College Confidential

Oklahoma's Golloway could face suspension after bumping umpire

Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway was ejected in the eighth inning of Tuesday's 1-0 loss to TCU after arguing balls and strike calls.
Golloway may miss a few more games after making contact with homeplate umpire Travis Olson after the ejection. Golloway was miffed in the first inning and had a lengthy jawing session with Olson. That prompted TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle to come out, too. But Schlossnagle was smiling and told Olson he just wanted a consistent strike zone.
In the ninth, Oklahoma was incensed by an out at third base on a relay throw from right fielder Brance Rivera to shortstop Keaton Jones to Jantzen Witte. Again, it was Olson who was in position to make the call. The replays appeared to show the Sooner’s Cody Reine touched the bag before the tag was applied. And when Evan Mistich was called out on a third strike to end the game, he gave Olson an earful as the umpire headed for the exit.
-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

TCU sweeps Oklahoma for first time since 2004 thanks to Finnegan's gem

NORMAN, Okla. – The plan was to have Brandon Finnegan pitch a few innings Tuesday against Oklahoma. The freshman from Fort Worth Southwest High School had only thrown three innings since his last start April 24 and his last appearance was nearly two weeks ago.

But Finnegan was too good for an early departure. He struck out seven Sooners and held Oklahoma hitless through seven innings as the No. 20 Horned Frogs held on for a 1-0 win at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

It was TCU’s first win in Norman since 2006 and the first time the Frogs (33-16) have swept Oklahoma (TCU beat the Sooners 4-3 May 1 in Fort Worth) since 2004.

Like much of this season, it didn’t come easy. After burning through the Sooners’ lineup for seven innings when he allowed just three base runners (on a hit batter and two errors), Finnegan had two runners on with no outs in the eighth after his throwing error to first and an infield single by Caleb Bushyhead.

Justin Scharf replaced Finnegan and worked out of the jam. Catcher Josh Elander got the first out by jumping on a bunt and throwing to third base to get the lead runner. Scharf got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning. In the ninth, Scharf hit leadoff batter Cody Reine, but the TCU defense came through again. Reine was thrown out at third base on Max White’s single to right after a nice throw by right fielder Brance Rivera to shortstop Keaton Jones, who relayed to Jantzen Witte. Scharf corralled a hot shot back to the mound and threw to second base to get White for out No. 2. After an infield single over the mound Kevin Allen came in to face Evan Mistich and struck him out looking on a 3-2 count to end the game.

“This was a nail-biter but we got all the breaks that we haven’t had in the past,” said Jason Coats, whose RBI double in the first inning scored Josh Elander for the only run of the game. “Finnegan was lights out today. He pitched the best I’ve ever seen him pitch. And Scharf and Allen coming in closing the door feels pretty good. We finally came out on top here.”

Finnegan (3-3) struck out Oklahoma’s leadoff batter Erik Ross looking at a 95 mph fastball and faced the minimum through the first six innings, thanks to Elander throwing out White on an attempted steal in the first inning. In the seventh, an error helped the Sooners get a runner to second with one out, but two defensive gems by first baseman Kevin Cron stranded him at third. Cron stayed with a foul ball and made a catch over a wall in foul territory for the second out, and made an acrobatic tag on a slow bouncer down the line to end the inning.

“I pride myself on running after them even if I hear it’s out,” said Cron, who had two of the Frogs’ six hits. “Brance came to me earlier in the game and told me not to give up on those because they’re coming back this way. Most of these guys they haven’t won here at all. To give them a sweep this year was a real good thing for us freshmen to be able to give to the older guys.”

Dillon Overton (5-3) pitched a complete game and struck out five but took the loss for the Sooners (33-20).

Finnegan’s previous longest outing was 5 1/3 in his start against Texas A&M April 24. The rest, he said, helped with his stamina.

“My arm was feeling amazing,” Finnegan said. “That was a fun game.”

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

Patterson says TCU must win in Big 12 to win recruiting battles

Word from the some of the recruiting scribes covering TCU is that the move to the Big 12 has been tougher on Horned Frog recruiting than expected. TCU’s 2012 class was very good, but right now the 2013 class has been slower to develop.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said it will take a year of winning in the Big 12 to convince more top recruits that TCU deserves a good look, alongside Texas and Oklahoma.
“For us, recruiting wise, we were already recruiting against these teams for these kinds of players a year ago,” Patterson said. “The saying out there was ‘well, they aren’t in the Big 12.’ Now, it’s ‘can they win in the Big 12.’”
Patterson hopes TCU’s connection to the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a boon for attracting top local talent.
“I think once we can prove that we can win in the Big 12 then I think you’re going to see a big change in how we do things,” he said. “It will be the first time the Metroplex will have a football team [in a major conference] since TCU and SMU were part of the Southwest Conference.”

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs

TCU's first date with the Big 12 is July 23 in Dallas

TCU has been grouped with Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech during the Big 12 Media Days July 23-24 at the Westin Hotel at the Galleria in Dallas.
TCU’s group will go July 23. The other five schools (Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas and West Virginia) go July 24. Each school’s coach and three players take part in the six-hour media blitz. 

For the last seven years TCU coach Gary Patterson and two players have traveled to Las Vegas for the Mountain West Conference's media days. The Horned Frogs officially join the Big 12 July 1.

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

TCU's 2012 football schedule:

 

2012 TCU Football Schedule

Sept. 8 – vs. Grambling State

Sept. 15 – at Kansas*

Sept. 22 – vs. Virginia

Sept. 29 – at SMU

Oct. 6 – vs. Iowa State*

Oct. 13 – at Baylor*

Oct. 20 – vs. Texas Tech*

Oct. 27 – at Oklahoma State*

Nov. 3 – at West Virginia*

Nov. 10 – vs. Kansas State*

Nov. 22 – at Texas*#

Dec. 1 – vs. Oklahoma*

*Big 12 game

#Although the initial schedule has the game tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 24, sources from both Texas and TCU have said that it will be played on Thanksgiving Day.

Note: All kickoff times and TV plans will be announced later

 

TCU baseball's 2012 schedule; season begins Feb. 17 vs. Ole Miss

TCU baseball will play 23 games against 2011 NCAA tournament teams, and 11 games against Big 12 teams, in its 54-game 2012 schedule. The season opens Feb. 17 with a three-game series against Mississippi at Lupton Stadium. TCU, competing in the Mountain West for the last time, plays each conference opponent six times, with three at home and three on the road. The MWC tournament is May 24-27 in Las Vegas.

TCU's 2012 Baseball Schedule
All times are p.m.; * denotes Mountain West game
Date(s), Opponent, Time(s)
Feb. 17-19, Mississippi, 6:30, 2, 1
Feb. 21, at Baylor, 4:05
Feb. 24-26, at Cal State Fullerton, 9, 8, 1
Feb. 28, Texas State, 6:30
March 2-4, Oklahoma State, 6:30, 2, 1
March 6, Baylor, 6:30
March 9-11, Texas Tech, 6:30, 2, 1
March 13, at UTSA, 6
March 16-18, at UNLV*, 8:05, 4:05, 3:05
March 20, at Texas State, 6:30
March 23-25, atNew Mexico*, 7, 3, 2
March 27, at UT Arlington, TBA
March 30-April 1, UNLV*, 6:30, 2, 1
April 3, Dallas Baptist, 6:30
April 5-7, UNC Wilmington, 6:30, 6:30, 2
April 11, UT Arlington, 6:30
April 13-15, Air Force*, 6:30, 4, 1
April 17, Louisiana-Monroe, 6:30
April 20-22, at San Diego State*, 8, 8, 1
April 24, Texas A&M, 6:30
April 27-29, Manhattan, 6:30, 4, 1
May 1, Oklahoma, 6:30
May 4-6, New Mexico*, 6:30, 4, 1
May 11-13, at Air Force*, 4, 2, 1
May 15, at Oklahoma, TBA
May 18-20,  San Diego State*, 6:30, 4, 1
May 24-27, MWC Tournament (Las Vegas), TBA 

 

2012 TCU schedule taking shape, including Big East opponents

TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte confirmed the Horned Frogs’ 2012 Big East Conference opponents Wednesday. He also confirmed TCU will host Grambling Sept. 8 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. It will likely be the home opener at the renovated stadium, but confirmed dates for the other home games are not official yet. Here’s a look at TCU’s 2012 opponents:
Home
Grambling (Sept. 8), Virginia, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida
Away
SMU, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Rutgers, Syracuse

-- Stefan Stevenson
For TCU athletic news and updates, including the Horned Frogs' first fall practice Aug. 4, follow me on Twitter at @FollowtheFrogs.

OU's Adrian Taylor leaves game with injury

Sooners senior defensive tackle Adrian Taylor, a former Mansfield High School star who has battled back this season after suffering a severe ankle injury in last year's Sun Bowl, left the game against Texas Tech because of a right leg injury with 4:52 remaining in the first half.

 

Oklahoma 28, Texas 20 (FINAL)

Texas had a huge first-and-goal inside the two-minute warning but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal in the 28-20 loss.

The Longhorns did not recover an onside kick following the field goal, but their fortunes almost turned when Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones fumbled the ball as he was sacked by Emmanuel Acho. DeMarco Murray recovered the ball for the Sooners.

After Oklahoma was forced to punt the ball away with 1:08 remaining, Aaron Williams fumbled the punt return, and it was recovered by the Sooners to seal the victory.

Early in the third quarter, the Sooners added to their lead in the fourth quarter with an acrobatic, 20-yard touchdown run by DeMarco Murray. Murray also scored the first Oklahoma touchdown.

The Longhorns quickly struck back with a five-yard touchdown run by Cody Johnson, whose 33-yard reception earlier in the drive put Texas within striking distance.

Stoops Would Not Have Suspended Jaz Reynolds A Whole Game Had He Been a Demarco Murray

The Texas 10: Week 5, Vol. 2

5. Baylor Can't Lose Against Kansas
The Bears are 3-1 and play a 2-2 Kansas team in Waco on Saturday morning. The Jayhawks have looked average, and their "big" win against then No. 15 Georgia Tech suddenly doesn't look so impressive any more. The Bears are 4-0 all-time against KU in Waco, which says just how bad Kansas' football team has been.
Looking at the Bears' schedule, they need this desperately for a realistic chance of reaching the necessary six wins to qualify for a bowl. The schedule still has some winnable games, but they may not be favored in any of them. The Bears are favored by 9 against the Fightin' Turner Gills.
5.43 Baylor Hasn't Won a Home Opener Since 2006
5.12 In a Word - Baylor Must Be the Ball

 
4. The Kats Can't Lose
A slow week in the Southland Conf., but a rather large one for Sam Houston State. The Bearkats travel to first-year program Lamar. Even though the Cardinals are a surprising 2-2, an established program like SHSU can't lose games like this. Such games are allegedly automatic wins, but Lamar is making life a little more difficult for people than expected.
3. Saturday's Game at the State Fair Won't Determine the Big 12 South
It's probably safe to say that the Big 12 South hasn't been this open in a long time. But neither Texas nor Oklahoma look nearly as dominant as they have in the past. That should make the rest of the season more fun to watch. Both teams have taken turns looking very good - OU in a blowout against Fla. St.; UT handling Tech in Lubbock. Both have looked shaky - UT losing at home to UCLA, OU hanging on to win at Cincinatti.
3.45 Both UT and OU enter the game ranked among the AP Top 25 for the 34th time since the poll began in 1936 with OU holding a 16-14-3 edge.
3.244 UT RB D.J. Monroe Will Be Exposed In Pass Protection
Like the decision by St. Mack to put D.J. Monroe as a co-starter with Fozzy Bear for the Horns in the backfield. The Horns need special speed and Monroe has it. But given his lack of experience, he's apt to blow at least one or two blocking assignments when the Sooners bring the muscle to spook QB Garrett Gilbert.
3.13 OU Coach Bob Stoops Would Not Have Suspended Jaz Reynolds Had He Been a Demarco Murray
What OU WR Jaz Reynolds Tweeted this week about the tragedy at the UT campus was insensitive, and he deserved the suspension. Good for Used to Be Big Game Bob. There is not a part of me, however, that believes Stoops would have given a full-game suspension to a key member of his team, not against UT. You suspend the guy a full game you can win without to send a message to the rest of the tweener players; you suspend the key player you can't win without for one quarter, or just don't start him.
3.12 Since 1998, UT is 131-28, which is the NCAA's winningest team; in that same period, OU is 126-35, which is third. Who is tied for second? Boise State, with a 131-25 record.
2. A Bad Sign For UT
The Horns are 9-2-1 in Top 25 matchups against OU when it enters the game as the higher-ranked team. They are 5-14-2 when they are lower ranked. UT is ranked No. 21. OU is No. 8.
2.43 Do The Corny Dog
If you are going to the Texas State Fair for fun, or to watch the game, or both, you can't miss eating a corny dog. It should be a once-a-year delicacy.
1. Saturday's game will be decided by which QB makes the fatal mistake.
UT QB Garrett Gilbert has massive potential etched all over him, but given the nature of his running game plus young receivers he has one killer pick or fumble in his pocket that is going to be the difference. I see more positive plays than negative plays coming from OU QB Landry Jones. OU wins.

- Mac Engel

Follow Me on Twitter

@MacEngelProf