TCU can’t allow Kyle Hicks to take so many hits, Patterson says

TCU ran for 223 yards at 6.0 per carry in the season opener last week. Those are good numbers, but not entirely pleasing for coach Gary Patterson.

“We’ve got to be more physical,” he said.

That means getting people away from Kyle Hicks. The junior running back rushed for 59 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns.

But ...

“He took a lot of hits, I thought,” Patterson said Tuesday at his weekly media luncheon. “Harder hits than what you want your running back to take when you’ve got it all spread out. We’ve got to get to where he doesn’t take the hits.”

The Horned Frogs went to lengths to protect Hicks during fall camp, Patterson said. They kept him away from contact when they could, a nod to his value in experience and as a runner and receiver. His four catches gave him 19 touches for 96 yards against South Dakota State.

“He’s a lot different than any of the rest of our tailbacks right now,” Patterson said. “You couldn’t take a chance of losing him.”

Backup running back Shaun Nixon missed 2014 with a knee injury and is missing 2016 with a knee injury again.

Patterson said TCU took a similar approach with Aaron Green last year. He was limited in spring practice because of a groin injury and held back in the fall, and Patterson said it took him until Week 4 to be up to speed.

“It took him about three ballgames, really kind of the end of the Texas Tech game before he really started playing,” Patterson said. “So hopefully it’ll be one game sooner for Kyle.”

All five running backs saw action. Derrick Green and Trevorris Johnson were first in the rotation behind Hicks, then Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua got carries to run out the clock in the fourth quarter. Olonilua picked up 21 yards on his first carry.

Patterson complimented the 234-pound Green for getting in shape quickly after transferring from Michigan just two weeks before the start of fall camp.

“All of them have their own specialty,” Patterson said. “All of them will bring something to the table. It was good to get all of them in and get a couple of runs.”

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 5:02 PM with the headline "TCU can’t allow Kyle Hicks to take so many hits, Patterson says."