TCU Football Meets Nevada on Sept. 9
9/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Game 1
Sept. 9, 2000 * 3:05 p.m. (CDT)
Mackay Stadium (31,545) * Reno, NV
Television:
ESPN Regional (Dave Weekley and Harold Muckleroy). The game will
be televised on K-Star Channel 49 in Fort Worth-Dallas.
Radio: TCU/ESPN Sports Network (Brian Estridge and John Denton). The game
will be broadcast on KWRD 94.9 FM in Fort Worth-Dallas, KORQ 96.1 in
Abilene, KLGD 104.9 FM in Plainview/Lubbock, KTCU 88.7 in Fort Worth, KYZS
1490 AM in Tyler/Longview. The broadcast begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff
with the TCU warm up show featuring Dennis Franchione.
The Coaches:
Dennis Franchione (Pittsburg State, 1973)
Overall Record: 18th year * 128-64-2 (.665)
at TCU: 3rd year * 15-9 (.625)
Chris Tormey (Idaho, 1978)
Overall Record: 6th year * 33-24
at Nevada: 1st year * 0-1
Season Opener for Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs (0-0) open the 2000 football season on Saturday,
September 9, when they travel to Reno, Nevada to face the Nevada Wolfpack
(0-1). The Frogs enter the contest ranked 22nd in both the Associated Press
and the ESPN/USA Today polls. Kickoff for the conference opener is set for
3:05 p.m. central time. The game will be televised locally on K-Star Channel
49. Last weekend, the Wolfpack lost to Oregon, 36-7.
The Series
TCU and Nevada have never met. This will be first and last meeting between
the two teams as Western Athletic Conference opponents. The Wolfpack are in
their first season in the league, while the Frogs are in their fifth and
final year in the conference. Next season, TCU will become a member of
Conference USA.
TCU in Season Openers
The season opener marks the 104th year of intercollegiate football at TCU.
The Frogs have posted a 59-35-9 record in season openers. In road openers,
TCU has a record of 23-24-4. The Frogs have not faced a conference opponent
in a season opener since 1979, when they lost to SMU. Under Dennis
Franchione, the Frogs are 1-1 in season openers.
Frogs Look to Extend Winning Streak
TCU's 28-14 win over East Carolina in the Mobile Alabama Bowl extended the
Frogs' winning streak to five games. The current streak is the longest since
1984, when the Frogs put together a six-game winning streak.
What to Look for
Poll Notes
The Frogs are ranked in the national polls for the first time since 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.
Against the WAC
In four seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, the Frogs have compiled
a win-loss mark of 13-18 against WAC competition. However, TCU has won seven
of their last nine conference games. Nevada, the newest member of the WAC,
will be the 15th different conference opponent for the Frogs since joining
the league in 1996.
Coach Fran in Season Openers
Dennis Franchione enters the Nevada contest with a 12-4-1 record in season
openers. Franchione is 1-1 in season openers at TCU. Even more impressive,
Franchione-coached teams are averaging 38.0 points per game in season
openers.
Year School Oppt, Result 1999 TCU Arizona, 31-35 1998 TCU @Iowa State, 31-21 1997 UNM Northern Arizona, 33-10 1996 UNM @New Mexico St., 28-7 1995 UNM Northern Arizona, 45-21 1994 UNM @Texas Tech, 31-27 1993 UNM Brigham Young, 31-34 1992 UNM TCU, 24-7 1991 SW Texas Texas A&I, 29-14 1990 SW Texas @ Texas A&I, 15-7 1989 Pittsburg State @Truman St., 43-0 1988 Pittsburg State Lincoln (Mo.), 49-6 1987 Pittsburg State @Lincoln (Mo.), 59-7 1986 Pittsburg State Arkansas Tech, 57-37 1985 Pittsburg State @Arkansas Tech, 24-13 1982 Southwestern Evangel (Mo), 3-24 1981 Southwestern Ottawa (Kan.), 21-21
Award Lists
The following players were listed among the preseason candidates for
postseason awards.
Heisman Trophy LaDainian Tomlinson Doak Walker LaDainian Tomlinson Outland Trophy David Bobo Butkus Award Shannon Brazzell Jim Thorpe Award Curtis Fuller Bronko Nagurski Aaron Schobel Lombardi Award Aaron Schobel
Returning Starters
TCU's current depth chart shows 18 returning starters, 10 on offense and
eight on defense. The returning starters on offense are: wide receiver Tim
Maiden, tight end B.J. Roberts, offensive linemen Mike Keathley, Victor
Payne, Jeff Garner, Jeff Millican and David Bobo, quarterback Casey
Printers, running backs George Layne and LaDainian Tomlinson. The returning
starters on defense are: defensive end Aaron Schobel, defensive tackle Shawn
Worthen, linebackers Shannon Brazzell and Chad Bayer, cornerbacks Jason Goss
and Greg Walls, strong safety Russell Gary and free safety Curtis Fuller.
Kicker Chris Kaylakie also returns for the 2000 season.
Key Newcomers
Several new faces have emerged this summer and could see action Saturday at
Nevada. Offensive newcomers include: tailback Ricky Madison, wide receiver
Bruce Galbert. Defensive newcomers include: defensive tackles Chad Pugh,
Donald Burrell, defensive ends Bo Schobel and Robert Pollard, cornerback
Tyrone Sanders, safety Kenneth Hillard.
Replacing Royce
Sophomore Joey Biasatti will open the 2000 season as the Horned Frog punter,
replacing four-year starter Royce Huffman. Biasatti has never punted in a
collegiate football game. Huffman ended his TCU career with a 41.3 average.
Lavar Veale or Kevin Brown will replace Huffman at punt returner.
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. Last season, TCU had 91 explosives, 60
rushing and 31 passing, in the regular season. LaDainian Tomlinson led the
team with 39. As a team, the Frogs recorded a season-high 12 explosives
against Tulsa.
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 10-1 in two seasons
under Franchione, when rushing for 240 yards or more. Last season, the Frogs
were 4-0 when they surpassed the 240-yard barrier. Franchione-coached teams
have won 26-of-30 games since 1992, when rushing for at least 240 yards.
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 128-64-2 record during
his stints at Southwestern (Kan.), Pittsburg (Kan.) State, Southwest Texas
State, New Mexico and TCU. Coach Fran is 15-9 overall at TCU, 8-4 at home
and 7-5 on the road (including neutral sites). The Frogs had won only 11
games in the previous three seasons. 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 13th among active NCAA Division I-A coaches in winning percentage (.663) and 13th in victories (127). 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.
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.
LaDainian Tomlinson * Heisman Trophy Candidate
One of the premier college football players in the country... a candidate
for the 2000 Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker National Running Back Award and the
Maxwell Award... on his way to leading the NCAA in rushing, Tomlinson burst
onto the college football scene with an NCAA single-game record 406 yards
rushing on 43 attempts against UTEP on November 20, 1999... A first-team
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.
Worth Noting
Set a NCAA Division I-A single-game record with 406 yards rushing on 43 attempts against UTEP * tied the NCAA record for most yards in a half with 287 yards in the second half of the UTEP game * Tomlinson also set a TCU record with six rushing touchdowns against the Miners * he set a single-game school record with the 43 attempts, breaking his record total of 40 that he co-owned with Mike Luttrell * he also set a TCU record for all-purpose yards with 426 (406 rushing, two receptions for six yards and one kickoff return for 14 yards) * the rushing performance was Tomlinson's second 300 -yard plus day of the season * earlier in the season, he rushed for 300 yards on 23 attempts against San Jose State * the 89-yard touchdown run against San Jose State is the longest running play in TCU history * he also rushed for 269 yards against Arkansas State * owns three of the top-five single-game rushing performances in school history * rushed for at least 100-yards in seven games this season, two fewer than Kenneth Davis' record-setting total of nine * rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns against East Carolina in the 1999 Mobile Alabama Bowl* also rushed for 170 yards against Arizona, 178 yards against Tulsa, 133 vs. Rice and 125 against SMU * had a team-leading 39 explosives (running plays of 12 yards or more) * had six touchdown runs of 63 yards or longer (63-UTEP, 70-UTEP, 74-San Jose State, 79-Arkansas State, 80-Tulsa, 89-San Jose State) * also had two kickoff returns for 69 yards, including a 55-yard return against Hawaii * tied for third in receptions with 12 for 55 yards * shattered the TCU single-season rushing record with 1,850 yards * Kenneth Davis rushed for 1,611 yards in the 1984 season * tied the school-record with 18 rushing touchdowns * set a TCU record with 268 attempts * surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the sixth game of the season * the earliest point in a season that a TCU player has reached the 1,000-yard barrier * only the sixth back in school history to reach the 1,000 yard mark * set a new WAC record with the 1,850 yards, eight yards more than San Diego State's George Jones' 1,842 yards.
TCU Career Rushing Records
Attempts
Rank Player Att.
1. Curtis Modkins, 1989-92 672
2. Tony Jeffery, 1984-87 665
3. Andre Davis, 1992-95 636
4. Lindy Berry, 1946-49 562
5. Mike Luttrell, 1972-74 547
6. LaDainian Tomlinson, 1997- 538
Yards
Rank Player Yards
1. Tony Jeffery, 1984-87 3,749
2. Andre Davis, 1992-95 3,182
3. LaDainian Tomlinson, 1997- 3,105
4. Kenneth Davis, 1982-85 2,994
5. Basil Mitchell, 1994, 96-98 2,783
100-Yard Games
Rank Player Games
1. Andre Davis, 1992-95 16
2. Tony Jeffery, 1984-87 13
Kenneth Davis, 1982-85 13
4. Basil Mitchell, 1994, 96-98 12
5. Jim Swink, 1954-56 11
6. LaDainian Tomlinson, 1997- 10
Rushing Touchdowns
Rank Player Att.
1. LaDainian Tomlinson, 1997- 32
2. Tony Jeffery, 1984-87 31
3. Jim Swink, 1954-56 23
"Big Play 5"
Before the 1999 season, LaDainian Tomlinson had not been able "to go the
distance". He quickly changed that last year, putting together 12 runs of
over 20 yards or more, including six touchdown runs of 63 or more.
Yards Opponent Year
89 San Jose State 1999
80 Tulsa 1999
79 Arkansas State 1999
74 San Jose State 1999
70 UTEP 1999
63 UTEP 1999
40 UTEP 1999
36 Tulsa 1997
33 Fresno State 1998
31 Rice 1999
29 Arizona 1999
27 Hawai`i 1999
27 UTEP 1999
24 Wyoming 1998
24 Tulsa 1998
20 Tulsa 1999
20 Utah 1997
20 North Carolina 1997
More Rushing Numbers
The TCU rushing attack ranked 9th in the national statistics. Over the years,
Franchione-coached teams have been rated among the top rushing teams in the
country.
Team Year Yards/Game NCAA Rank Leading Rusher
TCU 1999 240.0 9th Tomlinson (1,850)
TCU 1998 239.1 8th Mitchell (1,111)
UNM 1997 206.3 19th Leigh (528)
UNM 1996 244.7 11th Gordon (1,008)
UNM 1995 216.4 15th Oliver (915)
UNM 1994 210.6 21st Young (732)
UNM 1993 172.1 45th Oliver (648)
UNM 1992 156.5 55th Oliver (1,032)
Tough Against the Run
In the last five games of the 1999 season, the TCU defense allowed only 139
yards rushing on 142 attempts, an average of 0.95 yards per attempt and 29.0
yards per contest.
In the Mobile Alabama Bowl, TCU held East Carolina to minus-16 yards rushing on 26 attempts.
The Frogs were first in the WAC and 14th in the final NCAA rushing defensive statistics. Since the arrival of Dennis Franchione and defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, a TCU opponent has been held to 100 rushing yards or fewer in 12 of 24 games.
Overall, the Frogs finished the season fifth in the nation in total defense, allowing a meager 284.5 yards per game.
Sack Attack
The 1999 TCU pass rush recorded a school-record tying 37 sacks. The Frogs
added four sacks against East Carolina for a 12-game total of 41.
Aaron Schobel, TCU's all-time leader in sacks, had a team-leading total of 10, setting a new standard for single-season sacks. Schobel contributed three sacks against the Pirates to earn linemen of the game honors.
The 37 sacks tied the school record set by the 1987 Horned Frogs. Including
the Sun Bowl, TCU had 39 sacks in 1998.
Behind the line of Scrimmage
In the 1999 regular season, TCU recorded 117 tackles behind the line of
scrimmage for losses of 452 yards. Aaron Schobel led the team with 19 stops
in the backfield, Shannon Brazzell had 15 and Chad 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 Player, Class Behind the Line Aaron Schobel, Senior 50.5 Shannon Brazzell, Senior 23.5 Shawn Worthen, Senior 19 Chad Bayer, Junior 14 Russell Gary, Senior 10
Now Wearing #1, Casey Printers
In 10 starts last season, Casey Printers 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. During the streak, Printers completed 66.1% (43-65) of his passes for 621 yards. Overall, he completed 57.3% of his passes during the regular season. He enters the 2000 season, needing ,1494 yards to move pass Lindy Berry into 10th in career passing yards at TCU.
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 30 Cedric James, Senior 21 LaTarence Dunbar, Sophomore 20 Tim Maiden, Senior 14 Kevin Brown, Sophomore 9 B.J. Roberts, Junior 6 Matt Schobel, Junior 4 George Layne, Junior 4 Terran Williams, Sophomore 3 Chad Purcell, Senior 1 Andrew Hayes-Stoker, Junior 1
Leadership Council/Captains
When Coach Fran arrived at TCU, he formed a group called the TCU Leadership
Council. The 12-member unit is represented by a player from each position.
Four game captains are chosen each week.
The 2000 Leadership Council consists of offensive tackle David Bobo, linebacker Shannon Brazzell, safety Curtis Fuller, wide receiver Cedric James, kicker Chris Kaylakie, offensive tackle Mike Keathley, defensive end Chad McCarty, offensive guard Jeff Millican, quarterback Casey Printers, tight end B.J. Roberts, defensive end Aaron Schobel, safety Cody Slinkard, tailback LaDainian Tomlinson and cornerback Greg Walls.
