Learning Experience #4

For my last learning blog, I wanted to make a full circle and relate it to one of the first blogs that I wrote- one that wasn't required to be written by our Lit and Civ class. During the summer, I decided to write about the upcoming TCU football season. There was a lot to be excited about in the summer; we had the core of our defense returning as well as Pachall and Waymon James coming back. We had a tough schedule, but one that would be rewarding in the polls if we were able to perform well. Things were looking up for the football team that was coming off its worst season in recent history, mostly due to injury.

After reflecting on the season, I have begun to think that the on-field struggles have stemmed from a few off-field incidents.

In early August, Coach Patterson lost two of his offensive linemen, Tayo Fabuluje (transfer) and Michael Thompson (retirement-knees). This left a gap on the line that TCU needed to fill. This happened a few weeks before the season started against LSU, which should have been enough time for people to step up to the task. I didn't think this would be that much of a problem heading into the season even after losing these two players...but I should have. The inexperienced penalty-plagued line from the season before was back again. The problems that were evident in 2012 have been glaring in 2013. Countless holding and false starts have killed drives of an already struggling offense. Pachall and Boykin have had limited time in the pocket, resulting in a more conservative playbook. This meant shorter passes, no holes for the running backs, and ultimately an offense that ranks in the lower half of the NCAA.

Something that has been concerning since the drug bust in 2012 is player conduct. In the early summer, news broke that reigning AP Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Devonte Fields would be suspended for the first two games of the season. Gary Patterson was vague about the reason for the suspension, but it was an ominous sign for a player with such high expectations. As it would turn out, Fields would only play in parts of three games, totaling just four tackles. Another player that has had a lot of off-field problems is Brandon Carter. He has been in Coach Patterson's doghouse all year, and left the team for a couple games to deal with a family matter. Probably the most disappointing development throughout the whole year is the fall of Waymon James. He came in to this year as the senior leader trying to make the NFL. He represented the team at Big 12 media days. Yet, here we are with a game left and he is no longer a part of the roster. He hasn't played since being suspended for allegedly missing practice, and is now no longer a Frog. What a fallout. The conduct of these three players has been seismic, and it makes me wonder if this is reflective of a large portion of the locker room. These players' carelessness towards the betterment of the team is despicable, and is surely a reason for the team's poor performance this year.

At some point, I quit putting the blame on the players and start looking at the coaches. Offensive coordinator Jarrett Anderson has taken a lot of blame for the offensive struggles, but there isn't a whole lot he can do about the porous offensive line. Coach Patterson has been on a pedestal because of how he has improved the school, but he has to take responsibility for his players actions. He has taken the proper steps to suspend players when he sees fit, but at some point the attitude of the team needs to change and legitimate leaders need to emerge.

TCU will end up not playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2004. The TCU followed up that season with an 11-1 record, so maybe things will turn around but all I can focus on right now is the pure disappointment from this season. I was there every step of the way for the Frogs, and for some reason I let blind optimism get the best of me every week. The first time we touched the ball this season, we fumbled a kickoff against LSU. I immediately thought this would be a repeat of last year's turnover-prone team, but I brushed the thought to the back of my mind. The following week we struggled in the first half against SLU and lost Pachall for an unknown amount of time. At this point I was concerned for the rest of the season, but thought we would be able to handle Tech. Unfortunately, the offense and refs caused us to lose that game and we were 1-2. Despite the bleak start, I thought we could still win the Big 12. We struggled in the first half again against SMU but evened our record at 2-2. We travelled to my home town, Norman, to play the Sooners and we couldn't manage a first down in the first 30 minutes of play. Our defense kept us in the game but we fell short in the end. We beat a helpless KU team at home, then put up another poor showing in Stillwater. We came home to face UT, and the return of Casey brought extra optimism to this game for me. If we could win this game, we would be 4-4 and definitely have a chance to turn the season around. Boykin's fumble at the beginning of the game was almost surreal. I once again expected something to change, but the same thing that happened on the first play of the season happened again. Why was I still optimistic... The rain delay came and I stayed at Hell's Half Acre the entire delay, still thinking we had a chance to pull it out. We didn't, and we dropped to 3-5. Perhaps the lowest point of the season was the West Virginia game. We looked so promising in the first half, like the team that we were expected to be before the season. Casey moved the ball down the field with ease and our defense flexed their muscles against the hopeless Mountaineers. But then, reality, and the real TCU, set in. We had to pull together an immense comeback in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Our one drive in overtime was essentially a summary of the entire season. A six yard loss on first down, followed by a personal foul by the offensive line forced us in to a 62 yard field goal, which was missed. West Virginia kicked a field goal to win, and my heart sank when I saw Jason Verrett, amongst other players on all fours in the middle of the field. Verrett stood out to me at that moment, and I was frozen as I tried to empathize with him. He was a senior that was seeking individual and team glory in his final year in college. I also thought about Pachall. He went through an inpatient drug rehabilitation program to return to this team, and had to endure this disappointing season. That moment, the pain of losing and seemingly sealing our fate of not going to a bowl game got the best of me. Verrett's sadness, as well as other players' emotion via post-game tweets, made me feel bad for the players that cared about their team. So much goes in to a football season, and to lose a game that way to fall to 3-6 was just too much to handle. We went on to pull off a last second win against Iowa State, and then were officially knocked out of bowl contention against Kansas State.

From this football season, I have learned to heed the writing on the wall before and during a season and to quell my optimism. The amount of disappointment that I felt this season was large, considering that I am in no way affiliated with the football team. It was a sad season, and I can only hope that next year is better- but I will definitely be taking a different approach to next season in an attempt to avoid what I experienced this year. TCU needs strong leadership next  season, as well as an overall change of attitude by the team. We have one of the best coaches in the nation, so this should be able to be accomplished.

But when I think of it, I said the same thing following last season.