After playing on the road four of the last six weeks, TCU closes the regular season with a home date against Air Force.
12/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 1, 2006
ABOUT THE GAME•After playing on the road four of the last six weeks, TCU closes the regular season with a home date against Air Force. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. after originally being set for 3:30.
•TCU has won six in a row, tied for the eighth-longest current streak in the nation, and has trailed just twice for a total of 17:08 in that stretch. The Frogs have outscored their opponents 56-10 in the first quarter and 152-13 in the first half during their winning streak.
•A victory over Air Force would give TCU its fourth 10-win season in the last five years.
•The Frogs accepted a bid Monday to play in the Dec. 19 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. TCU will face Northern Illinois.
SENIOR CLASS TO BE HONORED IN PRE-GAME CEREMONY
•This year's 22-player senior class includes Chad Andrus (TE), Jeff Ballard (QB), Maurice Bouldwin (OG), Eric Buchanan (S), Chris Clarke (DB), Brian Cortney (P), Michael DePriest (WR), Elvis Gallegos (S), Quentily Harmon (WR), Brent Hecht (TE), Lonta Hobbs (TB), Ken Lewis (S), Peter LoCoco (PK), Robert Merrill (TB), Jamison Newby (DE), Jared Retkofsky (DE), Ken Ruelas (DB), Herb Taylor (OT), Andrew Ward (LB), Marvin White (S), Jarrarcea Williams (NT) and Justin Zavala (DB).
•With two games remaining, this year's seniors have compiled the fourth-most victories (46) over a five-year span at TCU. They trail only the 1931-35 and 1932-36 teams which posted 49 wins and the 1929-33 squads who combined for 47. With victories over Air Force and Northern Illinois, this year's group would finish third with 48 wins.
•In terms of victories over a four-year period, the last four seasons have produced 36 wins thus far. With the Air Force game and Poinsettia Bowl looming, this year's graduating seniors could finish with 38 victories from 2003-06. The win total would tie for third all-time at TCU in a four-year period, equaling the 1930-33 teams. It would trail only the 1932-35 squads that produced 40 victories, culminating in a 1935 national championship, and the 1933-36 teams (39 wins).
•This year's seniors won two conference titles (2002 C-USA co-champs, 2005 MWC outright champions) and will have played in four bowl games while posting an 8-1 record against teams from BCS leagues. That includes a 4-1 ledger versus the Big 12.
SERIES NOTES
•TCU holds a 3-1-1 lead over Air Force in a series that began with a scoreless tie in the 1959 Cotton Bowl.
•Last year's 48-10 TCU victory in Colorado Springs marked the first meeting between the teams since a 35-34 Frog win over No. 23 Air Force at Amon G. Carter Stadium in 1998, when both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference.
•The Frogs and Falcons split a pair of games in the late 1980s. Air Force won 21-10 in Colorado Springs in 1987, before TCU posted a 27-9 home decision in 1989.
•TCU is 2-0 against Air Force at home, 1-1 on the road and 0-0-1 at a neutral site (Dallas).
FROG HONOR ROLL
NUMBERS OF NOTE
•Gary Patterson became the fastest coach in TCU football history to reach 50 victories when the Frogs won 27-21 at New Mexico on Nov. 11. Patterson is now 52-20 (.722).
•At 62-21 (.747), TCU has the 12th-best record in Division I-A since the start of the 2000 campaign.
MANFREDINI NAMED TO ACADEMIC SQUAD
•TCU placekicker Chris Manfredini was selected to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-District first team. He is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
•Jeff Ballard, QB - Mountain West Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 18 vs. San Diego State)
•Peter LoCoco, PK - Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Week (Nov. 4 vs. UNLV)
•Robert Henson, LB - Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 28 vs. Wyoming)
•Chris Manfredini, PK - Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (Sept. 16 vs. Texas Tech)
•Chris Manfredini, PK - Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 16 vs. Texas Tech)
•Marvin White, S - Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 16 vs. Texas Tech)
•Marcus Jackson, QB - MWC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 3 vs. Baylor)
•Marvin White, S - MWC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 3 vs. Baylor)
FROGS PROMINENT AS CANDIDATES FOR MAJOR AWARDS
•TCU has eight players and its head coach on a total of 11 different watch lists:
•Jeff Ballard, QB - Davey O¹Brien Award
•Tommy Blake, DE - Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, Lombardi Trophy, Lott Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy
•Blake is on the final watch list for The Hendricks Award
•Aaron Brown, TB - Doak Walker Award
•Chris Manfredini, PK - Lou Groza Award
•Robert Merrill, TB - Doak Walker Award
•Chase Ortiz, DE - Ted Hendricks Award, Lombardi Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy
•Jason Phillips, LB - Butkus Award
•Herb Taylor, OT - Lombardi Trophy, Outland Trophy
•TCU is one of nine teams to have three players on the Lombardi Award Watch List.
•Gary Patterson was one of nine coaches on the initial watch list for the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.
FROGS AS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
•Jeff Ballard, QB - Football Writers Association of America All-America checklist
•Tommy Blake, DE - Athlon, Street & Smith's, The Sporting News All-America checklist (No. 7 defensive end in the nation)
•Aaron Brown, TB - Football Writers Association of America All-America checklist
•Robert Merrill, TB - Football Writers Association of America All-America checklist
•Chase Ortiz, DE - Football Writers Association of America All-America checklist
•Jason Phillips, LB - The Sporting News All-America checklist (No. 13 inside linebacker in the nation)
•Herb Taylor, OT - Athlon, Street & Smith's, NationalChamps.net, Football Writers Association of America All-America checklist, The Sporting News All-America checklist (No. 10 offensive tackle in the nation)
•Marvin White, S - The Sporting News All-America checklist (No. 6 safety in the nation)
FROGS ON PRESEASON ALL-MWC TEAM
•TCU placed five players on the 2006 preseason All-MWC Team: Tommy Blake (DE), Chase Ortiz (DE), Jason Phillips (LB), Herb Taylor (OT) and Marvin White (S).
TCU FARES WELL IN GSR
•TCU ranked 20th in the 2006 NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) with a 78 percent score.
•The Frogs placed second in the MWC, trailing only Air Force (93 percent).
•TCU was eighth out of 2005 bowl teams, placing behind Navy, Boston College, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Nebraska, Florida and Penn State. frog Offensive notes
ON FIRE
•In its last two games, a 52-0 win over San Diego State and a 45-14 victory at Colorado State, TCU is averaging 48.5 points and 615.0 yards of total offense.
•The Frogs have posted two of the top-seven offensive performances in school history in the last two weeks. The 624 yards against San Diego State ranks fifth, while the 606 versus Colorado State is tied for sixth.
•The 624 yards against San Diego State were the most by a TCU squad since a Frog-record 782 yards at Houston in 2003. It also marked TCU's second-best output at Amon G. Carter Stadium, surpassed only by a 667-yard performance versus Rice in 1984.
•TCU's average of 407.0 yards per game is its highest season total since 2003 (429.3).
NO PUNTS
•The Colorado State game marked the first time ever that TCU did not attempt a punt.
•The Frogs punted just twice the previous week against San Diego State.
MOVING THE STICKS
•In the last two games, TCU has the third- and eighth-best first-down totals in its history.
•The Frogs had 33 first downs at Colorado State for the third-highest mark. The only games to surpass that amount came when 36 first downs were registered against both Texas Tech in 1990 and Houston in 2003.
•The 30 first downs versus San Diego State tied for the seventh-best total at TCU.
AMONG THE BEST
•The Frogs are second in the MWC and ninth nationally in rushing (199.2 yards) while placing second in the league and 17th in the country in total offense (407.0 yards). TCU is third in the MWC and 37th in Division I-A in scoring (27.7 points).
•TCU is also second in the MWC in first downs (242) and red-zone offense, scoring on 86.4 percent (38-of-44) of its opportunities.
QUICK STRIKES
•In the last two games, TCU has had 10 touchdown drives that covered 2:56 or less.
•Seven of the 10 TD drives were at least 63 yards in length with only one possession more than six plays.
A RECORD-SETTING BALLARD NIGHT AGAINST SAN DIEGO STATE
•The following is a recap of the four TCU single-game records set or tied by Jeff Ballard:
•Completion percentage (87.0, 20-of-23), breaking the previous mark of 86.7 by Max Knake (13-of-15, vs. Rice, 1994) and tying the MWC record (Caleb Hanie of Colorado State was 20-of-23 against Colorado on Sept. 9, 2006)
•14 consecutive completions, bettering the previous standard of 13 by Max Knake against SMU and Oklahoma State in 1993
•Five touchdown passes, equaling the total of Matt Vogler (vs. Houston, 1990) and Steve Stamp (vs. UT-Arlington, 1981)
•Accounting for six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing), set initially by LaDainian Tomlinson in 1999 versus UTEP and equaled last year by Ballard against New Mexico in his first collegiate start
MORE BALLARD
•In the last two games, TCU quarterback Jeff Ballard is 37-of-48 (77.1 percent) in the air for 526 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions.
•With his TCU record 87.0 effort (20-of-23) against San Diego State and a 78.3 mark (18-of-23) versus UC Davis, Ballard has posted two of the top-five single-game completion percentages in TCU history this season. The UCD effort places fifth.
•Ballard's 89.5 winning percentage (17-2) as a starting quarterback ranks first all-time at TCU. The Frogs' quarterback history includes Sammy Baugh and Heisman Trophy winner Davey O'Brien leading TCU to national titles in 1935 and 1938, respectively. •Including his 22-2 record for Friendswood High School, Ballard is a combined 39-4 as a starting quarterback in his prep and collegiate career.
•Ballard ranks 11th nationally this season in lowest interception percentage with a minimum of 200 passes. He has a 1.98 mark with just five picks in 252 attempts.
•Ballard has thrown 99 passes since his last interception, the third-longest current streak in the nation:
1. Matt Moore, Oregon State - 144
2. Andre Woodson, Kentucky - 134
3. Jeff Ballard, TCU - 99
BALLARD ON THE GROUND
•Jeff Ballard is third on the Frogs with 401 yards rushing (4.4 per carry), surpassing his total from last year (314, 3.4 average).
•Ballard has the highest season rushing total by a TCU quarterback since Patrick Batteaux had 479 yards in 1998.
•Ballard ran for a first down on nine of his 14 carries at UNLV as he rushed for a career-best 84 yards.
•He has had four of the top-six rushing games of his career in the last nine contests.
•In addition to the UNLV game, Ballard had 72 yards against Texas Tech (Sept. 16), 71 versus BYU (Sept. 28) and 67 at Army (Oct. 21). During those four contests, he totaled 294 yards on a 6.7 per carry mark.
PROTECTING THE QB
•TCU has allowed just 11 sacks, the lowest total in the Mountain West Conference and tied for the fourth-best mark nationally.
•Offensive tackle Herb Taylor's 47 consecutive starts, representing every TCU game over the last four seasons, is tied for the fourth-longest current streak in Division I-A.
•The other four starters (RG Maurice Bouldwin, LG Matty Lindner, C Blake Schlueter, RT Wade Sisk) on the Frog offensive line made their first collegiate starts this season.
GROUND GAINS
•TCU is 8-0 when rushing for at least 167 yards and 1-2 when falling below that mark. The Frogs had 98 yards in the season-opening 17-7 win at Baylor.
•The Frogs average 218.8 yards rushing in their nine wins and 111.0 in the two losses.
•TCU is averaging 236.7 rushing yards on a 5.2 per carry average in its current six-game winning streak.
•TCU's top-six rushers and nine of the top 10 are averaging at least 4.3 yards per carry with seven Frogs at 4.5 or better.
RUSHING TARGETS
•By averaging 236.7 yards rushing in the current six-game winning streak, TCU has seen its 2006 mark climb to a season-high 199.2.
•In the three 10-win seasons under Gary Patterson, the Frogs averaged 201.0 yards per game rushing:
•2002 - 203.2
•2003 - 207.7
•2005 - 192.2
•The Frogs averaged 145.4 yards rushing (124.5, 2001; 166.2, 2004) in their other two seasons under Patterson.
MR. 3,000
•With 2,896 career yards rushing, tailback Lonta Hobbs needs 104 yards in the final two games to become just the fourth player in TCU history to reach the 3,000 mark.
•Hobbs is the Frogs' fifth all-time leading rusher. He is 98 yards shy of catching former TCU and Buffalo Bills' standout Kenneth Davis (2,994, 1982-85) for fourth place.
•Hobbs posted back-to-back 93-yard efforts in wins over UNLV and New Mexico. He's looking for his first 100-yard rushing game since a 106-yard performance at Army on Oct. 2, 2004.
•Despite missing the season's opening three games due to injury, Hobbs is second on the Frogs with 490 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
MR. 100
•Quentily Harmon's three receptions for 54 yards at Colorado State enabled him to surpass 100 career grabs. He now has 101.
•With two more receptions, Harmon will tie Reggie Harrell (103, 2002-04) for 10th on the Frogs' career list.
SENSATIONAL SOPHOMORE
•With a career-best 166 yards rushing (117 in the first half) at Colorado State, Aaron Brown recorded TCU's first 100-yard game of the season. He was the first Frog to reach the century mark since Robert Merrill ran for 109 yards in last year's Houston Bowl win over Iowa State. Brown's total was the most by a TCU player since Merrill gained 170 yards on Oct. 29, 2005 at San Diego State.
•Brown's previous career high in rushing was 163 yards on 17 carries against Utah last season (Sept. 15, 2005).
•The 2005 Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American, Brown had the fourth 100-yard rushing game of his career. TCU is 4-0 when he reaches the century mark.
•Brown totaled a career-best 285 all-purpose yards (166 rushing, 48 receiving, 71 kickoff returns), including 210 in the first half. His season-high had been 156 in the 17-7 win at Baylor.
•Brown leads TCU in rushing (701 yards) while placing third in the MWC at 70.1 yards per game. He is second on the Frogs in receptions (27) and receiving yards (375). He tops TCU in touchdowns (nine).
•Brown's 27 receptions are the most by a TCU running back since Basil Mitchell totaled 40 for 344 yards in 1996.
•Brown is second in the MWC in all-purpose yards per game (115.7).
•He wears the same number (23) as former Frog Jim Swink, a consensus All-American and 1955 Heisman Trophy runner-up.
•Brown's 107 yards receiving at Baylor were the most by a Frog since Cory Rodgers totaled 128 yards on six catches in a 48-10 win at Air Force last season (Oct. 22).
•Brown became the first TCU running back to reach 100 yards receiving in a game since Andre Davis had four receptions for 109 yards in a 30-28 win at Tulane on Oct. 15, 1994.
LESS IS BEST
•TCU is 9-0 when attempting 28 or fewer passes in a game. The Frogs are 0-2 when throwing more than 28 times.
A RECIEVING HAT TRICK
•Donald Massey's three scoring receptions against San Diego State represented his first three collegiate touchdowns and tied the single-game TCU record set by Brian Collins in 1994 against Houston.
•Massey's career-high 100 yards receiving against San Diego State made him the third Frog this season to reach the century mark in that category. Aaron Brown had 107 receiving yards at Baylor, while Quentily Harmon totaled 105 against Wyoming.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
•TCU has 17 players with a pass reception this season.
•TCU wide receivers have accounted for 104 receptions (59.8 percent) with running backs catching 44 balls (25.3 percent) and tight ends 26 (14.9 percent).
•Eight players have accounted for TCU¹s 12 touchdown catches.
•Fifteen players have scored touchdowns this season.
THE GO-TO-GUY
•Quentily Harmon tops TCU with 42 receptions, approaching his total from his first three seasons combined (59).
•Harmon has nearly as many catches (42) as all the other TCU wide receivers combined (62).
•Harmon has at least three receptions in 12 of his last 13 games and 15 of the past 17. He saw his streak of 15 consecutive contests with at least one catch end at New Mexico.
•Harmon had a career-high 105 yards receiving against Wyoming. His previous career-high in receiving yards (96) came in the season-opening win at Baylor. He tied a career-best with six receptions versus UC Davis.
MOST RECENTLY
•In its current six-game winning streak, the TCU offense has recorded the following numbers:
236.7 yards per game rushing (5.2 per carry)
206.3 yards per game passing
443.0 yards of total offense (6.4 per play)
46.2 percent (36-of-78) on third-down conversions
143 first downs (23.8 per game)
•The Frogs' top rushing games of the season (275, San Diego State; 350, Colorado State) have come in the last two weeks.
POITNS ON THE BOARD
•TCU scored 28 points in the second quarter at Colorado State, marking its first 28-point quarter since Oct. 1, 2005 against New Mexico (first quarter).
OUTRUSHING THEM
•The Frogs are 9-1 when outrushing their opponent this season. The lone loss came against BYU when TCU had 141 yards on the ground to 72 for the Cougars.
OUTSCORING THEM
•TCU's 52-0 victory over San Diego State marked its highest scoring total since a 62-55 win over Houston in 2003.
•It was also the 10th-largest victory margin in TCU history.
DRIVE CHART
•Against Colorado State, TCU had season-longs in length of a scoring drive (91 yards) and number of plays (15). Both were on separate possessions and culminated in a touchdown.
•The Frogs' 14 touchdown drives in under two minutes are tied for the 16th-best mark in the nation. Overall, TCU has 18 scoring drives (14 touchdowns, four field goals) in less than two minutes.
•TCU has 10 touchdown drives of at least 80 yards.
•Twenty-one of TCU's 24 scoring drives which covered at least 65 yards resulted in touchdowns.
•Nine of the Frogs' 16 scoring drives that went at least 10 plays ended in a touchdown.
MR. FIRST DOWN
•All 10 of tight end Shae Reagan's receptions this season have resulted in TCU first downs.
•Reagan is averaging 23.0 yards per catch, tops on the team for players with more than two receptions. It's also on pace for the fifth-best single-season mark in TCU history.
LOVING THE TIGHT END
•Four different TCU tight ends have touchdown receptions this season. The six total scores have come with the position totaling just 26 catches.
•Reaching the end zone have been Quinton Cunigan (Baylor), Shae Reagan (UC Davis, San Diego State), Brent Hecht (BYU, Colorado State) and Chad Andrus (Army). Cunigan and Reagan scored on their first career catch.
GETTING HOT
•Wide receiver Michael DePriest has seven receptions for 62 yards in the last two games. He totaled five grabs for 77 yards in his first seven contests.
•DePriest, who missed the first two games of the season due to injury, added a 22-yard run at Colorado State.
LONG-DISTANCE FROGS
t Nine of TCU's 10-longest pass plays of the season have come in the last six games.
IN SELECT COMPANY
•Marcus Jackson is one of just 20 redshirt or true freshman quarterbacks nationally to play this season.
•After redshirting in 2005, Jackson has completed 63.2 percent (24-of-38) of his pass attempts for 384 yards with two touchdowns and just one interception.
•Jackson was 11-of-13 for 148 yards and two scores in the second half at Baylor as the Frogs rallied from a 7-0 deficit to a 17-7 victory.
PASSING TYE
•The 12-3 win over Texas Tech improved Jeff Ballard's record to 11-0 as TCU's starting quarterback, enabling him to surpass Tye Gunn's previous school mark for most consecutive victories (10) to begin a career as a starting quarterback.
•Ballard's first start in that stretch, a 49-28 win over New Mexico last year, came after he replaced an injured Gunn. When Gunn was hurt the previous week at BYU, Ballard rallied the Frogs from an 18-point third-quarter deficit to a 51-50 overtime victory. It's the largest come-from-behind win in Gary Patterson¹s six seasons as TCU's head coach.
QUARTERBACK U
•Five of the top-six career completion percentage leaders for TCU have played in the last six seasons:
1. Jeff Ballard - 59.8 (2004-06)
2. Sean Stilley - 57.9 (1999-02)
3. Brandon Hassell - 56.7 (2003-04)
4. Casey Printers - 56.1 (1999-01)
5. Max Knake - 55.8 (1992-95)
6. Tye Gunn - 55.0 (2002-05)
A SPECIAL BACKFIELD
•TCU's trio of Aaron Brown, Lonta Hobbs and Robert Merrill was ranked in the preseason by The Sporting News as the fourth-best backfield in the nation.
•Hobbs (2,896 yards) and Merrill (2,771 yards) rank fifth and seventh, respectively, on TCU's career rushing list.
•Merrill, who led TCU in rushing each of the last three years, has not played in 2006 while recovering from back surgery.
•Brown, Hobbs and Merrill make the Frogs one of just 13 teams in Division I-A to have three players with 100-yard rushing games on their resume.
THE CENTURY MARK
•Tailbacks Lonta Hobbs and Robert Merrill are tied for seventh in TCU history with 10 100-yard rushing games.
•TCU is 8-2 when Merrill rushes for at least 100 yards and 7-3 when Hobbs reaches the milestone. The Frogs are 4-0 when Brown hits the century mark.
•Merrill and Hobbs both reached 100 yards in a 62-55 win at Houston in 2003. Merrill ran for a career-high 204 yards on 22 carries, while Hobbs added 102 yards on 22 attempts.
DEJA VU
•In relief roles, the numbers of Jeff Ballard in last year's 51-50 overtime win at BYU and Marcus Jackson in the second-half comeback at Baylor are similar:
Ballard - 8-of-12 passing (75.0 percent), 150 yards, 2 TDs
Jackson - 11-of-13 passing (84.6 percent), 148 yards, 2 TDs
•Jackson was two attempts shy (a minimum of 15 is required) of qualifying for the second-best single-game completion percentage in TCU history.
FROGS DEFENSIVE NOTES
AMONG THE NATION'S FINEST
•TCU tops the Mountain West Conference and ranks third nationally in run defense (64.8 yards), trailing only Michigan (43.0) and Texas (58.8).
•The Frogs are seventh in scoring defense (12.6 points), behind Virginia Tech (9.3), Ohio State (10.4), Wisconsin (11.9), Florida (12.3), Rutgers (12.3) and LSU (12.5).
•TCU is seventh in total defense (259.3 yards). The only teams ahead of the Frogs are Virginia Tech (221.1), LSU (238.8), Rutgers (243.5), Wisconsin (243.5), Miami, Fla. (252.1) and Michigan (254.1).
DEFENDING THEIR HOME
•In their last two home games, the Frogs have outscored their opponents 78-3 while allowing just 252 yards of offense (126.0 per game).
•The Frogs have held the opposition without a touchdown in three of five home contests this season.
MOST RECENTLY
•In its current six-game winning streak, the TCU defense has recorded the following numbers:
213.2 yards per game allowed (66.5 rushing, 146.7 passing)
22 sacks
15 takeaways
17-of-72 (23.6 percent) opponent third-down conversions
69 opponent first downs (11.5 per game)
10.8 points per game
86-of-165 passing (52.1 percent) with 10 interceptions and three touchdowns
A 2.4 per carry mark on 163 rushing attempts for 399 yards
•None of the six opponents have had more than 300 yards of offense on TCU with three (Army, 196; Wyoming, 165; San Diego State, 87) under 200 yards. UNLV had 246 with New Mexico at 285 and Colorado State 300.
MAGIC NUMBERS
•TCU is 9-0 when holding the opponent to under 333 yards of offense and 0-2 when the opposition surpasses that mark.
•TCU is 8-0 when allowing 17 or less points and 1-2 when the opponent scores more than 17 this season.
DEFENSE AT ITS BEST
•This year's TCU defense is on pace for its top performance in scoring defense (12.6 points) while equaling the best mark in rushing defense (64.8 yards) in the head coaching tenure of Gary Patterson. The 2006 Frogs are second in total defense (259.3 yards).
•The 12.6 points per game allowed is the lowest for TCU since a 9.6 mark in the 2000 campaign, Patterson's final year as defensive coordinator before becoming head coach.
•The TCU defense is allowing 69.8 yards per game fewer this season (259.3) compared to last year's Mountain West Conference championship team (329.1).
•The Frogs are surrendering 6.0 points per game fewer than a year ago.
NO FRIEND OF RUNNING BACKS
•TCU is one of five teams nationally to not allow a 100-yard game by an opposing running back this season. The others are Boston College, Florida, Utah and West Virginia.
BEING STINGY
•The 87 yards of offense by San Diego State represented the Frogs' best defensive effort since surrendering 81 yards to SMU in a 21-0 victory on Nov. 26, 1999.
•TCU recorded its first shutout since a 44-0 blanking of SMU on Sept. 11, 2004.
KEY STOPS
•TCU is the MWC leader in opponent third- and fourth-down conversions.
•Frog foes have converted 32.4 percent of third-down opportunities, placing TCU 23th nationally. The Frogs are 25th in the country in fourth-down defense as opponents have been successful on just 5-of-13 attempts (38.5 percent).
SACK MASTERS
•TCU is tied with Wyoming for the Mountain West Conference lead in sacks with 29. However, the Frogs have played one less game than the Cowboys.
•In its six-game winning streak, TCU has recorded 22 sacks while allowing four. The 22 sacks have been recorded by 12 different players.
•Fourteen Frogs have combined for the team's 29 sacks on the year.
•Defensive end Tommy Blake has five sacks, just 0.5 off the league lead. Safety Brian Bonner has 4.5 to tie for fifth in the MWC.
•Defensive tackle James Vess has four sacks in the last five games, representing his entire season total.
STUFFING THE RUN
•In the previous 14 contests, dating back to last year's Colorado State game, only three TCU opponents have surpassed 86 yards rushing. During that stretch, the Frogs¹ run defense has surrendered just 57.9 yards per contest.
•The Frogs' last two opponents, San Diego State and Colorado State, combined for just 65 yards rushing on 42 attempts.
•In six seasons under head coach Gary Patterson, TCU is 36-5 when holding the opponent under 100 yards rushing.
TIGHTENING UP
•In the last seven games, TCU has allowed just five touchdowns on the opponent's 17 trips to the red zone. Five of those failed possessions were the result of Frog interceptions.
DEFENDING THE PASS
•TCU has surrendered just nine touchdown passes this season, the lowest total in the MWC, despite starting a pair of redshirt freshmen (Rafael Priest and Nick Sanders) at cornerback. The Frogs also faced pass-oriented teams in Baylor and Texas Tech in non-conference action.
•TCU allowed a total of five touchdown passes in losses against BYU and Utah. The Frogs have given up only four scoring tosses in their nine wins.
FINDING PAYDIRT
•TCU has two defensive touchdowns this season.
•Defensive end Tommy Blake returned a fumble 12 yards for a touchdown at New Mexico, while cornerback Nick Sanders scored on a 21-yard interception return at Army.
PICK STREAK
•Back-up safety Steven Coleman has an interception in each of the last two games. He also blocked a punt against San Diego State.
LIVING UP TO HIS BILLING
•Defensive end Tommy Blake, a preseason All-American who appeared on five watch lists for major awards in 2006, tops the Mountain West Conference with 11.5 tackles for a loss while his five sacks are just 0.5 off the league lead.
•Blake also ranks among the MWC's best with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. One of those recoveries was returned 12 yards for a touchdown at New Mexico.
•A former high school tailback, Blake is fourth on the Frogs with 47 tackles.
•Blake showcased his speed at UNLV by making the downfield tackle on a 42-yard run by Rebel running back David Peeples.
MAKING HIS MARK
•TCU safety Marvin White has a team-best 75 tackles and four interceptions while twice being named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
•The 75 stops are 18 more than the next-closest Frog (Jason Phillips, 57).
•White's average of 6.8 stops per game ranks in a tie for 11th in the MWC. It's also well above last year's TCU top mark of 5.9 (Phillips).
•White is second in the MWC with his four picks which rank 35th nationally (0.4 per game).
•A senior from Port Barre, La., White forced two fumbles at New Mexico. He recorded the first sack of his two-year TCU career against UNLV.
THE ROOKIES
•Redshirt freshman cornerback Nick Sanders has three interceptions, including two at Army. When going back to the previous game at Utah, his three picks came in a three-quarter span.
•With his 21-yard interception return for a touchdown at Army, Sanders became the first Frog since Quincy Butler on Nov. 20, 2004 (versus Southern Miss) to score on a pick. It was also TCU's first defensive touchdown since linebacker Robert Henson's 22-yard fumble return for a score in last year's 28-14 win at Wyoming.
•Fellow redshirt freshman cornerback Rafael Priest has nine pass break-ups to top TCU and place in a tie for fourth in the MWC. The nine PBUs surpass TCU's 2005 team-leading total of eight shared by NFL-signees Butler, Drew Coleman and Jeremy Modkins.
THE PLAYMAKER
•Brian Bonner has started the last six games at strong safety after replacing an injured Eric Buchanan in the lineup.
•Bonner preserved the 27-21 win at New Mexico with an interception at the TCU 9-yard line with less than a minute to play. He has two picks on the year.
•The former prep quarterback is second on TCU with 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss.
•Bonner tops the MWC while ranking 11th nationally in punt returns (12.9 average).
OFF THE BENCH
•Linebacker Robert Henson, who has yet to start a game this season, is among the TCU and MWC leaders in tackles (51) and stops for a loss (seven).
•He has two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, pass break-up and quarterback hurry.
•Henson was the MWC Defensive Player of the Week against Wyoming. He totaled a team-best eight tackles, including two for a loss with one sack. He also forced a fumble on a kickoff return.
•Henson had a key punt block in the 12-3 win over Texas Tech.
THE FASTEST AND STRONGEST OF THE FROGS
SPEED
•In a 40-yard timing by National Football League scouts, the fastest Frogs are wide receiver Michael DePriest (4.33) and safety Marvin White (4.37).
HOW STRONG ARE THEY?
43 - Number of players who bench 350+ pounds
16 - Number of players who bench 400+ pounds
329 - Average team power clean in pounds
48 - Number of players who squat 500+ pounds
19 - Number of players who squat 600+ pounds
523 - Average team squat in pounds
TOP LIFTERS
Bench Press - Jarrarcea Williams, NT (475 pounds)
Squat - Cody Moore, DT (760 pounds)
Power Clean - Cody Moore, DT (440 pounds)
SPECAL TEAMS NOTES
FROG LEGS
•In two games this season, TCU placekickers have single-handedly outscored the opposition.
•Chris Manfredini's four field goals accounted for all of the Frogs' scoring in a 12-3 victory over Texas Tech.
•Peter LoCoco had four field goals in a 25-10 win at UNLV.
DYNAMIC DUO
•Chris Manfredini (10-of-12) and Peter LoCoco (9-of-12) are a combined 19-of-24 on field goals this season.
•Manfredini is 23-of-25 in his two years at TCU. When including a 10-of-11 mark for Cincinnati in 2003, he is 33-of-36 (91.7 percent) in his collegiate career.
•LoCoco has made eight straight attempts over the last five games.
•LoCoco had touchbacks on 4-of-8 kickoffs at Colorado State and has 19 touchbacks on 63 kickoffs (30.2 percent) this season.
ON A MISSION
•Stephen Hodge had five solo tackles on TCU kickoffs against San Diego State, helping him total a team-high and career-best nine stops in the game.
•Hodge was TCU's Special Teams Player of the Week at Army after recording solo stops on five of the Frogs' six kickoffs. He also forced a fumble against the Black Knights.
BLOCK PARTY
•Daryl Washington and Steven Coleman blocked punts against San Diego State, giving TCU three punt blocks on the year. Robert Henson had one versus Texas Tech.
THE RETURN GAME
•Starting safety Brian Bonner tops the MWC and ranks 11th nationally with a 12.9 punt return average.
•With Marcus Brock placing seventh (7.6 average), TCU has two of the top-seven punt returners in the league.
•Donald Massey is sixth in the MWC with a 21.4 kickoff return average.
TOUGH TO RETURN AGAINST
•TCU is allowing just 3.6 yards on punt returns and 19.0 on kickoff returns.
•The Frogs have forced fumbles on kickoff returns in two of the last six games.
THE PUNTERS
•TCU punters Brian Cortney (39.7 average) and Derek Wash (37.5) have combined to put 13-of-46 (28.3 percent) kicks inside the opponent 20 with only two touchbacks.
FROG TIDBITS
A LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR'S MEETING
•Jeff Ballard completed 20-of-28 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns while adding 42 yards on the ground to lead TCU to a 48-10 victory over Air Force in Colorado Springs.
•Despite the Falcons having nearly 35 minutes in time of possession (34:56), the Frogs held a 546-to-387 edge in total offense.
•TCU led just 14-10 midway through the second quarter before a pair of touchdowns in a 2:12 stretch gave the Frogs a 27-10 halftime lead.
•Cory Rodgers had six receptions for 128 yards for TCU, while Justin Watts was the leading rusher with 57 yards on two attempts.
DOMINATING FROGS
•During its six-game winning streak, TCU has outscored its opponents 56-10 in the first quarter and 152-13 in the first half. The Frogs hold a 54-52 edge in the second half.
•Against Colorado State last week, TCU allowed a first-quarter touchdown for the first time this season. It was also the first first-quarter touchdown surrendered by the Frogs in 16 games, dating back to Oct. 15, 2005 against Army.
SATURDAY IS A DAY FOR FROGS
•ªTCU has won 17 straight Saturday games and is 18-1 on that day over the last two seasons.
•During that stretch, the Frogs are 2-2 on other days of the week (1-0 on Sundays, 1-2 on Thursdays).
DAYLIGHT IS A GOOD SIGN
•TCU is 11-0 in day games over the last two seasons and 9-3 at night.
•The NCAA recognizes a night game as starting at 5 p.m. local time.
CLOSE CALLS
•Dating back to the 2003 campaign, 19 of TCU's last 47 games have been decided by seven points or less. The Frogs are 16-3 in those contests.
QUICK STARTS
•TCU's top defensive quarter is the opening 15 minutes, as its foes have scored just 22 points in 11 games (2.0 per contest). The Frogs' next-best defensive quarters are the second and third quarters with 38 points surrendered in each.
•The Frogs have outscored the opposition 191-60 in the first half and 114-79 in the second half.
•TCU has scored in the first quarter in 17 of its last 20 games.
•After scoring first in 10 of 12 contests in 2005, TCU has been first on the board just five times in 11 games this year. The Frogs have scored first in four of their last five games.
•Since the start of the 2002 season, the Frogs have scored first in 71.7 percent (43-of-60) of their contests.
QUARTER BREAKDOWN
•TCU has outscored the opposition in three of four quarters this season.
•Frog opponents hold a 41-39 fourth-quarter edge. Last season, TCU surrendered just 31 fourth-quarter points for its best defensive quarter.
•Keyed by 28 points against Colorado State, and 24-point explosions against both Army and San Diego State, the Frogs' most potent offensive effort (125 points) has come in the second quarter.
•During its six-game winning streak, TCU is averaging 16.6 points in the second quarter.
•The largest point differential (87 points) in a quarter is the second quarter with TCU holding a 125-38 advantage.
•Dating back to last year, the Frogs have allowed just 72 fourth-quarter points in their last 23 games (3.1 per contest). During that same period, TCU has outscored its foes by a 277-165 margin in the second half.
WINNING IS HABIT FORMING
•TCU has a record of 9-2 or better for the fourth time in Gary Patterson's six seasons as head coach.
•The Frogs' 36 wins over the last four years is tied with West Virginia and Utah for the 13th-best total in the nation. USC leads with 47.
IN THE ZONE
•The Frogs top the Mountain West Conference in red-zone defense while placing second in offense.
•Opponents have just 25 red-zone visits against TCU for the lowest total in the MWC, six less than any other team (Colorado State and Wyoming, 31). The Frogs have allowed only eight touchdowns and eight field goals. The opposition has scored on 16-of-25 series (64.0 percent).
•TCU has points on 38-of-44 (86.4 percent) possessions in the red zone. The Frogs have 24 touchdowns and 14 field goals.
THE TURNOVER STORY
•Over the last two seasons, TCU is 15-0 when winning the turnover battle and 2-0 when coming out even. The Frogs are 3-3 when on the negative side.
•TCU is plus-7 in turnover margin in its nine wins this season and minus-4 in the two losses.
•Since the start of the 2005 season, TCU is 20-3. In those three defeats, the Frogs have been at minus-2 or worse in turnover margin in each game.
•Against BYU, the TCU defense failed to register a takeaway for the first time in 19 games (at Cincinnati, Oct. 30, 2004).
•The minus-2 differential versus the Cougars was the largest turnover deficit for TCU since a negative-3 last year at SMU (Sept. 10, 2005).
•The Frogs led the nation last season in turnover margin (+21), takeaways (40) and interceptions (26).
FINDING THE SCOREBOARD
•At 175 games, TCU has the sixth-longest streak in the nation for not being shut out. The Frogs haven¹t been blanked since a 32-0 defeat at Texas on Nov. 16, 1991.
ROAD WARRIORS
•TCU is 17-7 (.708) in road and neutral-site games since the start of the 2003 season, placing it fourth nationally in Division I-A.
1. USC - 23-3 (.885)
2. Boise State - 20-5 (.800)
3. LSU - 18-6 (.750)
4. TCU - 17-7 (.708)
5. West Virginia - 16-7 (.696)
FROGS OR TADPOLES?
•In offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse, linebacker Daryl Washington and defensive ends Wayne Daniels and Jerry Hughes, TCU is tied for 16th nationally in having the fewest number (four) of true freshmen who have played this season.
•Eleven redshirt freshmen have seen action.
BONUS FOOTBALL
•TCU is 5-4 since the NCAA adopted overtime play in 1996.
WIN-LOSS UPDATES
•After just three winning seasons in 13 years (1985-97), TCU has won over 70 percent of its games (77-31, .713) since the start of the 1998 campaign when head coach Gary Patterson arrived on campus.
•TCU has an all-time record of 536-504-57 (.515) in its football history which began in 1896.
CONTROLLING THE CLOCK
•TCU is 7-0 when holding an edge in time of possession and 2-2 when the opponent has the ball longer.
•TCU is averaging 31:12 on the season to place third in the MWC and 29th nationally.
AT HOME
•Since the start of the 2000 season, TCU is 33-5 (.868) in Amon G. Carter Stadium. Included in that total are undefeated marks in four (2000, 2002, 2003, 2005) of those years which contributed to at least 10 wins in each season.
•Over the last four years, TCU's 19-4 (.826) mark ranks in a tie for 17th nationally in home winning percentage.
•The BYU contest (Sept. 28) closed a stretch of three home games in 20 days for TCU. The Frogs have just three home dates in the final 65 days of the regular season, including one (San Diego State, Nov. 18) in a 50-day span.
•The 12-3 win over Texas Tech saw TCU record its first sellout crowd since 1984, when the Frogs hosted Texas. The attendance of 45,647 against the Red Raiders represented the second-largest crowd in TCU history, surpassed only by the 47,280 for that 1984 contest against the Longhorns.
•TCU sold a record 13,962 football season tickets this season.
SCHEDULING QUIRKS
•Since the start of the 1996 season, the Frogs are 12-8 in non-Saturday, regular-season games. Under Patterson, TCU is 9-7 and has played on every day of the week.
•TCU has played 16 of its 67 regular-season contests (23.9 percent) under Patterson on non-Saturdays.
WHERE TO FIND THE TCU ASSISTANTS
•Press Box: Mike Schultz (offensive coordinator/running backs), Dick Winder (quarterbacks), Tony Tademy (linebackers) and Chad Glasgow (safeties).
•Field: Dick Bumpas (defensive coordinator/defensive line), Charles McMillian (cornerbacks), Jarrett Anderson (wide receivers), Dan Sharp (tight ends/special teams) and Eddie Williamson (assistant head coach/offensive line).
AN EXPERIENCED STAFF
•TCU returned its entire coaching staff from the 2005 season.
•The Frogs are one of just four teams (N.C. State, Oklahoma, Temple) in Division I-A to have all 10 of their coaches play Division I football. Eight members of the TCU staff competed on the Division I-A level with two in I-AA.
HERE TO STAY
•At a Nov. 22, 2005 news conference, TCU athletics director Danny Morrison announced that football coach Gary Patterson agreed to a contract extension through 2012.
ACTIVITY AND LAYOFFS
•TCU's 2006 regular-season schedule could be classified in three phases.
•Prior to facing Army on Oct. 21, which began a stretch of playing on seven consecutive Saturdays to close the regular season, the Frogs opened the 2006 campaign with three games in 14 days before playing just twice in 34 days.
•After facing Texas Tech on Sept. 16, the Frogs had an open date before back-to-back Thursday games versus BYU (Sept. 28) and Utah (Oct. 5). Following its date in Salt Lake City, TCU had another bye week before returning to action at Army.
•TCU had four straight Saturdays (Sept. 23, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14) without a game.
PLAYING THE SERVICE ACADEMIES
•TCU's Gary Patterson is 8-0 as a head coach against the service academies. Under Patterson, the Frogs are 6-0 versus Army and 1-0 against both Air Force and Navy.
THE RANKINGS
•Based on number of votes received, TCU is ranked 26th in this week's USA Today Top 25 and 27th by the Associated Press. The Frogs had 109 votes in the Harris Interactive poll to place 26th.
•TCU appeared in 15 consecutive top-25 polls by the Associated Press and USA Today before falling out after a Sept. 28 loss to BYU.
•At No. 15 in the Sept. 17 and Sept. 24 USA Today poll, the Frogs had their highest September ranking since 1959.
•With a No. 21 appearance in the USA Today poll and a No. 22 spot in the Associated Press Top 25, TCU posted its highest preseason rankings since it was No. 20 by AP in 2000.
THE BCS
•The Frogs were 14th in the final 2005 BCS standings. It was the 20th time TCU appeared in the BCS standings, the most of any school playing in a conference without an automatic BCS bid. Boise State is second at 19.
•Since Gary Patterson arrived at TCU as defensive coordinator in 1998, the Frogs are 12-6 against teams from leagues with automatic BCS bids.
•If this year's BCS rules were in effect last season, TCU would have been in a BCS bowl.
HONORARY BIG 12 MEMBERS
•In a stretch of just 15 games, dating back to the start of the 2005 season, TCU went 4-0 against the Big 12 while allowing just 11.0 points per game.
•Only four Big 12 teams (Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Colorado) won more games than TCU against Big 12 foes during that period.
•TCU opened and closed the 2005 campaign with victories over Big 12 squads, winning 17-10 at Oklahoma and 27-24 over Iowa State in the Houston Bowl.
•The Frogs defeated Baylor (17-7) and Texas Tech (12-3) earlier this season, holding the Bears and Red Raiders to a combined one touchdown and 10 points.
BOUNCING BACK
•In the week after a regular-season loss, TCU has a 12-4 record under coach Gary Patterson.
•The Frogs have never lost three in a row under Patterson.
•TCU hasn't dropped three straight contests since a four-game skid in the 1998 campaign.
AFFORDABLE LIVING
•Coldwell Banker has ranked Fort Worth, Texas, as the fourth-most affordable city in the nation to have a Division I-A football program.
•Tulsa was ranked first with an average home price of $148,575. The remainder of the top five includes Southern Miss (Hattiesburg, Miss.; $151,225), Ball State (Muncie, Ind.; $151,238), TCU (Fort Worth, Texas; $151,250) and Louisiana-Monroe (Monroe, La.; $153,271).
•Stanford (Palo Alto, Calif.; $1,652,042) headlined the most-expensive college markets. Tied for second were Los Angeles-based UCLA and USC ($1,565,099).
•Air Force (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was second to TCU in the Mountain West Conference with an average home price of $217,000.
VERSATILE FROGS
•The TCU defensive line features five former high school running backs: Tommy Blake, Jerry Hughes, Cody Moore, Jared Retkofsky and Jarrarcea Williams.
KEY NUMBERS FORM TECH
•TCU's 12-3 win over Texas Tech marked the first time the Frogs won when scoring 12 or fewer points since a 12-3 win over UT-Arlington in the 1974 season opener.
•TCU became the first team since 2000 to hold Texas Tech without a touchdown. The Red Raiders were limited to 204 yards passing after entering the contest with a 396.5 per game mark.
OFFENSIVE BREAKTHROUGHS
•TCU's 50 touchdowns in 2005 set a new single-season school record. The previous mark was 49 in 2000. With 48 touchdowns in 2004, the Frogs have recorded their top three single-season touchdown totals in school history over the last six years with Mike Schultz as offensive coordinator.
•During that same period, TCU has had three of its top four single-season point totals. The 398 points in 2005 were the second-best mark in school history.
OUTRIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS
•The 2005 campaign saw TCU capture its first outright conference title since 1958.
•The Horned Frogs have taken part in conference championships in four different leagues over the last 12 years.
•Prior to last season, the five previous conference titles for TCU had been shared. TCU was co-champions of the Southwest Conference in 1959 and 1994, while also sharing a pair of Western Athletic Conference titles (1999, 2000) and a Conference USA championship (2002).
PERFECTION
•With an 8-0 record in its debut season in the Mountain West Conference last year, TCU posted its first undefeated conference record (8-0) since the 1938 national championship team swept through the Southwest Conference.
•The 2005 Frogs were just the fourth team in school history to go through a season undefeated in league play, joining the 1938 and 1932 Southwest Conference squads as well as the 1920 team that was unblemished in the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
NFL DRAFT PICKS FORM MWC TEAMS
•TCU 163, San Diego State 133, BYU 131, Utah 123, Colorado State 93, Wyoming 75, New Mexico 59, UNLV 40, Air Force 7.
FROGS AND THE NFL
•In Gary Patterson's five-year tenure as head coach, TCU has had 14 players drafted with a total of 25 in NFL camps.
•Seven players from last year¹s Frog team were in NFL camps: Cory Rodgers (WR, fourth-round draft pick, Green Bay), Michael Toudouze (OT, fifth-round draft pick, Indianapolis), Drew Coleman (CB, sixth-round draft pick, New York Jets), Quincy Butler (CB, free-agent, Dallas), Tye Gunn (QB, free-agent, Chicago), Jeremy Modkins (S, free-agent, Green Bay) and defensive tackle Ranorris Ray (DT, free-agent, Dallas).
•Six other former Horned Frogs are currently active in the NFL: Anthony Alabi (OT, Miami), Robert Pollard (DE, Seattle), Aaron Schobel (DE, Buffalo), Bo Schobel (DE, Indianapolis), Matt Schobel (TE, Philadelphia), LaDainian Tomlinson (RB, San Diego) and Ryan Tucker (OL, Cleveland).
SPECIAL FROG
•Former TCU tailback and current National Football League star LaDainian Tomlinson was named to CBS SportsLine.com's All-Decade Team. He was joined in the All-Decade backfield by former USC standouts Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.
•The Web site wrote of Tomlinson, Before he started running wild with the San Diego Chargers, Tomlinson was an excellent college player at TCU.
•Tomlinson rushed for a combined 4,008 yards in his final two years of college, including 2,158 as a senior. He ran for an NCAA single-game record 406 yards versus UTEP in 1999 and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back in 2000. Tomlinson, who has earned his TCU degree, had his No. 5 jersey honored by the Frogs last season.
TCU AND THE HEISMAN
•In 1938, quarterback Davey O'Brien became the first player from TCU and the Southwest Conference to capture the Heisman Trophy. O'Brien's name dons the trophy awarded each year to the most outstanding quarterback in the country.
•In the 70-year history of the Heisman Trophy, five Frogs (O'Brien; Sammy Baugh, 4th - 1936; Jim Swink, 2nd - 1955; Kenneth Davis, 5th - 1984; LaDainian Tomlinson, 4th - 2000) have finished in the top five in voting.
TCU AMONG STORIED PROGRAMS
•TCU was ranked 39th in Street & Smith's listing of the 50 Greatest College Football Programs of All Time.
•Selections were based on the following: national championships, undefeated seasons, major bowl wins, major bowl appearances, conference championships, overall won-loss percentage, graduation rate, All-Americans, Heisman Trophy winners, No. 1 overall NFL draft picks, NCAA infractions and mascot ferocity.
•The Horned Frogs have produced two national championship teams (1935, 1938), a Heisman Trophy winner (Davey O'Brien, 1938) and four others to finish in the top five in voting (Sammy Baugh, 4th - 1936; Jim Swink, 2nd - 1955; Kenneth Davis, 5th - 1984; LaDainian Tomlinson, 4th - 2000).
•TCU has posted four 10-win campaigns in the past six years and advanced to seven bowl games in the last eight seasons.
A LOOK AHEAD
•TCU has finalized its 2007 non-conference schedule:
Sept. 1 - vs. Baylor
Sept. 8 - at Texas
Sept. 22 - vs. SMU
Oct. 13 - at Stanford
•Three of the Frogs' opponents (Baylor, Texas, SMU) are former Southwest Conference rivals.
•TCU and Stanford will be meeting for the first time in football.
PARKERS MAKE COMMITMENT TO FULLY ENDOW THE TCU TIGHT END POSITION
•TCU Board of Trustee member Ron Parker '76 and his wife, Paula '77, have made a commitment to fully endow an athletic scholarship for the tight end position on the Horned Frog football team.
•This is the first such fully endowed athletic scholarship at TCU. Parker was a two-year letterman (1974-75) at tight end for the Frogs after transferring from Blinn Junior College, where he was named the top male student. He graduated from TCU with a degree in political science.
•Parker is currently senior vice-president of human resources for PepsiCo North America. He oversees all of Frito-Lay North America as well as Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade North America. He also has Pepsi-Cola North America, half of the total PepsiCo Global organization, under his direction.
•Parker is a former member of the Chancellor's Advisory Council, the International Board of Visitors of TCU's Neeley School of Business and the Dallas Regional Council. He also participates in the Black Alumni Alliance and served on The Commission on the Future of TCU.
•Considered by TCU coaches as one of the best all-around players on the team, Parker was a preseason All-Southwest Conference selection in 1975. Parker had 33 receptions and two touchdowns in his TCU career, including 21 catches for 289 yards as a senior in the 1975 campaign.
