By Wendell Barnhouse
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
The football coaches at TCU and West Virginia had a good idea of what was in store for their programs when their schools became members of the Big 12 Conference.
Gary Patterson’s Horned Frogs had established themselves as one of the top teams outside the top five conferences. Dana Holgorsen coached the Mountaineers for one season in the Big East Conference but had plenty of experience coaching offenses in the Big 12.
In Year One (2012) each team had a modicum of success and each reached bowl games. Last season, both finished under .500. The Horned Frogs and the Mountaineers struggled to score points, but for different reasons.
Year Three finds TCU and West Virginia in contention for the Big 12 title.
“I always said it was going to take 3-5 years to be able to do it,” Patterson said. “It just takes time to recruit, it takes time to change your philosophy. You’ve got to tweak some things. We had to change.”
Patterson scrapped his offensive scheme and hired co-coordinators. Doug Meacham (who had coached at Oklahoma State) and Sonny Cumbie from Texas Tech arrived with the plans to turn TCU into an up-tempo attack to match the schemes most successful Big 12 teams run.
In 2013, the Frogs had 34 offensive touchdowns; through six games, they’ve have 32. TCU is averaging 45.2 points per game, fifth in the nation – a huge improvement from last season when they finished 89th in scoring with 25.1 per game.
“Knowing you can score between 30 and 40 points makes a lot of difference to calling things on the other side of the ball,” Patterson, who is his own defensive coordinator, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Less blitzing. You don’t have to make as many things happen. We were able to play different techniques with our cornerbacks last week to handle the vertical routes, which helped us. When you know you’re going to do that, it makes a difference in how you call your ballgame.”
West Virginia’s offensive production dropped off last season because of a revolving door at quarterback. This season senior Clint Trickett is healthy and understands Holgorsen’s offense, which has plenty of play makers.
Holgorsen also tweaked his staff, bringing in Tony Gibson as defensive coordinator. He prefers the unusual 3-3-5 scheme that befuddled Baylor and senior quarterback Bryce Petty.
“I’ve always liked the odd-man, three-man front,” Holgorsen said. “If you don’t have war daddies up front, four guys who can stop the run and rush the passer, it’s hard to stop teams in this league. Tony’s familiar with this defense and the players are confident with the blitz calls and the coverages.”
Holgorsen said in his first two seasons his roster lacked the depth to compete in the Big 12; in 2012, he estimated his team only had about 50 players that measured up. The depth has improved dramatically.
Against Baylor Saturday, the Mountaineers lost starting cornerbacks Daryl Worley and Terrell Chestnut to injuries in the first half.
“There have been a lot of times in previous games where we weren't equipped to be able to deal with that,” Holgorsen said. “But our recruiting has been better because of the Big 12 brand, so you're able to add younger guys to the mix that have talent.”
Seeking Good Advice
Kansas State has won 499 games in its 119 years of football. The Wildcats won 299 the first 93 seasons (3.2 per year) and 200 in the past 26 years (7.6 per year). That demarcation point could be described as “Before Bill Snyder” and “After Bill Snyder.”
When Charlie Strong became a head coach for the first time five years ago at Louisville, he called Snyder for advice.
“I said, ‘That’s the type of program I want to be,’ ” Strong said this week. “It’s a balanced attack. It’s nothing fancy about what they do. They line up, play with fundamentals and good technique.
“Coach Snyder said you just have to be yourself. You can’t be anyone else. You can always take ideas and share ideas, but at the end of the day, it’s how you run your program.”
The Longhorns play at Kansas State Saturday. The Wildcats have won five of the last six meetings.
“Coach Snyder has always produced great teams and that's what they are, they're a team,” UT linebacker Jordan Hicks said. “They beat you because they're a good team.”
An Apt Description
In Morgantown these days, they call it a “Whitemare.” That’s the term being used for what senior wide receiver Kevin White is causing opposing defenses.
Coupled with the outstanding play of senior quarterback Clint Trickett, White is providing West Virginia with an offensive weapon that is reliable and explosive. White leads the nation with 1,020 yards receiving on 69 receptions. He had eight catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s upset of Baylor. White has a school-record seven straight games with at least 100 yards receiving and has a TD catch in five consecutive games.
Opponents have been called for 11 pass interference penalties (nine accepted and two declined). Baylor was called for six PI’s with one declined. The 6-3, 210-pound White is proving that if the pass is on target, he’ll either make the catch or the defender will commit a penalty trying to prevent it.
“Man-up,” White told WVUSports.com of his reaction when he sees man-to-man coverage. “Is he better than me or am I better than him? I kind of take it personal. I try to win every matchup I can and try and do my best to make a play on the ball.”
Quick Slants
* Baylor senior offensive tackle Troy Baker suffered a torn ACL against West Virginia and is out for the season. “Troy has been a great leader, so that’s going to be a void,” coach Art Briles said. Baker is the third Bears linemen lost in the last two weeks. Defensive end Jamal Palmer (ACL) and left guard Desmine Hilliard (broken wrist) also will miss the rest of the season.
* Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Monday he doesn’t expect quarterback J.W. Walsh to return this season. Walsh, a junior, started the season opener against Florida State but suffered a lower leg injury in the second game of the season. “I know he gets out of the cast or whatever he’s in, here, I think this week, but I just don't think he’ll be back," Gundy said.
* Texas Tech has eight defensive players injured going into Saturday’s game at TCU. “We’ve got no depth up front,” interim defensive coordinator Mike Smith said Monday. “Linebacker, we don’t have any depth. Corner, we don’t have any depth, so it’s really our whole defense. We’ve got what we’ve got. These guys are playing a lot of reps. That’s what it has to be, so I’m proud of the way they’re fighting.”
* West Virginia is in the thick of the Big 12 race and one victory from being bowl eligible. That success thus far is not reflected in the Mountaineers’ ball security. In their 41-27 upset of Baylor, they committed three turnovers and for the season are minus 11 in turnover margin. The only two teams worse in turnover margin are Michigan (3-4 record) and SMU (0-6).