This is TCU’s backup plan at QB if something were to happen to new starter Muehlstein

TCU has seen its top two quarterbacks go down with injuries, leaving the team’s bowl dreams in the hands of fifth-year senior Grayson Muehlstein going into Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State.

If something were to happen to Muehlstein, well, the Frogs would be in trouble.

Just ask coach Gary Patterson who his backup quarterback is going into the regular-season finale.

“Myself,” Patterson said, with a slight chuckle on the Big 12 football coaches teleconference Monday.

But that’s the situation TCU finds itself in.

Prized freshman recruit Justin Rogers does not sound like an option. He is still dealing with a drop-foot condition even though he’s listed behind Muehlstein on the depth chart.

“Justin Rogers is there, but he’s not completely where we need him to be,” Patterson said.

Besides Muehlstein, the only healthy quarterbacks on the roster are walk-ons Karson Ringdahl and Grant Beucler.

“They’ll probably have to take some reps [in practice] just because of the game,” Patterson said. “But we’re down to our last broken heart.”

Muehlstein may be the last broken heart left, but he’s also a feel-good story for the Frogs.

This is a fifth-year senior who has waited patiently for an opportunity and it came in the most unlikely moment in the most unlikely season.

Even Muehlstein didn’t know if he’d spend his entire college career without a moment coming like it did Saturday in Waco.

“I didn’t know. After five years, I was like, ‘All right, is it ever going to come?’” Muehlstein said. “Kind of a while to wait for something like this. I guess in the back of my head, I always thought I’d be able to get in and play, at least at some point.”

Muehlstein didn’t disappoint as TCU went on to a 16-9 victory over Baylor to keep its faint bowl hopes alive going into the regular-season finale.

Muehlstein finished the game 11-for-15 passing for 137 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He entered the game with just one completion in his college career, coming in this year’s season-opener against Southern.

Muehlstein earned the respect of his teammates for his performance.

“It’s so hard whenever you go through everything and sometimes your name never gets called,” senior defensive end Ben Banogu said. “Today, we needed him and for him to step up and do everything he could to give us an opportunity win the game. That speaks volumes about the type of person he is, the type of character he has and the leader he is.

“I’m really proud of him, the team is proud of him and we’re hoping we can go home and play our last game on Senior Night and finish this thing off right.”

Muehlstein appeared in three games last season, rushing four times for 23 yards in games against Jackson State, Kansas and Baylor. He played once as a sophomore in 2016 (against Baylor) and as a redshirt freshman in 2015 (against Stephen F. Austin).

But Muehlstein always prepared as though his moment might come. Sure, he had nerves when Collins went down with an injury in the first quarter, but those settled once he got under center.

“I was like, ‘All right, well, I’ve got to go step up,’” Muehlstein said. “I was ready, mentally focused, ready to take control if I had to.”

It marked the first meaningful snaps Muehlstein had taken at quarterback since his high school days at Decatur. This is a player who came to TCU as the No. 4-ranked quarterback in the state and No. 31 nationally.

Muehlstein earned District 9-3A co-offensive MVP honors as a senior at Decatur, and was a three-star recruit by 247Sports.

But he’s found himself buried on the depth chart at TCU. He ran the scout team the first two seasons, and played sparingly until Saturday. Now TCU is putting its 2018 season on him going into the Oklahoma State game.

He’ll be working with the first-team offense. He’ll be the man who TCU designs its play-calling and offense around.

“Very exciting,” Muehlstein said. “I’ve never gone through a full week with the ones in practice. That’ll be cool. Senior Day at home. It’ll be exciting. It’ll be fun.”

Let’s just hope the coach doesn’t have to see game action.

“I’m starting to work out a bunch,” Patterson said, jokingly.

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 12:31 PM.