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FWST: Patterson: Tennessee, Nebraska didn’t think I could handle big stage

TopFrog

Lifelong Frog
Patterson: Tennessee, Nebraska didn’t think I could handle big stage

BY STEFAN STEVENSON
sstevenson@star-telegram.com

TCU coach Gary Patterson believes Tennessee and Nebraska declined to offer him head coaching jobs because they didn’t think he could handle “the big stage.”

“My wife and I went to dinner with them, and I could tell [Tennessee] had already decided on [Lane] Kiffin,” Patterson told ESPN. “It was the same with Nebraska. I interviewed and could tell they had already decided on [Bo] Pelini. I think a lot of these ADs now are more interested in hiring guys who’re going to win the podium than they are in hiring football coaches, and there’s a lot more to it than that if you’re going to win championships.”

Patterson interviewed for the jobs in 2008 and 2009, the year before the Horned Frogs went 13-0 and won the Rose Bowl.

Read more at http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article183656166.html
 

Pharm Frog

Full Member
Should feel VERY confident that CGP finishes his major college coaching career in FTW. When you start publicly “naming names” and attributing motivations to potential employers who didn’t hire you, it makes it very hard for anyone to interview you in the future. And, this is very consistent with what a former coach told me directly many years ago now — that GP was an outstanding football coach (He said the best defensive mind in the business) limited in “upward” mobility by the perception that he is not adequately “platform polished”. Good for us. Glad we’re not Tennessee or Nebraska. How’s that working out for you?
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
Should feel VERY confident that CGP finishes his major college coaching career in FTW. When you start publicly “naming names” and attributing motivations to potential employers who didn’t hire you, it makes it very hard for anyone to interview you in the future. And, this is very consistent with what a former coach told me directly many years ago now — that GP was an outstanding football coach (He said the best defensive mind in the business) limited in “upward” mobility by the perception that he is not adequately “platform polished”. Good for us. Glad we’re not Tennessee or Nebraska. How’s that working out for you?

I’ve felt that way from day 1.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
I can’t say I felt it from Day One but was quite confident after listening to someone who would know. Was probably in the 2007-08 timeframe.

Just to clarify, I didn’t mean that I felt from day 1 that he would stay at TCU, but that from day 1 I felt his rough around the edges style would keep certain programs from coming after him.
 

jake102

Active Member
I didnt figure it would be an issue for programs like Nebraska and Tennessee. I figured it would be a tough sell at UT, aTm, Florida, Ohio st type places
 

Big Frog II

Active Member
Nebraska is in a world of hurt right now. They no longer can stockpile athletes/walk-ons. They're now an after thought in the Big 10. The recruiting base has dried up. Football was their claim to fame. Now they really have nothing to hang their hat on. Great fans, but even they will tire of mediocrity.
 

Frog DJ

Active Member
They'll probably never publicly admit it, but Nebraska must be having second thoughts about leaving the Big XII.

Certainly, the BIG is a great conference, but the Huskers no longer travel to Oklahoma and Texas every year, and that negatively impacts their ability to recruit in those talent-rich areas.

Bo Pelini was infuriated when the refs put one second back on the clock, and gave UT the opportunity to salvage a trip to the NCG, but his reported insistence that Nebraska should abandon the Big XII has not worked out so well for him - or the program.

Sometimes, the grass is not always greener...

Go Frogs!
 
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