Physical play highlighted Thursday's TCU football practice as the Mountain West Conference champion Horned Frogs took the field for two hours in temperatures near 40 degrees.

"This was the most physical day of spring ball so far," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "Up to this point, we had three shorts practices and only two padded practices.

"This was only the third padded practice. All of them going out from now on are. We also took more reps today. We just didn't scrimmage."

Next week, the Frogs practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It will be the first time this spring they will practice four times in one week. Patterson is hopeful the outdoor temperatures will rise in conjunction with the increased practice schedule.

"Next week will be the hardest week that we'll have," Patterson said. "For me, I hope it gets to be about 85 or 90 degrees again. We need a little bit more heat to start becoming condition ready and keep working."

TCU has nine practices remaining this spring, culminating with the April 8 Spring Game at 11 a.m.

"There's a lot of good things going on right now but you're only as good as your weakest link," Patterson said. "We've got some growing up to do physically.