big time dreams
Brazzell proves that achieving ones’ goals is possible

By Danny Horne
sports editor

When Shannon Brazzell was in grade school, his teacher told him to write his life goals on a sheet of paper and fold it up. She told him not to unfold that sheet of paper until 2000.

After almost 13 years, his parents, Dwayne and Sheila Brazzell, found that sheet of paper while cleaning out the attic one day. They chose to open it up a bit early.

Written on it were their son’s desires to earn a scholarship and play football in college, graduate from a major university and become a professional football player.

“It was definitely weird to see that,” Dwayne Brazzell said.

He wrote that in about the fifth grade. It’s funny that he has realized most of those dreams he set for himself so long ago, and we just happened to come across that paper, Dwayne Brazzell said.

Shannon, a senior middle linebacker from Lewisville, realized one of those goals when he signed to play football at TCU four years ago. He’s on the brink of realizing one of the other lifelong goals with graduation a little more than six weeks away.

“I’m actually looking to graduate early,” said Shannon Brazzell, who will get his bachelor’s degree in psychology in December. “I’m taking 19 hours this semester, and I’m going to be the first to graduate from college on my mother’s or my father’s side of the family.

“I put that pressure on myself a long time ago. It makes for a hectic schedule, but it’s not that bad. You could say that this means more to me right now than football ever could.”

His father said he was shocked by his son’s choice to take on such a schedule, but added that he never has doubted anything about what his son could do.

“We received a letter from his academic counselor a little while back,” Dwayne Brazzell said. “The letter praised Shannon for all he’s done in the classroom. We actually replaced a framed picture and hung the letter in that frame instead.

“It will be great if he makes it in professional football, but he’s making it with the books. That’s what’s so amazing.”

Head football coach Dennis Franchione said he and the rest of the football program couldn’t be more proud of its senior middle linebacker and what he’s been able to do since he started as a freshman.

“He said he wanted to graduate in December,” Franchione said. “We knew it would be a lot of work for him, but it didn’t worry anybody. Shannon is capable of doing whatever he wants to do.”

Attending 19 hours of classes, getting to practice everyday and dealing with traveling, Shannon Brazzell said he knew spare time would definitely be at a minimum. He said finding time to relax around his hectic schedule isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

“L.T. (LaDainian Tomlinson), Russell (Gary), Greg (Walls) and I always hang out,” he said with a smile.

“We get on the Playstation, and we’ll play that for hours. It’s the kind of thing that just helps us get away from everything and just relax.”

No matter how much time he spends away from football, Shannon Brazzell said he can’t really escape it.
“(Even away from the field), I think a lot about football,” he said. “I think a lot about bowls and championships.”

He was quick to add that he tries not to get too far ahead of himself.

“We’ve got four more games to play in the regular season,” he said. “That’s how long we’ve got to open some eyes. If we keep winning and don’t open any eyes, then it’s because they don’t want to look.”

It’s that type of attitude that has brought the 23 year old to where he is in life as a graduating senior, who plans to attend graduate school to get his master’s in business, with multiple career options. At the same time, he also happens to be co-captain of the No. 9-ranked football team in the country.

He said he’s not the most vocal team leader, but he relishes in his role as a team captain.

“I understand my role as captain and member of the leadership council for this team,” he said.

Linebackers are like the glue of the defense, so I have to bring some energy to the team, make some plays and stayed fired up.

David Dunai/CO-PHOTO EDITOR Senior middle linebacker Shannon Brazzell attempts to make a tackle against Rice in the Horned Frogs’ 37-0 win last Saturday. Brazzell is second on the team in tackles with 54 and third on the team in sacks with four.

“You would definitely say I lead by my actions. I don’t really try to speak out all that much.”

He’s led with his actions so far this season being second on the team in tackles with 54, trailing only junior linebacker Chad Bayer, who has 69 tackles. Shannon Brazzell leads the nation’s top-ranked defense in tackles for a loss with 12, including four sacks, for minus-41 yards.

When it comes to making an impression, whether it be with the defense or offense, Shannon Brazzell said he’s needed to be careful when dealing with the younger players and trying to get them on the same page with the team.

“It’s different for the younger guys who come in here these days,” he said. “They’ve not seen the bottom like we did a few years ago. I’ve been at both ends, so I can speak from both ends.

“When you come in and just start getting rings, as young players, you could get complacent. I have to instill that it always has to be about hard work.”

Shannon Brazzell has been all about hard work throughout his career at TCU. He will reap the rewards as he walks across the stage in December in front of his entire family.

“They may have to rent out an entire separate building for all the family that will be there,” Shannon Brazzell said. “My family has been with me through all of this. They come to all my games. It’s gotten to the point where my cousin and niece want to come to TCU and be like me. It’s very humbling.”

A picture that hangs in the John Justin Athletic Center features Shannon Brazzell with Tomlinson. Dwayne Brazzell said it’s little things like that that show how much respect his son has earned around TCU.

“They’ve already started to put up some pictures, and he’s not even gone yet,” Dwayne Brazzell said.

When he leaves his legacy at TCU, I want people to say that Shannon was a good student and role model who gave his heart and soul on the football field for TCU.

“And in return, he got his education. The ultimate reward would be when the recruits come through and say they want to play in a TCU uniform like Shannon Brazzell.”

Danny Horne
bravestcu3116@mindspring.com

By Kelly Morris
skiff staff

As the 19th-ranked women’s golf team’s fall season came to a close on last Tuesday, senior Brenda Anderson said the team definitely has something to build on for the spring season.

“We came so close in all our tournaments,” Anderson said. “Our short game has improved 100 percent in the last few weeks, and as we get more experience under our belt, our team continues to build both on a golf and a personal level.”

In its fourth and final tournament of the fall season, the team earned its best finish of the year, placing second in the Price’s Give ’em Five Fund Invitational in Las Cruces, N.M. last Monday and Tuesday. With a first-round score of 289, the team also recorded its lowest 18-hole team score in TCU history.

Even though the Frogs were unable to keep their 36-hole lead going into the final day of competition, Anderson said the finish was a good way to end their fall season.

“It wasn’t exactly the way we wanted to finish after we had led the first two rounds,” Anderson said. “But we did end on a good note, having the best finish of our fall season. It wasn’t a big disappointment, but we were hoping for the win.”

With a first-round score of 69, which tied for the best round of the tournament, freshman Courtney Wood finished tied for fourth. Her finish was the best by a TCU golfer this fall.

Prior to the Give ‘em Five Fund Invitational, the Frogs’ best finish was sixth at the Mercedes-Benz Invitational from Oct. 13 to15.

Junior Lori Sutherland said even though the team played well against regional opponents, she was upset with the team’s inability to succeed under the pressure of playing with a lead.

“We needed to do especially well in the New Mexico tournament, because of the 18 teams participating, many of them were in our region,” Sutherland said. “Our finish was also frustrating because it was the first time we had played with a lead, and we were unable to keep it. Now we don’t get a chance to redeem ourselves until our spring season.”

Unlike the 20 hours a week the Frogs practiced during the fall season, they will only practice eight hours a week during their three-month off-season.

During this time, Anderson said the Frogs will work on building team unity.

“We’ll work on our communication and work on becoming a closer team,” Anderson said. “During the off-season, you have to be more motivated to go to practice, and you really see who wants to be here because that motivation comes from inside.

“We hope we can win two tournaments in the spring, and because we have more depth than any other team out there, I know we can accomplish anything and everything we set our minds to.”

Kelly Morris
k.l.morris@student.tcu.edu

By Chad Carey
staff reporter

With a national audience watching, and the nation’s longest winning streak on the line, two of the top running backs in the country will face off Saturday night in Spartan Stadium as TCU plays San Jose State.

The game, which will be televised at 9 p.m. on ESPN2, will match up the No. 9-ranked Horned Frogs (7-0, 4-0 Western Athletic Conference) and the Spartans (6-3, 4-1 Western athletic Conference).

TCU senior running back LaDainian Tomlinson enters the game leading the nation in rushing with 184.7 yards a game. Tomlinson also leads the nation in scoring average with 12.9 points a contest. Tomlinson needs 707 yards in his final four games to reach the 2,000-yard mark for the season.

Tomlinson’s counterpart, San Jose State running back Deonce Whitaker, enters the game averaging 178.7 rushing yards a game, the nation’s second-best rushing average. Although Whitaker is not as big in stature as Tomlinson, and has a different running style, TCU head coach Dennis Franchione said he is still very dangerous.

“Whitaker is an open field type of guy,” Franchione said. “You have to tackle him low to the ground to get him down. If you try and tackle him up high, you’re going to have some problems.”

TCU strong safety Curtis Fuller said the Frogs must do a good job of containing Whitaker’s explosive speed.

“He is a good back, he makes the first guy miss,” Fuller said. “He is not the type of back that will pound you to death, but if he gets some running room, he can go all the way.”

On the offensive side of the ball the Spartans will bring a high-powered offense to the game Saturday night. San Jose has the No.1-ranked offense in the WAC, averaging 438.8 yards a game. The Spartans also feature the WAC’s second-best scoring unit, averaging 36 points a game.

San Jose State quarterback David Arroyo has thrown for 1,838 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season. Arroyo’s favorite targets are tight end Sean Brewer (21 receptions) and wide receiver Edell Shepherd (33 receptions).

“They have some good receivers,” Franchione said. “They have a really good tight end. Their quarterback is good, and I think their line is playing better than last year. They have some weapons; that is why their offense is playing so well.”

When TCU played San Jose State last season, in Fort Worth, Tomlinson rushed for 300 yards, including touchdown runs of 89 and 74 yards as the Frogs won 42-0.

“They’re going to do something different this year.” Tomlinson said. “They’re coach made the statement that after this game, I was not going to be the leading rusher in the nation. If they focus their whole defense on me, then (freshman quarterback) Casey (Printers) is going to have a big day. We’ll see if I’m the leading rusher in the nation when the game is over.”

Going into Saturday’s contest, San Jose State is ranked last in the nation in total defense. The Spartans give up 493.9 yards a game and surrender 29.8 points a contest.

The TCU defense comes into Saturday’s game boasting the nation’s No. 1-ranked overall defense. The Frogs are giving up just 237.6 yards a game and are allowing opponents to score only 7.3 points a contest. In their last 11 games, the Frogs are only giving up 1.98 yards a carry.

San Jose State is the first team with a winning record that the Frogs will face since they beat Northwestern 41-14 on Sept. 16.

“I’d say were a confident team, but yet concerned,” Franchione said. “We’re glad to be playing games of significance in November.”

Chad Carey
chadcarey@mindspring.com

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