College Confidential

Crichton throws complete-game gem as TCU stays alive in NCAA tournament

COLLEGE STATION – TCU’s offense continued to score at a sizzling pace and pitcher Stefan Crichton had his best outing of the season as the Horned Frogs eliminated Texas A&M 10-2 Sunday at Blue Bell Park.

The Frogs (38-20) stay alive to play Ole Miss (37-24) at 6:35 p.m. Sunday night in the College Station Regional championship. If the Frogs win, the two teams play again at 6:35 p.m. Monday.

Stefan Crichton (9-2) pitched his first-career complete game in the biggest start of his life. He held the Aggies to six hits (including two misplayed balls) that led to two runs.

TCU, which scored 28 runs Saturday in an elimination game, scored runs in the first five innings against the Aggies. Kevin Cron’s two-run homer highlighted a three-run fourth to give TCU a 6-2 lead. The Frogs added three more runs in the fifth. Brance Rivera’s two-run double scored Derek Odell and Jerrick Suiter.

The loss is the Aggies' (43-18) last game as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Texas A&M moves to the Southeastern Conference this summer.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

 

 

Former Tarrant stars lead DBU into Waco Regional championship

Former Tarrant County baseball standouts Duncan McAlpine (Birdville High School) and Landon Anderson (Grapevine Faith High School) have helped lead Dallas Baptist into the Waco Regional championship Sunday.
The Patriots (41-17) defeated Oral Roberts 11-8 Saturday behind McAlpine’s 3 for 5 day at the plate with 5 RBIs and a home run. The junior catcher is 6 of 9 with 6 RBIs and two homers in the regional. Anderson, a senior, is 5 of 9 with 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored and a double and triple. The Patriots are no strangers to NCAA postseason success. They won the Fort Worth Regional in 2011. DBU plays the winner between Baylor and Oral Roberts (38-24) at 7 p.m. Sunday at Baylor Ballpark.
Baylor (45-15) eliminated UT Arlington (36-25) with an 11-6 win Saturday. The Bears and Golden Eagles play at 2 p.m. Sunday.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Horned Frogs and Flyers try to hold off elimination day in College Station

COLLEGE STATION – TCU tries to stay alive in the NCAA tournament at 12:35 p.m. Saturday against Dayton at Blue Bell Park. The Flyers (31-29) lost 4-1 to Texas A&M Friday; the Horned Frogs fell to Ole Miss 6-2. The No. 7 Aggies meet the Rebels in the winners' bracket game at 6:35 p.m.

The Frogs (36-20) turn to right-hander Andrew Mitchell (5-3), who is coming off a disappointing performance at the Mountain West tournament. He started the season as TCU’s Friday night ace but has struggled at times this season. Flyers’ right-hander Tim Bury (8-2) didn’t make his first start until March 3, but the senior leads Dayton with a 3.14 ERA in 103 1/3 innings.

Dayton (31-29) likes to run, and run a lot. The Flyers lead the nation with 163 stolen bases and 849 total bases. Five players have more than 15 stolen bases, including shortstop Bryan Blasik who has 36 steals in 39 attempts.

The Frogs’ offense managed just five hits Friday against Ole Miss hurler Bobby Wahl. The bottom six hitters were a combined 1 for 20 with 10 strikeouts and reached base just twice. Both of those were by freshman Jerrick Suiter who had a single and was hit by a pitch.

But an offensive explosion is unlikely to happen. TCU pitchers have become used to an offense batting .266 and providing only a modicum of run support.

That puts the onus on Mitchell, who hasn’t looked sharp in his last two starts. He was roughed up last week against San Diego State at the MWC tournament. He surrendered six runs on eight hits in three innings.  He has lasted seven innings only once this season, April 13 against Air Force. His last strong outing was also against Air Force May 12, when he struck out seven and held the Falcons to two hits. Mitchell’s most impressive recent start was May 6 when he held a great-hitting New Mexico team to three hits and struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings. That performance came two days after his start against the Lobos was stopped after one inning because of rain.

TCU is playing a Dayton team in its first NCAA tournament with few expectations and nothing to lose. The Frogs were ranked No. 15 in Baseball America’s preseason national rankings and were still in the Top 20 last week. Several Frogs, including catcher Josh Elander and outfielder and Kyle Von Tungeln, are trying to extend what could likely be their final seasons. Seniors Brance Rivera, Davy Wright and injured Jason Coats are also staring at the end of their TCU careers.

The Flyers, with 10 seniors, feel a similar urgency.

“We have 10 seniors so every pitch is important for them and the guys behind them will play very hard,” Dayton coach Tony Vittorio said. “We need more quality at bats [Saturday] so we’ll be fighting for quality at bats to get on base and get back to our running game. We’re excited about [Saturday] and putting a little more pressure on TCU.”

Scharf sets record
TCU pitcher Justin Scharf made his 34th appearance this season, breaking Jeff Baker's 1994 record of 33 in a season. Scharf (2-2, 3 saves), a transfer from Paris Junior College, has been excellent in his first year with the Frogs, posting a 2.97 ERA in 39 1/3 innings.   

 -- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

 

 

Texas offensive tackle Kelley opts to end football career for personal reasons

Texas offensive tackle Paden Kelley has decided to stop playing football for personal reasons but will remain in school and pursue his college degree, school officials announced today. Kelley, a junior, has played in 20 games, with one start, in his college career.

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas adds transfer punter from Duke who will be eligible this fall

Texas officials announced today that punter Alex King, who posted a career average of 41.4 yards per kick at Duke, has enrolled in graduate school and will complete his final season of eligibility with the Longhorns this fall. King appeared in 24 games for the Blue Devils and averaged 42.1 yards per punt last season. King completed his degree in history at Duke before transferring to Texas.

_ Jimmy Burch

Departures continue to make dent in TCU's depth

TCU’s depth was the big question this spring while the Horned Frogs prepared for their first season in the Big 12 Conference.

Now, three months before the season opener, the Frogs’ depth keeps taking hits.

Offensive lineman Carter Wall and linebacker Deryck Gildon are no longer on the team, several sources said. They join running back Ed Wesley, who left the team for family reasons, and offensive lineman Nykiren Wellington, who transferred last week to Trinity Valley Community College. Gildon is still on the roster but the others have been removed.

That brings the total number of players lost this spring to eight, including four players kicked off the team in February. Linebacker Tanner Brock, defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey, offensive lineman Ty Horn, and defensive back Devin Johnson were kicked off the team during drug-selling sting.

The loss of Wesley, who led the Frogs in rushing with 1,078 yards in 2010, is a blow to the backfield, but TCU has Waymon James and Matthew Tucker returning. They both rushed for over 700 yards in 2011. Aundre Dean, a former Parade All-American is a senior who has been used in a limited role the last two years after transferring from UCLA.

The loss of Wall and Wellington hurts the already thin depth at offensive line.

The reasons behind the four latest departures remains unclear, but several sources said they are all grade related.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

Wind advisory could be a factor tonight in Las Vegas

I hear it's really windy back in Fort Worth today. Same here in Las Vegas. Winds are blowing with gusts of up to 65 mph at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. San Diego State has already been aided by two wind-blown home runs in the first inning and leads UNLV 7-0 early in an elimination game. Here's a sampling of what it looks and sounds like:

   

The National Weather Service issued a severe wind warning until 11 p.m. today with peak winds coming between 2 and 6 p.m. (PT). 
TCU plays New Mexico at 9 p.m. (CT) tonight.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

TCU's epic meltdown-turned-comeback brought out mixed emotions from Horned Frogs' fans

Many tweets and messages came spilling in after TCU’s emotionally-draining 16-15 win Thursday over San Diego State. One popular sentiment had fans sharing something along these lines: “Frogs should never have given up 11 runs in the 9th." 

The underlying attitude stuck to many of the comments was that the blown 10-run lead in the ninth Thursday somehow is so horrible that the Frogs’ eventual clutch comeback victory in the bottom of the ninth is tarnished.
Hogwash.
To me, it was an overwhelming sign of supreme resiliency within the team that the Frogs came right back to snatch victory from a potential disaster.
Besides, to those voicing the obvious that TCU should never have blown a 10-run lead, I say: Thanks, Dr. Baseball Expert. There’s not a coach or player on the Horned Frogs’ roster that wouldn’t agree that the 11-run meltdown is unacceptable. But as TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said afterward, “Baseball is crazy."
Frogs’ third baseman Jantzen Witte called it ridiculous. Pitcher Andrew Mitchell challenged me to write a story that did the game justice. (I don’t think that’s possible unless my editors agreed to a six-page special section with huge charts, diagrams and in-depth analysis of about 15 different plays that deserved more attention than I could give them in a 140-line game story.)
I asked Schlossnagle if he’s ever been involved in a ninth inning such as Thursday.
“Never,” he said. “I’ve heard of it happening to other people. And as it was happening to us I was thinking, ‘I guess it’s our turn.’ How do you explain it?”
Others have complained that catcher Josh Elander should not have been rested before the ninth inning, as if Davy Wright, who replaced Elander, was the reason for the 11-run Aztec rally. Ridiculous. True, Wright has only been behind the plate a few times in his career. But the wild pitches were hardly his fault. He made a wild throw to first on a tapper in front of the plate, but that didn’t open the floodgates. Reliable bullpen staples Justin Scharf and Kevin Allen failed to do what they’ve done nearly every time out this season and allowed two runs apiece and failed to record an out. Trey Teakell, who for five innings pitched valiantly in relief of Brandon Finnegan’s three-inning start, allowed the first seven runs of the Aztec rally. Stefan Crichton, in his first relief appearance since last season, finally came in and got the final two outs.
Most importantly for TCU, Thursday’s win keeps the Frogs in the winner’s bracket with a loss to spare in the Mountain West tournament. A win Friday night vs. New Mexico and they’ll play for the tournament title Saturday night.
Fans obviously have a reason to be disgusted with the ninth-inning meltdown and are free to share their opinions with me 24/7 in e-mail and Twitter. I love it. Keep them coming. Just remember to enjoy a win as much as you disdain a blown lead.

After Thursday’s game Schlossnagle evoked TCU football coach Gary Patterson’s often-used mantra of “We just want to win by one point.”
“For the rest of the season the only thing that matters is having one more run than the other team,” Schlossnagle said. “There’s no such thing as style points. You just have to keep winning.”
You could call it an ugly win, many on Twitter have. I say it was anything but ugly. It was everything that’s great about college baseball, baseball in general, and being a sports fan.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

TCU's offensive line depth takes a hit with transfer

TCU offensive tackle Nykiren Wellington has transferred to Trinity Valley Community College in Athens. After redshirting in 2010, Wellington (6-7, 320) appeared in two games in 2011. Wellington came to TCU from San Antonio Holmes High School. This leaves the Frogs down one offensive lineman in an area of concern, depth-wise.

TCU's Morrison and Coats in rarefied Mountain West air in Frogs' final weeks in the league

TCU pitcher Preston Morrison became the first player in Mountain West history to earn the league’s Pitcher and Freshman of the Year honors in the same season and five other Horned Frogs received accolades.
Pitcher Andrew Mitchell joined Morrison on the first team, along with outfielder Jason Coats. Coats is the third MWC player to earn first-team honors three times.
Third baseman Jantzen Witte, outfielder Kyle Von Tungeln and relief pitcher Kevin Allen were named to the second team. New Mexico’s DJ Peterson and Mitchell Garver were named Co-Players of the Year.
Lobos’ coach Ray Birmingham earned Coach of the Year honors after New Mexico tied TCU for the regular-season title. It’s the first time in seven seasons in the league that the Horned Frogs didn’t win title outright.
Morrison led the MWC with a 5-0 record and 1.54 ERA in 46 2/3 innings.
“It has to be more of a team thing because I’ve gotten so much help from my outfield and infielders and [catcher] Josh [Elander],” Morrison said. “I couldn’t have had my success without them.”
New Mexico led the All-MWC team with 11 selections, including six on the first team. TCU and UNLV each had six players on the team. Last place Air Force had three players selected while San Diego State had none. 

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

Coats' injury hits TCU teammates, coaches hard as postseason looms

The loss of Jason Coats for the Mountain West Conference tournament is much more personal to his coaches and teammates and about much more than what he brings to the TCU offense.
His teammates’ reaction to news that Coats will miss the MWC with a knee injury was understandably solemn. The Horned Frogs (35-17) open the MWC tournament against San Diego State (24-32) at 5 p.m. Thursday in Las Vegas.
“It’s really awful,” Catcher Josh Elander said. “Jason is probably my best friend on the team. We’ve spent the last couple summers playing together.”
Coats hurt his knee rounding first base Sunday. He’ll be reevaluated May 29 but the prospects of him being available for the NCAA Regional are unclear. He leads the Frogs in batting and RBIs. He was drafted last June but chose to return to TCU for his senior year. He had a shot at becoming the Frogs’ all-time leader in hits. He already owns school records for at bats and doubles and is second in RBIs.
TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said he was planning on taking out his three seniors, including Coats, during the ninth inning on Senior Day Sunday to let the Lupton Stadium crowd pay one last tribute. Coats was injured in the sixth inning.
“Just to see him work so hard and take the chance to comeback to school and put all his chips on the table for everybody here at TCU was such a selfless decision,” Elander said. “Coach Schloss said sometimes bad things happen to good people. You just have to believe in the long run he’ll get what he deserves because he’s an unbelievable class act.”
TCU dealt with numerous injuries earlier in the season and were hounded by a disastrous set of injuries to its pitching staff last year that hindered the Frogs’ postseason. In contrast to last year, TCU is a lot healthier overall as the postseason begins, but the loss of Coats is a blow to the offense. Freshman Jerrick Suiter and senior Zac Jordan  are most likely to replace Coats in left field and at the plate in Las Vegas.
“All year long it feels like we’ve been taking body shots,” Schlossnagle said. “It has been a grind, but that’s the season and that’s life. It’s good mental preparation for the postseason.”
-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

TCU's Morrison earns third Mountain West weekly honor

Freshman pitcher Preston Morrison was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week for the second consecutive week and third time this season after throwing his first-career complete game Saturday against San Diego State. He held the Aztecs to one hit and retired 21 consecutive batters after the second inning.
Morrison (9-0) leads the MWC with a 1.54 ERA, is tied for the lead with five wins, and is second to teammate Andrew Mitchell with an opponent batting average of .164.
Morrison is a strong favorite to earn MWC Pitcher of the Year honors when the league’s award winners are announced today.
TCU (35-17) opens the MWC tournament against San Diego State (24-32) at 5 p.m. Thursday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

 

 

 

 

UT Arlington’s Preston Beck named first-team SLC

UT Arlington junior right fielder Preston Beck was named to the all-Southland Conference first team on Monday. Senior pitcher Lance Day and sophomore shortstop Ryan Walker earned second-team honors. Beck, a junior from Dallas, led the SLC in home runs (11) and RBI s (60) and batted .337.  

 

 

Mitchell battled through tough first inning while TCU offensive struggles went nine

During the first inning Friday night at Lupton Stadium, it looked as if it was going to be a long night for TCU pitcher Andrew Mitchell. It was a long inning as the right-hander surrendered three runs on three hits and three walks. But Mitchell regrouped and held San Diego State to one hit in the next five innings. He finished with nine strikeouts and six walks, one below his career-high. (Which, incidentally, came at San Diego State April 20.)
The No. 20 Horned Frogs' offense never regrouped, however, and stranded 12 base runners, including five at second base. Aztec pitchers never allowed a runner to third and the Frogs failed to come up with a clutch hit.
“The difference in the game was two-out hits," TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "Mitchell set the table and they got two hits [in the first inning]. We had base runners we just couldn’t get two-out hits.”
TCU third baseman Jantzen Witte, who had one of the Frogs' six hits, said Mitchell deserved better.
"Mentally he’s a warrior," Witte said. "He kept working for us and pushing through it. Three runs should still be attainable for us to pick up the win, but it just didn’t happen tonight.”
Trey Teakell held the Aztecs to one hit in three innings but the offense never was much threat. Mitchell took the loss and dropped to 5-3.
Derek Odell and Brett Johnson had two hits apiece but the rest of TCU was 2 for 24 Friday. Johnson led off the seventh and ninth innings with singles but he was stranded both times. In the second inning Kevin Cron and Derek Odell led off with walks but Aztec starter Cole Swanson struck out Kyle Von Tungeln and Keaton Jones and forced a ground out to Brett Johnson to escape the jam.
TCU (33-17, 16-6 in the Mountain West) is tied with New Mexico atop the league with two games remaining. The Lobos can clinch a share of the title (and the No. 1 seed in the MWC tournament) with a win Saturday against last-place Air Force. The Frogs have won the MWC outright in all six years in the league. TCU moves to the Big 12 next season.  With wins against San Diego State Saturday and Sunday the Frogs would be co-champions with New Mexico.
Preston Morrison (8-0) is scheduled to start for TCU Saturday.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

San Diego State coach Tony Gwynn did not make the trip to Fort Worth

San Diego State coach Tony Gwynn did not travel to Fort Worth for this weekend's series at TCU. Gwynn has been recovering from surgery in which a cancerous tumor was removed from his cheeck. He missed 10 games before Tuesday's Aztec game with Loyola Marymount. But Gwynn left after four innings.
Gwynn missed the first part of the season while recovering from an initial surgery and returned to the team March 23. He coached 21 games before undergoing the second procedure. Assistant coach Mark Martinez is acting as the Aztecs' head coach in Fort Worth. The North County Times reported that Gwynn still hopes to reunite with his team at the Mountain West Conference tournamenet May 24-27 in Las Vegas.
San Diego State and TCU conclude the regular season with three games this weekend. Game 1 is at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The Horned Frogs need to sweep the series to win their seventh MWC title in seven seasons in the league. TCU moves to the Big 12 Conference next season.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Cotton Bowl interested in learning more about new Big 12-SEC bowl agreement

Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said officials at Arlington’s annual post-season game are interested in “learning more about” Friday’s creation of a bowl game that will pit champions of the Big 12 and Southeastern Conference against one another in future seasons.

The five-year agreement, announced Friday by officials of both leagues, would take effect with the 2014 season. Details about the game’s venue remain undetermined. Under existing agreements, the Cotton Bowl  matches a team from the Big 12 against an SEC opponent each season but does not include the conference champion from either league.

In a statement, Baker said: “Today’s announcement from the Big 12 and SEC is certainly exciting and intriguing news, and we look forward to learning more about this championship matchup. The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, through its 15-year partnership with both the Big 12 and SEC, has seen firsthand the great tradition and history of these two conferences. This relationship has been very good to us and is without a doubt going to be a spectacular bowl game.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Champions from Big 12, SEC to meet in annual bowl game, starting with 2014 season

Champions from the Big 12 and Southeastern Conference will meet in a bowl game, effective with the 2014 season, officials from both leagues announced Friday.

The matchup will be part of a five-year agreement between the leagues to pit their league football champions in a head-to-head setting unless one or both champions are selected to play in the new, four-team model to determine the national champion. If that occurs, a replacement team from one or both leagues would be selected to compete in the bowl game.

Specific details of the plan, including the venue for the games, will be announced later. But the goal is to play the game in prime time on or around Jan. 1 throughout the duration of the agreement.

Under existing agreements, the SEC champion plays in the Sugar Bowl and the Big 12 champion plays in the Fiesta Bowl. Champions from either league that finish in the top two of the final BCS standings compete in the BCS National Championship Game. Representatives from the SEC and Big 12 also meet in the Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, but that matchup does not include league champions.

Chuck Neinas, the interim Big 12 commissioner, helped arrange the matchup in negotiations with SEC commissioner Mike Slive. In a statement, Neinas said the new deal stands as “a landmark agreement between two of the most successful football conferences during the BCS era … Our goal is to provide the fans across the country with a New Year’s Day prime-time tradition.”

Slive said the matchup would “complement the exciting post-season atmosphere created by the new four-team model” to select future national champions.

Linking the two leagues also speaks to the future stability of the Big 12, which has lost four members to other conferences in the past two years. The list includes Texas A&M and Missouri, which will move to the SEC on July 1 _ the same day TCU and West Virginia become Big 12 members.

In a statement, incoming Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said he was “very excited” by the new agreement. Bowlsby takes over as Big 12 commissioner on June 15.

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas A&M's Ross Stripling, former Carroll standout, needs your vote

Texas A&M pitcher and Southlake Carroll grad Ross Stripling, who recently pitched a no-hitter, is in a close race in fan balloting for the Lowe's Senior Class Award in college baseball. Community, classroom, character and competition are the bywords for the award. To vote, go here.

TCU hoops land Arkansas transfer (and former Seagoville HS standout) Devonta Abron

Former Arkansas forward Devonta Abron is transferring to TCU, Horned Frogs’ coach Trent Johnson announced Wednesday.
Abron, who attended Seagoville High School, wanted to move back to Texas because of a family health issue, according to CBSSports.com. Abron has applied for a waiver to play next season because of the family health concern. If he’s denied, he’ll have to sit out a year. Either way he’ll have three years of eligibility remaining at TCU.
He averaged 5.7 points, 4.2 rebounds in 32 games, including 22 starts for the Razorbacks last season.
“Devonta is a big addition for our program,” Johnson said in a release. “He is a great kid who has been a starter from a program that has played at a high level in a major conference. He is just another example of the type of player our staff is looking for as we enter the Big 12 Conference next season.”
Abron (6-foot-8, 255 pounds) is the fourth player Johnson has added since taking over in April. He ranked as the nation’s No. 21 power forward recruit coming out of Seagoville. He joins center Aaron Durley, from Fort Bend Bush High School, who signed with TCU last week.
Guards Charles Smith, from Fort Worth Trimble Tech, and Clyde Smith III, from Houston Hotchkiss School, signed earlier.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Oklahoma's Golloway could face suspension after bumping umpire

Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway was ejected in the eighth inning of Tuesday's 1-0 loss to TCU after arguing balls and strike calls.
Golloway may miss a few more games after making contact with homeplate umpire Travis Olson after the ejection. Golloway was miffed in the first inning and had a lengthy jawing session with Olson. That prompted TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle to come out, too. But Schlossnagle was smiling and told Olson he just wanted a consistent strike zone.
In the ninth, Oklahoma was incensed by an out at third base on a relay throw from right fielder Brance Rivera to shortstop Keaton Jones to Jantzen Witte. Again, it was Olson who was in position to make the call. The replays appeared to show the Sooner’s Cody Reine touched the bag before the tag was applied. And when Evan Mistich was called out on a third strike to end the game, he gave Olson an earful as the umpire headed for the exit.
-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

TCU sweeps Oklahoma for first time since 2004 thanks to Finnegan's gem

NORMAN, Okla. – The plan was to have Brandon Finnegan pitch a few innings Tuesday against Oklahoma. The freshman from Fort Worth Southwest High School had only thrown three innings since his last start April 24 and his last appearance was nearly two weeks ago.

But Finnegan was too good for an early departure. He struck out seven Sooners and held Oklahoma hitless through seven innings as the No. 20 Horned Frogs held on for a 1-0 win at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

It was TCU’s first win in Norman since 2006 and the first time the Frogs (33-16) have swept Oklahoma (TCU beat the Sooners 4-3 May 1 in Fort Worth) since 2004.

Like much of this season, it didn’t come easy. After burning through the Sooners’ lineup for seven innings when he allowed just three base runners (on a hit batter and two errors), Finnegan had two runners on with no outs in the eighth after his throwing error to first and an infield single by Caleb Bushyhead.

Justin Scharf replaced Finnegan and worked out of the jam. Catcher Josh Elander got the first out by jumping on a bunt and throwing to third base to get the lead runner. Scharf got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning. In the ninth, Scharf hit leadoff batter Cody Reine, but the TCU defense came through again. Reine was thrown out at third base on Max White’s single to right after a nice throw by right fielder Brance Rivera to shortstop Keaton Jones, who relayed to Jantzen Witte. Scharf corralled a hot shot back to the mound and threw to second base to get White for out No. 2. After an infield single over the mound Kevin Allen came in to face Evan Mistich and struck him out looking on a 3-2 count to end the game.

“This was a nail-biter but we got all the breaks that we haven’t had in the past,” said Jason Coats, whose RBI double in the first inning scored Josh Elander for the only run of the game. “Finnegan was lights out today. He pitched the best I’ve ever seen him pitch. And Scharf and Allen coming in closing the door feels pretty good. We finally came out on top here.”

Finnegan (3-3) struck out Oklahoma’s leadoff batter Erik Ross looking at a 95 mph fastball and faced the minimum through the first six innings, thanks to Elander throwing out White on an attempted steal in the first inning. In the seventh, an error helped the Sooners get a runner to second with one out, but two defensive gems by first baseman Kevin Cron stranded him at third. Cron stayed with a foul ball and made a catch over a wall in foul territory for the second out, and made an acrobatic tag on a slow bouncer down the line to end the inning.

“I pride myself on running after them even if I hear it’s out,” said Cron, who had two of the Frogs’ six hits. “Brance came to me earlier in the game and told me not to give up on those because they’re coming back this way. Most of these guys they haven’t won here at all. To give them a sweep this year was a real good thing for us freshmen to be able to give to the older guys.”

Dillon Overton (5-3) pitched a complete game and struck out five but took the loss for the Sooners (33-20).

Finnegan’s previous longest outing was 5 1/3 in his start against Texas A&M April 24. The rest, he said, helped with his stamina.

“My arm was feeling amazing,” Finnegan said. “That was a fun game.”

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

Baylor adds Waller-Prince to men's basketball recruiting class

Baylor has added forward Taurean Waller-Prince, a 6-foot-7 forward from San Antonio, to its men’s basketball signing class, school officials announced today. Waller-Prince averaged 21.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game last season as a senior at San Antonio Warren and was ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the state by TexasHoops.com. Baylor’s recruiting class, which has been heavy on inside players with the departures of last season’s three frontline starters to the NBA Draft (Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy, Quincy Miller), has been ranked No. 4 nationally by Scout.com and No. 5 by ESPNU.

_ Jimmy Burch

Mack Brown says Florida State rumors sign of the renewed strength of the Big 12

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Dallas _ Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown has heard the now deafening rumors about his alma mater Florida State contemplating leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference and joining the Big 12.

Brown, who received the inaugural Gene Stallings Awards for his humanitarian endeavors at the Dallas Country Club Monday, declined to address Florida State specifically out of respect to the ACC.

He even admitted that he would personally prefer to stay at 10 teams_ where the league is now after TCU and West Virginia joined to replace the departed Texas A&M and Missouri.

But Brown excitedly acknowledges that the talk of possible future expansion of the big 12 is a good sign that the league is here to stay.

“What I wanted was to get our league stable and that has happened,” Brown said. “There is 13 year commitment with the 10 teams we have. We are going to see the Big 12 as we know it right now for at least 13 years. It’s above my decision making when they start talking about do we had 11 do we add 12 or do we stay at 10. Personally it’s been the thought of Texas that we stay at 10. We just got a new commissioner, that we are all excited about from Stanford. He will obviously be involved with the presidents trying to look and see. I don’t think it’s about this team or that team. I think it’s about a concept or philosophy.”

But two years after thinking that the Big 12 was all but dead with talk of Texas going to Pac 10 conference, Brown said the conference is now strong, wealthy and will be around for the rest of his lifetime. He says it’s a natural landing spot for any school wanting to improve their situation such as Florida State.

“I didn’t know we would have a league at one point,” Brown said. “So I’m really happy that we are going to have a Big 12 and its going to be really good and profitable. The commitment of the TV package is so good its going to make universities across the country look at joining the Big 12 because it once again is representing one of the best leagues in America.”

Brown said the addition of West Virginia, which moved to the league from the Big East with hopes of more money and more exposure, may have started a trend of teams from across the country wanting to move to the Big 12.

“I think the fact that West Virginia joined the league from out of the area opened up the conversation for other people outside of the area that might be interested and then we expand. But the fact that our league teams will make so much money has to be something other teams will look at it.”

It may seem awkward that Brown won the inaugural Stallings Award considering that Stallings is on the board of regents at Texas A&M and helped spearhead the Aggies move from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference.

But the two men have been friends and colleagues for years _ well before Brown came to Texas in 1998. Brown also had relationship with Stallings’ son late Johnny, who was born with down syndrome, is the real inspiration behind the award which was presented by Dr. Pepper and the Monday’s dinner which benefitted the Rise School in Dallas.

Stallings started the Rise School in Tuscaloosa, Ala when he was coach of the Crimson Tide to provide a school for children with development delays. There are now Rise Schools in Austin, Houston and Dallas.

Stallings said Brown, who volunteers at the Rise School in Austin, was a natural fit as the inaugural recipient.

“It goes to somebody who makes a difference in the community,” Stallings said. “It’s not about won-loss record. Mack has made a difference in a lot of different way and lot of different programs not only in Austin but throughout the country. We wanted him to be the first recipient of this award.”

Said Brown: “The award means a lot to me because I knew Johnny. I knew him well.I watched Coach Stallings. He is a big tough football coach. He was a mentor to us all. When I was around him with Johnny you saw the special bond he had with his son. It was the driving force for Sally (his wife) and I to get involved with the Rise School in Austin and move forward. So for this award to be not about coaching but about people and about children and about giving and with his name on it in honor of Johnny is special for myself.”

-30-

 

 

 

 

 

Former Nebraska RB Green announces transfer to TCU

Nebraska running back Aaron Green, a sophomore from San Antonio, announced plans to transfer to TCU on his Twitter account tonight (@AGreen_2). Green, who told reporters last month that he would be leaving Nebraska, posted: “I will be finishing my football career at Texas Christian University, aka TCU!”

Green (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) rushed for 105 yards on 24 carries as a freshman last season for the Cornhuskers. In his final season at San Antonio Madison, Green rushed for 1,717 yards and 19 touchdowns on 240 carries.

Green told the San Antonio News-Express in a story published online Friday night that a film session with coach Gary Patterson during Green's visit to TCU a week ago Friday was the determining factor.

“Man, it's my style of play,” Green said. “Speed everywhere. It's real explosive and real exciting to watch."

His father told the newspaper that he also considered Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Houston. 

_ Jimmy Burch

Baylor announces second major gift toward construction of new football stadium

Baylor officials announced their second significant gift toward construction of the school’s new, on-campus football stadium targeted to open for the 2014 season. The donation announced today, characterized as one of the top five capital gifts in school history, came from alumnus John Eddie Williams, Jr. School officials said the field at the new facility, which will be named Baylor Stadium, will be called John Eddie Williams Field. In March, Baylor alum and former Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane, Jr. made a lead gift toward construction of the facility, which will be located along the Brazos River with a capacity of 45,000.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Aggies AD Byrne announces retirement, search ongoing for replacement

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne announced his retirement today, effective Aug. 31.

School officials have begun a nationwide search for Byrne’s replacement with A&M regent Jim Wilson and Jason Cook, the school’s vice-president for marketing and communications, serving as co-chairs of the search committee. A&M hopes to have a new athletic director on campus before the start of the fall semester.

A&M joins the Southeastern Conference on July 1 and Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, the university president, has made it clear that school officials wanted a fresh face to lead the Aggies into their new league. During Tuesday’s news conference in College Station, Byrne acknowledged he was not part of the SEC deliberations but helped facilitate the move because that was the will of regents and other university decision-makers.

“Those were decisions made above my pay grade,” Byrne said.

During his 10 years as the A&M athletic director, Byrne oversaw more than $110 million in facilities upgrades. A&M’s teams won 45 Big 12 conference championships under Byrne’s watch, including nine during the 2010-11 school year that included national championships in women’s basketball, men’s track and field and women’s track and field. Since the start of the 2006-07 academic year, no school has won more Big 12 team championships than A&M.

For the duration of his existing contract, Byrne will assume the role of special advisor to the A&M university president, effective immediately. Byrne, who came to A&M from Nebraska, said, “The past 10 years in Aggieland have been some of the most memorable and enjoyable of my life. I will continue to be a big fan of Aggie athletics.”

In a statement, Loftin said Byrne leaves A&M “with a legacy of building champions and leaders of character, both in athletics and academics. He has built Texas A&M into one of the top overall athletic programs in the country.”

But the school’s journey into the SEC will be led by someone else.

Loftin announced Tuesday that Dr. John Thornton, who has been associated with the school for 31 years, has been named interim athletic director until Byrne’s successor is hired. Thornton, an A&M basketball player in 1974-75, has spent the last 10 years as the school’s senior associate athletic director for student-athlete development.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

TCU strikes early, takes Game 1 of Saturday double-header

TCU scored four runs in the first inning Saturday and held on for a 5-3 win against New Mexico in Game 1 that was postponed from Friday night. The Horned Frogs (28-15, 12-4 in the Mountain West) had five consecutive batters reach with one out in the first. The one out came Friday before lightning and rains forced the postponement. Josh Elander walked and Jason Coats, Jantzen Witte and Kevin Cron singled before Brett Johnson doubled to make it 4-0.
TCU tied New Mexico for first place in the MWC with the win. The teams meet for Game 2 at 5 p.m. tonight at Lupton Stadium. Stefan Crichton (5-1) gets the start for TCU against right-hander Josh Walker (6-2).
The Lobos (26-20, 12-4) scored three runs against Preston Morrison, who replaced Friday’s starter Andrew Mitchell in the second inning Saturday. New Mexico scored twice in the second and once in the fourth on an RBI double by Kyle Stiner. Mitchell will start Game 3 at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
Morrison pitched 4 1/3 innings Saturday before Brandon Finnegan took over with a runner on second and one out in the sixth. Finnegan got a groundout and strikeout on a 93 mph fastball to end the inning.
Brance Rivera singled in Cron to give TCU a two-run cushion in the sixth. Cron had three hits, an RBI, and two runs scored. In the seventh, leftfielder Jason Coats threw out a runner trying to move up to third base on a flyout for an inning-ending double play.

Justin Scharf held the Lobos to two hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Kevin Allen came on with two outs and runners on second and third in the ninth and struck out John Pustay to end the game.
Lobos’ starter Austin House, who started the game Friday, was back on the mound Saturday. After struggling in the first inning, he regrouped to hold the Frogs to one run the next six innings. House (5-4) took the loss after allowing five runs in seven innings. Morrison improved to 7-0.

TCU AD Chris Del Conte dismisses Stanford rumor, hails Big 12 commissioner hire

TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte said he has not been contacted by Stanford or any other school about taking a similar job.
Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby will be introduced at 10 a.m. Friday as the Big 12 Conference's new commissioner. Del Conte, who attended college in California, says he is building a house near TCU and has no plans to leave.
“I love our chancellor [Victor Boschini], I think he’s the very best in the business, and I want to be at TCU," he said. "As long as the chancellor and board of trustees, our coaches, and donors want me to work for them I’ll be at TCU.”
Del Conte called the hiring of Bowlsby “phenomenal.”
“I’ve known Bob for a long time,” he said. “I think his experience in the Big 10 and the Pac 12, he’s a well-respected AD. I think it’s a perfect hire for the Big 12. I’m excited to work with him in the coming years.”
Del Conte said the Big 12 has been working on finding the right person since January. Bowlsby replaces interim commissioner Chuck Neinas beginning June 15.
“I don’t think it was as quick as you think,” Del Conte said. “There was a process going for the last six months.”

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Aggies F Robertson receives medical hardship waiver

Texas A&M forward Kourtney Robertson, a sophomore who played in nine games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in December, received a medical hardship waiver from the Big 12 office today and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining, school officials announced. Robertson averaged 4.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game before he was injured Dec. 22 against Rice.

_ Jimmy Burch

TCU announces Guerinoni and Scott hired to Trent Johnson's staff

TCU men’s basketball coach Trent Johnson hired Donny Guerinoni and Brent Scott as assistant coaches, the school announced Wednesday. Guerinoni and Scott were assistants for Johnson at LSU for four years and they both played for Johnson, Guerinoni at Nevada and Scott at Rice.
“Continuity and a sense of family will be important characteristics of our program here at TCU,” Johnson said in a release. Johnson mentioned both when he was announced as TCU's coach in early April.
Guerinoni was the first recruit Johnson signed at Nevada in 1999. He served as Johnson’s director of operations at Stanford from 2004-06 before being named an assistant coach at Stanford.
Johnson joined the staff at Rice for Scott’s senior season in 1992-93. Scott played professionally for 16 teams in eight leagues in five countries for 14 years before joining Johnson’s staff at LSU.
Johnson will name a third and final assistant at a later date.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Texas to play Georgetown in men's basketball on Dec. 4 in New York

Texas will face Georgetown in the first game of the Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic, Dec. 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York. School officials announced the contest Wednesday. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. on ESPN. Texas will be making its third appearance in the Jimmy V Classic, which benefits cancer research.

_ Jimmy Burch

TCU baseball indefinitely suspends three freshmen

Freshmen Braden Mattson, Chris Murphy and Michael Resnick were indefinitely suspended for violating team rules, TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said.
Mattson was hitting .190 in 27 games, including 14 starts, but had been battling a hamstring injury the last few weeks.
Murphy, a pitcher, made five appearances, his last coming April 1. Resnick played in 11 games, including three starts at first base, and was batting .083. His last appearance was April 1.
Schlossnagle did not say if or when the players would be reinstated. All three, especially Mattson, figured big in TCU's future.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Big 12 draft notes from 2012 NFL Draft

On the third and final day of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Texas Longhorns finally got involved.

The Washington Redskins selected former Texas linebacker Keenan Robinson with a fourth-round pick, No. 119 overall, to extend the school’s streak of having at least one player taken in every NFL Draft since being shut out in 1937.

But Robinson, one of three Texas players selected Saturday, had the longest wait of any Longhorn in 12 years to become the first player from his school to hear his name called on draft day. Defensive end Cedric Woodard, a sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens, was the lone Longhorn selected in 2000.

Robinson (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), who finished with 317 career tackles, should be a good fit with his new team, said Texas coach Mack Brown.

“He’s a leader,” Brown said. “He’s big. He’s strong. He’s fast. He can play all over the field and he was also one of our best special teams players.”

Bullock heads home: Texas A&M kicker Randy Bullock, winner of the 2011 Lou Groza Award given to the top kicker in college football, received a double-barreled pleasant surprise Saturday. Not only was the Houston native drafted _ never a given with college kickers, even elite ones _ he was picked by the Houston Texans, the team he has cheered since they joined the league in 2002.

“It feels great. To have the opportunity to play in my hometown, it’s a dream come true,” Bullock said. “When I saw the Houston area code (on his cell phone), my heart stopped.”

Bullock is the first kicker the Texans have drafted in franchise history. He replaces Neil Rackers, who signed a free-agent deal with the Redskins in the off-season.

Waco connection: Baylor center Philip Blake, a fourth-round pick of the Denver Broncos, will re-join former college teammate J.D. Walton in the Broncos’ offensive line. When Walton left Baylor, Blake moved from guard to center to take his place.

“When I made the move to center, he gave me a few tips. I’ll learn from him again,” said Blake, who may be used at both positions by the Broncos.  “Playing guard is an option, but I have an option to play center as well (in the NFL). I’m very comfortable at guard and at center.”

Waco connection II: Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway, a sixth-round pick by the New York Jets, projects to be the team’s backup in 2012. He will replace Waco native LaDainian Tomlinson, a former TCU star who retired after spending the last two seasons with the Jets. Ganway will get to continue running behind Baylor guard Robert Griffin, a Euless Trinity graduate who also was a Jets’ sixth-round selection Saturday.

Gruden challenge: The Big 12 had three quarterbacks selected in the first round, most by any league. The list included Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (Washington), Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill (Miami) and Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden (Cleveland), a 28-year-old former minor league baseball player who became the oldest first-round pick in NFL history.

ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said he will be watching the group closely to see if they can answer a lingering question in his mind.

“Why haven’t any of the Big 12 quarterbacks really hit the lottery lately in the NFL?,” Gruden said. “Blaine Gabbert, we’re waiting to see that; Vince Young hasn’t really sustained himself; Sam Bradford has got to prove it going into (2012); Colt McCoy. There’s a lot of Big 12 quarterbacks, I think, that have to really step on the gas this year.”

Broyles better: Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles, the NCAA career receptions leader selected in the second round by the Detroit Lions, said his rehabilitation from a torn ACL in November could have him back on the field soon but offered no specific timetable.

“I’m back to doing everything normal,” Broyles said. “All the weight room stuff, all the running stuff. I’m getting my flexibility back as well. I’m on pace. I look and feel better than ever right now, to be honest.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas players sign free agent deals with NFL teams

Two Texas players signed free-agent deals tonight with NFL teams. Safety Blake Gideon signed with Arizona and kicker/punter Justin Tucker with Baltimore.

_ Jimmy Burch

TCU's Tank Carder selected in fifth round by Buffalo Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Bills have selected TCU linebacker Tank Carder with their second of two fifth-round picks in the NFL draft on Saturday.

Selected 147th overall, Carder is a two-time Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year, and was the defensive MVP in the 2011 Rose Bowl.

Carder played a key role in securing TCU's 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl by breaking up a potential game-tying two-point conversion with 2 minutes left.

He's a three-year starter and finished with nine sacks, 25 tackles for losses and four interceptions.Carder's the second linebacker the Bills have drafted after selecting Florida State's Nigel Bradham in the fourth round.

Barring a trade, Buffalo has two picks left through the final two rounds. Their next pick is a sixth-rounder, 178th overall.

Carder on Twitter: "Buffalo Bills Baby! Still In shock!"

Longhorns on the board in NFL Draft, but Cowboys didn't take OLB Keenan Robinson

The Washington Redskins selected Texas Longhorns outside linebacker Keenan Robinson with the 24th pick of the fourth round, No. 118 overall in the NFL Draft. Robinson is the first Texas Longhorns player selected in this year's draft.

The Dallas Cowboys also took an outside linebacker in the fourth round, but decided to shop outside of the state, selecting Wake Forest's Kyle Wilber with the 18th selection, No. 113 overall.

 

Report: UT San Antonio headed to C-USA, which also wants North Texas

CBSsports.com reports that UT San Antonio will join Conference USA in 2013, pending approval Wednesday from the University of Texas System Board of Regents.

The report also says C-USA is looking to add North Texas and Florida International from the Sun Belt Conference and Louisiana Tech from the Western Athletic Conference, citing sources from the BCS meetings in Florida last week.

C-USA is losing four members, including SMU and Houston, to the Big East.

UT San Antonio had been headed to the WAC, the league UT Arlington is set to join in July. The WAC's future appears to be in jeopardy. 

UTA had already said it was prepared to reassess its move from the Southland Conference to the WAC.

UTA, which doesn't participate in football, was looking at a WAC in men's basketball that last season had Nevada, New Mexico State, Idaho, Utah State, Louisiana Tech, Hawaii, Fresno State and San Jose State, and was adding in basketball (and other non-football sports) Boise State, Denver, Seattle and UTA, along with football and all-sport members UTSA and Texas State. 

The Mountain West, according to CBSsports.com, will add Utah State and San Jose State 2013 to help keep its FBS status in the NCAA. 

-- Vince Langford

 

 

Texas CB White will transfer to another school

Texas cornerback A.J. White has been given an unconditional release from his scholarship and plans to transfer to another school, White and school officials announced today.

White, who will be a junior next fall, said in a statement that he “felt like I needed to get a new start” but did not specify where he plans to transfer. The DeSoto graduate played in 17 games over two seasons, making nine tackles.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Baylor suspends DE Elliott for violation of team policy

Baylor has suspended defensive end Tevin Elliott from its football program for an undisclosed violation of team policy, coach Art Briles announced today. Briles said the length of the suspension is indefinite. Elliott, who will be a junior next fall, missed spring drills while recuperating from a knee injury. He has recorded 63 tackles in two seasons.

_ Jimmy Burch

Green Bay Packers interested in Colt McCoy as backup?

According to Bill Huber in Packer Report, part of Scout.com, the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns are considering a trade for Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.

McCoy, the former Texas Longhorns star who has started for the Browns the past two seasons, is expendable after the Browns drafted former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden with the 22nd pick in the first round.

Weeden was projected as a second-round pick.

And the current backup-to-be for the Packers, who lost No. 2 quarterback Matt Flynn to free agency? That would be former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, whom the Packers signed off their practice squad to the active roster last December. 

Weeden roots out McCoy, OSU over Texas, and maybe McCoy displaces Harrell, the protagonists in the epic Texas-Texas Tech 2008 game that Tech won. This could be McCoy's payback. Talk about Big 12-on-Big 12 crime.

McCoy and Harrell still have a ways to go before hitting their prime, where Weeden, 28,  is  now.

Weeden will be 29 when he takes his first official NFL snap. CBSsports.com Bruce Feldman notes that Dallas Cowboys great Roger Staubach was 29 when he became the full-fledged starter for Tom Landry in the 1971 season.

Staubach, who came into the league as a 27-year-old after Navy service, seemed to work out well.

-- Vince Langford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oklahoma State selects freshman Lunt to be its starting quarterback in 2012

Oklahoma State will defend its first Big 12 conference football championship, won with 28-year-old quarterback Brandon Weeden leading the offense, with a true freshman at the helm next fall.

Wes Lunt, a 2012 signee who enrolled in January, has been selected as the Cowboys’ starter for next season, coach Mike Gundy announced today. Gundy said Lunt earned the job during spring drills while competing against junior Clint Chelf, last year’s backup, and redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh, a Denton Guyer graduate.

The last incoming freshman to start a game at quarterback for OSU was Tone Jones, in 1993. Gundy said he chose Lunt because he “performed better than the other two quarterbacks in the spring” and offers the Cowboys’ offense its best opportunity to be effective.

Lunt, who played last year for Rochester High School in Rochester, Ill., said he was “overwhelmed” by the chance to lead a team coming off a 12-1 record and a 2011 Big 12 championship.

_ Jimmy Burch

BCS inches closer to four-team playoff, so let the complaining commence

The news out of Florida Wednesday could mark a watershed moment in college football history. According to Bowl Championship Series executive director Bill Hancock (see picture below), conference leaders are closer than ever to deciding on a playoff format which would most likely be in place for the 2014 season. Hancock said the group, which is meeting in Fort Lauderdale, hopes to whittle down potential formats Thursday to two or three top options. Conference leaders will then present the alternatives to school presidents, who will make the final call. A resolution and announcement could come as early as July. 

The most likely format would pit the top four teams in two national semifinal games, probably at two existing BCS bowls (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Rose) in No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 pairings.  The winners would then meet in the BCS National Championship Game at another BCS bowl site a few weeks later. I’d vote for having the semifinals the week after the regular season. In 2011, for instance, that would have fallen on Saturday, Dec. 10. Then, in my scenario, the two winners would have 3-4 weeks to prepare for a Jan. 3-8 championship game. Of course, that falls the week of or before most schools have semester finals. So that idea may not work. If so, then I could see the two semifinals being played Dec. 31-Jan. 1, with the championship a week later.

The sites of the semifinals and championship would likely rotate every year and would probably include other prime venue options such as Cowboys Stadium. The rest of the bowl schedule would most likely proceed as usual, with the same teams and affiliations being matched up, preserving the much-discussed bowl tradition TCU's Gary Patterson and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops have championed.

While the move towards a playoff is momentous, long overdue and praiseworthy, I foresee more finger-pointing, hair-pulling and paranoid delusions of grandeur by fans convinced their team is being screwed out of a semifinal slot. Just take a gander at the last four years … 

Last season the final BCS standings looked like this:

1. LSU	13-0
2. Alabama	11-1
3. Oklahoma State	11-1
4. Stanford	11-1
5. Oregon	11-2
7. Boise State	11-1
19. Houston	12-1

The top four teams are no-brainer choices to compete in the semifinals. But what about Boise State? Heard that before, right? And Houston, which defeated No. 22 Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl to finish 13-1? In 2011, a four-team playoff would have netted the Cougars nothing more. 

A playoff in 2010 would have been an even bigger mess. The final BCS standings looked like this:

1. Auburn	13-0
2. Oregon	12-0
3. TCU	12-0
4. Stanford	11-1
5. Wisconsin	11-1
6. Ohio St.	11-1
7. Oklahoma	11-2
8. Arkansas	10-2
9. Michigan St.	11-1
10. Boise St.	11-1
15. Nevada	12-1

OK, the top three were undefeated, including No. 3 TCU. That’s easy. But who get’s the fourth semifinal spot? Six teams finished with one loss, meaning five schools would have been scorned.

In 2009, the season that screamed for a playoff more than any in memory, would have, perhaps, been the easiest to seed in a four-team format. Here’s how the BCS standings looked at the end of the regular season:

1. Alabama	13-0
2. Texas	13-0
3. Cincinnati	12-0
4. TCU	12-0
5. Florida	12-1
6. Boise St.	13-0

The standings were top heavy with five unbeaten teams and one-loss Florida ranked higher than 13-win Boise State. Bronco fans surely would have felt burned, especially since Boise State defeated the Horned Frogs in the Fiesta Bowl.

2008 would have been a pairings nightmare, too, with eight one-loss teams in the final BCS standings, and two undefeated teams (No. 6 Utah and No. 9 Boise State) not even in the top four.

1. Oklahoma	12-1
2. Florida	12-1
3. Texas	11-1
4. Alabama	12-1
5. USC	11-1
6. Utah	12-0
7. Texas Tech	11-1
8. Penn State	11-1
9. Boise St.	12-0
22. Ball State	12-1

Instead of one or two teams being snubbed for a chance to play for a National Championship you would have had six fan bases ticked off, believing they at least deserved to be ranked fourth and involved in playoff. Yes, even Ball State fans.

Nothing is official yet, and there are still plenty of logistics to figure out, but the BCS is moving, albeit slowly, in the right direction. By 2014, college football will take a step out of the dark ages towards progress, but you can count on this: the bickering, bellyaching, and bloodletting over the BCS won’t go away. It may be worse.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

 

Texas WR Onyegbule to undergo surgery, miss fall drills

Texas receiver Miles Onyegbule, a sophomore from Arlington High School, will undergo surgery in the near future for a torn left pectoral muscle, team trainer Kenny Boyd said Tuesday. Onyegbule, who also practiced at tight end during spring drills, is expected to be sidelined through preseason drills in August. His status for the 2012 season will be re-evaluated before the Longhorns’ Sept. 1 opener against Wyoming.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Baylor F Miller changes mind, opts to enter 2012 NBA Draft

Baylor forward Quincy Miller, the Big 12’s Co-Freshman of the Year, will enter the 2012 NBA Draft, school officials announced today.

The announcement came two weeks after Miller, a Chicago native, initially expressed plans to return for his sophomore season. In a statement issued by the school, Baylor coach Scott Drew said Miller had a change of heart after coaches and family members “were able to gather more information and Quincy was able to reflect on his decision.”

“After receiving the full support of the coaching staff, Quincy thought it was in his and his family’s best interest to declare for the 2012 NBA Draft,” Drew said.

Miller, who averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season, joined Perry Jones III as the second underclassmen from the Bears’ 30-8 team that reached the Elite Eight to make himself available in June’s NBA Draft.

_ Jimmy Burch

Weeden's replacement announced this week, Gundy says

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is no fan of quarterback controversies, something he hasn’t had to face with Brandon Weeden under center the last few years.
But Weeden’s departure opens the position to three candidates: Clint Chelf, Wes Lunt, and J.W. Walsh. Gundy and his coaching staff will meet this week and decide on a starter.
“I’m not a big fan of going through the summer or preseason camp with a quarterback controversy or quarterback competition,” Gundy said. “Spring ball was an opportunity for all three players.”
Walsh, a redshirt freshman from Denton Guyer High School, completed 16 of 27 passes for 310 yards in Saturday’s spring game. Chelf, a junior, completed 18 of 31 for 212 yards, and Lunt, a freshman, completed 15 of 23 attempts for 215 yards. Each of them threw two touchdown passes.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

Patterson says TCU must win in Big 12 to win recruiting battles

Word from the some of the recruiting scribes covering TCU is that the move to the Big 12 has been tougher on Horned Frog recruiting than expected. TCU’s 2012 class was very good, but right now the 2013 class has been slower to develop.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said it will take a year of winning in the Big 12 to convince more top recruits that TCU deserves a good look, alongside Texas and Oklahoma.
“For us, recruiting wise, we were already recruiting against these teams for these kinds of players a year ago,” Patterson said. “The saying out there was ‘well, they aren’t in the Big 12.’ Now, it’s ‘can they win in the Big 12.’”
Patterson hopes TCU’s connection to the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a boon for attracting top local talent.
“I think once we can prove that we can win in the Big 12 then I think you’re going to see a big change in how we do things,” he said. “It will be the first time the Metroplex will have a football team [in a major conference] since TCU and SMU were part of the Southwest Conference.”

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

Tuberville wants to see Big 12 add two more schools

Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville thinks the addition of TCU and West Virginia is great for the Big 12 Conference but wants more where that came from.
"I would like too see us add a couple more in the future to get us back to 12 and a conference championship game," Tuberville said during the Big 12 teleconference Monday.
But Tuberville concedes that finding two additional schools is no easy task.
"But who’s out there?" he asked rhetorically. "Everyone is kind of scrambling around trying to fill it up."
He called the addition of West Virginia and TCU "huge for our league."
"I think they both bring a lot to our conference," he said. "Both have been very successful. It’s going to make us a more approachable league in terms of television."

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

Baylor C Griner withdraws name from Olympic consideration

Baylor center Brittney Griner, a junior who led the Lady Bears to a 40-0 record and an NCAA championship earlier this month, has withdrawn her name from consideration for the 2012 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, essentially ending her Olympic hopes for this summer.

The 6-foot-8 Griner cited a family illness and her summer school schedule as the reasons for her decision. In a statement released today by school officials, Griner said: “Because of a family illness and my school schedule during the summer … I will be unable to participate this summer with the 2012 USA Basketball Women’s National Team. I am disappointed that I will be unable to participate, but I want to stay involved in USA Basketball and hope to again have the opportunity to represent my country in future international competition.”

_ Jimmy Burch

So you've seen TCU's new uniforms? Pretty snazzy, right? What do you think?

Although TCU isn't officially unveiling its new Nike football uniforms until closer to the season, thanks to social media such as Facebook and Twitter, images (like the one above) have been circulating all week. It started Monday when Horned Frogs' receiver Josh Boyce tweeted a picture of the new Nike Pro Combat helmet, seen here:

 

Here's a white or silver version of the helmet:

Then TCU athletics posted photos of the uniforms to its Facebook site, including this shot (below). It's a good sign when the mannequin is shinier than the uniform. Football uniforms shouldn't look like disco outfits. So kudos to Nike and TCU personnel who helped design the look. Sort of retro and mean looking.



I like the fact that the design is simple and clear. The use of black, a longtime uniform staple, looks classy and no nonsense, sort of like the type of football TCU hopes to play in the Big 12. Those helmets are pretty sweet looking, as well.
Let me know what you think of the new look. If I was a catty fashion expert on E! I'd lavish hyperbolic praise. Oh, what the heck ... they look fabulous!

Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

#Baylor switches dates of two non-conference FB games in 2012 for TV purposes

Baylor officials have switched the dates of the Bears’ non-conference football games this season against SMU and Louisiana-Monroe to create national telecasts, school officials announced today.

Baylor will open Sept. 2, a Sunday, against SMU. The game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. in Waco and will be an FSN telecast. Also, the Bears will play Friday, Sept. 21 at Louisiana-Monroe with a 7 p.m. kickoff on ESPN or ESPN2.

_ Jimmy Burch