Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Printers nearly brings Frogs back
By Matt Stiver
Skiff Staff

Maybe he was frustrated after last week, having watched a game from the sidelines for the first time in 29 games. Or maybe watching his team pile up 57 first-half yards Tuesday was too much for him.

Whatever the reason, junior quarterback Casey Printers returned to the TCU lineup and perhaps played the finest half of football in his career. Printers came off the bench and completed 24-of-50 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, nearly rallying the Frogs to victory.

David Dunai/Senior Photographer East Carolina tailback Leonard Henry is swarmed by TCU defenders in the first half of the Pirates’ 37-30 victory over TCU Tuesday night at Amon Carter Stadium. Henry rushed for 96 yards and three touchdowns.

His 300-yard performance was the first by a TCU quarterback since Max Knake in 1995.

There was no game at halftime, with East Carolina dominating the Frogs before entering the locker room with a 27-3 lead.

The Pirates did not know what was coming, as Printers led TCU on three-straight touchdown drives. TCU cut that lead to 30-23 five minutes into the fourth quarter.

Though the Frogs came up inches short, Printers looked like a different quarterback than the one who played at Tulane.

“There is no quit on this team,” Printers said. “There are too many people who have a will to win, too many people who fight. We never even thought about giving up.”

Head coach Gary Patterson said the team fought in the second half.

“This is the time of year when you separate from pain and injury,” Patterson said.

Casey was hurting, but he went out and played. We grew up today.”

The game looked over to everyone but the Frogs when Printers’ pass was intercepted by ECU’s Anthony Adams, and Leonard Henry scored two plays later.

With TCU trailing 37-23 with 3:43 left, Printers led the Frogs on one scoring drive and nearly put them in the endzone again to force overtime. Printers took the Frogs 82 yards in 11 plays, culminating in a 12-yard fade to Adrian Madise.

Following an onside kick, the Frogs completed two fourth downs to get in position to tie the game. From the ECU 20 with 5 seconds left, Printers dropped and fired Adrian Madise, who had the ball swatted from his fingertips at the goal line.

“Our plan was to score two touchdowns in the third quarter and two in the fourth,” Printers said. “We came up just short.”

Junior LaTarence Dunbar said the Frogs adjusted to ECU’s coverages in the second half.

“They came out with a lot of cover-two,” Dunbar said. “When we saw the same thing, we just went out and made some great catches. We had the heart and the will to want it.”

The Frogs outgained the Pirates 350-50 in the second half. Printers threw for more yards in the second half than Pirates quarterback David Garrard had in the entire game (212).

Printers took the field with authority, hitting four of his first six for 41 yards. On third and 15, Printers hit Williams on a perfectly timed out pattern for 19 and a first down at the ECU 25.

He followed up with a 13 yard screen pass to Holts.

On third and six, Printers, seeing no one open, tucked the ball and fought his way to the ECU 1, where Madison slid in on fourth down for the touchdown to narrow the score to 27-9.

Printers said he and Dunbar, who finished the game with 10 receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown, have a connection on the field. On third and goal from the ECU 6, Printers hit Dunbar on a timed slant for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter.

“We have this ESP thing where he looks at me and I look at him, and we know it’s time,” Printers said. “When it’s third down, I just know he’s going to catch it.”

Matt Stiver
m.r.stiver@student.tcu.edu