Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Frogs Return to Practice
From TCU Media Relations: The TCU football team, set to make its Big 12 debut this fall, begins spring practice Friday at 4 p.m.
TCU's 15 practices will conclude April 5. The Horned Frogs will have 10 practices before taking a week off for Spring Break (March 19-23) and then holding its final five workouts. A Spring Game is TBA.
The Horned Frogs return 11 starters (six offensive, five defensive) and 42 of 64 lettermen from last season's 11-2 team that was ranked 13th by USA Today and 14th by the Associated Press in season-ending polls.
Record-setting quarterback Casey Pachall returns to lead the TCU offense. The rising junior from Brownwood, Texas, broke Andy Dalton's single-season records for completions (228), completion percentage (66.5) and yards passing (2,921) in 2011. Pachall’s 25 touchdown passes ranked second in Horned Frog history behind only Dalton (27, 2010). Pachall finished 12th in the nation in passing efficiency (158.0) and third among non-seniors or juniors.
TCU is the only team in the nation to return three players who rushed for at least 700 yards last season in tailbacks Waymon James (875), Ed Wesley (726) and Matthew Tucker (702).
Led by All-America candidate Josh Boyce, TCU welcomes back three of its top-four receivers from a year ago. Boyce totaled 61 receptions, 998 yards and nine touchdown catches. He was two yards shy of just the second 1,000-yard season in TCU history. Boyce has 15 touchdown catches in two years, leaving him only three scoring grabs shy of becoming TCU’s career leader.
Right guard Blaize Foltz and center James Fry are the returning starters on the TCU offensive line. Foltz, a first-team all-conference selection last season, has a bench press of 580 pounds and a squat of 800.
The Horned Frogs, who have led the nation in total defense five times in the last 12 seasons, showed steady improvement throughout the 2011 campaign. Over the last 11 games, TCU allowed just 321.5 yards per game, a mark that would have placed 17th nationally for the season.
Stansly Maponga is an All-America candidate at defensive end. The rising junior from Carrollton, Texas, was tabbed by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football as the State’s Best Defensive Lineman in 2011. Maponga, who was born in Zimbabwe and moved to the United States when he was 8, led TCU with 13 1/2 tackles for loss, nine sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He was one of just four players in the nation to rank in the top 10 in forced fumbles and top 25 in sacks.
With a team-best 72 stops, Kenny Cain became the fourth different starting linebacker in the last four seasons to top TCU in tackles. Cornerback Jason Verrett, an all-conference selection in 2011, headlines the returnees in the secondary.
TCU's average ranking of 7.3 in the final AP poll over the last four seasons ranks third nationally behind only Alabama (4.5) and Oregon (7.0). TCU is also one of just four programs (Alabama, Boise State, Oregon) to finish in the top 15 of both the AP and USA Today polls over the last four campaigns.
TCU is the only school to win at least 11 games in six of the last seven seasons and one of just three programs (Florida, Utah) to win at least six bowl games in that stretch. The Horned Frogs are also 4-1 in their last five games against top-five ranked opponents.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Is This The New TCU Horned Frog Logo?
Well, since it has finally leaked (props to SpitBlood), I figured I would post this picture I received of the new TCU Logo. I had been sitting on it, but now is better than ever. As you can see it is pretty much identical to the one posted over there with a couple small differences.
TCU has been working with Nike on rebranding as the Frogs head into the Big 12. If you go back to 2011, Chris Del Conte mentioned it in one of his chats he hosted on GoFrogs.com. This is what I have been told is the new Horned Frog logo.(To clarify, this is a rough draft of the logo but you get the idea. The final version will be crisper and have more detail)
I don’t really care for it. It looks more like a Komodo Dragon than a Horned Frog, but I’m still waiting to give my final judgment. I just don’t see how that logo would look good on a helmet. Hopefully they just use the arched TCU logo on the helmets.*Edit*I'm told the new Frog won't be on the helmets.*
I can also confirm that this picture below of a gray TCU jersey posted by a recruit is in fact a jersey TCU will have in 2012. There will also be gray pants as well.
Spring Depth Chart Notes
TCU’s 2012 Spring Football Guide is out and yesterday I posted the spring depth chart. Here are a few notes I noticed from looking at it closer.
- The Frogs bring back 6 offensive starters (although 11 different players on that side of the ball have started at least one game in their Horned Frog career) and 5 defensive starters from last season.
- Offensive Starters Returning: WR Josh Boyce, WR Skye Dawson, OG Blaize Foltz, C James Fry, QB Casey Pachall, TB Ed Wesley. Defensive Starters Returning: LB Kenny Cain, DE Ross Forrest, DT David Johnson, DE Stansly Maponga, CB Jason Verrett
- TCU had 14 different defensive players make their first collegiate start in a game last season and that trend will probably continue in 2012 as there are 21 sophomores or younger on the defensive depth chart.
- The Frogs only have one starting offensive lineman under 300 pounds and that’s center James Fry who is listed at 290.
- As I said yesterday, I can’t wait to see what Deryck Gildon and Kenny Cain can do at the LB positions.
- Not sure why Marcus Mallet is 4th on the depth chart at MLB and why Austin Terry and Greg Burks aren’t listed at all.
- I’m interested to see what Tayo Fabuluje can do at right tackle.
- Hopefully Ryan DeNucci doesn’t bring about any headaches in the kicking game. It is also disappointing to see the TCU punter listed at a measly 185 pounds…
Monday, February 20, 2012
TCU 2012 Spring Depth Chart
- It’s weird not to see Ross Evans next to the “PK position.”
- It appears that Deryck Gildon and Kenny Cain will be the starting linebackers and I am just fine with that. I think both of those guys will become solid players for this defense.
To see the rest of the TCU Spring Football Guide, CLICK HERE.
(Click on the image to view larger and more clear)
Bengals Add Another Former Frog
The Cincinnati Bengals have decided to add another former Horned Frog to their roster to go along with QB Andy Dalton. The Bengals signed free agent RB Aaron Brown who spent most of last season with the Lions.
Running back Aaron Brown, who played his college ball at Texas Christian and played in 22 games with the Detroit Lions from 2009-11, signed Friday with the Bengals.
He was a free agent, and is classified as a third-year NFL player for this season.
Brown, 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, was a sixth-round draft choice by the Lions in 2009.
He started two games with Detroit. In his 22 games with them, he had 44 rushes for 189 yards (4.3 average) and 18 catches for 129 yards (7.2 average), with one receiving touchdown.