Patterson Named C-USA Coach of the Year
12/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 5, 2002
After leading his team to at least a share of the regular season championship, TCU head football coach Gary Patterson has been named the Conference USA Coach of the Year, as selected by the league's head coaches and media members in each conference city.
In his second season at the helm of the Horned Frogs, Patterson led TCU to its first C-USA championship and the program's third conference title in four years. After dropping its season opener, TCU won eight straight games, jumping into the national rankings before an upset loss at East Carolina on Nov. 23. A victory over Memphis on Nov. 30 gave the Frogs a share of the league crown in TCU's second season as a member of Conference USA, a title they will win outright if Cincinnati loses at East Carolina on Friday night.
The Frogs boast an overall mark of 9-2, with their only losses coming on the road in league play (Cincinnati and East Carolina). TCU will face No. 21 Colorado State, champions of the Mountain West Conference, in the AXA Liberty Bowl in Memphis on December 31st. This marks the fifth consecutive bowl appearance for the Frogs (extending the school record) and the second under Gary Patterson.
TCU is ranked No. 2 in the nation in total defense, allowing just 249.5 yards per game. The Frogs have the top rushing defense in Division I-a surrendering 62.9 yards per game on the ground. TCU placed a league-high 10 players on the league's all-conference team and feature the league's Defensive Player of the Year (linebacker LaMarcus McDonald) and its Freshman of the Year (running back Lonta Hobbs).
In his two full seasons at TCU (he made his head coaching debut in the 2000 GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl), Patterson has posted an overall mark of 15-9, and a victory in the AXA Liberty Bowl would give him the most victories by a TCU coach in his first two seasons since Dutch Meyer concluded his second season leading the Frogs to the 1935 national championship.
Patterson was named head football coach at TCU on December 8, 2000. He served as the Frogs defensive coordinator from 1998-2000 and was a 2000 finalist for the Frank Broyles National assistant Coach of the Year. Patterson is a 1983 graduate of Kansas State University, wher he played strong safety and outside linebacker.
Patterson is the seventh consecutive coach to earn Coach of the Year honors after winning the regular season Conference USA championship.
