Steve Sarkisian: Gary Patterson Offers 'A Wealth of Experience' to Longhorns' Staff

Sarkisian discussed how bringing Patterson in has helped both himself, and the defensive coaches.

To several fans, there is not a more peculiar sight than Gary Patterson donning the burnt orange and white on Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorn staff.

When Patterson joined the Longhorns as a special assistant to the head coach, it showed that Sarkisian was serious about turning things around. Patterson served as TCU's head coach from 2000-2021, and is the winningest coach in program history. 

Bringing Patterson on figures to help the Longhorns take that next step as a program under Sarkisian, one they haven't taken in years. Sarkisian noted Patterson's lengthy experience and how it helps the Longhorns scout and prepare for teams on a weekly basis. 

"Gary (Patterson) is a really good football mind," Sarkisian said. "He's obviously got a wealth of experience and he's seen a lot of football in his time."

"He's a great sounding board for not only our defensive coaches, but for myself on how to try and defend people. We lean on Gary on that front for sure because just from the experience standpoint, he's seen a lot of football and defended a lot of football."

Patterson's teams were known for a stout defense, ones that gave former Longhorn coaches such as Tom Herman and Charlie Strong fits over the years. He easily turned the Horned Frogs into one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Longhorns. 

Now, as a member of the Texas staff, Patterson looks to continue to share his experience with Sarkisian. If he can rub off on Sarkisian and the rest of the staff, then Saturday's matchup against Alabama could be a lot closer than some anticipate it to be. 

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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