TCU Football Preview 2009: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BCS

It is that time of year when all the prognosticators from all the great sports websites again pick the best of the season to come and those teams with the greatest chance to Crash the BCS. And as usual, TCU is one of the teams that will get plenty of recognition though they have yet to crash that party. However, what is no longer the usual is TCU Coach Gary Patterson playing up the underdog role. 

“I’ve kind of changed my philosophy,” Patterson said. “I think sometimes my kids follow my lead. I think I’m a lot better from behind coach—being picked third, being picked sixth—that kind of guy. I told my kids before we came to this that no matter where we got picked, if by chance we were picked first, the thing I was going to do is that we were just going to live up to the expectations. I wasn’t going to spend all day telling them how bad they were so that they were going to be mad at me so that they got better, which is sometimes my m.o.”

Yes my fellow horny toad lovers, Coach Patterson has learned to love the role as a favorite and will even wrap his arms around the great BCS challenge and ride it for all it is worth. Patterson has also said the current bowl system is the best for college football and yes, TCU has learned to love the BCS.

Finishing No. 7 in both the coach’s and the sportswriter’s polls after an 11-2 season in 2008 the Horned Frogs are ready to make that leap to the elite in 2009? Here's our analysis.

Horned Frog Offense

TCU returns a strong nucleus from an offensive unit that set single-season school records last year for points scored (437) and touchdowns (56).

The Horned Frogs were second in the Mountain West Conference and 12th nationally in team rushing at 220.2 yards per game. It was TCU’s highest rushing average since LaDainian Tomlinson’s senior year in 2000. TCU was also second in the league and 24th in the country in total offense (421.3 yards).

Andy Dalton will be in his third year as the starting quarterback. TCU welcomes back three starters on the offensive line, six of its top-seven rushers from a year ago and all but one wide receiver.  However, gone from 2008 is the often maligned offensive coordinator, Mike Schultz, who left for the Illini. 

He is replaced by the duo of Justin Fuente and Jarrett Anderson who will add more emphasis on receiver’s routes and utilizing the spread offense without abandoning the bread and butter running game.

In just two seasons, Dalton (6'3", 215, Jr.) has already won 19 games as a starting quarterback and is rapidly climbing the statistical charts in the Frogs’ record book. He is already second in career completions (404) and third in passing yards (4,701). 

The wily veteran Marcus Jackson (6'1", 216, Sr.) will again back up Dalton. Waiting in the wings is Casey Pachall (6'5", 204, Fr.), a four-star recruit who enrolled at TCU in January, participated in spring practice and is projected to replace Dalton when he departs, but could push for early playing time.

The running backs are led by Doak Walker watch list nominee Joseph Turner (6'1", 225, Sr.) who had 577 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2008 despite missing a substantial amount of playing time due to injuries.

Scat back Ryan Christian (5'11", 188, Sr.) also returns and adds tremendous versatility to the offense. Speedster Jai Cavness (5-8, 175, So.) will supplement the role played by Christian.

Both Turner and Christian sat during spring drills recovering from injuries which allowed redshirt freshman Ed Wesley (5'9", 185) to show his wares which he did very nicely and should get plenty of playing time. Luke Shivers (6'0", 220, So.) will fill the fullback slot.  Shivers had two touchdowns on two carries last season.

As good as the current running back situation appears it is the anticipated arrival of the true freshmen: Waymon James (5'8", 203), Matthew Tucker (6'1", 210) and Dwight Smith (5'10", 218) that have excited a lot of Horned Frog fans.

James is a human pinball with highlight reel runs and both Tucker and Smith were the state MVPs in their classifications. In addition, Smith brings a reported 4.39 speed in the 40 yard dash to go along with his size.

The current group of wide receivers returns all but one starter from last season and may be one of the more talented groups to play the position ever at TCU. Jimmy Young (6'1", 204, Jr.) is the top returned receiver with 988 yards and is expected to put up even greater numbers this season.

Sure-handed Bart Johnson (6'0",195, Jr.) is often looked to by Dalton in clutch situations, and the big play duo of Jeremy Kerley (5'10", 195, Jr.) and Antoine Hicks (6'2", 200, So.) round out the starters. Kerley is also the main focus in the Wild Frog formation and his background as a former all-state quarterback at Hutto can give opposing coaches a lot to consider when he takes the snap.

Freshman Josh Boyce (5'11", 195) is another first year player who went through spring drills and is expected to see plenty of playing time along with Alonzo Adams (6'0", 190, Jr.), Curtis Clay (6'1", 185, Jr.) who is a former walk-on, Jonathan Jones (6'4", 197, So.), and Tyler Luttrell (6'1", 210, Jr.) who also is a walk-on.

TCU is also one of the few teams that utilize a tight end for more than just blocking and Evan Frosch (6'4", 260, Jr.) should get more than a few balls thrown his way.   Sophomore Logan Brock (6'3", 253) leads the backups that include highly-touted Walker Dille (6'4", 242, RFr.) and Corey Fuller (6'5", 245, RFr.). Luke Shivers will also slide over from fullback on occasion to the tight-end slot.

Even though the Frogs have plenty of talent at the skill positions it is the offensive line led by its All-Conference tackles Marshall Newhouse (6'4", 320, Sr.) and Marcus Cannon (6'5",350, Jr.) that really make things operate smoothly.

Behind those two is  plenty of experience in Nic Richmond (6'8", 322, Sr.) along with a couple of youngsters in Jeff Olson (6'4", 282, So.) and Trevius Jones (6'3", 310, RFr.). The starting guard combination of former walk-on Kyle Dooley (6'3", 315, So.) and Josh Vernon (6'2", 295, Jr.) will get plenty push from the number two guys Blaize Foltz (6'4", 310, RFr.) and Zach Roth (6'5", 310, Jr.).

At center is big Jake Kilpatrick (6'3", 305, Jr.) who has the task of replacing three-time All MWC center Blake Schlueter.  James Fry (6'4", 285, RFr.) will get plenty of playing time behind Kilpatrick and sophomore Spencer Thompson (6'4", 305) and senior Tyler Marrou (6'5", 268) will also be in the mix.

Horned Frog Defense

In 2008 the Horned Frogs finished the year with the No. 1 ranked defense in the land and relinquished a very stingy 47 yards per game on the ground. To repeat that in 2009 will be very difficult with only five returning starters from that 2008 defense and lots of questions up the middle.

The defensive line is anchored by consensus All-American and 2008 national sack and forced fumble leader Jerry Hughes (6'3", 257, Sr.) at one end and a battle between Wayne Daniels (6'2", 250, Jr.), a former walk-on Ross Forrest (6'4", 252, So.) and a player many Frog fans have been waiting to break-out, the very athletic Braylon Broughton (6'6", 248, So.).

There is little question about Hughes’ ability as he is on virtually every preseason watch list, including the early Heisman watch list for 2009.  Clarence Leatch (6'4", 245, Jr.) will get playing time behind Hughes.

The two starters and a key backup from 2008 are gone at the tackle positions, but stepping in are Kelly Griffin (6'1", 295, Jr.) who started every game his freshman year and big Cory Grant (6'2", 303, Jr.) who was named by ESPN as a top 10 workout warrior in the offseason.

Supporting them and pushing very hard for playing time will be a very quick Jeremy Coleman (6'2", 285, RFr.) and Henry Niutei (6'4", 300, Jr.) the 2008 Scout Team Defensive MVP.

The linebacker position lost its two All-MWC selection starters to the NFL and that would be a devastating loss for most teams, however with Daryl Washington (6'3", 234, Sr.) as one of the replacements at the SAM (outside) position, things do not look half bad to start.

Washington has been called the best athlete on the team by Patterson and saw plenty of playing time in 2008. Behind Washington is Kris Gardner (6'1", 235, So.) and hard-hitting Greg Burks (6'1", 210, RFr.). 

The starting middle linebacker or MIKE appears to go initially to Tank “the Crank” Carder (6'2", 232, So.) but he will be pushed hard by true freshman sensation Tanner Brock (6'3", 227) who enrolled early and saw plenty of action in the spring.

There are very few questions about the strength at the cornerback position as it has been under the watch for the previous three years by returning seniors Rafael Priest (5'10", 181) and Nick Sanders (5'10", 174). Priest is ranked by CollegeFootballNews as one of the Top 20 corners in the nation and both Priest and Sanders are All-MWC selections. 

However, behind them are two tremendous corners in their own right, speedster Greg McCoy (5'10", 181, So.) and the big, fast Jason Teague (6'2", 185, Jr.). Teague was sidelined by injuries much of 2008 but the shutdown corner is expected to get plenty of action in 2009.

The biggest question mark on the defense may be at one of the more crucial positions in the 4-2-5 defense that TCU runs, strong safety. Gone are the top two defenders at the position from 2008, Cowboy draftee Stephen Hodge and Sir DeMarco Bledsoe.

In addition, the No. 3 person from 2008, Colin Jones (6'0", 225, Jr.) who looked to have inherited the job, continues to be hampered by injuries. Trying to fill that void will be two new players in JUCO transfer Malcolm Williams (6'1", 205, Jr.) and true freshman Jurrell Thompson (5'11", 200) along with redshirt freshman Chris Scott (5'10", 185). 

Williams was a highly-touted recruit out of high school who signed with Oklahoma and has experience in the 4-2-5 defense. Thompson is a Four-star recruit out of Wichita Falls Rider, and Scott is a hard-hitting former Louisiana All-State linebacker.

At free safety is the only returning starter of the bunch Tejay Johnson (6'1", 212, Jr.) who started almost every game in 2008 but at the weak safety spot. Alex Ibiloye (6'0", 183, Jr) moves over from corner to backup Johnson along with Johnny Fobbs (6'1", 206, So.).

The weak safety spot is between Corderra Hunter (6'2", 220, Sr.) and Tekerrian Cuba (6'4", 210, So.). Hunter came out of the spring as the starter but injuries have limited Cuba who should push very hard for the top spot.

On Special Teams returning from 2008 are sophomore All-MWC punter Anson Kelton and sophomore Lou Groza watch list candidate kicker Ross Evans. Jeremy Kerley will handle return duties on punts and will be joined by Ryan Christian on kick returns. The snapper is Clint Gresham (6'3", 225, Sr.) another former walk-on.

The Schedule

Gone from the schedule are Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech, but on the schedule is SMU. In 2005 coming off a big win in Norman over the then No. 5 ranked Oklahoma Sooners, TCU fell to lowly SMU in Dallas the following week for their only loss in a 11-1 season.

However, take heart Froggies as this year the game is in Fort Worth and the offensive coordinator for the Ponies that year, Rusty Burns, is now the TCU wide receiver coach. Also gone from the schedule are mid-week games which have bothered the Horned Frogs for years.

In addition to the tough MWC schedule that includes games at BYU and in Fort Worth against Utah, TCU will open up the season at Virginia and will face a tough test in game three at Clemson.

The Great Prognosis

Despite a few question marks on defense, the schedule with Utah at home and missing the notorious Thursday night battles seems to really favor TCU’s chances in 2009. Yes, it is the year Frog fans learn to love the BCS.