TCU sackmaster Hughes was 'puny little' RB

FORT WORTH, Texas — The transformation of Jerry Hughes from prep running back to standout defensive end at TCU was never more evident than in the photograph of a skinny kid someone taped to his locker.

It was a recruiting picture of Hughes, then a 210-pound high school player who still envisioned himself being a ball carrier instead of a quarterback chaser. Next to that was one of the many rankings that lists Hughes as of the top defensive prospects going into the next NFL draft.

"They put an arrow and said, 'Really, this guy? This puny little guy,'" cornerback Rafael Priest said, laughing while recalling the image.

"Somebody wanted to be a comedian. It was just funny seeing myself being that small," Hughes said. "I looked like I was an eighth-grader."

Now the muscular 6-foot-3 Hughes is about 50 pounds heavier — in all the right places — and among the most fierce pass rushers in college football. He led the nation with 15 sacks last year, his first as a full-time starter.

Even with opposing teams paying more attention — double-teams, unorthodox blocking schemes and other tricks to try to stop him — Hughes already has six sacks and 26 tackles in his senior season for the 10th-ranked Horned Frogs (4-0).

"I don't think you can measure Jerry Hughes by statistics," coach Gary Patterson said. "He is bigger, faster and a better football player than a year ago."

And totally different from the player who arrived at TCU three years ago.

As a high school senior in Sugar Land, near Houston, Hughes was an all-district running back and kick returner. He ran for 1,412 yards and 19 touchdowns and caught three TD passes, and figured he'd do the same in college.

Yet, when Hughes got to TCU, he found a No. 98 jersey hanging in his locker. Patterson, a defensive-minded coach, had other plans.

"Once I started actually being the one that was doing the hitting, actually making the contact, it started to feel a lot better," Hughes said. "I kind of started to like it more."

During Hughes' freshman season, he was one of five former prep running backs on the roster that Patterson had turned into defensive linemen. Among the others was standout defensive end Tommy Blake, then a junior.

"(Coach Patterson) was telling me how successful Blake was and all that," Hughes said. "Watching him perform and some of the things he was doing, I was like 'All right, I can make this move.'"

Hughes had uncanny speed and footwork from being a running back, but had to get bigger and stronger to become a defensive force. He also had to learn "just simple lingo that some of the defensive coaches use."

While playing only sparingly as a true freshman, Hughes was working out and eating right with a focus on gaining weight the proper way.