Tuesday, October 2, 2001

Frogs follow tailback, defense to ‘ugly’ win
Team showed more intensity, coach said
By Brandon Ortiz
Sports Editor

It may not have been a perfect win, but for a team coming off a loss to a Division I-AA team, any win will do.

“It’s an ugly win, but we’ll take it,” head coach Gary Patterson said after the Frogs’ 34-17 victory over the Houston Cougars Saturday.

The Frogs (3-2, 1-0 Conference USA) beat former Southwest Conference foe Houston (0-3, 0-1 C-USA) in a bizarre game that saw the Frogs’ third string tailback run for nearly 200 yards, TCU defense give up 385 total yards, but score six points and a supposedly lackluster Cougar ground game run for 113 yards.

Ugly as the win may be, sophomore running back Corey Connally said it could be the start of a turn around for the Frogs’ season.

“This is the turning point for our team,” said Connally, who ran for 199 yards on 30 carries and was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week. “We had to come out and get it done this week. We did.”

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Junior quarterback Casey Printers fires a pass in Saturday’s game against Houston. Printers threw for 89 yards, completing 12-of-22 passes and two interceptions.

Chalk it up to increased intensity. Junior quarterback Casey Printers said the Frogs were more determined after their loss to Northwestern State (La.).

“You could say there was a sense of urgency on the players’ part,” said Printers, who completed 12-of-22 passes for 89 yards and two interceptions. “We came focused and determined. There was hardly any talk during practice, during this game. We just remained focused and wanted to get back on the winning track. That’s what we did.”

But Patterson said the Frogs did not have a sense of “urgency” in every facet of the game. Cougars quarterback Kelly Roberston completed five passes for a gain of more than 20 yards, including one for 43 yards to receiver Brandon Middleton. The Frogs also had a blocked punt for the second week in a row.

“Our younger defensive backs blew about three coverages that were big plays for Houston, and we can’t have that,” Patterson said. “If we’re going to have another conference title, we’re going to have to have a sense of urgency about some of those things.”

On the positive side, the TCU defense forced four turnovers. Senior weak safety Charlie Owens was credited with three forced fumbles, including one in the end zone that senior defensive end Joe Hill fell on for a TCU touchdown. Owens earned Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season.

The Frogs also found their running game, compiling a season-high 268 yards a week after posting only 77. Patterson said the win is a boost for the team’s confidence heading into an off-week.

“After last week’s loss, it was such a devastating thing for us,” Patterson said. “It’s so hard to go into an off-week and work hard coming off a loss.”

The Frogs play Tulane 2:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in New Orleans.

Brandon Ortiz
b.p.ortiz@student.tcu.edu