.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Frogs counting on young, converted safeties to shore up LB shortage
Gary Patterson's calling card in 15 seasons at TCU has been his ability to recruit high school athletes at one position and match their skills to the position that best fits his defensive scheme.
It appears he's doing it again out of necessity with converted safeties Montrel Wilson and Travin Howard taking over as the No. 3 Horned Frogs' starting linebackers.
TCU lost starters Sammy Douglas to injury and freshman Mike Freeze to an indefinite leave of absence. Already thin at the position, Patterson was forced to begin mixing and matching. He was pleased with the job the pair did in last week's 70-7 pasting of Stephen F. Austin, saying Wilson and Howard played better than Freeze and Ty Summers, who replaced Douglas, during the Minnesota game.
"The competition level was different [at Minnesota]. But what we were asking them to do, how they reacted, how they did things was better," Patterson said during his weekly press conference Tuesday. "I thought it was positive."
Wilson is a freshman and Howard is a sophomore. Both are being thrown into a pressure-packed situation, not only moving to unfamiliar territory position-wise, but on a team that can ill-afford rookie mistakes. Patterson knows one loss and the Frogs' hopes of qualifying for the College Football Playoff after last season's near-miss will likely be dashed.
The pair will go against SMU this week before hitting the road for Texas Tech and the Red Raiders' explosive spread offense under coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Tech will be eager to exploit the Frogs' youthfulness after surrendering 82 points to TCU in last year's blowout in Fort Worth.
"Every week has to be a learning experience," Patterson said. "We can't just be getting ready for the team we're playing. We also have to keep preparing for the season -- the things we do Sunday, the game-planning we do, things we're going to see down the road."
(h/t Star-Telegram)
