Last season, it seemed that most of the nation was "late to the party" about Horned Frog wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Kerley. By the end of the 2009 season, he became widely recognized as a great kick returner, but Frog fans already knew he was more than that: A playmaker. Before the senior came bursting into the spotlight with his 69-yard highlight reel return against Colorado State he had already made his mark for TCU.
In the 2008 opener at New Mexico he showed a glimpse of his promise as a sophomore. On merely his second NCAA return, Kerley fielded the punt in the middle of the fourth quarter. He raced down the field 53 yards to set up the game-icing touchdown from quarterback Andy Dalton. From that point, his big play ability turned heads. The Hutto, TX native finished a strong sophomore campaign with 25 rushes for 143 yards and three touchdowns, 11 receptions for 95 yards and 25 punt returns for 348 yards with his 53-yarder as his longest return of the season.
Last season against SMU he "hit punt return pay-dirt" for the first time of his college career and became the first Horned Frog to do so in seven years. Two weeks later, he dazzled the NCAA world with his "Sportscenter Top Play"-earning run against the Rams. While these plays stood alone as two of the season's best, his biggest contributions come from more than just the return game.
Kerley led all receivers in receptions and receiving yards last season with 44 grabs for 532 yards and two touchdowns. He added 50 rushing yards and three touchdowns and even tossed a 44 yard pass completion to Bart Johnson against BYU to make himself TCU's most versatile threat in 2009. As proof, no other Horned Frog even came close to touching his team-leading 1,624 all-purpose yards. Ed Wesley led everyone else with 808. While Dalton's name has been sprinkled into Heisman discussions around the Metroplex, Kerley might be the most dazzling player for the Frogs.
Kerley's outlook for 2010 looks even better than last season. He has the same quarterback passing to him and comes back with all the same receivers he had around him in '09. Because of the variety of weapons available for the Horned Frog passing game he may not put up big numbers, but he doesn't have to. A 60-catch, 600+ yard receiving season is very attainable for Kerley and would serve as a huge contribution. He also stands a good chance to take three or more punts to the house, although opposing punters are more likely to avoid him now.
Whether they do or not though, Kerley will be a game changer for 2010. Head Coach Gary Patterson will find ways to get the ball into his hands. He can return, he can catch, he can run and he can even throw. With skills like that, big things are bound to happen. When it does, enjoy the show.
Players to watch:
LB Tank Carder
QB Andy Dalton
Go back to the Mountain West Conference season preview.
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