Since taking over the helm of the Horned Frogs in December 2000, Gary Patterson has become synonymous with TCU football.
Patterson, who helped TCU usher in its Big 12 era in 2012, became the Horned Frogs' all-time winningest coach with a 56-0 win over Grambling State in the season opener. That contest also marked TCU's first game in the new Amon G. Carter Stadium after its $164 million rebuild.
Patterson now has 116 victories. The previous TCU mark of 109 wins was held by Dutch Meyer (1934-52). Patterson's .763 winning percentage (116-36) ranks fourth among active coaches nationally (minimum 5 years). He is also one of just seven active coaches with at least 100 victories at their current school.
In August 2011, Patterson was named the nation's top coach by Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. Sporting News tabbed him in January 2012 as the nation's third-best coach.
In leading TCU to back-to-back BCS appearances in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, including a 2011 Rose Bowl championship, Patterson received 10 National Coach of the Year honors.
TCU's winning record in its first season in the Big 12 in 2012 came with the Horned Frogs fielding one of the youngest teams in the country. TCU tied for the national lead in most true freshmen playing (16) as well as total freshmen (28) seeing the field. Nearly 70 percent of Horned Frogs receiving playing time in 2012 were either freshmen or sophomores. TCU led the Big 12 in total defense with just one senior on its entire defensive depth chart.
Patterson has produced at least 10 wins in eight of the last 10 years, including seven seasons of 11 or more victories. He has led the Horned Frogs to seven conference titles and 14 bowl games in 15 years.
Despite losing 26 seniors to graduation off his Rose Bowl championship team, Patterson led a 2011 TCU squad to a third consecutive Mountain West championship. It's the first time the Horned Frogs won a conference title in three straight seasons. TCU was also the first team in MW history to win the league championship in three consecutive campaigns.
The 2011 campaign saw TCU record its fourth straight 11-win season and became the only program nationally to reach 11 victories in six of the last seven years. TCU is also one of just three schools to win six bowl games in the last seven seasons. The Horned Frogs have reached 10 wins eight times in the last 10 campaigns.
In 2010, Patterson guided the Horned Frogs to an undefeated season and Rose Bowl championship. TCU finished second in the final polls with a 13-0 record, its first perfect campaign since winning the national championship in 1938.
Patterson was named American Football Monthly's 2010 Coach of the Year as he led TCU to its second straight BCS game. Other recent honors for Patterson include the Exchange Club of Fort Worth recognizing him as Fort Worth's Outstanding Citizen for 2010, while the National Football Foundation's Gridiron Club of Dallas selected him for its 2011 Distinguished Texan Award.
Patterson also received the 2010 TCU Chancellor's Staff Award for Outstanding Service.
Patterson's success on the gridiron is also mirrored in the classroom for his players. In each of the last five seasons, TCU has been recognized by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as one of the nation's leaders in its graduation rate for student-athletes.
All 20 of TCU's 2012 seniors had already earned their degree or were on track to graduate in May 2013. One player being one course shy is all that keeps TCU from a 100 percent graduation rate for its 2011 senior class.
TCU was also one of just four programs to finish in the top 25 in the final 2010 polls and in the Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Patterson has also been active in the community and an integral part of fundraising efforts that have produced upgrades in TCU's athletics facilities, including the $164 million rebuild of Amon G. Carter Stadium.
In 2009, Patterson was selected for nine national coaching honors after leading TCU to a 12-1 record, No. 6 ranking and Fiesta Bowl appearance.
Patterson was named National Coach of the Year by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association and Sporting News while also receiving the Bobby Dodd Award, Eddie Robinson Award, Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, George Munger Award and Woody Hayes Award.
Despite losing two starters in the first two rounds of the National Football League draft and a pair of four-year starters at cornerback, TCU topped the nation in total defense in 2010. The Horned Frogs became just the third program in NCAA history to finish first in that category in three straight seasons.
Since the NCAA began tracking statistics in 1937, no other school has finished first in total defense as many times (five) as TCU. All five of those No. 1 rankings (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010) have come in the last 12 seasons under Patterson.
The Frogs have won seven conference titles with Patterson on staff in addition to posting nine of the school's 13 10-win seasons. He was TCU's defensive coordinator from 1998-00.
During his 15 years on campus, Patterson has seen TCU make 14 bowl appearances. From 2005-08, Patterson led the Frogs to four straight bowl victories for the first time in school history. During that stretch, TCU was one of just seven schools nationally to have a current bowl-game winning streak of at least four in a row.
TCU is 9-5 in bowl games with Patterson on its coaching staff and 7-5 with him as head coach. Prior to Patterson's arrival on campus in 1998, the Frogs had just four bowl wins in their history.
In 12 seasons as a head coach, Patterson has coached 167 All-Conference selections, 16 first-team All-Americans, 16 Freshman All-Americans and two Academic All-Americans.
In its first year in the Big 12, TCU had 18 players recognized with all-conference honors. The list included true freshman Devonte Fields, who was named the Associated Press Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
In six of its seven seasons in the Mountain West, TCU set the pace on the all-conference teams. The Frogs had a school-record 20 selections in 2009, 19 in 2011, 18 in 2005 and 2008, 17 in 2010, 14 in 2006 and 11 in 2007.
As TCU's head coach, Patterson has had 33 players drafted with a total of 69 in NFL camps.
The No. 6 spot in the polls in 2009 was TCU's highest season-ending ranking since 1955, when it was also sixth. The Frogs had their first undefeated regular season since their 1938 national championship campaign.
Despite losing seven starters to graduation, including three to the NFL, off 2008's No. 1 defense, the Frogs led the nation in 2009 by allowing just 239.7 yards per game.
TCU and Florida were the only schools in 2009 to rank in the top 10 nationally in total offense and defense. The Frogs were seventh offensively at 456.7 yards per game.
In 2008, Patterson was one of 15 semifinalists for the George Munger National Coach of the Year Award by the Maxwell Football Club. He was also named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Watch List for the College Football Coach of the Year.
Patterson guided TCU to an 11-2 record and a No. 7 ranking in the final AP and USA Today polls. It was the Frogs' highest season-ending appearance in the polls since 1959. Included in the win total were victories over then-undefeated, top-10 teams BYU and Boise State. It was the first time since 1961 that TCU beat two top-10 opponents in the same season.
TCU led the nation in total defense (217.8 yards per game) in 2008 for the third time in nine seasons. No other school in the country has finished first in that category as many times as TCU in that span. The Frogs were also first in run defense (47.1 yards), fewest first downs allowed per game (12.1) and time of possession (35:10). TCU was second in scoring defense (11.3 points per game).
Patterson became the fastest TCU coach to reach 50 victories (70 games) with a 27-21 win at New Mexico on Nov. 11, 2006. He was also the quickest to 100 wins (129 contests) after a 38-17 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 17, 2011.
Patterson was the 2002 Conference USA and 2005 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. He was a 2003 finalist for Eddie Robinson and Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year honors. He also appeared on the 2006 Bobby Dodd Watch List.
An 11-2 record in 2006 included wins over Big 12 opponents Baylor and Texas Tech as well as a 37-7 victory over Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl.
The Frogs' defense ranked second nationally in run defense (60.8 yards per game) and total defense (234.9 yards per game) while placing third in scoring defense (12.3 points per game).
TCU won its last eight games in 2006 for the fourth-best winning streak at the time in the nation, trailing only Boise State (13), BYU (10) and Wisconsin (9). The Frogs' eight consecutive wins were by an average margin of 24.4 points. During that stretch, the TCU defense allowed per game marks of 10.8 points, 59.6 yards rushing and 185.1 in total offense.
In 2005, Patterson led the Frogs to the Mountain West Conference championship in their first season of league play.
It was also TCU's first outright conference championship since 1958. The Frogs posted an 11-1 record for just the fourth 11-win season in school history and the second in three years.
TCU also recorded its first undefeated league mark (8-0) dating back to 1938.
The Frogs opened and closed the 2005 season with victories over Big 12 teams. Following a 27-24 EV1.net Houston Bowl win over Iowa State, Patterson saw TCU climb to ninth in the USA Today poll and 11th in the Associated Press poll. It was TCU's highest season-ending ranking since 1959.
TCU, picked to finish sixth in 2005 preseason MWC polls, opened the campaign with a 17-10 victory at No. 5 Oklahoma. It was TCU's first win against an opponent ranked that high since a 6-0 victory over No. 1 Texas in 1961.
Patterson's success in 2005 was achieved while playing a total of 21 redshirt or true freshmen, tying for fourth nationally in that category.
The 2005 Frog defense led the nation in turnover margin (+21), interceptions (26) and takeaways (40). The offense set a single-season school record with 50 touchdowns while its 398 points scored ranked second all-time at TCU.
Setting the pace nationally in defensive categories is nothing new for Patterson. His teams also led the country in defense during the 2000 and 2002 campaigns. In 2002, the Frogs allowed only 64.8 rushing yards per game - ranking first in that category as well.
In his first full season as head coach with the Frogs in 2001, Patterson was one of only eight coaches with no previous Division I head coaching experience to lead their teams to bowl appearances. He proceeded to take the Frogs to a bowl in each of his first three years.
Patterson's 10-2 record and conference championship in the 2002 season earned him Conference USA Coach of the Year accolades. The Frogs finished the season ranked 22nd in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and 23rd in the Associated Press poll.
Eleven of Patterson's career wins came in the Horned Frogs' 2003 campaign, when TCU climbed as high as sixth in the BCS rankings - the highest ranking at that time for a school from a non-automatic qualifying conference.
Under Patterson's guidance, the Frogs got off to a 10-0 start after opening the season ranked 25th in the Associated Press poll. They finished the season 11-2 and ranked in the top 25 for the second year in a row - the first time that had happened at TCU since the 1950s. His leadership of the 2003 squad made him a finalist for both the Eddie Robinson and Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year honors. He was also named an assistant coach for the Hula Bowl.
Patterson amassed 18 years as an assistant coach, including three with the Frogs, before taking the torch from Dennis Franchione prior to the 2000 GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl.
In 1998, Patterson's first season at TCU, the Horned Frogs scored a school-record six defensive touchdowns, intercepted 12 passes and allowed only 19.6 points per game - the fewest points per game in over 30 years. It was accomplished by a team that was 1-10 the previous season.
Patterson's 1999 TCU defense ended the season ranked fifth in the country in total defense. The Frogs posted two shutouts and led the Western Athletic Conference in every major defensive category.
In 2000, the Frogs allowed only 245.0 total yards and 9.6 points per game, ranking first in the nation in both categories. Five of Patterson's players earned first-team all-conference recognition and he was a finalist for the Frank Broyles National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
Prior to his arrival in Fort Worth, Patterson spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at New Mexico. The Lobos collected 22 total takeaways and three defensive touchdowns in 1996. The next year, in Patterson style, New Mexico improved their total takeaways to 29, including 16 interceptions.
A true defensive specialist, Patterson had a similar impact at Navy. In just one season as the Midshipmen's secondary coach in 1995, he helped elevate the defense in the national rankings. Navy finished 18th in total defense, 17th in scoring defense and 28th in pass defense efficiency.
Patterson's defensive acumen dates back to his own playing days at Kansas State, where he played strong safety and outside linebacker for the Wildcats in 1980 and 1981.
He served as a graduate assistant in 1982 and received his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1983. He took the linebacker coaching position at Tennessee Tech while earning a master's degree in educational administration in 1984.
Patterson has been part of 17 bowl staffs, including one each with Kansas State, Utah State and New Mexico. The other 14 have come at TCU. Aside from being an accomplished Division I head coach, Patterson is also a skilled guitar player. On several occasions, Patterson has entertained TCU fans with his guitar skills at pep rallies around the Fort Worth area.
A native of Rozel, Kansas, Patterson is married to the former Kelsey Hayes. He has three sons: Josh, Cade and Blake.
Coaching Experience:
1982 Kansas State (Graduate Assistant)
1983-84 Tennessee Tech (Linebackers)
1986 UC Davis (Linebackers)
1987 Cal Lutheran (Defensive Coordinator)
1988 Pittsburg (Kan.) State (Linebackers)
1989-91 Sonoma (Calif.) State (Defensive Coordinator)
1992 Oregon Lightning Bolts
1992-94 Utah State (Secondary)
1995 Navy (Secondary)
1996-97 New Mexico (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
1998-00 TCU (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
2000-present TCU (Head Coach)
Bowl Games:
1982 Independence Bowl (Kansas State)
1993 Las Vegas Bowl (Utah State)
1997 Insight.com Bowl (New Mexico)
1998 Sun Bowl (TCU)
1999 Mobile Alabama Bowl (TCU)
2000 Mobile Alabama Bowl (TCU)
2001 galleryfurniture.com Bowl (TCU)
2002 Liberty Bowl (TCU)
2003 Fort Worth Bowl (TCU)
2005 Houston Bowl (TCU)
2006 Poinsettia Bowl (TCU)
2007 Texas Bowl (TCU)
2008 Poinsettia Bowl (TCU)
2010 Fiesta Bowl (TCU)
2011 Rose Bowl (TCU)
2011 Poinsettia Bowl (TCU)
2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (TCU)
