FWST: Player-first approach key for how Sonny Dykes wants to shape TCU

[TopFrog]

Player-first approach key for how Sonny Dykes wants to shape TCU

BY STEVEN JOHNSON

When Sonny Dykes finally got a chance to meet most of his roster last December, he could sense there was a state of dejection around the program.

There were three days of workouts players could attend. On the first day at least 30 players were absent. The next two days the numbers were in the high 20s.

It was an early crossroad for the first-year head coach. Some, maybe most, coaches would’ve used that opportunity to lay down the law.

Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/sport...niversity/article263927276.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Limp Lizard]

Once again, 2016-2021 not x's/o's, not talent. It was inner sickness of the program's heart and attitude. One final hard sprint in 2017, then fall down and die.

 

[Froggish]

Good read…After 4 years I have no idea if we are as bad as our record reflects or if they really just hated playing for GP and staff. Either way I’m digging the new energy and optimism around FW

 

[Moose Stuff]

Good read…After 4 years I have no idea if we are as bad as our record reflects or if they really just hated playing for GP and staff. Either way I’m digging the new energy and optimism around FW

I don’t know if they hated it but anyone watching could tell tell they were rarely having fun.

 

[Paint It Purple]

I don’t know if they hated it but anyone watching could tell tell they were rarely having fun.

Sometimes you don't know what you had until it's gone. GP's time had passed, and as usual the head of the ship is last to realize what has happened.

 

[ShreveFrog]

Some of you may know GP personally, but I've never seen anyone say this here. I talked to an old friend in the spring who claimed to know Patterson. Enough to have conversation with him. He said his last four years, GP "was just mad. All the time mad." He was speaking of the changing landscape that GP saw -- transfer portal, paying players, etc.

 

[froginaustin]

Good read…After 4 years I have no idea if we are as bad as our record reflects or if they really just hated playing for GP and staff. Either way I’m digging the new energy and optimism around FW

I was on campus for Coach Fred Taylor's last year as head coach, and I distinctly remember talk around the old Milton Daniel, where athletes lived in those years, about specific assistants and other staff members that were truly hated. Nothing about hating Coach Taylor, but some of those staff members were real downers, apparently.
That changed with the new Pittman staff, and TCU really had a good thing going with players largely recruited by the Taylor regime, until the Baylor game . . ..

 

[Endless Purple]

As long as player first does not mean soft.

 

[Moose Stuff]

Some of you may know GP personally, but I've never seen anyone say this here. I talked to an old friend in the spring who claimed to know Patterson. Enough to have conversation with him. He said his last four years, GP "was just mad. All the time mad." He was speaking of the changing landscape that GP saw -- transfer portal, paying players, etc.

I firmly believe what I’m about to type and you can’t change my mind…. GP would rather do it HIS way and lose than change and win.

 

[NORMLFROG]

As long as player first does not mean soft.

I agree. There is a fine line between being a player's coach and a hardass and the really successful coaches are able to navigate that pretty well. One concern I have is that, when at SMU, Coach Dyke's teams seemed to fade down the stretch. That said, the program is giving me every reason to be cautiously optimistic about the future.

NF

 

[Eight]

As long as player first does not mean soft.

agree, but how is that actually played out

consider that with gary we got to see players, coaches, and sometime support staff verbally chastised during games and the presumption was that he was and old school coach who was admitted about doing things the right way

thing is, that didn't always mesh with what we heard or saw inside the program

more than one poster on here has told stories about running into players out in the wee hours of the morning in arizonia the week of the bowl game versus boise. then we had back to back quarterbacks who had off the field alcohol issues that either interrupted or cut short by one game their careers

we have the saga of devonte' fields and i would be willing to bet he isn't the only one and it reminds me of a comment that the father of a former frog defensive lineman once told me at the texas relays, that while gary talked one game, that things in the program were handled another and that varied between selective to inconsistent

i suspect that sonny is like his father in he isn't going to put on a show of bravado, but won't hesitate to clear out things when need be

 

[Eight]

I firmly believe what I’m about to type and you can’t change my mind…. GP would rather do it HIS way and lose than change and win.

reminds me of how landry's time coaching dallas ended with the nfl game changing, but he either choosing not to make the adjustments or not be able to me them

 

[Froggish]

agree, but how is that actually played out

consider that with gary we got to see players, coaches, and sometime support staff verbally chastised during games and the presumption was that he was and old school coach who was admitted about doing things the right way

thing is, that didn't always mesh with what we heard or saw inside the program

more than one poster on here has told stories about running into players out in the wee hours of the morning in arizonia the week of the bowl game versus boise. then we had back to back quarterbacks who had off the field alcohol issues that either interrupted or cut short by one game their careers

we have the saga of devonte' fields and i would be willing to bet he isn't the only one and it reminds me of a comment that the father of a former frog defensive lineman once told me at the texas relays, that while gary talked one game, that things in the program were handled another and that varied between selective to inconsistent

i suspect that sonny is like his father in he isn't going to put on a show of bravado, but won't hesitate to clear out things when need be

That's interesting. I have plenty of contacts inside the program. Many who were and are GP fans. Almost all would tell you that GPs love for the players was incredible but his relationships with them weren't always strong. Especially in the last few years. He seemed to distance himself from anything that wasn't football related. One guy told me he had become like a dad that works all the time and mom is doing all the child rearing. The assistants were doing all the hard relationship stuff while GP did all the yelling

 

[HornyWartyToad]

I think it's a whole bunch of different factors that conspired to do in Gary's run. Too many to even begin to list. FWIW, I spoke to someone close to him recently who said he (Gary) is still in something like a state of shock about how it all went so dramatically wrong. I hope for his sake that working in Austin will give him some perspective and peace and allow him to mend whatever fences here that need it.

 

[Eight]

I think it's a whole bunch of different factors that conspired to do in Gary's run. Too many to even begin to list. FWIW, I spoke to someone close to him recently who said he (Gary) is still in something like a state of shock about how it all went so dramatically wrong. I hope for his sake that working in Austin will give him some perspective and peace and allow him to mend whatever fences here that need it.

actually think his being out of town so to speak is not a bad thing for him at this time

far too easy to simply dwell on how things might have played out and time normally does provide perspective though i haven't seen steelfrog in some time around here but still sure he is an arse

 

[tcumaniac]

When searching for a replacement for Gary Patterson, Donati was deliberate with seeking a coach that would put a bigger emphasis on the athletes. Dykes was a natural fit in that regard.

“That was absolutely something we’re looking for. Someone that was in tune with today’s student athletes and the importance of NIL and the importance of their brand and elevating their personal platforms,” Donati said. “Coaches develop players on and off the field that’s their job and this is apart of that.”

Seems like a pretty deliberate jab at Gary, someone who prided himself in "40 not 4."

 

[Eight]

That's interesting. I have plenty of contacts inside the program. Many who were and are GP fans. Almost all would tell you that GPs love for the players was incredible but his relationships with them weren't always strong. Especially in the last few years. He seemed to distance himself from anything that wasn't football related. One guy told me he had become like a dad that works all the time and mom is doing all the child rearing. The assistants were doing all the hard relationship stuff while GP did all the yelling

if the assistants were the one's handling the issues that would make sense as to why how matters were handled weren't consistent and some players go away with these others wouldn't

 

[Paint It Purple]

I firmly believe what I’m about to type and you can’t change my mind…. GP would rather do it HIS way and lose than change and win.

GP "what if I change and still lose?" "I'll take my chances with what once worked."

Lots of people will think this way.

 

[Moose Stuff]

GP "what if I change and still lose?" "I'll take my chances with what once worked."

Lots of people will think this way.

Lots of people don’t understand why they got fired.

 

[Prince of Purpoole II]

I firmly believe what I’m about to type and you can’t change my mind…. GP would rather do it HIS way and lose than change and win.

That about sums it up