TCU’s Kenny Hill was intercepted at practice. Gary Patterson liked his reaction

Senior quarterback Kenny Hill wrapped up a strong three weeks, and freshman backup Shawn Robinson could benefit from the next stage of training, coach Gary Patterson told reporters Friday as the Horned Frogs broke fall camp.

“I think Kenny is playing as well as we’ve ever seen him play,” Patterson said. “Now he’s just got to do it in a ballgame. That’s how everybody gets judged.”

Patterson likes to say he judges quarterbacks only on Saturdays, but he watches their responses in practice. He said Hill was intercepted in the last scrimmage and bounced back.

“It didn’t bother him,” he said. “He came back and did what he needed to do. Now he’s got to do that in a game, handle adversity. I think that’s what all the great quarterbacks do. You’ve got to handle adversity.”

Robinson, who led DeSoto High School to a state title last year, finished the three-week camp “ahead of schedule,” Patterson said.

“But he’ll come along more because now you’re not working on four game plans, you’re only working on one game plan,” Patterson said. “All the younger players are going to become a lot better when they get down to one game plan, instead of every time you walk out to a walk-through you’re working on Arkansas or working on Oklahoma State or working on Kansas State or Jackson State.”

The team will scrimmage Saturday. Classes at TCU begin Monday. The season opener is Sept. 2 against Jackson State.

Practice notes

▪ Patterson said senior Ridwan Issahaku has moved to the front in the competition for the strong safety position. Innis Gaines has been limited by injury.

▪ Mat Boesen is more likely to be a starter at defensive end ahead of Ty Summers, in part because Summers has not been able to practice this week, Patterson said.

▪ Freshman receiver Jalen Reagor had his foot stepped on this week and has missed practice time, Patterson said.

▪ Kicker Brandon Ritchie is going to rest his leg for a week. “He wasn’t ready for kicking every day in camp like the rest of the guys that went through a summer kicking,” Patterson said. He added that Cole Bunce was the only kicker who made a long field goal Friday.

▪ At weak safety, freshman Kerry Johnson is pushing Vernon Scott for the backup spot, Patterson said.

▪ Offensive tackle Quazzel White enrolled and will start practice Monday, Patterson said.

▪ The team motto this year is “Eyes Up, Keep Climbing,” Patterson said. “It’s got a couple of different meanings. It’s got an underlying meaning and an overlying meaning,” he said.

This story was originally published August 18, 2017 at 9:26 PM with the headline "TCU’s Kenny Hill was intercepted at practice. Gary Patterson liked his reaction."