Come, take a journey with us as we look in-depth at the upcoming 2015 football season.
This season is not about firsts.
It’s not about doing something TCU has never done before. After all, if you wander up to the second floor of the John Justin Athletic Center and into the Encke Heritage Center, you’ll see memories from TCU’s two national championships, Davey O’Brien’s Heisman Trophy, LT’s Doak Walker Award, and trophies from winning the Rose, Sugar, Peach, and Cotton Bowls.
TCU is, as you might know, one of only four programs in history to compete in all four of those bowls, plus the Orange and the Fiesta.
You’ll see conference championship trophies from the Southwest Conference, the WAC, Conference USA, the Mountain West, and the Big 12. Individual awards and All-American plaques line the walls, and photographs of past accomplishments provide further visual evidence of TCU’s legacy of greatness.
But it seems like everyone else is just now catching on.
The hype is at an all-time high with Boykin’s face gracing the covers of magazines and the front pages of newspapers all across the country. TCU is a consensus top-5 team, ranked as such by the Associated Press, USA Today, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CBS and on, and on, and on. It seems as if the hype is building something too tall to reach. An Everest of expectations, piled high on the steps of Amon G. Carter Stadium. The big question around the country is this: "Can any team ever live up to those kinds of expectations?"
Well of course TCU can. It's not a question of can. It's a question of will they.
The hope now is that the Frogs make it to the top of Everest. Win the Big 12, make the playoff, and bring home some hardware that hasn’t taken up permanent residence in Fort Worth since 1938. And while outsiders might shake their heads, those that bleed purple hold out hope. The Frogs have done it before, and that means it can happen again.
So while everyone else around you is just catching on, simply smile and nod. Because you know this season is not about firsts.
It’s about coming full circle.
It's about proving them right.
- Jamie Plunkett
The Hunted
Boykin for Heisman
Offensive Preview
Defensive Preview
2015 By The Numbers
Schedule Breakdown
Best & Worst Case Scenarios
Staff Predictions
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Hunted
It’s one thing to look through the scope from behind a gun, it’s another thing to look straight into the barrel of one and be right in the line of fire. From the beginning of the Gary Patterson era, the Frogs have been the hunters and aggressors, taking down targets big and small. It started in the WAC, when GP was the Defensive Coordinator for Dennis Franchione, and has carried through the years in Conference USA, where Coach P won his first conference title in 2002. TCU wasn’t on the level of Utah or BYU when they joined the Mountain West Conference(or so they were told), but seven years and four championships later they were the class of the conference. No way could the Frogs hang with big, bad Wisconsin and their massive offensive line and unstoppable running game when they matched up in the 2010 Rose Bowl… well, that worked out okay, too.
But it’s a different world for college football in 2015, especially for the contenders out of Fort Worth this fall. The perennial underdog, the Little Sisters of the Poor if you will, are now cashing the big checks in the Big 12. And with a lofty preseason ranking, TCU will have the highest expectations they have ever faced upon them when things kick off in Minnesota on September 3rd. Last season, it was about proving people wrong; this one is about proving them right.
While TCU hasn’t really been in this position before, it’s not a bad play to trust Gary Patterson to keep his players hungry and humble.
There are two questions being asked about TCU as we close in on kickoff: Can the defense retool and reload on the fly after losing five starters, and can the Frogs handle life at the top of the mountain? Patterson has enough of a reputation as a defensive guru to allow for most people to think that side of the ball will be good enough - and the offense was so good in year one of the Air Raid, it’s not unreasonable to think they will be able to outscore a lot of people in year two if it’s not. But there are few pundits who think the Frogs can handle the pressure of having the target on their backs week in and week out, knowing that the majority of schools on their schedule may judge their season by how they played against the preseason #2. It’s a valid question- it’s one thing to be the lovable underdog who rises up to do the impossible, but it’s something completely different to have the expectations of perfection saddled upon you before you take the field.
While TCU hasn’t really been in this position before, it’s not a bad play to trust Gary Patterson to keep his players hungry and humble. He has spoken often about not coaching his team like they are the second or third ranked team in the country, but choosing instead to treat them the 70th, "because that’s how they’re playing right now". He’s never been afraid to call out his players - whether it’s the superstar QB or the fourth string CB, no player is safe from his wrath if they aren’t performing up to the level he expects (or believes they are capable of). Just look at this quote from a 2011 Texas Monthly piece about the coach and his then-star linebacker - who is now part of his coaching staff - Jason Phillips:
"All the TCU players and ex-players I have met gush about him. Well, let me take that back. They talk about their love for him when he’s off the field. "You have to realize that this is a coach who never let up on me at a single practice from my freshman to my senior season," recalled Jason Phillips, a former all-conference linebacker from Waller who started all but one game during his four years at TCU and who, after graduating in 2008, was later drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. "I was preseason All-American before my senior year, and it didn’t matter at all to him. Day after day, he’d tear me apart, telling me I had a standard to maintain and that I’d better do my job or he’d bring someone else in."
That might just be the biggest reason for hope among Frog fans worried about the expectations; while GP has vacillated from praising his young defense in hopes of propping up shaky confidence to ripping them to pieces because they can’t lineup at the speed they need to, he’s remained constant in his assessment of one particularly important player: his quarterback.
"That’s the thing that I’ve tried to instill in Trevone is to make sure ‑‑ I’ve been very proud of him in the fact of everything that ‑‑ the circuit he’s been on, some of the awards, everything he’s been a part of, that he’s handled it in the right way, at least to my knowledge."
So, while it’s ok to question how TCU will handle the extra pressure, the added expectations, the sheer volume of attention they are receiving in Fort Worth, maybe it’s time we just enjoy the view for a minute - it’s a long climb up. However, while we aren’t quite to the summit, I’m not worried that anyone in Fort Worth is content to plant their flag at the halfway point. Now take a deep breath, because the air is going to get a lot thinner in the next few months. What do you say we all keep climbing?
- Melissa Triebwasser
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(Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports )
Boykin For Heisman
Raise your hand if you ever thought we would wind up here, in 2015, talking about Trevone Boykin as a Heisman Trophy frontrunner. No one? Yeah, me neither.
The three-star recruit received little fanfare when he arrived on campus. He had only received two offers, one from TCU, the other from UTEP, but he had what all fans love: potential. Not to mention he was in pretty good company when it came to "only" receiving offers from TCU and UTEP. Former Frog and Bengals starting quarterback Andy Dalton was in that same boat coming out of high school.
However, when he stepped foot on campus in 2012, things went off the rails almost immediately. In his first two seasons while splitting time with Casey Pachall, Boykin was the definition of inconsistent. He was inaccurate in the passing game, missing reads, and- when he did make his reads- missing throws. He ran when he didn’t need to, and didn’t run when he needed to. He struggled.
It certainly didn’t help that he was, truly, a victim of circumstance in his first two seasons. Forced into the starting QB role in 2012 after he had just started taking snaps as a running back (due to the rash of injuries the running backs sustained that season), he never seemed to be able to get his feet under him in a system that was unfamiliar and didn’t play to his strengths.
His eventual move to wide receiver during the back half of the 2013 season seemed to signal the end of his time as signal-caller as the struggles prompting the move led to less-than-savory stat lines for his first two seasons.
Trevone Boykin Combined Stats, 2012 & 2013
Comp/Att
Comp %
Yards
TDs
INTs
Rushes
Rush Yards
YPC
TDs
272/468
58.1%
3,243
22
17
232
730
3.1
10
Then, in 2014, two wizards showed up. We’ll never know how much Boykin would have progressed had the duo of Doug Meacham and Sonnie Cumbie gone elsewhere, rather than coming to TCU to take on co-Offensive Coordinator duties. Thankfully, we don’t have to think about that too much. Meacham and Cumbie, along with A&M transfer Matt Joeckel, pushed Trevone to new heights throughout the spring and summer, and leading into the fall nobody knew what to expect.
Well now we know. We know all about the incredible transformation that was Trevone Boykin, quarterback, in 2014. The air raid offense fit Trevone perfectly, and his numbers exploded as he, and the Horned Frogs, burst on to the scene in a real way as the season progressed.
Trevone Boykin Stats, 2014
Comp/Att
Comp %
Yards
TDs
INTs
Rushes
Rush Yards
YPC
TDs
301/492
61.2%
3,901
33
10
152
707
4.7
8
He would wind up finishing fourth in the Heisman voting, behind Melvin Gordon, Amari Cooper, and winner Marcus Mariota.
So here we are. It’s 2015 and TCU is a frontrunner for the College Football Playoff, led by a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. We know that Gary Patterson is going to do everything in his power to keep Boykin focused, and level-headed. To this point, it seems that’s exactly where Boykin is. Patterson said as much when speaking to the media earlier this summer:
"Whether he believes or doesn’t believe it, at least he’s doing the right things, and I think that’s half the battle. Sometimes you can get lulled into everything, especially if you went from where we were to where he is now. So for us, from everything I’ve seen up to this point, he’s handled it very well."
When it’s all said and done, will Boykin have to have the ultimate season for this year to be considered successful? Does he have to bring the Heisman to Fort Worth? A National Championship? Or will he forever go down as a guy who couldn’t live up to the hype? I honestly don’t know. I think that’s for each and every one of us to decide for ourselves.
Here’s my two cents on the subject, though: It’s not all about numbers. In Andy Dalton’s Rose Bowl winning season, he threw for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns, while rushing for 435 yards and 6 touchdowns. Yes, different system, different team, different year, etc. Boykin’s 2014 numbers obliterate those, but no one would claim that Boykin’s 2014 season was better than Dalton’s 2010 year. Dalton went undefeated, led TCU to its biggest bowl win since the national championships in the 30s, and was the heart and soul of that squad.
However, Boykin’s 2015 season has a chance to be as good, if not better than, Dalton’s 2010 season. It’s not about numbers, because more than likely Boykin will duplicate, if not exceed his numbers from last year. If he can lead this team like Dalton led those guys in 2010, then yes, it will be a successful 2015 for Trevone Boykin.
And if he brings home a few trophies in the process, all the better.
- Jamie Plunkett
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(Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports)
Offensive Preview: Year 2 of the Meacham & Cumbie Era
The 2013 game in Norman may have been the perfect summation of TCU’s 2013 season; so close, yet so far. The Frogs, who didn’t manage a single first down in the first half, were also limited to less than 25 yards of offense. When you read that, you assume TCU got smoked. They didn’t: they lost 20-17, and nearly pulled off an upset.
The punchy, scrappy reptile that TCU was in its first season in the Big 12 was admirable. After Casey Pachall’s, uh--sabbatical--from the team, Trevone Boykin filled in nicely, getting road wins against West Virginia, Baylor, and Texas. The following season’s plans, and assumption with a defense that kept them breathing in 2012, peppered in with the quarterback Pachall was supposed to be had TCU preparing to make a legit run at a Big 12 title. That didn’t happen. In fact, the Frogs went a 4-8. An injured Pachall who never returned to form and inconsistent offensive line play that kept Boykin erratic all umbrellaed under a veer-heavy playbook simply wasn’t cutting it in the Big 12.
Yet, there was a bigger story. Take away the Texas game, and the Frogs only lost two games by more than 7; LSU and Oklahoma State. There was clearly something there. I mean hell, their offense barely scored 25 points per game and ranked 88th in scoring. If the Frogs could just get to 30, it could’ve been a drastically different season.
Just a season later, that number changed to 46.7, which- under a new Air Raid attack- was the key to TCU’s 12-1 season in 2014. It only helped that Gary put out what I personally think was his best defense of all time- but that’s a point you can argue. What you can’t argue is that 2014 wasn’t TCU’s best offensive season in school history--statistically and spiritually. When Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie arrived, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech fans knew the steals that Patterson got for his team. In true Patterson fashion and a testament to his admirable loyalty, he didn’t fire Rusty Burns or Jarrett Anderson, the two men who previously shared the offensive coordinator title the prior season, but instead chose to reposition their roles on the coaching staff.
(Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports)
Devil's in the Details: The Layer Cake of TCU's Offense
Perhaps the best word we can describe TCU’s offense in 2015 would be aggro--or, aggressive. Systemically, nothing should change, it’ll just be a heightened version of what it was in 2014. Boykin is the centerpiece of this. He’s the centerpiece because he made the first year of it look like an offense he had been running through the program for years.
We all know what a sophomore slump is, but it’s hard to see it happening with TCU’s offensive coordinators.
Here’s why: While Boykin won a well deserved Big 12 player of the year in 2014, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. His completion percentage last year (61.4%) wasn’t much higher than it was in 2013 (59.7). He hit 70% or better thrice; against Samford, Kansas, and Ole Miss. Aside from the Kansas game, in TCU’s close games against West Virginia and Baylor, Boykin’s completion percentage was 40% and 44.7% percent, respectively. That’s not only not good, it’s actually pretty bad.
Both of those games were on the road (one in the blistering cold), but Boykin will have to be better given TCU’s brutal November schedule. On the other hand, I’m actually glad they were bad; having a concrete parameter and something for the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, and one of the Heisman favorites, to improve upon means it’ll probably happen.
From the reports, we can expect a more confident Boykin, and all the work he’s sowed in the offseason, peppered in with a higher confidence, should reap a higher rate of completion. It’s a mental thing, you know? Knowing you have something to work on gives you something to go after, something to chase. Boykin’s never turned down a challenge before, and that’s what makes a sophomore slump--for his rebirth, and Cumbie and Meacham’s second year--unlikely.
Another area that TCU needs to improve on, and something they’ve been mediocre at since I can remember (even last year), is third down efficiency. The Frogs ranked 42nd in the country in third-down conversions at just under 43%. And while that’s not great, once you take into consideration that the year before they ranked 116th, converting at an alarming rate of 31.43%, one’s faith is justified that Meacham and Cumbie will find a way to improve one of TCU’s few flaws on offense.
Now for the tasty parts.
The Frogs managed to collect more yards solely through the air than they did on the ground and through the air in 2013: 57 more to be exact. Ironically, that’s what few pundits are talking about, but it’s also why people should be scared. Weapons-wise, Boykin really only lost David Porter--and to a degree, Cliff Murphy. What the Frogs now have now more than they ever have had, even more than the last two seasons, is depth.
Receiving:
Kolby Listenbee is the fire to Josh Doctson’s ice. Perhaps one of the most underrated players in all of college football, and literally the fastest, Listenbee has only gotten better since we first saw a glimpse of him against Michigan State nearly four years ago. The pseudo-Hail Mary that Boykin and Listenbee loved so much last year still misfired at times despite Listenbee having his man beat by multiple steps. Not only should we expect the kinks of that killshot to be worked out in 2015, but even more promising, expect it to be the signature play of the offense; the one the fans, the talking heads, and the casual fan all covet, anticipate, and eagerly await like an unopened present. Emmanuel Porter is the probably the best bet for the breakout star of 2015 for the offense. Despite some freshman jitters, Porter showed complete capability and tremendous promise in becoming one of TCU’s most exciting receivers since joining the Big 12. He only caught 12 passes last year, but when he did, he was a dynamic mix of speed and physicality. With minor injuries sidelining the starters in fall camp, Ja’Juan Story has been praised by Patterson as having strong practices, so expect to see more from him this year as well.
Running Backs:
Not only is Aaron Green flying under the radar, but so is the entire backfield. Kyle Hicks, Trevorris Johnson, and Shaun Nixon will keep TCU winning. The Frogs racked up 2,698 yards on the ground, and including Boykin, five different players had 100 or more yards rushing, four with 300 or more. TCU had 1,423 rushing yards in 2013, which we now know is the much lower than the 2014 output. But here’s the stat that’ll really kick you in the mouth: TCU’s rushing yard total in 2014 was only 20 yards less from what their passing total was in 2013. If you find it hard to look past what the new coordinators were able to do with Boykin’s arm, just remember that the overlooked part of the offense, not only last year but going into this season as well, was statistically inferior by a hair than the passing game which made up 66% of TCU’s offense in 2013.
The Ft. Worth Wall and Beyond
Then you have to think about this being what Patterson has referred to as (and I’m paraphrasing)the best offensive line he’s ever had. An offensive line that last year limited Boykin’s erratic tendencies, just about all of which come when he’s facing pressure. If this year’s is somehow better and allows Boykin more time in the pocket, the sky’s the limit.
the expectation going into Year 2 under Meacham and Cumbie is that they’ll feel comfortable passing more.
I can’t speak to how many more double-passes, reverses, or bubble screens TCU will run in 2015. However, the expectation going into Year 2 under Meacham and Cumbie is that they’ll feel comfortable passing more. How it’ll work on the road versus at home remains to be seen, but fully expect the team to pass more than they did in 2014. Also, it wouldn’t surprise me with the depth and speed we’ve talked about for Meacham and Cumbie take something from Art Briles’ hybrid of a run-and-shoot and air raid. This would mean that not only Listenbee would be running killshots, but Doctson would as well while the slot receivers like Ty Slanina and Deante’ Gray line up closer to the post guys and, like Art’s system does, force man coverage. This is all semantics of course, but even though it’s a more understated unit than Baylor’s, there’s certainly a growing arms race between these rivals. TCU’s development and abundance of sleeper receivers like Emmanuel Porter and Ja'juan Story, gives them options they certainly didn’t have in the past, and is a big reason why they’ll be so poisonous in 2015.
Still, Boykin, the weapons around him, and the savants who coach them, will have to show they can be just as kinetic on the road. On top of that, Boykin’s going to have to keep his completion percentage above 60% if TCU wants to beat Baylor on Black Friday--and hopefully cement a playoff spot.
The paradox is that despite a less-than-admirable third down conversion rate and completion percentage, the Frogs find a way to make it work. Take the Texas game, for example. Both offenses converted the same number of third downs, had the same completion percentage, and Boykin’s offense--which shined in comparison to Texas’, certainly from a visual perspective--finished with just 33 more yards through the air than Texas did, and just 78 yards more in total offense. They scored 28 of their 48 points in the 4th quarter, when Swoopes and Texas really started to play bad. And that’s one thing that you can bet on with TCU’s new offense: they don’t squander opportunities. As many, including Ian Boyd, have pointed out, the Frogs are one of the best at scoring off of turnovers. I don’t think you can really call that luck. Thing is, if you’re struggling, the Frogs will make you pay.
To make things easier, if TCU collects more than 500 yards in given game, they’ll win. After all, in their lone 3-point loss to Baylor, the Frogs racked up a fairly pedestrian 485 yards.
The smorgasbord of receivers Cumbie and Meacham can put out with first, second, and third strings up is as good as anyone not only in the conference, but in the country. When you look at that through the lens of receiving corps, in an offense that should see more passing, it’s hard to see the Frogs not matching, if not increasing, their point total from 2014. The individual talent will soar, yet it’s the depth, and the vision from Cumbie and Meacham, that works in perfect harmony with Patterson’s defense; a connaissance that can take them to Arizona.
This all ends with Boykin, swimming in the intangibles. He’s the center, the Mothership that makes it all work. The Quarterback who was chewed up and spit out as both a receiver and tailback is now back to where he wants to be, in a position where he knows he can best help his team win. Boykin’s maturation, and journey throughout his TCU tenure is one of the more unique stories in recent college football history. At the time I’m writing this, it hasn’t even been a full year since fans were picketing for Matt Joeckel to ease the transition of TCU’s new offense, and the anti-Boykin (at QB) protests ran amok. That, in some ways, is a true TCU narrative; because after all, few wanted Gary at first, too.
- Marshall Weber
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(Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports )
Defensive Preview: Patterson's Legacy
What more can you ask of a coach that has given your program everything? In Gary Patterson’s 14 years as head coach at TCU he has amassed a 132-45 record, a winning percentage (.746) that is good enough for 4th among active coaches behind only Meyer, Stoops, and Saban. There have been nine double-digit win seasons, six conference titles, five #1-ranked defenses, and one undefeated season. He has guided the Frogs through three conference changes and into the promised land of the Power 5, garnering 20 National Coach of the Year awards and an 8-5 bowl record along the way. Prior to his arrival on staff as a defensive coordinator for two seasons in 1998, TCU had just four bowl wins in their history.
The success that Patterson has had simply doesn’t come along often, let alone at a small private school such as TCU. In this day and age of "What have you done for me lately?" His name has never come up in "hot seat" conversations, primarily due to his loyalty to TCU. Other schools have come calling, most notably Kansas State (Patterson’s Alma Mater) in 2008, but he has always reaffirmed his commitment to TCU, often citing his wife Kelsey’s unwillingness to move again and from the house they have built near campus and the roots they have grown in surrounding communities of Ft. Worth.
It’s difficult to think of the last time TCU has had higher expectations going into a season (1939?). Along with the near-consensus preseason #2 ranking comes astronomical preseason hype and projections, as to be expected with 10 offensive starters returning from a 12-1 squad that blew out its opponent in bowl season. But while the offense is likely to continue to put up fireworks in the sophomore season of Meachum & Cumbie’s version of the Air Raid, the defense must replace 6 starters, including four All-Big 12 selections (three first-team) and one first-team All-American (AP).
Patterson has had to replace more numbers on defense in previous seasons during his tenure, but never before has he had to replace the kind of leadership and number of impact players as he will in 2015.
Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports
Defensive Line
Defensive line is easily the most experienced unit on the defensive side of the ball in 2015, even after the departure of Chucky Hunter. Gone with Hunter are 44 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks from a season ago. Hunter’s "twin" Davion Pierson is back, but he can’t be expected to cover for both his and Hunter’s production. That’s where guys like Aaron Curry and Chris Bradley step in. TCU fans already know Chris Bradley, who appeared in all 13 games in 2014 as a true freshman and played quite well. Less familiar to the Frog faithful is Curry, the transfer from Nebraska, who sat out 2014 and is ready to enter the fray this season.
Ends James McFarland, Mike Tuaua, Josh Carraway, and Terrell Lathan headline a group that, should they improve on their production from a season ago, be a complete terror for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks. Add in young guys like Bryson Henderson and L.J. Collier, and the depth at end gets even better.
Linebackers
This unit is a different story altogether from the defensive line. Gone are Paul Dawson, Marcus Mallett, and Jonathan Anderson, the top three linebackers from a season ago. The three were responsible for 266 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, eight sacks, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles during the 2014 campaign. In their stead comes a group that is loaded with speed and talent, but also riddled with inexperience. True freshman Mike Freeze and junior Sammy Douglas have established themselves as the starters, but young guys like Montrel Wilson, Alec Dunham, Ty Summers, and Semaj Thomas are all waiting in the wings, and are all redshirt freshmen or younger.
Secondary
Fortunately, the secondary returns two key pieces in Derrick Kindred and Ranthony Texada. These experienced two will help alleviate the losses of Sam Carter, Chris Hackett, and Kevin White. Kindred tended to struggle in pass protection in 2014, but he’ll have guys like Kenny Iloka, Denzel Johnson, and Nick Orr helping him in that regard, all of whom have logged significant playing time. Both Corry O’Meally and Torrance Mosley will see time opposite Texada early on, and both have game experience from a season ago.
Coaching
In addition to replacing the graduating defensive stalwarts, Patterson will face arguably his toughest challenge as head coach in having to fill the void that longtime defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas leaves behind. Bumpas was largely noted for the development of the defensive line, but was also involved in defensive playcalling during games. Sure, this is and always has been "Patterson’s defense" but we cannot, for a single moment, overlook the work and impact Bumpas had on this program. He was Gary’s right-hand-man, and to be that close to someone like Gary takes time. About 35 years, to be specific.
TCU is the fifth school that has seen Patterson and Bumpas coach together. First it was Kansas State (1981-82), then it was Tennessee Tech (1983-84), after which it was Utah State (1992-94), followed by Navy (1995). The past 11 seasons have forged that bond into something formidable, a friendship and working relationship enviable in any workplace. It will not be easily replaced.
Safeties coach Chad Glasgow and linebackers coach DeMontie Cross were promoted to co-defensive coordinators prior to spring practices, and Dan Sharp- former special teams coach- takes over the defensive line. While Patterson surely trusts them all, there’s no one there that has the same kind of bond, same kind of understanding that Patterson had with Bumpas.
So this season more than any other can help cement Patterson’s legacy as a defensive savant. Replacing talent is never easy. When you have to do it in droves both on the field and on the sideline, things get exponentially harder.
It’s easy to take for granted everything Gary Patterson and his family have done for TCU and this city, but between the on-field success and community outreach, stop and take a few moments to reflect on just how lucky we are to have him.
Statistics provided by cfbstats.com and GoFrogs.com
- Scott Boase & Jamie Plunkett
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(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images )
2015 By The Numbers
2015 marks Gary Patterson’s 15th season as the head coach in Fort Worth, and TCU’s fourth season in the Big 12.
With the Co-Championship last year, Patterson now has six conference titles in four different leagues.
Patterson’s 42-3 win over Ole Miss was his eighth bowl win, and TCU’s 14th bowl win overall. He now has 57.14% of TCU’s all-time bowl wins.
Since 2003, Patterson’s three bowl losses have been by a combined 11 points: 2003 Boise State (3), 2010 Boise State (7), and 2012 Michigan State (1).
Dick Bumpas retired after last season, serving as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in Fort Worth for the past 11 years. He left TCU having coached the number one team in total defense tthree times.
Trevone Boykin led the Big 12 in (individual) total offense with 4,608 total yards, amounting to 354.5 yards per game. Boykin was the only player to collect over 4,000 yards in the Big 12.
TCU’s defense has finished first in the Big 12 in total defense twice in their first three years in the conference (second in 2013).
Since 2012, the Frogs’ defense has allowed less than 5.0 yards per play, mostly thanks to a rushing defense that ranked in the Top-10 Nationally twice; 2012 and 2014.
TCU’s rushing defense obliterated the run last year, allowing a National best 2.73 yards per play. The Frogs allowed 1.72 in 2008.
Last year, TCU threw to 20 different players. 11 of them had over 100 yards on the season.
0 receivers had over 500-yds in 2013; three had over 500-yds in 2014.
Josh Doctson was tied for the most catches for TCU in 2013 with 36. He also led the team in 2014 with 65--nearly twice what he had the previous year.
The TCU offense had 37 total passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2014. In 2013, they had 14 total passing touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
The total passing touchdowns in 2014 (37) was just three less than TCU’s combined passing touchdown total for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, (26+14).
TCU’s rushing yards in 2014 (2,689) was just 26 yards less than their passing total in 2013.
The Horned Frogs’ total passing yards in 2014 (4,240) was 102 yards greater than the team’s total yards in 2013.
The Frogs had 331 first downs in 2014; they had 213 in 2013.
TCU went from 88th in scoring in 2013 (25.1), to 2nd with 46.5. They only scored more than 46 once in 2013, 48 against SMU.
TCU scored 30 or more points only three times in 2013; they didn’t score less than 30 once in 2014.
Nationally, the Frogs were 2nd in points scored and 8th in points against; they were the only team to rank in the Top-10 in both.
TCU’s third-down conversion went from 32% in 2013 to 43.1%.
The Frogs gained 4.9 yards per play in 2013 against FBS schools; that spiked to 6.8 in 2014.
12 of Kolby Listenbee’s 41 catches went for 30 yards or more .
Trevone Boykin had seven touchdown throws in 2013. He threw for seven against Texas Tech last year in Fort Worth.
There is only one Trevone Boykin.
- Marshall Weber
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Schedule Breakdown
Week One: Thursday, September 3rd
Venue: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
Opponent: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Last year, TCU defeated the Golden Gophers in Fort Worth 30-7 to open the 2015 campaign. The game was notable in that it was the debut of the Meacham/Cumbie edition of the Air Raid against a Power 5 opponent, and showcased a new and improved Trevone Boykin. The Frog offense wasn’t perfect that day, struggling to convert on third downs and committing two turnovers, but it didn’t matter, as the TCU D swarmed the run-oriented Golden Gopher attack. Minnesota players would later call TCU the best team they played - immediately after losing to Ohio State - so there is a respect level there. But that won’t matter when GP and co. come to town as the highest ranked opponent ever in TCF.
The Gophers lose their best running back and receiving threat, but bring back most of a very good offensive line and a solid D. The development of QB Mitch Leidner will go a long way in determining the success of their season, and he will have the fortune of facing a young Frog secondary in game one, before they have had the chance to get their feet wet against a lesser opponent. Picked anywhere from fourth to seventh in the Big 10, the Gophers will use this opening game as a measuring stick of their season.
Week Two: Saturday, September 12th
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Opponent: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
The Frogs home opener is against an FCS opponent in an opportunity to catch their breath and break in the young defenders ahead of conference play. SFA finished 8-5 last season, going on two separate three game win streaks after getting crushed by Kansas State to open the year. These two teams haven’t met since 2008, when Andy Dalton and an unstoppable rushing game led to a 67-7 victory. This year’s matchup should be more of the same, as TCU will use it as a tune-up and possibly an opportunity to develop a true backup to Boykin.
SFA loses their top five tacklers from what was a less-than-stellar defense in 2014; but the biggest hit comes on offense, where RB Gus Johnson is now scoring preseason touchdowns for the Cowboys. QB Zach Conque returns, along with his 3,400 all-purpose yards and 15 passing TDs. All told, if the Jacks get on the board a couple times, that will be a victory for them.
Week Three: Saturday, September 19th
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Opponent: Southern Methodist University Mustangs
The Battle for the Iron Skillet returns to Cowtown, as SMU and new head coach Chad Morris will look to avenge the 59-0 beat down TCU put on the Ponies in Dallas a year ago. Morris is installing an uptempo offense, which should pay dividends in time. But can he make enough of a difference in year one to bridge the talent gap between his squad and their cross-town foes? The short answer is probably not, especially on the Frog’s home field. But you should expect this game to be immently more competitive compared to the disaster that occurred a year ago.
SMU opens the season with home games against Baylor and UNT before traveling to Fort Worth, and won’t leave the state of Texas until late October. But don’t look for them to start hot, as TCU should be able to take care of business early and often and AGCS.
Week Four: Saturday, September 26th
Venue: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX
Opponent: Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Frogs will face their first conference opponent of 2015 on the road, traveling to Lubbock to face a Red Raiders team that was embarrassed in Fort Worth a year ago. TCU scored early, they scored often, and they scored so much that they literally ran out of fireworks. While Tech put up some points of their own in the first half, the TCU D went on the offensive after the break and shut down what is normally a potent Red Raider attack, flustering QBs Davis Webb and Patrick Mahomes and nullifying stars DeAndre Washington and Jakeem Grant in the process.
It will be a different story on the road in Lubbock, where strange things tend to happy on the windy plains, and in a year where the only thing throwing off more heat than Kliff Kingsbury’s face is his seat, Tech should play with a lot more fire themselves. Patrick Mahomes took charge of the starting quarterback job late in the year, and played well down the stretch, and that alone gives hope to the fans out in West Texas. Coupled with a good running game and a strong wide receiving corp, the Tech offense will be as good as always - or better - but the Tech D won’t have enough to get them over the low level bowl hump.
Week Five: Saturday, October 3 (Homecoming)
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Opponent: Texas Longhorns
TCU will face off against the Longhorns in a holiday environment for the second consecutive year, hosting UT for Homecoming a year after hooking the ‘Horns on Thanksgiving in Austin. The Charlie Strong Project should be more complete in year three, but the attrition in Austin continues, and the problems behind center don’t seem to be solved. It appears Tyrone Swoopes will start the season as the starter, but Jerrod Heard is close on his tail. Whether Swoopes winning the starting nod is a good sign is yet to be determined - either he’s improved enough to be The Guy, or no one else has risen up behind him to supplant him, despite his well-documented struggles. While the score belied the struggles of the Frog O last season, it was one of the less-stellar performances of Boykin’s season when you look at efficiency numbers. With the Texas defense as good as it’s been since Strong’s hire, and the young talent it will put on the field, Trevone can use his play in this particular game, the second Big 12 matchup of the season, as a measuring stick ahead of the meat of the TCU schedule. If he plays well, the Frogs win; UT can’t match the scoring of the Frog O, even when it’s not able to get quite to full throttle.
Week Six: Saturday, October 10th
Venue: Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium, Manhattan, KS
Opponent: Kansas State Wildcats
In what was arguably the best home environment of the season, and possibly the most electric in the history of the "new" Amon G, TCU and Kansas State battled in a top ten matchup under the lights a year ago. A questionable holding call on a Tyler Lockett punt return touchdown turned a close contest in to a Frog romp, and a Trevone Boykin flip in to the end zone ignited a party. With Lockett, QB Jake Waters, and center B.J. Finney gone to graduation, the Wizard of Wheat (can we trademark that?) will have to pull off what is quite possibly his great magic trick so far to be competitive in the offensive-minded Big 12.
Kansas State is criminally underrated year after year, picked in the preseason to be in the bottom to middle tier of the conference, while consistently finishing near the top. But while they are consistently a nine or ten win team under Bill Snyder, they have rarely broken through to win a conference championship - only twice in the modern era (2003 and 2012) - and this may be the biggest rebuild in Manhattan since the ill-fated Ron Prince experiment. With only three bowl wins since the turn of the century, it’s possible we are seeing the end of Snyder’s reign over Kansas. But, of course, we thought the run was over in 2005 as well.
Week Seven: Saturday, October 17th
Venue: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA
Opponent: Iowa State Cyclones
Alternating as the perennial whipping boy of the Big 12 with Kansas, it’s been a long time since the Cyclones had a season’s worth of victories to celebrate. But no matter how bad they have been, they always seem to save a little something special for a big favorite, pulling off a big time upset once every year or so. Beating Iowa, winning at Texas and Nebraska, knocking #2 Oklahoma State out of the title race… the underdog magic was strong in Paul Rhoads’ team. A win over Baylor and at TCU in Trevone Boykin’s first collegiate start in 2012 seemed to point to a program on the rise, but the last two seasons have been abject failures with just three conference victories to claim across them.
Slowly but surely, talent is finding it’s way to Ames though; four star wide receiver Allen Lazard is a bonafide star, and Sam Richardson is a promising young QB. The hiring of Mark Mangino as OC could spell an offensive resurgence, though probably isn’t enough to elevate the cyclones above anyone but Kansas.
Week Eight: BYE WEEK
The Frogs finally get a much needed break, ahead of a Thursday night date and a brutal November slate.
Week Nine: Thursday, October 29th
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Opponent: West Virginia Mountaineers
Few fanbases are crazier than West Virginia’s, nor more loveable. And few series have been crazier than the back and forth tete-a-tete between Big 12 brethren WVU and TCU over the last three years. Only one truth has held thus far in this bidding rivalry - the games are impossibly close (regardless of the prior successes or failures of the respective teams to that point in the season), and the home team doesn’t win. Well, if that holds, it won’t be good news for Frog fans, as they have the Eers on their home field in this particular battle.
WVU will see a different Amon G than what they faced the last time they made the trek to Fort Worth, as the crowd and overall game day experience is a world away from what it was in 2012. And the atmosphere on a Thursday night during a Halloween weekend should be unbelievable. WVU replaces a lot of pieces on offense, which hasn’t been a problem in the Dana Holgorsen era, and will have one of the nastiest defenses in the conference. But this is the year that averages prevail - and so does the home team.
Week 10: Saturday, November 7th
Venue: T. Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
Opponent: Oklahoma State Cowboys
Mike Gundy is a still a man, and while he’s not 40 any longer, he’s as fiery as ever. The toughest stretch of the season kicks off with a matchup against Gundy’s Cowboys, who enter 2015 as the prohibitive ‘sleeper’ pick in the Big 12. Young gunslinger Mason Rudolph helms a once again potent OSU offensive attack, and while Bedlam hero Tyreek Hill was removed from the team, three star juco transfer running back Chris Carson should pick up the slack - at least in the running department.
A very young team a year ago, the Cowboys bring back a lot of key pieces on both sides of the ball; and as freshmen and sophomores become juniors and seniors, inexperienced players become veteran leaders. While the Frogs dominated OSU in Fort Worth a year ago, TCU has been outscored by 36 points in two meetings at T. Boone. With two trips to the Sooner state sandwiched around a home date with the Jayhawks, this game kicks off one of the toughest four game stretches any team will face - and a good start against a team that could be 7-1 and brimming with confidence will be key to a strong stretch run for the Frogs.
Week 11: Saturday, November 14th
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Opponent: Kansas Jayhawks
The highlight of Kansas’ season a year ago was playing spoiler - Jayhawk fans will be quick to tell you TCU’s poor performance in Lawrence was enough to keep them out of the playoff picture. Right or wrong, watching the Frogs struggle against a cellar dweller is a painful memory for fans, and payback will surely be on their, and the player’s minds, when new head coach David Beatty brings his squad down south.
Beatty is the eternal optimist, and brings a humility and excitement to a Kansas squad that is refreshing and promising. The ‘Hawks have a long way to go and a large talent gap to close, and they won’t be able to do so by the time November rolls around. But, for the first time in a long time, September is more than just the start of the countdown to basketball season.
Week 12: Saturday, November 21st
Venue: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Opponent: Oklahoma Sooners
Most of the national pundits, even those picking TCU to win a Big 12 title and make the playoffs, don’t see them going undefeated. And for those picking the Frogs to fall, it’s in this game. It has all the appearances of a classic trap game - on the road, late in the year, the week before the most anticipated game of the season and a huge rivalry game at that - and against a really good football team to boot. OU is in unfamiliar territory; after years of being the favorite, the Sooners are picked to finish third in the conference. But, with the hiring of Lincoln Riley and the likely installation of Baker Mayfield at QB, they could be a very dangerous underdog.
TCU has not won in Norman since 2005, but came within a field goal of pulling off an improbable upset in 2013. The Frogs will likely be in unfamiliar territory - the favorite - for the first time in… well, can you think of another time? And while OU will be looking for revenge a week before TCU will be chasing that very same thing against Baylor, the Frogs may be wise to remember what happened the week after the last time they won at the Gaylord - a stunning upset at the hands of SMU. Don’t expect Gary Patterson to let his chargers look past Stoops and crew.
Week 13: Friday, November 27th
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Opponent: Baylor Bears
It all comes down to this. It won’t matter what record these two teams bring in to their Black Friday matchup; the success of the season (at least in the eyes of the fanbases) will hinge on their team’s performance in this particular game. It is certainly possible that both teams could be undefeated on November 27th - and while the Bears will have one last chance to impress on December 5th, this is the last game of the year for TCU. If all goes according to plan for the teams picked to finish in the top two spots in the Big 12, this game should have major championship - and thus playoff - implications.
While the only numbers currently associated with the Revivalry are 61 and 58, this has been an impossibly close series through the years, with the Bears holding a single game advantage in the 110 contests waged since 1901. The games themselves have been generally close - the Frogs have a couple of blowouts to their name in recent history - 45-10 in 2010 and 49-21 in 2012 - but the Bears have won the close ones: 50-48 in 2011, 41-38 in 2013, and last year’s field goal victory at the buzzer that led to the aforementioned result. No game may be important than the one waged on this day (if things go as planned); while last year’s game had massive implications at the end of the season, few could have anticipated the run TCU went on after having their hearts broken in Waco. Thus, it is the kind of game that makes college football so special - two fan bases that love their team and hate each other with a fire and passion not generally seen in two small, religiously affiliated private schools - and a world that has become enraptured with the two small, religiously affiliated private schools that have found a way to keep up with the massive public school programs who boast enrollments larger than the former’s living alumni bases. It’s really quite remarkable, and therefor we all hope it can be the punctuation mark on the season that we all deserve.
Week 14: BYE WEEK
Once again, good job Big 12, making sure one of your preseason favorites isn’t playing on the last weekend of the season. Let’s hope it’s not out of sight, out of mind, for the meeting of the minds.
all photo edits created by Andrew Felts
- Melissa Triebwasser
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(Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports )
Best & Worst Case Scenarios
It’s really hard to have a rallying cry of ‘National Championship or Bust’ in the college football landscape as it currently stands. The fact that TCU is a starting the season as a favorite is proof of that. Just a few years ago, the Frogs were on the outside looking in, and now, as we enter 2015, they start just steps away from the summit, something that felt impossible even just five years prior. It’s pretty simple this season - if things go right, or simply go as planned, TCU will avenge their lack of inclusion to the postseason a year ago and make a run to the National Championship. If it doesn’t? The mantra of Prove Them Right will be but a terrible reminder of what might have been.
If Everything Goes Right
The Frogs open with a bang against Minnesota, blasting the Gophers in their home stadium and letting the college football world know they are back and they are angry. After defeating a Power 5 team on the road, TCU gets a hero’s welcome in their home digs, to the tune of a dismantling of an undermatched SFA that allows the twos and threes to get a full half of game experience. The revived Ponies come to town hoping to get off of life support against their DFW rivals, but take an Iron Skillet to the face as they are humiliated for a second straight year - but this time, there are actual fans in the seats to witness it.
Conference play opens with a victory over Texas Tech - and while it’s not the 82-27 whipping brought down on the Red Raiders a year ago, it’s not far off - and that Lubbock magic never gets going on the Plains. The Horns roll in to town on Homecoming feeling confident, but a Trevone Boykin Heisman Moment greets them in Fort Worth to the tune of 400 all purpose yards and four scores. The momentum from the win over UT carries over to the matchup at Kansas State, as Boykin revives his signature flip from 2014 with an almost exact replica on the road. The retooling Wildcats don’t have enough to keep up with the Frogs - and it wouldn’t matter anyway - the TCU defense swarms the ball with regularity and the D-Line spends some much time in the backfield people have to double check the shade of purple they are wearing.
Caught looking ahead to WVU just a bit, the Frogs open slowly on the road against Iowa State, but Mike Freeze’s first career interception and subsequent return for a touchdown gets things rolling. Aaron Green runs wild in the second half and Boykin furthers his lead in the Heisman race with a 400 yard passing performance. The WVU game at home is just another hurdle for TCU - while the Texas defense was more talented, the Mountaineer squad is a little nastier and a lot more experienced, but it doesn’t matter to the Frog O. Finally breaking the home team losing streak, the game is never in doubt under the lights at Amon G Carter, and the Frogs roll to 8-0.
November is the make it or break month for Patterson’s squad, and the opening game at Oklahoma State is no picnic. In what has been a house of horrors for TCU since joining the Big 12, the Cowboys appear to ready to play spoiler to the Frogs perfect season. But down by six points with less than three minutes to play and 90 yards of grass between his team and the winning score, Boykin leads his team through a picture perfect two minute drill, tossing the game winning score to Josh Doctson with no time on the clock. Kansas can’t stay on the field with a now