Despite reports from GoPowercat.com that Head Coach Gary Patterson was headed to Kansas State, both TCU’s and Kansas State’s athletics directors have denied the allegations.
The site reported Friday afternoon that multiple sources said Patterson had signed a five-year contract worth $2 million to coach in Manhattan, Kan., but later reported that Patterson’s agent, George Bass, denied the initial report.
TCU athletics director Danny Morrison has also denied the rumors through director of media relations Mark Cohen.
Those reports are false,” Cohen said. “Coach Patterson has not had any contact with the people of Kansas State, completely untrue.”
KSU athletics director Bob Krause said his team is not ready to name a new head coach after the firing of Ron Prince earlier this week.
“We’re in the early stages in our search process and we have talked to no candidate, nor have I talked to representatives of any candidates at this point,” Krause said in a telephone interview.
Patterson, a former K-State football player, has been the buzz of message boards and fan sites on the Internet in recent weeks regarding potential hires at numerous programs. Rumors of Patterson’s hire at K-State drew increasing attention after KSU third-year head coach Ron Prince was informed he would not be retained following the 2008 season. A Kansas State fan created a Web site, hirepatterson.com, in October to campaign for his hire, but the Web site was shut down weeks after its creation.
Patterson owns a 71-27 record and is in his eighth season at TCU. The Frogs dropped a 13-10 heartbreaker in Utah Thursday night, dashing TCU’s hopes of a BCS bowl berth and a chance at an outright Mountain West Conference title.