They were the ones who survived.

Now, 20 years later, they were telling their stories and remembering the loved ones they lost in the 1994 Rwandan genocide that claimed more than a million lives.

“I saw things no one should ever have to see,” said Yvonne Umugwaneza, a Rwandan student in TCU’s Intensive English Program who as a 14-year-old girl, evaded Hutu militia intent on killing anyone who was Tutsi in that bloody spring of 1994. “My world changed. Nothing would ever be the same.”

She and fellow Rwandan Yannick Tona, a freshman political science major from Kigali, both gave powerful testimonies on their personal struggle to stay alive as part of TCU’s 20^th Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide, one several events on campus that marked the anniversary. They were also part of a delegation of 12 TCU who traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in commemorative events at the Rwandan Embassy.

Tona told of how as a four-year-old, he and his mother walked for weeks without food and hiding from militia with machetes before reaching the bordering nation of Congo. He remembered the last night he spent with his extended family, saying, “I didn’t know it then, but that was the last time I would see many of them, my grandparents, my uncles, my one-year-old brother. I would never see them again.”

He told of how his family’s home was destroyed and they were left with nothing. One of the most painful things, he said, is that he doesn’t have a photo of his grandmother or brother to remember them.

In her testimony, Umugwaneza described how, as a 14-year-old girl in the Rwandan capital city of Kigali, she narrowly escaped death several times. Then, when she was helping feed children in a makeshift field hospital, a sniper shot her.

“I felt a burning in my chest and looked down and that’s when I saw the blood coming down,” she said.

She was able to survive and was eventually reunited with her mother, who she had believed to be dead.

After their testimonies, the audience participated in a candlelight memorial held in the Campus Commons where a thousand Rwandan flags were placed in memory of the genocide’s victims. After a prayer and moment of silence, Tona thanked everyone for coming and asked them to raise their candles and say the Kinyarwanda word for remember: Kwibuka.

Earlier in the week, the students were the first United States university delegation to join with Rwanda’s official genocide commemoration the nation’s capital. They also were able to Skype to connect with fellow Horned Frogs on campus and Carl Wilkens, an American who stayed in Rwandan and helped shelter Tutsi, and survivor Johnson Mutibagirana.

Kurk Gayle, director of TCU’s Intensive English Program who was part of the trip, said the students were profoundly impacted by the experience.

“As they were learning about it in new ways, they articulated a clear sense of the world made better by determined and resilient and creative and hopeful individuals and communities.

“They found themselves implicated by the challenges and resolved to contribute,” he added.

He said there are also ongoing efforts to nurture the connection TCU has with Rwanda, one of the world’s fastest growing economies and one of the few nations where women are the majority in the legislature.

“TCU is committed to working with more Rwanda students in the year to come,” he said. “The campus in general is more tangibly committed to comprehensive internationalization and to discovering global citizenship and to learning to change the world.”

Saying “Yes, and …” is the foundation of improvisational comedy, and according to the co-founders of Fort Worth’s Four Day Weekend comedy group, that model of accepting and building upon ideas can be applied equally well to the business world.

Co-founders David Ahearn, David Wilk and Frank Ford described how they spent the last 17 years following opportunities and creating success in the Jane and Pat Bolin Innovation Forum. Theirs was the keynote speech of the Richards Barrentine Values and Ventures business plan competition sponsored by The Neeley Entrepreneurship Center.

Wilk told the crowd of more than 100 to “embrace ideas.” In improvisational comedy, success relies on a open, team mindset in which being funny as a group is more important than one person’s spurring laughter.

The three started their Sundance Square experiment in 1997 with $700, they explained. Now the Four Day Weekend theater, recently named small business of the year by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, hosts four shows every weekend. The comedians have performed for the caucuses both political parties, do regular training workshops for large corporations, and co-authored a book, The Art of ImproviZEN.

None of their journey would have been possible, they all agreed, without mutual respect and acceptance of every idea. “We are a testament to what saying yes does,” Ahearn said.

In a high-energy performance that mixed comedy with an interactive business workshop, the theater’s founders explained the principles of the “Yes, and …” mantra. They demonstrated active listening and called audience members to the stage to sing in a circle.  The exercises illustrated the practical implications of what Wilk called, “shared experience.”

The three repeatedly mentioned the crossover between living in the moment for improv comedy purposes and building successful business models. Even in buyer-seller interactions, they explained, full attention and respect are keys to beneficial relationships.

“Loyalty is built on appreciation,” Ahearn said. He called the attitude of positivity, support and non-judgment a “culture shift.”

Wilk said that he understood the philosophy might be a “little utopian,” but continued to say that relinquishing control and abandoning the tendency to say no is a “change in the fundamental philosophy” for the business world.

Their attitude of openness dovetailed well with the inherent optimism of the business plan competition. One audience participant used his onstage improvisational practice time to mention his invention of gloves with magnets. The comedians left the audience, many of whom were business students, with an inspirational message.

“Life is about the leap, not the landing,” Ford said. “You have to be willing to make the leap. You will land somewhere.”

The TCU Office of Annual Giving claimed two Gold awards, while The TCU Magazine claimed one Gold at the 2014 Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District IV Accolades Awards program in Houston this week.

Annual Giving was the top winner in the categories Best Practices in Fundraising and Annual Giving Program for its Count Me In! student philanthropy campaign.

The magazine was recognized with four awards, highlighted by a Gold in the category Medical/Scientific Writing Collection, in which three separate stories comprise one entry. The magazine also garnered a Silver award in the category Medical/Scientific News Writing and two honorable mention honors for Feature Writing - More Than 1,000 Words and Medical/Scientific Feature Writing. (See below for links to winning stories.)

TCU Website & Social Media Management picked up a Silver award in Social Media - Networking Page for the main university Twitter page.

TCU Athletics claimed two bronze awards – one in the category of Video - Public Relations for its #FearTheFrog football video and another in the category Social Media - Campaign for TCU Game Day Engagement campaign.

TCU winners from 2014 CASE DIstrict IV awards:
Gold: Best Practices in Fundraising (Count Me In)
Gold: Annual Giving Program (Count Me In)
Gold: Medical/Scientific Writing Collection (Invisible Wounds, Head Winds, The Doctors Are In)
Silver: Medical/Scientific News Writing (Invisible Wounds)
Silver: Social Media Networking Page (TCU Twitter account)
Bronze: Video - Public Relations  (#FearTheFrog)
Bronze: Social Media - Campaign (TCU GameDay Engagement)
Honorable Mention: Medical/Scientific Feature Writing (The Doctors Are In)
Honorable Mention: Feature Writing - More than 1,000 words (The Gift of Life)

TCU’s long creative writing tradition was celebrated Tuesday at the Creative Writing Awards as students read from their winning works.

Aubrey Fineout, a rising junior from Coppell who is double majoring in English and music, was awarded the Sandra Brown Excellence in Literary Fiction Scholarship. The award provides full tuition to a student who demonstrates academic excellence and potential as a fiction writer.

The recipient is chosen through a rigorous process that includes a panel of judges from TCU and a second outside panel of writers from around the country who conduct a blind review of each applicant’s writing portfolio.

In presenting the award, Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. noted that the judges were impressed by Fineout’s dedication to her craft.

“One specifically commented, ‘I have not met many young people with the focused passion she has for writing and the intense desire she has to share it with others. I expect she’ll make great contributions in this world.’”

Boschini also noted Fineout had written her first novel at age 7 and was an accomplished musician on multiple instruments including the piano, violin and viola.

She co-founded a young writers blog and contributed to the literary magazine at Northlake College in Irving, where she amassed 52 college credit hours while a student at Bridge Christian Academy.

“As she declared in one of her personal essays, ‘Never is a word I do not contemplate,’” Boschini added.

Michael Brown, the husband of best-selling author Sandra Brown '69 (PhD '08), created the scholarship as a birthday present to his wife. Brown is the author of 63 New York Times bestsellers including Deadline, Low Pressure and Lethal. A past president of the Mystery Writers of America, she lives in Arlington.

At the ceremony, she said she and her husband continue to be impressed by the recipients of ELF scholarship.

“Each year we’re awed by the talented, productive generous-with-their-time young people who have received this award,” she said. “We’re already dazzled by Aubrey’s ability and by her amazing performance and talent. I think if we come back 25 years from now, we’re going to stand even more in awe of all she’s accomplished.”

The awards ceremony included more than $3,000 in prize money awarded to students for their work in a wide array of fiction from poetry to prose to writing portfolios. Some awards have been in existence since 1935.

This year marked the first year for the Tony Burgess Environmental Writing Award named to honor the renowned botanist and retired professor of professional practice in environmental studies who incorporated writing into his classroom. Charlotte Hogg, associate professor of English and director of composition, presented the award to Brooke Long for her essay “Reckoning Reach.”

Read all the winning entries here.

TCU commencement exercises return to Amon G. Carter Stadium for the first time since 1961 this morning. More than 1,600 graduates will receive their degrees in one ceremony to be held at the outdoor venue for the first time in 53 years.

TCU has conducted the end-of-semester events twice a year at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since 1962. The facility opened in December 1961.

But prior to the basketball arena, the university handed out diplomas in a variety of locations on campus and off.

Beginning in 1923, commencement services were held on the lawn near the Honeysuckle Arbor, a vine-covered walkway between Jarvis Hall and the Administration Building (which later was named Reed Hall). The university installed a temporary platform for the occasion and graduates sat facing the administration building. There it would stay for ceremonies in May or June. As enrollment increased, an August commencement was added for summer graduates. 

In 1948, the Honeysuckle Arbor was removed, and commencement was held in the quadrangle west of the Administration Building, approximately where Scharbauer Hall is today.

Because of the large number of graduates in 1949, commencement exercises were moved to Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium. The summer 1949 exercises were held on the West Campus Quandrangle.

During the 1950s, the spring commencements were held on the West Quadrangle (1950, 1951, 1952, 1955), or at Amon Carter Stadium (1953, 1954, 1959, 1960, 1961), or on the front lawn of campus (1956, 1957, 1958). The summer ceremonies were held in Ed Landreth Auditorium during these years.

In 1962, Daniel-Meyer Coliseum became the home of TCU commencement.

This morning, about 1,659 graduates will receive degrees, with 1,399 earning bachelor’s degrees (17 will receive double degrees, one triple degree), while 226 will receive master’s degrees. Thirty-four are Ph.D. candidates. Of those graduating, 525 students will receive Latin Honors, including five with a 4.0 GPA. Brite Divinity School will graduate 25 students during the ceremony. There are 1,159 graduates from within Texas, and 441 students from 42 other states. International students number 80, hailing for 29 different countries.

Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. will deliver the Commencement address. Alumni from the class of 1964 will be in attendance, celebrating the 50th anniversary of their graduation. Miguel Harth-Bedoya, director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, will receive a Doctor of Music, Honor Causa.


On the Web:
The day in photos
 

Yoga Heals Your Back is one. HealthyLife Students’ Self-Care Guide is another. So is You Staying Young.

Those are just a sample of a new wellness collection of books that was put on display this summer and then quickly picked up by patrons of Mary Couts Burnett Library.

The collection is the brainchild of the TCU Human Resources wellness program, which last spring suggested the library offer books on all aspects of wellness, including fitness, children’s’ health, aging and more.

The collection started with 44 books in March and had grown to 111 by June, says Pat Jolley of Human Resources.

The full collection can be viewed online from the TCU Wellness Program’s Web site at http://www.wellness.tcu.edu/. Scroll down to TCU Resources and click on the library link. You can even tell if the book is available at the library.

The book collection is expected to expand.

For those who prefer interactive tools and searchable Web sites, Sapp knows of many authoritative Web sites on wellness. Here are just a few of her favorites:
- Health Finder:  http://healthfinder.gov/  You can sign up for email updates on health topics or just browse.
- Kids’ Health:http://kidshealth.org  This English and Spanish site has solid health, development and behavior info for kids through their teen years.
- Mayo Clinic:http://mayoclinic.com/  Free e-newsletter and health management tools from a reliable source.
- National Institutes of Health:http://health.nih.gov  User-friendly site offers health topics as well as information on clinical trials, health hotlines and more. Also directs readers to other authoritative websites.
- Understanding Addiction:http://www.projectknow.com

Warren Buffett is known for being a shrewd investor who makes wise choices. For seven years in a row, he has chosen TCU as one of the schools from which he invites MBA students to his hometown of Omaha, Neb., for some up-close-and-personal time.

And, like last year, he chose a TCU MBA student in March to ride in the car with him on the way to lunch. So Spencer Albright hopped in and shared a brief chat with the 83-year-old investing magnate and students from London, Northwestern and Arizona State.

Buffett asked Albright where he wanted to be in five years, then offered advice.

“It was amazing. He is really personable. I didn’t expect him to be so extroverted,” Albright said.

Albright also sat with Buffett at the restaurant for a one-on-one dialogue.

“I asked him what business skills he wished he had learned in school but instead learned in the process of investing,” Albright said. “He said it was the need to have working knowledge in every field, from strategy to supply chain to marketing, accounting and finance. But the most important skill is to lead people and understand what motivates them.”

Neeley School dean O. Homer Erekson ’74 accompanied the MBAs on the trip and said it was a special privilege for him and the students to meet with Buffett.

“His insights about business were, of course, quite special,” Erekson said. “I was especially impressed with his emphasis on finding and living within our circle of competence, whether as a business or an individual. He focused on developing specific expertise throughout his career and networking experiences, but he also recognized the special talents and abilities that one can bring to an organization.”

MBA student Morgan Maxwell agreed. “He not only talked about investment strategies and practices but also about giving back to society, working for people you respect and choosing your partners in life and business wisely. Even though he is extremely wealthy, it was impressive to see that he does not define himself or his success solely by his wealth.”

Fellow MBA student Justin Thompson said he would take Buffett up on his offer to return for the annual shareholders’ meeting.

“I’m looking forward to going back for the meeting,” Thompson said. “It will be like watching the celebrities of the business world. It will be interesting to hear what questions they ask, what they are interested in, where they are going.”

Erekson said the trip will last in students’ minds a while. “As they embark on challenging business careers, hearing Mr. Buffet’s message on commitment to family and maintaining personal integrity was clearly impactful,” he said.

For nearly a decade, TCU has thought big with its annual Frogs For The Cure breast cancer awareness philanthropy campaign.

This fall, Horned Frogs will see the grandest, most ambitious effort yet.

For its 10^th year, Frogs For the Cure is taking its signature music video to five major metros across the United States in three time zones—New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and Fort Worth/Dallas—and will dance to the song “Brave” by international recording artist Josh Groban.

“Five years ago, we envisioned the power of linking music to the cause, and we just keep trying to outdo ourselves each year,” said Ann Louden ’84 (MLA), chancellor’s associate for strategic partnerships and chair of Frogs For The Cure. “There are breast cancer survivors all over the country, so it seemed fitting to make plans to make this a national production.”

Groban will also lend his voice to the cause by taping a public service announcement about Frogs For The Cure and the fight against breast cancer.

TCU alumni, parents, donors and friends are invited to participate in the video shoots, which will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on the following days: July 12 (Jones Day Law Firm rooftop garden, Washington, D.C.), July 20 (Shedd Aquarium Lakeside Terrace, Chicago), July 27 (New York City), Aug. 16 (Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, Calif.), Sept. 20 (Amon G. Carter Stadium, TCU campus).      

The music video will debut on Oct. 29 at Bass Performance Hall in downtown Fort Worth at the invitation-only Sing for the Cure Gala, highlighted by appearances by former First Lady Laura Bush, CBS newsman Bob Schieffer ’59 and his Honky Tonk Confidential band, and Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

On Nov. 8, the video will be shown as the halftime centerpiece during the TCU-Kansas State football game. It will be posted on YouTube after the game. Previous videos have generated more than 200,000 views.

Pioneered in 2005, Frogs For The Cure supports Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth. TCU was the first university in the nation to adopt the mission of Komen and combine a fund-raising effort with a “pink-out” football game. Since, high schools, colleges and professional teams have begun raising awareness for breast cancer.

Change is the name of the game for college football in 2014.

From the inaugural playoff to a new conference logo, transformation was the hot topic in Monday’s opening session of the Big 12 Media Days at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, where TCU Football's Gary Patterson and four players met about 250 of the conference's print, television and online press.

The theme of change is especially relevant for TCU. The Horned Frogs built a new stadium, moved to the Big 12, and in year three of their new conference, are implementing a brand-new offense under the direction of recently hired co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie.

The Frogs, who employed a generally cautious style of play calling during the historic run through numerous conference championships to a Rose Bowl win, will now match many of the Big 12 teams with a no-huddle, pass-heavy spread scheme.

The shift is “truly a change in philosophy,” coach Gary Patterson said to a room of around 200 media professionals. Incorporating the new offense has necessitated alterations, from doubling the pace of strength training to ditching the well-worn playbook, but “It gives us an opportunity to level the playing field as far as being able to throw the football,” he said.

“If you’re not changing then you’re just staying the same. And if you stay the same, you’re going to get the same results,” said safety Sam Carter, one of TCU’s four player representatives in attendance.

Opportunities for improvement will be welcome, as the Frogs finished ninth in total offense in the Big 12 last year on their way to a 4-8 record.

The first order of business before the season begins on August 30th is choosing a starting quarterback. Two weeks before two-a-days, the race is primarily between incumbent Trevone Boykin and Texas A&M transfer Matt Joeckel, with wildcard possibilities in true freshmen Grayson Muehlstein and Foster Sawyer.

Patterson called Joeckel more of a “prototype dropback” quarterback, while Boykin is now slimmer and speedier, having whittled his frame from 220 to 205 in the offseason. Boykin “wants to be the guy,” Patterson said.

Both have been leading voluntary workouts during the summer to help the squad adjust to the up-tempo pace a no-huddle scheme demands.

The quarterback decision will not follow a timetable, Patterson said, “But I think the key is to find the guy that has the swagger that allows us to move the football, score the points … the guy that's not going to turn the ball over.”

An area of the team in need of improvement is the offensive line, which didn’t give Boykin adequate time to develop plays last year. Patterson and the four player representatives agreed that fans can expect serious a serious upgrade in this department, now under the direction of former co-offensive coordinator Jarrett Anderson.

Tackle Tayo Fabuluje returns after spending a year as a regular student at BYU, and third-year players Aviante Collins, Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Joey Hunt return with two seasons of significant Big 12 blocking experience.

Hunt, another player representative, pointed out youngsters Joseph Notebook, Matt Pryor and Patrick Morris as ones to potentially earn more playing time.

“We’ve gotten a lot bigger, and we’re more athletic,” Patterson said of the line, while also accentuating improved depth across the team.

Hunt said the culture change for the o-line unit was not as dramatic as it could have been. Anderson and retired coach Eddie Williamson are both “laid-back guys who want to coach you,” he said.

“We’re so excited about the depth,” Hunt continued. “We have a solid group of guys that can go out there and play.”

The wide receiver corps, which will be without Brandon Carter, LaDarius Brown and Cam White, also needs to play better if the Frogs want to resume the march toward conference titles or a playoff spot.

Dropped balls and inaccurate routes hurt the passing game last year, which is perhaps why the unit now commands the attention of two coaches. Meacham will coach inside receivers, including tight ends at times. Rusty Burns shifts from coaching quarterbacks to outside receivers.

David Porter explained that the double duty “gives you an opportunity to get a little more individual time.” He estimated that each receiver will now get about twice as much personalized attention.

Porter believes that the new-and-improved offense will better showcase the Frogs’ outstanding speed. Players like Deanté Gray, Cameron Echols-Luper, Kolby Listenbee and Big 12 110-meter hurdle champion Jordan Moore will have ample opportunities to fire up the burners.

If the wideouts run the proper routes, synchronize their timing and correct the “minor things” that plagued them in 2013, better lanes will consequently open for the running backs, Porter said. A stout rotation, with B.J. Catalon, Aaron Green and Kyle Hicks should have an opportunity to shine from the backfield.

“Everybody’s going to get their chance to get the ball,” Porter said.

The Frogs lost six games by 10 points or less in 2013, a factor that contributed to TCU’s first bowl-less season since 2004.

Defensive tackle Chucky Hunter said he was “embarrassed” that his team sat out last postseason. On Christmas day, he was at home running and doing footwork drills. During the offseason, he watched a lot of game film to keep learning and stay motivated for the upcoming season.

He remains optimistic about where the next stop on TCU’s journey may be. “Sometimes you have to go through the growing pain to get to the next level,” he said.

TCU’s defense keeps thwarting opponents, despite any overall team frustration. They finished first in rushing defense and second in total defense in the league last year.

Onlookers expect the Frogs, who return eight defensive starters, to be stout on that side of the ball again. Media voted Devonte Fields preseason defensive player of the year despite his missing the majority of 2013 due to injury. Patterson said he was “surprised” at the honor and pointed to Hunter, Terrell Lathan and Davion Pierson as also being exceptionally capable defensive linemen.

Hunter and Sam Carter made the preseason all-Big 12 team as well, but as many accolades as his team may collect, preseason honors mean little, Carter said. He explained that he wants to assume leadership and motivate the team to keep improving, namely by encouraging everyone to watch more film.

A favorable schedule could help the Frogs return to their winning ways. The team will play 10 games in the state of Texas and seven in Fort Worth. A lopsided home schedule would usually be an advantage, but TCU has only won one conference home game in two years of the Big 12.

“We’ve got to get back to controlling and protecting the Carter,” Patterson said.

Another topic on the agenda was protecting college football players. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby spoke first, mentioning the seven class-action lawsuits facing the NCAA, including one charging the governing body with providing an inadequate response to concussion concerns. He also discussed the increasing autonomy of what he called the “five high-visibility conferences.”

“There isn't just the likelihood of transformational change coming, but there is instead the certainty of transformational change coming,” he said in a somber speech. Bowlsby will take part in a forum in New York City on August 6th to discuss the issues facing college sports, including player health and the employee-athlete distinction. He voiced fears that structuring changes might crowd out men’s Olympic sports due to budget constraints.

Patterson, for his part, has remained while consistent discussing his coaching philosophy. “I still think it comes down to growing young men up.  I think it comes down to the scholarship is worth something,” he said. “Knowledge is power.”

As far as further changes relating to governance, stipends and unionization, “I think we need to just make sure we go at this slowly, make sure we do the right thing for the kids,” he said.

Patterson emphasized the need for his team to return to a bowl game this season. He seemed comfortable being back in the underdog role, and happy, overall, with the journey, even with the bumps along the road.

As for the rest, well, the excitement is still building. “So far Sonny and Doug have done a great job with the chemistry,” he said.

About the changes to the pace of the offense, “Our kids are excited about it, and sometimes that's half the battle,” he said.

The Chronicle of Higher Education has selected TCU as one of 92 universities on its seventh annual “Great Colleges to Work For” list, and because it scored well in more than four categories, it was also named to the publication’s Honor Roll.

2014 marks the fourth consecutive year TCU has been recognized.

“It is an honor to be recognized as one of the ‘Great Colleges to Work For,’ ” said TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. “TCU strives for excellence in all it does, and it is rewarding to be recognized for those efforts.”

This was TCU’s fourth time to participate in the survey, which groups institutions by enrollment size. TCU is in the medium category, with undergraduate population between 3,000 and 9,999.

The Chronicle of Higher Education surveyed a random sample of TCU employees who provided answers directly to the publication. Honorees were chosen based on responses to the survey and honored in one or more categories.

TCU was honored in 11 of the 12 categories including Collaborative Governance; Compensation & Benefits; Confidence in Senior Leadership; Facilities, Workspace & Security; Job Satisfaction; Professional/Career Development Programs; Respect & Appreciation; Supervisor/Department Chair Relationship; Teaching Environment (Faculty Only); Tenure Clarity & Process (Faculty Only/4-year only); Work/Life Balance.

On the Web:
Full list of rankings - http://chronicle.com/article/Great-Colleges-To-Work-For/147387/#id=big-table
 

After an off-season of change, the new-look TCU Football program will see the field tomorrow with fresh faces on the sideline and a different playbook.

Check that. The Horned Frogs won’t have a playbook in 2014.

New co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie acknowledged yesterday that the air raid offense they have installed and are teaching is simpler, faster and built on precision.

“The goal is to execute plays better than the defense can defend them,” Meacham shared during the program’s opening media day in the Four Sevens Team Room of the Meyer-Martin Complex. “That’s the overriding principle.”

But without a playbook?

“Yes, without a playbook. Players take their own notes,” Meacham said. “Kids nowadays are such visual learners. When they do it and see someone do it, they retain it a lot faster. A lot of times playbooks are just reference points for coaches.”

Added co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Cumbie: “Our system’s not complicated, though we go really fast. Talk fast, think fast, play fast … hopefully keep it as simple as we can.”

All of this is change the head coach knew had to happen, even if sharing control was the most difficult steps he’s had to make a 30-plus-year coaching career.

“The hardest thing to do was make a change,” said Gary Patterson, entering his 14^th season at the helm and 17^th overall at TCU. “Coaches make a mistake when they say, ‘I’ve been doing this for 20 years and it works for me.’ They don’t adjust.

“You keep evolving and finding answers,” he continued. “There’s no such thing as staying the same. Either you get better or you getting worse.”

With 18 starters back, Patterson has the oldest and most mature bunch he’s had since the 2010 team that went 13-0, won the 2011 Rose Bowl and finished No. 2 in the nation.

But the switch to a higher-powered offense isn’t just to help the Frogs this season, Patterson acknowledged.

“When it comes down to it, the reason you had to change offenses was for recruiting,” he admitted. “Whether we like it or not, perception becomes reality. We have to keep some of the great wide receivers in the Metroplex and state of Texas. Same with quarterbacks. It’s already proven in the 2015 and 2016 classes.”

Patterson also said the retooled scheme will help “even the playing field.”

Meacham and Cumbie impressed him, in part, because they devised and fine-tuned their air raid schemes at programs that “have to do it with less.” Texas Tech and Oklahoma State win their share of recruiting battles, but historically both, like TCU, rarely gather the haul of top-flight high schoolers and transfer players that Texas and Oklahoma snare.

“Meacham and Cumbie are well respected as coaches and recruiters,” Patterson said. “They’ve blended in, and we have a great chemistry. It’s refreshing to have them around.”

Patterson said his squad may have been better in 2014 anyway with improved and deeper groups at offensive line and running back.

But the biggest question the Frogs face is at quarterback.

Junior returnee Trevone Boykin, who split time last season under center and as a wideout, will compete with Texas A&M transfer Matt Joeckel. Behind them are a pair of intriguing freshmen in Grayson Muehlstein and Foster Sawyer, plus redshirt freshman Zach Allen.

Patterson wouldn’t rule out a QB-by-committee approach, but he acknowledged that that method typically isn’t effective. The Frogs will have time to decide early in the season, with two bye weeks in August and September, and Patterson says the competition will continue prior to the Big 12 Conference schedule.

“The starter for game 1 may not be the starter for Oklahoma,” he cautioned. “We’ll see who develops. It’s all what makes you the best football team.”

Patterson also hailed the practice methods Meacham and Cumbie have brought.

“They teach this offense like we teach our defense,” he said. “The first 45 minutes is the same, going over details.”

Meacham says biggest adjustment will be adjusting to the faster pace.

“The biggest part is guys understanding what they’re supposed to do. I don’t think there is ever a time we’ll slow down. All speed based.”

Meacham said Joeckel’s past experience will help him in understand the routes and protections, but he’ll have to work on learning the terminology the Frogs use. “It’s a little different language than what they spoke at A&M. The scheme of it is similar, but the communication aspect is very different.” 

Boykin intrigues Meacham and Cumbie because of an extra element of escapability.

“He looks like a guy who is getting better every day. He’s progressed well,” Meacham said. “The simplicity of what we do allows him to hone in on what we do and study what the defense is trying to do, instead of trying to internalize everything.”

Whoever emerges will benefit from a deeper offensive line and a corps of athletic running backs, which Cumbie says is the team’s deepest position group.

“I think our o-line is going to be really good, so we’ll have a chance to run the football,” he said. “It’ll take pressure off whoever is the quarterback.”

Related story:
07/22/14 - At Big 12 Media Days, Frogs braced for change

With temps still in the mid-80s at dusk, the breeze was a good thing.

Just not for passing the Light of Knowledge.

For the first time since the Chancellor’s Assembly began in 2004, the annual pre-semester welcome to incoming freshmen took place at an outdoor setting – a windy Amon G. Carter Stadium – as the shell of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, the ceremony’s venue the first 10 years, stood nearby amid its $59 million makeover.

But that wind, however refreshing on a muggy Texas evening, made the traditional candle-to-candle transfer from TCU faculty and staff members to the 1,914 new Horned Frogs impossible.

Leave it to Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. to improvise.

Watching TCU Provost Nowell Donovan struggle to light his own candle and pass it to members of the platform party in vain, Boschini returned to the podium and urged the new Horned Frog crop to hold up their mobile phones as “virtual candles.”

“How youthful of you!” he exclaimed, upon seeing hundreds of hands aloft with glowing screens.

The symbolic exchange of the TCU Promise went on, as professors and university employees vowed to make a TCU education personal and help students rise to their full potential, while the Class of 2018 pledged to study hard, come to class prepared and do its best.

In another first, the ceremony was conducted at the beginning of the four-day Frogs First program, in which freshmen and transfer students learn universitytraditions and orient themselves to the campus, Fort Worth and one another. Previous editions of the August tradition, which began in 2010, occurred the night before the first day of class.

Seated in both levelsof the stadium’s east stands, the assembly heard Donovan welcome TCU’s newest Frogs to “an academic community passionate in its pursuit of knowledge.”

“You won’t make this journey alone,” he told them, gesturing to nearly 100 faculty and staff members seated in the bleachers in front of them. “These people care about you and your future. They’re here to walk alongside you as you grow in wisdom and understanding.”

Boschini joined the refrain, urging each member of the new class to find a place within the university community.

"Refine your thinking. Find your passion. Develop your character,” he said. “Meet people different from you, and be curious about their stories. Get to know your professors. They love students. We all love students here at TCU.”

Moments later, the chancellor shared that previous TCU classes have made the university what it is today, and the Class of 2018 would make its mark too.

“Make this your mission: Make TCU a better place. Explore. Push your limits. The secret to success in college is you. Choose to succeed.”

The 2018ers arrive on campus from more than 17,700 applicants, and at more than 1,900, comprise TCU’s largest-ever freshmen class. Fifty-five percent hail from outside the state of Texas.

They’ll have more than 130 areas of study to explore at TCU and may choose to join one or several of the 200-plus student organizations.

Other speakers followed:

• New TCU Alumni Association president Teresa Davis McKee ’83 reminded the crowd that they also have 83,000 Horned Frog alums as a network for after college.
• Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull touted a campus culture of great connections.
• TCU Director of Athletics Chris Del Conte and Head Football Coach Gary Patterson riled up the group with chants and cheers and urged them to bring that spirit to the team’s seven home football games this fall.
• Student Government Association President Cody Westphal suggested the newcomers make friends with people they normally wouldn’t talk to.

At night’s end, the Class of 2018 was serenaded with the “TCU Fight Song” by the TCU Marching Band and TCU Cheer, during a three-minute fireworks display.

The semester’s already off to a bang.

Video:

Uncertainty is the name of the game as the TCU football team heads into Saturday’s season opener against Samford. Coach Gary Patterson is holding his cards close to his chest in regards to whether a slimmed down Trevone Boykin or transfer Matt Joeckel will run on the field as the starting quarterback for the 6 p.m. kickoff, but he did admit the starter was “the edge guy” in two-a-day scrimmages.

No matter who gets the day one nod, both will play, and the starter could change over the first few games of the season. Implementing the new, quicker offensive scheme in practice might go smoothly, but running it correctly against an unknown defense is another matter altogether. “You don’t know how people are going to react,” Patterson said.

He cautioned that he would not be taking former TCU coach Pat Sullivan’s Samford squad lightly. The Bulldogs return 13 starters from a 2013 Southern Conference co-championship team that was up on Arkansas late and beat Georgia Southern, who beat Florida. Their coaching staff spent time in the spring studying at Baylor and will hand the offensive reins over to 6’6” quarterback and Arizona State transfer Michael Eubank.

Patterson mentioned the wide variety of plays Samford might throw at TCU’s defense. “Misdirection, pulling guards, boots, play action … all of it,” he said.

Sullivan, who coached at TCU from 1992-1997, has been requesting the game, the first-ever meeting between the two schools, for about three years. TCU will honor his Southwest Conference co-championship team from 1994 at halftime. Around 60 members of that group are expected to attend.

For the 2014 Frogs to keep dreaming of conference championships, they will have to do better than finishing ninth in overall offense in the Big 12, as they did in 2013.

The coaching staff will need to tweak the new scheme based on how the team functions in game situations, but Patterson feels fairly optimistic after finishing two-a-days. “We haven’t had a better camp,” he said.

He mentioned that the offense managed to score consistently in the red zone and that “We’ve had some guys grow up on the offensive line.” Last year, the offense was not “very good up front,” he said about one significant factor leading to a 4-8 season and a bowl-less winter.

The constant, strategic Patterson did something uncharacteristic in shaking up his coaching staff over the offseason, but 2013 was only the second time his team missed a bowl game in his now 14-year tenure.

“You can beat yourself up 100 different ways,” he said of what went wrong last year. He explained the decision to change offensive styles and bring in co-offensive coordinators Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham as simply needing to score more points, though every play doesn’t need to be a flashy air-raid attack. He pointed out that the Big 12’s top performers in 2013 – Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State – ran the football well.

The new offense, which will use neither huddle nor playbook, should be able to utilize the speed possessed by TCU’s corps of wide receivers. About Kolby Listenbee in particular, “There won’t be anybody faster in college football,” he said.

Opposing defenses will need to keep him and other speedsters such as Deanté Gray well covered. The necessity to draw defenders down the field in tight coverage might help keep the ball moving closer to the line of scrimmage, Patterson explained. “That’s where this offense becomes the best it can be.”

In addition to Listenbee, Patterson singled out Josh Doctson, a “very strong player” who had an excellent camp, Jordan Moore, who “keeps getting better,” Cam Luper and true freshmen Corey McBride and Emanuel Porter. “Time will only tell if we have a difference maker in that group,” he said.

Of course, the plan will not work without effective quarterback play, but Patterson sounded confident no matter who gets the eventual nod. “There’s been great chemistry,” he said. Whether he sees the field much in 2014, Texas A&M transfer Joeckel’s presence “really raised the bar in learning this offense,” Patterson said, noting that both he and Boykin have solid arms and can air out the ball when necessary.

Patterson pointed out a renewed calmness and attention to detail team-wide, which will be welcome information to TCU fans that were frustrated by the 30 turnovers the Frogs lost last year. The pace of the game will be markedly different as well. The coach noted that even after running more plays, practices are still ending at least 15 minutes earlier than they used to.

Finally seeing the team on the field will allow Patterson to start settling some of the uncertainty and solidifying the optimal mix of players. Starters across the board may keep changing as the season unfolds, as “we’ll see what is the best combination for us to be the best football team we can be,” he said.

By week five, everyone will have a better feel for the Frogs’ chances to return to a bowl game or compete for a Big 12 (and perhaps national) championship. Good practices, exciting new schemes and quick players are important elements, but “it’s about how you play on Saturdays,” he said.

Related stories:
08/04/14 - Football opens camp talking new offense
07/22/14 - At Big 12 Media Days, Frogs braced for change

Five things that stood out from TCU Football's season-opening game against Samford of the Southern Conference:

1. Speed Thrills
After much mystery, quarterback Trevone Boykin started and took aim downfield at wide receiver Kolby Listenbee, who was usually yards ahead of his defender, multiple times. They connected twice and narrowly missed on a few more occasions. If they get the pass timing down, Listenbee is going to score lots of touchdowns in 2014. Listenbee had a career-high 76 receiving yards on three catches. Two went for touchdowns. He entered the season with only three receptions in his first two years in the program.

2. Weaponized
By our count, 13 different receivers caught passes, and five running backs carried the ball. The 555 yards of total offense was the most in almost four seasons. An exciting season should be in store for Frog fans.

3. Easy Money
Despite reported inconsistencies in fall camp, place kicker Jaden Oberkrom hit his 80th consecutive extra point, a new TCU record, breaking a tie with Michael Reeder (1994-97). Oberkrom is now 85 for 85 on PATs for his career. Reliability personified.

4. Steady as they go.
Before quarterback Matt Joeckel's pick six, TCU had only turned the ball over once – a punt return sequence in which wide receiver Cam Echols-Luper was injured. The ball security is a welcome change. The three total penalties is also significant improvement.

5. Future looks good
Six true freshmen played: defensive tackle Chris Bradley, safety Travin Howard, cornerback Nick Orr, wide receiver Emmanuel Porter, wide receiver Desmon White and center Austin Schlottman. Redshirt freshman running back Trevorris Johnson showed flashes of stardom, leading the Frogs with 43 yards on eight carries. On defense, Mike Tuaua had a career-best seven tackles, including 3 1/2 for loss with two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles, while opposite end James McFarland had a career-high 2 1/2 tackles for loss among his six stops. Both guys are juniors.

Five facts that put the game in perspective:

1. Air Raid indeed
Boykin established a new career mark with 29 completions on 41 attempts for 320 yards, along with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. His previous career high for completions was 26 against Texas Tech in a double-overtime duel in 2012. His career best in yards is 332 in that same game.

2. Speed, baby
Six of TCU's eight scoring drives took two minutes or less. The Frogs' 96 plays were the fifth most all time. In 2007, TCU had 111 snaps against San Diego State.

3. On the ground
The TCU offense racked up 200 yards rushing on 46 attempts. Last season, the Frogs rushed for 200 yards or more just twice – at Texas Tech and home against Kansas.

4. Wrap 'em up
Senior linebacker Marcus Mallet led the team with 10 tackles, tying a career mark he set last year against SMU.

5. Spread it around
Thirteen different Frogs caught passes against Samford.
 

Renowned leadership expert Dr. Mary Uhl-Bien has joined the TCU Neeley School of Business as the BNSF Railway Endowed Professor of Leadership, a new position sponsored by BNSF Railway.

An expert on complexity leadership, relational leadership and followership, Uhl-Bien previously served as the Howard Hawks Chair in Business Ethics and Leadership at the University of Nebraska. She also has been a visiting scholar in Australia, Sweden, Portugal and Spain. She holds a PhD, MBA and BBA from the University of Cincinnati.

“Dr. Uhl-Bien brings impressive insight and experience to the Neeley School as we continue to hone the BNSF Next Generation Leadership Program into a premier global program for undergraduate TCU student leaders,” said O. Homer Erekson '74, the John V. Roach Dean of TCU’s Neeley School of Business. The three-year program shapes exceptional undergraduate TCU business students into the next generation of professional and personal leaders.

“In addition, Dr. Uhl-Bien’s leading research and instruction will significantly impact leadership initiatives in the TCU Executive MBA program and Tandy Center for Executive Leadership.”

 Uhl-Bien’s research has been published in top journals including Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management and The Leadership Quarterly. She has published several books, and her articles on complexity leadership theory and followership theory have been honored with Best Paper Awards. Her research has been funded with grants from Booz Allen Hamilton, and she has conducted research in partnership with Lockheed Martin, Bank of America, Disney, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stryker and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

 She is senior editor of the Leadership Horizons series for Information Age Publishing. She currently serves on the editorial boards of The Leadership Quarterly andInternational Journal of Complexity in Leadership & Management, and previously served on the editorial boards of Academy of Management Journal and Academy of Management Review. Uhl-Bienis a co-founder of the Network of Leadership Scholars in the Academy of Management, and is division chair-elect for the OB Division in the Academy of Management. She also serves on the board of the Plexus Institute, and is an associate partner of the International Centre for Complex Project Management.

She is active in executive education nationally and internationally, teaching for the Brookings Institute, the Gallup Organization, and universities in both the U.S. and Europe. She served as the executive consultant for State Farm Insurance Co. from 1998-2004. She participated in a Fulbright-Hays grant to Mexico in 2003, trained Russian business professionals for the American Russian Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage from 1993-1996, and worked on a USAID grant at the Magadan Pedagogical Institute in Russia from 1995-1996.

In 2007, BNSF Railway developed a partnership with TCU’s Neeley School of Business through the BNSF Next Generation Leadership Program, a transformational initiative that targets undergraduate business students who demonstrate the ability and desire to lead others and eventually lead an organization. To date, 209 TCU business students have graduated from the program.

Even after he’d ascended to respect, credibility, even fame among the Fort Worth-Dallas media, Richard Durrett ’98 retained a likability and sense of compassion for others, said his friends and former professors yesterday at the late sportswriter and broadcaster’s memorial in Robert Carr Chapel.

Durrett passed away suddenly in June. He was 38.

Tall, lanky and ever-gregarious, Durrett was as passionate about family, friends, colleagues, competitors and students as he was about the sports he covered.

“As I would listen to him on ESPN Radio or read his stories on ESPNDallas.com, or see his tweets and Facebook posts about sports or even family, he never changed. He was simply Richard,” said former classmate Peter Couser ’95, who recalled trading broadcasting tips off-air at KTCU.

“We are here for relationships, and Richard got that,” said Couser, a pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Worth. “He genuinely cared for people in a business that is often cutthroat and focused on self.”

In a tribute in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, former TCU Daily Skiff writer Jeff Wilson ’97 wrote that Durrett would offer to help competitors transcribe interviews or assist with directions to the stadium.

Professors remembered Durrett as one of the most talented and promising students they’d taught.

“Richard was a walking object lesson for sports journalism,” said Tommy Thomason, professor of journalism. “In a profession that’s become more about entertainment than journalism, Richard never lost track of telling the story.”

Thomason recalled Durrett waiting for hours outside the office of the athletics director to get a quote.

Durrett was multi-talented and busy as an undergraduate, serving as sports editor at the Skiff and as the voice of the TCU Women's Basketball program. He also called TCU Baseball games and worked Friday night high school football games. He also helped foster connections with the Central Hockey League to broadcast games for the Fort Worth Fire and wrote as a freelancer for The Dallas Morning News.

After TCU, Durrett became the best live sports blogger in the Metroplex, Thomason said, frequently asking Durrett to teach sports journalism courses with him as a guest lecturer.

Once, Thomason requested that Durrett record a video lesson on live blogging for students in his class, but he was shocked when the master blogger was ready to film it with no preparation.

“He said, ‘Turn the camera on,’ and he did it in one take, step by step with no mistakes,” Thomason recalled.

A love for helping young journalists extended into the field, as well. Durrett once arranged for TCU students to sit in the press box of American Airlines Center for a Dallas Stars game. Moments before the puck dropped, he had set up an opportunity for the class to collectively live-blog the game, telling them, “You can do this.”

“And then after the game, he took them down to the locker room,” remembers Thomson. “He paused before going in with them. They were in that narrow hallway, and he said, ‘Now, don’t let them intimidate you.’ ”

Durrett was fearless himself, calling to talk with TCU football coach Gary Patterson the week of big games.

“I’m proud to say he had a 100 percent success rate of getting through,” said Mark Cohen, associate athletics director for TCU Athletics media relations.

Cohen was also struck by Durrett’s integrity, frequently refusing media parking passes when he wasn’t working the game.

“He was a true friend,” Cohen said. “When he’d call to asked about the Frogs, he’d say, ‘How are we looking?’ He’d use the term ‘we.’ ”

Durrett grew up in Alabama as an Auburn fan and shared his affection for TCU with his native Tigers. It was little surprise that Durrett connected easily with former TCU football coach Pat Sullivan, the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn.

Sullivan sent a text to be read at the memorial: "The Auburn and TCU families are saddened by the sudden loss of a great husband, father and dedicated professional. Horned Frogs and War Eagles will miss him dearly."

Film-Television-Digital Media professor Chuck LaMondola came to TCU the same year Durrett was a freshman and recalls how the two bonded during long talks in his office.

Durrett was as supportive of LaMondola as the professor was of his student. Once, LaMondola was calling his first Fort Worth Fire game at the Fort Worth Convention Center for a Central Hockey League broadcast and learned in pre-game that he would have to fill a 20-minute break during intermission by himself.

“at the end of the first period, Richard came running up the stands from the ice and ushered me through the next 15 minutes. He wasn't going to let me fail," LaMondola said. "That was Richard."

News of Durrett's death came during the 15-inning TCU-Virginia game during the 2014 College World Series. LaMondola was on the air when a student shared reports about Durrett on social media and ESPN.

"I couldn't believe it. I said, 'That can't be right.' " LaMondola recalled. "The next several innings I just wanted to talk about Richard and what he meant to me between the balls and strikes."

Durrett had a profound impact on FTDM professor Richard Allen as well.

Allen was in his second year at TCU when Durrett arrived in Fort Worth and the professor was quickly struck by the new student's baritone voice and encylopedic knowledge.

"One day, I asked him why he was spending time writing for The Dallas Morning News. He had such a great ability to broadcast and call games - the best I had ever seen," Allen shared. "Richard told me that while he loved broadcasting and it was his dream, he'd also met the woman he wanted to marry, and he knew that as an announcer he would have to travel a lot. That's not the kind of life he wanted. He wanted to be with his family.

"I'll never forget that. I learned so much from him in that moment about the choices we make. He had his life figured out and his priorities straight."

Survivors include wife Kelly Neumon Durrett '00, son Owen, daughter Alice and a third child due later this year.

How to help:
Donations can be made at texasrangers.com/foundation or through the mail at Richard Durrett Family Fund, Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, 1000 Ballpark Way, Suite 400, Arlington, TX 76011. Donations made through the Rangers Foundation in his memory will be directed to the Richard Durrett Family Fund. Donations can also be made to the Richard Durrett Family Fund, c/o Liberty Bank, 3880 Hulen St., Suite 100, Fort Worth, TX 76107 or at any of its five Metroplex locations.

A bye week during the second week of the season helped the Frogs catch their breath from fall camp and better absorb the program’s new offense, TCU football coach Gary Patterson said yesterday at his weekly press conference.

“The off week was good for us. I think it really gave our kids a chance to catch up,” he said. “Sunday was one of better practices we’ve had – I’m talking spring and fall – on both sides of the ball.

“We’re glad to get a chance to play another football game. It’s hard to sit and watch everybody else play.  But it was a chance to collect our thoughts and evaluate our team.”

The break early in the season is particularly helpful in correcting the mistakes of backup and third-string players, who will be counted on to provide much-needed depth, he said.

“We made ourselves better with the off week, corrected some mistakes and moved some people around on both sides of the ball,” he said. “If you want to win a championship, you need to have some depth. There were some things that happened on both sides of the ball [in the Samford game] that our backups have to be better about if we’re going to be successful. We really pinpointed that in practice.”

Patterson said the Frogs will welcome back offensive lineman Aviante Collins, who has been out with a foot injury since August camp. Collins should help a unit that, at times, struggled with penalties.

“[Collins] gives us more depth on the offensive line,” he said. “We moved Matt Pryor inside to guard, so we get a 350-pound guy in there to do some things and provide more depth as well.”

The coach, now in his 14th season as the head man at TCU, re-affirmed that junior Trevone Boykin is the team’s starting quarterback, but added that transfer Matt Joeckel will continue to figure into the offense. Both are listed as co-starters on the depth chart.

“I feel like Matt’s lived up to that,” he said. “He took a chance with TCU, and so I just think when he gets an opportunity to go in, we’ll get him to that point.”

Patterson said co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie both believe in giving the starter the majority of the practice snaps, which is a departure from Patterson’s approach.

“[My philosophy is] get the other guy in, prepare [him], so if the starter goes down, he can handle it,” Patterson said. “With this offense, the way the coordinators are, when they get a guy, that’s the guy.”

But the Frogs will take it game by game, he said.

“Right now, Trevone will be the guy. But it’ll be 1A and 1B,” he said. “That doesn’t mean you’re not going to see Joeckel in the ballgame.”

The Frogs and Patterson face a foe who is very familiar with TCU's inner workings. Minnesota coach Jerry Kill is a close friend of Patterson's and was in his wedding party when the coach married Kelsey Hayes in 2004. Althought Kill and Patterson never worked together directly, their association and friendship extends back to their Kansas roots.

"[Coach Kill] was leaving Pittsburg State, where he was the linebackers coach, to become the head coach at Webb City (Mo.) High School. I then took his place as the linebackers coach at Pittsburg State. Through the years, we got to know each other doing some different things. He's been on both sides of the ball as a defensive coach and offensive coach."

Kill has sent coaches to Fort Worth in the offseason for half a dozen years to study up on Patterson's 4-2-5 defense.

"They're probably one of the teams that know as much about us as we do," Patterson acknowledged.

Patterson sees similarities between the Golden Gophers' smash mouth style and Air Force's triple option attack.

"They want to lull you to sleep when you play them, and that's how they beat you. You have to get ready to play them. They're physical on both sides of the ball, especially the offensive and defensive lines. They have a couple very good tight ends. They move around a lot and know the system. Their wide receivers are big and physical. The tailback is as good as anybody we'll play in the Big 12, so you have to get ready to tackle them.

"Defensively, they can match you. Their front is tall, so you have to be able to get their hands down and do things to create lanes."
 

The individual attention TCU faculty and staff give to students is the university’s “most valuable asset and its greatest strength” as it seeks to become a world-class, values-centered institution, Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. said this week at 2014 Fall Convocation, the symbolic open of the school year.

“This is a place that fosters a spirit of pride, tradition and belonging. But most important, this is a place where priority is given to people,” Boschini said during his annual State of the University address.

“We are proud of our academic offerings. We are equally proud of the caring atmosphere and mentoring relationships that characterize this university.  Because we all know that the most critical factor in providing the unique TCU experience is the personal touch provided by our faculty and staff.”

2014-15 is TCU’s 142^nd academic year.

Boschini told a crowd of about 800 in Ed Landreth Auditorium that one of his most important goals is to herald the consistent commitment he sees in faculty and staff members.

The results of their collective efforts are “obvious,” he said, noting that TCU’s peers and the world of higher education have taken notice. 

In updated rankings released this week, U.S. News & World Report has designated TCU No. 76 on its annual list of national universities. The university has jumped 37 points in the past six years, ranked 82^nd last year and 113^th in 2008.

“Rankings are only one of many indicators of success in an academic environment,” Boschini acknowledged. “However … the rankings have been good to us again this year.”

Other recent plaudits:

• Forbes has placed TCU among its “Rising Stars: 10 Top Colleges to Watch” among the United States’ 3,500 colleges and universities.
• The Economist has tabbed the MBA faculty in the Neeley School of Business as the best in the world.
• The Chronicle of Higher Education has marked TCU among the “Great Colleges to Work For” for the fourth consecutive year.
• A school record six TCU students were selected as Fulbright Scholars in May.

The university’s success has continued to make it attractive to prospective students and their families, Boschini said.

The Class of 2018, with approximately 1,892 new Horned Frogs, was chosen from more than 17,000 applicants, placing TCU’s admission rate in the “highly selective” category again.

The 2018ers continue the trend of the highest ACT and SAT scores in school history, while the retention rate of last year’s class, who are now sophomores, has improved to 90 percent.

“This demonstrates that our students are satisfied with their choice of TCU, and that’s obviously very important to us,” he said.

Donors and supporters have responded as well to the university’s achievements, proving that they believe in TCU’s mission.

“Since The Campaign for TCU ended in 2012, donors have continued the momentum with new commitments of more than $189 million,” Boschini said. “This includes $66 million directed specifically to academic programs, faculty and scholarships.”

In August, TCU received one of the largest-ever donations when emeritus trustee Spencer Hays ’59 and his wife, Marlene, of Nashville contributed $30 million toward a $100 million expansion of the Neeley School of Business facilities in the Intellectual Commons and renovations to Smith and Tandy halls.

“This significant gift from the Hays family affirms our value to those involved with TCU and sends the incredibly important message to external sources that everything that is happening on our campus is worthy of gifts at this level,” Boschini said.

TCU’s newest residence hall, located in the Worth Hills section of campus, was named Marlene Hays Hall in honor of the couple, which previously made the naming gift for the university's 200-seat Marlene and Spencer Hays Theatre in 1998.

While these gains are praiseworthy, TCU remains “at mid-journey” in fulfilling the goals of its Vision In Action strategic plan, Boschini said.

“The most visible result is the physical transformation of our campus over the last 10 years,” he observed. “It is hard for those of us who have been here for a decade or more to remember when there was no Campus Commons and seven fewer residence halls, when applicants and their families visited a crowded—and, in the opinion of many, crummy—office in Sadler Hall to speak with admission counselors.”

This summer, TCU hailed the opening of a new west façade for the Mary Couts Burnett Library and technology-rich Rees-Jones Hall, which will connect with the library when east-side renovations are complete in August 2015. Also new in the Intellectual Commons is an addition to Annie Richardson Bass Building, which added classrooms, faculty offices and a spacious atrium.

“The classical façades of these facilities speak to our heritage and traditions. Inside, there is some of the best 21^st century media and technology for students and faculty,” he said. “All three buildings are designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative investigation. They are ideal settings for the work of TCU’s doers, dreamers and trailblazers as we examine the world’s most significant challenges in an atmosphere characterized by diversity of thought.”

But TCU is not done building, Boschini promised.

The university will add new academic buildings in the Intellectual Commons, new residential and campus life halls in Worth Hills, upgraded facilities for athletics and two parking garages—one near the Greek Village of Worth Hills and another near Amon G. Carter Stadium and the Dee J. Kelly Alumni Center.

“But the most important thing we can do now is to make even greater investments in our academic profile and reputation by directing even more effort and resources to our people and programs,” he said. “The cumulative effect on this university will be nothing short of profound.”

Among TCU’s plans to intensify its support of faculty:

• Double the size of the university endowment, currently valued at more than $1 billion
• Allocate larger stipends for department chairs
• Provide greater operational support for holders of endowed chairs and professorships
• Allot larger travel budgets for faculty
• Budget for larger salary increases for faculty promotions

“We are making these increases to better support our faculty and to be more competitive with other universities,” he said.

As the size of the university’s student body hits 10,000, TCU will maintain its 14:1 student-faculty ratio by adding 20 full-time faculty positions over the next three years. These hires will replace adjunct faculty members.

TCU also will honor as many as 20 high-achieving faculty members by developing two new faculty ranks:

• Distinguished University Professor, which will be earned as a career capstone by those who have given TCU truly outstanding and sustained service in teaching and scholarship
• Master Teacher, which will be bestowed on professors with exemplary classroom skills and accomplishments

Provost R. Nowell Donovan will implement the program over the next two to three years, the Chancellor said. 

TCU has made progress on its academic initiatives in the Academy of Tomorrow phase of its strategic plan, Boschini said, including a self-study of the John V. Roach Honors College led by Dr. Sarah Robbins (acting dean, Honors) and Dr. Phil Hartman (dean, Science & Engineering). An external review committee will visit campus afterward to give insight on undergraduate research, faculty course development and study abroad grants.

Last year’s pilot project FrogFolio, which allowed students to develop digital portfolios of research and reflections on their learning experience, attracted 400 participants. In 2014-15, the program will expand to include more than 1,000 students.  

New “great themes” courses on the topic of water have begun this fall to examine critical challenges facing the planet. More will be added in the spring, including a seminar course. Two composers are commissioned to create new works with a water theme. The Honors College has selected Fort Worth’s Trinity River Vision as the subject of its spring convocation.

The university’s quality enhancement plan, Discovering Global Citizenship, has allowed for TCU students to make two trips to Panama’s City of Knowledge and bring global innovators to campus, Boschini noted.

In 2014-15, TCU students and faculty will focus on the Middle East and Central Asia. Boschini presented the Global Innovator Award to the fall semester’s guest, Dr. Hassan Azzazy, professor of chemistry at the American University in Cairo and leader of the Novel Diagnostics and Therapeutics Research Group. He will work with TCU Science and Engineering’s nanoparticles project in diagnosing infectious diseases and therapies to treat them.

Boschini also announced the formation of a chief university compliance officer position, to be filled by Andrea Nordmann, current compliance officer in TCU Athletics. Nordmann will report directly to Boschini and sit on the chancellor’s cabinet. Her role starts Oct. 15.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Boschini presented the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Teacher and Scholar to Dr. Ralph Carter, professor of political science, and the Wassenich Award for Mentoring in the TCU Community to Dr. Michael J. Chumley, associate professor of biology.

TCU Football pushed its record to 2-0 in 2014 after a 30-7 victory over the Big Ten's Minnesota Golden Gophers. The defense was impressive in limiting the Gopher offense to 268 total yards, including a three-and-out on seven of Minnesota's 15 possessions. The offense moved the ball but had to settle for field goals three times.

Five things that stood out from where we sat:

1. MVP-tson
Entering the season, TCU's wide receiver corps needed to improve if the Meacham/Cumbie Air Frog offense was going to function as advertised. Several Horned Frogs have heeded the call thus far, none more than junior Josh Doctson. A Wyoming transfer and once-walkon, Doctson had perhaps the best offensive game for a Frog in the last few years, highlighted by two first-quarter touchdown catches. His now-famous one-handed scoring grab earned him the top spot on SportsCenter's list of plays of the day. Doctson and quarterback Trevone Boykin were in sync all afternoon, and Big 12 defensive coordinators are probably now fretting about how they are going to find a defensive back who can jump as high as he can.

2. Don't throw this way.
TCU's defensive backfield looked much more skilled than the Gopher receivers did, snagging three spectacular interceptions and narrowly missing on a few more. The loss of Jason Verrett, who is showing out after two games with the San Diego Chargers, doesn't seem to have negatively impacted the always-fierce Frog secondary. Senior Sam Carter appears to be every bit the leader he has promised to be.

3. Blocking on the up
Playing against a team with big bodies in the trenches of course posed a good test for the offensive line, and Minnesota is a typical Big 10 squad in this respect. TCU's o-line responded to the challenge by playing probably its best game in two seasons, although it was flagged a few times for holding. Boykin had ample time to run through his reads, and B.J. Catalon found holes where he needed them. If line play is the bellwether for success this season, promising things are ahead.

4. Strong Arming
TCU's defenders — every one of them — showcased solid fundamentals by wrapping up tackles at every opportunity. TCU held the Gophers to 99 yards rushing, their lowest total in several years. Minnesota's quarterbacks Mitch Leidner and and Chris Streveler were thwarted at every turn. We could point out standout individual performances, but everyone would be included. Mastering the simple things wins games, and this team seems to have heeded that message.

5. Not all the way faster
Though the no-huddle, deep ball offense is a lot of fun to watch, it hasn't helped speed up the games. Despite the outcome being somewhat certain by halftime, the clock didn't hit triple zeroes until almost 6:30 p.m. — three and a half hours after it began. Not that anyone was complaining. September couldn't have offered a more perfect day to watch some Horned Frog football.


Five facts that put the game in perspective:

1. 17 is a magic number
The Horned Frogs improved to 89-3 in the Patterson era when allowing 17 points or less. The Frogs are also 2-0 for the eighth time in the last 12 seasons. The Frogs' five takeaways against Minnesota pushed their record to 36-2 in their last 38 games when snagging three takeaways.

2. Hungry for tackles
Paul Dawson led the team last year with 91 tackles, and he's off to a good start to top the Frogs again. Dawson's team-high 15 tackles, including four for a loss, made him an easy choice for defensive star of the game. It was his sixth time to record 10 or more stops, with all six of those coming in the last nine games. His career high is 17 tackles, which he got last year against Kansas. Against Minnesota, Dawson also had a second-quarter forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Two weeks ago against Samford, he had nine tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and pass break up.

3. We got scoreboard
With Michigan's loss to Notre Dame last week, TCU now owns the nation's second-longest streak of avoiding a shutout with 269 games. That's good for the seventh-longest stretch in NCAA history. The Frogs only trail Florida, which has scored in 324 consecutive games. The last team to blank the Frogs? Texas, with a 32-0 drubbing in Austin on Nov. 16, 1991.

4. High-wire act
Josh Doctson’s first two touchdown catches of the season were first-half scoring grabs of 13 and 7 yards from Trevone Boykin. He now has six touchdown catches at TCU and 11 in his collegiate career. While he led the Frogs with 36 grabs a year ago, Doctson is only TCU's fourth-leading receiver with 83 yards through two games this year. The Frogs have depth at the WR position.

5. Wheels
Quarterback Trevone Boykin had a team-high 92 yards rushing, leaving him eight yards short of his second career 100-yard game on the ground. He also leads TCU on the year with 121 yards. Through the air, he completed 27-of-46 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.