At the risk of overlooking the TCU football squad, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits will go on the road to kick off their season Saturday night, September 3, in Amon G. Carter Stadium.
The home town Horned Frogs, nationally-ranked more often than not, may pose a small threat to the most significant game in Jackrabbits history.
The following Saturday, SDSU Head Coach John Stiegelmeier and his team – with the help of Luke Bryan and related performers – will be inaugurating the brand new Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, SD, when they take on the Drake Bulldogs. Meanwhile, around the same time, the Horned Frogs will host former Southwest Conference foe Arkansas.
Far from a tune-up game vs. Drake, the Jackrabbits will be looking for their second victory over a Big Twelve foe in as many seasons. After escaping Lawrence with a three-point win over Kansas last September, South Dakota State will attack TCU’s defense with three returning running backs. One even gained over 200 yards last season. Of course, three starters off the SDSU line will need replacing, but this is a Jackrabbit bunch that has gone to the FCS playoffs four years in a row.
Not to be taken lightly, the Horned Frogs will counter the Jackrabbits with a defense that Head Coach Gary Patterson isn’t even complaining about yet. Stranger still, he is entering the season with rare optimism for unproven players.
“I am really excited about the defensive guys that we had in our freshman class,†Patterson said. “Watching them this summer, I think they give us size and depth and lengths and maybe a little more speed to do some things.â€
Stiegelmeier, entering his 20th season as the South Dakota State head coach, will hope his defense can contain junior running back Kyle Hicks and a currently-unnamed Horned Frog quarterback with two returning lettermen at defensive end. Combined, senior Jack DE Jared Blum and junior Chase Kern recorded just over half as many sacks (5.5) as returning TCU defensive end Josh Carraway (9). The senior Carraway could see his bookend partner on the defensive line, James McFarland, enjoy his return to the field after being lost to injury following his Chick fil-A Peach Bowl MVP outing.
Similar to the Horned Frogs QB scenario, South Dakota State will decide between two players. Senior Zack Lujan started the season, throwing for over 1,000 yards before being injured and giving way to sophomore Taryn Christion. The more capable runner, Christion and the Jacks’ stable of running backs could control the clock with their ground game barring a thorough battering from junior linebacker Travin Howard, the Horned Frogs’ leading tackler from 2015 with 105 stops.
Two returning members of the 2015 Jackrabbits’ secondary will await Horned Frog quarterback Kenny Hill or Foster Sawyer. They could see both, depending on who Patterson selects to start. Either Hill or Sawyer could have fun exploiting pass routes in the flat, where both starting cornerbacks from last year’s South Dakota State team graduated. Stiegelmeier has yet to name a starter at corner, and will select from a couple of redshirt freshman and sophomores, a senior, and said one of the incoming recruits would likely earn some attention.
Beyond the quarterback options that TCU presents South Dakota State, the Jackrabbits can expect to hear several new names called. Especially with running back Shaun Nixon unable to participate this season due to injury.
“Shaun Nixon will not go through the season because of an injury, so we have to find a No. 2 tailback behind Kyle Hicks,†Patterson said, adding that the Jackrabbits will lead a formidable first month of the season.
“I think we have a tough September,†said Patterson. “You have a South Dakota State team, which is I-AA (Football Championship Subdivision), but they beat Kansas last year. Then you have Arkansas coming to town. Iowa State (Sept. 17) has a new head coach, and I thought they had some good players. We have SMU on a Friday night (Sept. 23). The last time we played SMU on a Friday night there it was one of more physical ball games that I’ve been in since I’ve been at TCU. So our September is going to be tough.â€
So Patterson, rarely known to tip his hand to an adversary, made it quite clear that no TCU team he is coaching will be underwhelmed when the Jackrabbits come to Fort Worth.
“The thing that we’ve always felt like,†Patterson said “is that you’ve got to test yourself before you get into your conference. You always worry about that.â€
Patterson has always been long on worry. He likely either doesn’t have to be reminded, or may not want to be, about his first home game as head coach at TCU: A 27-24 overtime loss to the Northwestern State Demons out of the FCS (formerly I-AA) Southland Conference. The likelihood of either coach looking ahead to the second game of the season is slim.