clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Gary Patterson: 'I Was Shocked, Then Hurt And Now Mad'

TCU football coach Gary Patterson released a statement Wednesday in response to the shocking arrest of four football players as part of the aftermath of a six-month long campus-wide investigation into drug dealing at the school:

"There are days people want to be a head football coach, but today is not one of those days. As I heard the news this morning, I was first shocked, then hurt and now I'm mad.

"Under my watch, drugs and drug use by TCU's student-athletes will not be tolerated by me or any member of my coaching staff. Period. Our program is respected nationally for its strong ethics and for that reason the players arrested today were separated from TCU by the University. I believe strongly that young people's lives are more important than wins or losses.

"This situation isn't unique to TCU-it is a global issue that we all have to address. This isn't just about bad decisions made by a small percentage of my team. It is about a bigger issue across this country and world.

"As a coach, I do the best I can to educate members of my team. We have programs in place that teach student-athletes about what they should and shouldn't do and how to be successful in life. I talk to them about how to be students and upstanding men that uphold the TCU name and its traditions.

"At the end of the day, though, sometimes young people make poor choices. The Horned Frogs are bigger and stronger than those involved."

With their invitation to the Big 12, TCU was set to join the world of big-time college football in 2012. After the first major scandal under Patterson, they're definitely part of the club now.

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.