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TCU kicker Ross Evans is the all-time point leader at the school. For detail-oriented Gary Patterson, a man who seems to never forget a single play of any football game he has ever coached, that is secondary these days.

At yesterday’s weekly press conference, a reporter opened Pandora’s Box by asking if Ross Evans will play this week. Evans reportedly stormed an apartment in Denton (35 miles from TCU) to retrieve a cell phone for his girl friend, kicking down the door to do so. At a school which prides itself on “no incidents,” Patterson went bananas. This occurred late Wednesday night, before the Boise State game.

First off, Patterson rhetorically asked why this guy was up in Denton on Wednesday night the week of the Boise State game? You are a member of a tight-knit team ready to face its biggest challenge of the year. You represent yourself, the university, your parents, your friends, and you are out late at night at another school, kicking in someone’s apartment door? Damn right, I’m angry!!!!

It gets better….Patterson: in this state, many people in apartments have guns and aren’t afraid to use them. You break down somebody’s door, and you are likely to get blown up! And the shooter may walk! I can’t believe one of our players is that stupid.

Then we go to Boise, and he misses an extra point, so we had to go for two prematurely. Then after we get the lead with a minute to play, he kicks off out of bounds! Is this the result of your escapade in Denton??? Damn right, I am angry!

Then a reporter mentions that Evans is a senior and the next game is his last game and he has scored many points for TCU, ya-da-ya-da….big mistake. Patterson replies—this senior class is all going to graduate, just like last year’s all graduated. None of them have had any issues with professors, administration, the law, etc. Ross Evans let them all down; I am not sure I want him sharing that same honor they will have when they play for the last time at home. And as for all the points… what good does that do us in 2008 when we are about to beat Utah on the road and get our first-ever BCS bid, and he misses two short field goals in a 3 point loss???? Then he kicks the ball out of bounds against Boise State and almost gives away our comeback??? (editor’s note—he did the same thing in week one against Baylor after TCU took a 48-47 lead. He also missed two short fg’s in that game— good thing nobody asked Coach Patterson about that).

But just when you thought the attack on Evans was going overboard, a reporter asked Patterson if he thought maybe drugs were involved in Evans’ behavior? That started a one minute diatribe about irresponsible reporting to even ask such an assinine question and tossing out the possibility of such a rumor. “At least read the police report before even suggesting such a thing. If I thought that was even a possibility, I would have booted him off the team immediately.” After another question, Patterson jumped back to the previous guy with the stupid drug question, with an “I may be pissed at Ross, but I’ll be damned if I will let you brand him as a drug user”…type answer.

I have a feeling we may not see Ross Evans on Saturday. If we do, I sense he won’t try any positional kickoffs— just right down the middle.

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