After suffering a broken arm Sept. 7, it was reported that Casey Pachall would miss at least eight weeks due to the injury.
Seven weeks into that recovery, Gary Patterson has offered an update on the TCU quarterback’s progression in rehab.
According to the head coach, Pachall has a doctor’s visit scheduled for today that should shed some additional light on the progress and perhaps further refine a timeline for a return. The original prognosis had Pachall sidelined until at least the Nov. 2 West Virginia game; whether that time frame is accurate could be determined during the trip to the doctor.
Patterson also stated that Pachall actually broke his left forearm in three different places. While two of the breaks have healed, it’s the third, vertical one that’s causing the most concern.
“The problem is not a direct hit [on the break in question] as it is catching yourself. It’s pretty hard if you’re standing back there and not catching yourself,” Patterson said, referring to Pachall being knocked down and being forced to brace his fall with the injured arm, which could open him up to aggravating the injury.
The Horned Frogs have gone 2-2 since Pachall went down with an injury and was replaced by Trevone Boykin. Over the past one-plus seasons, Boykin is 5-8 as a starter; TCU is 16-3 in games Pachall has started.
Because of Boykins’ struggles this season -- “He needs to quit acting like a running back,” Patterson pointedly said -- the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote yesterday that no one should “be surprised if Pachall starts when Texas comes to Fort Worth on Oct. 26.”