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2011 overall record: 11-2
2011 conference record: 7-0
Returning starters: offense: 6; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners
QB Casey Pachall, RB Waymon James, DL Stansly Maponga, RB Ed Wesley, RB Matthew Tucker, WR Josh Boyce, LB Kenny Cain, DB Jason Verrett

Key losses
LB Tank Carder, LB Tanner Brock, S Tekerrein Cuba, S Johnny Fobbs, WR Antoine Hicks, S Devin Johnson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Waymon James* (875 yards)
Passing: Casey Pachall* (2,921 yards)
Receiving: Josh Boyce* (998 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Cain*(72)
Sacks: Stansly Maponga* (9)
Interceptions: Tank Carder, Kris Gardner, Greg McCoy (2, none return)

Spring answers

1. Filling a hole at linebacker: TCU was ready to lose Tank Carder, but the loss of Tanner Brock was unexpected. Thus, TCU entered spring with big questions at linebacker. Danny Heiss and Joel Hasley have stepped in to help fortify a position with a lot to prove in 2012. TCU has a feel for who its guys will be, but are those guys good enough?

2. Beware of the TCU receivers: TCU already felt good about Josh Boyce and Skye Dawson after 2011, but sophomore Brandon Carter is bigger and better this spring. LaDarius Brown may join the fold as a big factor, though. It's not impossible for him to become one of the team's best targets. Casey Pachall has to love adding a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder to his targets, and freshman Kolby Listenbee proved he can contribute right away after enrolling early this spring. He'll play.

3. A change in identity: There's no doubt TCU has big questions on defense, especially at linebacker and in the secondary. But offensively? The Horned Frogs have to shore up the offensive line, but its skill-position players are as deep and as talented as any in the Big 12. It's not often that offense has to carry the load for a Gary Patterson team, but it looks like that'll be the case this year.

Fall questions

1. How will TCU handle the jump? Complain about the question all you want, Frogs. It's not that anyone's beating it into the ground, it's that TCU hasn't had a chance to answer it. Fact: The Big 12 will be much more difficult than the Mountain West Conference. TCU brings back a good amount of talent that's built to have success in the Big 12 immediately. Can they do it, though? I'm betting yes, that TCU will flirt with double-digit wins.

2. Will the secondary, especially the safeties, improve? TCU's rise under Gary Patterson has been marked by suffocating defense, but TCU slid to a finish outside the national top 30 in total defense last season after leading the nation in total defense in 2009 and 2010. The loss to Baylor personified those struggles more than any game all season. Patterson wasn't happy with his secondary this spring, either. The bad news: There are lots of Baylors in the Big 12. The good news: Safeties coach Chad Glasgow is back after serving as defensive coordinator at Texas Tech for one season.

3. Can TCU handle gut-punching defensive losses? The Horned Frogs suffered the biggest off-field scandal in the Big 12 this offseason when four players were arrested in a campus drug sting. That's a problem of its own off the field, but on the field, TCU still has to replace 2011 big contributors in Tanner Brock, Devin Johnson and D.J. Yendrey. How much will those losses hurt in the fall?

SMU had three more players selected in the NFL draft Saturday.

Following in the footsteps of OG Josh LeRibeus, who was picked in the third round (71st overall) by the Washington Redskins on Friday, was defensive end/tight end Taylor Thompson (145th overall), Richard Crawford (213th overall) and Kelvin Beachum (248th overall).

Thompson, a fifth-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, had 22.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in his career at SMU and was a three-time All-Conference USA selection.

Crawford will join LeRibeus in Washington. Taken in the seventh round by the Redskins, Crawford picked off six passes and recorded 101 tackles in two seasons and was a first team All-Conference USA selection in 2011 as punt return specialist.

Beachum moves on to Pittsburg after starting four years at left tackle for SMU, where he earned first team all-conference honors his junior and senior seasons. Beachum will be reunited with former Mustangs teammate Emmanuel Sanders with the Steelers.

Horned Frogs duo drafted

TCU linebacker Tank Carder and defensive back/kick returner Greg McCoy received draft calls Saturday.

Carder, famous for his “immaculate deflection” in TCU’s Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin, was selected 147th overall in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills and becomes the fifth TCU linebacker in as many season to join an NFL team.

Carder was a two-time All-American and a Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in his junior and senior seasons, amassing 70 tackles for the Horned Frogs his senior year.

McCoy will head to Chicago. Taken in the seventh round (280th overall) by the Bears, McCoy was an All-American return specialist his senior season, as well as the Mountain West special teams player of the year.

McCoy, who played at Dallas Woodrow Wilson, saved TCU’s Poinsettia Bowl victory by returning an interception 24 yards to set up the game-tying touchdown.

He returned two kicks for touchdowns in 2011 and his 30.6-yard return average his senior year ranked sixth nationally.

Cader and McCoy are Gary Patterson’s 30th and 31st players drafted in his tenure at TCU.

Another day down at the NFL combine.

You'll need Insider to see this post from Steve Muench, but here are a few snippets from our team on the ground in Indianapolis:

West Virginia's Bruce Irvin ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, which is faster than most outside linebackers, let alone defensive ends. That's good for Irvin, who projects as a pass-rushing outside linebacker. He's undersized (6-3, 245) and lacks the power to anchor against the run as an end. He would have been better off working with the linebackers at the combine because he is a developmental prospect, and it showed in his footwork when he dropped.

Obviously, I didn't get a big chance to see Irvin from week to week in the Big East, but that 40 time is nuts. Reminds me of ... wait for it ... Von Miller?

What about another Big 12 pass rusher you know a bit better?

Oklahoma State DE Jamie Blatnick isn't as explosive or athletic as some of the other prospects, and his arms are as short as Ingram's, so there are some red flags. On the other hand, Blatnick performed well during the drill. His hands were active and violent during bag work while he did a good job of staying low in his backpedal when asked to drop.

Blatnick's a tough guy, but like Muench said, doesn't have the jaw-dropping measurables of some other guys we've seen in this league or guys at the combine this week.

He was productive, though, and technique will take you a long way in the NFL. Blatnick isn't lacking in athleticism necessarily, he just doesn't wow you.

Now, time for a few results from Monday at the combine:

LINEBACKERS

Najee Goode, West Virginia

• 40-yard dash: 4.66 seconds (sixth among inebackers)

Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma

• 40-yard dash: 4.68 seconds (T-8 among linebackers)
• 225-pound bench press: 36 reps (most among linebackers -- by four reps)

Tank Carder, TCU

• 40-yard dash: 4.69 seconds (11th among linebackers)
• 225-pound bench press: 19 reps

Emmanuel Acho, Texas

• 40-yard dash: 4.73 seconds (14th among linebackers)
• 225-pound bench press: 24 reps (T-10th among linebackers

Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

• 40-yard dash: 4.88 seconds
• 225-pound bench press: 22 reps (14th among linebackers)

Keenan Robinson, Texas

• 225-pound bench press: 27 reps (T-6th among linebackers)

TCU HORNED FROGS

Record: 10-2, 7-0 MWC

The season did not exactly start the way TCU is used to, with losses in two of the first five games. It was not the offense that was a problem, but the defense, which simply gave up too many points and too many big plays in the pass game in losses to Baylor and SMU. Injuries and inexperience really hurt the defense, with key losses like Tanner Brock (injury) and safety Tejay Johnson (graduation) having an impact. But you knew with Gary Patterson, a defensive guru, performances like that would not last. TCU showed steady improvement, then pulled the upset of the season in Boise, beating the Broncos 36-35 to end their long winning streak on the blue turf.

TCU ended up winning another conference championship, reaching the 10-win mark for the fourth straight year and eighth time in the past 10 seasons under Patterson. Before Patterson arrived on campus in 1998, the Horned Frogs had just four 10-win seasons in their history.

They end their run in the Mountain West having won a record 24 straight league games, while also holding the conference mark for consecutive home league wins at 17.

Offensive MVP: Casey Pachall, QB. The big concern going into the season was how Pachall would fare in place of Andy Dalton, the school's all-time winningest quarterback. Pachall did a terrific job in his first year as a starter, going 213-of-314 for 2,715 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. He made the All-MWC second team. Receiver Josh Boyce was outstanding as well, with 932 yards receiving and nine touchdown receptions.

Defensive MVP: Tank Carder, LB. Injuries hampered Carder's productivity at the beginning of the season, but he closed out strong and ended up winning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors for a second straight season. Carder finished with 66 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

Turning point: Beating Boise State 36-35. Coach Gary Patterson gambled and went for 2 late in the game, playing for the win rather than the tie. Pachall found Josh Boyce in the end zone for the conversion with 1:05 remaining. The Broncos marched down the field and got into field goal range, but Dan Goodale missed a 39-yard field goal at the gun. The victory allowed TCU to win its third straight Mountain West Conference championship in its final year in the league.

What’s next: TCU was hoping to get an automatic selection into the BCS but failed to finish in the top 16 of the final standings. So it's off to the Poinsettia Bowl against WAC champion Louisiana Tech, then a move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. There is so much young talent on this team, it will be interesting to see how the Horned Frogs fare in their first year in an AQ conference.

TCU coach Gary Patterson is sticking behind his embattled defense, no matter what.

Perhaps in an attempt to shift the focus away from another sub-par performance, Patterson ripped SMU for the way it behaved after its win last week, along with C-USA officiating during his weekly news conference and his appearance on the Mountain West coaches' call.

When asked specifically about the youth on his defense during the call Tuesday, Patterson said, "To be honest with you, the group I was most unhappy with was the officials. ... They changed the complexion of the whole football game with about five or six calls. I understand why I left Conference USA. SMU did a great job, they won. But I can tell you this, they had a lot of help."

Patterson cited an interception from Jason Verrett on the first drive that was called off because of a pass interference penalty. SMU ended up scoring on the drive. He also has various other examples of calls that went against his team in a 40-33 overtime loss.

But the fact remains that TCU is having major problems on defense, specifically against the pass. TCU has given up 40-plus points twice already this season -- unheard of for a Patterson-coached team. In both losses, the Horned Frogs have fallen into deep holes, only to rally and then have their defense let them down in the end.

A defense that finished No. 1 in the nation for three straight years now ranks No. 90. One big reason for the struggles are new players in the secondary. But another has been the loss of Tanner Brock, a veteran linebacker out for the season with a foot injury.

"It was a big loss for us," Patterson said. "The strength of the defense coming back was four out of our six front guys, Tank [Carder] is starting to play better, but losing [Brock] you lost a lot of experience."

The Horned Frogs play at San Diego State on Saturday. Though they have never lost to the Aztecs, San Diego State put quite a scare into them last season, fighting back from a 40-21 fourth-quarter deficit only to come up short 40-35. They held an early 14-0 lead in that game before allowing TCU to score 34 unanswered points.

The big difference this year is the Aztecs do not have a proven set of receivers. Of the eight players who have caught passes this season, three are receivers. They have relied on Ronnie Hillman to catch passes out of the backfield, and their tight ends as well. Colin Lockett and Dylan Denso have emerged as the top two wideouts, but there is not much consistency in that group and no real deep threat.

Hillman, one of the top rushers in the nation, had only 54 yards last season against TCU. Given the way some teams have been able to pass on TCU, this could be an opportunity for the Aztecs to open up the deep passing game.

But Patterson insists his group is getting better.

"It's not going the way we want to. The most amazing thing is we've been able to fight back, with a little bit of luck we could be 5-0 but we're not. You have to understand you have to be ready to play. We've got to get ready."

With the college football season just around the corner, the Maxwell Football Club announced watch lists for two of its awards Tuesday.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the country's top collegiate football player since 1937. The Bednarik Award, which has been around since 1995, goes to the nation's top defensive player.

The lists include 15 candidates from Big 12 South and DFW schools. Returning Maxwell semifinalists include Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles and Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin.

The Big 12 South landed 11 players on the lists. TCU has three representatives on the list: running back Ed Wesley and linebackers Tanner Brock and Tank Carder. SMU running back Zach Line is also up for the Maxwell.

Semifinalists for the awards will be announced Oct. 31st, and the three finalists for each will be revealed Nov. 21. Winners will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 8.

Watch lists for the Biletnikoff and Mackey Awards will be released Wednesday.

You're counting down the days, I'm sure. We're so close, and yet so far from the season's opening weekend. I can't wait for it, and I'm sure every player in the Big 12 can't either. So, despite being a bit far off, we'll take a look at each team's opener, inspired by our friends over at the Big Ten Blog.

We'll start this series at the top of the alphabet.

Baylor Bears

Week 1 Opponent: Texas Christian

Coach: Gary Patterson (98-28, 12th season)

2010 record: 13-0 (8-0, Mountain West)

Returning starters: 10 (four offense, four defense, two specialists)

About the Horned Frogs: I didn't feel great about Baylor's chances to actually beat TCU last year in Fort Worth, but I thought it had a good chance to make things interesting. After the first quarter, it was 21-0.

This year, I think the same, but the Bears should have a much better shot of pulling the upset.

TCU loses more talent from last year's team than any team in the country except Auburn, which brings back just seven starters. That heavy turnover, plus playing in the season opener at home versus the third game of the year on the road last year, should favor the Bears, who will play host at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.

TCU must replace NFL-bound quarterback Andy Dalton, three offensive linemen and standout receiver Jeremy Kerley. Linebacker Tank Carder and his gratuitous arm bands are back, but both safeties must be replaced. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III loves to go vertical to Josh Gordon and Kendall Wright, so look for him to do it, and the Horned Frogs' secondary coach, Chad Glasgow, is now at Texas Tech.

TCU should start the season somewhere in the top 20, but Baylor will have a great opportunity to notch an attention-grabbing win with a Friday night kickoff on national TV. The game will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Random factoid: TCU leads the series between the former Southwest Conference foes, 50-49-7. Baylor can even it up with a win.

Totally unscientific percentage chance Baylor wins: 42 percent. Baylor has lots of experience, especially on offense, and it's hard to imagine the defense being much worse than it was last year, especially against Dalton and the Horned Frogs' offense, which did anything it wanted to the Bears' D.

Will the player turnover be enough to offset TCU's advantages in overall talent and depth?

2010 overall record: 13-0

2010 conference record: 8-0, champions

Returning starters

Offense: 5, defense 6, punter/kicker 2

Top returners

LB Tank Carder, WR Josh Boyce, RB Ed Wesley, LB Tanner Brock

Key losses

QB Andy Dalton, WR/PR Jeremy Kerley, S Tejay Johnson, DE Wayne Daniels

2010 statistical leaders (* denotes returners)

Rushing: Wesley* (1,078 yards, 11 TDs)

Passing: Dalton (209-of-316 for 2,857, 27 TDs, 6 INTs)

Receiving: Kerley (575 yards, 10 TDs)

Tackles: Brock* (106)

Sacks: Daniels (6.5)

Interceptions: Johnson (three)

Spring Answers

1. The defensive line looks strong. But then again, when does it not look strong? Coach Gary Patterson always does a tremendous job with his defense and 2011 is shaping up to be no exception. Patterson said coming out of spring that this unit has a chance to be even better than last season, despite losing Daniels. Braylon Broughton had a great spring, and so did Stansly Maponga.

2. Safeties looking good. TCU loses three of its five starters in the secondary, including safety Tejay Johnson. But Patterson was encouraged this spring by Johnny Fobbs and Sam Carter, who both had excellent springs. Fobbs, a senior who has waited for his opportunity, is penciled in at Johnson’s spot. Carter is a converted quarterback who made plays throughout practice and is listed as the backup behind Trenton Thomas.

3. Casey Pachall the man. Pachall and Matt Brown split the reps during the spring, and as expected, Pachall is the man to start at quarterback for TCU going forward. He simply has more experience than Brown, a redshirt freshman, and more knowledge of the offense.

Fall Questions

1. How many freshmen will contribute at receiver? This is the one area that TCU will rely on newcomers or help. Brandon Carter and LaDarius Brown are the two players who are mentioned the most, but there will also be opportunities for David Bush, David Porter and Cameron White.

2. Leadership. This is one area that Patterson wants to see develop in the offseason. The Horned Frogs lost 26 seniors and team leaders Andy Dalton and Johnson. It is imperative for players to step up and fill that void they have left. Tank Carder is an obvious choice to do just that.

3. Can Pachall step up right away? Pachall has been through three spring practices already and gotten some valuable playing time behind Dalton. But there is no way of knowing whether he has what it takes to be a winning starting quarterback until the season begins and he gets thrown into the fire.

Thousands gathered in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum on the campus of TCU on Sunday to shower their praises on the 2011 Rose Bowl Champions.

On hand to speak to the team, coaches and fans were Fort Worth mayor Mike Moncrief, TCU chancellor Victor Boschini as well as representatives from the state congress and the Rose Bowl.

The state congress invited the team to travel to Austin to be formally recognized in the capitol building in the near future.

Offensive and defensive standouts from the team addressed the crowd, including the two MVPs of the Rose Bowl, quarterback Andy Dalton and linebacker Tank Carder.

"It means a lot, especially with the turnout we had and all the fans," Carder said. "Especially all the fans that came out to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I mean, it's just great to be a part of it and all the support that we are getting. I can't even explain the gratitude and the feeling it has given me."

PASADENA, Calif. -- TCU linebacker Tank Carder's bat-down of Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien's two-point conversion pass attempt will instantly go down in school lore as perhaps the biggest play in the program's history. Without a doubt it will be one of the most talked about plays for a long time.

"I hope so, that’d be nice," Carder said. "And, hopefully, they’ll talk about TCU in the Rose Bowl for a long time."

Carder's play prevented the Badgers from tying the score in the final minutes and the Horned Frogs then ran out the clock for a 21-19 victory Saturday in the program's only appearance in the Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin had pounded the ball on the ground for 10 of the 11 plays on the touchdown drive almost exclusively with the fresh legs of bruising running back John Clay. But, when Wisconsin broke the huddle on the two-point coversion play, they came out in a spread formation.

"I was definitely on the blitz," Carder said. "We thought they were going to run. Coach [Gary] Patterson put me on the blitz. I got blocked so I stepped back and he [Tolzien] cocked his arm back and I jumped up and swatted it down."

Carder's crushing sack on Tolzien ended a Wisconsin drive in the third quarter.

The junior finished with nine tackles, the sack and pass breakup, and was named Defensive Player of the Game.

The players selected for the ESPN.com 2010 All-America team illustrate how individuals may shine in the ultimate team game. Only 11 of the 25 best players in the nation will line up in a BCS bowl. Yet several of them, including TCU's Tank Carder and Tejay Johnson, have redefined the measure of success at their position.

To see the players selected for the team, click here.

TCU's No. 3 ranking and undefeated regular season meant a bunch of honors for the Frogs as the Mountain West announced all-conference honors on Tuesday. The list:

Offensive player of the year: TCU senior QB Andy Dalton. His accomplishments:
* The second player in league history to win back-to-back MWC Offensive Player of the Year honors (Bradlee Van Pelt, QB, Colorado State – 2002-03).
* He is also the first Horned Frog to earn back-to-back conference offensive player of the year honors since running back LaDainian Tomlinson won it in both 1999 and 2000.
* Is the ninth quarterback since the inception of the league to be named MWC Offensive Player of the Year.
* Ranks first in the MWC and fifth nationally in pass efficiency (167.0).
* Ranks fourth in the MWC and 46th in the FBS in passing yards per game (219.8). Also ranks second in the league and 33rd nationally in total offense with an average of 253.8 yards per game.
* Is currently averaging 33.9 rushing yards per game (407 total rushing yards).
* Has thrown for a career-high 2,638 yards this season with 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
* Named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week three times in 2010 (Sept. 20, Oct. 18 and Nov. 8).

Defensive player of the year: TCU junior LB Tank Carder
* He's the third TCU player to win Defensive Player of the Year honors in the last three seasons (Horned Frog DE Jerry Hughes claimed the award in 2008 and 2009).
* Has recorded a 54 tackles (31 solo) in 2010.
* Has notched 2.5 sacks (-12 yards) and 6.5 tackles for loss (-19 yards) this season. Also has registered five pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
* Anchors a TCU defense that is ranked first in the nation in total defense (215.4 yards per game), scoring defense (11.4 points per game) and pass defense (126.2 yards per game) and No. 3 in rush defense (89.2 yards per game).
* Instrumental in helping the Horned Frogs place first nationally in opponent third-down conversions (21.9 percent).
* Named to the 2010 AFCA Coaches’ All-America Second-Team.

Special teams player of the year: TCU senior Jeremy Kerley
* Kerley is the second player in Conference history to earn Special Teams Player of the Year honors multiple times since the inception of the award in 2006 (Utah PK/P Louie Sakoda won the award in 2006, 2007 and 2008).
* Ranks second in the MWC and 17th nationally with a punt return average of 12.9. Has 388 total yards on 30 punt returns.
* Ranks third in the league and tied for 18th nationally with a kick return average of 28.0. Has 476 total yards on 17 returns, including a career-long 83-yard effort at SMU on Sept. 24.
* Named the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week twice in 2010 (Sept. 27 and Oct. 18).

BTW, San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman was the freshman of the year and San Diego State's Brady Hoke was coach of the year.

So, the little guys get no respect, huh? Here's respect for you. In the AP Top 25 poll released Tuesday, Oklahoma and Florida took a tumble after sloppy performances, while TCU moved up two spots to No. 4 and No. 3 Boise State garnered eight first-place votes, twice as many as No. 2 Ohio State.

In terms of the national title picture, Boise and TCU are right there. And for the Frogs, they were just a couple of minutes away from likely taking Boise's third spot as it appeared Virginia Tech was going to complete the comeback and beat the Broncos on Monday night.

"We were all watching it," TCU linebacker Tank Carder said. "I was kind of feeling that they [Boise] were going to come back and do it."

A Boise loss would have eliminated the Broncos from any national title possibilities, and perhaps from the BCS picture, while elevating TCU as the lead horse in the race of the non-automatic qualifiers to get back to the BCS and possibly more.

"I had to root for Boise," Patterson said. "They're going to come in the [Mountain West] conference. You had to root for Boise, [even though] they could hurt us. I always believe that things happen for a reason. Things are going to happen for a reason."

Boise finished the job behind quarterback Kellen Moore in the final minutes with a touchdown drive. The Broncos' next big test is in three weeks against now-unranked Oregon State, which dropped its No. 24-ranking after a 30-21 loss to the Frogs Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium. The Broncos have this week off and play at Wyoming in two weeks.

The Frogs get Tennessee Tech for their home-opener on Saturday and will face Baylor at home in two weeks.

"You can't worry about it. All you can do is take care of yourself and play each week and let the chips fall as they may," TCU reciever Bart Johnson said of the rankings. "I wouldn't have been really disappointed if they had lost."

That they didn't only makes the coming weeks that much more intriguing.

The TCU Horned Frogs enter the 2010 season boasting the program's highest preseason rankings -- No. 6 in the Associated Press poll and No. 7 in the coaches poll -- after reaching unprecedented heights last season in playing in the BCS Fiesta Bowl.

The Frogs couldn't finish the job against fellow BCS-buster Boise State, but it only whet their appetite for more. TCU wants a shot at a national title. To have a chance they know they'll have to sweep their 12-game regular season that starts Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium against No. 24 Oregon State.

PODCAST
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit joins GAC to announce that he is ready for the start of another season and gives his pick for the TCU-Oregon State game. Listen

The Frog file:

2009 record: 12-1 (lost to Boise State in Fiesta Bowl, 17-10)
Starters returning: 19
Offensive starters returning: 9
Defensive starters returning: 7
Special teams returning: 3

Key offensive returners: QB Andy Dalton(needs one win to pass Sammy Baugh for most wins by a TCU quarterback); T Marcus Cannon (preseason All-American, ranked by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., as third-best OT in 2011 NFL Draft); C Jake Kirkpatrick (preseason All-American); WR Jeremy Kerley(team-high 44 receptions for 532 yards last season); WR Jimmy Young(115 career receptions are eighth all-time at TCU).
Will be missed:T Marshall Newhouse; RB Joseph Turner.

Key defensive returners:NT Kelly Griffin (became first true freshman in 2007 to start under Gary Patterson); DT Cory Grant (All-MWC last season, first as starter); DE Wayne Daniels (on Lombardi Trophy watch list, all-MWC last season); LB Tank Carder (preseason All-American, top returning tackler); FS Tejay Johnson (preseason All-American, tied for team lead in '09 with three interceptions).
Will be missed: DE Jerry Hughes; LB Daryl Washington; CB Rafael Priest; CB Nick Sanders

Key special teams returners:PK Ross Evans (first-team all-MWC, 15-of-18 FGs last season); KR/PR Jeremy Kerley (Four total kicks returned for touchdowns last season).

On the rise: WR Antoine Hicks(scored 10 touchdowns on 32 touches last season); RBs Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker(Both rushed for more than 600 yards and averaged better than 6.0 yards a carry last season); DE Stansly Maponga (could become only redsirt freshman to earn starting job for opener); CB Greg McCoy (4.32 speed, had two interceptions last season and an 81-yard kickoff return for touchdown).

Toughest schedule stretch:Oct. 16 vs. BYU; Oct. 23 vs. Air Force; Oct. 30 at UNLV; Nov. 6 at Utah.

By the numbers:
27: Seniors (tied for the lead nationally with Louisville)
12:Wins needed by 2010 seniors to become the winningest class in TCU history (a new mark has been set in each of the last two seasons)
110: Wins by Gary Patterson, to 38 losses, since Gary Patterson arrived as defensive coordinator in 1998 (10th year as head coach).

A lot of people believe TCU senior linebacker Tank Carder is headed for a big season.

Carder on Monday was named to the watch list for the Dick Butkus Award, honoring the nation's top linebacker.

Former TCU All-American Daryl Washington, who had a team-high 13 tackles for the Arizona Cardinals in his professional debut Saturday, was a 2009 Butkus Award semifinalist.

The Butkus Award is the fourth national award to recognize Carder, the Mountain West Conference Preseason Player of the Year, as a candidate. He also appears on watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award.

Carder, from Sweeney, was an All-MWC selection in his first year as a starter last season. His 89 tackles placed second on TCU behind only Washington (109) and were 19 more than the next-closest Horned Frog (Alex Ibiloye, 70). Carder was third with 10 tackles for loss and he topped the Horned Frogs while tying for second in the MWC with 10 pass breakups.

Carder is one of seven returning starters on a TCU defense that has led the nation in total defense each of the last two seasons.