TCU hopes for return of Slanina, Iloka for OU game

TCU coach Gary Patterson said two players who missed all or part of last week’s game against SMU because of injuries, receiver Ty Slanina and safety Kenny Iloka, may return to action Saturday against Oklahoma.

Patterson said both players, who have been starters in the past, “have an opportunity to get back and be a part of the mix” in Saturday’s showdown between No. 21 TCU (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) and Oklahoma (1-2, 0-1) at Amon G. Carter Stadium (4 p.m., KDFW/Ch. 4).

Slanina started the first two games but did not play against SMU. He has nine catches for 87 yards this season. Iloka, a starter last season before missing the final 11 games because of a knee injury, has played primarily on special teams this season.

Patterson added that center Austin Schlottmann will be “down for a while” after sustaining an injury against SMU. The TCU radio network cited a broken ankle as the reason Schlottmann left the contest.

Scholottmann’s absence shifted Patrick Morris, normally the starting left guard, to center against SMU. It may cause coaches to reconfigure their depth chart at other line positions as well, with Patterson citing right tackle Trey Elliott as someone who “will possibly get back here in two or three weeks” after initially being considered out for the season in fall drills.

“We’ve got to grow some guys up,” Patterson said. “With Austin Schlottmann being down for a while, it doesn’t give us a lot of options of who we can move out there, what we can do.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "TCU hopes for return of Slanina, Iloka for OU game."