Immediately after he was fired as the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs following the 2021 season, Gary Patterson became a special assistant on the Texas Longhorns coaching staff under head coach Steve Sarkisian. But after just one season with the team, it looks like he’s stepping away.
On Thursday, Gary Patterson told Horns247 that he was stepping away from his role at Texas.
“I’m so appreciative of Steve Sarkisian, the players and fans for my time at Texas this past year,” Patterson told Horns247 on Thursday. “I loved my time in Austin. I jumped into that role right after leaving TCU, and I put off a lot of stuff foundation-wise, because I wanted to be a sponge. I wanted to see how the coaches on staff there (at Texas), who have been at places like Alabama and Washington, recruit; how they handle practice; and how they handle things like NIL (name, image and likeness).”
Patterson revealed that the move will give him an opportunity to focus on his family.
“I didn’t take any real time for family after leaving TCU and going to Austin,” Patterson said. “I need to take my wife, Kelsey, on a nice vacation and spend some time with my kids and grandkids.”
Mood 🥺
We're gonna miss ya, Coach! @FBCoachP 🤘🏻 #HookEm https://t.co/bCYVUVHNM3 pic.twitter.com/UwzyuJMhB6
— The Bevo Boys (@Bevo_Boys_Pod) March 3, 2023
Gary Patterson after reading all the Texas preseason hype knowing the roster: pic.twitter.com/h9mErvm3WT https://t.co/hlmltxTm9P
— Slander University (@TheSlanderU) March 3, 2023
Thanks @FBCoachP for all you did last season 🤘🏼 Wouldn’t have been the same without you there https://t.co/QzqS27sfkr
— The Tunnel Longhorns (@TheTunnel_Texas) March 3, 2023
Loved having him around the program. A football coaching legend. He will crush whatever he does next. https://t.co/6htNmJvnWa
— Grant Pinkerton (@GPinks) March 3, 2023
Huge loss https://t.co/e4bRY8PgGR
— Chris Bennett (CB) (@chrisgb002000) March 3, 2023
Patterson did acknowledge that there’s a chance that he’ll change his mind, but this is his decision “right now.”
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll get to August and I’ll want to come back — if Sark would have me” Patterson said. “But right now, I feel like I need to take some time for my wife, kids and grandkids while also looking to see if I can help college football on a larger scale.”
