TCU fires Gary Patterson

[WoadBlue]

That is a very interesting mid-season firing. He has the most wins of any TCU coach, and of those who coached at least 50 games, he has the 2nd highest win percentage. Patterson saved TCU football, elevating it from a losing program with no shot whatsoever to be part of the proposed Big 12 to a winner in CUSA and then a bigger winner in the Mountain West. He had 11 teams that won at least 10 games. His best team was MWC champ and Rose Bowl champ, finishing 13-0. His successes against all odds meant that the Big 12 eventually had to add TCU.

Things had slipped the past few years. 7-6 in 2018, 5-7 in 2019, 6-4 in 2020, and only 3-5 this year.

Patterson is the best and most important coach in TCU history. Yet the boosters and administration would not allow his fall into mediocrity to last any longer, because they knew that doing so could cripple the program again, perhaps permanently this time.

I wonder if Patterson will be another fired coach to spend time under Saban to maximize his HC prospects. I wonder also how many ADs will think that TCU acted correctly.

 

[Ara64]

WOW! After all those big named schools came after him at TCU. They are crazy to fire him. Many highly successful coaches go through down times at their program. even Bobby Bowden did at FSU. # STUPID.

 

[WoadBlue]

WOW! After all those big named schools came after him at TCU. They are crazy to fire him. Many highly successful coaches go through down times at their program. even Bobby Bowden did at FSU. # STUPID.

I understand why they did it, but I also know how very bad TCU football was before Patterson arrived as DC. And I know how Fort Worth, and not just TCU, has gained a great deal from what Patterson accomplished. And he truly was loyal to the whole community with larger school with more money trying to entice him over the years; his wife is from the area.

I think the final spur was the excellent job Dave Aranda is doing at Baylor. Baylor is TCU's peer: small, church-related school easily swamped by HUGE state schools. Baylor back on track sacred TCU administrators and boosters in this age when the Big 12 has lost its stability.

Patterson could be a big help to a lot of programs, even as just an analyst, while waiting a year or two for a head coach job. I'd love his eyes on all the fundamental issues with our players.