TCU Names Patterson Coach

After completing their nationwide search, Texas Christian officials found their new football coach down the hall.

Gary Patterson, TCU's defensive coordinator the past three seasons, was named Friday to replace Dennis Franchione.

"We knew we had a good internal candidate, but what we felt we needed to do also was to conduct a national search to validate his candidacy," said athletic director Eric Hyman. "We came back and unanimously felt that the best candidate was in our own backyard."

Hyman said Patterson was the last of 11 candidates from nine states interviewed this week. The other candidates, who Hyman wouldn't name, included pro coaches, other college head coaches and college coordinators.

Patterson's appointment comes a week after Franchione accepted an offer to become Alabama's new coach. The rest of Franchione's staff at TCU, except for offensive coordinator Mike Schultz, have followed him to Alabama so far.

A college assistant coach for 18 years, Patterson has never been a head coach on any level. He was Franchione's defensive coordinator the past five years - two at New Mexico and the past three at TCU, which this season ranked first nationally in total defense and scoring defense.

"I think I've trained my whole life to be a head coach," said Patterson, 40. "Coach Franchione was the CEO and I was like the head coach of the defense. I've just changed roles."

TCU's defense is ranked first nationally in total defense (245 ypg) and scoring defense (9.6 ppg). The Frogs had two shutouts and held six opponents to seven points or less.

Patterson said the team voted Friday to have Franchione coach the 13th-ranked Frogs (10-1) in the Mobile Alabama Bowl against Southern Mississippi.

"We want to do what is best for TCU and our student-athletes. The season started with Fran as the head coach and should end the same way," Patterson said. "We met as a team this afternoon and agreed that the right thing to do was to let Fran coach in the bowl game. Hyman agrees with that decision and I agree with that decision."

TCU seniors, many of them members of the 1-10 team in 1997 before Franchione took over, previously went to Hyman and asked that Franchione be there for their last game.

Patterson's initial goals are to meet with TCU players, jump quickly into recruiting and hire a staff.

While Franchione advised Patterson to take his time and find quality people when hiring assistants, the former coach also asked Patterson not to recruit any of the staffers who had gone to Alabama.

"They always know they have a home one place or he other. If that possibility comes back, great," Patterson said. "But I want to move on and make sure we have a plan in place to expect all of them will still be in Alabama."

Schultz, who indicated after interviewing for the TCU head job that he was also going to Alabama, was still on campus Friday. He talked with Patterson, but there was no confirmation if it was about staying with the Frogs.

"There was never any tension between he and I ... I love him like a brother," Patterson said, not elaborating on the situation.

Franchione, who agreed to a seven-year deal worth $1.2 million to $1.4 million a year with Alabama, turned down a new seven-year deal worth $1 million annually at TCU.

Hyman and Patterson would say only that the new coach got a "multiyear" contract. While no specifics were released, both indicated that the financial terms weren't equal to what Franchione would have made had he stayed.

Before joining Franchione in 1996, Patterson previously coached at the Naval Academy (1995), Utah State (1992-94), Sonoma (Calif.) State (1989-91), Pittsburg (Kan.) State (1988), Cal-Lutheran (1987), Cal-Davis (1986), Tennessee Tech (1983-84) and Kansas State (1982).

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