Most teams aren't going to be able to simply shrug off the loss a senior running back who's averaged better than 6 yards per carry for his career and has racked up better than 2,400 career rushing yards. We're about to find out if TCU is one of those teams.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Saturday that tailback Ed Wesley will not be part of his Horned Frogs' inaugural season in the Big 12, having left school to attend to family-related issues. Coach Gary Patterson confirmed the news Saturday night.
The loss of Wesley continues what has been a rocky offseason for the Frogs, one that should have been dominated by the excitement of preparing for their new league (and donning their new uniforms) but has instead made headlines for its collection of drug arrests, dismissed players, and now the loss of Wesley.
On the one hand, the Frogs are (on paper, at least) well-positioned to weather Wesley's departure. The rising senior actually finished second on the team in rushing in 2011, with sophomore Waymon James collecting 875 yards to Wesley's 726 and averaging 7.23 yards an attempt to Wesley's 6.05. (The latter, impressive as it is, was actually the worst for Wesley in his three seasons in Forth Worth).
And James and Wesley weren't even the only frogs to crack the 700-yard mark, with junior Matthew Tucker rushing for 702 and averaging a healthy 5.7 yards per-carry himself.
But on the other hand, we're still talking about the tailback who as sophomore became the first Frog in six years to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, earned first-team All-Mountain West honors, and became a Doak Walker Award semifinalist. Patterson knew a healthy and motivated Wesley could carry a full load for a full season if he had to; James probably can, especially with Tucker's help, but without Wesley things are still that much more uncertain.
Patterson still sounds upbeat about his team's prospects in the Big 12, and at a position as deep as tailback, the loss of Wesley likely won't change that. But it's easy to say in May, and harder come October -- particularly if James is either injured or underperforms. This is a sizable blow all the same.
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