OPPOSING COACH'S TAKE
"Trevone Boykin was absolutely tremendous at getting out of bad plays, and they won't have that dynamic anymore. [Junior] Kenny Hill and [sophomore] Foster Sawyer will battle for that spot. They have a lot of new faces, but I don't think they'll change their scheme much. [Co-offensive coordinators] Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie are good at throwing new wrinkles into game plans each week, and they play at a fast pace, which stretches the defense. A lot of kids have played the last couple of seasons, so even though they lost a bunch of players, those returning guys will be comfortable. I like [sophomore receiver] KaVontae Turpin. He's explosive, and they use him well on speed sweeps and reverses.
Defense, that's their bread and butter. When you're playing TCU, you better have some new stuff, and you better be able to execute it. If you just try what you ran the week before, [coach Gary] Patterson will know what's coming. They have a couple of blitzes, but for the most part they just do what they do so well. And they'll be so much better this season because they had so many injuries last year and were missing a lot of guys. One player they get back is [junior cornerback] Ranthony Texada. He's so good, they can stick him on your best guy then roll coverage the other way. Patterson and his staff don't get enough credit for developing talent."
FAST FACTS
4.8
Yards per rush last year for 5'10", 210-pound Kyle Hicks, a junior who'll need to carry the offense while the new QB settles in.
562.8
Yards per game last season, third best in the FBS.
21.5
Combined career sacks for senior defensive ends Josh Carraway, the 2015 team leader with nine, and James McFarland, the '14 team leader with seven, who missed last year with a broken toe.
191
Combined tackles in '15 for OLB Travin Howard (105), now a junior, and MLB Ty Summers (86), a sophomore.
[The following text appears within a chart. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual chart.]
5 YEAR TREND
WINS
15
12
9
6
3
11--2 (MWC CHAMPS)
7--6
4--8
12--1 (BIG 12 CHAMPS)
11--2
YEAR
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
X-FACTOR
TCU will have to replace wide receiver Josh Doctson, a first-round pick in April's NFL draft, by committee, and teammates believe EMANUEL PORTER, a 6'4", 210-pound junior, will be one of the prime contributors. Porter, who had 14 catches for 213 yards and three TDs a year ago, can sky above defenders, and he spent the off-season getting stronger. He won't lead the Horned Frogs in receiving yards, but look for him to make big plays in big moments.
2016 SCHEDULE
SATURDAY 9/3
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
SATURDAY 9/10
ARKANSAS
SATURDAY 9/17
IOWA STATE
FRIDAY 9/23
AT SMU
SATURDAY 10/1
OKLAHOMA [BIGGEST GAME]
SATURDAY 10/8
AT KANSAS
BYE
SATURDAY 10/22
AT WEST VIRGINIA
SATURDAY 10/29
TEXAS TECH
SATURDAY 11/5
AT BAYLOR [KEY MATCHUP]
BYE
SATURDAY 11/19
OKLAHOMA STATE
FRIDAY 11/25
AT TEXAS [KEY MATCHUP]
SATURDAY 12/3
KANSAS STATE
KEY MATCHUP
BIGGEST GAME
