SOME BASIC NUMBERS & FACTS ABOUT TCU FOOTBALL '96
Besides celebrating the program's centennial year of football and its
entry into the WAC, other numbers and historical facts worth noting about
Horned Frog Football in 1996:
TCU vs. NEW MEXICO
Memorable Last Meeting ALBUQUERQUE, NM... Sept. 14 1994
PAT SULLIVAN SAYS - "Turnovers just happen, and when they do they kill you. How do you explain it? We didn't have one against Oklahoma, but we have six against Kansas. We knew before the game that Kansas had a fine football team, and they were probably even a little better than we thought ... especially in the offensive line. You can't afford to make mistakes against a team that good and survive to tell about. Football is still about blocking and tackling, and we didn't do a very good job in the latter area (vs. Kansas). There are a couple of ways to look at this week's layoff (TCU open date): One, it should give us a chance to get some of our 'nicked up' players well, but it also means we have to carry this sicking feeling around in our stomachs a while longer."
TCU INJURY SITUATION - With the week off many of TCU's injury concerns should improve significantly. However, the shoulder dislocation (left) of starting offensive tackle Jon Donahue will necessitate some maneuvering in the Frogs' offensive line before the TCU-New Mexico matchup on September 28.
TCU OFFENSIVELY -
The first two outings of the 1996 season have served as
a dichotomy for TCU's offensive units. Versus Oklahoma, the Horned Frogs
avoided stopping themselves by committing nary a turnover. However, versus
Kansas a week later, TCU's offense coughed up the pigskin six times -
four fumbles lost and two pass interceptions. Still, behind redshirt
freshman quarterback Jeff Dover, a promising tailbacking tandem and
a solid offensive front, the Frogs have displayed the ability to move
the football in their first two games.
Young Dover has tossed three touchdown passes in
those outings while TCU's tailbacks Basil Mitchell,
John Williams, Sterling Boyd and Andre Bruce are
averaging 123 yards per game rushing and 4.3 yards per carry.
And the Horned Frogs are yet to receive a contribution from their
receiving ace, John Washington, who had an impressive 52 receptions
a year ago. Slowed by a tender hamstring, Washington has logged only a
half dozen plays in TCU's first two contests.
CAREER STARTING STREAKS -
Versus Kansas fullback Koi Woods
made his 25th straight starting appearance as a Horned Frog and
John Washington logged his 24rd straight start (Geoff Stephens
enjoyed his 18th).
WEEK TWO BITTERSWEET FOR TCU'S ALL-AMERICAN KICKER
Versus Kansas, junior all American Michael Reeder
enjoyed the longest field goal success of his career - a 52-yarder.
Later, however, Reeder also recorded his
first career miss from inside of 39 yards when he pulled a
33-yard attempt wide left. Reeder, did push his career
PAT streak to 56 straight (56 of 56). The 1995 Lou Groza
National Place Kicker Award recipient now has been true on 27
of his last 30.
J. WILLIAMS AND J. TUCKER AMONG THE HORNED FROG BRIGHT SPOTS -
Three weeks ago redshirt freshman running back John Williams was
near buried on the TCU depth chart, listed No. 4 at tailback.
Young Williams not only chalked up considerable playing time versus
Kansas, but he enjoyed a Horned Frog rarity -- a 100-yard plus rushing
effort by a freshman. Only Stephan Howland (146 yards versus Rice in '85)
and current TCU aide Curtis Modkins (twice in '89) have eclipsed 100 yards
in game during their freshman campaigns for the Frogs in recent years.
En route to his 105-yard evening (on 15 carries), Williams fled 59 yards
for a score in the first quarter. That was the longest run by TCU fresh
running back since Tony Jeffery's 72 yarder versus Utah State in 1984.
"I knew going into the week that I was going to get more playing time,
and I just tried to get myself mentally ready," said Williams, an
Odessa Permian product. "The blocking offensive line and our other backs
made it easy for me."
Junior wide receiver Jason Tucker who had
a 52-yard touchdown grab versus Oklahoma, followed that up with a
six-catch, 94-yard outing against Kansas including another cross-country
grab, that one good for 42 yards.
WEEKLY TELEVISION FOOTBALL SHOW FOR TCU -
The 1996 TCU Football Television Show, featuring Horned Frog head coach
Pat Sullivan, will debut Wednesday, September 11. The program, available
throughout the Southwest on the Prime Sports Productions (locally channel
1), airs on Wednesday afternoons at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
THIRTEEN STATIONS TO JOIN FLAGSHIP KCLE ON THE HORNED FROG NETWORK
Thirteen stations will join flagship station KCLE (1120 am) of Cleburne on
the Horned Frog Football Network this fall:
KVLF (1240 am) of Alpine
KPUR (1440 am) of Amarillo
KFON (1490 am) of Austin
KCLE ( 92.1 fm) of Cleburne
KDFX (1190 am) of Dallas
KAHZ (1360 am) of Fort Worth
KTCU (88.7 fm) of Fort Worth
KTXQ (950 am) of Lubbock
KRIL (1410 am) of Odessa
KBOP (103.7 fm) of Pleasonton/San Antonio
KBOP (1380 am) of Pleasonton/San Antonio
KTBB (600 am) of Tyler
KBBW (1010 am) of Waco