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Since taking over the helm of the Horned Frogs in December 2000, Gary Patterson has become synonymous with TCU football. Patterson has led TCU to at least 10 wins five times in the last seven years, including four 11-win campaigns in the past six seasons. No other coach in TCU history has more than two 10-win campaigns. The dean of Mountain West Conference coaches, Patterson guided TCU to an 11-2 record in 2008 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. Patterson's 73-27 (.730) record is the best mark of any TCU head coach after 100 games. Dutch Meyer, coach of the 1935 and 1938 national championship teams, is second (.665, 64-31-5, 1934-40). Patterson's 73 wins are third on the Frogs' career victory list and just one behind Abe Martin for second place (74, 1953-66). Patterson's .730 winning percentage is second among TCU coaches with more than 20 games under their belt and 10th among active coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly called Division I-A). The Frogs have won four conference titles with Patterson on staff in addition to posting six of the school's 10 10-win seasons. He was TCU's defensive coordinator from 1998-00. During his 11 years on campus, Patterson has seen TCU make 10 bowl appearances. With a 17-16 victory over No. 9 Boise State in in the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl, Patterson has led the Frogs to four straight bowl victories for the first time in school history. TCU is one of just seven schools nationally to have a current bowl winning streak of at least four in a row. TCU is 7-3 in bowl games with Patterson on its coaching staff and 5-3 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 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. 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). The Frogs are 11-3 in their last 14 games against teams from leagues with automatic BCS bids, including a 5-2 mark versus the Big 12 the past four seasons. The Frogs were 11th in the final BCS standings in 2008. TCU has appeared in the BCS standings 28 times, trailing only Boise State (34) for the most among schools from a non-automatic qualifying conference. In eight seasons as a head coach, Patterson has coached 93 All-Conference selections, six All-Americans, 10 Freshman All-Americans and one Academic All-American. In three of its first four seasons in the Mountain West, TCU has set the pace on the all-conference teams. The Frogs had 18 selections in 2005 and 2008, 14 in 2006 and 11 in 2007. In his tenure as TCU's head coach, Patterson has had 21 players drafted with a total of 41 in NFL camps. Patterson became the fastest TCU coach to reach 50 victories (70 games) with a 27-21 win at New Mexico on Nov. 11, 2006. 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 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. TCU has been no stranger to the post-season in the Patterson era. The Frogs have emerged victorious seven times in their run of 10 bowl games in 11 seasons, including a 17-3 win over MWC champion Colorado State in the 2002 AXA Liberty Bowl. 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 73 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. In 2004, the Frogs finished in the top 20 in the nation in scoring offense, passing offense and total offense. The Patterson chapter of TCU football, however, has been dominated by a tradition of defense. Since 1999, the Frogs have been ranked in the top five nationally in total defense four times. 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 13 bowl staffs, including one each with Kansas State, Utah State and New Mexico. The other 10 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:
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