TCU 2005 Season | Team Page	Select Conference ACC Big East Big Ten Big 12 Conference USA Independents MAC Mountain West Pac-10 SEC Sun Belt WAC Select Team

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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Gary Patterson (6th season, 43-18) 2005 record: 11-1 MWC finish: 8-0 (1st) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 28th (192.2 ypg) Passing: 77th (207.8 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 15th (107.9 ypg) Passing: 63rd (221.2 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 at Baylor Sept. 9 UC Davis Sept. 16 Texas Tech Sept. 28 BYU Oct. 5 at Utah Oct. 21 at Army Oct. 28 Wyoming Nov. 4 at UNLV Nov. 11 at New Mexico Nov. 18 San Diego State Nov. 25 at Colorado State Dec. 2 Air Force Depth Chart: Offense 4 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 18 Quentily Harmon Sr. 3 Marcus Brock Jr. WR 19 Michael DePriest Sr. 2 Donald Massey Jr. LT 78 Herbert Taylor Sr. 79 Nic Richmond Fr. LG 65 Giles Montgomery So. 77 Maurice Bouldwin Sr. C 75 Blake Schlueter So. 72 Ryan Sefton Jr. RG 64 Matty Lindner Jr. 60 Preston Phillips So. RT 63 Heath Raetz So. 71 Wade Sisk Jr. TE 81 Chad Andrus Sr. 80 Brent Hecht Sr. QB 16 Jeff Ballard Sr. 12 Chad Huffman Jr. FB 47 William Jackson Jr. 30 Lonta Hobbs Sr. RB 33 Robert Merrill Sr. 23 Aaron Brown So. Depth Chart: Defense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 93 Chase Ortiz Jr. 42 Matt Panfil So. DT 56 Cody Moore So. 55 James Vess So. DT 99 Lorenzo Jones So. 58 Jarrarcea Williams Sr. DE 97 Tommy Blake Jr. 95 Jamison Newby Sr. SLB 46 David Hawthorne Jr. 51 Robert Henson So. MLB 39 Jason Phillips So. 37 Darius Ingram Jr. CB 20 Nick Sanders Fr. 9 Vernon Russell Sr. CB - Torrey Stewart Jr. 14 Rafael Priest Fr. SS 25 Eric Buchanan Sr. 6 Brian Bonner Jr. WS 26 Marvin White Sr. 29 Stephen Hodge So. FS 27 David Roach Jr. 38 Steven Coleman So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 44 Chris Manfredini Jr. KR 19 Michael DePriest Sr. P 40 Brian Cortney Sr. PR 3 Marcus Brock Jr.

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Before anyone in Manhattan, Kan., had an opportunity to speak with him about the Kansas State coaching job, Gary Patterson signed a long-term contract extension in late November to remain the Horned Frogs' coach. Patterson, a Kansas State graduate who was rumored to be a leading candidate for the Big 12 job, claimed that he didn't want to leave Fort Worth without finding out how far he could lead the Horned Frogs.

"I believe we've got a chance to do something special," Patterson says. "We want to take this program to the next level."

He might take the program there in his sixth season. Behind a wealth of returning talent on defense and a rising star at quarterback, the reigning Mountain West Conference champs have the potential to become the second so-called "mid-major" school to reach a BCS game.

OFFENSE

Herbert Taylor, who has made 36 consecutive starts at right tackle, moved to left tackle in the spring to protect the quarterback's blindside. Now the Horned Frogs have to figure out who will protect the other side of quarterback Jeff Ballard. TCU, which has only one returning starter on the offensive line, could struggle to score points unless there is improvement up front.

"We have a chance to have a good offense, but we need to grow up on the offensive line," Patterson says.

The Horned Frogs shouldn't have any trouble finding the end zone if the line does improve. Ballard, a senior signal-caller, has a perfect 8-0 record as a starter, and his 59.9 completion percentage last season was the second-best in school history. He is joined in the backfield by three backs - Lonta Hobbs, Aaron Brown and Robert Merrill - who are each capable of rushing for 1,000 yards.

Ballard lost his go-to receiver when Cory Rodgers skipped his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, but there are several players who could wind up filling that role.

DEFENSE

Behind relentless pressure from a blitz-happy 4-2-5 scheme, the Horned Frogs forced more turnovers than any other team in the nation last season and had eight games in which a different player lead the team in tackles.

But the scary thing is that the Horned Frogs believe they're going to be better on defense this season. "We were young and had some experienced players last season," linebacker David Hawthorne says. "We'll be better."

The Horned Frogs have one of the nation's best defensive end tandems in Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz and will rotate as many as six defensive tackles, including sophomore Lorenzo Jones, to pressure the quarterback.

TCU isn't any less deep at linebacker, where six players with significant experience are back. Sophomore Jason Phillips and Hawthorne are the returning starters.

The biggest weakness might be at cornerback since last year's starters are gone, but the Horned Frogs have four players capable of filling the void. The coaching staff must also replace last season's defensive leader, free safety Jeremy Modkins.

SPECIALISTS

TCU has a solid field goal-kicking tandem in Chris Manfredini and Peter LoCoco. Manfredini made all 13 of his attempts last season as the Horned Frogs' short distance kicker. Punter Brian Cortney returns after averaging 38.6 yards per punt.

Rodgers' early departure for the NFL will hurt the Horned Frogs' return game. Marcus Brock will try to match Rodgers' ability on punt returns, while the Frogs will turn to Michael DePriest and Donald Massey on kickoff returns.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Behind a rising star at quarterback and one of the nation's most athletic defenses, the Horned Frogs have the potential to duplicate Utah's feat of reaching a BCS game as a mid-major. But can the Horned Frogs overcome an unforgiving early schedule and finish the regular season with no more than one setback. Three of the Frogs' first five opponents reached a bowl game last year, including a Texas Tech team that beat them 70-35 in 2004.

If the offensive line doesn't improve before the season-opener at Baylor, the Horned Frogs won't be talking about reaching a BCS game past September. But other than that one concern, the Horned Frogs appear to be a good bet to repeat as Mountain West champions and flirt with a BCS bid.