TCU sophomore Matthew Downing will start at quarterback when the team opens its season on Saturday against Iowa State.
Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson said during a news conference on Tuesday that Downing will start, but Patterson hasn't finalized a plan for all the quarterbacks yet. On Monday, during the Big 12 coaches teleconference, Patterson said all three quarterbacks on TCU's depth chart -- Downing, sophomore Max Duggan and junior college transfer Stephon Brown -- will have a role in the game plan.
Downing, a third-year player, is a transfer from Georgia who walked on with the Bulldogs in 2018. He played four games that season, completing eight of 10 pass attempts for 88 yards. He joined TCU in 2019 but did not see any game action.
Patterson was complimentary of Downing on Monday, saying that he has been "the guy" during the absence of Duggan, the team's 2019 starter, during training camp. Duggan missed time recently because of a heart condition that was discovered in August, but he returned to the team two weeks ago.
"He's thrown the ball really well," Patterson said Monday of Downing.
