No 6 - TCU Horned Frogs 2010 Preview

Friday, September 03, 2010

by Aengus Moorehead

No 6 - TCU Horned Frogs 2010 Preview - Andy Dalton

Simply put, 2009 might have been the most successful season in the history of Texas Christian football. The Horned Frogs defeated two BCS conference foes on the road and then proceeded to maraud through the MWC schedule, going undefeated while posting an average margin of victory of 34 points per game. While they fell short in a defensive-minded Fiesta Bowl against Boise State, no one questioned TCU’s 6th place final ranking when the dust settled. With an overwhelming number of players returning, can TCU Horned Frogs repeat this fall as Mountain West Champions and even make a legitimate run at a National Championship?

TCU scored over 38 points per game last fall, nearly 41 per game in the regular season. This is important to list because that offense returns nine starters for another run in 2010. Led by dual threat senior quarterback Andy Dalton (2,756 passing, 512 rushing, 26 total TDs), the TCU Horned Frogs are going to be one of the country’s best attacks this season.

2009 Results: 12-1, Lost Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State
Head Coach: Gary Patterson (10th year @ Utah, 85-28 Overall)
Home Venue: Amon Carter Stadium (44,358), Forth Worth, Texas

TCU employs a run-heavy assault that takes advantage of the skills of a number of great runners, Andy Dalton included. While leading rusher Joseph Turner graduated, sophomores Matthew Tucker (678 yards, 8 TDs) and Ed Wesley (638 yards, 4 TDs) are more than capable of carrying the load. When combined with Dalton, the top three returning rushers accounted for over 1,500 yards in 2009 and that should mean great production again this fall.

They should definitely exceed that this season as they’ll be running behind a senior-laden line that returns four starters, two of whom were 1st Team All-MWC in 2009. There is some serious veteran savvy on hand and TCU Horned Frogs has the best O-Line in the conference, perhaps even in the country. That veteran influence can also be felt at the receiver position, where seniors Jeremy Kerley (44 catches, 532 yards, 2 TDs), Jimmy Young (33 catches, 517 yards, 3 TDs) and Bart Johnson (33 catches, 410 yards, 2 TDs) combine with big play junior Antoine Hicks (23 catches, 478 yards, 6 TDs) to return virtually all of Dalton’s pass-catching options from 2009.

With such a wealth of experience and success returning, the only way that this offense can get derailed is injuries. With so much depth on hand at the skill positions and a truly multidimensional attack, TCU Horned Frogs should dominate most opponents on the ground and could legitimately score 40 points per game this fall.

While TCU’s offense has gained more notoriety than at any time since LaDanian Tomlinson was the starting tailback, the backbone of Head Coach Gary Patterson’s teams has always been a great defense. In fact, the Horned Frogs haven’t allowed more than 19 points per game in any of the last five seasons and it isn’t a coincidence that TCU Horned Frogs boasts two conference titles and a 53-11 record over that span.

That trend should definitely continue this fall as seven starters return from the unit which held opponents to less than 13 points per game last season, highlighted a run defense that was among the best in the country. Things begin up front with a veteran D-Line that features three returning senior starters. While sack hungry Jerry Hughes, the MWC Defensive Player of the Year and a 1st round NFL Draft choice, will be missed, DE Wayne Daniels (50 tackles, 5.5 sacks) was a 1st Team All-MWC choice himself and should be a star this season.

The linebackers also look great, as junior Tank Carder (89 tackles, 2 sacks) is the team’s top returning tackler. While 2009’s top stopper, Daryl Washington, was a 3rd Team All-American and a 2nd round NFL Draft pick, his replacement will be sophomore Tanner Brock, who was a Freshman All-American himself! Needless to say, there is talent oozing at this position.

The only area of concern on the defense is at cornerback, where 1st Team All-MWC selections Nick Sanders and Rafael Price have graduated. However, the depth of this defense is truly amazing as upperclassmen Greg McCoy and Jason Teague both registered 22 tackles and 2 picks in support duty last season. Expect both to play well in front of the MWC’s best safety tandem this fall.

So what isn’t to like about this defense? Sure, they’ve lost some serious talent, including two top NFL Draft picks, but there is so much depth and experience on hand. Furthermore, this defense knows what it takes to win and has the scheme and athleticism to impose their will. TCU Horned Frogs will stonewall most opponents on the ground and should post another season where they hold opponents to less than 19 points per game, usually in dominating fashion.

TCU has a pretty simple schedule. Their biggest non-conference game is against Oregon State in JerryWorld, right down the road from their campus on opening day, a venue that MWC fans fell in love with last season when BYU upset Oklahoma on the 2009 season’s first Saturday. While their other non-conference games come against two improved teams in Baylor and rival SMU, neither should have enough talent to upset the TCU Horned Frogs. Furthermore, they host BYU this season in league play and their only major road game will be against Utah in early November. This schedule has ‘undefeated’ written all over it while still being respectable.

The TCU Horned Frogs are simply loaded. They return the vast majority of a team that finished the 2009 regular season undefeated, their schedule doesn’t feature any non-conference heavyweights and perennial MWC challenger BYU appears in for a down season. With exceptional depth along the line of scrimmage and great athleticism everywhere, this team is a logical choice to win the Mountain West Championship in 2010.

Furthermore, expect nothing less than 11 wins this fall, and a 12-0 campaign is certainly a strong possibility. However, don’t expect TCU Horned Frogs to legitimately make a run at a BCS Championship Game berth because there are too many teams from BCS automatic qualifying leagues that could finish with only one loss and the current system won’t allow a 12-0 TCU Horned Frogs team to get the title nod ahead of a 12-1 Alabama or Virginia Tech. However, there is no doubt that TCU is a prime contender for a BCS bowl berth for the 2nd straight season.

PREDICTED RESULT: 11-1 (8-0 Mountain West) - Bodog NCAA College Football Futures Lines

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amon carter stadium - andy dalton - antoine hicks - bart johnson - bcs championship - daryl washington - ed wesley - fiesta bowl - gary patterson - greg mccoy

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