PressBox DFW: Patterson could feel SMU troubles coming
- Thread starter Gil LeBreton
- Start date
Froggish
Active Member
We have to stop thinking we can look at our program through the same lenses that blue bloods like OU, Bama, OSU...etc..We have been a rebuild job almost every year since joining the B12..While some of that is just a function of being a perennial 30-40 recruiting ranking kind of school, a huge part that is due to GPs unwillingness to find the best Coordinator talent we can afford. I still maintain that good coaching grows up marginal talent. We see that on the defensive side of the ball year after year..
PurpleBlood87
Active Member
I know this I rode the elevator in the parking garage with a WR who played a lot of snaps and his family and he said that he was pissed about the loss and mainly because it was to a rival like SMU.
Hopefully some players will be pissed come Saturday.
Plus the fact the should want revenge fro losing at Kansas last year.
westoverhillbilly
Active Member
Gary's just plain honest and comfortable in his own skin enough to say that his team hadn't practiced well leading up to the game.. Most coaches just wouldn't admit to this because doing so would put them on the hot seat.. It would have put Gary on the hot seat in his first five years too.. He ain't perfect but he beats his predecessors here and all but one or two of his contemporaries (maybe) by a mile.
I'm not giving up on this year yet- we still have a chance to be special. Max is going to improve hugely over the next few weeks.
I'm not giving up on this year yet- we still have a chance to be special. Max is going to improve hugely over the next few weeks.
Froggy Style
Active Member
Different year, same excuses.
They had our signals, knuckleheads, didn’t take em seriously, I told em to practice harder.
Never: I called a bad game and should be ashamed for that and that I didn’t deal with Cumbie’s crappy play calling in the off-season.
They had our signals, knuckleheads, didn’t take em seriously, I told em to practice harder.
Never: I called a bad game and should be ashamed for that and that I didn’t deal with Cumbie’s crappy play calling in the off-season.
berryfrog95
Active Member
He did say they practiced well on Monday and now they are low energy this past practice .....Jezuz
SuperTFrog
Active Member
Seems reasonable to expect the head coach to talk about his OC this way.
Showtime Joe 2.0
Active Member
A couple of thoughts . . .
1. I hate it when Patterson (or Nick Saban, for that matter) complain about a lack of fan support. Those guys make an obscene amount of money to coach a sport. Do they think they would make even more if additional fans showed up for their games in 95-degree heat? They're not a local band playing for the cover charge at some rinky-dink bar on a Friday night. Coaches at their level should get down on their knees every day and thank God for football fans and never criticize a single one of them. Outside of the game of football, would a guy like Patterson be making anywhere near $5 million/year? I don't think so.
2. Lou Holtz was a pretty damn good football coach in his day and he has always contended that even the very best coach can only get a college football team truly "up" for about three or four games a year. The players are 18-23-year old young men with lots of distractions. And let's be honest with ourselves; when I was that age, I wasn't always reliable or consistent myself and I let people down more than I care to remember. Now, with that being said, the trick for a coach is to get the most out of his players during a game when his team isn't "up." It's absurd for Patterson to criticize players for not being focused during a particular week of practices. It's going to happen. And when it does, he should notice it (which he obviously does because he tells the world about it), and then find ways to work around that lack of focus or motivation. That's what he gets paid the big bucks for. No one should expect him to get his team "up" and playing at peak proficiency every single week and Patterson shouldn't expect that himself from his players. But at $5 million/year, he needs to take full responsibility for losing football games and not publicly deflect the blame upon his players. He can say whatever he wants to his team in the locker room or on the practice field but, in public, the buck should stop with him and him alone. Otherwise, it's just a bad look.
1. I hate it when Patterson (or Nick Saban, for that matter) complain about a lack of fan support. Those guys make an obscene amount of money to coach a sport. Do they think they would make even more if additional fans showed up for their games in 95-degree heat? They're not a local band playing for the cover charge at some rinky-dink bar on a Friday night. Coaches at their level should get down on their knees every day and thank God for football fans and never criticize a single one of them. Outside of the game of football, would a guy like Patterson be making anywhere near $5 million/year? I don't think so.
2. Lou Holtz was a pretty damn good football coach in his day and he has always contended that even the very best coach can only get a college football team truly "up" for about three or four games a year. The players are 18-23-year old young men with lots of distractions. And let's be honest with ourselves; when I was that age, I wasn't always reliable or consistent myself and I let people down more than I care to remember. Now, with that being said, the trick for a coach is to get the most out of his players during a game when his team isn't "up." It's absurd for Patterson to criticize players for not being focused during a particular week of practices. It's going to happen. And when it does, he should notice it (which he obviously does because he tells the world about it), and then find ways to work around that lack of focus or motivation. That's what he gets paid the big bucks for. No one should expect him to get his team "up" and playing at peak proficiency every single week and Patterson shouldn't expect that himself from his players. But at $5 million/year, he needs to take full responsibility for losing football games and not publicly deflect the blame upon his players. He can say whatever he wants to his team in the locker room or on the practice field but, in public, the buck should stop with him and him alone. Otherwise, it's just a bad look.
Froggish
Active Member
When great programs have a bad week of practice, the result isn’t getting beat by a non power 5 opponent. The real issue isn’t bad weeks of practicing, it’s bad weeks of coaching and recruiting. Kids are emotional roller coasters regardless of how many stars are next to their name...Somehow TX beats Rice every year and I’m going to guess they haven’t always taken that game serious with engaged, emotional weeks of practice.
We feel very much like a program that is trending toward average rather than good. Some change needs to happen to reverse that momentum. We recruit better then most our peers (TX and OU are not peers on the recruiting trail) and pretty well for a school outside of CFB royalty. The answer to the equation lies in the staff..Where? I don’t know but GP needs to figure it out or probably ride off in the sunset.
The game of football has changed. It’s profoundly fast paced and offensive friendly. GP needs to embrace that his defense is going to give up a few more points and be on the field a little longer then he’d like..
We feel very much like a program that is trending toward average rather than good. Some change needs to happen to reverse that momentum. We recruit better then most our peers (TX and OU are not peers on the recruiting trail) and pretty well for a school outside of CFB royalty. The answer to the equation lies in the staff..Where? I don’t know but GP needs to figure it out or probably ride off in the sunset.
The game of football has changed. It’s profoundly fast paced and offensive friendly. GP needs to embrace that his defense is going to give up a few more points and be on the field a little longer then he’d like..
Frog DJ
Active Member
Everybody has a right to their opinion, but we should all be careful what we wish for - we just might get it.
CGP has lifted TCU football out of the dark depths of disaster, and up to a measure of national notoriety and respect.
Those who suggest he's lost his touch and should leave are flirting with danger, because he might decide to do that.
He's not perfect, but he's done more for our alma mater than any other football coach in school history - undeniably.
Replacing him will not be easy, and all the talk about his decline (after one loss to a vastly improved SMU) is premature and reckless.
Flame away - it's just my opinion (which admittedly isn't worth much).
Go Frogs!
CGP has lifted TCU football out of the dark depths of disaster, and up to a measure of national notoriety and respect.
Those who suggest he's lost his touch and should leave are flirting with danger, because he might decide to do that.
He's not perfect, but he's done more for our alma mater than any other football coach in school history - undeniably.
Replacing him will not be easy, and all the talk about his decline (after one loss to a vastly improved SMU) is premature and reckless.
Flame away - it's just my opinion (which admittedly isn't worth much).
Go Frogs!
McGregor's Goat
Active Member
I guess it's a good thing that Gary is so bad at talking. Otherwise, maybe Tennessee wouldn't have offered Lane Kiffin over him, Nebraska wouldn't have picked Bo Pelini, Minnesota wouldn't have picked, I kid you not, Tim Brewster over Gary Patterson.
He's a great coach and I'm grateful for what he's done at TCU, so I'll just express some mild frustration in the moment that: (1) SMU was stunningly better prepared and more ready to play at the start of the game than TCU. That's on the coaches. (2) Any time a coach (not just GP) complains about fan turnout, I want to scream. Some coaches make millions of dollars and they think it's the job of the fans to motivate their players. I would love to see coaches in other sports try this. Imagine the women's basketball coach losing a game and saying, "Well, the stands were nowhere close to full." It's b.s. You should be better than SMU. You should be able to beat them in an empty stadium.
He's a great coach and I'm grateful for what he's done at TCU, so I'll just express some mild frustration in the moment that: (1) SMU was stunningly better prepared and more ready to play at the start of the game than TCU. That's on the coaches. (2) Any time a coach (not just GP) complains about fan turnout, I want to scream. Some coaches make millions of dollars and they think it's the job of the fans to motivate their players. I would love to see coaches in other sports try this. Imagine the women's basketball coach losing a game and saying, "Well, the stands were nowhere close to full." It's b.s. You should be better than SMU. You should be able to beat them in an empty stadium.
Eight
Member
i think your point is a very good one dj and the challenge is no matter when gary makes the choice to leave there will be no certainties other than at some point he won't be the head coach at tcu.
when that will be is always touchy situation and i do think gary has earned the right to a point of when that will be for him. he might have built this program, but he is a steward and not the owner.
gary still has an obligation to make the choices that are in the best interest of the program and this is an area where some have concern. simply does he have people on his staff and in the program who will make suggestions and recommendations that might be contrarian to his beliefs.
one thing i have seen working with some very successful businessmen is that they have someone who will call [ deposit from a bull that looks like Art Briles ] when it is needed.
i don't know if now is one of those moments, but hope there is someone who he has in counsel
I have said this many times within the last few years. GP wants to bring a NC to TCU, but he doesn't have a NC staff. This good ol' buddy system that he's had in place since day one isn't going to cut it. He needs to let the dead weight go, and bring in new blood to re-energize what is becoming, or has become, a stale football program.
GP's biggest problem is himself, and always has been. He's too damn stubborn to hire great coordinators to run his offense & defense, and just be the HC. I don't think the game has passed GP up, he just needs to take a step back and evaluate what's really happening to the football program that he has built practically from the ground up. This is his baby, and he needs to loosen up before it all unravels in his face and we become a middle to lower tier football team.
GP's biggest problem is himself, and always has been. He's too damn stubborn to hire great coordinators to run his offense & defense, and just be the HC. I don't think the game has passed GP up, he just needs to take a step back and evaluate what's really happening to the football program that he has built practically from the ground up. This is his baby, and he needs to loosen up before it all unravels in his face and we become a middle to lower tier football team.
Frog DJ
Active Member
I agree with you insofar as having someone on staff who will challenge the boss, but I don't feel as though I'm anywhere near qualified to be that guy.
My point is that I daresay there are very few other posters on this forum who are qualified to do that either, but there are plenty who seem to think they are.
Like you, I believe CGP has earned the right to run this program the way he sees fit, and I fear the naysayers will convince him that he's had enough.
We reap what we sow, and I think some of these "nattering nabobs of negativity" might cause our coach to throw his hands up in frustration and quit.
That's most likely a reach, but I think if CGP leaves we'll all be wishing we had a mulligan on second-guessing him. I think he knows a lot more than we do.
Go Frogs!
Limp Lizard
Full Member
The calls may very well have been aggressive. The execution and intensity were not. We were too used to sleep walk into every game, and it bit us.
Froggish
Active Member
I don’t disagree with you..We owe an unimaginable amount of debt to GP. This idea though that we are destined for the pits of football hell without him is ridiculous. If GP were being honest, he’d tell you it’s important to him to make sure that he leaves the place better than he found it. I don’t think very many people if any want him to hang it up but we would like to see him not fall victim to some of the traps many aging coaches fall in. That’s thinking the same people and techniques that worked 20 years earlier are still equally effective today.
Frog DJ
Active Member
Perhaps I’ve overestimated the number of posters who have suggested CGP should either change or move on, but ultimately that’s not my primary concern.
I simply believe he has proven he is worthy of our deference in his ability to right the ship without the wild-eyed rants from arm-chair QBs who don’t possess a fraction of his knowledge and expertise.
As to the issue of replacing him - of course is not impossible to find another coach who can maintain the momentum he’s built, and even take TCU to another level, but it’s not a foregone conclusion, either.
Ask Michigan, Texas A&M, Florida and several other blue blood programs how they’re doing as they continue to try to replace a legendary coach. Certainly, it happens, but it’s not a given.
Sometimes, it’s best to just be thankful for what you’ve got.
Go Frogs!
I simply believe he has proven he is worthy of our deference in his ability to right the ship without the wild-eyed rants from arm-chair QBs who don’t possess a fraction of his knowledge and expertise.
As to the issue of replacing him - of course is not impossible to find another coach who can maintain the momentum he’s built, and even take TCU to another level, but it’s not a foregone conclusion, either.
Ask Michigan, Texas A&M, Florida and several other blue blood programs how they’re doing as they continue to try to replace a legendary coach. Certainly, it happens, but it’s not a given.
Sometimes, it’s best to just be thankful for what you’ve got.
Go Frogs!
Froggish
Active Member
Wild eyed rants, hyperbole, half [ James'd ] buffoonery is the charm of KF..
