TCU’s Patterson says Mayfield issue is in the past as OU game looms

TCU coach Gary Patterson says he has moved on from last year’s public feud with Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayield, triggered by the player’s remark that TCU coaches “hung me out to dry” on a scholarship offer that never surfaced and resulted in him starting his career as a walk-on at Texas Tech.

Mayfield, now a junior and a second-year starter for Oklahoma (1-2, 0-0 in Big 12), will be in the Sooners’ lineup for Saturday’s game against No. 21 TCU (2-1, 1-0) in Amon G. Carter Stadium (4 p.m., KDFW/Ch. 4).

“I can’t speak for Baker. I’m past it,” Patterson said during Monday’s conference call with Big 12 coaches when asked about last December’s exchange of words. “He’s in a great place. He’s up for the Heisman Trophy. I’m just trying to win games at TCU. I wish him the best of luck.”

Mayfield raised the issue during a news conference at last year’s Orange Bowl when asked which school disappointed him the most in the recruiting process and led to his walk-on status at Texas Tech for the 2013 season.

He identified TCU, saying the Horned Frogs’ coaching staff expressed plans to offer him a scholarship but “kind of drug it out, and I told other schools I wasn’t interested because I thought I was going to go there … They disappointed me and kind of hung me out to dry right before signing day.”

Asked if Patterson had looked him in the eye since then, Mayfield said: “No. He doesn’t like me and I have no comment about that.”

Patterson responded to Mayfield’s assertion during an interview last December with Bonnie Bernstein of Campus Insiders that included a swipe at Mayfield’s father, James Mayfield. While preparing for the team’s Alamo Bowl appearance against Oregon, Patterson said: “I like Baker Mayfield. I think he’s a good kid and that’s what disappoints me. If Baker Mayfield wants to blame TCU for 128 BCS schools not offering him a scholarship, that’s fine. But ask Kliff Kingsbury why he didn’t offer him a scholarship at Texas Tech. Ask about Baker’s dad (James). He’s an arrogant guy who thinks he knows everything. If people knew the whole story, they might not have a great opinion of Baker or his father.”

Patterson also pointed out in December that the status of former TCU quarterback Casey Pachall, who was slated to rejoin the team for the 2013 season after a stint in an alcohol rehabilitation facility, impacted the decision on Mayfield because TCU was well-stocked at the position.

After TCU’s victory over Oklahoma during the 2014 season, Patterson accused Mayfield of stealing TCU’s signals from the OU sideline while Mayfield sat out that season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules after leaving Tech. During his lone season at Tech, Mayfield worked with TCU co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie, a member of Tech’s staff that season. In last December’s talk with Bernstein, Patterson said: “Baker’s been out for us for awhile.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 12:04 PM with the headline "TCU’s Patterson says Mayfield issue is in the past as OU game looms."