Battle leaves TCU

MootPoint · July 14, 2005

Former Raider QB Battle leaves TCU

Ryan grad may transfer to Stephen F. Austin

08:57 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 13, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

James Battle has cut ties with TCU, a school where he seemed destined to capitalize on his considerable promise as a college quarterback just a few years ago.

James Battle

TCU coach Gary Patterson confirmed on Tuesday that Battle has been released from his scholarship. Ryan coach Joey Florence said Battle is considering transferring to a number of schools, including Division I-AA Stephen F. Austin.

Battle, who was unavailable for comment, would be immediately eligible to play at a I-AA school.

“He’s a good kid,” Patterson said. “We just got to the point where he couldn’t get on the field. He had some personal issues he had to deal with, and it was hard for him to overcome a lot of them.”

Battle never played at TCU was listed as low as fourth on the Horned Frogs’ depth chart. He was expected to compete for the backup quarterback job as a sophomore this fall. Tye Gunn is entrenched as the Horned Frogs’ starter heading into the 2005 season.

Battle’s slide at TCU represented a dramatic turn for a player who was rated among the top high school quarterbacks in the nation in 2003.

Battle threw for more than 2,000 yards in each of his three seasons as a starter at Ryan and finished his high school career with 8,127 passing yards and 89 touchdown passes. He led Ryan to three straight appearances in the state championship game.

The Raiders beat Smithson Valley and Brenham in Battle’s junior and senior seasons, respectively, to capture state titles.

“My favorite memory of James’ high school career was when he scored on the last play of the game against Corsicana in the state quarterfinals in 2001,” Florence said. “We knew that James was going to be special, but that solidified it and helped get our program going in the right direction.”

Battle finished with a 42-4 record as a starter at Ryan, a performance that helped make him as one of the top college football prospects in the country following the 2002 season. Rivals.com, a Web site that covers college football recruiting, rated Battle eighth among dual-threat quarterback prospects in the country after his senior season

Battle passed on scholarship offers from LSU, Missouri, Tennessee and Kansas State to sign with TCU.

A series of personal problems played a role in preventing Battle from reaching his potential at TCU. Battle spent time caring for his infant child and ballooned from 195 pounds during his senior year in high school to 240 at TCU.

Despite the extra challenges he faced, Battle was never in any academic trouble, Florence said.

If Battle transfers to Stephen F. Austin, he will face a tough battle for playing time with the Lumberjacks, who return Zeke Dixon. The senior quarterback has started nine games in his career and threw for 347 yards in eight games as a backup last season.

Dixon is projected to start in the fall for the Lumberjacks, who are coming off of a 6-5 campaign and a 1-4 finish in Southland Conference play.

Florence is confident that once Battle finds a home with SFA or another team, he will capitalize on the potential that made him an elite high school quarterback.

“James will be a great player when his time comes,” Florence said. “He’s a winner. He just needs an opportunity.”

PlummMeanGreen · July 14, 2005

"IF (a big one) Battle were to transfer to a D1-A school, how much elgibility would he have?

NT80 · July 14, 2005

SFA recently signed a couple former UT players too. They may have a good 1-AA team soon.

ipEAGLE · July 14, 2005

Why do we even care about this guy?

Monkeypox · July 14, 2005

Why do we even care about this guy?

I've kinda been wondering that same thing. I guess it's the Denton thing. Otherwise.....

Cerebus · July 14, 2005

I've kinda been wondering that same thing. I guess it's the Denton thing. Otherwise.....

Denton kid and was really close to signing with us, was on campus several times.

UNTLifer · July 14, 2005

I played football with his dad, who ended up in jail. I always followed Battle, because I admired that he had overcome a tough home life and had become a success at Ryan HS. I wish him the best whether he plays ball again or not, and hope he finishes his degree which will take him much further than his football career will.

pollock · July 14, 2005

People from Denton who watched him win many of those 42 games, especially some of his awesome playoff performances, care.

Not saying you have to.

j0nat8an · July 14, 2005

and ballooned from 195 pounds during his senior year in high school to 240 at TCU.

that's tough to do

SilverEagle · July 14, 2005

I think that I've asked this before, but is James Battle in any way related to Ron Battle who played for North Texas in 77, 78 and 80? Ron Battle also played one year for the Rams in 1981.

Travis · July 14, 2005

I remember from the moment of signing day i told a high school player of Battle's that it was a horrible decision to go to TCU. I knew it would be hard to get by Ty Gunn... Along with Harrell and its hard to beat them two out. Battle is a solid dual threat quarterback and I would love to have him on this team. I don't know if all that weight on him now is all muscle... but, i remember when he went off to college and started putting on all of that weight, it was all muscle and he was huge. I think there was even talks of wanting to see him at linebacker at one point. he seemed to have the size. but i dont know how much truth there was to all that.

I still think Battle to be a great quarterback that just didn't work out at TCU. i am sure he would have made some noise here.