Hirings and firings are a part of sports.College football is no different when Dark Monday and Tuesday put head coaches on the proverbial chopping block and their careers in jeopardy.
“Dark Monday and Tuesday comes during that first week after Thanksgiving and is a tough time for college coaches,” head football coach Gary Patterson said.
In the past week, head coaches from Miami, Alabama, Michigan State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Arizona State and North Texas have all had their current work services terminated, according to an article in Monday’s issue of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Patterson’s name has been traveling through the sports writers’ rumor mill since recent articles in the Sporting News and USA Today said he might be a replacement for Larry Coker at Miami.
“I am humbled by the chance to be mentioned by their program,” Patterson said.
Rick Korch, the football sports information director at Miami, would not disclose any information on the subject.
“There is nothing that can be made public on any candidate for the job,” Korch said.
During his weekly press conference, Patterson said the matter of finding a good coach for a football team is a matter of finding a coach who is the right fit for what the team and university require.
“A lot of the coaches come up the low road and take lots of jobs, and I’ve been a great fit for TCU,” Patterson said.
The prospect of Miami is not among his current priorities while at TCU.
“This is a pretty dang good job,” Patterson said. “If Gary Patterson stepped down there would be a long list of guys wanting to come to TCU and Fort Worth.”
The people and community around TCU keep him coaching for the Frogs, said Mark Cohen, director of athletics media relations.
“He has a contract here through 2012,” Cohen said. “He agreed to the contract and had an extension announced last year, the same day we announced we were heading to Houston for the Ev1.net Houston Bowl.”
Cohen said that the Miami talk has not affected Patterson’s thoughts of coaching for TCU.
“He has never shied away from saying how much TCU and Fort Worth means to him,” Cohen said.
Patterson will continue manning the sidelines for the Frogs this weekend as TCU has its final home game of the season against the Air Force Falcons at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Amon Carter Stadium.
