Steve Sarkisian shares what TCU game means to assistant Gary Patterson

When TCU and Texas meet on Saturday it’ll be a reunion for one man in particular who has been associated with the Horned Frogs for a long, long time. In fact, TCU and Gary Patterson are virtually inextricably linked in the minds of many college football fans.

Patterson, of course, will be wearing burnt orange this time around.

After 22 years as TCU’s head coach, Patterson was fired on Hallloween a year ago. He’s now a special assistant at Texas on Steve Sarkisian‘s staff. Saturday won’t be a full homecoming, with the game being played at Texas, but it’ll be a reunion of sorts for Patterson.

“We’re lucky to have him on our team, I’ll say that,” Sarkisian said Monday. “I know he served 22 great years there at TCU. I think that program’s in the place that it’s in because of the work that he did, and that should not go unnoticed. A lot of those kids on that roster he recruited and it’s a very talented roster. But we’re lucky to have him on our team and I know he’s doing his normal deal, what he does throughout the week to help get us prepared.”

While at TCU from 2000-2021, Patterson put together a 181-79 overall record. The Horned Frogs won the Big 12 in 2014 and Patterson was named the AFCA, AP and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year in both 2009 and 2014.

But Sarkisian said the transition for Patterson at Texas has been seamless. That’s just who Patterson is.

“The one thing that I think Gary probably doesn’t get enough credit for, at least in these parts of Texas, is the team guy that he is,” Sarkisian said. “He’s got great rapport with our staff, he’s got great rapport with our players. He’s a really likeable person. People like to be around him, so beyond the football aspect of it I think what he brings, the presence he brings, has been really beneficial to us.”

Long-time TCU coach Gary Patterson to face former program

Naturally, Sarkisian was asked if Patterson will be preparing with a little extra chip on his shoulder this week. TCU is currently 9-0 in the first year following Patterson’s dismissal, angling for a College Football Playoff spot.

Texas, though, is still in the race to play in the Big 12 Championship Game.

“I’ll say this about Gary: Gary works 24/7 to beat anybody,” Sarkisian said. “He’s got an unbelievable just work ethic about him. He’s got a great deal of discipline in his approach into what he does and how he does it. This week hasn’t been any different.

“He does a great job of advance scouting for us, of getting ahead for opponents that are on the come. He does a great job of relaying his thoughts and information to the defensive staff. For me he’s a great sounding board for me, whether it’s kind of temperature on the team, kind of thoughts about even on the defense. As I go into it and I’m game-planning an opponent, a lot of times I’ll ask him about, ‘Hey, what about this? What about that? Would this be difficult to defend or not?’ So he’s a great sounding board. We’re really fortunate to have him.”

What exactly does Patterson do in his special assistant role? How much can he really help prepare the Longhorns?

“He’s just there to kind of encourage and kind of analyze,” Sarkisian said. “I’ll bounce a couple ideas off him here and there. But more importantly he’s just kind of analyzing the flow of the game, things defensively. You can’t really coach, and that’s the hard part. I think that’s one of the more difficult things for a guy who’s coached his whole life when you get in those analyst roles that you technically can’t coach.

“That’s the difficult part, but I do think he enjoys his role and loves being part of the organization.”