TCU expects defensive rebuilding to be difficult in spring

TCU starts the work of developing a new defense when spring practice starts Saturday, and it might be rough going for a while.

Not because the defense has to replace six starters, necessarily, but because of what’s on the other side of the ball.

“We’re going to be able to develop faster on defense, even though we may get pounded early, because we’re going to play against a higher-level offense,” coach Gary Patterson said. “It’s definitely going to be a baptism by fire because of what our offense can do.”

What the offense can do is well-documented — quarterback Trevone Boykin threw for a school-record 3,901 yards and 33 touchdowns for the nation’s fifth-highest scoring team last season, resulting in a 12-1 record that included a co-Big 12 championship and the biggest blowout in Peach Bowl history.

But defense is where TCU has traditionally made its name, and that is where Patterson and new defensive co-coordinators Chad Glasgow and DeMontie Cross will spend a lot of the spring under the hood.

They have to find two linebackers to replace All-American Paul Dawson and Marcus Mallet, each 100-plus tackle producers, and the smarts of senior cornerback Kevin White and fifth-year safety Sam Carter, plus the playmaking of junior safety Chris Hackett, who surprised the Horned Frogs by declaring for the NFL.

Not to mention high-motor defensive tackle Chucky Hunter.

They are all gone, but they won’t be the only holes in spring. Defensive end Mike Tuaua will miss the 15 spring practices because of a shoulder injury.

So there is work to do. But Patterson, speaking to reporters this week ahead of the start of the spring practice, didn’t hide his optimism.

“We’ve got a chance to be more athletic in the secondary than we were,” he said. “But are they as smart? You had a secondary of guys that picked 65 balls in three seasons. Can these learn it and manage it and do it and have the same success? We’ve got a chance to be a better-tackling, better-blitzing and better-man-coverage team. But will they play together? Because those other guys played a lot of football together.”

In the secondary, Derrick Kindred will return with the most experience among the safeties. Patterson said Denzel Johnson, Travin Howard and George Baltimore will get the first shot at Carter’s position, and Kenny Iloka and Ridwan Issahaku, a converted cornerback, will get a shot at the other spot.

Patterson liked the way Ranthony Texada emerged as a freshman starter at cornerback last year, so one spot might be nailed down. For the other, there are lots of candidates — early enrollee DeShawn Raymond, a four-star cornerback from Louisiana; Corry O’Meally, Torrance Mosely and Nick Orr, who all played in spot duty last season; track star Kolby Griffin; and perhaps receivers Deante’ Gray and Cameron Echols-Luper.

“They’ve had a chance to grow up,” Patterson said. “You’ve just got to find out if they’re athletes or football players.”

At linebacker, early enrollees Mike Freeze and Alec Dunham will get a look, along with veterans Sammy Douglas, Paul Whitmill and Ty Summers, a former quarterback who missed last season with a shoulder injury.

But there could be a surprise candidate. Patterson said he wants to get all of the strong safeties, including signee Montrel Wilson, into the mix for third-team reps at linebacker.

“To be honest with you, I’m very excited about all our young linebackers,” Patterson said. “And don’t be surprised if we find a qualifier out there in the JUCO ranks, like we did with Paul Dawson.”

The defensive line has the most returning experience. Defensive ends Josh Carraway, James McFarland, Mike Tuaua, Terrell Lathan and Bryson Henderson are back, although Lathan could move inside. The Horned Frogs missed out on five-star recruit Daylon Mack, but they have so many numbers at DT — Davion Pierson, Tevin Lawson, Chris Bradley and Aaron Curry, who sat out last season after transferring from Nebraska.

There are also high hopes for Casey McDermott, a former defensive end who has moved to nose guard and has “as good a bullrush as anybody we’ve ever had here,” Patterson said.

There are 15 practices, beginning Saturday and ending with a spring game on April 10, to make sure of as much of it as possible.

This story was originally published February 26, 2015 at 2:03 PM with the headline "TCU expects defensive rebuilding to be difficult in spring."