SAN ANTONIO — It’s clear that any school would be substantially downgraded by the suspension of a dual-threat quarterback who scored more than 40 touchdowns in a season. It is currently the hand TCU has been dealt as it prepares to face Oregon in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl Saturday. But, it also is not the first time the Horned Frogs have received a detrimental blow this year.
It actually seems to be just another setback that TCU has consistently faced since it began practicing in August. The team has started more than 20 players on defense alone and, according to defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow, started about 30 redshirt freshman — making for a season of never ending attrition and one that Glasgow has never experienced in his coaching career.
“I’ve never been around a year like it and I hope that I’m never remotely around a year like it,” Glasgow said. 
TCU safety Derrick Kindred, who played the entire year with a broken collarbone, said Wednesday during a press conference that he felt the team was jinxed.
“It was just like, ‘man, can we catch a break,’” said Kindred, who was the only starter from 2014 to play every game of the 2015 season.
Nine starters on defense missed extended periods of the season, and Glasgow and head coach Gary Patterson converted two safeties into starting linebackers by September. The offense was then hobbled by the injuries of Trevone Boykin and top wide receiver Josh Doctson in November.
“Every week it was hold onto your hat,” Glasgow said. Glasgow added, though, that the group was as healthy as its ever been coming into its date with a high-powered Oregon offense. 
But, that was Wednesday. By Thursday morning, the narrative was completely altered.
TCU still can’t catch a break.
The defense may be healthier than it was in September, but the offense will be missing  its top two playmakers in Boykin and Doctson.
As has been the case all year, TCU’s managed to weather each storm to the best of its capability, finishing the regular season 10-2 and ranked No. 11 in the nation. It’s why running back Aaron Green doesn’t think it will be tougher for the team to win.
“We went up to Norman without Josh, without (Trevone). We should have won that game,” Green said Thursday, referring to the Horned Frogs’ 30-29 loss to Oklahoma.
But regardless of the mindset, it will undoubtedly be more difficult, and the burden may be even more so placed on the TCU defense Saturday.
Which would seem like a manageable test, considering coach Patterson’s TCU defenses are usually some of the most dominant in the country year after year. It was the case in 2014, in which the Horned Frogs allowed just 129 yards of offense to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.
But, TCU isn’t as well know for its dominance this year, but rather the amount of turnover the lineup faced. They didn’t get to this point by physically harassing each team they played, but rather hanging on and finding ways to win.
And against an explosive Oregon offense that has been running up the score on team’s since Vernon Adams’ return from injury, the outlook doesn’t look favorable. At least on paper.
Josh Carraway, speaking on Wednesday before Boykin’s arrest and suspension occurred, understands what the perception of the game was as well — a high-scoring battle of explosive offenses.
“We really take it to heart,” Carraway said. “Even with the injuries we have, TCU defense is TCU defense.
“Ultimately, it won’t be no hundred points like everyone thinks.”
TCU will need it to be that way to have a shot at winning.
The Horned Frogs ranked third in the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing 26.1 points per game. It also ranked in the top half of the conference in both rushing and passing defense. Opposing quarterbacks averaged just 214.3 yards per game through the air against them.
The unit will rely on players like Carraway and Kindred, as well as freshman linebacker Ty Summers, who recorded 23 tackles in the Horned Frogs’ season finale against Baylor.
If it can do enough to start the new year with a win is a difficult task. But, as appeared to be the case on Wednesday when members and coaches of the TCU defense spoke to the media, adversity is something the Horned Frogs accustomed to.
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise