You can’t call the TCU Horned Frogs Cinderella anymore. Not after a perfect 13-0 season which included a huge Rose Bowl win over the Wisconsin Badgers. Yes, they got screwed over by the BcS, and it sickens me that BcS commissioner Bill Hancock used their moment of triumph as a symbol/example of how he believes the status quo is supposedly just, during his nauseating speech to the FWAA the morning of the college football national title game.
Don’t get me wrong, I see how TCU got chances that other mid-majors did not; but it doesn’t mean the system work. TCU is more than just a cautionary tale; with seven seasons of ten+ wins, they have truly earned their place at the table.
2010 was: a banner year in school history; as the Frogs broke new ground. Again, they had the best defense in the nation in Ft. Worth- making it three years in a row. They were #1 in total, scoring, and rush defense, 5th against the pass. And six starters return to that unit and its vaunted 4-2-5 scheme.
BMOCs: RB Ed Wesley returns after a 1,000 yard season, he’ll carry the load early. QB Casey Pachall takes over for Andy Dalton. The highly rated recruit may have a better arm and feet than Dalton, but he has a long way to go to become the leader and accomplished player that Dalton is. Seeing Andy go to the Cincinnati Bengals may inspire Pachall to work towards that. LB Tank Carder has NFL written all over him, and his mate Tanner Brock could put up even bigger numbers than him this fall. WRs Josh Boyce and Antoine Hicks are play-makers. DEs Braylon Broughton and Stansly Maponga will often their way into opponent’s backfields.
2011 will be fruitful if: the young offensive line comes together and gives Pachall plenty of time to deliver the ball. The running game looks to be solid, as does the defensive front-seven. Opponents notice just how awesome those Nike uniforms they have truly are. I love the scales in the pants. So bad ass!
2011 will be awful if: the safeties find themselves having to make most of the tackles, with too many opponents getting into the second and third levels, this would be harder for a team like this, because of the 4-2-5 scheme they run.
Bottom Line: They won’t go perfect again; not with all that inexperience at key starting positions on offense. Plus a conference game at fellow Horatio Alger story Boise State. But they should easily win 10 giving them their eighth double digit victory season.
TCU Rankings: #15 Athlon, Lindy’s, USA Today, #14 AP, #21 Phil Steele
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
He does regular weekly radio spots in Chicago and Cleveland and has appeared on live shows all across the world from Houston to New Zealand. You can follow him on Twitter
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