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DMN: 5 TCU breakout players to watch this fall: Who steps up on a defense looking for leaders?

TopFrog

TopFrog

Lifelong Frog
DMN: 5 TCU breakout players to watch this fall: Who steps up on a defense looking for leaders?

By Reece Kelley Graham , Staff Writer Contact Reece Kelley Grahamon Twitter:mad:ReeceKelleyG

With the season right around the corner, it's time for every player in the nation to step up and do more. Coaches are actively searching for new impact players - players destined to rise through the depth chart seemingly out of nowhere.

TCU head coach Gary Patterson is no different. While the Frogs' offense remains largely intact, TCU's defense is transitioning. With turnover up front and the departure of the Frogs' sack leader, it's not only time to find new stars but also new leadership.

Here are our top five breakout candidates for TCU in 2017:

Read more at https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/co...all-steps-horned-frog-defense-looking-leaders
 
Casey T

Casey T

Full Member
Our top breakout player will be the dude who had the 2nd most tackles in the entire conference last year? Does this chick know what breakout means?

I'd give it to Big Ross Blacklock. The fact he isn't even mentioned in this top 5 is ridiculous but expected given the quality of articles these days.
 
MavAlbert

MavAlbert

Active Member
Come on. Gladney, Small, and Summers have 36 combined starts and Boesen had 6 sacks last year. I know it's tough with a team with so many returning contributors...but come on...

Anyways, 5 actual defensive impact newcomers/breakout candidates (based mostly upon uninformed opinions after watching some hudl tapes and half recalling random updates over the past couple years, and I know a few of these guys weren't eligible to play last year so he likely ruled them out for his article, but hey it's the dead period of the offseason and I'm bored so this is gonna happen):

5. Vernon Scott - Listed as the backup to Small. He has good size, is physical and quick, and was versatile enough to play CB in HS. Not especially fast, and has had a major knee injury. If he keeps improving, he will be one of several competing for a starting safety spot, including...

4. Innis Gaines - Listed as the backup to Issahaku, who I also liked a lot coming out of HS, but Ridwan has never been able to take hold of a safety position despite multiple opportunities. Gaines is also a bit bigger, and showed great potential and a serious nose for the ball and end zone in his HS film. After Orr and Small, unless Issahaku has finally turned the corner (which is totally possible), the 3rd safety spot is wide open. Hopefully someone earns it and becomes a playmaker. Forcing turnovers has always been a hallmark of good GP defenses, and has been painfully absent the last two years. Also hopefully that 3rd person is big and can hit, because while Orr and Small seem to be our best safeties at this time, I don't love that they're both 5'10" 190lbs and have been consistently bullied by bigger WRs.

3. Ezra Tu'ua - We rotate a lot of DL, and his size, strength, and experience should earn him some PT right away.

2. Ross Blacklock - Gigantic. Athletic. Hearing positive things from the offseason. If he's motivated, disciplined, tough, and aggressive, he'll get every shot at major minutes for the rest of his time at TCU. Love that he is already listed as a starter and hope he can prove he deserves it.

1. Ben Banogu - DE is in real need of help. Lost Carraway, MacFarland, and Galeai. Love Boesen's pass rushing skills, and expect that Bowen can at least get after the QB too, but am worried about their run D. Chambers could be a good one, but looked really stiff in his HS film. Banogu was productive in his stop at ULM, looks fluid on film, has good size, and is already listed as a starter. Have been excited about him ever since he came aboard. Hopefully he is the next in a long line of productive TCU DEs.
 
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tcumaniac

tcumaniac

Full Member
Westsider said:
These kids that write theses things kill me.
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SMU grad
fwmvXt_U_400x400.jpg
 
Pure Purple

Pure Purple

KMA
Do we have a reasonably reliable kicker, who possesses a legitimate degree of accuracy,

with consistency at a distance and the ability to kick extra points? Name?
 
W

Wexahu

Full Member
I'm not sure MavAlbert is a sportswriter/journalist (or whatever you want to call them these days) but his "column" was 10x more informative than the author's.

These things are like reading a student's first paper in a sportswriting class. There's no good material at all, it's just a complete waste of time.
 
G

Gunner

Active Member
Was about to write about, there is always an unexpected new 'star' type, nearly every season. But it hit me reading the above post, we will likely see a lot of new faces next year on defense. Two totally new defensive ends in Banogu(sp) and maybe Bowen or Chambers. I think Bush is a starter with Summers at LB, else his recruitment was a mistake. And I hope like everything that Gaines, Simmons, Scott, come on at safety, giving us some size and hits back there.

I still think Lewis will be the hoss at corner opposite Texada . Boesen likely a pass rush specialist.
 
M

MinFrog

Active Member
Gunner said:
Was about to write about, there is always an unexpected new 'star' type, nearly every season. But it hit me reading the above post, we will likely see a lot of new faces next year on defense. Two totally new defensive ends in Banogu(sp) and maybe Bowen or Chambers. I think Bush is a starter with Summers at LB, else his recruitment was a mistake. And I hope like everything that Gaines, Simmons, Scott, come on at safety, giving us some size and hits back there.

I still think Lewis will be the hoss at corner opposite Texada . Boesen likely a pass rush specialist.
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I will go out in a limb and say Howard is starting with summers.
 

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