Aug. 15, 2007
TCU was back inside the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility on Tuesday morning for only the second time since fall camp opened Aug. 2. The Horned Frogs, though, were outdoors in the midst of 100-degree temperatures in the afternoon.
Coach Gary Patterson said he had a few reasons to move the 8 a.m. session indoors in order to have a productive 5 p.m. workout.
The Morris Practice Fields were still covered with morning dew, so he wanted to avoid players suffering muscle pulls. Also, those fields have taken a beating over the course of 10 practices, and the wet grass/cleat combination would have torn up more turf.
The players enjoyed the cooler conditions inside. At 8:15 a.m., the temperature was 85 degrees outdoors and 80 indoors. That doesn't sound like much, but Patterson said it makes a big difference.
Linebacker Jason Phillips said the team has to make only minor adjustments to the new facility, which was dedicated in May. Lighting is the biggest difference.
"It is a little darker, so sometimes we get misreads off the jerseys because the purple runs together," he said. "It's not hard to work out. The turf's different, but it's just getting used to being indoors."
The Frogs will practice indoors the next three mornings.
Decision looming
The season opener against Baylor is 17 days away and TCU is still working two quarterbacks with the first-team offense. That will change next week.
Gary Patterson said either Marcus Jackson or Andy Dalton will be installed as the starting quarterback after Saturday's scrimmage at Amon G. Carter Stadium. That would give Jeff Ballard's replacement two weeks to get ready for the Sept. 1 home game against Baylor.
"We'll definitely make a decision after Saturday," Patterson said. "That gives them two weeks to get their minds set to where they need to be."
TCU was back inside the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility on Tuesday morning for only the second time since fall camp opened Aug. 2. The Horned Frogs, though, were outdoors in the midst of 100-degree temperatures in the afternoon.
Coach Gary Patterson said he had a few reasons to move the 8 a.m. session indoors in order to have a productive 5 p.m. workout.
The Morris Practice Fields were still covered with morning dew, so he wanted to avoid players suffering muscle pulls. Also, those fields have taken a beating over the course of 10 practices, and the wet grass/cleat combination would have torn up more turf.
The players enjoyed the cooler conditions inside. At 8:15 a.m., the temperature was 85 degrees outdoors and 80 indoors. That doesn't sound like much, but Patterson said it makes a big difference.
Linebacker Jason Phillips said the team has to make only minor adjustments to the new facility, which was dedicated in May. Lighting is the biggest difference.
"It is a little darker, so sometimes we get misreads off the jerseys because the purple runs together," he said. "It's not hard to work out. The turf's different, but it's just getting used to being indoors."
The Frogs will practice indoors the next three mornings.
Decision looming
The season opener against Baylor is 17 days away and TCU is still working two quarterbacks with the first-team offense. That will change next week.
Gary Patterson said either Marcus Jackson or Andy Dalton will be installed as the starting quarterback after Saturday's scrimmage at Amon G. Carter Stadium. That would give Jeff Ballard's replacement two weeks to get ready for the Sept. 1 home game against Baylor.
"We'll definitely make a decision after Saturday," Patterson said. "That gives them two weeks to get their minds set to where they need to be."
