TCU Media Luncheon

Yesterday when I showed up at the TCU facilities I was greeted like one of the family, it was a great feeling to know that even though I have moved on and don't see these people everyday they still treat me like one of their own. It was a very humbling experience and really made me realize that I will have purple in my blood as long as I live.

That being said, there was one man with a lot more on his mind and a game face that would scare most women and children. Coach Gary Patterson was tuned up and ready to go play Clemson on Tuesday and would have done just that if the NCAA would have allowed it.

Before the presser, I sat down with CB Rafael Priest who has started since his freshman year and was a pre-season All-American at his position. Priest has always been a great friend as well as a warrior and one of the toughest competitors I ever played with. As we sat and talked we caught up on various issues including his graduate classes that require him to have a 20 page paper done by next week. As we laughed about the almost impossible task of writing a 20 page paper while playing college football we started talking more about the season. Priest explained as did Coach P later that Nick Sanders was at fault for 2 of the touchdowns that were given up against Texas State and that it was a lack of communication between the corner and the linebacker on the wheel route that went for 6.

We went on to talk about "Fun Packed Tuesday" as Coach P calls Tuesday practices, which are the toughest of the week. It's the day to get the most work done...usually around 22 or 24 periods of hard hitting, tough calls, and a lot of yelling by the coaching staff. These are the type of practices that get the Frogs ready to play come Saturday.

Once the presser started Coach P opened with,"Going back out to the ACC to face a very good Clemson team,very fast and very athletic, probably the most athletic we have seen since Oklahoma." Patterson said that his team knew they had not done the job they should have against an opponent like Texas State but did say that when you make as many mistakes as they did last Saturday and come out with a win, that is all that matters. Also let's consider the fact that TCU did put up 56 points so to be upset with that is the sign of a good team. I believe that the safeties have got to grow up and grow up fast, with better athletes and coaching on the horizon in Clemson,BYU, and Utah. Those teams will take advantage of the young safeties. "We have got to start playing with more confidence on defense and on the back end, not the front." Patterson said Tuesday. He also said they had a great practice Sunday night and that he didn't have to say much to his team about the way they played Saturday.

Clemson has 8 interceptions already this season on defense and has a potent offense and special teams both of which are led by C.J. Spiller. Spiller is among college footballs active leaders in almost every statistical category and is a 10.1 hundred guy. He has pure speed and a lot of big-time play potential. Spiller already has 630 total yards on the season and 3 touchdown's. With RB Spiller and Jacoby Ford at wide receiver Clemson has pure speed at most positions. Patterson said,"Ford and Spiller can really go, they are both track guys...again Clemson is a very good home team, they play well when they have those dark uniforms on."

It was clear that Coach Patterson is sticking to what has gotten him where he is today. His motto is, "The games you are supposed to win you have to show up for, the big games will take care of themselves." Coach Patterson has lived and died by that and to this point it has done him some serious justice.

Thursday I will break down what it will take for the Frogs to steal one away from the Clemson Tigers out east...that's all for now sports fans!