TCU: 1st-round pick to redshirt freshman?
He's talking, of course, about Indianapolis Colts first-round pick defensive end Jerry Hughes, who was only the second two-time consensus All-American in TCU history as the Horned Frogs topped the nation in total defense in each of the past two seasons.
So who replaces the irreplacable Hughes at left end in Saturday's opener at Cowboys Stadium that pits the No. 6 Frogs against the No. 24 Oregon State Beavers?
How about redshirt freshman Stansly Maponga? The 6-foot-2, 260-pounder out of Hebron (Carrollton) High School has put on 20 pounds since last season and he'll join three seniors on the defensive line, two of whom -- tackle Cory Grant and right end Wayne Daniels -- were all-MWC performers last season.
"We're not scared to play young players here," Patterson said this week.
Maponga actually moved to defensive tackle in the spring, but his speed around the edge made him a better fit at end and during fall camp he beat out 6-6, 272-pound junior Braylon Broughton for the starting job.
"I'm really excited about Stansly Maponga," Patterson said. "He's very physical for his age. Him and Braylon Broughton, I think as they keep going, they'll become very good defensive ends by the middle of the season, if they're not already."
TEAM RESOURCES
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Richard Durrett
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.
Tim MacMahon
Tim MacMahon joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. Tim covers the Cowboys and Mavericks. He has covered the local sports scene from high schools to colleges to pros during his six-year tenure at The Dallas Morning News. MacMahon is a graduate of UNT.
103.3 FM ESPN PODCASTS
Play Podcast Kirk Herbstreit joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Bob Stoops' recent comments about the SEC and the pending college football playoff, what appears to be an unpredictable Big 12 in 2013, how the Aggies will handle expectations and more.
Play Podcast Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin talks about the improvements being made to Kyle Field, what those improvements will to for the program, the success of last year, Johnny Manziel's offseason and the expectations for the Aggies in 2013.
Play Podcast Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo talk about Texas A&M's decision to expand its stadium and say although the Aggies had a fantastic year, the school must also be careful not to overextend its resources based on a single hot stretch.
Play Podcast Baylor head coach Art Briles joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss what kind of player the Cowboys are getting in Terrance Williams.
Play Podcast Arlington and Texas A&M product Luke Joeckel, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, joins Ian Fitzsimmons and Richard Durrett to discuss the draft, coaches and advice from his dad.
Play Podcast Florida Gulf Coast athletic director Ken Kavanagh joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss his school's Cinderella story and playing in the Sweet 16 at Cowboys Stadium.
Play Podcast Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby joins Fizsimmons & Durrett to discuss Cowboys Stadium as a venue, the state of Big 12 basketball, the new 2014 college football format, why there's no hurry to have a Big 12 football championship and much more.
Play Podcast Jay Bilas joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett to discuss the remaining 16 teams in the NCAA tournament, the intrigue surrounding the Northwest Region and the excitement over FGCU, even though a similar story happens every year.
You must be signed in to post a comment