Friday night, TCU football returned after 144 days without a single game-time snap.
The Rose Bowl still fresh in the minds of all who were there, TCU took a relatively young and inexperienced team (having lost 27 seniors, including a starting QB and most of the starting Offensive and Defensive lines) to a very underrated Baylor team with a Heisman hopeful Robert Griffin III at QB.
While the outcome was disappointing, Baylor ended up winning 50-48, the game was anything but. In fact, despite the loss, it was one of the more exciting games I have been a part of in TCU football history. And I'm not just saying that because I was caught on camera by the ESPN National broadcast.
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| Me on TV! |
In fact, it probably fits itself into one of the top 5 TCU football games that I have actually attended. Here is the list and the reasons why each game is where it is on the list.
Friday night's TCU vs Baylor game would be number 5
Number 5: Sept. 2, 2011
TCU 48 at Baylor 50
Part of the reason that this game is here, is because it is one of those games that a young team has to have, a loss that shapes who the team becomes. The fact that our defense (generally the most dominant aspect of our team) got shellacked is going to provide them with some motivation throughout the rest of this season, and looking closer at the actual events of the game, the apparent demise of the defense is not as obvious as it might have appeared.
Sophmore Jason Verrett (#2) started at corner back, and all 3 of Baylor's first three passing touchdowns showed him way out of position. Late in the second quarter, he was replaced by redshirt freshman Kevin White (#25), and the TCU secondary got markedly better as a result.
After that, Baylor was still able to score a few long touchdowns and complete a few long passes, but on each of those plays, White or McCoy (#7) where in good position but were unable to stop great receptions by Baylor's wideouts on perfect throws from Griffin.
Of all of the quarterbacks remaining on our schedule this season, the only other one coming close to the talent of Griffin is another Heisman candidate, Boise St. senior Kellen Moore.
The defense will not look nearly as bad as they did for much of Friday night again this season.
The offense, with a new offensive line and a first time starter at QB wasn't supposed to turn many heads early in the season. However, they were fantastic.
Sophomore Casey Pachall (who we could have for three full seasons!) showed off his powerful arm and his ability to put the ball in exactly the right place. He did have a propensity for staring down his target and not looking much past his first option, but those are issues that will get fixed with game time experience, and the plusses far outweighed those minor minuses. The kid was recruited (and offered scholarships) by other big time programs, but chose TCU, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's in talk for a Heisman before his career here is over.
The fourth quarter is what really put this game in the top 5. TCU entered the fourth quarter down by 24 points, and many felt that this game was over. TCU didn't feel that way though. They proceeded to score 25 unanswered points and take the lead 48-47 before Baylor was able to just sneak in the game winning field goal with just over a minute left. If there had been even a couple of extra minutes in this game, TCU would have walked away victorious in a game that looked completely lost, and that type of heart goes a long way in the college game. This is a team that will simply not be denied no matter how long the odds look, and that is something that is very important, especially considering the leadership that this team lost.
This game reminded me a lot of a couple of my other favorite TCU games of all time, both losses, one of which is on the list at number 3 so I will hold off on talking about those comparisons until them, the other didn't make the list so I'll talk a little about it now.
It was a Tuesday night game, October 30, 2001 (nearly 10 years ago). TCU was playing East Carolina University.
It started out ugly, and the few fans that had come to the odd Tuesday night start left when the Frogs went down 27-3 at Half Time.
Myself and a few good friends stuck it out, sitting in our customary seats behind the band. Sean Stilley had started for the Frogs, but Casey Printers came in for TCU in the second half after a Stilley injury.
Playing QB for the Pirates was future NFL starter David Garrard. Casey Printers would go on to be an NFL backup QB and a Grey Cup winner and CFL MVP. Of course, none of us knew that would be in the future for either of these players. Instead what we witnessed was a remarkable comeback led by Printers and a determination to stave that comeback off by Garrard.
TCU got it to within 30-23 with about 5 minutes left and even had the ball. However, Printers (as was always his wont) through an interception that allowed ECU to push the lead back to two scores, making it 37-23 with 3:54 left. TCU was not to be denied, however. Printers led us down the field and with 1:49 left hit Adrian Madise in the endzone to make the score 37-30. The Frogs then recovered the onside kick and got to first and goal before failing to tie the game, an incompletion on fourth and goal turning the ball over and allowing ECU to hold on to win.
It was a heck of a game and a heck of a finish that with a little more time might have ended differently. Of course, at the end of this season, Printers would do as much (or more) to lose the bowl game against A&M as he did to make this game respectable.
Number 4: Nov. 20, 1999
TCU 52 vs UTEP 24
I will never forget this game. Sitting in my customary student time seat of behind the band, I watched as LT broke run after run against the UTEP defense. The year before in El Paso he had burned the Miners for 300 yards and they vowed they would stop him this year. As we watched LT break through the eight and nine man fronts that the Miners piled in front of him, my friends and I tried to put together how many yards he had. Thankfully the announcer informed us. "LaDainian Tomlinson this afternoon has set an NCAA Division 1 record. 406 yards rushing! LT!"
Shane Ladewig was the center for the Frogs in that game, and his parents were shooting video. Relive the moment for yourselves.
Seeing as this post is already pretty long, we'll return with games 3, 2, and 1 tomorrow.
Go Frogs!
