TCU’s Patterson doubles down on crowd: It’s more than a social event

Gary Patterson isn’t apologizing for his criticism of TCU’s home crowd during the Frogs’ 41-38 loss to crosstown rival SMU last Saturday. Instead, he’s doubling down on it.

“It’s my job just to coach ballgames,” Patterson said during his radio show on 92.1 Hank FM on Thursday night. “But if TCU ever wants to get to the point where we want to win a national championship, we’re going to have to decide that we’re not going to let anybody else in.

“When we do that, then at that point in time we’ll get to that point. I’m not upset with anyone, but the bottom line to it is I want to have a home-field advantage. If we’re going to let as many people of the other color down close to the field as we did the other day, it’s going to be very hard [to have a home-field advantage].”

Patterson recalled his playing days at Kansas State in the late 1970s and early 1980s. When Nebraska and Oklahoma came to town, Patterson said, the majority fans inside Kansas State’s stadium wore Nebraska or OU red.

That changed when Bill Snyder took over K-State’s program and put it in the national championship conversation. Patterson would like to see a similar transition happen at TCU.

Patterson reiterated that his No. 1 job is to win games, but that is aided with a solid home-field advantage. Teams feed off the energy of the crowd.

“We’ve got to get where, ‘How do we help us win?’” Patterson said. “It’s not about, ‘How do you entertain us?’ We’re all here because we want to win. We’ve created an unbelievable social atmosphere and, by the way, we’ve also got a football game. We need a transition.”

Along with helping his team play better on Saturdays, Patterson feels an improved home-field advantage will benefit his staff’s recruiting efforts too. This Saturday, for instance, Patterson and his staff are hosting some top offensive line prospects.

The recruits are going to compare TCU’s football atmosphere to other top programs within the Big 12 and elsewhere.

Patterson went on to say that’s played a role in whether to have a full-fledged spring game. For Patterson, it has to be a positive and that starts with fans showing up in support.

“If I’m going to have recruits there, it’s got to be a positive,” Patterson said.

TCU opens Big 12 play against Kansas on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

This story was originally published September 27, 2019 at 9:32 AM.