On a late afternoon in early July, after local dignitaries had sung his praises, Jameis Winston addressed 500 family members, friends and fans at the high school stadium where he became a Hueytown, Alabama, legend. The crowd was clad in garnet and gold to honor all he'd done in his one season at FSU.

Confidence, Winston told them, was the key to his success. "I've got this perception about me that Jameis is cocky, overconfident," he said. "If you hold yourself to a certain standard, people are going to talk. But that's you being yourself, and this is a blessing."

His confidence transformed a team mired in mediocrity, but it's a double-edged swagger. Heading into the spring, he was already under intense scrutiny, even after being cleared in the inquiry into an alleged sexual assault. From stolen crab legs to Jameis Winston Day in Bama country, this offseason has had no more divisive storyline or bigger character.

For his encore to end with a second title, or a second Heisman, or even a reclaimed image, Winston must show, not just tell, that the perception isn't reality.

There was an inescapable feeling watching Jacob Coker in a private workout this spring. He was a model QB: 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, athletic with arm strength and full of moxie. But there was still this nagging sense that he shouldn't even have been in Mobile.

Maybe it was the pouring rain. Or the way his crimson shirt clashed with his scarlet-and-gold cleats. Or the simple understanding that he'll always be linked to FSU -- the job he lost to Jameis Winston, the Noles apparel still in his closet, his shiny BCS title ring.

But Coker, who threw only 41 times in his three years at FSU, could just as easily be a lemon as the leader of Alabama's next juggernaut. Either way, Nick Saban is all-in on the former three-star prep. This isn't a move of choice but of desperation. If it fails, the blame goes to Saban and staff. After three straight No. 1 recruiting classes, you'd think there'd be a decent arm on the roster. But if Coker hadn't transferred, the Tide simply wouldn't be in the playoff mix.

Saban needs Coker to be as advertised. If not, Bama will be an outsider looking in at the new playoff.

The Sooners brand had gone stale.

The defense, which used to freight-train opponents, was getting lit up. The offense lived in the pocket-passing stone age. Even recurring BCS bowl berths were old hat. "People get bored with just winning the Big 12," Bob Stoops said.

To revive OU, Stoops reinvented it. In 2012, he tapped younger brother Mike to fix the D, then fired three line coaches in February 2013. Six months later, he started the QB carousel, ditching presumed starter Blake Bell for dual threat Trevor Knight.

Stoops' gambles have worked, to a degree. OU led the Big 12 in total D (350.2 YPG), but then again, the Sooners gave up 516 yards in a 45-31 win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Knight threw for 348 yards (or 42 percent of his season total) vs. Bama but must prove he's no one-game wonder. So this fall will be a litmus test. After just five career starts, Knight is the man now that Bell has moved to tight end. And the D, loaded with quick pass-rushers, has the makings of one of the Big 12's top front sevens. "We've changed the whole vibe of Oklahoma football," Mike Stoops says.

It's like brand new.

Oregon used to own Stanford. Ask Andrew Luck. But that's all changed the past two seasons, with the Cardinal spoiling the Ducks' national title hunt -- twice. Oregon is quick to blame Marcus Mariota's knee injury for its 2013 loss, but public perception is the bottom line. Once is a fluke. Twice? Coincidence. Three times is habit.

Losing to Stanford is one trend coach Mark Helfrich must end in 2014. If not, Eugene could cloud over with another year of unmet expectations. If that sounds unlikely for a team that went 11-2 last year, consider the evidence.

The season after Chip Kelly bolted, Oregon failed to reach a BCS bowl for the first time in five years. And there have been other fissures under Helfrich: the white-flag effort at Arizona; budding star WR Bralon Addison blew out his knee this spring; and since March, nine players have been either dismissed due to behavior issues or left in search of playing time.

That's not to say Oregon has come unhinged, not with Mariota and 17 upperclassmen in the starting lineup, but Helfrich knows he must tighten the screws. He can't resurrect Kelly's "win the day" culture -- and make it his own -- without a win over Stanford.

Thirteen seconds. That's how long it takes to put on a tie or send a text message. For Auburn, it was the difference between winning and losing a national championship.

There were only 13 seconds left when Jameis Winston found Kelvin Benjamin in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown, propelling Florida State past Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game. Had the Tigers held on for 13 more seconds, we would've been talking about the greatest turnaround in college football history and the school's second title in four years. Instead, it will be remembered as the magical season that came up just short.

Now, as Gus Malzahn heads into his second season as Auburn's head coach, the culture around the program has changed. The Tigers are no longer sneaking up on anybody. The target will be placed squarely on their back this season, and that's exactly where Malzahn wants it. They have seven starters returning on offense, seven on defense, and those 13 seconds will be what keeps this team motivated and hungry to get back. Their goal isn't just to make college football's first playoff. Their goal is to win it.

The banner with the motto in big, bold letters is still hanging in the practice facility, a daily reminder that it wasn't able to accomplish its goals a year ago.

"The Chase" is still on for the Buckeyes.

Despite cruising through a second consecutive unbeaten regular season, Urban Meyer's team followed up a 24-game winning streak with back-to-back losses in the Big Ten championship game and Orange Bowl, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of the Buckeyes and a mission that remains unfinished.

"We didn't accomplish it last year, so we're still chasing, still trying to finish the chase," defensive tackle Michael Bennett said. "I think it's good that they didn't just change it up for the sake of changing it up. If anything, I think guys feel it more now, that motto hits us closer to home now."

The Buckeyes certainly came close to needing a new mantra a year ago, but a horrendous pass defense ultimately proved their undoing as the season came to a close. New co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash was hired to patch up those problems, and if he can help provide a complement to Ohio State's explosive offense with quarterback Braxton Miller back for one more season, the program might be able to hang a different kind of banner.

Head coach Mark Dantonio described Michigan State's brilliant, Rose Bowl-winning 2013 season as "completion." But he and his Spartans are far from finished.

After climbing all the way to No. 3 in the final polls last season, they see their next step as reaching the College Football Playoff and cementing their newly elite status. They'll get a chance to do that early on with a Week 2 showdown at Oregon before doing battle with Ohio State in the Big Ten's new East Division.

One of the nation's top defenses over the past few years will have to replace veteran stars like Thorpe Award winner Darqueze Dennard and linebackers Denicos Allen and Max Bullough. But loads of holdover and fresh talent are in place, including reigning Big Ten defensive lineman of the year Shilique Calhoun. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi decided to stay in East Lansing after winning the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant. The offense returns almost everybody, led by quarterback Connor Cook, who was the surprise MVP of both the Big Ten title game and the Rose Bowl win over Stanford. The focus this offseason was about avoiding complacency. It's possible that these Spartans are just getting started.

Heading into its third season under coach Jim Mora, UCLA has gone from perennial underachiever to dark horse national title contender. The Bruins have fallen short of high expectations before, but this squad feels different. While this team has plenty of speed and flash, best realized with an up-tempo offense, this crew also has plenty of grit on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

From a preseason perspective, there doesn't appear to be an obvious weakness or big question, though Mora is counting on some young players who flashed potential in 2013 to grow up this fall. They are led by QB Brett Hundley, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, who surprised some folks when he opted to return instead of entering the NFL draft. On defense, they have talent at all three levels, though replacing the production of outside linebacker and NFL first-round pick Anthony Barr won't be easy. The LBs are led by sophomore Myles Jack, who again is expected to play both ways while getting carries at running back. The defensive line could end up the best unit in the Pac-12.

Mora turned down overtures in the offseason from Texas and Washington. Why? Because he thinks he's building a national program in Westwood.

Gone are the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft and the player Steve Spurrier called the greatest quarterback in South Carolina history. Jadeveon Clowney and Connor Shaw both left indelible marks on the Gamecocks' program, but it's also a program that's in the midst of an unprecedented run, a run that nobody in Columbia, South Carolina, sees ending any time soon.

Spurrier, pushing 70 and seemingly getting younger all the time, has engineered three straight 11-win seasons. South Carolina has finished in the top 10 in the Associated Press poll each of those three seasons, one of three schools nationally along with Alabama and Oregon that can make that claim.

Extending that streak to four straight years won't be easy, especially with so many question marks in the defensive secondary. But the Gamecocks return what should be one of the best offensive lines in the country, a fifth-year senior quarterback in Dylan Thompson who's been money in relief, a 1,000-yard rusher in Mike Davis and a roster full of fresh faces eager to keep the Gamecocks among college football's elite. Spurrier has already accomplished more at South Carolina than anybody thought possible. Now, if he can only bring the Gamecocks their first SEC championship.

The two-time defending Pac-12 champion ended the BCS era as the lone school to qualify for BCS bowls the last four years. As the playoff era begins, Stanford's goal remains the same: win the Pac-12. And although Oregon is the clear favorite in the North Division, the Cardinal's recent success -- overall and against Oregon specifically -- and returning talent is enough to warrant inclusion in the top-10 and Pac-12 title conversation.

There's no doubt the program will miss former defensive coordinator Derek Mason, who left for Vanderbilt, and the five defensive starters from last season currently in NFL training camps, but the Cardinal should still be stout defensively. Longtime defensive assistant Lance Anderson takes over for Mason and inherits experience at every level of the defense, including one of the most talented secondaries the team has had in years.

Contrary to national perception, quarterback Kevin Hogan improved in 2013 and enters his third year as a starter with one of the conference's top groups of receivers, led by Ty Montgomery and Devon Cajuste. The Cardinal also expect to reintroduce the intermediate passing game -- something that was just about nonexistent last year -- with a trio of talented redshirt freshmen tight ends.

Art Briles and his Bears just keep collecting shiny new things, don't they?

Last year, they unveiled the gold chrome helmet. They rolled out their bright new quarterback, Bryce Petty. And then they rolled to their first Big 12 championship trophy.

Briles even picked up a championship belt -- which he proudly showed off during a magazine shoot -- to commemorate a year and a team Baylor won't soon forget.

"We've got the belt around our waist and it's buckled up pretty tight," Briles said this spring. "It'll be a struggle to get that sucker off of us."

But there are better, brighter things on Baylor's horizon, starting with pristine new McLane Stadium (price tag: $260 million). The 45,000-seat palace is state-of-the-art in every way, a perfect match for a Baylor offense that should be next-level great in 2014.

Petty, now a senior, is a year wiser and sharper, and he gets sparking new toys -- watch out for RB Johnny Jefferson, WR K.D. Cannon and TE Tre'Von Armstead -- to go along with gems like Antwan Goodley and Shock Linwood.

What stands in Baylor's way of a golden ticket to the College Football Playoff? The only question marks are on defense, where DC Phil Bennett must find new starters who can play up to the level of last year's game-changing unit.

Even with record-setting quarterback Aaron Murray gone, the Bulldogs shouldn't have a problem scoring points, as most of an offense that averaged 484.2 yards and nearly 37 points per game in 2013 returns. With a stacked backfield, led by Heisman Trophy candidate Todd Gurley, and a talented, veteran group of receivers, fifth-year senior Hutson Mason should pick up right where Murray left off.

The real questions for Georgia come on defense, where new DC Jeremy Pruitt could have his hands full all year. The loss of three starters in the secondary won't make things easier, as the Bulldogs will have to turn to a handful of inexperienced players to fill up a secondary that ranked 95th nationally in yards allowed per pass attempt (7.7).

What will help is arguably the nation's best linebacker corps, headed by Ramik Wilson, Jordan Jenkins and possible breakout performer Leonard Floyd, who should be one of the SEC's best pass rushers this fall.

The Bulldogs get tested right out of the gate with Clemson and trip to South Carolina to start the season. Begin the season 2-0, and Georgia could be in great shape to return to the SEC championship game.

What's a reasonable expectation from a bunch of freshmen playing in the toughest division in college football? LSU coach Les Miles will be able to answer that question by the end of the season -- because he'll probably have first-time performers all over the field this fall.

We're talking about key players at running back (No. 1 overall prospect Leonard Fournette), receivers (Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn), defensive line (take your pick from a big group of redshirts and true freshmen), safety (Jamal Adams) and the possible starting quarterback (early enrollee Brandon Harris). Talent is definitely not an issue -- the Tigers' 2014 signing class ranked second in ESPN's recruiting rankings -- but a typically demanding SEC West slate, a visit to Florida and an opener against Wisconsin provide little opportunity for the youngsters to develop in a low-pressure environment.

LSU returns four starters on the offensive line and has a solid core back from a defense that showed promise toward the end of 2013. But the key factor this season will be whether the many inexperienced Tigers can perform like veterans this season. They're going to contend for championships, but it might not be until 2015 or 2016 if the youngsters experience typical growing pains.

At some places, a 10-win season is just about reason enough to erect a bronze statue of the head coach in front of whatever stadium the team calls home. Then there's USC. For the Trojans, 10-4 reeked of disappointment in 2013 as the team's conference title drought reached five years.

Dating back to the formation of the Pac-8 in 1968, USC has only gone more than five years without claiming at least a share of the conference title on one other occasion -- a six-year stretch beginning in 1996. That, of course, was followed by one of the most impressive seven-year runs in college football history as the Trojans finished no lower than No. 4 in the final AP poll from 2002 to 2008.

While the Trojans don't appear quite ready to make that same kind of splash -- and have a much tougher conference now to deal with -- they're trending back in that direction under the guidance of first-year coach Steve Sarkisian. With one of the most talented defenses in the country and a revamped, up-tempo offense, the Trojans are contenders in what should be a very competitive Pac-12 South.

All those wishing for a "Brian Kelly offense" after the coach was hired from Cincinnati may finally be getting what they asked for. As Kelly enters Year 5 in South Bend, Indiana, he finally comes armed with a pair of quarterbacks who appear capable of running his attack with the speed and efficiency that many expected after seeing his final Bearcats team put up nearly 40 points per game.

One of those quarterbacks, expected starter Everett Golson, helped guide Notre Dame to the national title game as a redshirt freshman. Back after an academic suspension and plenty of work with quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr., Golson enters camp battling with redshirt freshman Malik Zaire, a left-hander who is sure to extend this race to the finish line.

The starter will have a handful of weapons at his disposal, with receiver DaVaris Daniels leading a deep but young pool of receivers to go along with three talented running backs. More important, however, is the added responsibility on the offense. Having lost both coordinators to head-coaching jobs, Kelly will resume play-calling duties while college and pro coaching veteran Brian VanGorder takes over a defense that is thin and young up front. For the first time in the Kelly era, the Irish offense will be leading the defense, which, at the very least, should make for some exciting matchups given the names on Notre Dame's schedule.

Ask Dabo Swinney about the program he's built, and he'll quickly note the three straight seasons with at least 10 wins at Clemson, a feat that hadn't been accomplished there since 1990. But ask Swinney about the Tigers' prospects for 2014, and the last thing he's interested in talking about is the past.

Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins made history at Clemson, but they're gone now, and they've taken the old game plan for winning with them. If the old Tigers were about fireworks on offense, the new group is built around creating chaos on D.

For two years, Clemson worked to live down the embarrassment of a 70-33 Orange Bowl loss to West Virginia, but this season's Tigers' D bears little resemblance to that crew. Vic Beasley leads a group that includes five returning players who had at least 10 tackles for loss last season, and Clemson's defensive front projects as one of the nation's best.

The offense will be led by senior Cole Stoudt, but dynamic freshman Deshaun Watson is waiting in the wings. The receiving corps is thin. The line is revamped. The backfield is deep but unproven. It'd be enough to worry most coaches, but Swinney remains ever the optimist.

"You lose great players every year, and every team does," Swinney said. "I don't see it as a crossroads or anything like that. Our expectation is to go for our fourth year in a row of 10-plus wins."

Wisconsin has straddled the line between good and great for two decades, collecting Big Ten titles and Rose Bowl appearances but rarely entering the national championship discussion. Melvin Gordon intends to take the Badgers across the threshold.

Perhaps more than any other Badger, Gordon, who turned down the NFL for another shot at greatness, understands what a playoff run would mean for the program.

"You'll get labeled as one of the elite teams," the running back said. "After all Wisconsin's done, people still don't consider us a high-caliber team. We still get overlooked at times."

It's hard to imagine for a program that has eight seasons of nine or more wins since 2004. But without a national title, Wisconsin's ascent won't be complete.

The Badgers don't look like a typical contender. They have major questions at quarterback, wide receiver and throughout a defense featuring new faces at new positions. The schedule is favorable following an opening test against LSU in Houston, but second-year coach Gary Andersen must maximize a revamped roster.

"You've got to find a way to make those 10-12 special plays that allow you to move from a bad team to a good team," Andersen said, "or a good team to a great team."

Much of the discussion surrounding Texas A&M heading into 2014 involves players who won't be suiting up for the Aggies this fall.

Everyone's curious what life after Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans and Jake Matthews will resemble.

The Aggies should be fine offensively because, even with the loss of three NFL first-round draft picks, they have plenty of talent, from four returning starters along the offensive line, three returning scholarship running backs who each had carries last year and a young, talented receiving corps. The only real question offensively is who will be calling the signals on Aug. 28 -- sophomore Kenny Hill or true freshman Kyle Allen.

Where the Aggies must improve is on defense, where the team was downright poor last season. The cause isn't helped by the fact that three would-be returning starters have either been dismissed or left the team. What was a young defense is still very much that and the effort to build quality SEC depth is ongoing.

The Aggies can score, but can they keep opponents from lighting up the scoreboard?

If the Rebels are going to really take the next step under Hugh Freeze, they have to beat one of the big boys. Fifteen wins, including two bowl victories, have certainly been applauded, but more is now expected from Ole Miss. Freeze is just 2-7 against Top 25 teams.

Getting West contenders Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State at home should help, but it'll take more than home-field advantage to send the Rebels to Atlanta. Even with depth issues, Ole Miss has a solid foundation on both sides of the ball and should get even more out of that historic 2013 class.

The defense could be fun to watch, especially the defensive line. Former No. 1 recruit Robert Nkemdiche is moving to tackle, where he's excelled so far. But the key will be getting to the quarterback, and the return of defensive end C.J. Johnson should really boost this defense after a leg injury cut his 2013 season short.

Quarterback Bo Wallace, whose inconsistency has hurt Ole Miss in the past, could be the X factor. Despite an up-and-down career, things could be different this season, as Wallace has finally gotten over a shoulder injury that has plagued him for two years and is throwing with much more confidence.

Chris Petersen excelled at Boise State but there was always a but whenever anyone talked about his success. Now in a power conference, he's going to have the eyes of the country on him as he takes his first steps. So, what will his freshman year in the Pac-12 look like?

Offensively, he'll need to find replacements for quarterback Keith Price (2,966 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns), running back Bishop Sankey (1,870 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns) and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (450 receiving yards, eight touchdowns). But there's talent in the wings. Petersen reinstated QB Cyler Miles after spring ball and wide receiver Jaydon Mickens is looking to improve on his 688-yard, five-touchdown 2013 season. The Huskies have options at running back -- Dwayne Washington, Jesse Callier and Deontae Cooper are all names that could come up.

Defensively, the Huskies are in pretty good shape. Up front they return tackle Danny Shelton as well as Evan Hudson and Hau'oli Kikaha. Linebacker Shaq Thompson -- who could play both ways for the Huskies this fall -- is going to be a playmaker. And in the secondary, Washington will rely on its only returning starter, cornerback Marcus Peters, who had five interceptions in 2013.

How does a team with questions at quarterback, offensive line and across the defense get so much preseason love? Because the way it ended 2013 has made this team irresistible to overlook. How could you not love the grit and perseverance of a team that overcame a 1-5 start to win its bowl game in impressive fashion?

Most of the players who were so key to that turnaround are back. While Larry Fedora has not named a starter at quarterback, Marquise Williams returns after putting the team on his shoulders and carrying it to the Belk Bowl. Mitch Trubisky, in competition to take the starting job, has been called the perfect fit for the "Fed Spread." Either way, the Tar Heels should be in great shape.

The depth at running back is tantalizing, with Romar Morris, T.J. Logan and Khris Francis returning, along with the addition of ESPN 300 back Elijah Hood (once a Notre Dame commit). Quinshad Davis, T.J. Thorpe and Ryan Switzer make a talented trio at receiver. Talent is everywhere at the skill positions.

And while there may be some questions defensively, Norkeithus Otis has emerged as one of the best linebackers in the ACC, and there is young talent and plenty of depth on the defensive line. If North Carolina can settle its issues on the offensive line, there is no doubt this can be a team on the rise.

Bo Pelini insists it was a minor change.

Nebraska's seventh-year coach simply shed one layer of his shell, he said. Pelini allowed a glimpse of the real Bo after last season, when his job appeared in jeopardy despite a sixth straight season with nine or more victories.

"The perception that people had of me and the reality," Pelini said recently, "I've always kind of laughed."

Reality or just perception, the difference since December looks significant. Pelini, noted for his brusque exterior, has shown a playful side in public. He smiles. He's pleasant, approachable, though still largely private away from the game.

Pelini said his friends and family, players and staff have long known this side of him.

"I've always had fun," he said.

The lighter side of Pelini remained on display into August as the Huskers opened preseason practice.

But will it impact the team? The short answer: Yes. If the Huskers see their coach enjoying himself more in public, they're likely to follow suit on game days.

With a young team led by a new full-time starting quarterback, Nebraska stands to benefit from a more relaxed environment.

This year more than ever, it starts at the top with Bo.

Credit to George O'Leary for taking a program that went 0-11 in 2004 and guiding it to six bowl games in the last nine seasons. Tucked away in the American, he's built a niche in the state of Florida, drawing in talent that Florida, FSU and Miami passed over.

No player more exemplified that diamond-in-the-rough recruiting than Blake Bortles, who transformed into a first-round pick at QB and helped the Knights to double-digit wins the last two seasons. The high-water mark, of course, came in January when UCF ventured into its first BCS bowl, beating Baylor in the Fiesta.

The question now is whether that level of success is sustainable with Bortles and star running back Storm Johnson gone. Plenty of once-overlooked talent remains for O'Leary to compete with in the the American, but even with six returning starters on offense, navigating a schedule that features Penn State, Missouri and BYU could prove difficult.

The good news is UCF's top three receivers, both of its specialists and nine starters on defense are back. And after hearing all offseason what they've lost, you better believe they'll come out this season ready to prove 2013 was no fluke. Given the program's history of recruiting kids with chips on their shoulders, it is a hard bunch to bet against.

Charlie Strong has neatly sorted his first year at Texas into five phases.

He hired a staff and oversaw winter conditioning during Phase 1. He lost starting quarterback David Ash to a foot injury and was missing a dozen other Longhorns during the second phase, spring ball.

Strong got Ash back at the end of Phase 3 (summer conditioning) but also dismissed five players and suspended three more. The discipline sent a clear message: Buy in or get out.

Are you ready to buy into this Texas team? Entering the fall practice stage, even the new head coach is hesitant.

"I said, after looking at Phase 2, we're not going to compete for a championship. We had a lot of work to do," Strong said.

For all the uncertainty, Strong also inherits proven talent. He has the Big 12's best rushing duo in Johnathan Gray and Malcolm Brown, a potentially elite defensive line featuring DE Cedric Reed and DT Malcom Brown and a two-deep loaded with upperclassmen.

The schedule isn't friendly --- Texas gets UCLA, Baylor and Oklahoma in the first half of Phase 5 --- and rebuilding isn't over. Strong hasn't promised much, just a stout defense and a tougher football team.

If he can produce that in Year 1, the Longhorns' recent underachievement might seem like just another passing phase.

Gary Patterson uses an interesting but bizarre analogy to explain why he completely revamped his offense this offseason.

"I like Gatorade," he said. "When you have to beat people 17-13 just drinking water, you'd like to be able to go back and find out what the different Gatorades are."

To clarify, Patterson had grown tired of relying exclusively on his defense to win in the Big 12. And instead of trying to slug out more low-scoring affairs, he wanted his offense to produce some routs -- to afford him time to walk behind the bench and sample different Gatorade flavors.

The Horned Frogs actually had a chance to win every game but one last season. But with a stone-age offense unable to score in the fourth quarter, TCU missed a bowl for the first time since 2004.

In turn, Patterson brought in coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie to install a modern, up-tempo attack. He also snagged Texas A&M transfer quarterback Matt Joeckel, who knows how to operate such an offense.

Despite losing Devonte Fields, the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year who was suspended over the summer after charges of assaulting an ex-girlfriend, TCU should still be stout again on defense, with seven other starters back.

But how the offensive changes pan out will ultimately determine whether Patterson will be drinking water again. Or, as he hopes, Gatorade.