Listen to the press conference
Last season, head coach Gary Patterson questioned the respect given to TCU when it defeated Texas Tech. Tuesday, Patterson questioned respect again, only this time it followed a loss to the Texas Longhorns and subsequent drop from the top 25 rankings.

Patterson said the team’s fall from the rankings is not something he would normally worry about this early in the season. This drop, however, he said, was disappointing because he felt the team did not get enough respect after playing well against a great Texas team. Patterson said the team just met the misfortune of losing early in the season.

Patterson questioned why a team would want to play quality opponents early in the season if it does not matter who a team plays to stay in the top 25.

“We fall out of the top 25 playing a team at home that’s 49-5,” Patterson said. “Hardly anybody has beaten them in the past 10 or 11 years and we fall out of the rankings, and then I look at the amount of votes. Why would any coach from a program want go play anybody early in the season? Why wouldn’t you just want to go and see if you can get four wins?”

Even with the team’s fall from the rankings, senior wide receiver Ervin Dickerson said it was of no concern.

“It was a disappointment, but we know what we need to do,” Dickerson said. “We come back being underdogs and try to end up back in there.”

Thursday’s game against Air Force forces the Frogs to quickly rebound from the UT loss so it can concentrate on a Falcons team featuring the triple option offense – an offense having three different options to run the ball.

Junior linebacker Jason Phillips said the defense cannot take Air Force’s unorthodox offense lightly, and the unit needs to play its style of game.

TCU faces a 2-0 Air Force team led by new head coach Troy Calhoun, the former offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans.

Patterson said TCU has stopped the Air Force offense the past two years because it was able to move the ball and score points early.

“When you score points and stay ahead of the triple option offense, it gives you a lot easier chance to play it because they can’t be as methodical,” Patterson said.

The short week does make preparation for the game more difficult than usual, Patterson said.

“It’s hard to get ready for a triple option team on a short week, but you know we’ve got a lot of veterans back and it seems these guys are excited,” Patterson said.

Dickerson said the team’s preparation for Air Force has not changed due to the loss or short week, but an increased emphasis on focus has developed during the practices following Saturday’s loss.

“Last week we missed a lot of opportunities, so what we’re trying to do is focus and pay a lot of attention to detail,” Dickerson said.