‘Did I look like I was not trying to coach?’ TCU, Patterson face questions on future
Gary Patterson doesn’t sound like a coach who has any thoughts on retirement. And it’s hard to envision TCU firing its longtime football coach who has 181 career wins and has built the program into what it is today.
But questions of Patterson’s future are being asked with the team reeling with its fifth loss in its last six games. TCU’s latest meltdown came in a demoralizing 31-12 loss at Kansas State on Saturday.
The Frogs fell to 3-5 overall, and a bowl berth seems far-fetched for a team that entered the season with dreams of competing for a Big 12 championship. Going into the season, Patterson compared the team chemistry on this year’s team to the Rose Bowl-winning team during the 2010 season.
TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati surely had a long night Saturday evaluating the program and what steps are necessary to turn it around. For his part, Donati has remained quiet on the subject and continued to do so following Saturday’s game when asked by the Star-Telegram.
Patterson shot down any speculation that he may be ready to call it quits on his own afterward. Fox Sports analyst Bruce Feldman, citing anonymous sources, reported early Saturday “that this could be Gary Patterson’s last year as the head coach of the Horned Frogs.”
That came as news to Patterson after the game.
“I didn’t talk to Bruce,” Patterson said. “I don’t have control of all of that stuff. I’m here coaching. Did it look like I was not trying to coach today?”
Patterson chuckled briefly, and then added: “He’s talking to somebody, but it wasn’t me. All good.”
Asked if he felt his job status is a recruiting tactic being used against TCU, Patterson said: “Oh, I think it is.”
At the end of the day, Patterson’s job security is a significant issue going into the offseason. Parting ways with Patterson and his staff would cost the school approximately $18 million, according to a source, plus another hefty sum to bring in a new coaching staff.
On the flip side, retaining Patterson could mean a possible extension beyond his current contract that runs through the 2024 season. Patterson has the least security contract-wise of any Big 12 coach with Texas Tech firing Matt Wells last week and that could be used by other programs as a recruiting disadvantage.
Every other coach in the conference is signed through at least the 2025 season with Iowa State’s Matt Campbell having the most security by being signed through the 2028 season.
It’s hard to see Donati and TCU handing Patterson an extension if the season continues to play out as it did Saturday. How the next four games go will likely crystallize the decision one way or the other.
TCU hasn’t completely fallen off track under Patterson, but he is the 10th-highest paid coach in the country. Since 2018, TCU has gone 21-22 overall and 13-19 in Big 12 play.
That is only better than Texas Tech (18-25, 10-23) and Kansas (7-34, 2-29) over that same period among conference teams.
TCU is in the midst of one of its worst defensive years. The Frogs are allowing 31.5 points per game and 443.3 yards per game.
Again, though, Patterson has given no indication he is considering retirement. Instead, Patterson has talked about how he’s got more energy than ever. He’s mentioned that he’s a “young 61.” Earlier this week, Patterson spoke as a coach looking forward to returning next season.
“There are a lot of teams who are all older, but we are going to become older here in a year,” he said. “For us, it’s not just about just getting better right now to win ballgames, to achieve our goals and do what we want to, but what we want to be a part of, which is always what we’ve done.
“How do you look forward to becoming what you want to be next year? Leadership and all the other things that go along to win ballgames. You’re always working on both. You’re always working on right now, and you’re working on later. You’re having conversations and doing everything else you do to get where you need to get to.”
TCU brass is asking those same questions about the future and whether Patterson is still the right man for the job.
This story was originally published October 31, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
