TCU Football

Quentin Johnston announced his decision to flip his commitment from Texas to TCU on his personal Snapchat on Monday night, which he will make official by signing Wednesday:

According to 247Sports, Johnston is TCU's fourth 4-star prospect and 14th hard commit overall in its 2020 class.

Johnston had announced his commitment to Texas in August:

"It's a good business school," Johnston told Horns247's Mike Roach at the time. "It's a big family. Every time I go there the coaches are so happy to see me. That's like the good feeling and I like that every time I go there."

Johnston also commented on his "good relationship" with Longhorns wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer, who was fired earlier this month. The uncertainty within Texas' coaching staff could have played a big role in Johnston's decision to join TCU instead.

The Temple High School (Temple, Texas) product is ninth in Texas, 13th at wide receiver and 69th nationally in 247Sports' composite rankings. Johnston is now the second-highest rated player to commit to TCU since head coach Gary Patterson took over in 2000, per Drew Davidson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

While Mehringer's departure from Texas might have affected Johnston's desire to play for the Longhorns, Davidson reported over the weekend that "multiple assistants on Patterson's staff have been linked to other openings around the country." The Horned Frogs went 5-7 this season.

TCU kicker Cole Bunce was injured during a traffic accident and could miss the entire 2019 season, according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach.  

Schlabach reported Bunce was driving a motorized scooter when a car turned in front of him in Fort Worth, Texas. Police cited the other driver for failing to yield.

Bunce was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, and TCU head coach Gary Patterson confirmed he underwent "emergency surgery." Patterson didn't elaborate on the nature of his injuries.

"I don't think he'll be able to play the rest of the year," he said. "Sometimes you have luck, and sometimes you have no luck at all."

Bunce was 4-of-9 on field goals in 2019, including 2-of-5 on attempts between 40 and 49 yards. The senior was also the Horned Frogs' primary kickoff option, averaging 56.3 yards and recording 20 touchbacks on 62 kicks.

If Bunce is unavailable, fellow senior Jonathan Song will likely become TCU's primary field-goal kicker. Song went 9-of-12 overall and was a perfect 6-of-6 between 20 and 29 yards.

The TCU Horned Frogs were in the Mountain West Conference during the 2010 season, but that didn't stop them from capping off an undefeated campaign with a 21-19 victory over the Big Ten's Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

To hear TCU head coach Gary Patterson tell it during Big 12 media days (via RedditCFB), the fact then-Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst had his eyes on the same position with the Texas Longhorns didn't help the Badgers' cause:

"So Wisconsin goes into the Rose Bowl, their offensive coordinator and the offensive coordinator at Boise State were both vying for the offensive coordinator at Texas. So do you think you can just get the offensive coordinator at Texas job by running for 300 yards and not throwing the football and just pounding TCU? Probably not. So I took into consideration, the more I read the papers, the more I listened, that they would probably try to play action and do more. So we played to our advantage until the last drive. We had them locked, incomplete, 2nd-and-10, well now that plays the advantage of a smaller TCU team."

Throwing the ball was not a recipe for success in that game for the Badgers.

Quarterback Scott Tolzien finished 12-of-21 for 159 yards and zero touchdowns and threw an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion with two minutes remaining that would have tied the contest. Wisconsin never got the ball back.

It was a win for the Horned Frogs every time Tolzien dropped back to throw because that meant it kept the ball out of the hands of Wisconsin’s talented running backs. Montee Ball ran for 132 yards and a score while averaging 6.0 yards per attempt, while John Clay ran for 6.9 yards per attempt on his way to 76 yards.

It is not a stretch to suggest the Badgers would have won if they consistently pounded away at the Horned Frogs defense with the rushing attack. They could have at least kept the ball on the ground for the two-point conversion but elected to pass again.

Chryst eventually became the head coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2012 through 2014 and finished with a 19-19 record before returning to Wisconsin as its head coach. He is 42-12 in the last four seasons with four straight bowl game victories, including an Orange Bowl win over Miami.

While Chryst has largely found success with the Badgers as the head coach, it appears as if Patterson found a weakness leading into the 2011 Rose Bowl and exploited it for a head-turning win over a power-conference foe.

TCU Horned Frogs defensive tackle Joseph Broadnax will miss the remainder of the 2018 season with an "undisclosed medical condition initially discovered during a preseason screening," the Associated Press reported Tuesday (via ESPN.com).

Broadnax has made seven appearances this season, registering nine total tackles, including one tackle for loss.

According to the Star-Telegram's Drew Davison, Broadnax underwent an MRI prior to the season. The procedure was part of TCU's involvement in a study that is centered around the treatment and prevention of concussions.

Davison reported Broadnax's condition was discovered as a result of the study but "is not a concussion-related issue."

Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson discussed how serious the problem could've been if it hadn't been identified so early.

"As a young person, I think he's going to have an opportunity to live a lot longer because they caught it," Patterson said. "He started showing signs [before TCU's 47-10 defeat to the West Virginia Mountaineers], weakness in his arm and different things. It's one of those things you just don't have any control over. You feel badly."

Patterson added that Broadnax's condition may end his football career.

TCU receiver KaVontae Turpin has been kicked off the team following his arrest Sunday on a charge of assault of a family member with bodily injury, Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson announced Tuesday.

"I'm not trying to cover anything up," Patterson said.

Patterson initially said Monday that Turpin was suspended and "probably" wouldn't play Saturday against the Kansas Jayhawks.

According to Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram, Turpin allegedly became upset with a woman he had been in a relationship with for five years because he believed she had been sending pictures of herself to other people. He then allegedly grabbed the woman, "slammed" her to the ground and "dragged her" across a parking lot. Additionally, he was said to have been "grabbing her from behind with one arm across her neck."

The woman was eventually able to flee and call the police from a neighbor's house.

Turpin reportedly refused to speak to law enforcement and was subsequently arrested.

TCU spokeswoman Holly Ellman issued a statement on the arrest:

"Texas Christian University is aware that one of its students was recently arrested for a reported domestic situation. The university takes these types of reports very seriously and is continuing to gather information to determine next steps. TCU expects its students to behave in an ethical manner, abide by campus policies and adhere to state and federal law. The student also may face a charge of violating the University Code of Student Conduct, the results of which are independent and separate from any legal charges."

Davison reported Tuesday that Turpin had a previous altercation with his girlfriend in March. That incident, in which he was arrested on multiple charges including battery in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is believed to have been with the same person.

The senior wideout had 29 receptions for 410 yards and three touchdowns in seven games for TCU (3-4) this season, adding 312 kickoff return yards, 175 punt return yards and two return touchdowns.

TCU wide receiver KaVontae Turpin was arrested Sunday for assault with bodily injury of a family member.

“Texas Christian University is aware that one of its students was recently arrested for a reported domestic situation,” TCU said in a statement. “The university takes these types of reports very seriously and is continuing to gather information to determine next steps. TCU expects its students to behave in an ethical manner, abide by campus policies and adhere to state and federal law.

“The student also may face a charge of violating the University Code of Student Conduct, the results of which are independent and separate from any legal charges.”

Drew Davidson of the Star-Telegram reported Turpin has been released from jail.

TCU coach Gary Patterson told reporters Turpin likely will not play this week against Kansas. Turpin is suspended while the investigation is ongoing. 

“Everybody knows how I handle things like this,” Patterson said. “My track record usually speaks for itself if you go back through it. We’re gathering information, but at this point in time he probably won’t play against Kansas.

“We have not received anything as far as information, police report, anything else. At this point in time, he knows how that all goes. All of them do.”

Turpin could face up to one year in jail if convicted. The person involved in the altercation is an unnamed female.

Turpin has recorded 29 receptions for 410 yards and three touchdowns this season along with two return scores. 

Matt, Mello and Connor are home safe and sound after a great weekend tailgating at TCU. Listen in for updates from Fort Worth, our Week 5 $100 handshakes and an updated Heisman Trophy list. Matt also breaks down why Justin Herbert is the top quarterback prospect in the country.

TCU has landed one of the top quarterbacks in the 2019 class in Max Duggan.

The 4-star recruit announced his decision on Twitter:

According to 247Sports, Duggan is the No. 7 dual-threat quarterback in the country and the No. 299 player overall. He is also already the eighth player in the 2019 class for the Horned Frogs, which currently ranks 15th overall.

The 6'2", 190-pound prospect had taken visits to Minnesota, Ohio State and Notre Dame, and as of last week was apparently unsure of his decision.

"I'm being completely honest—it switches for me like every day," Duggan said, per Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald. "It's difficult. I'll have a top three when I wake up and go to bed with a different one."

He eventually settled on TCU, a school that also landed 4-star dual-threat quarterback Justin Rogers in the 2018 class.

The team has won at least 11 games in three of the last four years and has done a good job of developing dual-threat quarterbacks like Kenny Hill and Trevone Boykin in recent seasons.

Duggan has good speed for the position, running a 40-yard dash in 4.74 seconds, per ESPN.com. This goes well with a strong arm and good accuracy, providing him with plenty of upside going forward. While it could take some time for him to get onto the field at TCU, the program might have a future star on its hands.

Former TCU wide receiver Kolby Listenbee is suing his alma mater, former coach Gary Patterson and the Big 12 conference. 

Stefan Stevenson of the Star-Telegram reported the news Thursday, noting Listenbee filed the lawsuit in the Dallas County Civil Division and pointed to a pattern of abuse and harassment after he was injured as a senior in 2015.

According to Stevenson, the lawsuit "alleges that TCU head coach Gary Patterson, then-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham and other coaches 'continuously pressured, humiliated and harassed Listenbee shortly after his injury diagnosis in an effort to force Listenbee to return to play quickly in their quest for a national football championship.'"

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN shared the court filing, noting it also includes trainers, assistants and former athletic director Chris Del Conte. Listenbee is seeking more than $1 million in damages.

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports provided part of TCU's statement in response to Listenbee's lawsuit: "TCU takes tremendous pride in its long-standing tradition of excellence in providing a positive experience for its student-athletes, especially in the areas of care, prevention and rehabilitation of athletic injuries."

Stevenson described the nature of the lawsuit, noting Listenbee points to an injury he suffered against SMU as a senior. He damaged the cartilage holding his pelvic bones together, and the lawsuit said the pelvic instability "requires a minimum of six months of rest and rehabilitation."

However, Listenbee alleged the training staff used pain and steroidal medication injections to keep him on the field in lieu of the necessary recovery time, causing so much damage he needed a metal plate inserted to fuse the bones. The lawsuit alleges the metal plate damaged his chances at success in the NFL.

Listenbee was a sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2016 but never played a regular-season game at the NFL level. He tallied 597 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions in that senior season after finishing with 753 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a junior.

The TCU Horned Frogs know a thing or two about wiping away big deficits in the Alamo Bowl, and they put that knowledge to good use Thursday night. 

Despite trailing by 18 points in the second quarter, TCU stormed back and dropped 29 points on the Stanford Cardinal in the second half to secure a 39-37 win at the Alamodome in San Antonio. 

The come-from-behind effort marked the second in three seasons for the Horned Frogs—who erased a 31-point deficit to defeat the Oregon Ducks in a triple-overtime Alamo Bowl thriller following the 2015 campaign. 

As Sports on Earth's Matt Brown and Smart Football's Chris Brown both noted, TCU head coach Gary Patterson has become something of a second-half maestro over the past few seasons: 

Speedy playmakers spearheaded TCU's furious rally, with quarterback Kenny Hill and wide receivers Desmon White and Jalen Reagor all at the center of the action. 

White got the party started in the third quarter when he hit Hill for a 27-yard throwback score, and Hill returned the favor with an 11-yard scoring strike on the Horned Frogs' next possession. 

And that was just the start of the second half.

Once the fourth quarter got rolling, TCU fully unleashed its biggest burners when Hill connected with Reagor for a 93-yard score to trim the deficit to two before White took a punt 76 yards to the house to help hand the Horned Frogs a 36-31 edge. 

Stanford countered when wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside snared his third touchdown of the night to help the Cardinal briefly regain the lead, but TCU promptly marched 59 yards in nine plays to set up Cole Bunce's game-winning 33-yard field goal with 3:07 to go. 

All told, Hill finished 27-of-40 for 314 yards and four total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing and one receiving). He also led the Horned Frogs with nine carries for 60 yards. 

Heisman Trophy finalist Bryce Love, meanwhile, paced Stanford. 

Although he wasn't available down the stretch due to an apparent thumb injury, Love stuffed the stat sheet with 26 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns as he broke Christian McCaffrey's single-season Stanford rushing record on a night filled with statistical achievements, per ESPN Stats & Info: 

Love also registered his 11th 50-yard touchdown run of the season when he bolted 69 yards to the house in the third quarter, as ESPN documented: 

But with Love banged up late and the momentum firmly surging in TCU's favor, the Cardinal didn't have the juice necessary to mount one final scoring drive. 

As a result, TCU finished 11-3 a season after sputtering to a 6-7 record that included a Liberty Bowl defeat. 

Conversely, Stanford dropped to 9-5 and failed to crack double-digit wins for the first time since 2014.