Patterson says TCU talented, but a .500 team at present
TCU coach Gary Patterson said his team has the potential to accomplish everything it wants this season, but also to be less than expected.
“I don’t think it’s fair to the fans or anybody else in the nation to say TCU’s ready to go be the No. 2 or No. 3 team in the nation,” Patterson said after a “Mock Game” on Saturday that he called the worst of his career. “Right now, we’re not there. Can we be? Yes.”
Patterson said injuries and inexperience held the Horned Frogs back in their preparation. Receiver Josh Doctson has practiced “only about four days” in camp, Patterson said, and he labeled receiver Deante’ Gray “between questionable and doubtful” for the season opener at Minnesota.
Patterson has not disclosed Doctson’s injury because he doesn’t want to alert Minnesota. Gray had knee surgery in the spring.
Cornerback Torrance Mosley (groin), defensive tackle Davion Pierson (undisclosed) and linebacker Montrel Wilson (undisclosed) have also been limited or missed practice time. Defensive end James McFarland was wearing a walking boot on Saturday. Patterson said earlier in camp that defensive end Mike Tuaua was in a walking boot.
“We’re talented. But right now, this team’s about a .500 football team,” Patterson said. “Because of the injuries, there’s guys that possibly won’t play. And guys that have got to grow up. We’re just awful young. In the next two weeks, we’ve got to pay a lot of attention to detail.”
Patterson said if Saturday’s “Meet the Frogs” autograph session wasn’t already scheduled, he would have had the team do its Mock Game over.
“That’s how bad it was,” he said. “The whole thing over — another hour and a half.”
The Horned Frogs are No. 2 in the USA Today coaches poll. The AP poll debuts on Sunday. TCU has never started higher than No. 6 in the AP rankings.
“Is the potential here to do everything we want to do? Yes,” Patterson said. “There’s also the potential to be .500 or less.”
Luper departure
Patterson said Cameron Echols-Luper is transferring because he wanted a fresh start.
The junior receiver, who returned all but two punts last season for the Horned Frogs, is headed to Arkansas State to play quarterback.
“Only caught nine balls last year. Wanted a bigger role. So he changed places,” Patterson said. “Wants to play quarterback. He’s going. Good family, good kid.”
Patterson said the Horned Frogs now have to get a freshman punt returner ready, although he declined to specify who. Last week, he praised the work of KaVontae Turpin.
“You’re going to have a freshman, and you guys know, in first ballgames, you’ve got to get yourself ready to go,” Patterson said. “Little things like that. Got to get ready. Got to be better and understand what you’ve got to do.”
Patterson said of special teams as a whole, “We’re not where we need to be.”
Camp positives
Patterson said several players have had strong camps, including receiver Ja’Juan Story, who got extra work in the spring when Doctson was out with a broken hand.
“Ja’Juan Story’s had an unbelievable camp,” Patterson said. “Peanut [safety Derrick Kindred] has had an unbelievable camp. Joey Hunt’s had a great camp. Offensive line might be the best offensive line we’ve had in a while, how they work together, how they do things.
“And when we’re running and we know what we’re doing, we’re probably the fastest defense we’ve had in a long, long time. But if you’re running in the wrong direction, it doesn’t matter.”
CB takeaways
Patterson has noticed takeaway skills from the cornerbacks in camp.
He said the group has eight, compared with none in last year’s preseason practices.
“Better ball skills, better understanding, better all of it? Yeah,” he said.
Patterson said the secondary in all has 20 interceptions during camp.
“You start asking yourself, well, was that backup quarterbacks or was that Trevone?” he said. “And I’d tell you it’s about 50-50.”
Less NC talk
Patterson understands that his team is involved in national championship discussions, but he’d rather be listening to Minnesota discussions.
“This is an opportunity for them to shoot their program where they want to be,” he said of the Gophers and coach Jerry Kill. “We’ve got too many people talking national championship. They’re just talking about TCU. We need to be talking about Minnesota. And we’re trying. We need to be talking about Minnesota.”
Patterson said the remaining seven practices before the game will be devoted largely to Minnesota. In camp, he has said the Horned Frogs have been working on both Minnesota and Texas Tech, the conference-opening opponent.
Carlos Mendez: 817-390-7407, @calexmendez
This story was originally published August 22, 2015 at 3:41 PM with the headline "Patterson says TCU talented, but a .500 team at present."