David Shaw has great admiration for Gary Patterson, and not just because the latter has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in college football.

TCU’s all-time winningest coach has an off-the-field talent that is equally impressive to Shaw, in his seventh season as Stanford’s coach. Patterson played in a band for 10 years in his native Kansas and still sings and strums a guitar, including during annual offseason gatherings for coaches and their wives organized by Nike.

“I love the way he plays the guitar,” Shaw said. “I bought a guitar because of Gary Patterson.”

Shaw has had the instrument for about two years but said he has yet to learn how to play it particularly well. Perhaps he can take some lessons during the upcoming week from Patterson, since both men will be in San Antonio for Thursday’s Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome.

Shaw and the Cardinal made the trip from California on Friday, while Patterson and the Horned Frogs are due to arrive today.

Patterson offered to provide some pointers to Shaw on Dec. 7, when they were autographing footballs together before an Alamo Bowl news conference at The Club at Sonterra. But the jam session likely will have to wait until after the football showdown between the 13th-ranked Cardinal (9-4) and No. 15 TCU (10-3).

“You need to bring it on the (next) trip,” Patterson said to Shaw before turning to a reporter. “Then him and I will sit down, and we’ll advance him. Give him a couple riffs, a couple boogies, and he’ll be ready to go.”

More Information What: Valero Alamo Bowl When: 8 p.m Thursday Where: Alamodome Who: No. 13 Stanford vs. No. 15 TCU Tickets: Starting at $31 through Ticketmaster

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Patterson and Shaw, who have forged a friendship through their annual get-togethers with the apparel company that sponsors their schools, are coaching adversaries for the first time this week. The only previous meetings between Stanford and TCU came in 2007 and 2008, when Shaw was a Cardinal assistant and Patterson guided the Horned Frogs to victories.

Patterson said he and Shaw have bonded because they share similar coaching philosophies and values.

Shaw said he cannot play guitar nearly as well as Patterson, who often performed at weddings in Kansas and said his musical genres range “from polkas to hard rock.” But Patterson is not so sure.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Patterson said of Shaw. “I would be willing to bet that anything he’s ever tried, he’s become decent at it.”

adam.zuvanich@express-news.net

Twitter: @AZuvanich