The good ... and not so good ... highlight TCU football during ‘usual fall camp’
TCU football coach Gary Patterson has been known to speak his mind on certain subjects but is taking a measured approach when it comes to the upcoming football season.
He isn’t saying anything too high or too low when it comes to the Horned Frogs and 2021.
When asked if his team is flying under the radar after being relegated to the “receiving votes” category in both major polls, Patterson gave a run-of-the-mill answer.
“I don’t know,” he said. “We’re going to find out when we start playing. If you get everybody healthy and you’re playing well, then you see what happens. Just like in ‘17, you’ve got to play yourself into people.”
That 2017 team started the season unranked and finished as the No. 9-ranked team in the country. The Frogs reached the Big 12 championship game that season.
But Patterson isn’t putting those types of expectations on this year’s team. At least not publicly.
For instance, Patterson mentioned the defense likely “won” Wednesday’s scrimmage and added that they had 11 sacks during practice on Tuesday night.
“I don’t know if it’s good or bad,” he said.
Well, the good is the defensive ends are making strides. Patterson raved about that unit headlined by Ochaun Mathis, Khari Coleman and Dylan Horton. Patterson has high hopes for freshmen rushers Chris Murray and Landyn Watson, too.
But that sort of dominance from the pass rush means the offensive tackles are struggling. Patterson feels good about the first-team tackles, left tackle Obinna Eze and right tackle Andrew Coker, but the depth is clearly a concern.
He’d like to see backup tackles Brandon Coleman and Marcus Williams “really come along” the remainder of camp.
“They’re our No. 2 tackles. We’ve got to have guys that can step up,” Patterson said. “They’ve got to keep getting better for us to make it through the season.
“When one side gets better, the other side gets better. That’s how you become a good football team. You have to have competition.”
Patterson addressed most position groups with similar praises and concerns.
At safety, he likes the talent but knows it’s difficult to replace two guys who are now in NFL camps (Trevon Moehrig and Ar’Darius Washington). At linebacker, Dee Winters has stepped up as a leader with Garret Wallow gone. Patterson has also liked what he’s seen from fellow linebackers Wyatt Harris, Zach Marcheselli and Shadrach Banks.
Banks, a Texas A&M transfer, is a former four-star recruit who is transitioning from wide receiver to linebacker.
“He’s going to be a great player,” Patterson said. “He just doesn’t know where he’s going all of the time yet, so we’re getting there.”
Offensively, Patterson said the running back corps has enjoyed a solid camp. He also feels Mississippi State transfer Geor’Quarius Spivey provides versatility at tight end following the losses of Artayvious Lynn and Pro Wells.
“He’s been a pleasant surprise,” he said of Spivey.
Patterson would like the same to be said about TCU’s team once the season is underway. The Horned Frogs have gone just 18-17 the last three seasons, but would like to surprise a few people and return to competing on the biggest stages this year.
For now, as Patterson put it, “It’s the usual fall camp.”
