Sep 13, 2014; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) drops back to pass against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Amon G. Carter Stadium. TCU beat Minnesota 30-7. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
From apologies to acrobatics. What a difference a week made for TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin.
The apology came when the 5-1 Horned Frogs played at West Virginia a week after putting 82 on the scoreboard against woeful Texas Tech. Boykin torched the Red Raiders for 433 passing yards and seven touchdowns, but against the Mountaineers, he hit only 12 of 30 passes for 160 yards. TCU survived, 31-30, on a field goal as time expired.
The Frogs’ signal caller stood up in the postgame locker room, blamed himself for the sub-par offensive performance and said that he had to play better.
A week later, at home against No. 7, once-defeated Kansas State, Boykin did just that as TCU won, 41-20. The junior quarterback threw for 219 yards and one touchdown, and ran for 123 yards and three more scores.
That’s where the acrobatics come in.
On his second touchdown run, a 19-yard first-down scamper in the third quarter, Boykin sprinted to the 5-yard line, then did a somersault, hurling himself into the air … and into the end zone … giving the Horned Frogs an insurmountable 24-7 lead.
No apology was needed this time.
“We just talked about winning,” TCU head coach Gary Patterson said, reflecting on conversations with Boykin during the past week. “We just talked about beating Kansas State. He’s a mature kid. He’s grown up and understands what you’ve got to do.”
Horned Frogs opponents know what Boykin can do.
“I’ve always thought he’s been a great player,” legendary Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said after the game. “You guys (the media) talk like he’s all of a sudden come to the forefront.”
For sure, Boykin isn’t a newcomer. As a redshirt freshman, he started nine games, completed 57.2 percent of his passes for 2,054 yards and 15 touchdowns, and ran for 417 yards and three scores. He became the first TCU player to throw four scoring passes in consecutive games.
Then, in the disappointing 2013 season, the versatile 6-2, 205-pounder, was called on to play several positions. He threw for 1,198 yards and seven scores and ran for 313 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes and returned a punt. He was the only player in the nation to have a game with 100 yards receiving, 100 yards rushing and 200 yards passing. After spring practice, there was still a question about whether Boykin should be the starter under center.
It didn’t take him long to answer that question and largely due to that, the Horned Frogs posted an 11-1 season and were ranked among the nation’s best teams.
Boykins’ teammates understand that he is the leader on and off the field.
“He’s the vocal leader, then he goes on the field and he plays,” receiver Kolby Listenbee said after the West Virginia game. “He goes out and stands up for everybody. He apologizes when he makes mistakes. … He gives everybody else confidence, so everybody else believes in him, too.”
Boykin has put up pinball type numbers, set records and helped his team be among the nation’s leaders in scoring. He was named a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, given annually to the top college quarterback nationally. O’Brien was a TCU All-American and Heisman Trophy winner in 1938.
“It’s crazy to be one of the guys that’s just under the radar,” Boykin said. “I always try to overachieve in everything that I do.”
