TCU AD outlines what he's looking for in the new Head Frog

For the first time since the winter of 1997-98, TCU has a head coaching search on its hands.

To say the program is in a different place today than it was back then would be an understatement so big it borders on a lie. 

Then, TCU was 1-10, at the bottom of the WAC and years and years removed from national relevance. The Frogs pulled Dennis Franchione away from New Mexico, who brought his defensive coordinator Gary Patterson with him from Albuquerque. A 25-10 record in three seasons was enough for Fran to land the Alabama job, but Patterson remained behind in Fort Worth. 

That leads us to today. TCU is in the Big 12, with a Rose Bowl and a Big 12 championship trophy on its shelf, well-funded and well-positioned to compete. Its facilities and location are so desirable that the Saints decamped in Fort Worth when Hurricane Ida blew them out of New Orleans. 

TCU is well-positioned to thrive in the new-look Big 12, and AD Jeremiah Donati laid out a precise version of who he envisions succeeding a guy who literally has a statue standing outside the football offices.

“It would be very difficult to bring in a coach who’s very defensive-minded given Gary’s legacy,” Donati said. “That doesn’t mean that we’re not looking at defensive candidates, but just to be fair to the coach, when you have an iconic, Hall of Fame, legendary coach who is one of the best defensive minds that’s ever coached in college, it’s going to be very difficult for that person to fill their shoes.”

He also said this: "Someone who's currently a head coach would be where we'd start."

So, no one is ruled out, per se, but Donati would prefer a head coach with an offensive background. Sounds like a couple guys we discussed yesterday.