Patterson says hot day helped TCU as a football team

TCU football coach Gary Patterson says the heat during Saturday’s victory over Iowa State took its toll on fans and coaches. He said he lost 12 pounds standing on the sideline.

But it should help his football team going forward, starting with Friday’s game at SMU (7 p.m., ESPN).

Patterson said the dearth of triple-digit heat during fall camp by typical Texas standards made it good for his players to persevere on a day when the temperature was 85 degrees at kickoff and steadily rose throughout the contest. By the time the game ended, around 2:30 p.m., the temperature was in the mid-90s and the stands were mostly empty at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

“I lost 12 pounds of water weight in that one. It was hot,” Patterson said.

But the Horned Frogs (2-1), as a team, should benefit from going through it.

“It was good for our football team,” Patterson said. “We hadn’t had heat, as much as we usually get in two-a-days. I thought it was a big deal for us to be able to go through that one. You’ve got to learn how you fight through the heat and learn how to grow up and mature. Whether it’s for this year or down the road next year, all those things add up.”

Patterson said the Texas heat made him appreciate the fact that Amon G. Carter Stadium has natural grass, rather than an artificial turf surface.

“Can you imagine how hot it would have been Saturday if we had been on turf? It was already hot enough,” Patterson said. “I just want good grass turf (on TCU’s home field).”

This story was originally published September 20, 2016 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Patterson says hot day helped TCU as a football team."