Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Frogs Report Card
The Skiff reviews Tuesday’s 37-30 loss by the Horned Frogs.

Passing offense: A-

In his second straight start, junior quarterback Sean Stilley could not repeat the heroics he had in his first, but he didn’t have to. Junior quarterback Casey Printers resurrected a passing offense that managed just 61 yards in the half, throwing for 319 passing yards in the second half. Printers’ second half performance was his best of the season.

Rushing offense: C-

With four rushing yards, TCU could only manage one more yard rushing than it could points on the scoreboard in the first half. Going into the game the Frogs were averaging 145.9 rushing yards a game, but they couldn’t get anywhere close to that against East Carolina, finishing with just 27 yards. While the rushing offense played more consistently in the second half, it was too late for the running game to really make an impact.

Passing defense: D-

The defense allowed the Pirates passing game to surface early on in the ball game. The Pirates’ Richard Alston completed a 51-yard pass for a touchdown in the second quarter to give ECU a 10-point lead. In the first quarter alone, ECU recorded 140 passing yards. David Garrard completed 15-of-30 passes for 221 yards. The Frogs rebounded in the second half holding Garrard to 3-9 passing for 22 yards.

Rushing defense: B

It was the story of two halves for the rushing defense. ECU had 102 rushing yards in the first half, but just 28 rushing yards in the second half. East Carolina’s Leonard Henry had nine carries for 57 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. The rushing defense found a way to slow the Pirates’ leading rusher in the second half though, as they held him to just 39 rushing yards.

Special teams: B

If it were not for junior Nick Browne’s career-high 47-yard field goal in the first quarter, TCU would have been shutout. A key aspect of the TCU comeback was the Frogs’ recovery of a pooch and an onside kick in the fourth quarter.

— Kelly Morris