TCU LB Carder could miss start of season
“We’re getting ready to lose maybe one of our best players for maybe the early part of the season,” Patterson said. “He’ll have surgery tomorrow morning.”
It's been a tough spring for TCU's linebackers. Backup, junior-to-be Kris Gardner, is also out of action with a shoulder/arm injury and Patterson didn't sound optimistic that he'd be back until the team reconvenes for fall camp in August.
Patterson said the severity of Carder's injury won’t fully be known until doctors get a look inside Carder’s shoulder. Patterson declined to elaborate on the nature of the injury for fear of giving season-opening opponent Oregon State -- a game that will be played Sept. 4 at Cowboys Stadium -- a target if Carder were to make it back.
“If I tell you what the nature of the injury is,” Patterson said, “then they go after him.”
If Carder doesn't make it back, the Horned Frogs will start two new linebackers in Patterson's 4-2-5 scheme. Last season's leader in tackles, Daryl Washington, is projected as an early round NFL Draft pick. Sophomore-to-be Tanner Brock is expected to start opposite of Carder.
TCU, coming off a 12-0 regular season before losing to Boise State in the Fiest Bowl -- the Frogs' first appearance in a BCS bowl game -- will practice again Friday before playing its spring game on Saturday.
According to a fiery Patterson Thursday evening, this Frogs team has plenty of work ahead.
"Right now I will tell you we won't win more than six ballgames," Patterson said. "Right now, today, we'll be 6-6 because we'll have too many penalties on offense and we won't tackle, we won't do the right things, we'll give up too many big plays on defense."
Jeff Caplan
ESPNDallas.comTEAM RESOURCES
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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.
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Jeff Caplan joined ESPNDallas.com in December 2009. Jeff covers the Mavericks, Stars and colleges. He has a wealth of experience in the area, covering multiple beats in his 11-plus years with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
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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.
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