TCU capped its spring practice schedule with an open one for the public Friday afternoon. The first 30 minutes or so were position drills with about an hour of scrimmage after.
The first play was one Frog fans hopes becomes a staple for years to come as Justin Rogers connected with Taye Barber for a 25-yard touchdown. Rogers is still recovering from a devastating knee injury in high school, but looks to be close to 100 percent and TCU coach Gary Patterson said he isn’t afraid of being injured again.
“It still limits him a little from being as athletic as Alex Delton,” Patterson said of Rogers. “But he has no fear. If anything we need to take down the confidence level.”
Rogers got the first-team reps as senior grad-transfer Alex Delton had a minor medical procedure done Friday.
“He had something cleaned out today. It was already scheduled,” Patterson said. “It hasn’t really bothered him, it’s just preparing him for August.”
With Delton out that was more work for Rogers and true freshman Max Duggan and transfer Matthew Downing, younger brother of former TCU player and current Frog GA Michael Downing. Michael Collins is still out due to the injury he suffered in the Baylor game last year and Patterson won’t make a starter decision until the fall.
“Bottom line is, you’ve got to make the plays you’re supposed to make. -12 turnover margin we were 3-5. +8 we win four of our last five,” Patterson said. “It’s about running the football, running play action, throwing the football without turning the football over. The guy that doesn’t turn it over is the guy that’s going to win the situation. The key for us how we keep moving forward.”
The injuries were a major story line all spring, but as about half of TCU’s starters sat out the spring, it gave opportunities to the younger and healthier players.
“All those young guys got a lot more reps. Those freshmen can take 50 reps instead of 25 as long as they don’t get hurt,” Patterson said. “Those guys that are out have to be careful because they have been out and the young guys are getting better.”
TCU expects about 20 more players to join its ranks in the fall so about 40-45 players that didn’t participate in the spring will be ready in August.
A couple defensive stand outs during the scrimmage were safeties Vernon Scott and Lakendrick VanZandt.
Senior safety Vernon Scott had a leaping athletic interception as he fights for a starting job with Ar’Darius Washington.
“Vernon had his best spring. For him and his size he has to be more physical,” Patterson said. “Ar’Darius is more physical. Vernon is more vocal and it’s about finding the guy that makes others better.”
VanZandt also had an interception to cap off a busy spring for him as he looks for playing time anywhere.
“He took every number one strong safety and every number two mike linebacker spot. He ran 190 plays in shorts,” Patterson said. “We need another guy and that might be one of his positions when we get Atonza, Nook, Innis back. Who can give us that fourth linebacker as a guy that can go play. We shove our strong safeties in the box so they play like linebacker anyway.”
Coach added that the kicking job is very much open as the team only hit about 50 percent of about 10 attempts Friday.
But health is the main issue for the team and if these younger players that got reps can mesh with players coming back in the fall this could be a Big 12 contender.
“We’ve got a long way to go to win a championship and that’s the whole goal,” Patterson said. “You’ve got to get healthy and the guys that we’re out here have to grow up. We showed a lot of promise.”