TCU football prepares for scrimmage
8/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 18, 2005
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The TCU football team will hold a closed scrimmage at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in Amon Carter Stadium.The Frogs went through two practices today with coach Gary Patterson looking for improvement in all areas.
"We worked this morning on individual and team stuff that we needed to get better," Patterson said. "We also worked on communication.
"Eyes and communication are what gives offenses and defenses the most trouble. Oklahoma is a big zone-blitz team and you have to be able to see things."
The Frogs, who have advanced to six bowl games in the last seven seasons, open the 2005 campaign Sept. 3 at No. 5 Oklahoma. Kickoff is 11 a.m. Central for the regionally-televised contest on ABC-TV. All Frog games are heard on 103.3 ESPN and other TCU/ESPN Sports Network affiliates.
The battle for the third-team tailback position will be a focus at tomorrow's scrimmage.
Frog tailbacks and past 1,000-yard rushers Lonta Hobbs and Robert Merrill will not participate. They'll be held out to give TCU a look at younger backs competing for backup roles. The group includes redshirt freshmen Justin Watts and Detrick James as well as true freshman Aaron Brown.
"We just want to get better," Patterson said. "Aaron Brown has shown great bursts and we'd like to see him tomorrow. Justin Watts and Detrick James will also be very involved.
"All our kids have worked really hard. We've also been playing without our top two safeties."
Receiving praise for their play as reserve safeties have been redshirt freshman Steven Coleman and true freshman Stephen Hodge. Also cited was senior cornerback Drew Coleman, who returned an interception for a touchdown during the afternoon practice.
Playing well offensively at wide receiver have been juniors Michael DePriest, Quentily Harmon and Cory Rodgers.
Over the last five seasons, TCU has the 17th-best record in Division I-A at 42-18 (700).
With the Sept. 15 home opener against Utah, the Frogs face two opponents in the opening three games who were ranked in the top five in the nation last season.
