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TCU football swinging for big names to replace Gary Patterson

By Brad Berreman

Oct 2, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson reacts during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson reacts during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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After parting ways with Gary Patterson, TCU football plans to go after some big names to replace him.

After parting ways with long-time football coach Gary Patterson, effective immediately after last Saturday’s loss to Kansas State, TCU is moving fast and aiming high in their search to replace him,

According to 247 Sports, beyond SMU head coach Sonny Dykes as a clear top candidate, TCU’s hiring committee is casting a wide net in their search to replace Patterson.

Among the names on their radar are Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, Nevada head coach Jay Norvell and Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. According to a source of 247’s, Moore’s representatives have reached out to TCU.

TCU football going big or going home in search to replace Gary Patterson

Sanders is in his second season as head coach at Jackson State, but he has strong ties to the Dallas-Fort Worth area from spending a chunk of Hall of Fame playing career with the Cowboys and stints as a high school coach in Texas. If he were to leave Jackson State, it feels more likely to be for his alma mater, Florida State, but it can’t hurt TCU to try.

Norvell is 13-4 over the last two seasons at Nevada, and 31-24 in five seasons there overall. He was a long-time assistant at Oklahoma and he also spent one season at Texas, so recruiting well in the state shouldn’t be a problem.

Elliott, in his post at Clemson since 2014, is one of the hottest coordinator candidates for head coaching jobs every year. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a head coach, even as the Tigers’ offense goes through a down year.

Moore is in his third season as Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, and he was candidate for the head coaching job at his alma mater (Boise State) last year when Bryan Harsin left for Auburn. It’s also seemingly only a matter of time before Moore is a head coach, but assuming it’d automatically be the NFL is not quite correct.

TCU certainly has the resources to get the attention of some notable coaching candidates. Time will tell if their planned big swings bear any fruit and a big-time hire.

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