TCU Insider: Gary Patterson likes what he’s seen from the pass rush corps
TCU football is flashing signs that it’ll have an elite pass rush this season.
Coach Gary Patterson said the pass rush had 11 sacks during a practice earlier this week and felt the defense got the best of the offense during a scrimmage on Wednesday.
“The ends have come on,” Patterson said.
That starts with Ochaun Mathis, one of the leaders on defense who is coming off an All-Big 12 season 2020. Mathis led the conference in sacks per game (0.9) last season, finishing with a team-leading 9.0 sacks. He also had 14 tackles for loss.
Mathis was recently named to ESPN’s preseason All-America team and is on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award.
Opposite of Mathis will be senior Dylan Horton and sophomore Khari Coleman. Horton worked with the first-team defensive line during the one practice open to media early in camp but Patterson said both Horton and Coleman are “1s.”
Horton, who transferred to TCU from New Mexico before the 2020 season, had one sack in eight games last season. Coleman, meanwhile, was one of the top freshmen in the Big 12, finishing with 15 tackles for loss and being named co-defensive freshman of the year in the league.
TCU has defensive end depth, too. Colt Ellison, the former Aledo standout, is entering his third season and there are two highly touted freshmen on the roster. Chris Murray out of Wichita Falls Hirschi and Landyn Watson out of Hutto have both impressed early in their college careers.
Patterson went as far as comparing Murray to former TCU great L.J. Collier, an All-Big 12 player and first-round NFL Draft pick.
“Chris reminds me of L.J. He’s faster, but not quite as powerful but he’s just a freshman,” Patterson said. “He’s got tremendous upside — him and Landyn both do.”
Along with the edge rushers, Patterson has liked what he’s seen from the interior defensive linemen as well. Corey Bethley returns as a “super senior” after an injury-shortened 2020 and is working his way into game shape.
Other senior defensive tackles on the roster include Terrell Cooper, George Ellis III and UCF transfer Kenny Turnier. Sophomore Earl Barquet is a name to watch, too, as Patterson said he has “probably had the best fall camp of all of them [DTs].”
TCU is just over two weeks away from the season opener against Duquesne on Sept. 4.
Duggan on watch list
TCU junior quarterback Max Duggan has been named to another watch list: the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Duggan threw for 1,795 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions last season. He’s also on the watch lists for the Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award and Manning Award.
