Here’s what TCU coach Gary Patterson is thankful for amid ‘uncharted waters’
Asked what he was most thankful for this Thanksgiving, TCU football coach Gary Patterson started off his answer with family, friends and, of course, grandchildren.
But Patterson is also thankful for a football season amid the coronavirus pandemic. He praised fellow coaches, players and conference officials who have made a season possible even with a handful of disruptions.
“Everybody who has gone through this, it’s been a learning experience,” Patterson said. “You get to where you appreciate people a lot more. Across the conference, I’ve appreciated all the coaches and players we’ve played against and everybody else for the simple reason of understanding everything they’ve had to go through to get to this point.
“A lot of people thought we wouldn’t play six games and we’re going on Game 8. Other conference teams have played nine or 10 ballgames. There’s just an appreciation of what they’ve been able to accomplish in this situation.”
As Patterson said, every Big 12 school has played at least six games to this point with more than half the conference sitting at eight games played. TCU (3-4) is expected to play its eighth game this weekend at Kansas.
The Horned Frogs will then close conference play with a home game against Oklahoma State on Dec. 5. They are actively trying to schedule a 10th game, too, after they had to postpone a September matchup against SMU.
At the end of the day, the football season is deemed a success by most measures. Yes, there have been disruptions and cancellations, but games have been played. A school such as Texas State has already played 11 games with No. 12 scheduled for Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
Now the hope is to get through the remaining regular-season games, conference championships and bowl season.
Patterson, who is the president of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), described the biggest challenge of playing this season is simply facing the unknown. As Patterson likes to say about running a major college football program or raising kids, there is no playbook on how to deal with a pandemic such as COVID-19.
“We’re in uncharted waters,” Patterson said. “We’ve all had to change with the times.”
Giving back
Patterson talked about his opportunity to help provide more than 9,000 families with Thanksgiving meals last week.
He, along with singer Leon Bridges and TV host Chris Harrison, recently formed a foundation called The Big Good. One of the foundation’s first events was collaborating with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, as well as the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, MW Logistics and the Baptist Ministers Union to put on the food drive.
Patterson and his wife Kelsey were among the many volunteers who helped distribute food on Friday.
“It was truly amazing to watch a group of people just do something that’s right,” Patterson said. “You have to help people. You can’t be one of these people who stand and watch everyone else do it. If you’re going to be in, you’re in. Kelsey and I went out and we were all in.”
