Gary Patterson has TCU program where he wants it

LAS VEGAS — TCU's Gary Patterson was in his office Dec. 22, his last work day before Christmas break in preparation for the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, and his voice was raw from a heated film session when his secretary walked in and told him LeAnn Rimes was on the phone.

"LeAnn who?" he barked.

"LeAnn Rimes, the country singer," he was informed.

"Oh, that LeAnn," he said. The young star wanted Patterson to have a TCU helmet signed for a friend of hers who played at UCLA.

"LeAnn who?" is a joke now. It shows the focus Patterson gets into about his job as a collegiate head football coach — he was named the national Coach of the Year in 2009 by The Associated Press, the American Football Coaches Association, the Sporting News and the Walter Camp Foundation.

Patterson has TCU right where he wants it to be, the expectant and favored No. 1 team in the Mountain West Conference as confirmed by an overwhelming media vote released Tuesday at the Red Rock Resort during the league's football media day.

It is TCU, not BYU or Utah, that has the traction among the Big Three in the league right now. Until somebody knocks them off — and nobody did in 2009 — Patterson and his Frogs have earned that respect. For the second straight year, TCU placed eight players on the all-MWC preseason team.

Ankle-deep hype, indeed.

Patterson's paid his dues, earned his stripes. He's been the nomad coach, traveling his wares around the country, carving out a living at as an assistant at Kansas State, Tennessee Tech, UC Davis, Cal Lutheran, Pittsburg State, Sonoma State, Utah State, Navy and New Mexico. He even worked a few weeks for the Oregon Lightning Bolts, a pro team that folded before he got his first paycheck.

Before coming to TCU in 1998 as an assistant to Dennis Franchione, Patterson had never stayed at any coaching job more than three years, including Utah State. If he'd followed Franchione to Alabama 10 years ago, he would have left TCU after the magical three-and-done time frame.

Now Patterson's on top. He can ask "LeAnn who?" and laugh about it. His name comes up all the time for coaching jobs in more prestigious schools, but he's satisfied to throw down the anchor and let some grass grow under his feet.

Patterson, who created the NCAA's top defense the last two years at TCU, got the Frogs ranked No. 6 at the end of last year, a season that ended with a disappointing outing against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.