TCU football strives for an unbeatable season
COMMENTARY
Brent Yarina

For head football coach Gary Patterson, winning is all that matters.

After defeating Tulane 38-35 Monday night, in a contest where the Frogs dominated the entire game before allowing 28 fourth quarter points, one would expect Patterson to be frustrated with his team’s late game collapse.

Instead he said he was delighted with how his players performed, especially quarterback Tye Gunn.

“We won,” Patterson said. “That’s a good Tulane football team that we beat on the road.
“I’ve got a quarterback who was starting his fifth game, and he just outplayed the number one quarterback who is suppose to be going first in the draft,” he said.

One cannot fault Patterson for being in such high spirits following the team’s first game, considering his team left New Orleans with the only thing they went there for: a conference victory. Besides, Patterson has more important things to concentrate on than being frustrated over a tight victory, like getting his players prepared for Navy and its triple option in only three days of practice.

“I’m real excited about where we are,” Patterson said. “We came out here on a short week, and our kids have worked hard this week.”

Despite the short practice week, he said the Frogs are prepared for their next game against Navy. Patterson said he does not expect fatigue to be an issue for his players and that the team is healthy.

As for how the Frogs will handle Navy’s triple option, Patterson said he will have to wait and see how his defense adjusts to defending the Midshipmen’s offense after facing Tulane’s wide-open attack.

“It’s different,” he said referring to Navy’s offensive scheme. “It’s not so much complex. It’s just different. We’ve stopped it before.”

In order for the Frogs to stop the triple option again, the defense will need to contain a Navy offense that will throw misdirection at them every down.

Defensive end Bo Schobel, who recorded one sack against Tulane, said he is not worried about the short practice week affecting the team and its preparation for Navy.

“The main thing is we have to come out here every day and work hard even though it’s a short week,” Schobel said. “We know what we need to do and that’s what championship football teams do. They strap the pads back on and get going.”

Because his position’s duties do not change too much depending on the opponent’s offensive attack, Schobel said he has not had to prepare for Navy much differently than he would for a game against a more traditional offense.

“I just try to focus on doing my job,” he said. “If they’re a passing offense, then I’m going to try to pass rush. If they run like Navy does, well then I focus on stopping the run.”

Schobel said the defense is not trying to prove to anyone that they are still one of the nation’s best groups, despite allowing 35 points in their first game. He said the defense wants to do whatever they can to help the team win.

“We just got to go out there and play hard and show everyone that we are a great defense,” Schobel said.

The Frogs cannot afford to take Navy lightly on either side of the ball Saturday, even though they compiled a 2-10 record last season. The Midshipmen are a different team this year and they are sky high, coming off a 37-10 thrashing of VMI in their season opener.

Brent Yarina