Mountain West Conference: TCU working on contract extension for Patterson

FORT WORTH, Texas — Gary Patterson is close to a contract extension with BCS-bound TCU, the deal coming amid speculation that the coach of the undefeated Horned Frogs could be a candidate to fill the Notre Dame vacancy.

A person with direct knowledge of the situation said Tuesday that Patterson's current contract, which runs through 2014, would be extended at least two years, and his assistant coaches would get pay raises. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn't been finalized.

An official announcement could come Wednesday.

Patterson has an 85-27 record in his ninth season as the Frogs' head coach, winning at least 11 games in five of the last seven seasons. The last time TCU had an 11-win season before that was its undefeated national championship team in 1938 with Heisman Trophy winner Davey O'Brien at quarterback.

Patterson didn't return messages left Tuesday by the AP.

The person who said a contract extension was in the works said Patterson had not been contacted by Notre Dame, which Monday fired Charlie Weis after five seasons.

TCU (12-0, 8-0 Mountain West) is waiting to find out Sunday which of the big-money Bowl Championship Series games it will play in. The Frogs are fourth in the BCS standings, the highest ever this late in the season for a team from a conference without an automatic bid.

There is still a chance the Frogs could be the first BCS buster to play for the national championship, if No. 3 Texas loses to Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game Saturday night and they stay ahead of Cincinnati in the final BCS standings. The other spot will be filled by No. 1 Florida or No. 2 Alabama, who face off in the SEC championship game.

TCU wrapped up its undefeated regular season and outright Mountain West title with a 51-10 victory over New Mexico on Saturday. It was the Frogs' seventh consecutive victory by at least 27 points, a stretch that included BYU and Utah, last year's BCS buster.

The Frogs have a 14-game winning streak, matching the seven decade-old school record set in 1938.

Patterson, 49, came to TCU as a defensive coordinator with coach Dennis Franchione after the 1997 season, when the Frogs were coming off a 1-10 season.

When Franchione left for Alabama after the 2000 regular season, TCU promoted Patterson after a national search. Only Dutch Meyer, who won 109 of his 201 games from 1934-52, has more victories as the Frogs coach.

Patterson's contract was extended through 2014 at the end of last season, weeks after strong speculation that Kansas State was interested in hiring Patterson to lead his alma mater. Kansas State instead lured Bill Snyder out of retirement. TCU was 11-2 last season, including 17-16 win over Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl that is the Broncos' only loss the past two seasons.

The latest deal for Patterson comes only six weeks after Chris Del Conte became TCU's new athletic director. He came from Rice to replace Danny Morrison, who became the president of the NFL's Carolina Panthers.