I enjoy College Football. No surprise to anyone on Rivals.
theathletic.com
The Athletic is a great read. Today, the State of the Program series is on TCU.
A small portion of the article, you may find interesting or not?
At some point toward the end of each summer, Gary Patterson sits down at his desk and writes himself a letter outlining how his TCU team can get to 12 wins during the upcoming season.
Patterson breaks down each opponent and examines obstacles that stand in his team’s way, such as opposing personnel, challenges the road stadium poses — basically anything he can glean from his 20 years of being the Horned Frogs head coach. When he’s finished, Patterson files it away in a cabinet in his office.
“I don’t necessarily read it to the team,” Patterson said. “Sometimes at the end of the year, I read it to them to see how close I was. But you need a game plan, and all coaches know what kind of football team they have.”
How will Iowa get to 12-0? Frankly, 12-0 is always a tall order. We have only witnessed it once.
It is rare over past ten seasons in Big Ten. Iowa, along with Ohio State and Wisconsin are the two other examples. Even Michigan State in 2015 was tripped up at Nebraska, during the Mike Riley era.
Ironically, it wasn't Kirk Ferentz's most talented team over his 22 seasons, but the 2015 Hawkeyes overcame plenty along the journey.
They entered the season needing to replace two OTs from the 2014 team that only went 7-6.
The defense needed to replace 3 starters on the defensive line. Pretty common over the past three seasons for DC Phil Parker and his assistant coaches.
Of course, the leader returning on the defensive line, senior DE Drew Ott, was lost to injury and couldn't complete the season.
Looking ahead to 2021.
Iowa's offense in 2020 was pretty good on 1st down, Brian Ferentz shared this month on a podcast with a DSM Register columnist. However, we all remember 3rd down. With first year QB Spencer Petras, it wasn't always without a hitch or two in execution.
Special teams will lose two All-Americans in Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Keith Duncan. But, the glass is hardly half empty, wouldn't you agree?
Not quite 1974, with four straight Top 20 opponents to kickoff the season, but Indiana and at Iowa State return two seasoned teams, who finished in the Top 15 in 2020 in the AP Poll and were well liked by The Athletic in December.
Of course, Ole Miss took Indiana down in the bowl game, taking a little Hoosier luster off an impressive back to back run of seasons for a IU program with plenty of droughts, since that 1967 Rose Bowl season.
Iowa State beat Oregon, who didn't finish in Top 25, despite a Top 12 bowl position in the current system, which is in need of an overhaul.
TCU poised to return to prominence as Gary Patterson begins his third decade with the Horned Frogs
The Frogs are deep and talented on both sides of the ball. Keys to contending in the Big 12: cohesion on the O-line and improved health.
theathletic.com
The Athletic is a great read. Today, the State of the Program series is on TCU.
A small portion of the article, you may find interesting or not?
At some point toward the end of each summer, Gary Patterson sits down at his desk and writes himself a letter outlining how his TCU team can get to 12 wins during the upcoming season.
Patterson breaks down each opponent and examines obstacles that stand in his team’s way, such as opposing personnel, challenges the road stadium poses — basically anything he can glean from his 20 years of being the Horned Frogs head coach. When he’s finished, Patterson files it away in a cabinet in his office.
“I don’t necessarily read it to the team,” Patterson said. “Sometimes at the end of the year, I read it to them to see how close I was. But you need a game plan, and all coaches know what kind of football team they have.”
How will Iowa get to 12-0? Frankly, 12-0 is always a tall order. We have only witnessed it once.
It is rare over past ten seasons in Big Ten. Iowa, along with Ohio State and Wisconsin are the two other examples. Even Michigan State in 2015 was tripped up at Nebraska, during the Mike Riley era.
Ironically, it wasn't Kirk Ferentz's most talented team over his 22 seasons, but the 2015 Hawkeyes overcame plenty along the journey.
They entered the season needing to replace two OTs from the 2014 team that only went 7-6.
The defense needed to replace 3 starters on the defensive line. Pretty common over the past three seasons for DC Phil Parker and his assistant coaches.
Of course, the leader returning on the defensive line, senior DE Drew Ott, was lost to injury and couldn't complete the season.
Looking ahead to 2021.
Iowa's offense in 2020 was pretty good on 1st down, Brian Ferentz shared this month on a podcast with a DSM Register columnist. However, we all remember 3rd down. With first year QB Spencer Petras, it wasn't always without a hitch or two in execution.
Special teams will lose two All-Americans in Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Keith Duncan. But, the glass is hardly half empty, wouldn't you agree?
Not quite 1974, with four straight Top 20 opponents to kickoff the season, but Indiana and at Iowa State return two seasoned teams, who finished in the Top 15 in 2020 in the AP Poll and were well liked by The Athletic in December.
Of course, Ole Miss took Indiana down in the bowl game, taking a little Hoosier luster off an impressive back to back run of seasons for a IU program with plenty of droughts, since that 1967 Rose Bowl season.
Iowa State beat Oregon, who didn't finish in Top 25, despite a Top 12 bowl position in the current system, which is in need of an overhaul.
