Casey Pachall, QB

01/13/2013 - Former TCU quarterback Casey Pachall is back on campus and has rejoined the Horned Frogs football team, coach Gary Patterson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Pachall left school in October to seek treatment for substance abuse following an arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Patterson said that the former starting quarterback took part in team meetings Sunday, and has done "everything we wanted him to do" in order to rejoin the program. "He looks great," Patterson said. "It's like he looked when he was a freshman. Right now, we feel really good about this. It's never going to be 100 percent perfect but there is a chance we did the right thing and made a difference. You've got to understand, everybody is going to be watching on this."

Pachall was a force in 2011 -- his first season as a starter, throwing for 2,921 yards and 25 touchdowns while completing 66.5 percent of his passes and only throwing seven interceptions on the season. He was off to another strong start through four games in 2012 before the arrest in October. - Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com

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Considering the success of Robert Griffin III, Brandon Weeden and Landry Jones (among others) in the Big 12 a season ago it was easy for fans across the country to lose sight of the impressive campaign turned in by Pachall, who broke several of Andy Dalton's single-season records in his first season as TCU's starting quarterback.

While the offense in which he operates is the same spread scheme in which Dalton starred, Pachall (pronounced Paw-hall) couldn't be more different than his predecessor. Whereas the crew-cut, straight-laced Dalton demonstrated his leadership with steadfast determination and poise, the long-haired, heavily tattood Pachall is aggressive and, when necessary, confrontational.

Pachall finished 12th in the country in pass efficiency in 2011, completing a school-record 66.5% of his passes for 2,921 yards -- another TCU record. He thew for 25 touchdowns (against seven interceptions); just two scores less than the 27 Dalton threw in his magical Rose Bowl-winning campaign in 2010. Five of those touchdowns and a gaudy 473 passing yards came in a gutsy performance in which Pachall helped lead TCU to a 36-35 upset victory at Boise State.

Scouts like his gun-slinger mentality, as well as the fact that he possesses the size and arm strength to adjust from TCU's quick-hitting offense to the more complicated and vertical concepts used by most NFL teams.

Pachall was able to sneak up on teams a season ago as the Horned Frogs' defense suffered through an uncharacteristically poor season and TCU had to be aggressive on the offensive side of the ball to remain competitive. He'll be challenged against some talented secondaries in the Big 12 this season but with a strong receiver corps around him, Pachall could be poised for the type of big junior campaign that forces NFL scouts to take notice.

--Rob Rang