‘He was a winner in life.’ TCU’s Tomlinson fondly recalls Pat Sullivan’s impact
LaDainian Tomlinson described his first coach at TCU, Pat Sullivan, as the “nicest man that I ever met.”
Sullivan, who passed away earlier this month, is best remembered by TCU fans as the man who brought Tomlinson to Fort Worth.
Tomlinson was one of several NFL-caliber talents Sullivan landed, along with players such as Aaron Schobel (a second-round draft pick), Shawn Worthen (a fourth-round draft pick) and Cedric James (a fourth-round draft pick).
“He had an eye for talent,” Tomlinson said. “There’s no question he knew how to get talent, he had an eye for it, and he tried to build a staff that would benefit the players. He was more of a player’s coach.”
Sullivan, the 1971 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback out of Auburn, went just 24-42-1 in his six seasons at TCU (1992-97). But the Horned Frogs won a share of the Southwest Conference title and Independence Bowl berth in 1994, snapping a 10-year bowl drought and a 35-year conference championship drought.
Sullivan’s tenure came to an end with a disappointing 1-10 season in 1997. TCU rallied for its lone victory over rival SMU in the regular-season finale.
As stated, that team featured players such as Tomlinson, Schobel, Worthen and James that served as the foundation for the successes under Dennis Franchione and later Gary Patterson.
But Tomlinson’s memories of Sullivan are more what he did away from the field, rather than on it.
“Coach Sullivan was probably the nicest man that I ever met in my life,” Tomlinson said. “Honestly, he was so caring about his players and friends and family and I just remember that he loved my mom. Coach Sullivan loved my mom and he would always reach out to her. He would do anything for her, and she loved him. She loved Coach Sullivan.
“I have so many great memories of Coach Sullivan and just the type of person he was. He had so much dignity. He was humble. He was a winner, a Heisman Trophy winner obviously, but he was a winner in life. He knew how to impact young men and get the best out of them and really beyond the field. He knew how to develop young men into men.
“I will be forever grateful because he offered me my first scholarship to play college football.”
Tomlinson spoke fondly of Sullivan as he was doing his own good in the El Paso community as the headliner for a charity event leading into the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.
Tomlinson and TCU truly got on the college football map by knocking off USC in the 1998 Sun Bowl, and that bowl game continues to hold a special place for Tomlinson. Just like Sullivan.
