Tag: Gary Patterson

Brandon Marcello: Gary Patterson should be the favorite head coach candidate among CU football supporters

Buffs fans, is Gary Patterson your No. 1 choice?

Is there any real clarity on the head coach job for the Colorado Buffaloes?

As of right now, the answer is no. The Buffs job is open, but it seems like this process will take a while, especially with the school hiring a search firm to narrow down candidates for the job.

There have been plenty of names circulating around, and Ryan Walters continues to be listed as one of the favorites.

However, there is reason to believe that former TCU head coach Gary Patterson could be the top choice amongst Buffs supporters, in the opinion of Brandon Marcello of 247 Sports:

Colorado hasn’t mattered on the national scene for the better part of 25 years, and swinging big for coaches is probably not the approach the Buffaloes’ administration should take as it faces an uncertain future in the Pac-12. That’s why names like Bronco Mendenhall, Dan Mullen and Gary Patterson make the most sense here. They’re either out of coaching or doing it only part-time (Patterson as a special assistant at Texas) and might be more willing to jump into situations where they will be valued and allowed time to build a program — and make no mistake, Colorado needs a monster renovation of the roster. Patterson, the Hall of Fame coach at TCU, will be the No. 1 candidate here among supporters of the program and the school is expected to give chase.

Patterson has a ton of experience, which might be a smart move by Rick George and the Buffs. Then again, would he stick around for a number of years? Or would he leave for another job if things go well in Boulder?

Nonetheless, Patterson sure seems to be gaining steam in the head coach race, and as the season gets closer to ending, we should see more and more rumors floating around regarding the next Buffs head coach (whoever that may be).

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Could Gary Patterson be an option for the Buffs?

Former TCU head coach Gary Patterson could be an attractive option for the Buffs

At this point, we have no clear indication of the direction the Colorado Buffaloes are headed with their next head coach.

Plenty of different names are circulating, and the questions are plenty. Do they hire a first-time head coach? Do they go with a seasoned veteran? Or do they take a page from the past with a former Buff?

Brian Howell of BuffZone included one interesting veteran on his list of candidates: Texas assistant Gary Patterson.

His incredibly successful run at TCU came to an end after he and the school parted ways midway through the 2021 season, after the Horned Frogs started 3-5. From 2001-20, though, he went 178-73 with 17 bowls and seven top-10 finishes. The defensive-minded coach is in his first season with Texas. Hiring Patterson would make for an intriguing 2023 opener, as the Buffs visit TCU.

Patterson had a stellar run with TCU and is now with the Longhorns as a special assistant, so his return to being a head coach is most likely something he desires.

As Howell points out, the Buffs begin the 2023 season with a game at TCU, so that would be quite the storyline in that regard. With all of the question marks in Boulder, there are a lot of reasons to consider going with a veteran coach and somebody who has done the job before.

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By the Numbers: No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners at TCU Horned Frogs

How do the Oklahoma Sooners and the TCU Horned Frogs stack up statistically heading into their matchup in Norman?

The Oklahoma Sooners (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) head to Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs (3-0, 0-0) in a critical Big 12 matchup this Saturday at 11 a.m. CT

The Sooners look to rebound from a frustrating loss at the hands of Adrian Martinez and the Kansas State Wildcats. The hope is a renewed focus on the defensive details will help the Sooners bounce back against a team they’ve had little trouble with over the last decade.

The Sooners hold a 17-5 all-time record against TCU, according to Winsipedia.

Oklahoma has won eight straight against the Horned Frogs and are 10-1 since TCU joined the Big 12. The Sooners have won five of their last six games by at 18 points or more.

None of that really matters though in a new season.

This game takes on a different tenor than previous matchups. Sonny Dykes and Brent Venables bring a focus on the opposite side of the ball than their predecessors.

Both teams are still trying to figure out how good they actually are. The Horned Frogs’ biggest test thus far was their road win over SMU. Oklahoma failed to pass its biggest test to date in its loss to Kansas State.

As we get ready for Saturday, let’s take a look at the Week 5 showdown with this week’s By the Numbers.

Three keys to a bounce-back victory for Oklahoma when it takes on TCU

Oklahoma travels to Fort Worth to take on TCU in Big 12 play, and here are three keys to an Oklahoma Sooners win.

For the first time in his very short coaching career, Brent Venables is tasked with rallying his troops after a loss. This Oklahoma team hasn’t reached its potential, and that’s OK for a football team at the end of September. However, as it gets deeper into conference play, it will have to evolve and find a new gear to tap into. Otherwise, any chance of playing in the Big 12 Championship game could wind up off the table.

The first opponent it will see after the loss is the TCU Horned Frogs. Last year in Norman, Oklahoma dominated TCU’s defense and put up 52 points en route to a 52-31 win. TCU no longer employs long-time head coach Gary Patterson, who helped the Horned Frogs to 11 bowl victories in 21 seasons.

New head coach Sonny Dykes has the Horned Frogs off to a 3-0 start. They come into the game feeling great after beating SMU, their Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex rival.

It will not be easy for Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon. TCU has looked pretty solid for the most part. For a team that comes in with a defense carrying a bruised ego after the rushing clinic the Wildcats put on, Oklahoma takes on a TCU team with the 27th-ranked passing offense in the country.

Here are three keys to a Sooners win on Saturday.

Up next: Set the tone

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Seven underrated keys to a Texas victory over Alabama

The most successful college football team faces the sport’s biggest brand.

Texas has a big game Saturday. In fact, it could be their biggest home game of all time. From a ratings standpoint it doesn’t get any better than the most successful program against the biggest college brand.

The Longhorns have their work cut out for them against Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide. Since knocking the Longhorns into mediocrity in 2009, the Tide has rivaled Tom Brady, LeBron James, Serena Williams and UConn Women’s Basketball as one of the most dominant forces in sports.

This collection of talent figures to be one of the better teams Saban has had in his time in Tuscaloosa.

Having covered numerous aspects of the game, let’s look at seven underrated features that could swing the game in Texas’ favor.

Can Texas turn to Gary Patterson for upset magic this week?

Gary Patterson is very comfortable in pivotal matchups where his opponent is favored.

Texas could use an upset win over Alabama even though they are outmatched this week. That is a familiar scenario for Texas assistant Gary Patterson.

Patterson made a career out of winning games like those in his legendary tenure at TCU. In 2019, his Horned Frogs forced four interceptions from veteran quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The double digit victory was one of the few highlights in a 5-7 season for the Horned Frogs that year.

A year later, Patterson’s team did it again, upsetting the Big 12 title favorite Longhorns on their own field. Now, Texas will hope to enjoy a similar upset against Alabama.

The reality is, if Gary Patterson wants to stop an offense he can get the job done. It’s unclear whether or not Texas has the defensive personnel to slow down Bryce Young and company. Nevertheless, the defensive guru will come up with a perfect game plan pending execution.

Presumably, Oklahoma is the “must win” rival for which Texas would prepare their best defensive strategy. Still, one has to wonder if defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and Patterson have something special planned for Saturday.

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Texas Football: Five developments we would love to see in 2022

There is a way to bring the best out of the Texas offensive line this season.

The Texas Longhorns enter the highly anticipated second year of the Steve Sarkisian era. Coming off a 5-7 season, Texas needs to improve in more than a few areas to win more games.

This year’s squad will have the benefit of improvement in the trenches. If nothing else, the Longhorns will have more, “big humans,” at the line of scrimmage that this staff covets.

Additionally, they will have an abundance of elite players at skill positions. If you missed it this week, Texas had two running backs make the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list and two receivers make the Fred Biletnikoff watch list.

Ja’Tavion Sanders qualified for the preseason Mackey Award list, and Jahleel Billingsley probably should have made it, too.

On defense there is confidence that the secondary can play more aggressive coverage this year.

Here are a few things that I would like to see occur this season.

Gary Patterson is helping Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian eliminate blind spots

With Gary Patterson’s help, Texas could have a more cohesive football team this season.

Steve Sarkisian went more in depth on Gary Patterson’s role when talking to the Big 12 media Thursday. One of Sarkisian’s better traits is self awareness, and his new mentor is working to further improve that strength.

According to the second-year head coach, Patterson is pointing out the flaws that Sarkisian does not notice.

Famously, the past two head coaches on the Forty Acres were unable to manage the entire Texas football program. The Longhorns’ current head coach is proactively adjusting to avoid the same pitfalls.

With the former TCU legend addressing what would otherwise get missed, Sarkisian only increased his chances of a successful tenure in Austin.

Patterson has succeeded at nearly every aspect in the head coaching profession. Few coaches are better at talent recognition, program building, game planning, or in-game adjustments. With the seasoned veteran coach in the fold, Texas could have a more cohesive football team this season.

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Texas Football: Five positional matchups to look forward to in 2022

Steve Sarkisian is tasked with using his team’s best position groups to create matchup problems for opponents.

Styles make fights. The Texas Longhorns football season will hinge on how well they match up with their scheduled opponents. Continue reading “Texas Football: Five positional matchups to look forward to in 2022”

Gary Patterson spoke highly of Steve Sarkisian in a recent interview

Gary Patterson is all in on Steve Sarkisian and the rest of the staff.

In what could be one of the most important offseason additions, the Longhorns were able to add former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to their staff. Continue reading “Gary Patterson spoke highly of Steve Sarkisian in a recent interview”