Jim Schlossnagle guided TCU to new heights many seasons ago. But last season, the Horned Frogs' coach raised the bar even more.

He directed his team to an NCAA super regional.

The Horned Frogs took care of Oregon State in the Forth Worth Regional before falling short of a College World Series berth with a tough three-game series loss to Texas.

Now the Frogs hope to take the next step in 2010 with a trip to Omaha.

They have the pitching to get the job done with the return of all three weekend starters and a talented crop of relievers. The Frogs also have left-handed pitcher Matt Purke as part of their arsenal of arms.

The Frogs welcome back a few key hitters, but certainly will miss their top three hitters from last season. Offense definitely is a concern with the season just a couple of months away.

TCU could be outstanding if the offense rises to the occasion.

It's time to dissect the Horned Frogs.

TCU's five keys

1. Move on without the Big Three at the plate -- The Horned Frogs have the tough chore of replacing leading hitters Matt Vern, Matt Carpenter and Chris Ellington. All three signed professional contracts this past summer and must be replaced in the spring. Vern finished last season with a .360 batting average, 17 homers and 54 RBIs. Carpenter, meanwhile, was one of the nation's best third basemen and batted .333 with 23 doubles, six triples, 11 homers and 47 RBIs. Ellington batted .331 with 21 doubles, two triples, six homers and 52 RBIs. It'll be interesting to see which hitters rise to the occasion and replace the Big Three. The Horned Frogs are in business if that happens.

2. Get big campaigns from top four returning hitters -- The Horned Frogs need several hitters to rise to the occasion in the spring with the departures of Vern, Carpenter and Ellington. The list includes Taylor Featherston, Jason Coats, Matt Curry and Bryan Holaday. Featherston batted .322 with five homers and 28 RBIs last season. Coats batted .316 with six homers and 32 RBIs, Curry batted .315 with three homers and 31 RBIs and Holaday batted .300 with 10 doubles, 10 homers and 48 RBIs. It's critical for the foursome to emulate or best last season's offensive numbers. Can they do it?

3. Set the weekend rotation -- The Frogs have an issue that most teams wish they had -- they have too many talented arms in the mix for a weekend starting job. The Frogs welcome back starting pitchers Paul Gerrish, Kyle Winkler and Tyler Lockwood. Now the Frogs have the luxury of throwing former first-round pick Matt Purke in the mix. Gerrish went 7-2 with a 3.84 ERA in 61 innings last season. He also struck out 59 and walked 16 and limited teams to a .261 batting average. Winkler compiled a 4.15 ERA in 73 2/3 innings. He struck out 48 and walked 35 and teams hit him at a .262 clip. Lockwood, meanwhile, had a 4.71 ERA in 70 2/3 innings. He struck out 44 and walked 18 and limited teams to a .281 batting average. There's also Purke, who has excellent stuff and will be in the rotation at some point in this spring. This should be a very solid unit.

4. Bullpen needs to meet expectations -- The Horned Frogs must find a way to replace Taylor Cragin, who compiled a 2.50 ERA in 57 2/3 innings last season. But otherwise, the Frogs are in fantastic shape with the return of several talented relievers. The Frogs welcome back Greg Holle, Steven Maxwell, Eric Marshall, Trent Appleby, Erik Miller and Kaleb Merck. Holle could be used as a reliever or starter and finished last season with a 3.89 ERA in 41 2/3 innings, Maxwell is a reliever and starter and compiled a 6.10 ERA in 38 1/3 innings, Marshall made 24 appearances and had a 1.48 ERA in 30 1/3 innings, Appleby made 24 appearances and had a 3.61 ERA in 57 1/3 innings, Miller appeared in 22 games and had a 4.50 ERA in 26 innings and Merck made 17 appearances and had a 5.94 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. There's no reason this shouldn't be an elite group.

5. Embrace higher expectations -- TCU has had a solid program since Schlossnagle stepped foot in Fort Worth, Texas. But the program entered a new dimension when it reached an NCAA super regional last season. The Frogs now are a name on the national stage and must play like a team with extremely high expectations. There are some teams that can't seem to handle high expectations. There also are those that embrace them. TCU needs to be one of the teams that embraces them. Will that happen, though?