SAN ANTONIO – TCU’s star quarterback was arrested and subsequently suspended Thursday. A day later, Oregon promoted wide receivers coach Matt Lubick to offensive coordinator. So yeah, it has been a rather full week of news as the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl between Oregon and TCU nears.
Expected to be one of the more entertaining non-New Year’s Six bowl games, the matchup has certainly lost a bit of its flash with Boykin’s suspension. But, as Oregon’s Charles Nelson said Thursday, “the show must go on.”
Here’s the stories we’re reading before Saturday’s game in San Antonio:
— Mark Helfrich announced Oregon promoted to Matt Lubick to offensive coordinator Friday morning. 
“Matt is extremely detail-oriented, he’s a very good recruiter and players really take to him,” said Helfrich.
– Boykin’s absence means that TCU will be without its most explosive playmaker on offense. His backup quarterbacks Bram Kohlhausen and Foster Sawyer have both played behind center when Boykin was hobbled by an ankle injury in November. TCU’s co-offensive coordinators said the starter will be named by Saturday. Regardless neither is the threat that Oregon would’ve faced with Boykin.
– Oregon defensive coordinator Don Pellum, as well as select player on the Ducks’ defense, spoke to the media Thursday about what their plan of attack will be against TCU. 
– The bowl game will still be played, but without Boykin behind center for TCU, Austin Meek of the Register Guard writes that the matchup is now forgettable.
– Pellum has been the product of a lot of criticism this season. The Ducks rank near the bottom in total defense and passing defense in the nation this season. But, Pellum usually channels the noise out, and continues to be a coach his players speak highly of. 
– Vernon Adams Jr. has tattoos scattered across both of his arms. The Oregonian’s Tyson Alger tells the story of one of them.
– Boykin issued an apology to the TCU community Friday via Twitter. Boykin, a senior, would have been playing in his final game for the 11th ranked Horned Frogs.
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