College Confidential

A Funny Wisconsin Hat

Bumped into some Wisconsin fans in downtown LA this evening. One of them sported a rather funny, but probably a little wrong, hat specifically produced by a guy in Madison just for the Rose Bowl.  The bowl business apparently brings out the inner genius of a lot of people in Madison.
And there are what seems like eight trillion Wisconsin people here in LA for this game. This won't be a road game for TCU, but will feel like it.

- Mac Engel

Follow me on Twitter
@MacEngelProf

 

#GaryPatterson Asks the Media - What are you going to write?

TCU head coach Gary Patterson was asked a fair question on Friday morning, and he brought up a fair point in turn. How is the media going to portray this game tomorrow, regardless of outcome? This the part of college football I'm still not in love with - it's still a great deal about perception. And anytime a non-AQ team defeats a "big boy" the automatic thought is the AQ didn't care, mailed it in, etc.
This is GP's rather long but relevant answer. TCU hasn't lost a game, its in the Rose Bowl, so I can't see Wisconsin mailing it in. If the Frogs win, they will have earned it.

"Well, I'd probably ask you guys this question. If we do win, and it's Sunday, how are you going to write it? Are you going to write it because Wisconsin didn't play well, because TCU won the ballgame? That would be my question to you.
Are you going to write it because Wisconsin didn't play well? Because that's what we've gotten for 13 years. When we've beaten somebody, they didn't play well or are you going to write that they played a great ballgame? I think that is the question you've got to ask yourself.
Even in the state of Texas, we've battled the Cowboys and the Longhorns and all the groups. People always ask me, how do you measure up against the Mountain West? Well, we've never had to be measured against the Mountain West. We've always been measured against the State of Texas where you have the Big 12, the SEC that come in and recruit and do things. That's where our recruiting has been.
That is the question I'd ask yourselves when you write it when you watch the ballgame. Once it's over with and you get going, you're not going to have any control as a head coach. But one thing you'll find out about me is I'm always honest, sometimes to a tact.
If you listen to my players they're going to know where they stand with me whether they like it or they don't. I think you'll find tomorrow maybe it's a 70 14 blow up, Wisconsin wins. Maybe it's 42 14, TCU wins. Who knows what that's going to be. But I have a suspicion it's got a chance to be a 23 20 or 31 34, or 14 13 ballgame; and if it is, what are you going to write? That is the key.
To be honest with you, the nation's going to read whatever you guys tell them. My team's going to be what you tell them. Not what I think, not what I say, what you tell them. What do you think TCU is. That would be my answer to that question as far as what it is. How are you going to write it?"

- Mac Engel
Follow me on Twitter @MacEngelProf

 

So that's What #ErinAndrews Looks Like

Standing outside the ballroom where this morning press conferences took place I noticed this tall, blonde talking to a Wisconsin fan. I kept looking at her thinking, "She looks awfully familiar - she's somebody." It was none other than ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews.
Scouting report - thinner than she even appears on TV, not quite as tall, very long hair. And pretty gracious. She signed autographs for the few people who asked.
That may not seem like a big deal, but when "famous" or the "pretty people" take the time to acknowledge their adoring public and aren't rude or don't "big-time" people, it means something.

- Mac Engel

Follow me on Twitter @MacEngelProf 

Battle of SoCal Burgers - #InandOutBurger Crushes #FatBurger

TCU defensive end Wayne Daniels, who is originally from Northern California, happily addmitted to me on Thursday he has been to In and Out Burger at least five times already since he arrived here.
"It's the greatest thing," he said. "Whataburger doesn't compare. Just doesn't compare to In and Out."
That could be blasphemy to a native Texan, but Daniels is right. As far as fastfood burgers go, there is no greater place than In and Out Burger. Period. I tried Fatburger, a local chain here in L.A. this week, as well. It's good, but doesn't compare. The good news is that you will soon no longer have to fly to Cali, Vegas or Phoenix to enjoy the massive amounts of yummy calories by In and Out Burger. For Fort Worth residents, In and Out is coming to the 7th Street development. Thank. God.
Just expect stupid long lines, that are totally worth it.

- Mac Engel
Follow me on Twitter @MacEngelProf

Even if #TCU Loses, It Wins

There were a little more than 400 media credential requests submitted for the Rose Bowl. Watching the prees conference on Friday morning, I counted about 17 cameras and a lot of writers. I am guessing this will be the most watched and most covered football game in the school's history. TCU color analyst said there were far more media here for the Rose Bowl than the Fiesta Bowl.
This is the type of press and exposure you can only hope for but can't expect.
"We're in the Rose Bowl," TCU AD Chris Del Conte said to me Thursday when I called him as he tried to gather umpteen tickets for family and friends. "This is such a great thing and it's not the end by any stretch."
He didn't say, but what I think Del Conte is trying to say is that TCU has finally arrived. No more will coaches be expected to use TCU as a platform to another school. An appearance in the Rose Bowl and the inclusion in the Big East Conference means those days are over. TCU is likely a destination school for coaches who want to win a national championship.
So even if TCU does not win the Rose Bowl on Saturday, the Horned Frogs have already won.

- Mac Engel
Follow me on Twitter @MacEngelProf

Rose Bowl watching parties

For those TCU fans who couldn't make the trip out to sunny southern California for the Rose Bowl, there are plenty of watching parties in Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

Visit dfw.com to see Jay Betsill's list. Find all the info on drink specials, raffles, and more.

#TCU opponents split this bowl season

With SMU's 16-14 loss to Army Thursday, TCU's six bowl-eligible opponents finished 3-3 in 2010. Here's a recap (with Frogs' opponents in bold), in order of date played:
BYU 52, UTEP 24
Boise State 26, Utah 3
San Diego State 35, Navy 14
Air Force 14, Georgia Tech 7
Illinois 38, Baylor 14
Army 16, SMU 14

Freshman DE fills in nicely for Hughes

Stansly Maponga possessed all the attributes that make coaches drool. He has the coveted quickness for defensive end, and at 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, the former Lewisville Hebron High star has the body type defensive coordinators crave.
But after winning the starting job in August, question marks still remained for Maponga, who was tasked with replacing TCU All-American Jerry Hughes, who was selected in the first round of last spring's NFL draft.
"The first game [against Oregon State this season] I was kind of nervous, because people know Jerry, and people were like, ‘who’s this dude?’ But I grew into it and the game got slower and it will keep on getting slower. And it will be like second nature."
But for much of the season, Maponga played like a veteran, not a first-year starter.
He has 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks and will start against Wisconsin Saturday in the Rose Bowl.
"The hardest thing was probably covering the running backs," he said. "I’ve got to get out of my stance and try to see where they go."
Maponga hopes, with a season under his belt, he’ll be able improve on his initial season in 2011.
“I’m not going to put any numbers on [how many sacks he’ll strive for], but I’m going to work hard and do what the coaches want me to do, and the sacks will come,” he said.
-- Stefan Stevenson

 

Griffin available for rosy finale

TCU senior nose tackle Kelly Griffin will play against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl Saturday, TCU coach Gary Patterson said after the Horned Frogs' Thursday practice.
Griffin has been out since injuring his ankle Oct. 23 against Air Force. At the time the injury was thought to be season-ending for Griffin.
"It's important to him," Patterson said. "It also gives us another 300-pound body."
Patterson said the doctors cleared Griffin two weeks ago but it was up to Griffin whether or not he felt enough confidence in the ankle to perform.
-- Stefan Stevenson

Trainers attend to Kelly Griffin after he was hurt on a play in the first quarter during the TCU vs Air Force game at Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday October 23, 2010.  TCU  won 38-7. Griffin left the game and did not return. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Sharon Ellman)

Texas CB Williams to enter 2011 NFL draft

Texas cornerback Aaron Williams has decided to skip his senior season and enter the 2011 NFL Draft. Williams announced his decision today, shortly after informing Longhorns’ coaches.

In a statement distributed by school officials, Williams said heading to the NFL is “the best decision for me and my family. It’s time to start working on my dream that I’ve been preparing for all my life.”

Williams, a two-time All-Big 12 performer, has been projected as a first- or second-round pick by NFL scouts.

In addition, Texas officials announced that receivers coach Bobby Kennedy has resigned to accept the same position at Colorado. The move, reported earlier this week by newspapers in Colorado, means coach Mack Brown has five vacancies on his coaching staff after a 5-7 season.

_ Jimmy Burch