FORT WORTH, Texas — Behind every Horned Frog defensive stop, every upset, comeback and win, is Gary Patterson. He is Texas Christian University royalty, which has become more apparent after Saturday’s 34-18 victory over Texas Tech. 

What You Need To Know

  • Patterson has 175 wins as a head coach, 25 as a defensive coordinator (1998-2000)

  • TCU is 200-83 with him on the sidelines (.706)

  • Most wins with the same team among active coaches: Nick Saban (163, Alabama), Kirk Ferentz (163, Iowa) and Mack Brown (158, Texas)

Patterson is the man behind two decades of dominance, highlighted by 11 bowl victories, six conference championships and now 200 career wins. 

“Two hundred wins in 23 years is a lot of wins,” said Patterson. “Anyone can find something negative about it, but the bottom line to it is we’ve found ways to win over the years and hopefully we keep doing that.” 

If history is any indication, that is a strong possibility. There are active Division I coaches who have recorded 200-plus wins, but none of them can say they’ve won them all with the same team.

So what separates Patterson from the rest of the game’s greats?

“He is a perfectionist,” said former TCU linebacker and current Green Bay Packer Ty Summers. “He’s intense. A lot of people can’t handle that, but that intensity in practice makes it so much easier on game day."

With Patterson on the sidelines, the TCU has won 70% of their games. As Summers will tell you, there are two distinct sides to the man in the visor.

“There’s Gary, and then there’s Coach P,” Summers said. “Gary is the guy off the field who plays the guitar, takes pictures with fans, donates to charity and gives back to the city of Fort Worth and its community. And then there’s Coach P, a complete 180. He’s super intense and constantly in your face."

“If you don’t know him, he can rub you the wrong way,” said former TCU wide receiver Bart Johnson. “He’s yelling, he’s very, very animated, he’s fired up, and he gets after his players, but all he wants to do is get the best out of you."

He gets the best out of his players with brutal honesty.

“That’s what I like about Coach P, too. He’s honest,” said Johnson. “He’s not going to make you feel good and all these things. Some kids are so entitled these days and don’t like honesty like that. They want to be put on a pedestal, right? Coach P is not like that."

Patterson tells his players how it is, which is why he’s gained so much respect from his former and current athletes. 

“He’s just a great mentor and a great leader,” said TCU free safety Trevon Moehrig. “He’s somebody who’s always going to have your back. Just to sum it up, he’s somebody who I can always talk to. He’s helped my game tremendously. He’s helped a lot of players’ games tremendously. He’s just one of the greatest coaches."

Every player has a favorite Patterson story. Summer’s was after his first career interception against the Jayhawks.  

“I was covering the running back in the seam and I caught it, I ran, I got like 12 yards then got tackled,” said Summers. “[Coach P] immediately comes up to me, grabs my face masks and says don’t ever run with the ball again.”

Those memories will last forever, and so will the numbers. Patterson credits his 23 years of great players, great coaching staffs, great fans and last, but not least, his wife, for the 200 career wins.

“The other person I should throw in there is my wife, to be honest with you” said Patterson. “She’s had to put up with all the losses. The wins are okay. But she’s had to put up with the losses."

Win or lose, TCU is better with him making the calls.