Gary Patterson exit is not amicable as fans should fear TCU without their GP | Opinion
Gary Patterson’s midseason exit from TCU is a result of an administration that was ready to move on to a new voice.
Athletic director Jeremiah Donati had the full support of the school’s chancellor, Victor Boschini, to try to convince Patterson to leave the job he’s had since 2001.
According to sources, on Sunday Patterson met with senior level administrators at TCU.
If Patterson had any chance of remaining at TCU in 2022 as the head football coach, he was going to have to make some concessions, and changes.
That would have included replacing Patterson’s longtime friend, offensive assistant Jerry Kill, as well as offensive coordinator Doug Meacham.
Those are the changes that would matter.
On Tuesday during a press conference, Donati vehemently denied that any demands were made to Patterson that he had to make these changes.
Patterson was encouraged to coach through the end of the season with the “offer” that he would move into a senior level administrative role in 2022.
This is akin to what Texas A&M did with R.C. Slocum in 2002, when it shoved him off the sidelines into early retirement, and easy money.
Gary is a lot of things, but dumb ain’t one of them.
The administration wanted him out, and Patterson knew it.
So rather than be fired he “resigned.”
Even if it’s handled “the right way,” there is no good way to breakup. And this was a breakup.
Although he has a statue, and in the last two decades no one has meant more to TCU than Patterson, this was not an amicable split. This may take a few years to get over.
While Sunday’s shakeup was inevitable, every TCU fan or follower born before 1998 fears their history more than they look forward to their future — even if it includes Sonny Dykes, Jeff Traylor or Bill Belichick.
For TCU fans who have been around, they know exactly what Gary Patterson means to their alma mater.
There is no guarantee that the next coach will be as successful as Gary Patterson.
Before TCU hired GP as defensive coordinator on Dennis Franchione’s staff in 1998, the program wasn’t just one of the worst in Texas. TCU football was one of the worst programs in the nation.
TCU is changing coaches because of what essentially amounts to a bad four-year run. In this era of power college football, a bad four years gets you “resigned.”
Before TCU hired Fran’ in 1998, and then Patterson as the full-time coach in 2001, TCU was not coming off a bad four-year run. It was coming off of a bad 38 years.
From 1960 to 1999, TCU was never ranked in the final AP Top 25.
From 2002 to 2017, TCU was ranked in the final AP Top 25 11 times.
TCU football under Patterson was a series of accomplishments that led to greater achievements.
Winning 10 games and finishing 23rd nationally in 2002.
Defeating Adrian Peterson and Oklahoma in Norman en route to an 11-1 record in 2005.
Reaching the Fiesta Bowl in the then BCS in the 2009 season.
The invites to Conference USA, and then the Mountain West, and to the Big East.
Winning the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day in 2011, and finishing second nationally.
The invite to the Big 12.
Winning the Big 12 in 2014, and finishing third nationally with a blowout win over Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. (The 2014 team was robbed of a berth in the first college football playoff.)
TCU routinely beat Texas.
TCU hosted ESPN’s College Game Day.
TCU fans under the age of 25 (or so) expect all of this.
TCU fans and supporters older than 25 understand just how bad this can all look. Before Gary Patterson the football team was not a source of pride but embarrassment.
Before GP, TCU was “Texas Christian University,” the small school in Cowtown, Texas. Before Gary Patterson, TCU alums and fans had to explain what “TCU” meant.
Much like what happened with the Mack Brown at Texas, somewhere it just went wrong.
Administrations change. People get arrogant and complacent. A couple of recruiting classes that don’t yield players, and specifically a quarterback, and you’re on the bottom.
TCU senior administrators made a decision that the coach who is credited for building it all had to step aside.
Patterson didn’t agree, so he “resigned.”
That’s the business.
While the finale was inevitable, it’s just sad that the Gary Patterson era ended like this.
This story was originally published October 31, 2021 at 11:20 PM.
