Answering all Questions
Printers boosts offensive play, increases leadership
By Rusty Simmons
associate editor
Sophomore quarterback Casey Printers was hesitant to score on TCU’s
final offensive play Saturday.
Focused on trying to run out the clock, Printers took the snap and started
to head to the sideline, but to his surprise, no Northwestern defenders
tried to stop his progress on the 26-yard touchdown run.
The indecision on whether to run out of bounds or score appeared to
be the only time Printers was confused during TCU’s 41-14 win over
Northwestern.“My confidence got going,” Printers said. “I
had confidence running the football and throwing. Once we get that together,
it’s going to be hard to stop us.”
He completed 8 of 12 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
“(Printers) had a much better performance (Saturday than last weekend),” head coach Dennis Franchione said. “It was more like we expected to see him play.”
The solid passing performance came just one week after Printers completed 3 of 9 passes for 53 yards and two interceptions against Nevada. Printers got it going early against Northwestern as he hooked up with senior wide receiver Tim Maiden on a 53-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.
“I needed that play,” Printers said. “I pump faked and got the defensive back off balance. The coaches in the press box saw that the defensive backs were jumping the routes, so when I pump faked, Tim was wide open.”
Printers could have put up even larger numbers against Northwestern, but the Frogs opted not to attempt a single pass for the final 36 minutes of play.
“If you watched the end of the first half, we had a nice drive down (in the Northwestern zone),” Franchione said. “Physically, they were slow getting up, so I knew the heat was getting to them.
“If they’re getting that fatigued defensively, we’ve got
to take advantage of it.”
So TCU ran and ran some more, totaling 387 yards on the ground. Printers
added a career-high 74 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The Wildcats repeatedly moved eight defensive players up to the line of scrimmage in the second half, but TCU still managed to run through or around them. The Frogs ran for 207 yards in the second half.
Franchione said he was not trying to send a message that Western Athletic Conference teams can play power football as well as Big Ten teams.
“We’re just a WAC team,” he said, jokingly. “That’s not quite the same as Big Ten physical football. But we tried to give them a taste of WAC physical football.”
Franchione said Printers’ performance can’t be judged by numbers
alone.
“(Printers) made some runs where he looked fast,” Franchione
said. “He made some good checks at the line of scrimmage.”
Rusty Simmons
j.r.simmons@student.tcu.edu
Wildcats, penalties can’t stop Tomlinson
By Matt Stiver
skiff staff
Northwestern football players walked into Amon Carter Stadium on Saturday with questions about TCU tailback LaDainian Tomlinson’s abilities.
“Is he the best running back we’re going to see?” Wildcats’ defensive end Dwayne Missouri asked last week. “I don’t think so. He’s got speed, I guess.”
Tomlinson, who rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns, answered them.
“I heard what they were saying,” Tomlinson said. “It got my blood hot. I guess this means I can’t play in the Big Ten.”
After rushing for 387 yards and three touchdowns as a team, the Frogs seemed more adept at “Big Ten football” than the Wildcats.
TCU ran 39 offensive plays for 207 yards in the second half. Sophomore quarterback Casey Printers didn’t attempt a single pass in the final 36 minutes.
Head coach Dennis Franchione said the performances of Tomlinson and Printers, who both averaged 6.2 yards a rush, made the decision not to throw an easy one.
“When we were executing, there was no need to change,” Franchione said. “I guess we played a little Big Ten football today.”
During a 10-play, 86-yard drive in the third quarter, TCU averaged nearly 10 yards per rush. Tomlinson gained 66 of the yards — including the final 22 for a touchdown — on eight carries.
When the Wildcats defense proved unable to slow Tomlinson, TCU players and coaches said the Big Ten officiating crew took over the task. Overall, Tomlinson had 100 yards and two touchdowns called back on penalties.
With 2:20 remaining in the third quarter and TCU leading 24-7, Tomlinson
took a pitch from Printers and sprinted down the sideline. After he broke
three tackles and raced 74 yards into the end zone, the play was called
back for holding.
Franchione, who saw the play unfold in front of him, said there was not
an infraction.
“I have a problem when after the guy is running down the field, the official decides he’s going to throw a flag way back here,” Franchione said. “I did not see a hold on that play.”
Earlier in the second quarter, Tomlinson had a 34-yard score erased on a holding call.
“I don’t think it hurt me (in the Heisman Trophy running),” Tomlinson said. “The game was on national television. People said, ‘How will he do against a Big Ten team?’ I think I proved what I can do.”
Matt Stiver
m.r.stiver@student.tcu.edu