Football Frogs Close Regular-Season, Travel To SMU
11/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
#13/15 TCU (9-1, 6-1) at SMU (3-8, 2-5)
Game 11
Nov. 24, 2000 * 7:39 p.m. (CST)
Ford Stadium * Dallas, Texas
Television
Fox Sports Net national broadcast: Drew Goodman (play-by-play),
Dave Lapham and Chris Spielman (color analyst), Jim Knox (sidelines).
Radio
TCU/ESPN Sports Network (Brian Estridge and John Denton). The game
will be broadcast on KWRD 94.9 FM in Fort Worth-Dallas.
The Coaches
Dennis Franchione (Pittsburg State, 1973)
Overall Record: 18th year * 137-65-2 (.676)
at TCU: 3rd year * 24-10 (.706)
Mike Cavan (Georgia, 1972)
Overall Record: 15th year * 85-75-2 (.531)
at SMU: 4th year * 18-26 (.409)
The Series
81st meeting* SMU leads, 38-35-7
Last Meeting
at TCU 21, SMU 0 (1999)
The TCU Horned Frogs (9-1, 6-1) conclude the 2000 regular-season Friday,
November 24 as they travel to Dallas to face crosstown rival SMU (3-8, 2-5)
in a Western Athletic Conference game. Kickoff for Friday's contest at
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is set for 7:39 p.m. The game will be televised
nationally by Fox Sports Net. This week, TCU is ranked 13th by the
Associated Press and 15th by ESPN/USA Today.
Mobile Alabama Bowl
Following TCU's 24-7 win over Fresno State, the Frogs accepted an invitation
to return to the Mobile Alabama Bowl. Last season, TCU defeated East
Carolina, 28-14, in the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl. The bowl appearance
will be TCU's third straight - a first for the Frogs. TCU has never appeared
in bowl games in three consecutive seasons. TCU will face a
yet-to-be-determined team from Conference USA.
The Iron Skillet
During the post-World War II college football boom, the TCU and SMU student
body created a travelling trophy called the Iron Skillet that was presented
to the winner of the annual football game between the arch rivals. The
tradition eventaully died, and the skillet was lost. In 1993, the tradition
was revived as SMU defeated TCU, 21-15. The skillet is presented to the
winning team after each game.
Key Notes
*A win over SMU would give TCU a share of the WAC title with UTEP.
*A win on Friday would be TCU's 10th of the season. TCU last won 10 games in 1938, when the Frogs finished 11-0.
*LaDainian Tomlinson needs 16 yards to become the eighth player in NCAA history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a single-season. He leads the nation in rushing with 1,984 yards, an average of 198.4 yards per game.
*In five seasons in the WAC, the Frogs have recorded a win-loss mark of 19-19 in conference play. TCU has won 13 of the last 15 WAC games.
*Under Coach Fran, TCU has a 16-1 record when rushing for 240+ yards.
*TCU has outscored their opponents by 249 points (348-99). Opponents have scored 11 touchdowns this year, seven in the 1st quarter, two in the 2nd and four in the 4th.
*The Frogs need to score 15 points against SMU to set a single-season school record for points. The 1984 Frogs scored a school-record 362 points.
*Under Coach Fran and defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, the Frogs are 19-2 when holding opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense.
*The Frogs lead the nation in total defense (254.9) and scoring defense (9.9).
*In the last two seasons, the Frogs are 9-2 in games played after November 1.
*The Frogs have recorded 38 sacks this season, one ahead the previous record total of 37.
Poll Notes
For the 14th consecutive week, the Frogs are ranked in the national polls.
TCU is ranked 13th by the Associated Press and 15th by ESPN/USA Today.
Earlier this month, TCU was ninth * the highest the Frogs have been ranked
since December 2, 1959, when TCU was ranked 7th by the AP. Before this
season, TCU last appeared in the national polls on October 23, 1990, when
TCU was ranked 24th by the AP and 19th by UPI. TCU's preseason national
ranking was the first for the school since the 1960 season, when the Frogs
were ranked 11th by the AP.
TCU-SMU Series
TCU and SMU have met 80 times, and the Mustangs hold a 38-35-7 edge in the
series - the home team has been victorious in the last five games - in the
last 10 meetings, TCU holds a 6-4 lead - last season, TCU held SMU to 81
total yards of offense is a 21-0 win... TCU's last win at SMU came in 1994,
when the Frogs defeated SMU, 35-14 at Ownby Stadium... this series boasts a
rich history as national championships were on the line in this game in
1935, 1936, 1938, 1947 and 1948.
Red Zone Scoring Success
TCU has been extremely successful when penetrating the "Red Zone" during the
2000 season. The Frogs have scored points in 38 (28 touchdowns/10 field
goals) of their 39 drives inside the opponents' 20-yard line. TCU had
converted their first 32 opportunities this season, but two weeks ago
against Fresno State, a missed field goal in the 2nd quarter ended TCU's
perfect record in the Red Zone. Last season, TCU scored on 35-of-43 trips
(26 TDs/9 FGs) in the Red Zone. Opponents have scored in 12-of-20 trips (7
TD/5 FG) inside the TCU 20-yard line.
Winning Season
TCU's win over Fresno State provided the Frogs' with their eighth win of the
season, allowing TCU to record their second straight season of at least
eight wins. The last time TCU won at least eight games in consecutive
seasons was 1958-59, when the Frogs won at eight games in both years. The
Frogs have posted three straight winning seasons for the first time since
the 1950s, when the Frogs recorded winning seasons in 1955-56-57-58-59. The
winning campaign is the fifth in the last seven years, and the eighth in the
last 35 years. The win over UTEP was the ninth of the season. TCU last won
nine games in 1955, when the Frogs finished 9-2.
Rush for 240
A major statistical trend under Coach Fran has been TCU's success when they
rush for at least 240 yards in a game. Overall, TCU is 16-1 in two-plus
seasons under Franchione, when rushing for 240 yards or more. TCU has rushed
for at least 240 yards in 6-of-10 games this season, including a season-high
393 yards against Hawaii. Last season, the Frogs were 4-0 when they
surpassed the 240-yard barrier. Franchione-coached teams are 32-4 since
1992, when rushing for at least 240 yards. The game-by-game totals for 2000:
Opponent Att. Yards Avg. TD Nevada 55 317 5.8 4 Northwestern 69 387 5.6 3 Arkansas State 44 255 5.8 4 Navy 51 197 3.9 1 Hawaii 71 393 5.5 5 Tulsa 46 223 4.8 1 Rice 51 249 4.9 3 San Jose State 45 138 3.9 2 Fresno State 62 217 3.5 3 UTEP 49 313 6.4 4
Opening Drive Scores
TCU has scored points on their first possession in 17 of the last 26 games,
including five times this year. TCU has scored touchdowns against Nevada,
Hawaii and Rice, and kicked field goals against Northwestern and Navy. Last
year, the Frogs scored points on the first drive in 8-of-12 games.
Big Play Offense
The Frogs have an offensive category titled "Explosives", which are rushing
plays of 12 yards or more and pass plays of 16 yards or more. TCU's goal is
to get at least eight per game. The breakdown for the 2000 season:
Opponent Run Pass Total Nevada 7 2 9 Northwestern 9 2 11 Arkansas State 6 4 10 Navy 1 4 5 Hawaii 7 2 9 Tulsa 6 2 8 Rice 5 3 8 San Jose State 2 6 8 Fresno State 6 1 7 UTEP 5 5 10Individual Rushing: Tomlinson (35), Printers (11), Layne (5) Stilley (1), Madison (1), Hayes-Stoker (1).
Individual Receiving: Maiden (6), James (6), Brown (4), Dunbar (4), M. Schobel (2), Layne (4), Ellis (2), Roberts (3), Purcell (1), Moss (1).
Explosives by year Run Pass Total 2000 54 33 87 1999 60 31 91 1998 38 16 54
Scoring Points, Recording Shutouts
The Frogs have scored points in 56 of 123 possessions this season... TCU
needs to score 15 points against SMU to break the school record for points
in a season... the 1984 Frogs scored 362 points on a school-record 48 TDs,
while the 2000 Frogs have already scored 348 points on 44 TDs and 14 field
goals... TCU has scored in 102 consecutive games... the last time the Frogs
were shutout was a 32-0 blanking by Texas on Nov. 15, 1991... TCU has held
their opponent to three points or less in seven of the last 17
regular-season games, including shutouts of San Jose St. (42-0), SMU (21-0)
, Navy (24-0) and Rice (37-0).
TCU's Workhorse
In the first 10 games of the season, LaDainian Tomlinson has shown that he
gets better the more he touches the ball. The TCU workhorse is averaging
198.4 yards rushing per game on an average of 34.3 carries.
Tomlinson by Attempt Plays Attempts-Yards Average 1-10 100-662 6.6 11-20 100-538 5.3 21-30 81-546 6.7 31-40 44-210 4.7 41+ 12-45 3.8 ,b> Tomlinson by Quarter Quarter Attempts-Yards Average 1st 100-626 6.3 2nd 94-516 5.5 3rd 80-578 7.2 4th 62-272 4.4
More than LT
As opponents have geared up to stop LaDainian Tomlinson, the Frogs have shown
they do have other weapons. The following is a game-by-game look at TCU's
over-looked weapons.
Oppt. Player Stats
Nev. Layne 4 rush, 33 yards, 1 TD
NU Printers 8-12 pass, 74 yards rushing
Ark. St.Dunbar 4 recepts., 91 yards, 2 TD
Navy Printers 14-of-17, 188 yards passing
Layne 7 rush, 78 yards rushing
Hawaii Layne 2 recepts, 55 yards receiving
Tulsa Printers 14 att, 87 yards rushing
Rice Layne 4 att, 35 yards rushing, 1 TD
San JosePrinters 12-23 pass, 194 yards, TD
Fresno Printers 2 rush touchdowns
UTEP Printers 216 yards passing, 2 TD
Solid Passing Game
Entering Friday's game against SMU, the Frogs are ranked second in the WAC
and 10th in the NCAA in passing efficiency. The Frogs have completed
93-164-7 (56.7%) passes for 1349 yards. TCU has a efficiency rating of
141.41. Against Navy, the Frogs completed 15-of-18 passes for 192 yards.
Last week, TCU threw for a season-high 216 yards against UTEP.
Now Wearing #1, Casey Printers
In 20 career starts, Casey Printers has a 17-3 record as the starting
quarterback. Last season, he led the Frogs to a 8-2 record, earning
third-team Freshman All-America honors. Printers, the MVP of the Mobile
Alabama Bowl, helped lead the Frogs to a five-game winning streak to end the
1999 season.
In his career, Printers has completed 57% of his passes. This season, Printers has completed 56.7% (89-157-6) of his passes for 1333 yards. He completed a single-game school record 82.3% (14-of-17) of his passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns against Navy. In the UTEP contest, Printers completed 10-of-18 passes for a season-high 216 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-long 75-yard strike to Cedric James. He enters the SMU game, needing 161 yards to move pass Lindy Berry into 10th in career passing yards at TCU.
Printers Career Numbers
Passing Rushing
Yr. C-A-I Yds TD Att. Yds TD
00 89-157-6 1333 12 77 175 3
99 86-150-7 1213 8 32 -69 1
Tot. 175-307-13 2546 20 109 106 4
Receiving Leaders
Tailback LaDainian Tomlinson enters the 2000 season as the active leader in
career receptions. The following list is a breakdown of TCU's receptions
leaders.
Player, Class Receptions LaDainian Tomlinson, Senior 38 Cedric James, Senior 37 LaTarence Dunbar, Sophomore 35 Tim Maiden, Senior 30 Kevin Brown, Sophomore 18 B.J. Roberts, Junior 12 George Layne, Junior 12 Matt Schobel, Junior 8 Terran Williams, Sophomore 6 Quint Ellis, Sophomore 3 Andrew Hayes-Stoker, Junior 2 Chad Purcell, Senior 2 Stanley Moss 1
Heisman Trophy Candidate LaDainian Tomlinson
One of the premier college football players in the country... a candidate
for the 2000 Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker National Running Back Award, the
Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year, as well as All-America
honors... burst onto the college football scene with an NCAA single-game
record 406 yards rushing on 43 attempts against UTEP on November 20, 1999.
Season Notes
*Tomlinson leads the nation in rushing with 1,984 yards (198.4). He has
basically wrapped up his second consecutive NCAA rushing title.
Northwestern's Damien Anderson is second with 1,914 yards, but his season is
over. LT is second in scoring (12.6).
*Tomlinson's 1,984 yards is a single-season TCU record, a WAC record and it ranks ninth in NCAA History. He is on pace to rush for 2,182 yards.
*Tomlinson has scored a school-record 126 points this season, 27 more than the TCU defense has allowed.
*Tomlinson has scored a school-record 21 touchdowns this season. Last season, LT scored a school-record tying 18 touchdown. Jim Swink scored 18 touchdowns in the 1955 season. LT has scored 29 touchdowns in the last 12 regular-season games.
*Tomlinson has rushed for at least 100 yards in all 10 games this season, breaking the school record of nine, which was set by Kenneth Davis in 1984.
*LT has rushed for at least 200 yards in five games this season, establishing a TCU record for 200-yard games in a season.
*He has a team-leading 35 explosives this season. Explosives are running plays of 12 yards or more.
*He is a four-time WAC player of the Week selection this season.
*A semifinalist for the Football News Player of the Year award.
*A semifinalist for the Doak Walker National Running Back award.
Last Week Against UTEP
*Tomlinson rushed for a season-high 305 yards on 33 attempts against UTEP.
The outing ranks second in his career and fourth in TCU history. He scored
three times on touchdown runs of 68, 89 and one yard.
*LT's 68-yard run in the first quarter moved him past Colorado State's Steve Bartalo (4,813) to become the WAC's all-time leading rusher.
*The 89-yard run matched the longest run of his career and his own school record for the longest run from scrimmage.
*The touchdown runs of 68 and 89 yards against UTEP were his ninth and 10th rushes of 63 yards or more in his career.
*The 300-yard day was Tomlinson's 10th 100-yard day, his fifth 200-yard game and his first 300-yard game of the season. Overall, it was the 20th time he has rushed for 100 yards, the eighth time he has reached the 200-yard mark, and the third time he has gone over 300 yards.
*In three games against UTEP, LT rushed for 788 yards and 13 touchdowns on 95 attempts, an average of 262.6 yards a game and 8.3 yards per attempt. The 788 yards is an NCAA career record for most yards against one opponent, breaking the previous record held by Oklahoma's Mike Gaddis, who rushed for 690 yards in three games against Oklahoma State.
Game By Game Notes
*Tomlinson rushed for 231 yards on 42 attempts against Fresno State. He
scored one touchdown, a season-best 65-yard run in the 3rd quarter. The
200-yard day was the fourth this year and the seventh in his career. He
moved past Marshall Faulk into 2nd in WAC career rushing yards.
*LT rushed for 155 yards and scored two touchdowns on 32 attempts at San Jose St. as the Frogs were knocked off, 27-24.
*LT rushed for 200 yards and scored two touchdowns on 41 attempts as the Frogs defeated Rice, 37-0. *Against Tulsa, Tomlinson surpassed the 1,000-yard mark, becoming the first TCU player to surpass 1,000 yards in more than one season. He rushed for 119 yards and scored a touchdown in TCU's 17-3 win.
*Tomlinson rushed for a season-high 294 yards and four touchdowns on a school-record 49 attempts against Hawaii. The outing was the third best day in his career, and it ranks fifth in TCU history. In the process, he became the first TCU player to rush for over 4,000 yards in a career.
*Despite playing only three quarters against Arkansas State, he rushed for 140 yards on 23 carries, a 6.1 average. He scored touchdowns on runs of 64 yards and one yard.
* LT rushed for 243 yards on 39 attempts against Northwestern, scoring two touchdowns.
* Despite playing only three quarters against Nevada, Tomlinson rushed for 176 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts. He had one pass reception for two yards.
Career Notes
*LT's 5,089 yards in his career ranks eighth in NCAA history. He is only the
ninth player in NCAA history to surpass the 5,000 yard barrier. His total
is also a WAC record.
*He needs to rush for 89 yards against SMU to move past Archie Griffin in career rushing yards. Griffin's career total of 5,177 yards ranks seventh. Herschel Walker is sixth with 5,259 yards - 170 ahead of LT.
*LT is the TCU record holder for touchdowns with 53. All 53 of his touchdowns have been on the ground. LT ranks second in WAC history and eighth in NCAA history in career rushing touchdowns.
*LT has scored 318 points in his career. The total is tied for 16th in NCAA history, and is first in TCU history.
*Tomlinson is first in the NCAA among active leading rushers with 5,089 career rushing yards on 881 attempts. Tomlinson is trailed by Anthony Thomas (Michigan) who has rushed for 4,308 yards, and Maryland's Lamont Jordan, who has rushed for 4,167 yards.
* He has eclipsed the 100-yard barrier on a school-record 20 occasions in his career, including each of the last 12 regular-season games. The Frogs have a record of 16-4 when LT rushes for at least 100 yards.
* He has rushed for 2,515 yards in the last 12 regular-season games, an average of 209.5 yards per game.
* Since becoming a starter in the 1999 season, LT has rushed for 3,834 yards, an average of 182.6 yards per game. LT has started 26 games in his career, including four as a sophomore. However, two of the four games he started in the 1998 season came as a fullback.
* He is TCU's all-time leader in all-purpose yards (6163) and total yards of offense (5319).
*His career all-purpose total of 6,163 yards ranks 12th in NCAA history.
*He has recorded 74 explosives in the last two seasons. Explosives are running plays of 12 yards or more.
*He has been named the WAC Player of the week on 11 occasions.
More on LT
*LT can become the third consecutive running back to repeat as the NCAA
rushing champion. Troy Davis (Iowa State) led the NCAA in rushing in 1995
and 1996, and then Ricky Williams led the NCAA in rushing in 1997 and 1998.
He led the country in rushing in 1999 with 1,850 yards - the first TCU
player to lead the nation in rushing. The yardage total set a new WAC record
and it ranks 22nd in NCAA history. Overall, only eight players have led the
nation in rushing in consecutive seasons.
* Ricky Williams (Texas) is the only player in NCAA Division I history that rushed for 2,000 yards in a season and 5,000 yards in a career. LT can become the second with 16 more yards rushing.
* He can become the first TCU running back to earn first-team All-America honors since Kenneth Davis in 1984. Jim Swink earned first-team All-America honors in 1955.
* Entering the 2000 football season, Tomlinson is the only running back in NCAA Division I history to surpass the 400-yard mark in a single-game.
* Tomlinson can become the fifth TCU player to finish in the top-five in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Sam Baugh finished fourth in 1935, Davey O'Brien won the award in 1938, Jim Swink was the runner-up in 1955 and Kenneth Davis finished fifth in 1984.
* He is averaging 109.5 yards per game against ranked opponents. Since Tomlinson arrived at TCU in 1997, the Frogs have faced four nationally-ranked foes. He has rushed for 438 yards on 96 attempts, scoring five touchdowns. TCU has a record of 2-2 in the four games.
* He owns six of TCU's top-eight single-game rushing efforts.
* He is the TCU single-season record holder in attempts in a game (49 vs. Hawaii), attempts in a season (343 in 2000), yards in a game (406), yards in a season (1,984).
* He owns four of TCU's 15 longest runs from scrimmage, including a pair of school-record 89-yard touchdown runs against UTEP this season and vs. San Jose State. He matched the 89-yard run Tomlinson also had an 80-yard touchdown run against Tulsa and a 79-yard run at Arkansas State.
* A first-team pre-season All-America selection by Athlon, Playboy, Football News, The Sporting News, Texas Football, Blue Ribbon, Street and Smith and Preview Sports... a second-team All-America honoree by Lindy's... WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by Athlon, The Sporting News, Dave Campbell's Texas Football, Street and Smith, Preview Sports, Rivals.com and Lindy's... Texas Colleges Offensive Player of the Year by Dave Campbell's Texas Football.
Head Coach Dennis Franchione
In his third season at the helm of the TCU football program is Dennis
Franchione (Pittsburg State 73). He has recorded a 137-65-2 record during
his stints at Southwestern (Kan.), Pittsburg (Kan.) State, Southwest Texas
State, New Mexico and TCU. Coach Fran is 24-10 overall at TCU, 14-4 at home
and 10-6 on the road (including neutral sites). The Frogs had won a total
of 24 games in the previous six seasons combined. He has led the Frogs to
bowl wins over USC (Sun Bowl) and East Carolina (Mobile Alabama Bowl).
In his 18th season as a head coach, the 49-year old Franchione is presently ranked 15th among active NCAA Division I-A coaches in winning percentage (.676) and 13th in victories (137).
The 1999 WAC title was TCU's first football title in the conference, and the school's first football championship since 1994, when the Frogs tied for the Southwest Conference Championship. TCU's bowl win against USC was the school's first since the 1957 Cotton Bowl, when TCU defeated Syracuse, 28-27. Plus, the win over East Carolina gave Frogs back-to-back bowl wins for the first time since 1936-37, when TCU defeated LSU in the 1936 Sugar Bowl and Marquette in the 1937 Cotton Bowl. Franchione has recorded a win-loss mark of 38-19 in the last five years, posting winning seasons in both his last two years at New Mexico and his first three seasons at TCU. Under Franchione, 18 Frogs have received first or second-team all-conference honors in the last two years, plus LaDainian Tomlinson was named the 1999 WAC Player of the Year. Franchione was a member of the West coaching staff in the 2000 East-West Shrine game.
Double-Digit Starters
Nineteen Frogs have double-digit starting assignments to their credit,
including Aaron Schobel who has started 44 straight games in his TCU career.
Player, Class, Position Starts Aaron Schobel, Senior, DE 44 Mike Keathley, Senior, OL 37 Shawn Worthen, Senior, DT 33 Greg Walls, Senior, CB 33 Curtis Fuller, Senior, FS 33 Shannon Brazzell, Senior, LB 32 Jeff Millican, Senior, OL 32 Russell Gary, Senior, SS 31 Jeff Garner, Senior, C 29 David Bobo, Senior, OT 27 LaDainian Tomlinson, Senior, TB 26 B.J. Roberts, Junior, TE 22 Victor Payne, Junior, OL 22 Chad Bayer, Junior, LB 22 Casey Printers, Sophomore, QB 20 Tim Maiden, Senior, WR 19 Jason Goss, Sophomore, CB 17 Shane Ladewig, Senior, OL 12 George Layne, Junior, FB 12
O-Line Knockdown Blocks
The Frogs recorded 82 knockdown blocks against UTEP, including 20 by David
Bobo. The game-by-game totals for 2000 with the team totals in parentheses.
Oppt. (total) Bobo Millican Garner Payne Keathley Nev. (88) 17 16 8 10 12 NU (139) 30 33 25 36 13 ASU (83) 12 16 12 11 14 Navy (109) 25 25 15 20 14 Hawaii (88) 16 22 10 15 15 Tulsa (64) 17 15 9 11 12 Rice (96) 20 27 10 24 15 SJSU (66) 16 15 11 11 13 Fresno (80) 19 15 18 11 11 UTEP (82) 20 17 15 15 15 Totals (895) 192 201 133 154 134
Experienced O-Line
Entering Friday's contest against SMU, the TCU offensive line has combined
for 159 career starts. The current starting five have started the last 22
games. Mike Keathley leads the way with 37 starts in his career. Guard Jeff
Millican has started 32 games, center Jeff Garner has posted 29 starts and
tackles David Bobo has 27 starts to his credit. Junior Victor Payne has
started 22 games and senior backup Shane Ladewig has started 12 times.
Kaylakie Continues to Climb in Record Books
Senior kicker Chris Kaylakie, a candidate for the posteason honors, has
successfully converted 14-of-16 field goals and 42-of-43 PAT attempts. In
his career, Kaylakie has kicked 39 field goals in 54 attempts. He is now
second in career field goals. Former All-American Michael Reeder kicked a
school-record 57 field goals in his career. Kaylakie, a 1998 All-WAC choice,
has converted 106-109 (97.2%) PAT attempts. He is TCU's all-time leader in
PAT conversions, six ahead of former record-holder Ken Ozee's 100 PATs.
Kaylakie had converted 52 straight PATs (a streak that ranked second in TCU
history), but after a TCU penalty, he missed a PAT from a distance of 38
yards. With 42 PATs this season, he is second in single-season PATs.
Kaylakie is second in TCU history with 223 points scored kicking in his
career. Reeder is the record holder with 259 points. Kaylakie has already
scored 84 points this season. He needs six more points to set a TCU
single-season record.
,b> Kaylakie's Statistics Year FG-Att. Pct. PAT-Att. Points 1998 15-20 75.0 24-25 69 1999 10-18 55.6 40-41 70 2000 14-16 87.5 42-43 84 Totals 39-54 72.2 106-109 223
Special Teams
Entering Friday's contest against SMU, the Frogs are ranked first in the WAC
in kickoff returns and net punting, and fifth in punt returns. In the NCAA,
TCU is ranked 2nd in kickoff returns, 16th in net punting and 56th in punt
returns. LaTarence Dunbar leads the nation in kickoff returns with an
average of 29.0 yards. Against San Jose State, Dunbar had four returns for
137 yards. Chris Kaylakie ranks 25th in scoring (8.4) and 13th in field
goals. LaVar Veale is fifth in the WAC in punt returns (9.2 average). The
Frogs have returned 20 kicks this season for 505 yards, an average of 25.3
yards per return. TCU has returned 28 punts for 261 yards, a 9.3 average.
In the Nevada contest, LaVar Veale returned eight punts for 143 yards,
scoring one touchdown on an 85-yard return. The punt return for a touchdown
was the first by a TCU player since John Washington returned a punt 65 yards
against Texas in 1995. LaTarence Dunbar also returned a kickoff 95 yards
for a score against Nevada. Last season, the Frogs led the NCAA in kickoff
returns with a 27.5 average. Reggie Hunt established a TCU single-season
record with a 34.1 average. His average did not meet NCAA minimum
requirements, or he would have led the nation in kickoff returns.
The Nation's Top-Ranked Defense
TCU held UTEP to 14 points and a season-low 287 yards, the 10th consecutive
opponent the Frogs have held below their season average in total yards of
offense. UTEP was averaging 34.1 points and 419.5 yards. TCU, the nation's
top ranked defense, is allowing an average of 9.9 points and 254.9 yards per
game. Both totals lead the nation. Entering the final week of the
regular-season, each of TCU's first 10 opponents are averaging more yards
per game than they compiled against TCU. The Frogs held Fresno State to 140
yards below their season average. TCU held San Jose State to 73 yards below
their season average, plus tailback Deonce Whitaker rushed for 100 yards, 78
below his season average.
This season, the Frogs have allowed 901 yards rushing on 363 attempts, an average of 2.5 yards per rush. TCU is ranked 10th in the nation in rushing defense, allowing 90.1 yards per game. Since the arrival of Dennis Franchione and defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, a TCU opponent has been held to 100 rushing yards or fewer in 17 of 33 games. The TCU pass defense has also fared well this season, allowing only 164.8 yards per game. Opponent's have completed only 45.2% of their passing attempts. The Frogs are ranked fifth in the nation in passing yards allowed and fourth in pass defense efficiency. UTEP quarterback Rocky Perez completed only 21 of 47 attempts against TCU, a completion percentage of 44.6%.
Last season, TCU allowed only 139 yards rushing in the final five games of the year. In the Mobile Alabama Bowl, TCU held East Carolina to minus-16 yards rushing on 26 attempts. Overall, the Frogs finished the season fifth in the nation in total defense, allowing a meager 284.5 yards per game. In 1999, the Frogs were first in the WAC and 14th in the final NCAA rushing defensive statistics. Here is a closer look at how the TCU defense has fared under Patterson.
Rushing Yds Passing Yds TDs Total Yds NCAA
Year Avg./GM Avg./Gm Allowed Avg./GM Total Def. Rank
1998 163.1 182.7 25 345.7 40th
1999 100.9 183.5 24 284.5 5th
2000 90.1 164.8 12 254.9 1st
Sack Attack
The 2000 Horned Frogs have already recorded a school-record 38 sacks,
breaking the previous record of 37, which was set last season. Included in
the total of 38 was a single-game school-record 15 sacks at Nevada. The
Frogs recorded 12 in the first half, erasing the previous school-record of
nine in just two quarters. Sixteen different Frogs have posted at least one
sack. Aaron Schobel, TCU's all-time leader in sacks, has a team-leading 6.5
sacks. Linebacker Shannon Brazzell is second with 5.0 sacks, backup end Joe
Hill is third with 4.5 sacks, and Bo Schobel is fourth with four sacks.
Aaron Schobel
A semifinalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award, has developed into one one of
the top defensive ends in the country. Schobel was also a candidate for
the Bronko Nagurski Award. In the last five weeks, Schobel has recorded 29
tackles, including a season-high nine tackles against Tulsa. He recorded
seven against Rice, six against San Jose State, three vs. Fresno State, and
four vs. UTEP. Schobel, who has recorded 6.5 sacks this season, is TCU's
all-time leader in sacks, both career and single-season. He has posted 31
sacks in three-plus seasons, resulting in losses of 220 yards. Overall, he
has recorded 62.5 tackles behind the line for losses of 311 yards. He
established the single-season record for sacks in 1999, recording 10 sacks.
He added three more to his total in the Mobile Alabama Bowl, when he posted
three sacks against East Carolina. Schobel has started 44 consecutive games
in his career. The only game he did not start was the first game of his
redshirt freshman year. Schobel was a preseason second-team All-American by
Football News, and the WAC preseason Defensive Player of the year by the
WAC's head coaches, The Sporting News, Athlon, Preview Sports and Lindy's
magazines. The Sporting News rated Schobel as the fifth best defensive end
in the country.
Behind the line of Scrimmage
The Frogs have recorded 109 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, resulting
in losses of 388 yards. Including the school-record 15 sacks, TCU posted 20
tackles behind the line against Nevada. TCU recorded 17 tackles behind the
line of scrimmage against Arkansas State, including four sacks. Shannon
Brazzell leads the team with 14 tackles behind the line, followed by Chad
Bayer (13), Aaron Schobel (12) and Shawn Worthen (11). Last season, TCU
recorded 117 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for losses of 452 yards.
Schobel led the team with 19 stops in the backfield, Brazzell had 15 and
Bayer had 14 tackles behind the line. The following is a list of TCU's
current leaders in career tackles behind the line.
Career Tackles Behind the Line Player, Class Total Aaron Schobel, Senior 62.5 Shannon Brazzell, Senior 34.5 Shawn Worthen, Senior 29.5 Chad Bayer, Junior 25 Russell Gary, Senior 13
Run-Stopper
Shannon Brazzell is TCU's active leader in career tackles with 276, 22 ahead
of teammate Aaron Schobel.
Player, Class Career Tackles Shannon Brazzell, Senior 276 Aaron Schobel, Senior 254 Curtis Fuller, Senior 252 Chad Bayer, Junior 184 Russell Gary, Senior 153
Playing at Home
Dennis Franchione has preached to the Frogs the importance of protecting
their home turf. TCU has won 11 straight at home, including all six home
games this year. The Frogs were perfect at home for the first time since
1959, when they finished 4-0 at Amon G. Carter. Last year, the Frogs
recorded a 5-1 (4-0 in WAC play) mark at Amon Carter Stadium. The Frogs
fared well both offensively and defensively at home. The following is a look
at how the TCU offense and defense performed at home in the 1999 and 2000
seasons.
Offense
Points Rushing Passing Total
Year Avg. Avg. Avg. Yards/Avg.
1999 38.1 305.6 100.1 405.8
2000 40.3 304.0 141.3 445.3
Defense
Points Rushing Passing Total
Year Avg. Avg. Avg. Yards/Avg.
1999 13.6 48.0 198.6 246.6
2000 9.8 94.6 153.6 248.2
Against the WAC
In four-plus seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, the Frogs have
compiled a win-loss mark of 19-19 against WAC competition. However, TCU has
won 13 of the last 15 conference games. Nevada, the newest member of the
WAC, was the 15th different conference opponent for the Frogs since joining
the league in 1996.
ran vs. Non-WAC Opponents
Since Dennis Franchione arrived at TCU, the Frogs have compiled a record of
9-3 against non-WAC opponents, including wins over USC and East Carolina.
TCU has won six straight non-WAC games.
1999 Recap
The Frogs were 8-4 in 1999, winning the final five games of the season over
Hawai`i, North Texas, UTEP, SMU and East Carolina... TCU tied Fresno State
and Hawai`i for first in the WAC, compiling a 5-2 league record... the Frogs
were 5-1 at home, 2-3 on the road and 1-0 at neutral sites... TCU faced two
ranked opponents, losing to Arizona (35-31) and defeating East Carolina
(28-14).
What About a TCU-OU game
TCU and top-ranked Oklahoma have faced three common opponents, Arkansas
State, Rice and UTEP... the Sooners won the three games by a total margin of
107 points... they defeated Arkansas State (45-7), UTEP (55-14) and Rice
(42-14)... while the Frogs have defeated the same three teams by a total of
119 points... TCU defeated Arkansas State (52-3), Rice (37-0) and UTEP
(47-14).
Big Wins
The three-point loss to San Jose State was TCU's first-game decided by less
than 14 points since last year's seven-point loss at Fresno State (26-19) -
a span of 16 games... since the loss to San Jose State, TCU has defeated
Fresno State by 17 (24-7) and UTEP (47-14)... therefore, in the last 18
games, only one has been decided by less than 14 points.
Inside the Huddle
Walk-on punter John Braziel is the only true freshman to see action this
season... the crowd of 41,068 for the UTEP game was the 13th largest in TCU
history... TCU sold over 13,500 season tickets, breaking the previous school
record of 12,056.. there are three sets of twins on the roster, Terrance
and Tim Maiden, Jerrod and Jerome Braziel, and Allen and Adrian Lewis... in
the 1990s, TCU compiled a 2-1 mark in bowl games... the Frogs posted wins
over USC (Sun Bowl) and East Carolina (Mobile Alabama Bowl)... TCU's lone
bowl loss was to Virginia (Independence Bowl)... the two wins tie the Frogs
with Texas (2-4) and Texas A&M (2-6) for number of bowl wins in the 1990s by
teams from the Lone Star State... Texas Tech and Baylor each won one bowl
game in the decade... earlier this season, the Frogs were the highest ranked
team from the state of Texas... the last time that happened was December
1958.
