The perfectionist always sees the imperfection, even if he's happy with the result.
TCU coach Gary Patterson, the day after perhaps his greatest coaching performance, a 36-35 win at Boise State, was seeing the cracks in the canvas.
"We still didn't play our best game," he said after the Frogs (8-2, 5-0 in the Mountain West) practiced Sunday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium. "We gave up too many plays on defense, but it was a good football team and we won.
"But we're still the worst 8-2 team that I know."
That last line was said with a laugh and some humor. But only a little. A play here or there, just as in the Frogs' two losses, and the outcome is different. TCU, which entered the BCS standings (No. 19) for the first time this season, hosts Colorado State (3-6, 1-3) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
"The kids fought their tails off, but because of our growing-up process we still have things we can get a lot better at," he said, before acknowledging the beauty of his latest masterpiece.
"Nobody has gone [to Boise], in a long time, and won," he said. "We'll see how long it takes before somebody else goes and wins. It's a hard place to play."
Pachall honored
Quarterback Casey Pachall was selected the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 473 yards and five touchdowns against Boise State. It's the second-most yards by a TCU quarterback and tied the record for touchdown passes in a game.
His fifth TD pass came with 1:05 left and precede his game-winning 2-point conversion pass. Pachall was responsible for 34 points, tying for the fourth-best single-game total in TCU history.
"I wasn't really worried about any [passing] records," said Pachall, who is on course to set single-season records in several categories. "I just wanted to get the ball to the playmakers and let them make the plays. We have a ton of playmakers and they are capable of doing anything. I just need to get the ball out of my hand into theirs."
Pachall, a sophomore, moved up to sixth in the nation in passing efficiency (167.2), the highest ranked non-senior or junior. He has thrown for 2,413 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions, with three games left. Andy Dalton set TCU records for yards (2,857) and touchdown passes (27) last year in 13 games.
Staying with the Frog
The last time TCU lost a game with the Horned Frog logo on its helmets was at Utah in 2008. In the Frogs' two losses this season they were wearing Frogless helmets. In the Fiesta Bowl after the 2009 season? No Frog. Gary Patterson is aware of the trend.
"That's why we went back to the Frog," he said. "Because I'm a superstitious sucker."
Related stories from Fort Worth Star Telegram
Moving up
WR Brandon Carter: The former Euless Trinity star had a breakout day with 120 yards and two touchdown receptions, including an acrobatic 25-yarder in the end zone to set up the Frogs' go-ahead 2-point conversion.
Moving down
Turnovers (again): For the second week in a row, TCU was lucky that turnovers didn't blow its chances at Boise State. The Frogs had five last week at Wyoming and two against the Broncos, including a momentum-shifting fumble returned for a score to start the second half. TCU recovered three other of its own fumbles.
Up next: TCU vs. Colorado State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Versus
Stefan Stevenson
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