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With top two quarterbacks hurt, Gary Patterson banking on running game to get past Baylor

FORT WORTH -- There is "no such thing as a perfect day," said TCU coach Gary Patterson, the perennial pessimist.

For example, take Tuesday.

The Frogs (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) have another ailing quarterback.

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Patterson said freshman Shawn Robinson is questionable for Friday's home game against Baylor. Beat one-win Baylor and TCU goes into the Big 12 title game for a rematch with Oklahoma.

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Robinson started last week's win at Texas Tech in place of Kenny Hill, out because of a concussion. Patterson put Hill in the hazy world between questionable and probable for Baylor. Hill did return to practice.

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"It could be any of the three quarterbacks who play," Patterson said.

TCU does not list a No. 3 quarterback on its depth chart. Grayson Muehlstein probably is next in line should the unlikely scenario of Hill and Robinson missing the Baylor game play out. It would mark the first time since 1991 that the Frogs started three different quarterbacks in a season.

Muehlstein, a junior from Decatur, has appeared in four games in his career. He took snaps late in this season's routs of Jackson State and Kansas. Muehlstein ran three times for 9 yards during last year's 62-22 rout of Baylor.

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No matter the quarterback, Patterson wants to see an offense that shows a better running game.

It is the easiest way to put away Baylor, which ranks No. 100 out of 130 FBS-level teams with 197.0 rushing yards allowed per game. Baylor will also be without its top defender, linebacker Taylor Young.

When Patterson mentions the need to run better, he has an eye on the rematch with Oklahoma. That would be the best way to keep Oklahoma's high-octane offense off the field.

Darius Anderson has been the lead back this season, but he is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of an injury incurred during the loss at Oklahoma on Nov. 11.

Robinson ran the option well in his start. If he plays against Baylor, TCU may be less inclined to have Robinson run and risk aggravating the unspecified injury.

TCU needs back Kyle Hicks to fill the void.

Hicks has been inconsistent this season.

A year ago, he played in every game and ran for 1,042 yards with a per-carry average of 5.1 yards. Hicks has missed two games this season and has run for only 554 yards with a per-carry average of 4.8 yards.

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"We need somebody to step up and do what Darus Anderson did," Patterson said.

"It's time for Kyle Hicks to be the guy who does that.

"For us to have a chance to win the last two games and go into the bowl game, it's going to be important that he's able to do what we need him to do."

Hicks had his best performance of last season against Baylor. He ran for a career-high 192 yards with a per-carry average of 7.2 yards. Hicks also tied a school record for touchdowns with five.

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"We ran the ball a lot, which is fun for us," center Austin Schlottmann said of last year's win. "It's always fun when we're successful running the ball. He played great. Hopefully, we can set him up to have another great game."

Would that make it a perfect day for Patterson? Probably not. Remember the joking words of TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte, who said that in the offseason Patterson "grows weeds so that he can pull them."

Twitter: @gfraley

A look at the FBS-level running backs with 2,000+ yards rushing and 800+ yards receiving for the last two seasons combined:

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Runner

School

Rushing

Receiving

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Phillip Lindsay

Colorado

3,703

1,071

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Ito Smith

Southern Mississippi

4,294

1,408

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Saquon Barkley

Penn State

3,629

1,153

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Kyle Hicks

TCU

2,018

821