TCU, Gary Patterson part ways effective immediately

TCU football coach Gary Patterson has agreed to mutually part ways with the school, according to TCU insider Newy Scruggs. The move will take effect immediately, and assistant coach Jerry Kill will serve as interim head coach. The report further states that athletic director Jeremiah Donati will begin the search for TCU’s new coach.

TCU has since confirmed the decision.

Patterson is one of college football’s longest-tenured head coaches, ranking No. 2 behind Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. The 61-year old head coach joined the program as a defensive coordinator in 1998 and took over head coaching duties in 2000. Patterson accumulated a 181-79 record over 21 seasons with TCU.

TCU has switched conference membership twice during the Patterson era, going from Conference USA to the Mountain West before landing in the Big 12. He is a two-time AP Coach of the Year and won 11 bowl games over his career.

Gary Patterson and TCU agree to part ways after a three-game skid. His 2021 team is 3-5 overall, including a 1-4 record in the Big 12.

Time for a clean break

The winningest head coach in Horned Frogs history, Gary Patterson helped them make the move to the Big 12 and become relevant on the college football landscape. But TCU has not won a conference title since 2011.

Patterson’s job has been called for before. The first time came after year three, when he went 5-6 in 2004. The second time was when Baylor and Art Briles were finding success and the Horned Frogs finished their second season in the Big 12 with consecutive losing years and a record of 11-14.

The Horned Frogs were embarrassed last weekend at their own Homecoming, falling 29-17 to West Virginia. The TCU defense ranks 119 of 130 schools in the nation in team defense, allowing 451.1 yards per game. Rumors of the pending move surfaced Saturday night, when Fox Sports analyst Bruce Feldman revealed one of athletic director Jeremiah Donati’s preferred targets.

“(In addition to Texas Tech,) one other job that could open in [Sonny Dykes]’ native state of Texas, I was told by some sources this week close to the situation at TCU, that this could be Gary Patterson’s last year as the head coach of the Horned Frogs,” said Feldman.

With rival Texas Tech also searching for a new head coach, TCU and Gary Patterson quickly agreed to part ways. Sonny Dykes could be the main target for both. In his fifth season with the Mustangs, Dykes has them ranked in the top 25 and at 7-1. He was previously the head coach at Cal and Louisiana Tech.