Saturday the Horned Frog Football team will play its last home season opener in Amon G. Carter stadium before the stadium is renovated at the end of the season.
The Horned Frogs open play Tennessee Tech, a team that Head Coach Gary Patterson has a personal history with. Patterson received a master’s degree in educational administration from Tennessee Tech in 1984 and was the linebackers coach for two seasons. However, Patterson said he didn’t have many positive memories during his time at Tennessee Tech.
“There’s not many fond memories when you win three games in three years and you’re the youngest guy on the staff,” Patterson said.
Defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Dick Bumpas also worked for Tennessee Tech as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach during the same two years that Patterson coached the Golden Eagles.
Bumpas and Patterson ended up coaching together at five schools before ending up together at TCU when Bumpas came to TCU in 2004.
TCU has won eight straight home openers at Amon G. Carter Stadium under Patterson and lost only one home opening game under his guidance.
Tennessee Tech is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference and went 6-5 during the 2009 season. Despite the Golden Eagles’ record, Patterson said he wants to make sure TCU is not one of the teams being talked about in the upsets column.
“I’ll be honest. I’m concerned about this football game because…we have not played our best football game the second game of the season, especially when it’s at home,” Patterson said.
During last season’s home opener Texas State scored 21 points against TCU 8212; only one team, Utah, scored more points against the Frogs with 28.
TCU linebacker Tank Carder said the Horned Frogs cannot overlook underrated teams and should prepare for every team equally, including Tennessee Tech. He said any team can creep up and win the game.
“It’s always just another game, no matter who the opponent 8212; how big, how small 8212; you just gotta prepare for them as another football team,” Carder said.
Patterson said the Horned Frogs need to work on turnovers during the Tennessee Tech game. He said turnovers happen more easily with older football teams because the game slows down just like it does for older quarterbacks and the players get more used to the plays.
TCU vs. Tennessee Tech
Date: Saturday, Sept. 11
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium
