TCU head coach Gary Patterson said Thursday that he knows who will start at quarterback against LSU.

He also said both Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin will see playing time this season regardless.

“Don’t be surprised if, half of the game, they’re both out there,” Patterson said, smirking. “I don’t know.”

Patterson went on to praise the talents of Boykin, and said that even if the redshirt sophomore doesn’t start, he will play a role in the offense.

“Trevone is such a great athlete. If he’s the starter, great, but if he’s the backup, you’ve got to have him [playing] in [certain] situations," Patterson said. "He just gives you too many options to do things. We’ve got to use every option we have.”

Boykin experienced a trial by fire last season when he was made the starter two days before the team played Iowa State at home. Boykin had been seeing practice snaps at tailback earlier in the week.

Patterson said he has never had a personnel situation to handle that was as difficult as that.

“High school dating wasn’t even that tough,” he said.

As a result, Oklahoma, which will start redshirt freshman Trevor Knight at quarterback, and Texas Tech, which will have to play a freshman quarterback in place of an injured Michal Brewer, will get no pity from Patterson.

“I didn’t get any phone calls when I moved a running back to quarterback on a Thursday. From anybody," Patterson said. "So, if they’re looking for any sympathy, I’m the wrong person to come talk to.”

New targeting penalty:

A new rule in college football designates 15 yards and ejection as the penalty for “targeting."

Patterson gave a one-word synopsis of how he defines that type of penalty: “Calculated.”

The coach said targeting is when a player sees an opponent coming beforehand and is blatantly trying to harm him.

He said the key is that the player has time to adjust himself but chooses to tackle with his helmet at or above the shoulders anyway.

The NCAA recently said that Jadaveon Clowney’s hit on Vincent Smith in the Outback Bowl, which has been replayed countless times on ESPN, would qualify as targeting under the new rule.

“It’s not,” Patterson said. “A guy misses a block and he’s right there. It happened simultaneously … [A player who is targeting is] looking at a guy who’s clear across the field, [and] you can see him lining [the player] up.”

According to Patterson, there is an easy solution to prevent targeting.

“We tackle legs. Simple.”

Carter likely to win return job:

Patterson also said one area where the team is better than last year is in the kick return game. Skye Dawson was the starting return man last year, and had a few costly muffed punts down the stretch.

Brandon Carter, who returned to practice Tuesday after hand surgery last week, is the likely starter, according to Patterson. But he said the position is deep.

Running backs Waymon James and B.J. Catalon are likely to see playing time, as is freshman Ranthony Texada, who Patterson spoke highly of after last Tuesday’s scrimmage.