TCU Football

The Kansas Jayhawks are 5-0 on the season following Saturday's win over the Iowa State Cyclones, and they're being rewarded with the College GameDay treatment.

ESPN announced Saturday night that its College GameDay broadcast is headed to Kansas for next weekend's game against the 4-0 TCU Horned Frogs. It marks the first time that College GameDay will be live from Lawrence, Kansas.

The Jayhawks are rolling with wins over Tennessee Tech, West Virginia, Houston, Duke and Iowa State. It is Kansas' first 5-0 start since 2009, when it finished 5-7 under head coach Mark Mangino.

Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels is having a solid start to the season, completing 71 percent of his passes for 890 yards and 11 touchdowns against one interception. He has also rushed for 320 yards and four scores.

As for TCU, the Horned Frogs are off to a 4-0 start following an upset of No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday. They have also defeated Tarleton State and SMU.

Next weekend's matchup between Kansas and TCU will mark the 39th all-time meeting between the two teams. The Horned Frogs lead the series 25-9-4, and they last beat the Jayhawks 31-28 on Nov. 20, 2021.

TCU has reportedly found its next head football coach in SMU's Sonny Dykes.

ESPN's Ian Fitzsimmons broke the news and offered some insight on compensation:

Dykes is headed to Fort Worth after four years in charge of SMU. The 52-year-old has gone 30-17 (18-12 American Athletic Conference) during his tenure.

SMU has received two straight bowl bids and is slated to get a third after its 8-3 mark this season.

Dykes also had head coaching stops at Louisiana Tech (2010-2012) and Cal (2013-2016). he went 22-15 for the Bulldogs, but the Golden Bears went just 19-30 (10-26 in Pac-12) under Dykes' watch.

The former Texas Tech football and baseball player served as an offensive analyst for TCU during the 2017 season in between his Cal and SMU stops.

Dykes' resume also includes stints as Texas Tech's co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach (2005-2006) and Arizona's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2007-2009).

He will take over for Gary Patterson, who was fired on Oct. 31 after 21 seasons running the TCU program. Dykes has big shoes to fill in Fort Worth, as Patterson went 181-79 and led the Horned Frogs to 11 Top 25 poll finishes.

That includes a No. 2 ranking in 2010 for an undefeated TCU team that beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl and a No. 3 squad in 2014 that earned a Peach Bowl win over Ole Miss.

TCU hasn't fared well of late: After an 11-3 2017 season that ended with a No. 9 ranking and an Alamo Bowl win, the Horned Frogs went just 21-22 over Patterson's next three-plus seasons.

Now Dykes will look to bring the program back to being a perennial Big 12 and national power. As for SMU, ESPN's Dave Wilson reported that Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee "is the front-runner" to take over the job.

SMU head football coach Sonny Dykes is reportedly the "frontrunner" to become TCU's next head coach, according to Blake Brockermeyer, Jeremy Clark, Billy Embody and Chris Hummer of 247Sports.com.

Per that report, "Dykes has contract offers in front of him from both TCU and SMU with each deal valued at over $4 million a year, per sources."

TCU is reportedly looking to make a hire by Sunday to replace Gary Patterson, who was fired on Oct. 31 after 20 years leading the program. Jerry Kill has been serving as interim head coach.

Patterson was 181-79 during his time at the school and was an impressive 7-3 against Texas, helping put TCU's football program back on the map.

"The story of Gary Patterson and the rise in the fortunes of the TCU football program over the last 20 years is clearly one of the most remarkable in the history of college football," athletic director Jeremiah Donati said in a statement at the time. "We are grateful to Gary and Kelsey Patterson and appreciate everything they have meant to TCU and the Fort Worth community. Under his leadership, TCU has become a nationally recognized brand name in football and in collegiate athletics."

But the Horned Frogs are a disappointing 5-6 on the season, which included a 42-34 loss against SMU in September. That ushered in the end of Patterson's time at the helm, though replacing him will require filling some pretty big shoes.

Dykes would bring a solid resume to Fort Worth. He's gone 71-62 in his career, with head coaching stints at Louisiana Tech (2010-12), California (2013-16) and SMU (2017-present). Under his watch, the Mustangs have gone 30-17, including an 8-3 mark this year, and played in two bowl games.

It's unclear if Dykes would continue coaching SMU, which is bowl eligible, through the rest of the season or join TCU immediately if he chooses the Horned Frogs' offer.

Jackson State football head coach Deion Sanders put an end to the rumors that he's a candidate for the vacant head coaching position at TCU.

"Well, TCU is not the only one interested in my services," Sanders said, per Khari Thompson of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger. "(Jackson State athletic director) Ashley Robinson is interested in my services and finishing out what I completed. Never believe rumors, especially when I’ve been in the hospital for darn near a month. So never just go out there and believe what you hear, my man."

Sanders was referring to the time he was away from his team while recovering from foot surgery.

The Horned Frogs parted ways with longtime head coach Gary Patterson on Oct. 31, ending his 22-year tenure with the team. Reports surfaced earlier this month that Sanders was among the top options the school intends to pursue. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that he had already interviewed for the position.

The rumors of Sanders' candidacy made sense, considering his strong ties to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He played five years for the Dallas Cowboys during his Hall of Fame playing career. He also spent time coaching at Texas high schools before landing his position at Jackson State.

The Tigers won all three games while Sanders was out and improved to 9-1 (7-0 in SWAC) with a comeback victory over rival Southern in his return this past Saturday. Sanders boasted that his team's success has generated interest from other schools besides TCU.

"Trust me, TCU and several others are not the only ones interested in what we do here at Jackson State," he said. "People are trying to figure out the formula; it ain’t no formula.

"It’s loving on these kids, challenging these kids, holding these kids accountable, making sure they maintain themselves to be smart, tough, fast, and disciplined. And that’s the secret—not everyone has this recipe."

Jackson State is riding a seven-game win streak and will close out the regular season against Alcorn State on Saturday. The Tigers have already clinched a spot in the SWAC championship game on Dec. 4.

If TCU running back Zach Evans has any sway with the athletic department, Deion Sanders will be the school's next head football coach. 

The sophomore tweeted very matter-of-factly that he wants the Horned Frogs to hire the Pro Football Hall of Famer:

Evans' comment comes after Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Tuesday that Sanders is "squarely in the mix" for the TCU job after an "impressive" first interview with the school's selection committee. 

TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati announced on Sunday a parting of ways with Gary Patterson. Assistant coach Jerry Kill will take over as head coach on an interim basis for the rest of the season. 

The 61-year-old Patterson was in his 22nd season with the program. He finished 181-79 with six conference titles, including a Big 12 championship in 2014, in 260 games as TCU head coach. 

Sanders is in his second season as head coach at Jackson State. Primetime has led the Tigers to a 12-4 record overall, including an 8-1 mark through nine games this season. 

TCU was off to a 3-5 start under Patterson. The program is on track for its fourth losing season since 2013. 

Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders reportedly remains a candidate to fill the vacancy at TCU, according to Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram:

TCU is looking for a new head coach after parting ways with Gary Patterson last month. Jerry Kill has served as interim coach for the 4-5 squad.

Sanders is in his second season as head coach at Jackson State, leading the squad to an 8-1 record to start the 2021 campaign. 

A foot injury has kept Sanders off the sidelines, but his recruiting prowess has been especially notable for the FCS squad.

Jackson State had the No. 55 recruiting class in the country in 2021, per 247Sports, just two spots behind TCU. The class included Sanders' son, Shedeur Sanders, a 4-star prospect who has thrived for the HBCU program.

The quarterback has 2,414 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and three interceptions in nine games this season.

Deion Sanders' ability to turn Jackson State into an immediate winner could lead to more high-profile jobs. The former Hall of Fame player also has experience within Texas as a head coach at Trinity Christian School.

It could be a fit for TCU, which is looking to reestablish itself as a power in the Big 12 and nationally.

The Horned Frogs had 11 seasons with at least 10 wins under Patterson since 2002, but the team has struggled lately with just an 18-17 record from 2018-20.    

The TCU Horned Frogs football team has reportedly identified a handful of candidates to replace head coach Gary Patterson, who mutually agreed to part ways with the team on Sunday.

According to Chris Hummer of 247Sports, TCU is attempting to arrange interviews with Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and Nevada head coach Jay Norvell.

Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that TCU is also interested in Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

"Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has emerged as a candidate of interest for TCU in its head-coaching vacancy, a source confirmed Wednesday," Davison wrote. "Horned Frog Blitz publisher Jeremy Clark first reported of TCU's interest in Moore, and a source confirmed that 'there is some interest.'"

Hummer also noted that Moore's representatives have reached out to TCU.

Sanders' connection to the Dallas-Fort Worth area makes him an intriguing candidate. He starred for the Cowboys during his Hall-of-Fame playing career for five years and coached at Texas high schools before accepting the Jackson State job.

The Tigers are 7-1 under Sanders this season after going 4-3 in the spring. Sanders' status as a strong recruiter also boosts his chances. Jackson State had the No. 55 recruiting class in the nation in 2021, according to 247Sports.

Moore, 33, is a rising star in the NFL coaching ranks. He played his final three years in the league with the Cowboys from 2015-17 and immediately joined Dallas' staff as quarterbacks coach in 2018. He transitioned to offensive coordinator in 2019.

Under Moore's leadership, the Cowboys have the top-ranked offense in the NFL with an average of 454.9 yards per game. Dallas also had the No. 1 offense in Moore's first year as O-coordinator but fell off last year when quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury.

TCU and Patterson parted ways after 22 seasons. He's the winningest coach in program history with a record of 181-79 but declined the option to continue to lead the team for the rest of the season. Special assistant Jerry Kill was promoted to interim head coach.

The TCU Horned Frogs football team and head coach Gary Patterson have mutually agreed to part ways amid a three-game losing streak.

TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati noted the school asked Patterson to continue to lead the team for the rest of the season, but the coach declined:

Special assistant Jerry Kill was promoted to interim head coach.

Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram first reported the news of the coaching change.

Patterson stepping down represents the end of an era for TCU. He's the winningest coach in program history with a record of 181-79. The 61-year-old led the Horned Frogs to six conference titles and nine bowl game wins, including the 2011 Rose Bowl and 2014 Peach Bowl.

TCU won double-digit games 11 times under Patterson, including a 13-0 season in 2010 that culminated with a No. 2 ranking in the final AP poll. In the first year of the College Football Playoff in 2014, the Horned Frogs finished sixth in the final ranking after going 12-1.

Patterson started at TCU in 1998 as a defensive coordinator. He was promoted to head coach in December 2000 when Dennis Franchione left to take the head coaching position at Alabama. Patterson, who was in his 21st season as TCU head coach, was the second-longest tenured head coach in FBS.

TCU fell to Kansas State on Saturday 31-12 to fall to 3-5 and 1-4 in the Big 12 this year. The Horned Frogs offense is averaging just 20 points during its three-game skid.

Donati will begin the search for a new head coach immediately.