Friday, October 19, 2001

Added intensity
Frogs hope to increase efforts on field
by Brandon Ortiz
Sports Editor

Effort.

Head coach Gary Patterson said the TCU football team lacked it in its last two losses against opponents with bad records.

Once again, the Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-1 Conference USA) play an opponent with a bad record. Patterson said the coaching staff is working hard to ensure the team doesn’t come out flat against Army (1-4, 1-3 C-USA) — a team it has never played before.

David Dunai/senior photographer Sophomore tailback Ricky Madison runs in the red zone as junior receiver Terran Williams blocks a Southern Methodist defender Sept. 8.

“Somebody like Houston, where a lot of kids know the kids they are playing, there are things said in the newspaper,” Patterson said. “In the state of Texas there is something that is always there for motivation. Our kids knew nothing about Tulane. I put that back on me, because that is my job as a head coach and a staff is to make sure you hold the kids accountable.”

That accountability will be tested 2 p.m. Saturday at Amon Carter Stadium versus the Black Knights.

Junior free safety Kenneth Hilliard said the Frogs have extra motivation playing in their homecoming game.

“Its good to play in front of the home crowd, we need the home crowd,” Hilliard said.
Homecoming aside, Patterson said the Black Knights will play TCU tougher than their 1-4 record indicates.

“Its our homecoming, but they got 19 seniors,” Patterson said. “They’ll have 3,000 people here yelling for them. They have a lot of motivation to come in here and play well.”

Patterson said the Frogs will need to cut down on penalties and mistakes as well.

Against Tulane Saturday, the Frogs had 11 penalties for 78 yards and five turnovers.
Running the football successfully will also be a key, Patterson said. The Frogs ran for 131 yards last week, but it was against a team that was allowing nearly 257 rushing yards a game.

The last time TCU played a military academy — Navy — it won 24-0. The Frogs did not have a single turnover and ran for almost 200 yards.

“Just like when we played Navy last year — we need to beat them at their own game,” Patterson said. “We controlled the football and didn’t make any mistakes. You have to play them like that. It is a little bit different. A lot of times you talk about the services academies you talk about running the option and controlling the football. These guys will still run the option, but their game is running the option, play action and also the short passing game.”

Offensively, Army has put up better numbers than TCU’s 103rd ranked offense. The Black Knights average 65.4 more yards a game than TCU.

“This game will be a challenge,” Patterson said. “They’ve done a good job of moving the football. Cincinnati had to score with seven seconds left to beat Army. They have played everybody tight and moved the football.”

And to stay in the game it will take more effort, Patterson said.

“They are going to play for 60 minutes,” Patterson said. “That is one thing you know about the academies. These guys are going to play for 60 minutes every time you play them.”

Brandon Ortiz
b.p.ortiz@student.tcu.edu