A TCU spring tradition: Gary Patterson rips his defense a new one

TCU's Gary Patterson usually takes his defense to the verbal woodshed at least once a spring. The 2012 version came after the Horned Frogs’ eighth spring practice Saturday.
The offense, according to Patterson, dominated a 30-minute scrimmage.
“They ran around us, they ran through us, they threw it over our head,” Patterson said. “We’ll give up about 50 points a game in the Big 12 if we play like I just saw us play today.”
Patterson also took a jab at the offense, pointing out too many fumbles. Mostly, though, he lambasted the defense, saying he hopes the incoming freshmen, including Arlington Martin defensive end Devonte Fields, who watched Saturday’s practice, are ready to compete for starting jobs in August.
“Some of these guys came here because we were really good on defense. Well, they better start living up to it because right now we’re not very good,” Patterson said. “When you go into a [scrimmage] that’s where you’re supposed to be special and we weren’t. We were bad.”
Patterson wouldn’t point to a specific position on defense.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “They don’t say the D-line gave up 20 points today. There’s only one group. If they’re throwing it, that means we didn’t get a pass rush, if they’re throwing it over our heads ... we’ve got a long way to go. Any [position] you want to talk about, we weren’t very good at it.”
TCU practices Tuesday and Thursday before spring break. Monday's practice has been moved until after the break.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs