Gary Patterson - “Tennessee didn’t think I could handle the Big Stage”

[GTBATV]

The SEC of course. Really didn’t think I needed to specify.

Just wanted some clarity. I wasn't sure what your comment meant.

 

[GTBATV]

Mark Richt was 63-29 (.685) from 2009 - 15 (the relevant timeframe), while Patterson was 70 - 20 (.778), and a healthy chunk of Richt's wins came against bad Tennessee teams.

Patterson coached at a program that was at a huge disadvantage in terms of resources while Richt coached at arguably the best job in all of college football (#2 IMO, but certainly top 5 in terms of recruiting, facilities, etc). Richt had perennial top 5 classes; Patterson haf classes anywhere from #25 - #55.

I don't think there's a good argument that Richt was a better coach than Patterson. Richt was a good coach, but it's an easy decision between the two for me.

Patterson did well with a weaker team in weaker conference. Richt did well with a better team in a better conference. I think either was much better than what was chosen for our team during that span.

 

[perico]

Richt had a .740 at Georgia, Patterson was a .696 at TCU. I'll consider that pretty equal. I think Richt was 10-6 vs us. But My math and memory could be wrong. Patterson probably would have changed the numbers. Not sure if he would have come out on top.

What is ironic is that Richt got 4 of those wins from 2000-2003. Casey could beat Florida but couldn’t get over the UGA hump. He royally stunk against the Dawgs his senior season. He missed his junior year and we almost pulled off the upset with James Banks lined up at QB after we pulled Leak real quick.

 

[05_never_again]

I don't care if that guy was a good football coach. He is a weirdo who fiddled with his package non-stop during games. There's no way.

He would have been much better than Kiffin/Dooley/Butch/Pruitt.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

He would have been much better than Kiffin/Dooley/Butch/Pruitt.

I still want to think if Hamilton had not given Kiffin the no buyout for SC in his contract and he stayed, if he could have turned the program around. I know at that time he was arrogant and immature but I think he would have matured and been better than the ones that followed. He had his Dad there as DC who could have helped reign him in. And if he could kept us out of NCAA trouble. Water under bridge now I know but I want to believe we would not have stayed in purgatory as long with him there.

 

[Volador]

If If If, Soon!

 

[hillsborovol]

Let me preface this by saying I despise Kiffin. That said the problem wasn’t Kiffin. The problem was the contract that Kiffin was signed to and the fact that the idiot that signed him to that was allowed to make another hire after Kiffin bolted. How Hamilton was allowed to hire another coach is just a great mystery to me?

And to top if off, the University gave Hamilton a cool 1 million dollars that we didn't owe him in appreciation for his time here.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

I still want to think if Hamilton had not given Kiffin the no buyout for SC in his contract and he stayed, if he could have turned the program around. I know at that time he was arrogant and immature but I think he would have matured and been better than the ones that followed. He had his Dad there as DC who could have helped reign him in. And if he could kept us out of NCAA trouble. Water under bridge now I know but I want to believe we would not have stayed in purgatory as long with him there.

Kiffin is still immature and arrogant.

 

[volfan_28]

Apparently Tennessee isn’t the only organization that didn’t think he could handle the big stage.

 

[Behr]

So we didn’t think Patt could handle the big stage…….but we thought Dooley and Butch could??

 

[Orange931]

Better than Pruitt.

That’s not saying a whole lot….

 

[butchna]

So we didn’t think Patt could handle the big stage…….but we thought Dooley and Butch could??

I like the cavalier use of “we”. 😉 It is interesting that the disdain for MID-MAJOR HC hires prevailed tho in a wide swath of our fanbase. That was TCU at the time of that hiring and Utah when Meyer was hired.

 

[UTwild82]

It's easy to Monday morning QB and say we should have picked Patterson over Kiffin (or Brian Kelly over either), but you have to put yourself back at that time.

Patterson had won in CUSA and the MWC, sure. But Kiffin was a guy with NFL experience (bad as it was), was on championship USC teams, and (this was the key selling point) was bringing in a truckload of amazing assistants.

There was no way to know he'd bolt after a year. As much as I hate Kiffin, I feel like he would have won more than Patterson here. And Patterson wasn't coming here after being turned down the first time.

It sucks and hindsight is always 20/20, but it's over now and we got a good one in Heupel.

 

[Volfan1000]

Let me preface this by saying I despise Kiffin. That said the problem wasn’t Kiffin. The problem was the contract that Kiffin was signed to and the fact that the idiot that signed him to that was allowed to make another hire after Kiffin bolted. How Hamilton was allowed to hire another coach is just a great mystery to me?

I think Kiffin's buyout was something like 900,000.

Patterson would have had Tennessee competing for annual SEC championships and playing in the championship game and getting major bowl bids most years.

 

[VolsFan-TX]

Richt had a .740 at Georgia, Patterson was a .696 at TCU. I'll consider that pretty equal. I think Richt was 10-6 vs us. But My math and memory could be wrong. Patterson probably would have changed the numbers. Not sure if he would have come out on top.

Patterson was only .595 once TCU joined the Big XII. TCU tied for one conference championship since they joined a power 5 conference. That year (2014), TCU lost to Baylor and finished 8-1 in the conference. Baylor also had only one conf lost, but the Big XII decided to award co-champions even though Baylor won the head-to-head.

 

[VolsFan-TX]

The way I heard it in Fort Worth, where I have lived for 25 years, is that Tennessee was looking for a coach and an ambassador for the school. Tennessee wanted someone who would coach the team and participate in statewide events, represent the school to the boosters, work on fundraisers, host the radio and tv shows, etc. Patterson wanted to be a coach. The concept of doing all of the other things was new to him. He didn’t do those things at the time or since at TCU. That was my understanding of the idea that the job was too big for him or that he wasn’t ready. It wasn’t about simply coaching the team.

Edit:
TCU is a small, Christian school with about 11,000 students now, but with about 9,000 (or perhaps fewer) in 2008. The stadium holds less than 45,000 and neither Texas nor Fort Worth are rabid about the Horned Frogs. TCU is not a globally recognizable brand. I have traveled about 50% of the time for the last 20+ years and I have never seen a TCU shirt outside of Texas. I have seen Tennessee shirts worn all over the US and in several countries in Europe and Asia. The reach of Tennessee far exceeds that of TCU.

On Saturdays in Fort Worth, traffic around the immediate area of the stadium is the only thing that would indicate a game is going on. It isn’t like Knoxville (or other parts of the state) where you see all of the shirts, stickers, car flags, etc. even from people not attending the game.

Is he a very good coach? Absolutely! Could he have been successful at Tennessee? I think so, if he accepted the other job responsibilities in addition to coaching.

 

[Remy]

It's pretty doggone obvious many of you have no clue how bad TCU was prior to Patterson's arrival. Rice, Vandy, and Prairie View A&M fought for the bottom of really bad college football for decades along with TCU whose mascot was/is the mighty horned frogs. That is only a cut above the mighty banana slugs (who is often portrayed as a red eyed stoner, think Towlie from South Park) who just so happened to be the alma mater of my road dog while living in SoCal, yes I have rocked their tshirt and everyone wants to buy it when I rock it.

 

[VolMarine1371]

Looking back on the University’s numerous bad decisions, I’m so thankful we finally have an competent AD in Danny White that truly wants to win. Hamilton is a huge reason why we sucked for 10+ years due to his massive ego. I wonder how things would have turned out if we had replaced Fulmer with Patterson whenever we had the chance?

But hiring a coach that never was a head coach in college and had losing record as a pro (Lane Kiffin) was a better choice. Or what about hiring a coach that had a losing record prior to UT(Dooley) or a coach that even a high shcool wouldn’t have as a HC (Pruitt)? Someone actually thought these 3 coaches was somehow better than Patterson. I am glad we finally have some competent/qualified people running the school and Athletic Department.

 

[tnutater]

Methinks some off you guys forget the influence of the boosters in the hires that sank UT football.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I agree he would’ve been better than the four chosen after we failed to hire him. He said it’s about winning championships. How many did and has he won?

At TCU? Seriously? He's a good coach, not a miracle worker.

 

[butchna]

But hiring a coach that never was a head coach in college and had losing record as a pro (Lane Kiffin) was a better choice. Or what about hiring a coach that had a losing record prior to UT(Dooley) or a coach that even a high shcool wouldn’t have as a HC (Pruitt)? Someone actually thought these 3 coaches was somehow better than Patterson. I am glad we finally have some competent/qualified people running the school and Athletic Department.

That’s a big leap. Patterson wasn’t a possibility after Kiffin…left on his own call. Hamilton didn’t pass on him for Dooley and Fulmer certainly didn’t pass on him for Pruitt.

 

[kell7517]

At TCU? Seriously? He's a good coach, not a miracle worker.

Yeah!! Why not? Texas is a hotbed of talent.

 

[VolMarine1371]

That’s a big leap. Patterson wasn’t a possibility after Kiffin…left on his own call. Hamilton didn’t pass on him for Dooley and Fulmer certainly didn’t pass on him for Pruitt.

Well I’m just simply stating that Gary Patterson at the time was the better option as a college coach than Kiffin. At the time Kiffin was really unproven as a HC. But even if Patterson wasn’t an option after Kiffin, there was still better options than Dooley, Butch, And most Definitely Pruitt.

 

[SayNoToJorts]

Given the choice today I’d go with Kiffin again

 

[butchna]

Well I’m just simply stating that Gary Patterson at the time was the better option as a college coach than Kiffin. At the time Kiffin was really unproven as a HC. But even if Patterson wasn’t an option after Kiffin, there was still better options than Dooley, Butch, And most Definitely Pruitt.

But the point of the thread was MORE bellyaching from Patterson over Hamilton picking Kiffin over him. Maybe better AD’s would’ve made better choices…not arguing theories on that one.