TCU Spring Football Preview
3/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 5, 2005
The TCU Horned Frogs have several goals in mind as they begin their spring drills in preparation for the 2005 season, their first in the nine-team Mountain West Conference.
"Offensively, we have to run the ball better than we did last year," said fifth-year head coach Gary Patterson. "Defensively, we have to tackle better, do a better job of stopping the big plays and improve our pass defense. We also will have a renewed emphasis on our special teams play this spring," continued Patterson. "And finally, we want to raise the bar in terms of our physical play overall."
The apparent strengths of the team are at the skill positions on offense, with a veteran quarterback, two 1,000-yard rushers and a slew of talented wide receivers returning. Defensively, the Frogs should be strong at the cornerback position and along the defensive line, where virtually everyone is back.
Patterson will use the spring to solidify an offensive line that lost three starters and improve on a pass defense that ranked last in the nation in 2004. As mentioned, the Frogs will also work extremely hard on special teams. They will also focus on cutting down the number of penalties.
"We have several guys who have played (on the offensive line)," said Patterson. "We need them to stay healthy and grow as a unit. Defensively, we must defend the pass better. We also have to find a kicker, punter and snapper, three areas that are very important." Here is a position-by-position breakdown of the Horned Frogs entering the 2005 spring session:
QUARTERBACK: Unlike 2004 when much of the focus was on whether Brandon Hassell or Tye Gunn would take the bulk of the snaps, Gunn is the unquestioned starter heading into 2005, with competition wide open for the number two slot. Gunn, a senior who owns a 10-2 record as a starter, is more than capable when healthy. However, he has not made it through a year without injuries taking a toll. With that in mind, the number two quarterback becomes one of the key positions to solidify during the spring. The race for that role is so even that Patterson declined to name a second quarterback for the depth chart entering the spring. Senior Kyle Kummer, who was a walk-on to the program, is the only other signal-caller that has made a start, getting the call last fall at Army. Junior Jeff Ballard, sophomores James Battle and Chad Huffman and redshirt freshman Shae Reagan, all figure to get a long look in the spring with an opportunity to stake their claim as the number two guy this fall and take the inside track to the starting role in 2006.
TAILBACK: The Frogs have a one-two punch at tailback that can rival just about any in the country. Senior Lonta Hobbs and junior Robert Merrill have each rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a single season and figure to split the duties again this year. Hobbs enters his final campaign ranked eighth on the TCU all-time rushing list with 2,335 yards but, due to injuries, has seen his yardage decline in each successive year after going for 1,029 yards as a true freshman in 2002. Hobbs has scored 34 touchdowns in his TCU career, a number that has been topped by just one player - LaDainian Tomlinson. Merrill has rushed for more yards (1,860) in his first two seasons at TCU than any other player, including Tomlinson. A hamstring injury kept him at less than 100 percent throughout the first half of the 2004 season, but he finished the season strong with 292 combined rushing yards in the final two games. If they remain healthy, both Hobbs and Merrill have shown the stamina to carry the ball 30 or more times in a game. However, since each has a history of minor ailments, the Frogs will be looking to find a third back capable of stepping in this fall. The leading candidates to fill that role in the spring are sophomore Freddie Stoglin and redshirt freshman Justin Watts. Expect both to get an ample opportunity to showcase their abilities during the 15 workouts. Justin Ellis and Gabe Nwuli are walk-ons who add depth.
FULLBACK: Traditionlly the Frogs look for the fullback slot to be more of a blocking roll than as a ball carrier. The competition looks to be between three players with playing time up for grabs. Junior Marcus Draper is the heir apparent, having made five starts at the position a year ago. He rushed 15 times for 88 yards, including a 75-yard game at Cincinnati. But don't hand the position to him just yet. Sophomore William Jackson and redshirt freshman Jason Phillips, who has beefed up to 240 pounds, have had great off-seasons and are listed ahead of Draper on the depth chart entering the spring. Both figure to get plenty of reps to establish themselves as the top fullback entering the fall. Chris Qualls adds depth.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Health will be a key as the Frogs look to fill the holes along the offensive line created by the graduation of a trio of starters, including all-league performers Anthony Alabi and Chase Johnson. Ideally, Coach Patterson looks for eight players who can be accountable along the line, with several having the ability to play more than one position. Junior right tackle Herbert Taylor has started all 24 games over the past two seasons, while senior left guard Shane Sims earned the start in all 11 games in 2004. Three other seniors - Michael Toudouze, Stephen Culp and Ben Angeley - are penciled in as the probable starters at left tackle, center and right guard respectively. All three have played extensively in the past and are being counted on heavily in their final season in the Purple and White. After those five, the competition gets interesting as virtually everyone else is relatively untested. Someone from the group of Marvin Pearson, Heath Raetz, Will Oliver, Preston Phillips, Blake Schlueter, Matty Lindner, Maurice Bouldwin and Wade Sisk will need to step up and be a contributor as the season progresses. Thomas Bullock, Casey Dugan, Adam High, Adam Lowery and Tony Savino add depth.
TIGHT END: The Frogs lose a first team all-conference performer in Cody McCarty, but feel solid at tight end with four players who figure to work into the rotation. Senior Chad Andrus enters the spring as the top returning player. Andrus played in just three games of the 2004 season before injuring his knee, causing him to miss the remainder of the campaign. Sophomores Trey Englert and Quinton Cunigan both gained some experience last fall and should be more of factor this year. Former junior college all-American Brent Hecht sat out last fall as a redshirt while making the transition to Division I and figures to be a solid contributor in the fall. Redshirt freshman Robert Clark moves to tight end this spring after spending the 2004 season on the offensive line. Tom Stevens adds depth.
WIDE RECEIVER: Despite losing Reggie Harrell, the school's single season leader in receiving yards, wide receiver may be the deepest position on the team. The unit is led by junior Cory Rodgers, who earned third team all-league accolades a year ago after logging 61 catches (the most by a wide receiver in school history) for 836 yards (the fourth-highest single season total at TCU). He became a go-to guy down the stretch, recording 100 or more receiving yards in each of the last three and in four of the last five contests in 2004. Juniors Michael DePriest and Quentily Harmon have shown the ability to take it the distance. DePriest had an 82-yard touchdown reception in the opener against Northwestern, while Harmon has found the end zone six times in his first two seasons. Seniors Ryan Pearson and Matt Grimmett are veterans of the program and understand that playing receiver at TCU is more than just catching passes. Junior Marcus Brock and sophomore Ervin Dickerson gained some experience last fall and will look to become more of a threat this season. Sophomore Donald Massey heads a group of youngsters in their second year in the program. Massey made a couple of cameo appearances at cornerback last fall, but returns to the offensive side of the ball in 2005. Redshirt freshmen Walter Bryant, Otis McDaniel and Detrick James will look to impress this spring with the idea of getting on the field in the fall. Walk-ons Derek Moore, William Cage and Prince Bynum round out the roster.
DEFENSIVE LINE: After being one of the most hard-hit areas due to graduation following the 2003 season, the defensive line returns virtually every key performer from last year's squad. The Frogs are stronger and more experienced than a year ago and have developed excellent speed at the defensive end position. Three-year letterwinner Ranorris Ray is the most veteran member of the unit with 16 career starts. A versatile performer, Ray has spent much of his time at the right end position but has also worked in the middle of the line. This spring, he is expected to line up at the left end position. A quartet of transfers figure in prominently for their final season of collegiate ball. Junior college transfers Jesse Hejny, Zarnell Fitch and Chris Hayes, along with Dartmouth transfer Jared Kesler will be in the mix for starting slots. Junior Jamison Newby started all 11 games at defensive end a year ago and Tommy Blake earned all-Freshman recognition in 2004. Both will compete at the defensive end position, while senior Jeremy Breedlove and juniors Jared Retkofsky and Jarrarcea Williams will work in the rotation in the middle of the line. Sophomore Chase Ortiz and redshirt freshmen Giles Montgomery and Cody Moore are the other scholarship players, while Trey Custer adds depth as a walk-on defensive end.
LINEBACKER: The Frogs lose Martin Patterson, who has led the squad in tackles in each of the past two years, but Coach Patterson expects this to be one of his most talented groups of linebackers in a while. With no senior linebacker on the squad, athletic talent will have to cover for the lack of experience early on. Junior Andrew Ward made seven starts last season and goes into the spring as the starter at the "Mike" position. Sophomore David Hawthorne started three of the first four games as a redshirt freshman in 2004 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He enters the spring as the number one "Sam" backer. Both Ward and Hawthorne will be pushed hard by LSU transfer Darius Ingram and redshirt freshman Robert Henson, both of whom raised some eyebrows last fall as redshirts. Junior Ryan Schlenger, who came to TCU as a walk-on, earned a starting nod in the 2004 season finale against Tulane and will be in the mix, along with redshirt freshman Matt Panfil, who has beefed up to 230 pounds. Scott Andrews, Sam Gleaton and Scott Wyly add depth.
CORNERBACK: Coach Patterson expects much improved play from the cornerback position in 2005, with what he regards as "the most athletic corners we have ever played with." The key will be to keep the returning starters, Quincy Butler and Drew Coleman healthy, and get the backups up to speed as quickly as possible. Butler and Coleman are both in their second season with the Horned Frogs and are expected to compete at a higher level this fall. Butler showed signs of gaining confidence with a pair of interceptions in the final two games of the 2004 season. Coleman rushed back from an ACL surgery to get on the field late in the season and figures to be close to 100 percent this spring. A pair of transfers, Mike Salvage from Santa Rosa Junior College, and Vernon Russell from Southeastern Louisiana, figure to provide solid depth at the position. Donald Massey was used some at the position a year ago and has moved back to wide receiver, but could possibly go both ways in 2005. Chris Clarke and Kenneth Ruelas are walk-ons at the cornerback position.
SAFETY: Despite losing just one safety to graduation in all-conference performer Marvin Godbolt, TCU remains young at the safety position heading into the 2005 campaign, with Jeremy Modkins as the lone senior. Modkins, who leads the defense with 23 career starts, will compete for the starting nod at free safety with Elvis Gallegos. Both made seven starts a season ago. Gallegos tied for second on the squad with 56 tackles. Redshirt freshman Steven Coleman was impressive on the scout team a year ago and will look for playing time as well. At the weak safety position, it's a coin flip between junior Eric Buchanan and sophomore David Roach. Buchanan started the final three games of 2004, while Roach made a pair of starts. At the strong safety slot, look for sophomores Brian Bonner and Ken Lewis to compete for the starting nod. Both saw considerable action in a backup role last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Coach Patterson has expressed that a renewed emphasis will be placed on special teams in 2005. The Frogs were subpar in both the placekicking and punting areas in 2004 and will make every attempt to change that, beginning in the spring of 2005. Junior college punter Brian Cortney has been brought in to handle the punting duties and compete for the kickoff chores. Cortney gained his scholarship by showing a penchant for having an impressive hang time on his punts and kickoffs that consistently went into the end zone. The placekicking duties figure to fall on the toes of either Chris Manfredini, a transfer from Cincinnati, or incumbent Peter LoCoco. Manfredini was very successful from inside 40 yards for the Bearcats as a freshman in 2003, while LoCoco struggled at times for the Frogs last fall, but did connect on a game-winning 47-yarder in the second overtime to lift TCU over Northwestern in the season opener. Placekicker Kasey Davis, who showed a strong leg last fall, leads a group of walk-ons that includes Brandon Kuecker and Jeremy Littlejohn and punter Jonathan Hale. Reeves Dalton returns for his senior season as the holder on the placement attempts, a position he has held for the last two years. The deep snapper job is open following the graduation of Clif Alexander. Jared Retkofsky and Jamison Newby, along with walk-on Thomas Bullock, figure to compete for that important but unsung role. The kickoff and punt return squads should be an area of strength with third team all-league performer and school record-holder Cory Rodgers leading a host of candidates.
