Patterson discusses Wyoming
10/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 24, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The TCU football team plays its only home game in a 50-day stretch when it hosts Wyoming Saturday at 6:30 p.m.Included below are comments from Horned Frog coach Gary Patterson as he held his weekly media luncheon Tuesday in the John Justin Athletic Center.
On Wyoming's offense ...
"I think their quarterback is playing well. They are running the ball better, especially in the second half last week against a good defensive team in Colorado State. When they (Wyoming) are getting their chances, they are scoring."
On Wyoming's defense ...
"They are a zone blitz team, but they aren't a chance defense. They are not giving up a lot of big plays. They changed to a 50 defense, so they could get more linebackers on the field."
On playing at Wyoming last season ...
"It's tough to play them in Laramie (Wyo.). Coach (Joe) Glenn and his staff do a great job. We had seven takeaways last year and still only won 28-14. You've got to protect the ball and be ready to play when you go to Laramie."
On Wyoming switching quarterbacks to Karsten Sween ...
"He has a very good arm, is mobile and has made a lot of good throws. Sometimes, when that new guy comes in, the offense just plays better with him. Right now, that's what is happening. When you are playing as good on defense as they are, they know they are going to be able to stay in the game. It is not always bad to punt when you know they are going to get the ball back for you."
On what Wyoming's defense did last year against TCU quarterback Jeff Ballard ...
"They were in a different defense. They were a 4-3 a year ago and are now a 50. They are trying to do the best job of getting players in the correct positions to make plays. It is the same reason we do the 4-2-5, because it gets more stand-up players to handle the different formations people do all the time. It allows them to have more coverage players when they want it, but it also allows them to adjust with more stand-up players, be able to zone blitz and do some of the things that they are doing."
On last year's meeting with Wyoming being a learning game for Ballard ...
"It was a learning game. It was after New Mexico where it was his first start and everything went right in that game. He then went to Wyoming, threw two interceptions and they dropped a couple more. He saw that Division I football isn't quite as easy as what it looks like. Obviously, we kept on winning and he did a lot of good things. Wyoming plays smart and they play very, very hard. They are extremely well coached."
On Frog safety Brian Bonner who made his first start of the season at Army ...
"We have three really good players at the strong safety position, but we could only play one. If you remember, Brian (Bonner) had two interceptions against Colorado State in our next-to-last game and another one versus Iowa State in the bowl game. We've used both of them (Eric Buchanan and Bonner), and I've really thought of the two of them as starters. I never considered Brian as a No. 2 guy, and that is what I told him before the season. They've always rotated every three or four plays and were both on the field in dime and nickel packages."
