Jerry Kill new interim head coach at TCU; Patterson steps down
File photo of former Gophers football head coach Jerry Kill who is taking over as the interim head coach at TCU.[ASSOCIATED PRESS]
TCU and football coach Gary Patterson have mutually agreed to immediately part ways.
The announcement came Sunday night, a day after the Horned Frogs (3-5, 1-4 Big 12) lost 31-12 at Kansas State, Patterson’s alma mater. It was their fifth loss in six games.
Patterson leaves TCU with a 181-79 record in 21 seasons, including an undefeated 13-0 season in 2010 that was capped by a Rose Bowl victory. He was the second-longest tenured FBS coach, trailing only Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who is in his 23rd season.
Former Minnesota coach Jerry Kill, who was the best man in Patterson’s wedding and on his staff as an offensive analyst, will be the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The Horned Frogs host 14th-ranked Baylor on Saturday.
The 61-year-old Patterson is the second Big 12 head coach let go in two weeks. Texas Tech fired third-year coach Matt Wells last week, also after a loss to Kansas State.
TCU’s only Big 12 win was 52-31 at Texas Tech on Oct. 9. A week after that, the Horned Frogs lost 52-31 to fourth-ranked Oklahoma.