TCU v. SMU: A case study in rebuilding dead basketball programs in different ways

DALLAS, Texas – Larry Brown is dying. Or he is going to die soon. Or maybe he is just going to leave SMU tomorrow morning. Something.

The head coach of the SMU men’s basketball team knows that his age (72), and his penchant for bolting, have been used repeatedly against him in his first go around in the recruiting trail.

"Unfortunately other programs reminded the kids of that - I was on my death bed. Or this is a brief stop for me," Brown told me on Wednesday. "I had heard physically that I'm not healthy. I answered to the parents as honestly as I could. I want to be here. At my age, why would I take this job if I didn't want to be here? I told them I want this to be like John Thompson at Georgetown. I can't see myself not coaching. I'm not looking to go anywhere else."

There may not be a more fascinating (desperate?) hire in recent years than SMU’s decision to bring Larry Brown back to college for the first time since he won the national title at Kansas in 1988.

Tonight at 7 p.m. at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Fort Worth, SMU will play TCU. The Horned Frogs are in the first season in the Big 12 with first-year coach Trent Johnson. 

I was on record months ago saying I loved SMU's hiring of Brown because it was such a bold move.

TCU took a more conventional route. Both could hit. Either could flop.

Both programs have been bad to merely average in recent years, and in an effort to build something each school took a very different path. SMU’s is the hope that Brown will remain engaged, and present.
TCU’s is that Trent Johnson will be able to have the type of success he had at Stanford.

They are both completely different men.

Brown has enough money, and is at an age where he doesn't care what you think, and isn't afraid of his own opinion. His practices are wide open to anybody, and he'll talk to anybody at any time.

Johnson isn't quite there yet. He is far more regimented, and appears to be a bit more controlling. His practices are closed, and he does a media thing about once a week.

The reality is very few people care enough to notice. Good or bad.

On Wednesday, each program celebrated recruiting classes that are going to make them competitive, blah blah blah. Any fan of either program, however many there actually are, should be hopeful yet highly skeptical.

Brown may be one of the best teachers of the game that ever lived, but the man can't sit still. Ever. Johnson was essentially not asked to come back from his previous job at LSU.

But both men have won. It merely comes down to whether the program can attract players. Real players.

"I do think we can compete on the national level," Brown said.

Whether Brown will remain depends on the success he has, and if SMU even cares. I can't see him staying if the team wins 16 or 18 games in each of his first two years and the home attendance is around 4,000.

And if for some unfortunate reason there is an NCAA thing or two, he's gone.

If this thing hits, maybe he stays for a while. It's clear by now he is going to coach until he is no longer able. An 82-game schedule of the NBA is perhaps too much. And the way his NBA career flamed out with the Knicks and Bobcats perhaps a return to the pro game is no longer viable.

He said in his time away from the game he visited a lot of college practices, mostly at Kansas and Villanova, but none in the NBA.

SMU is going to give him whatever he wants. The Ponies are in the Big East, which even if it's watered down is still a name. 

Meanwhile, TCU is in the Big 12 and it plans to expand and re-do its home arena.

The reality is neither job was very appealing because both programs have been losers forever.

Both programs realized they had to do something different in order to be relevant.

 

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Dispelling the University of Texas QB myth

From the Things My Little Brain Can't Comprehend File - The University of Texas continued inability to land the Grade A quarterbacks. Or at least the following ...

Andrew Luck - Stanford 
Robert Griffin III - Baylor
Chase Daniel - Missouri
Graham Harrell - Texas Tech
Andy Dalton - TCU
Kevin Kolb - Houston
Todd Reesing - Kansas (OK, I'm a KU grad so I had to throw this one in here)
Now add to the list Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M

Since Mack Brown arrived in Austin in 1998 to effectively turn the University of Texas into Wal Mart, he has established himself as one of the best recruiters in the country. Mommies and daddies love them some Mack.

There is growing sentiment that he has not landed consistently landed the best players at the most valuable spot. It's simply not entirely true.

Since Mack arrived he has had ...
Major Applewhite
Chris Simms
Chance Mock
Vince Young
Colt McCoy
Garrett Gilbert
David Ash

These guys aren't stiffs.

Much of the perception that UT has whiffed on QB's would be dramatically different had Simms' UT career arced just a bit higher, and Gilbert developed into the player so many thought he would. One Division I head coach told me of Gilbert that after he arrived to college "this was not the same player (he) saw in high school."

Mack has found good quarterbacks, two of which were outstanding (VY, Colt). The problem for Mack is that while he lands the best recruiting classes in the country, QBs from all around him routinely go elsewhere and to win Heisman trophies.

The Horns are 8-2 and sophomore QB David Ash has passed for 2,354 yards with 17 TDs and 5 INTs. Hardly horrible. Much like Colt McCoy, Ash does appear to be at least developing.

It is, however, really hard to look good when you aren't RGIII, Luck or Johnny Football.

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What does the TCU sales department know about the QB situation?

FORT WORTH, Texas - All ye' conspiracy theorists - come gather and be warm 'round this giant fire of potential quarterback controversy.

On Saturday before TCU hosted No. 2 Kansas State at Amon G. Carter Stadium, I took this picture at the Horned Frogs team store. Sorry, this shot is not Ansel Adams quality.

The sign reads on top of the rack: "ALL #4 JERSEYS ON SALE"

Who wears No. 4? According to the roster listed on www.gofrogs.com, No. 4 is currently worn by freshman safety Jordan Moore. No wonder these jerseys aren't moving.

Further research studies indicate that No. 4 was also previously worn by ... Casey Pachall (cue Law and Order music).

In a first for college football a team's depth chart is being dictated by the marketing/sales department. 

Pachall dis-enrolled from TCU more than a month ago after a DWI. At the time, TCU head coach Gary Patterson said Pachall was going to enter a care facility. He also said if things went well, Pachall could return to the team in the spring.

But if Pachall is going to return why is TCU peddling his No. 4 jersey as priced-to-sell?

No one has touched the Pachall story at TCU since he left school. And this jersey sell is very likely an effort to clear inventory before the end of the year.

Pachall's replacement, Trevone Boykin, has been good, bad, and a freshman. In nine games he has completed 58.3 percent of his passes for 1,540 yards with 14 TDs and 8 Ints. For a freshman thrown into a trying situation, he has been good. Ultimately, if TCU is going to win big in the Big 12, Boykin has to improve.

What TCU can't know is whether Boykin is going to improve enough (Andy Dalton), or this is his ceiling (Casey Printers).

TCU has three games remaining (at Texas, vs. Oklahoma, bowl game) before it really has to address whether Pachall is going to return. As for now, his jersey would make a good stocking stuffer.

 

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People - Gary Patterson would leave TCU for one job

This didn't take long, but something very reliable called "coachingsearch.com" is saying that TCU head coach Gary Patterson is the leading candidate to become the next head coach at Arkansas. 

Even though TCU is in a BCS conference, has players, and spends money like water, according to out-of-state reports Patterson is always at the top of coaching lists up to and including the L.A. Lakers.

Throw Tennessee in the mix, too. The Volunteers are expected to fire coach Derek Dooley after his team committed the unpardonable sin of losing against Missouri at home on Saturday.

Arkansas is going to be looking for a replacement after Bobby Petrino fill-in John L. Smith has demonstrated to be unable to win the way the Hogs expect.

Kentucky is already looking for a new coach to replace the recently fired Joker Phillips.

Do not rule out Auburn canning Gene Chizik, who is learning that the money spent on Cam Newton was the best investment ever made in the history of that institution.

Last week, Patterson told myself and a handful of reporters he had not heard a peep from Arkansas, and that his focus was on defeating Kansas State.

Patterson interviewed with Arkansas years ago.

I can't see GP leaving TCU any time soon, and probably never, for a variety of reasons.

He has a tremendous amount of power and respect both at his school and in his community. He can win at TCU. He and his wife are building a 835,000 square foot house (numbers approximate) that is very close to the office. He can, and may already be, to TCU what Bill Snyder is to Kansas State.

That said, I do believe there is one job Gary would want - The University of Texas. Maybe not right now, but if the circumstances change in a few years this is the only potential opening I could see GP pursuing. As much as GP has done to raise the entire profile of TCU, Texas is still the flagship school of a giant state that loves football.

A lot of variables would have to change, primarily being the people at UT grew tired enough of Mack Brown to make him a permanent Longhorn Network analyst. That and GP actually wants to leave TCU.

Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Auburn can all call and I don't see GP saying 'yes' to an interview other than to leverage for a few more dollars for himself, or his assistants. 

Should Texas call? That's when TCU should worry.

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Fox analyst Charles Davis on the determining variable for TCU v. KState

Fans of the Dallas Cowboys probably do not remember but there was a very, very brief time current Fox football color announcer Charles Davis was a Cowboy. He was a defensive back with the team in the training camp of Tom Landry's final season.

"I got cut right before the first preseason game," Davis said. 

That was the end of Davis' career as an NFLer. He is now a football analyst for Fox and will work the Kansas State at TCU game on Saturday night. We talked earlier this day about this game.

The Big Mac Blog: Do you see anything that says Kansas State QB Colin Klein is an NFL QB?
Charles Davis: I don’t believe he’s an NFL QB for a few reasons. I hate saying it because I don’t want to take away what he is as a college football player, and if he walks away with the Heisman it’s well deserved. It's not the throwing motion, it’s the speed. If you watch him throw it this year he’s faster.
You are not going to hang his passes in the Louvre next to the Mona Lisa. Is it in the right spot and on time? This season he has been all of those things. 

As a college kid it doesn’t get much better than him. I got a text from 2 NFL general managers and they asked me for my opinion on Klein as quarterback. That’s never happened before. That rings a bell.

The Big Mac Blog: Teams that go undefeated usually have one 'trip' game where they simply aren't as good and either lose, or barely win. Do you see that as a possibility for Kansas State on Saturday?
Charles Davis: I can see that for this reason - TCU is getting the momentum after winning at West Virginia. They have not won at home (in the Big 12) this season. Kansas State is plus-20 in turnover margin. TCU has 24 takeaways. Kansas State doesn't turn it over, and its quarterback hasn't thrown an interception since the third game. They have not had a game this season where they turned it over. If those happen TCU is in this game. They have proven they can hang with (Big 12) teams.

The Big Mac Blog: Is there any team that can beat Alabama?
Charles Davis: I think Kansas State can. I think they play closer to an SEC style of football than the other undefeated teams. Oregon I think could do this. They don’t make mistakes that is the key because Alabama is going to hop on mistakes.
Go back and look at the title game between Auburn and Oregon; that game was much closer. Go look at all of the SEC wins in the BCS title game and it's not like the SEC team was just blowing out everyone. This is closer than people think. 

 

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Gary Patterson is going to let Trevone Boykin speak to the media on .........

FORT WORTH, Texas - Gary Patterson has a strict rule about freshman talk to the media, which is they don't. This includes starting quarterbacks.

The freshmen can start for the team and suit up before 50,000 fans but stand in front of a microphone? Hey, hey, hey ... sloooooow down there champ. Let's not go crazy here.

GP says the player has to earn that right ... blah blah blah. GP is not the only coach to enact this verbal neutering process. This gives everyone the chance to properly scare the hell out of the kid from saying anything remotely interesting.

Despite repeated requests from myself, AP writer Stephen Hawkins, NBC 5's Newy Scruggs and others, Patterson has not allowed redshirt freshman QB Trevone Boykin to do an interview yet.

GP said after practice on Wednesday that he would allow Boykin, who by all accounts is a good speaker and a great kid, the chance to speak after the Frogs' final regular season game against Oklahoma on Dec. 1.

Do you care? 

Ms. Cheryl Gay does. Gay works at a 7-11 very close to TCU. She may be one the most polite, and nicest, people you could ever meet. Cheryl is a big TCU fan, and asked me on Monday to write a story on Trevone but I told her GP won't let him talk to the media.

He will soon so, Cheryl, this is for you.

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Major upset alert: Gus Johnson is calling the Kansas State/TCU game

Not sure which is worse news for the Kansas State amateur football program - QB Collin Klein (concussion, we think) is not necessarily a sure thing to play on Saturday at TCU, or that Fox is using Gus Johnson to call the game.

Johnson is scheduled to arrive in Fort Worth sometime today, which should please Horned Frog nation greatly. The dude does nothing but call upsets, up to but not including the Washington Generals win against the Harlem Globetrotters.

This is a major get - there may not be a better TV play by play in the biz right now than Gus. The guy bubbles enthusiasm.

I spoke with Gus on Wednesday for a bit for his thoughts on why he is Mr. Upset.

The Big Mac Blog: Are you aware of your reptuation as the voice of upsets?
Gus Johnson: I have nothing to do with it. That’s the football and basketball gods. Over the years you do start to notice you are a part of a lot of great games and great finishes. I'm not going to turn it down and run away from it. That’s been my path so far. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to see a great game on Saturday.

The Big Mac Blog: When did you become aware of it?
Gus Johnson: I didn't pay any attention to it until Vegas had a whole thing on it. They looked at all the games I called and they did some mathematical thing that the underdog was winning, like, 70 percent of the time. I was like, 'I wish I was a bettor - I'd bet on me.'

The Big Mac Blog: Your 'Rise and Fire' is rather popular; what is the origin of that line?
Gus Johnson: When I started broadcasting, we all look for something that makes us stand out. When I played little league baseball we would tell our pitchers, 'Rock and fire'. That was a team mantra. When I became a broadcaster I was trying to figure out how to describe how certain players. One day I saw a guy pull up and he was rising and he fired a jump shot and it went in. That stuck in my mind.
I said it casually to myself I started to add it and it worked it. People liked it. I liked it because it helped me with my rhythm.

The Big Mac Blog: Do you try to avoid using it too much?
Gus Johnson: Yeah, I don’t want to use it too much beause it can come across as corny. It’s a feel thing. I like to use that when I see a player get into a good rhythm. Shooting the ball is a lost art especially in college.

Mac Engel: Do fans come up to you and mention your call from this or that game?
Gus Johnson: Yeah, but I've called so many games I don't even remember. I don't remember what I said because I'm so in the moment and when it's one I'm wrenched. When it's over, it just leaves.

The Big Mac Blog: Of the upsets you have called, which one stands out the most?
Gus Johnson: To me it was Princeton beating UCLA in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 1996. It was in Indianapolis, and UCLA was the defending champions. That was my first year doing those games. You had Pete Carrill pulling out his hair, and guys hitting shots they would never hit again, and that backdoor play. 

The Big Mac Blog: Have a good game and enjoy your trip here.
Gus Johnson: Thanks. Hopefully I'll get to meet J.R. Ewing. 

 

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TCU should just expect Kansas State QB Collin Klein will play

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said on the Big 12 media conference call on Monday morning that quarterback Collin Klein is out for Saturday's game at TCU.

OK. Just kidding. Snyder said nothing of that sort.

Snyder did say of Klein, who reportedly suffered a concussion in KSU's win against Oklahoma State on Saturday, "He seems fine to me."

Asked if Klein is going to play, Snyder said: "I hope so. I hope they all play."

At one point during the KSU game against Oklahoma State, Klein was walking around the sidelines without his helmet. That is often a sign the helmet has been taken away by team doctors/trainers because of a head injury.

"Maybe they're uncomfortable," Synder said of Klein sans a helmet.

Who are we kidding? Collin Klein may not be able to remember his own name and he would play against TCU on Saturday in Fort Worth.

KSU is No. 2 in the BCS and three wins away from completing a perfect season. He's playing.

There has not been a better college QB this season than Klein, who will never do a thing in the NFL. There is not a player who is important to his team's success than Klein. Kansas State is ranked second in the BCS standings primarily because they do not beat themselves, and their QB simply never screws up.

In nine games this season, Klein is completing 71.1 percent of his passes for 1,875 yards with 12 TDs and 2 interceptions. He is the second-leading rusher for Kansas State with 698 yards on 139 carries, and averages 5.0 yards per rush with 17 TDs.

Kansas State has not turned the ball over since it played against North Texas on Sept. 15, and have four turnovers this season. Kansas State is plus-20 in turnover margin, tops in the nation.

The most amazing stat: Kansas State has scored 111 points off of turnovers, and given up zero.

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Big 12 is case study of parity (mediocrity?), and entertainment

If Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein's mysterious upperbody/lowerbody/left side/right side injury is actually serious enough to prevent him from playing the Big 12 is suddenly just experiencing a down season.

Assuming Klein is healthy and the Wildcats win their next three games - at TCU, at Baylor and home vs. Texas - to finish the regular season 12-0 and 9-0 in conference call it a great season for the Big 12. The Cats will either be in the Fake National Title game, or be the poor little team that gets screwed in this "very fair" process.

The No. 3 (AP poll) Wildcats will play TCU in Fort Worth on Saturday at 6 p.m.

What we have here in this first season of this revamped conference is little like originally projected. Here is the 2012 poll as selected by the media that covers the league, and the current standings:

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH ...... ACTUAL STANDINGS
1. Oklahoma (32) ...............       Kansas State (9-0, 6-0)
2. West Virginia (7) ................. Oklahoma (6-2, 4-1)
3. Texas .............................  Texas (7-2, 4-2)
4. Oklahoma State .................. Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-2)
5. TCU (1) ............................ Texas Tech (6-3, 3-3)
6. Kansas State (1) .................. TCU (6-3, 3-3)
7. Baylor ............................. West Virginia (5-3, 2-3)
8. Iowa State ........................ Iowa State (5-4, 2-4)
9. Texas Tech ....................... Baylor (4-4, 1-4)
10. Kansas  ........................... Kansas (1-8, 0-6)

Kansas State has been dramatically better than every other opponent. Oklahoma has been just good enough to be second while the rest are eating each other alive.

Just when Texas Tech looked as if it would secure itself as the third-best team, the Red Raiders pooped down their pants and lose at home against a Texas team that once again is disappointing.

Only Kansas, which somehow is going to win fewer games under first-year coach Charlie Weis than it did last season under Turner Gil, was the only predcitable variable with its consistent suckage.

By season's end the Big 12's third place finisher is not going to look that much different than seventh, or eighth.

Outsiders will say the league is down. Big 12 proponents, and coaches, will say this reflects parity. 

Whatever the case, it is highly, highly entertaining.

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TCU fans - couch burning in West Virginia is not some myth

Part of TCU's first season in the Big 12 is learning the particulars of its new member schools, from the many empty seats in Lawrence, Kansas, hitting Eskimo Joe's in Stillwater and getting the hell out of Norman as fast as possible.

This also includes the sacred and time-honored tradition of setting a couch on fire in Morgantown, West Virginia. This is a joke.

The Frogs play in Morgantown on Saturday where the weather forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 44 degrees.

Some call that "football weather".
In West Virginia, it's also called "couch burning weather". 

Earlier this season, WVU put out this PSA urging fans NOT to burn couches:

 

A nice effort, but it didn't really take. 

After West Virginia defeated Texas in Austin last month the cops had to be called in an effort to stop rioting.

As someone who spent more time in West Virginia than I can count (it is an asbolutely gorgeous state), and has ample family from there (which allows me the latitude to bag on my own), I can say with some certainty there is no way this tradition ends.

 

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