Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Nike To Become More Visible at TCU?
If you aren’t reading Chris Del Conte’s “Notes on a Scorecard” you should be. Every week Del Conte drops knowledge that all TCU fans should know, and this week isn’t any different. This editions news nugget is about Nike…
Our special relationship with Nike will soon become more visible throughout our athletics program, especially facilities and uniforms for all our sports programs. Nike representatives have been on campus to observe how to best brand our product. We are very fortunate and grateful to be an elite partner of Nike.
So what does that mean you ask? I am not totally sure. Off the top of my head I believe all sports teams at TCU already wear Nike uniforms and apparel. I think the part that is most telling is that Del Conte mentioned that Nike will be more visible in TCU’s facilities. More Nike swooshes on the wall? Nike swooshes inside the new stadium? A big Nike Swoosh on the outside of the new weight room? Who knows!
I am glad that TCU is developing a closer relationship with Nike. Hopefully for the fans it means more Horned Frog apparel will be made available for purchase.
Andy Dalton's Draft Stock Continues to Rise
Andy Dalton’s draft stock has been rising since the NFL combine and TCU’s Pro Day might have propelled him into the first round of the draft. I haven’t seen many negative comments about Dalton lately and some of the recent mock drafts show that the former TCU QB is a hot commodity.
Don Banks of SI.com released the 4th version of his mock draft today and had Dalton going 25th to Seattle. Banks wrote “I'm admittedly reading some tea leaves here, but before it's all said and done, I think the steady, if unspectacular, Dalton comes to be viewed as the most likely prospect to be the third quarterback off the board -- ahead of even Jake Locker, Ryan Mallett, Christian Ponder and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper JR. has Dalton listed as the 4th best QB available in this year’s draft.
SportingNews.com wrote that the struggles of Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett could benefit Dalton. “Dalton, meanwhile, has the intangibles NFL teams love, very good athleticism and a strong arm. Combine those qualities with the throwing ability he displayed at his pro day and Dalton is on the rise. He could end up being drafted ahead of Mallett or Locker or both.”
ESPN’s Todd McShay is one of the few who does a mock draft for the 2nd round of the draft, but he has Dalton going at #43 to the Vikings.
Not bad projections for a guy most analysts were saying would probably go in the 3rd or 4th round.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday TCU Football Quick Hits
Here are a couple of TCU football quick hitters for you today.
We start with an update on Josh Boyce. Boyce sustained an ankle injury last week and was held out of practice on Monday according to the Star-Telegram.
Also, Stephen Spiewak of CBSMaxPreps.com tweeted this yesterday.
Apparently April 22nd is Gray’s birthday. It is something to keep your eyes on…
Pac-12 to Play Games on Sunday?
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott could be on to something here. Scott says he has given thought to potentially playing some of the Pac-12 games on Sunday this season depending on how the NFL lockout plays out.
That's why Scott has given thought to playing some of his league's games on Sundays this fall should the NFL season not be played because of labor strife.
"We certainly are monitoring the situation," Scott said. "We have no plans in place at this time, but you want to be prepared and consider all options. Still, these labor situations have a way of getting done the closer they get to a critical situation."
I think this is a great idea. If there is no NFL, people will be feigning for football on Sundays. Why not give them the option of checking out a Pac-12 game? Only issue I could see causing a problem is the TV networks. This NFL lockout will probably linger on for a while, so what is the latest they could change the date of a game? If in September we find out there will be no NFL season, is that enough time to switch some games from Saturday to Sunday?
If the NFL doesn’t compete this season, it’s a prime opportunity for college football to showcase their product. I also think that websites like ESPN.com and Yahoo.com should start working on a better fantasy college football product. If there is no NFL this season, I will have to find my fantasy football fix somewhere.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Three Frogs Named Preseason All-Americans
From TCU Media Relations: TCU linebacker Tank Carder is a first-team choice, while fellow linebacker Tanner Brock and tailback Ed Wesley are honorable-mention selections on the 2011 GoDaddy.com Preseason All-America Team.
Carder and Brock, who comprise the linebacking duo in TCU's 4-2-5 defensive scheme, are two of six returning defensive starters for the Horned Frogs.
Carder was named to five All-America teams last season, including first-team honors by the American Football Coaches Association and ESPN.com. He was also the Rose Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player in TCU's 21-19 victory over Wisconsin.
A rising senior from Sweeny, Texas, Carder has been instrumental in TCU leading the nation in total defense each of the last three seasons. He posted 60 tackles last year, including 9 1/2 for loss. He totaled 3 1/2 sacks, five pass breakups and an interception.
In the Rose Bowl, Carder broke up the Badgers' potential game-tying 2-point pass with exactly two minutes to play. He totaled six tackles in the contest, including three for loss with a sack.
After TCU took a 21-13 lead on its opening possession of the second half, Wisconsin drove to the Horned Frogs' 37 on its ensuring series. On a third-and-6, Carder recorded a sack for an 8-yard loss.
Brock led TCU with 106 tackles, 26 more than the next-closest Horned Frog. He wss a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection. The junior from Copperas Cove, Texas, recorded a career-high 12 tackles and an interception in TCU's 47-7 win at Utah. He added nine stops in the Rose Bowl.
Wesley, a 2010 Doak Walker Award semifinalist, was a first-team All-MWC pick. With 1,078 yards rushing, he became the first Horned Frog since 2003 to top 1,000 yards. The junior from Irving, Texas, scored a team-best 11 touchdowns. He ran for a career-high 209 yards in a 38-7 victory over Air Force.