TCU and Head Coach Gary Patterson Parts Ways in Shock Move

Gary Patterson has a statue on the TCU campus, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be able to finish his 21st full season with the Horned Frogs.

In a shock move, Newsy Scruggs, a Texas-based sports reporter, reported that Patterson and TCU will part ways immediately in the midst of a 3-5 season. He further reported that TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati will immediately begin the search for a new coach.

Breaking: Gary Patterson and #TCU are parting ways immediately.
The #Frogs longtime head coach will not finish the season. @JDonati_TCU will start the search for a new football coach. pic.twitter.com/zyOrOeA8V1

— Newy Scruggs (@newyscruggs) October 31, 2021

Patterson is the winningest coach in TCU history, going 181-79 (11-6 in Bowl games) during his time in Forth Worth, Tx. He won four Mountain West conferference title, a Big 12 conference title and was instrumental in bringing TCU from Conference USA to the MWC to the Big 12.

Patterson’s 2010 TCU squad went unbeaten and beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, and his 2014 squad went 12-1 and beat Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.

TCU finished in the Top 10 nationally three seasons under Patterson’s leadership while in the Big, and while he’s gone 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 and was 3-5 to begin this season over the last three and a half seasons, he’s been the most influential member of TCU athletics in decades.

SMU’s Sonny Dykes has been rumored to be a potential candidate to replace Patterson, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.

West Virginia last played TCU two weeks ago, leaving Fort Worth with a 29-17 road win.