Last week the sports blog started its first ever extended preview of the upcoming Texas State football season with an in-depth look at the Angelo State Rams. This week, we will preview the Bobcats' jump from one extreme of football competition to the other. After a bye week following Texas State's season-opener against a middling Division II school, the Bobcats will be faced with a road game against one of the best teams in the entire country in TCU.
Texas State at Texas Christian
Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Date: September 19th, 6 pm
Basic facts about TCU:
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Enrollment: 8,696
2008 Average Game Attendance: 30,388 (capacity 44,008)
2008 Record: 11-2 (7-1 Mountain West Conference)
Head Coach: Gary Patterson -- 73-27 in eight seasons @ TCU
Series Record: This is the first meeting between these two schools
Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Date: September 19th, 6 pm
Basic facts about TCU:
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Enrollment: 8,696
2008 Average Game Attendance: 30,388 (capacity 44,008)
2008 Record: 11-2 (7-1 Mountain West Conference)
Head Coach: Gary Patterson -- 73-27 in eight seasons @ TCU
Series Record: This is the first meeting between these two schools
TCU's 2008 Season In Review: The defensive-minded Horned Frogs had a fantastic season by anyone's standards, but they did not reach their goals of winning the Mountain West Conference and obtaining a BCS bowl berth. A 35-10 road loss to Oklahoma raised questions about TCU's ability to play with the big boys, and a 13-10 heartbreaking loss to eventual Sugar Bowl champion Utah in Salt Lake left fans in Fort Worth wondering what might have been. However, TCU plowed through most of the rest of their competition, leaving a trail of destruction in the wake of their conference play. Blowout wins of 54-7 over Wyoming, 44-14 over UNLV, 44-10 over Air Force and most impressively a 32-7 laugher on national television over a BYU squad that was ranked at times in the top 15 of FBS showed just how powerful the Horned Frogs could be. To cap off their success, TCU took a 17-16 upset in the Poinsettia Bowl over a previously undefeated Boise State team that had felt slighted for being left out of the BCS picture. The Horned Frogs finished ranked as the #7 team in the country by the AP and USA Today polls for FBS football while their defensive unit ranked #1 in the country for the third time in nine years.
Returning starters/players: 6 starters on offense, 4 starters on defense
TCU under head coach Gary Patterson has been known for stingy defense for the majority of this decade, but that defensive acumen could be tested with only four starters coming back. However, the starters that are coming back are all juniors or seniors that will be counted on to make a big impact for the Horned Frogs. Senior defensive end and All-American Jerry Hughes has by far the best track record of the four. He led the team in tackles for loss with 19.5 and led the nation in sacks last season with 15 while grabbing two interceptions for good measure. Hughes had four sacks in the BYU game, so he has shown that he can plow through even the best offensive lines in the country. Rafael Priest, senior cornerback, returns in 2009 after being selected as an All-Mountain West Conference second team selection. Senior CB Nick Sanders will also be counted upon to be a leader in the secondary as he returns from a 2008 campaign that saw him garner an Honorable Mention honor in the All-Mountain West Conference awards. Additionally, backup LB Daryl Washington will look to lead a linebacking corps that lost all of their starters from last season.
The offense will have fewer issues with working in new personnel, and most importantly their dangerous signal-caller in Andy Dalton will be back for his junior season. Dalton, a dual-threat QB out of Katy, had a solid but not outstanding season through the air as he threw for about 204 yards per game and had an 11/5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His rushing attack is where defenses can find themselves in a jam; Dalton had the third-most yards in TCU's well-balanced rushing attack with 432 yards, but more importantly he had 8 rushing TD's in 2008. Backup senior QB Markus Jackson will also return as a solid alternative to Dalton as he also has stymied defensive units with a dual-threat attack. They'll be buoyed by two beastly All-MWC selections at offensive tackle in 317-lb. Marshall Newhouse and 350-lb. Marcus Cannon. There are also a number of solid backups at the tackle position for TCU, so the position should be one of their strengths next season.
TCU's media guide describes the Frogs' 2008 rushing attack as a "Ground Game By Committee," and rightfully so. Five different players made significant contributions in the most effective ground game that TCU has seen since legendary RB LaDanian Tomlinson came through Fort Worth in 2000. It's hard to say whether may see a more top-heavy rushing attack as returning backup tailback Joseph Turner out of Austin's LBJ High School will replace starter Aaron Brown after rushing for 577 yards and 11 TD's in 2008. If Patterson does decide to stay with the "committee" rushing approach, then senior tailback Ryan Christian will likely be his main second option. Sophomore RB Jai Cavness may also see himself getting more playing time as a possible third option. Junior wide receiver Jimmy Young returns as the main (and only) major receiving threat from last season for the Horned Frogs, as he barely missed the 1,000 yard receiving mark in 2008 with 988 total yards.
Key Losses: Even though TCU may be keeping four of the main pillars of their #1 defense from 2008, any time you lose seven starters it hurts a bit. A monstrous linebacking corps of Jason Phillips and Robert Henson (1st and 3rd in total tackles on the team, respectively) are gone. The safety position will also take a hit as they lose two contributors in Stephen Hodge and Stephen Coleman. Hodge was a hard-hitting player who was second on the team in total tackles, while Coleman terrorized receivers in the secondary with three interceptions and a pick six. The defensive line aside from Hughes could be a major question mark as nosetackle Cody Moore, defensive end Matt Panfil and defensive tackle James Vess have all graduated. There are a number of players vying for the starting spots in the holes left by these three defensive linemen, and nobody has really stood out quite enough to truly lock down these positions.
On offense, starting running back Aaron Brown leaves the team as the second-biggest contributor in TCU's running game. The third and fourth most productive receivers in WR Walter Bryant and TE Shae Reagan have moved on, but that's not really saying much as neither player ever averaged over 25 yards receiving a game. Rather, it is a couple of spots in the interior offensive line that could be suspect. Guard Giles Montgomery and center Blake Schlueter have graduated, and a couple of juniors and sophomores will be jockeying for their positions. Expect the Horned Frogs to spread the field on the ground in 2009.
Newcomers: Coach Patterson did a solid job on the recruiting trail for the Frogs in 2009, at least if you go by recruiting rankings as your measurement of success. Four players ranked as 4-stars by various recruiting services were signed at the QB, RB and S positions, but the only player that may have any shot at playing time is QB Casey Pachall out of Brownwood as he has been inserted as the third-string quarterback in TCU's depth chart. Josh Boyce may see limited playing time as a backup WR and Tanner Brock will likely see some action as a backup middle linebacker. However, barring catastrophic injuries, there won't be many true freshman making a significant impact for TCU this year.
Other Notes: TCU's special teams are traditionally a legitimate threat to opposing teams at all positions, and next year should be no different. Punt returner Jeremy Kerley averaged 13.9 yards per return, putting him at 13th nationally and garnering him a first team All-MWC special teams selection in 2008. Punter Anson Kelton put over half of his punts inside the opponent's 20 yard line in 2008, while placekicker Ross Evans went 16 for 20 on field goals. Evans was also a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is awarded to the best kicker in FBS football.
The Horned Frogs live and die by the turnover. In TCU's two losses they averaged 3 turnovers a game, while in their 11 wins they only managed 0.8. Their usually outstanding job of taking care of the football put them at 10th best in FBS in turnover margin.
TCU annihilated the two common opponents that they shared with Texas State in wins over Stephen F. Austin in Fort Worth and SMU in Dallas by scores of 67-7 and 48-7, respectively. Texas State beat SFA 62-21 in Nacogdoches while falling to SMU 47-36 in Dallas.
The big picture: While this may not be the most important game of the year for Texas State, it will certainly be the toughest. TCU is consistently among the top 20 teams in FBS football under Gary Patterson, and his squad always fields a stingy defense. The Horned Frogs' offense may not be the most flashy in terms of numbers put up, but it consistently grinds opponents up on the ground in ruthless fashion. A young Texas State defense that has lost some key starters will likely give up some points. As a result, the main question will likely be if Bradley George and company can get their shots in early and often. Mishak Rivas and the other Texas State receivers will have a couple of shut-down corners on their hands in Priest and Sanders, so it will be vital for them to break free in the secondary. Gore, Hall, Luna and company will need to play the game of their lives in the trenches if they want to give George enough time in the pocket and provide running lanes for Karrington Bush.
Texas State has shown that they can hang with FBS teams in close games in the past against SMU, Texas A&M, and Baylor, and the Bobcats absolutely can shock the world with a win over TCU...if they play a perfect game. If the Texas State defense forces timely stops turnovers and the offense keeps up their high-scoring ways while avoiding coughing up the ball, then we may see the star lit on Jackson Hall. However, if the Cats play sloppily like they did in DFW last year, it could result in a long day for the good guys. The Frogs may be in the same metroplex as an SMU team that let Texas State back in the game after several early Bobcat turnovers last year, but the two cross-town rivals are hardly on the same planet in terms of overall strength. This will be the biggest challenge that this football team has seen in the entire decade, and Texas State had better bring their "A" game if they want a shot at the "W."
-Will Butler, KTSW Sports Director/Blog Editor
Returning starters/players: 6 starters on offense, 4 starters on defense
TCU under head coach Gary Patterson has been known for stingy defense for the majority of this decade, but that defensive acumen could be tested with only four starters coming back. However, the starters that are coming back are all juniors or seniors that will be counted on to make a big impact for the Horned Frogs. Senior defensive end and All-American Jerry Hughes has by far the best track record of the four. He led the team in tackles for loss with 19.5 and led the nation in sacks last season with 15 while grabbing two interceptions for good measure. Hughes had four sacks in the BYU game, so he has shown that he can plow through even the best offensive lines in the country. Rafael Priest, senior cornerback, returns in 2009 after being selected as an All-Mountain West Conference second team selection. Senior CB Nick Sanders will also be counted upon to be a leader in the secondary as he returns from a 2008 campaign that saw him garner an Honorable Mention honor in the All-Mountain West Conference awards. Additionally, backup LB Daryl Washington will look to lead a linebacking corps that lost all of their starters from last season.
The offense will have fewer issues with working in new personnel, and most importantly their dangerous signal-caller in Andy Dalton will be back for his junior season. Dalton, a dual-threat QB out of Katy, had a solid but not outstanding season through the air as he threw for about 204 yards per game and had an 11/5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His rushing attack is where defenses can find themselves in a jam; Dalton had the third-most yards in TCU's well-balanced rushing attack with 432 yards, but more importantly he had 8 rushing TD's in 2008. Backup senior QB Markus Jackson will also return as a solid alternative to Dalton as he also has stymied defensive units with a dual-threat attack. They'll be buoyed by two beastly All-MWC selections at offensive tackle in 317-lb. Marshall Newhouse and 350-lb. Marcus Cannon. There are also a number of solid backups at the tackle position for TCU, so the position should be one of their strengths next season.
TCU's media guide describes the Frogs' 2008 rushing attack as a "Ground Game By Committee," and rightfully so. Five different players made significant contributions in the most effective ground game that TCU has seen since legendary RB LaDanian Tomlinson came through Fort Worth in 2000. It's hard to say whether may see a more top-heavy rushing attack as returning backup tailback Joseph Turner out of Austin's LBJ High School will replace starter Aaron Brown after rushing for 577 yards and 11 TD's in 2008. If Patterson does decide to stay with the "committee" rushing approach, then senior tailback Ryan Christian will likely be his main second option. Sophomore RB Jai Cavness may also see himself getting more playing time as a possible third option. Junior wide receiver Jimmy Young returns as the main (and only) major receiving threat from last season for the Horned Frogs, as he barely missed the 1,000 yard receiving mark in 2008 with 988 total yards.
Key Losses: Even though TCU may be keeping four of the main pillars of their #1 defense from 2008, any time you lose seven starters it hurts a bit. A monstrous linebacking corps of Jason Phillips and Robert Henson (1st and 3rd in total tackles on the team, respectively) are gone. The safety position will also take a hit as they lose two contributors in Stephen Hodge and Stephen Coleman. Hodge was a hard-hitting player who was second on the team in total tackles, while Coleman terrorized receivers in the secondary with three interceptions and a pick six. The defensive line aside from Hughes could be a major question mark as nosetackle Cody Moore, defensive end Matt Panfil and defensive tackle James Vess have all graduated. There are a number of players vying for the starting spots in the holes left by these three defensive linemen, and nobody has really stood out quite enough to truly lock down these positions.
On offense, starting running back Aaron Brown leaves the team as the second-biggest contributor in TCU's running game. The third and fourth most productive receivers in WR Walter Bryant and TE Shae Reagan have moved on, but that's not really saying much as neither player ever averaged over 25 yards receiving a game. Rather, it is a couple of spots in the interior offensive line that could be suspect. Guard Giles Montgomery and center Blake Schlueter have graduated, and a couple of juniors and sophomores will be jockeying for their positions. Expect the Horned Frogs to spread the field on the ground in 2009.
Newcomers: Coach Patterson did a solid job on the recruiting trail for the Frogs in 2009, at least if you go by recruiting rankings as your measurement of success. Four players ranked as 4-stars by various recruiting services were signed at the QB, RB and S positions, but the only player that may have any shot at playing time is QB Casey Pachall out of Brownwood as he has been inserted as the third-string quarterback in TCU's depth chart. Josh Boyce may see limited playing time as a backup WR and Tanner Brock will likely see some action as a backup middle linebacker. However, barring catastrophic injuries, there won't be many true freshman making a significant impact for TCU this year.
Other Notes: TCU's special teams are traditionally a legitimate threat to opposing teams at all positions, and next year should be no different. Punt returner Jeremy Kerley averaged 13.9 yards per return, putting him at 13th nationally and garnering him a first team All-MWC special teams selection in 2008. Punter Anson Kelton put over half of his punts inside the opponent's 20 yard line in 2008, while placekicker Ross Evans went 16 for 20 on field goals. Evans was also a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is awarded to the best kicker in FBS football.
The Horned Frogs live and die by the turnover. In TCU's two losses they averaged 3 turnovers a game, while in their 11 wins they only managed 0.8. Their usually outstanding job of taking care of the football put them at 10th best in FBS in turnover margin.
TCU annihilated the two common opponents that they shared with Texas State in wins over Stephen F. Austin in Fort Worth and SMU in Dallas by scores of 67-7 and 48-7, respectively. Texas State beat SFA 62-21 in Nacogdoches while falling to SMU 47-36 in Dallas.
The big picture: While this may not be the most important game of the year for Texas State, it will certainly be the toughest. TCU is consistently among the top 20 teams in FBS football under Gary Patterson, and his squad always fields a stingy defense. The Horned Frogs' offense may not be the most flashy in terms of numbers put up, but it consistently grinds opponents up on the ground in ruthless fashion. A young Texas State defense that has lost some key starters will likely give up some points. As a result, the main question will likely be if Bradley George and company can get their shots in early and often. Mishak Rivas and the other Texas State receivers will have a couple of shut-down corners on their hands in Priest and Sanders, so it will be vital for them to break free in the secondary. Gore, Hall, Luna and company will need to play the game of their lives in the trenches if they want to give George enough time in the pocket and provide running lanes for Karrington Bush.
Texas State has shown that they can hang with FBS teams in close games in the past against SMU, Texas A&M, and Baylor, and the Bobcats absolutely can shock the world with a win over TCU...if they play a perfect game. If the Texas State defense forces timely stops turnovers and the offense keeps up their high-scoring ways while avoiding coughing up the ball, then we may see the star lit on Jackson Hall. However, if the Cats play sloppily like they did in DFW last year, it could result in a long day for the good guys. The Frogs may be in the same metroplex as an SMU team that let Texas State back in the game after several early Bobcat turnovers last year, but the two cross-town rivals are hardly on the same planet in terms of overall strength. This will be the biggest challenge that this football team has seen in the entire decade, and Texas State had better bring their "A" game if they want a shot at the "W."
-Will Butler, KTSW Sports Director/Blog Editor
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