Making The Rounds With TCU And Their Formidable Opponents

TCU

Starting linebacker Tank Carder had shoulder surgery and could miss the opener against Oregon State:

"We’re getting ready to lose maybe one of our best players for maybe the early part of the season,"

Coach Patterson is keeping the exact injury and shoulder under wraps:

"If I tell you what the nature of the injury is," Patterson said, "then they go after him."

Ammon G. Carter stadium is getting much closer to getting approved for the much needed upgrades:

"If we are able to complete fundraising by July 1, 2010, by securing the necessary pledges, then the project could begin as early as the end of the 2010 football season subject to and dependent upon Board of Trustees' approval," Gutierrez said.

Fans can come check out the team and have some fun at the fan fest:

"What we're trying to do is to become the best team in the country," Patterson said. "We're focused on paying attention to details, playing with emotion, but playing smart at the same time. If you watch any team that wins football games, they play with a lot of intensity, but they play with a lot of intelligence as well."

Baylor

QB Robert Griffin is still recovering from knee surgery, but the Baylor offense looked good in their spring game which had a real game feel to it:

Sophomore quarterback Nick Florence was 20-of-31 for 242 yards and threw TD passes of 66 yards to Terrance Williams and 40 to Josh Gordon as the White team defeated Green, 20-14, before a strong contingent of Baylor fans in the Bears' spring training finale.

"Our deal was that we were going to go 45 plays (maximum) with the first-team offense and defense," said Baylor head coach Art Briles. "What we tried to do was spread the ball around as much as we could for 45 plays. We were just trying to get the ball around to guys that we felt had opportunities to make plays."

Oregon State

In the first outdoor spring practice for the Beavers injury news was the main topic of conversation:

The injuries are one reason why Friday's scrimmage will be managed a bit. While some positions need full competition with starters against starters, avoiding too many more critical players getting banged up is becoming important as well. It's why RB Jacquizz Rogers won't be in harms way during the scrum.

Beware future opponents of Oregon State, but somehow Jacquizz Rodgers is bigger and faster:

"Believe it or not,'' said Riley before Friday's practice, "I think he he has gotten faster. ... he's a faster guy than he was last year. Stronger, too. His numbers were way up in the weight room. ... he looks like he's ready to go, right now.''

Quizz said all of the above is true. "I feel quicker,'' he admitted. "And with experience, I can see things happening, I can make moves quicker than last year.''

You have been warned.