Delton Named Frogs' Starting Quarterback for Season-Opener Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Alex Delton

Alex Delton has been named TCU's starting quarterback for the Frogs' season-opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The game is on Saturday, August 31, at 7 pm, in Amon G. Carter Stadium.

TCU head football coach Gary Patterson announced the starting quarterback decision during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, August 27.

Delton is a fifth-year graduate transfer from Kansas State.

Patterson also said that true freshman Max Duggan also will see action in the first quarter of Saturday's game.

Watch the press conference: here

Delton and Duggan had emerged as the front-runners from among a competition of five, which also included junior Mike Collins, redshirt freshman Justin and Georgia transfer Matthew Downing. 

As a junior with the Wildcats last season, Delton (#16) played in seven games, with starts against Texas and Kansas. He completed 44 of 80 passes for 554 yards. He threw two touchdown passes and had two passes intercepted.

Delton, who has been elected a captain by his teammates, said, "There are a lot of ballers in our quarterback room who can make plays on Saturday. For years to come, TCU is going to have a deep quarterback room.

"It's a huge honor to be the starting quarterback. But the goal is not to just be the starting quarterback. The goal is to be the starting quarterback and to win games.

"Personally, the coaches have pushed me to a level I haven't reached in my past. I am feeling great. I am excited to get going."

Duggan (#15) came to TCU as a four-star recruit, the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and Iowa’s Gatorade Player of the Year. As a high-school senior last season, he threw for more than 2,100 yards and 24 TDs. He also ran for 1,200 yards.

Collins (#10) started four games last season. He completed 56.4 percent (79 of 140) of his passes for 1,059 yards, with six TDs and two interceptions. 

Rogers (#13) redshirted last season because of a serious knee injury he suffered during his senior year of high school. He saw his first game action of the season when he briefly replaced an injured Muehlstein in the fourth quarter of the bowl game. He was sacked for a four-yard loss and completed his one pass attempt.

Downing (#17) redshirted at Georgia last season, playing briefly in four games. His brother, Michael, played in the secondary at TCU, graduating in 2017 and serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Frogs in 2018.

Another quarterback on the roster is Matthew Baldwin (#18), who redshirted at Ohio State last season. He is recovering from surgery, and he may not be granted an immediate eligibility waiver. The NCAA denied an initial request by him and TCU. He and the school reportedly are appealing the decision.