TCU linebacker Freeze taking ‘leave of absence,’ leaving Frogs without both starters
One day after announcing the loss of a starting linebacker for the season, TCU announced the loss of another.
True freshman Mike Freeze is taking a “personal leave of absence” of undetermined length, coach Gary Patterson said after practice Wednesday.
That leaves the Horned Frogs without either of their starting linebackers at Minnesota last week. Junior Sammy Douglas played only two series before leaving that game injured and is out for the season.
“I have no idea,” said Patterson, who learned of Freeze’s decision Tuesday. “Personal reasons.”
Asked how long the leave lasts, Patterson said, “I don’t know. Maybe forever.”
The move, though, is not related to discipline, Patterson said.
“I had nothing to do with it,” Patterson said. “It was personal. It wasn’t me.”
Asked if the news surprised him, Patterson said, “What do you think?”
For Patterson, it’s another unexpected hurdle on his side of the ball in the season’s first week.
He also said Wednesday that defensive end James McFarland will undergo surgery next week for a broken toe, which happened when he stepped on a sprinkler head.
Already, the Horned Frogs are missing defensive tackle Davion Pierson, their most experienced returning player with 31 starts, to an unannounced injury. No return date has been given for him.
“It’ll be interesting,” Patterson said, asked how the season plays out with the loss of four defensive starters. “Some days, some years, it all goes according to plan. And some years it doesn’t. They pay me to make sure whatever it does, I do what I’m supposed to do.”
Patterson has already made contingency moves.
Converted fullback Paul Whitmill has moved back to linebacker. Safeties Montrel Wilson and Travin Howard have been moved to linebacker, and Wilson worked with the first team this week.
At defensive end, redshirt freshman L.J. Collier and true freshmen Breylin Mitchell and Tipa Galea’i will get audition time this week against Stephen F. Austin.
“We’ll be fine,” Patterson said. “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve been enjoying coaching this group probably as much as I’ve enjoyed coaching any group. We’re down numbers, but they’re working hard, and every week, we’re better than we were a week ago. So you just keep hammering.”
Patterson was reluctant to put emphasis on the Freeze departure.
“You decide that you’ve got to have somebody within your program, what you’re saying is all the rest of them aren’t important,” Patterson said.
So the Horned Frogs’ depth will be tested.
They have two nonconference home games against Stephen F. Austin on Saturday and SMU on Sept. 19 to evaluate it before the Big 12 schedule begins at Texas Tech.
“I don’t know if we have depth. We’re going to find out,” Patterson said. “Right now, there’s nowhere that’s real deep. The guys, they’ll practice and we’ll do it. They’ve got 11 ballgames.”
Carlos Mendez, 817-390-7407
Twitter: @calexmendez
This story was originally published September 9, 2015 at 9:09 PM with the headline "TCU linebacker Freeze taking ‘leave of absence,’ leaving Frogs without both starters."