Gary Patterson just kept saying it.

Not once, not twice, but 13 times over the course of a seven minute interview after the TCU football team’s practice Saturday.

Patterson’s oft-used phrase, as simple and straight forward as it might have been, made the head coach’s assessment of his Horned Frog defense clear.

“We’re not very good.”

Patterson said his team’s offense did what it wanted to – and when it wanted to do it – during the Horned Frogs’ inter-squad scrimmage Saturday morning at Amon. G. Carter stadium.

That’s not a good thing, though, when they do it against the TCU defense.

Patterson said the latter isn’t where it needs to be.

“Anything you want to talk about, we’re not very good at,” Patterson said of his defense. “They threw it over our head, they ran around us, they ran through us.”

Patterson said it’s time for that to change even if it means some of the younger players having to mature in a hurry. The Big 12 won’t wait.

“They better start learning up,” Patterson said. “Because right now we’re not very good. Period. Not very good. We’ll give up about 50 points a game in the Big 12 if we play like I just saw us play today.”

Ironically, Patterson’s guess isn’t too far off from what happened last year against one of the Horned Frogs’ future conference foes.

In fact, it’s spot on.

The Horned Frogs gave up 50 points in a season-opening loss to Baylor last September, mainly through the air. Eventual Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns against a defense that still had all-American linebacker Tank Carder and experienced contributors in Tekerrein Cuba, Johnny Fobbs, Braylon Broughton and Greg McCoy, all of whom graduated last year.

Gone too are starters Tanner Brock (linebacker), D.J. Yendrey (defensive tackle) and Devin Johnson (safety), who were arrested Feb. 15 on suspicion of selling drugs.

The problem now, though, isn’t that TCU’s returning defenders are without experience. It’s that they’re not playing good enough – in spring practice, at least — to even earn a starting job.

Patterson said free safety Chris Hackett, a redshirt freshman, has moved ahead of projected starter Elisha Olabode, a junior who played in every game last year. Walk-ons Geoff Hooker and Danny Heiss are also outcompeting projected starters at their positions, Patterson said.

Hooker, a sophomore, has replaced – for now – Jonathan Anderson at weak safety while Heiss, a converted safety, is outplaying Deryck Gildon at linebacker.

Anderson appeared in every game in 2011, making one start and racking up 17 tackles in a game against BYU Oct. 29. Gildon also saw action in every game.

Patterson said Joel Hasley, also a walk-on, is competing for playing time at linebacker.

“There’s not anybody that has a job right now,” Patterson said. “You got three walk-ons who’ve moved in front of scholarship guys.”

Injury Report

Patterson said offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje got “banged up” early in Saturday’s scrimmage and likely will miss the rest of spring practice.

Other injured Horned Frogs include safety James Bailey, safety Quincy Aldridge, wide receiver Cam White and offensive tackle Carter Wall.

Patterson said Bailey has missed the last couple practices with turf toe. White will be back on the field Monday while Aldridge and Wall will probably be out the rest of the spring, Patterson said.

Patterson impressed with Broughton, McCoy

Patterson said former Horned Frogs Braylon Broughton, Greg McCoy and Logan Brock all left good impressions on NFL scouts Friday at the team’s annual Pro Day.

Broughton, a 6-foot-6, 272 pound defensive end, ran an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.5 and put up 26 reps of 225 pounds on bench press. 

“He has all the dimensions that I think somebody will give him a chance maybe in the late rounds or as a free agent,” Patterson said. “He’s a great athlete.”

Patterson said he also thought Brock and McCoy helped their stock during the event.

McCoy played cornerback for TCU last year but also made a big impact on special teams, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns and earning Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year honors.

McCoy ran an unofficial 4.31 40-yard dash Friday.

Brock, a 6-foot-4, 244 pound tight end, who was named Honorable Mention All-Mountain West last year, ran a 4.71 40-yard dash Friday. According to Scout.com. Brock has been scheduled for a private visit with the Indianapolis Colts, who recently cut tight end Dallas Clark.