ESPN: Big pond will allow little fish TCU to grow

[TopFrog]

ESPN: Big pond will allow little fish TCU to grow

By David Ubben | ESPNDallas.com

TCU built its program under Gary Patterson on home-grown talent.

Assuming the members of year's verbally-committed class all sign with the Frogs next month, TCU has signed just 17 players from outside Texas since 2009. The Frogs, meanwhile, have made a big dent in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Over that same time period, 30 of TCU's 108 signees hailed from the metroplex.

That number looks to be growing, too. TCU has 10 of its 19 commits in this year's class coming to Fort Worth from the metroplex and have had 23 in the past three years alone, thanks to two BCS bowl bids -- including a win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl -- and a ticket to join the Big 12, where TCU had longed to be since being exiled to college football's minor leagues after the breakup of the Southwest Conference. ...

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/colleges/post/_/id/4681912/bigger-pond-will-allow-little-fish-tcu-to-grow

 

[VictoryLap]

That line of reasoning was my response to my dad's worry that upon joining the Big 12 we would become doormats like we were in the SWC.

 

[dkfrog]

Don't forget the fact that high school juniors and seniors were born in 1995/1996. If "football consciousness" begins at say age 5 (at the absolute youngest), then these kids ONLY know TCU as a top 25 football program. I think this is a very underrated thought in regards to TCU recruiting.

 

[Limp Lizard]

The B12 doormat argument is based on fear or arrogance, and not a good analysis of the facts. The really bad teams we had would have been really bad in any conference, the WAC or whatever. Remember, the 1997 1-10 team was in our second year in the WAC.

It was a miracle that SMU played so poorly against us that we won. That was the last year that SMU came in flat...hell, it was the last year that SMU was not out-of-their-minds high to play us.

 

[BABYFACE]

That line of reasoning was my response to my dad's worry that upon joining the Big 12 we would become doormats like we were in the SWC.

You should have asked your dad if he thought TCU's program is the same now as it was back then. I find that are some in their 50-60's struggle separating the past TCU from the current TCU. TCU has even acknowledged this the generation they lost due to a losing FB program.

 

[frognutz]

You should have asked your dad if he thought TCU's program is the same now as it was back then. I find that are some in their 50-60's struggle separating the past TCU from the current TCU. TCU has even acknowledged this the generation they lost due to a losing FB program.

This is very true. My Dad is in his early 60's (same generation as to which you refer) and a UT Law graduate. He knows I am obsessed with TCU football (graduated in '95) and can't bear to give the Frogs any props. It was beautiful seeing him squirm after that thanksgiving game.