2018 TCU Preview

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Gary Patterson hears all the chatter across the state of Texas. He’s just doesn’t care to really listen.

When is Texas coming back?

Is Jimbo the final missing piece down in College Station?

If you need him, he’ll be in his office in Fort Worth, probably putting together another 10-win season, shrugging off any roster issues that might cripple a lesser program.

“You’ve got to remember, you’re losing the arms race,” Patterson said.

That is, to say, the literal arms race.

“For every one TCU alumni, we’re graduating 1,500 and they’re graduating 15,000,” he said. “You can’t listen to everybody else. I usually defer to what people from outside the state of Texas say about us.”

There’s no debate about the best program in the state over the past decade. It’s TCU.

In the last four seasons, the Horned Frogs have won 40 games. Texas A&M has won 31 and Texas, 23. What complaints about the state’s two floundering titans miss, is the giant right in front of their nose.

Don’t expect that to change this year. Patterson’s team loses a quarterback in Kenny Hill but the new man behind center — whether it’s Shawn Robinson or Michael Collins — will have arguably the best collection of skill position talent in Patterson’s 20 years in the program.

The 1-2 punch of Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua at running back should make stomaching the loss of Kyle Hicks a palatable proposition. Receivers Jalen Reagor and KaVontae Turpin assure at least one thing: this will be the fastest collective group of receivers ever at TCU.

“We’ve had Jeremy Kerleys and Josh Doctsons through the years, so I don’t know. We have a chance for it to be the overall group — with the running backs and the wide receivers — I think it’s got a chance to be one of our better groups,” Patterson said. “It’s really hard for me to say whether they are.”

The tendency in preseason prognostication leans into a bent toward teams with returning experience at quarterback. TCU has very little, but it might not matter for it to contend for a Big 12 title.

Linebacker Travin Howard leaves a big hole at linebacker, but Northern Illinois graduate transfer Jawuan Johnson might be able to fill it. Last year, he made 18 tackles for loss and picked off five passes, returning two for scores. He also forced five fumbles. He’ll play behind a nightmarish defensive line headlined by senior Ben Banogu and sophomore Ross Blacklock.

Patterson learn a lot about his new faces early. Before Halloween, his team will have already faced Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa State, who knocked off the Horned Frogs a year ago.

“Four of your toughest ballgames in your first six games of the season, in September. You don’t really get a chance to grow up,” he said. “So, we have to do a great job this summer as a group.”

History suggests they’ll do just fine. The recruiting boost that accompanied Big 12 membership has given Patterson the deepest, most complete rosters of his tenure and allow him to compile a depth chart capable of absorbing the injury blows that are a part of any season. After last year, Patterson improved to 34-5 in the years following losing seasons. Patterson might not have an experienced quarterback, but 2018 is anything but a rebuilding year. Don’t be surprised if the Horned Frogs make a return trip to AT&T Stadium for the Big 12 title game, and without a Heisman winner and playoff team to stop them, take home the trophy this time.

Most of the state’s major programs have been busy churning out angst. Can Baylor rebound? Can Kliff Kingsbury keep his job? Can Houston and SMU sustain after the exits of elite coaches?

Meanwhile, TCU has been busy churning out wins and being the poster child for stability.

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