TCU

#TellMeCarlos: Where are the TCU football all-star game invites?

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley and TCU linebacker Travin Howard share a word after the Big 12 championship game Dec. 2 at AT&T Stadium. Howard was a 2014 signee of TCU, when he was a three-star recruit.
Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley and TCU linebacker Travin Howard share a word after the Big 12 championship game Dec. 2 at AT&T Stadium. Howard was a 2014 signee of TCU, when he was a three-star recruit. TNS

Happy Friday and 10th day before Christmas. Hope you’re in good shape there.

Me? Not so much.

But no matter. Let’s spend some time with TCU questions in a new weekly feature #TellMeCarlos. Tweet or email, and we’ll dig in every Friday.

Not making the dance. Can you believe it? That’s suddenly the standard for a team that hasn’t been to the NCAAs in 20 years? But yeah, that’s reality. This TCU team is good enough for at least that. That was true last year — just one more win down the stretch in conference, instead of a weird-as-heck seven-game losing streak, would have done it. Betcha that’s not a problem this time.

The laptop is family. So yes. Still need to find something to put under the tree for it, though.

Via email, John Daley says #TellMeCarlos: Why have so few TCU players — especially on the defensive side of the ball — been invited to All Star games (Senior Bowl, Shrine, NFLPA) particularly Ranthony Texada, Nick Orr and Travin Howard. Texada has to be a top-10 corner in the country. Howard, we know is a TCU legend, and Orr has NFL pedigree in his family. And will this impact their ability to be in the NFL combine? All three of these kids earned the right for both the All Star games and combine.

It’s still early. Last year, Josh Carraway announced his Senior Bowl invite and acceptance on Jan. 18. That game needs 110 players, and they’re at about 80 right now. They’ve got a watch list on their web site that lists Kyle Hicks, Joseph Noteboom, Austin Schlottman and Taj Williams. Those guys are also on the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl watch list, plus Howard, Orr and Texada, plus long snapper Lucas Gravelle. Keep checking those games’ web sites or follow them on Twitter. The Senior Bowl is really good about tweeting updates. Will it affect their ability to be in the NFL Combine? Not at all. The pro scouts know who they want to see and make that known.

Via email, Kevin Wright says #Tell Me Carlos: Love your work! Is there a better trio of head coaches (CoachP, Jamie, & Schloss) at a university currently? Which will be the first to win a national championship?

Well, I’ve taken zero time to look at everybody else’s big three. But If I took the Patterson-Dixon-Schlossnagle combined record of 1,210-512 (.703) and shopped it around, I think I’d be OK. First one to win a national championship? Schloss has been the closest, so he’s your best bet if you roll that way.

More next week. Meet me here!

Carlos Mendez: 817-390-7760, @calexmendez

This story was originally published December 15, 2017 at 12:23 PM with the headline "#TellMeCarlos: Where are the TCU football all-star game invites?."

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