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Monday, March 22, 2010
The TCU football team, with 16 of 22 starters returning from last season's 12-1 squad, returns to the field Tuesday at 4 p.m. for the start of spring practice.
Per NCAA rules, the Horned Frogs will have 15 practices. The Spring Game is April 10. TCU will have three practices after the Spring Game as spring drills will conclude April 15.
The Horned Frogs welcome back 14 All-Mountain West Conference selections from last season, including three All-Americans in quarterback Andy Dalton, return specialist Jeremy Kerley and center Jake Kirkpatrick.
Nine starters return from a 2009 offensive unit that ranked fifth in the country in scoring (38.3 points per game) and rushing (239.5 yards per game) while placing seventh in total offense (456.7 yards per game). The Horned Frogs set single-season school records for points scored (498), first downs (311) and total offense (5,937 yards).
TCU returns 69.7 percent of its rushing yards from a year ago as well as 86.6 percent of its receptions.
TCU has posted the nation's top-ranked defense each of the last two seasons and four times since 2000. Since the NCAA began tracking statistics in 1937, TCU is tied with Alabama and Auburn for the most No. 1 rankings in total defense at four. All four of the Horned Frogs top marks (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009) are under Gary Patterson.
Last year's No. 1 ranking came despite losing seven starters to graduation, including three to the NFL, off the nation's top unit in 2008. The Horned Frogs have seven defensive starters returning this season.
TCU closed last year sixth in the Associated Press and USA Today polls for its third top-10 ranking in the last five seasons.
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