TCU Horned Frogs 2010 Review

TCU Horned Frogs
2010 Record: 13-0 (8-0), 1st Mountain West
2010 Bowl Game: Rose Bowl, Defeated Wisconsin 21-19

     TCU has become one of the class teams in college football, making the Frogs very easy to like and follow. When you meet the people involved in this program, you feel that you have been exposed to something special, and Head coach Gary Patterson personifies this feeling. His down home attitude, and small town drive has permeated this roster, and he has brought the Frogs to a level that a decade ago, nobody would have thought possible. Add to all of this that the Frogs had the 4th best APR in the nation, and you know where the drive and success comes from, and you know that it is done right.
     2010 was a season of incredible success for TCU. Another Mountain West title, and a trip to the legendary Rose Bowl, followed by a win over a major power in Wisconsin, all capped off a season in which purple fever raged, and TCU made many new fans along the way.
     At the helm of the on-field fun was QB Andy Dalton, who was completing his 4th season as the starter, and Dalton was a man who just got the job done. Dalton passed for 2857 yards and 27 TDs, while limiting himself to just 6 picks all season. He completed 66.1% of his passes, averaged 219.8 yards per game, and held a rating of 166.48. Dalton was the class of Mountain West QBs in every sense. Dalton added another 435 yards rushing with 6 TDs on the ground. He will be missed.
     Ed Wesley was a breakout star for the Frogs last fall, as he rushed for 1078 yards and 11 TDs as a sophomore. He will become more of a focal point in 2011, but don't look for the Frogs to change their identity too much. Matthew Tucker was strong off the bench, as he rushed for 709 yards and added 7 TDs as well. Waymon James got some serious work as a freshman, as he rushed for 513 yards and 5 more scores, giving the frogs one of the deepest returning backfields in the nation next fall.
     The Frogs had four very good receivers, but they lost 3 of them after last season. Luckily, Josh Boyce was the leader and was only a freshman. Boyce posted a line of 34-646-6, and averaged 19 yards per reception. He will be the primary target next fall. Jeremy Kerley (56-575-10) was a threat in the passing game, and added another dimension to kick returns. He averaged 27.74 yards per return on kickoffs, and 12.93 yards on punt returns. Jimmy Young (32-486-4) and Bart Johnson (31-419-4) were the next receivers as far as production, and were both seniors, as was Kerley.
     The Frogs were an unmovable force on defense. TCU allowed only 215.4 yards per game last fall. They allowed only 126.3 yards per game passing, and were a steel wall against the run, only allowing 89.2 yards rushing per game. TCU scored 70 TDs last fall, and this defense only allowed 17 in 13 games. Simply amazing.
     Tanner Brock was a major leader on this unit, as he rolled up 106 tackles on the season, or an average of 8.15 per game, whichever way you prefer. Brock will return to lead this unit once again in 2011, as he was just a sophomore while dominating the field last fall. Colin Jones was second in tackles with 80, and he was followed by Tejay Johnson (65) and Rose Bowl MVP Tank Carder (61).
     TCU racked up 75 TFLs last fall, while only giving up 42. They were led up front by Wayne Daniels with 14, and he was joined in double figures by Colin Jones. Daniels and Jones were both seniors, so there will be some major productivity up fron to replace. Carder will be the returning leader next fall, as he collected 9.5. TCU produced 27 sacks last fall, while only giving up 9. Daniels was the leader with 6.5, but the defense was never on the field for very long.
     Productivity was solid in the secondary, as three defenders registered 5 or more passes defended for the Frogs. Jason Teague was the leader with 7, and he was joined by Greg McCoy (6) and Carder (5). Teague is the only player departing from this group. Tejay Johnson was the leader with 3 picks.
     Ross Evans was very good last fall at PK, as he hit on 11 of his 13 FG attempts. He tended to be a bit shaky on PATs, having missed 5. Maybe his leg just gt tired, as he attempted 73 of them. Anson Kelton was very good as a punter last fall, but only averaged 3.5 punts per game. He averaged 41.62 yards per punt when he was used.
Final Notes
     The Frogs should have received every consideration for the national title last fall, as they could very well have played with both Auburn and Oregon in any capacity last fall. As it is, TCU should be extremely proud of the season that they had, and they should cherish it forever. This was a very special time in TCU history, so hold onto that moment. There may be a short blip as the Frogs rebuild a bit this fall, but look for continued success as they leave the Mountain West and head to the Big East in 2012.