Will Muschamp’s Replacement: 12 Realistic Options to Coach Florida Gators

Nov 8, 2014; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

11. Gary Patterson, TCU Horned Frogs

Seasons at Current School: 14

Record at Current School: 129-45

Overall Record: 129-45

Age: 54

Gary Patterson clearly has a great track record at TCU and has turned the Horned Frogs into a consistent powerhouse. His tough, defensive-minded style of play has brought great success in 14 seasons there, including two undefeated regular seasons and one 13-0 season that included a Rose Bowl win.

He’s responsible for the TCU move to the Big 12, and after two rough seasons, he now has them in the College Football Playoff race. That shows that he clearly knows how to run a great program.

But again, does he fit the mold for a Florida coach? Florida needs a coach who knows how to use lots of speed and cutting-edge offenses to dominate the competition in the SEC. The last two defensive-minded coaches Jeremy Foley hired were Will Muschamp and Ron Zook. Both were failures.

Patterson would be a third.

The other red flag is recruiting. When you’re a proven head coach with a really good football program in the state of Texas, how is it that you can’t have a Top 20 recruiting class at least? The great system thing only takes you so far. In the SEC, you need the Jimmy’s and Joe’s because X’s and O’s don’t beat those defenses the way they do in the Big 12.

Next: No. 10 Ranked Coaching Candidate for Florida