TCU Defense Loses another Starter, LB Mike Freeze Leaves Horned Frogs

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

TCU may still be a team of destiny but the offense will have to carry a greater load after several recent incidents have made the defensive side of the ball a shell of a unit from the start of fall camp. On Wednesday head coach Gary Patterson announced the loss of yet another starter, linebacker Mike Freeze.

Freeze (6’3”, 220), a true freshman from Graham (TX) per Patterson took a “personal leave of absence.” The departure had nothing to do with disciplinary problems.

When asked about the timeline of Freeze’s absence from the Horned Frogs squad, Patterson responded stating, “I don’t know. Maybe forever.”

For those of you not familiar with TCU’s starting defense or the current state of affairs in Fort Worth, TCU is now down four starters from the start of the season after defensive end James McFarland broke his toe, defensive tackle Davion Pierson is out again in Week 2 against Stephen F. Austin with an undisclosed injury, and another starting linebacker, Sammy Douglas, is out for the season also with an undisclosed injury. The loss of Douglas is especially challenging, he was TCU’s most experienced linebacker playing in 13 games last season.

Who is left to fill in at TCU’s two linebacker spots? Freshmen Ty Summers and Alex Dunham are now the top frogs. Dunham, like Freeze, is a true freshman.

Depending on how one looks at TCU’s schedule, the Frogs do not play a tough team until Oct. 10 when the team travels to Kansas State. The next challenge maybe Oct. 29 at home against West Virginia or Nov. 7 at Oklahoma State. The big games on the schedule are the final two games of the season when Oklahoma comes to town and TCU heads south to Waco to face Baylor.

TCU’s defense finished the 2014 season as the No. 18 unit in the nation but only returned five starters for the 2015 campaign. The offense is still loaded despite an underwhelming 23-17 opening win performance against Minnesota in Week 1.

Photo credit: 247sports.com; No. 34 Mike Freeze.