T14:30:02-05:002017 TCU Football Preview: Kickers and Punters
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<figcaption>Melissa Triebwasser</figcaption>
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<p>Yes, we have a kicker. I think.</p> <p id="rJI8pt">I’ll be honest, I am pretty over the constant questions of “when will Gary Patterson sign a kicker?”. The fact of the matter is, TCU Football has not one, not two, not three... but SIX place kickers on the roster right now. That’s a large portion to be taken up by a group that has yet to inspire any confidence.</p>
<p id="mtebud">So, we are going to do this position group preview a little differently than most, and work through stages instead of depth charts.</p>
<p id="v3epFl"><strong>The Good:</strong></p>
<p id="h2r0s2">Adam Nunez. Kid is a beast. Last year, as a redshirt freshman, he averaged nearly 40 yards per punt, earning All Big 12 Honorable Mention honors, and was an Academic All Conference honoree as well. With only two touchbacks against 26 punts downed inside the 20, he was a true weapon for a team that struggled to consistently move the ball and convert third downs, and kept the Frogs’ season from being worse than it was. The average return on his kicks? Just 4.0 yards. Not. Too. Shabby.</p>
<p id="l245QL">Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, he had an 18 yard pickup against Texas Tech on a fake punt that could have changed the momentum - if... well, let’s not go there, this is the good.</p>
<p id="rh5xdd">Also receiving rave reviews is new long snapper Lucas Gravelle, a grad transfer from Washington State who is doing something I have rarely seen done before - getting high praise from the head football coach in August. Generally, you know you have a good long snapper when you have no idea who your long snapper is, but Gravelle has made such a positive impression with his leadership, skillset, and maturity, it’s worth knowing who he is.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patterson said snapper Lucas Gravelle has "made the biggest difference in everything: punt team, PAT, field goal. "He's done a great job."</p>— Garrett Podell (@garrettpodell) <a href="https://twitter.com/garrettpodell/status/897246852244013056">August 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="ql27mv"><strong>The Bad:</strong></p>
<p id="tVQSp8">Welp, every kicker is back in 2017. Take that for what you will.</p>
<p id="RacAZo">As a unit, TCU’s kickers were 18-25, with then sophomore Ryan Graf going 5-6 (but missing the potential game winner against Arkansas on a block) and rising senior Brandon Hatfield going just 13-19, including devastating misses against Texas Tech, Georgia, and others. Neither was supposed to be ‘the guy’ heading into 2016, but an injury, once again, to sophomore Jonathan Song, out of Fort Worth All Saints, cost him the year.</p>
<p id="u2r3bl">The talent is evident in this corp, the results just didn’t match the potential in 2016. But you could say that for a lot of units a season ago.</p>
<p id="dkS5qH"><strong>The Maybe:</strong></p>
<p id="mLH2lu">No true #1 has emerged out of fall camp, and the talk is that it’s mostly because no player has gone out and grabbed the job. Song and Cole Bunce, the kickoff specialist from a season ago, have been the two most consistent in practices, but each has missed in scrimmage conditions. Michigan transfer Andrew David was expected to compete, or at least put more pressure on the guys in front of him, but that doesn’t seem to have materialized as of yet. What has materialized is competition from a surprising source: late addition Arkansas transfer Brandon Ritchie.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former Colleyville Cov Christian K Brandon Ritchie eligibility has been certified, Patterson said. 'He'll make the competition interesting.'</p>— Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) <a href="https://twitter.com/calexmendez/status/896160048614744065">August 12, 2017</a>
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<p id="PU7LHv">Ritchie didn’t play for the Hogs as a true freshman, but it took some time with the NCAA Clearing House to make sure he could actually see the field this fall. Ritchie has been a revelation in camp through the first two weeks, pushing Song and Bunce for the starting role and being the most consistent guy under pressure in his limited opportunities thus far. Though Bunce was the clear winner of the spring, Song wasn’t fully healthy and Ritchie wasn’t on campus, and it seems the coaching staff prefers to keep him as a kick-off specialist - for now. It appears Ritchie has wrested the starting job away with opening night coming quickly.</p>
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<p id="Ckx1C0">So... where does that leave us? I expect that it will be Cole Bunce kicking off and Brandon Ritchie handling field goals on September 2nd, but not November 24th. I am still hopeful that Song will live up to his incredible promise as a kicker, and that it will be realized at some point in 2017. That being said, maybe we go for it more on fourth and short? </p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2017/8/17/16145296/2017-tcu-football-preview-kickers-punters-and-special-teamsMelissa B. Triebwasser