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

[Brave Volunteer]

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

There's a reason why he interviewed for the Tennessee job. The ceiling was much lower at TCU.

 

['Boro-vol]

Had we hired Patterson, our nearly decade and a half of wandering in the wilderness would have never happened. He would have been the right guy at the right time for high level stability.

But he’s right about unanswered prayers…our AD and Administration would have been a nightmare for him. There really was no avoiding what we’ve been through with the crowd we’ve had running things.

 

[VolMarine1371]

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.

Well Patterson should have been picked over Kiffin considering the times. Kiffin was an unproven College coach as a HC. Patterson was also considered one of the top assistant coaches in all of college football and was a finalist for the Broyles Award. Yes Lane Kiffin was young and seem to be a good offensive player caller but hell who wouldn’t be a good play caller when you have Reggie Buch, LenDale White, Matt Leinartt, Steve Smith, and Dewayne Jarrett? Don’t get me wrong, I would hire Kiffin in a heartbeat today than Patterson as the game has changed significantly since the early 2000’s. But I don’t think UT would have endured the 20 years stretch they did if they hired Patterson.

 

[butchna]

Well Patterson should have been picked over Kiffin considering the times. Kiffin was an unproven College coach as a HC. Patterson was also considered one of the top assistant coaches in all of college football and was a finalist for the Broyles Award. Yes Lane Kiffin was young and seem to be a good offensive player caller but hell who wouldn’t be a good play caller when you have Reggie Buch, LenDale White, Matt Leinartt, Steve Smith, and Dewayne Jarrett? Don’t get me wrong, I would hire Kiffin in a heartbeat today than Patterson as the game has changed significantly since the early 2000’s. But I don’t think UT would have endured the 20 years stretch they did if they hired Patterson.

Sounds like a strong personal opinion tho solidly based. Maybe they looked at Kiffin’s mentor at USC…also an unproven in college football with middling results as a HC in the NFL. Patterson was a top assistant coach at the mid-major level before growing the program after Franchione departed for Bama. I just don’t see the slam dunk/no doubt narrative of your argument. Clemson was a strong suitor for Kiffin also before sticking with still unknown quality Swinney. Doing this revisionist second guessing, and with the benefit of such, we’d have been a much more SOLID program under his helm but we’d be like TCU much earlier in the process imo. Patterson would’ve had to establish ties to our high school recruiting bases and MAYBE pick the occasional 3 star out of Texas. That lowered ceiling without the benefit of good buddy oil dummies = next hire way sooner.

 

[VolMarine1371]

Sounds like a strong personal opinion tho solidly based. Maybe they looked at Kiffin’s mentor at USC…also an unproven in college football with middling results as a HC in the NFL. Patterson was a top assistant coach at the mid-major level before growing the program after Franchione departed for Bama. I just don’t see the slam dunk/no doubt narrative of your argument. Clemson was a strong suitor for Kiffin also before sticking with still unknown quality Swinney. Doing this revisionist second guessing, and with the benefit of such, we’d have been a much more SOLID program under his helm but we’d be like TCU much earlier in the process imo. Patterson would’ve had to establish ties to our high school recruiting bases and MAYBE pick the occasional 3 star out of Texas. That lowered ceiling without the benefit of good buddy oil dummies = next hire way sooner.

I think Patterson would have been a risk to hire just like Kiffin was. I liked both coaches and both coaches are unique in how they did things. Kiffin was an outstanding play caller and recruiter while Patterson was an outstanding DC and Mid Major coach. But non the less I think we both can agree that Mike Hamilton was an idiot to say the least. But even if Patterson leaves UT for a job in Texas or our west if hired at UT, do you think he leaves UT on probation facing multiple recruiting violations? Kiffin leaving like he did done as much damage as the next 2 head coaches combined. Pruitt on the other hand done more by himself than the rest of them yahoo’s. End results of this madness is Hueple and I think we have the coach every been waiting for since 2007 even if it took 4 clowns before we got there. I’m just glad to see actual coaching now and an upward trajectory finally.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

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

Good grief. A hotbed of talent that UTjr, A&M, and probably Oklahoma get first crack at, while TCU has to divvy up the rest with TTU and Houston. And that’s not acknowledging the Texas kids who go out of state.

 

[kell7517]

Good grief. A hotbed of talent that UTjr, A&M, and probably Oklahoma get first crack at, while TCU has to divvy up the rest with TTU and Houston. And that’s not acknowledging the Texas kids who go out of state.

Yeah and come to Tennessee. Which has to compete with The Gumps, Jawja. Gators, A&M, LSU as well for recruits since in state talent is not as prominent. So yeah. Good grief!! See how that works.

 

[DOCTORLOOMIS]

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

EXACTLY.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Yeah and come to Tennessee. Which has to compete with The Gumps, Jawja. Gators, A&M, LSU as well for recruits since in state talent is not as prominent. So yeah. Good grief!! See how that works.

You forgot Clemson and OSU. We’re on an even footing with those schools though, in terms of brand and resources. If TCU wants a 5 star kid who also has an offer from Texas, where’s he going 99 times out of a hundred? So while we battle our rivals for top recruits, TCU has to duke it out with Houston for 2 and 3 stars and hope to find a diamond in the rough now and again.