TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson remains questionable for Alamo Bowl
TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson is still a question mark for the Alamo Bowl, coach Gary Patterson said Friday.
The Associated Press first-team All-American and Biletnikoff Award finalist will have pins removed from his broken left arm this week, which will give a much clearer indication whether he will be able to return, Patterson said.
He gets a chance to showcase one last game.
TCU coach Gary Patterson on quarterback Trevone Boykin
Doctson, who leads the nation in receiving yards per game with 132.7, missed the final two games of the season after having surgery to repair the arm.
Because of finals, Doctson’s presence around practice has been sparse, Patterson said, but the senior was on the sideline Friday with his arm still in a sling.
Patterson said senior quarterback Trevone Boykin will be 100 percent for the Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl versus Oregon in San Antonio.
The Horned Frogs only practiced on the weekends surrounding TCU’s finals, which took place this past week, so rest and treatment has played the biggest part in Boykin’s recovery, Patterson said.
The senior from Mesquite was a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, finishing second in the nation in total offense, averaging 380.6 yards per game.
“He gets a chance to showcase one last game,” Patterson said. “I always tell them bowl games are résumé games for seniors. It’s a chance for people to watch them against, usually, a good competition player they are going to play against.”
Cross leaving
TCU co-defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross, who helped the Horned Frogs remake themselves on the fly at linebacker this season, is headed to Missouri to be defensive coordinator.
He will join the staff of former Missouri teammate Barry Odom, but will stay with the Frogs through the bowl game.
Cross coached linebackers for three seasons at TCU, where he arrived in 2013 from coaching linebackers at Kansas. He and Chad Glasgow were elevated to co-defensive coordinators in February this year after the retirement of Dick Bumpas.
“DeMontie knows how we do things here in evaluating and recruiting to off-season work to how we expect to practice and everything,” Patterson said “I think that’s one of the reasons you’ll keep seeing people eventually wanting TCU people, the success and being able to do it sometimes with less.”
Patterson said the search for Cross’ replacement has already begun, but that Glasgow would take over all defensive coordinator responsibilities for next season.
JC signees
After signing four junior college transfers, Patterson said TCU might not be done, waiting on one more target to make his decision.
With just four signees — wide receiver Taj Williams, offensive lineman Chris Gaynor Jr., defensive end Mat Boesen and linebacker Tyree Horton — TCU will have one of its biggest JUCO transfer classes in the Patterson era.
“We’re not big into that,” Patterson said. “We have so many young players, with 30 freshmen, it’s good for us to go out and find an older guy, especially being able to come in the spring.”
Staff writer Carlos Mendez contributed to this report.
Valero Alamo Bowl
TCU vs. Oregon
5:45 p.m. Jan. 2, Alamodome (San Antonio)
This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 9:13 PM with the headline "TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson remains questionable for Alamo Bowl."