FORT WORTH, TX - TCU football fans are expecting big things from their football team this season and so apparently is the press. The Horned Frogs are ranked seventh in the preseason coaches poll behind Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Texas, Boise State and Virginia Tech.
Their only loss in a 12-1 season last year was to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. Another indicator is the number of preseason All-American honors. Seven TCU players have received preseason All-American honors with six players appearing on watch lists for national awards.
After last season, TCU head coach Gary Patterson cleaned up by taking home virtually all of the national coach of the year awards. The final total was nine.
"I'm very apperciative, I'm very humbled by it, and I also understand that this year, it doesn't mean anything," Patterson said at the time. Now it's the players turn to pick up some recognition.
Below is an updated TCU preseason honor roll, as of Aug. 12. The list was complied by Mark Cohen, director of Media Relations at TCU:
Gary Patterson, Head Coach
*Preseason Coach of the Year, Playboy
Marcus Cannon, OT
*Outland Trophy Watch List
*Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
*Preseason All-American, Playboy
*Preseason Second-Team All-American, Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports
*Preseason Third-Team All-American, Phil Steele's College Football Preview
*Preseason Honorable-Mention All-American, NationalChamps.net
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*Best Offensive Lineman in Texas, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*Preseason First-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*All-Texas Team, Sporting News
*Ranked third among offensive tackles for the 2011 NFL Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
*Ranked fifth in the nation among offensive tackles, Lindy's
Tank Carder, LB
*Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
*Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
*Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
*Preseason Third-Team All-American, Sporting News
*Preseason Fourth-Team All-American, Phil Steele's College Football Preview
*Preseason Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*Best Linebacker in Texas, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*Preseason First-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*All-Texas Team, Sporting News
*Ranked 10th in the nation among inside linebackers, Lindy's
*One of 12 "New stars you must know" in 2010, CollegeFootballNews.com
Andy Dalton, QB
*Davey O'Brien Award Watch List
*Manning Award Watch List
*Johnny Unitas Award Watch List
*Maxwell Award Watch List
*One of 30 "Players to Watch" for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
*Preseason Honorable-Mention All-American, NationalChamps.net
*Preseason Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*Ranked 12th in the nation among quarterbacks, Lindy's
*One of 10 "Players who will take their game to the next level" in 2010, CollegeFootballNews.com
Wayne Daniels, DE
*Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*Preseason Second-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*One of 10 "Fresh new faces" in 2010, CBSSports.com
Ross Evans, PK
*Preseason Honorable-Mention All-American, NationalChamps.net
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*Preseason First-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*All-Texas Team, Sporting News
Cory Grant, DT
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*All-Texas Team, Sporting News
Kelly Griffin, NT
*Preseason Second-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
Tejay Johnson, S
*Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
*Lott Trophy Watch List
*Thorpe Award Watch List
*Preseason Second-Team All-American, Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports
*Preseason Third-Team All-American, Phil Steele's College Football Preview
*Preseason Second-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*Ranked 10th in the nation among safeties, Lindy's
*Nominee for Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
*Nominee for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
Jeremy Kerley, PR
*Preseason First-Team All-American, Phil Steele's College Football Preview
*Preseason First-Team All-American, Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports
*Preseason First-Team All-American, NationalChamps.net
*Preseason Second-Team All-American, Sporting News
*Preseason Third-Team All-American, Athlon
*Preseason Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference, Return Specialist
*Preseason First-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
*All-Texas Team, Sporting News
Jake Kirkpatrick, C
*Outland Trophy Watch List
*Rimington Trophy Watch List
*Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
*Preseason First-Team All-American, Sports Illustrated
*Preseason First-Team All-American, Sporting News
*Preseason First-Team All-American, Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports
*Preseason Second-Team All-American, NationalChamps.net
*Preseason All-Mountain West Conference
*Preseason First-Team All-Texas College, Dave Campbell's 2010 Texas Football
*Ranked third in the nation among centers, Lindy's
Jason Teague, CB
*Named an "Under-the-radar difference-maker to watch" in 2010, Rivals.com
TCU Offensive Backfield
*Ranked fifth in the nation, Lindy's