It’s Monday morning and I’m sitting in the parking lot outside Amon G. Carter stadium just counting down the minutes before I’m set to have perhaps the greatest day I’ve ever had covering TCU football. I’m told to arrive at the stadium at 8:30 a.m. to begin this special assignment and I make sure I’m there with plenty of time to spare; the adrenaline in my body for this story won’t let me be late.

That same adrenaline kept me up the night before; it’s not every day you get to spend an entire day with the greatest football coach in TCU history.

I was getting an opportunity many would hope for: I was set to spend a day with Frogs head coach Gary Patterson. I’m getting the chance to be around one of the top head coaches in college football and his staff for a day.

Coach Patterson and his staff had put in long hours the previous three days; Friday was the first day of spring camp, Saturday the Frogs hosted their third junior day since January, and Sunday it was back to the grind for the second practice of the spring. Watching film following practice had kept the coaches up at the office past 11 p.m. Sunday night. For their hard work, Patterson decided to let the coaching staff come in a little “later” Monday morning. Many still showed early for work.

Getting to campus at 8:30 in the morning was not a problem for me; did I mention that I was not going to be late?

To tell how the day went with Patterson I must first dive into how this special opportunity was able to even take place.

SETTING UP A DAY WITH COACH P

I began my time on the TCU beat just over 12 years ago in February ’05. I was still wet behind the ears, not knowing if I was coming or going. My first team assignment while working for the particular website I was employed with at the time was to cover a TCU spring practice.

I remember like it was yesterday seeing the first practice of the spring and marveling at how athletic the 2005 squad looked.

As this was my first football oriented assignment I remember wanting to make a splash with a detailed practice report; I was a “football guy” after all. About 4,000 words later was my first ever TCU practice report that was filled with depth chart info, one-on-one action, who looked bad, who looked good – you get the idea. It was very detailed and I was proud of the work I had completed. My bosses loved it. Subscribers loved it even more. I was the guy who wrote a great practice report and my site suddenly became the place to find great practice information.

The next day I learned a valuable lesson that I still carry today with regards to Coach Patterson. As I’m standing at practice I get approached by TCU strength coach Don Sommer who tells me abruptly that I have to leave practice. If you’ve ever seen Sommer in person, you don’t argue with the man. I didn’t by telling him without hesitation, “Yes sir.” I wondered why I was kicked out amongst the many people at practice that day and afterward I was informed by a member of TCU’s football office the reasoning behind it.

I was embarrassed by the event and although I was welcomed to come back not long after, I don’t think I made many more practices that year. The lesson I learned: don’t break the man’s trust. I had done that without ever first gaining it by writing something so specific and detailed. Looking back, knowing Coach Patterson now and how he runs things, I don’t blame him one bit for having me booted.

Over the years I’ve worked hard at gaining trust from Coach Patterson, and most importantly keeping it. I’m not special by any means above others. I’m just another reporter that covers the Frogs. But, I had given long thoughts about what it would be like to spend an entire day with TCU’s famous coach. Wouldn’t that be something to write about?

The worst he could say was no. So, I came up with the pitch.

I wasn’t expecting as quick a response as I received from the coach. He was all for it. What other coach in college football would give this kind of access I was asking for to a reporter? A coach many consider to be a top five coach at that.

Coach Patterson has been good to the media as long as I’ve covered his team. He knows, just as he does, that we all have a job to do. Therefore, he helps us all when he can. Little did he know that this was going well above just helping me do my job.

GETTING THE DAY STARTED

Walking to meet the coach I couldn't pass up taking this pic of The Carter

8:20 a.m. – I’m tired of sitting in my vehicle ( I got to campus at 8 a.m.) and I want to get the day started so I make my way toward Coach Patterson’s office. I meet Coach Patterson just as he’s walking in the John Justin Athletic Center and my day of being his shadow officially begins.

We make our way to his office and we discuss what we’re going to be doing during the day. He gives me a recap of what they did during the weekend with regards to practices and the junior day they had on Saturday, knowing better than to mention recruits by name; just calling it a busy and successful day. He tells me he had nearly 30 meetings with players and parents.

As we sit in his office different coaches from the staff are making their way by for a staff meeting that will take place in a few moments. The meeting is in the conference room directly behind his office. As soon as we complete our small chat it’s time for Patterson to join his staff. A door from his office allows the coach to enter directly into the conference room at 8:30. We walk in and I’m immediately intimidated. The room is filled with not only position coaches, but graduate assistants, strength coaches, football operations, trainer, all waiting for the man in charge. At the head of the gigantic conference table was an empty seat for Coach P. I sit not too far behind him in a corner.

While I won’t go into great detail about what’s said in this meeting, I can tell you it doesn’t just involve the “on the field” aspect of the team. This meeting details just about everything involved in a football program. He opens the meeting discussing recruiting and certain videos on Twitter he had seen on some kids from The Opening Regional in Dallas on Sunday. He details some areas where he feels they can get better at recruiting, particularly for junior days. He tells the coaches they need to find a defensive end and cornerback that can play right away as part of the 2017 class, which I’ll discuss more on that later. Recruiting talk is revisited several times during the meeting. He knows the importance.

The two practices are a big topic of discussion. Patterson compliments the offensive coaches for throwing fly patterns at his defense, saying it only helps them get better and that his defense needs the work. He discusses the position groups that are underperforming and the group that will “have the longest” spring. He mentions there could be a prominent position change if a particular group doesn’t have someone step up. I ask later if he was serious about the change and he tells me it hasn’t stopped him before when certain positions need help.

If you know Coach Patterson, it’s obvious that he pays very strong attention to detail. He’s an expert on watching players’ actions; he typically knows if a player is having a bad day before anyone has a chance to tell him. After discussing the offense a bit with the coaches, he tells the offensive staff to keep an eye on a particular player and that he’s seeing some things from the player he hasn’t seen before that he doesn’t like; he has seen it before with other players. He sees the little things, things you wouldn’t expect most head coaches to notice. But again, Patterson isn’t your typical head coach. Whatever goes on, he knows about. That was clear to see in this meeting with the variety of topics he discussed.

There isn’t much discussion from the other coaches in the room, only talking when giving some recruiting information. I have to give credit to the coaches in this aspect. Let’s just say they do their homework on kids they go after.

The meeting lasts roughly one hour and in that time I’m already realizing how incredible this day already is.

“A FLY ON THE WALL”

9:30 a.m. – Following the full staff meeting the coaches break into offensive and defensive staff meetings. Patterson heads to the defensive staff meeting room where Dan Sharp, Chad Glasgow, Zarnell Fitch, Paul Gonzales and Jason Phillips are all waiting.

The six coaches sit at a big table in the center of the room as music from Pandora is playing from the speakers above. Just like in practice, music is important in this work environment.

Up first on the agenda is recruiting. As part of wanting to be around Coach Patterson for a day, one big item I wanted to learn more about is what he looks for in a recruit. I was finally going to be a “fly on the wall.”

The staff watches film on a few defensive prospects, some that already have offers and others that are still under the radar. Patterson told me that as a staff they’ve watched around 350 kids so far. The first prospect the staff watches film on is very intriguing. He is a good athlete that has put up some remarkable testing scores in camps. He doesn’t have an offer from the Frogs but he intrigues the staff enough to watch the film. Patterson immediately notices in pads that the kid has heavy feet; this is the most important factor whether you’re a skill player or play in the trenches - you better have some speed to play in Patterson’s defense.

“It hasn’t changed,” Patterson said when asked if speed is still the key. “We just have to get bigger at defensive tackles.”

After evaluating a few kids, they turn their attention to recruits that already hold TCU offers. For some of those kids, the tape doesn’t get watched long. Patterson sees what he wants to see and moves on. The coaches laugh at some of the plays the kids make because they are so much more dominant than their opponents. It’s a spot on evaluation from the group.

It’s a running on joke among Frog fans that other programs offer kids once TCU uncovers them. Patterson acknowledges that he’s aware of that and notes there’s truth to some of that. “It’s happened in the past. It will continue to happen,” he says.

Recruiting is important to Patterson. It’s why they’ve already had three junior days and why they are trying to make plans for their third ever Sophomore Day. Recruiting and evaluating is so important to the coach that he has a disc with TCU’s classes all the way back to when he first arrived at TCU 20 years ago. He tells me he watches highlights from past classes every signing day.

“The reason I do that is to compare them,” Patterson said. “What makes this guy like Jerry Hughes? Here’s Jerry Hughes, does this guy have a chance to be just as good? What is it? Back then they were good players and in his day and age with us being in the Big 12 they would’ve had more stars. You’ve got to go back and look and see if the guys have the capability to go on to the NFL or not. Did you make a mistake? Does he have a chance?”

When he really wants to find if a player is good, he turns off the highlights and watches full game film. “Everybody can put together a good highlight film.

“We go out and ask a lot of questions to the high school coaches about them. If they come from a tough program, what kind of competition do they have? We still trust a high school coach to help us.”

The staff focuses on recruiting for an hour and after a five minute break, they start preparing for Tuesday’s practice.

A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Defensive coaches going over the practice plan for Tuesday's practice

10:30 a.m. - Forget what I said earlier about being a “football guy.” Sure, I know if a kid is big and strong and can run. I can spot good and bad tendencies pretty well; that’s the easy part of this job for me. As for being an X’s and O’s guy – well, I thought I was until I sat in the room with TCU’s defensive coaches.

The manner that each of the coaches interact with each other on schematics is something to marvel at. It’s comparable to watching the pace and speed of Wall Street. Patterson asks questions and each coach answers just as quickly as the head man can finish the question. The terminology quickly goes over my head as I’m sure it would for most “coaches” who think the real coaches have it easy. I’ve long been impressed with TCU’s coaches. I’m even more impressed now.

I learn very quickly that Patterson and Glasgow have a great connection. I had always suspected the bond, but seeing the interaction between the two leads me to believe that if Patterson wasn’t able to call a defense, Glasgow will be ready. He deserves to carry the title of defensive coordinator.

The defense is given a “script” of what the offense will be doing for the next practice. It doesn’t consist of specific plays, just personnel. Contrary to many beliefs, it’s like that in the spring game as well; Patterson and Co. really never knows what the offense is going to throw at them.

“I don’t try to tell them what to do, especially this early,” he said. “If you’re not careful because you’re the head coach they’re going to try to please you instead of doing what they need to do.”

The list from the offense is enough for them to start putting their game plan together for Tuesday’s practice. Sharp catches something odd about one of the offense’s personnel and Patterson leaves the room to go visit with the offensive coaches down the hall. I think to myself, how in the heck can someone catch that by looking at a bunch of numbers? I have the same sheet the coaches are looking at and I decide to ask a question. I get a ‘pity’ look from the coaches, but they are quick to help explain what the sheets mean.

Patterson is gone for just a few minutes and enters back into the room giving me a grin and tells me “in over 30 years of coaching it hasn’t changed when dealing with offensive guys.”

Patterson doesn’t spend any time in the offensive meetings other than his short visit for a few minutes.

“In spring I really push to see why we’re using the personnel we’re using and where,” he said. “We’re trying to help them get in the right place. Coaches are the worst when they see the problem and don’t fix it. We’re going to be going on the road a lot next year so we’ve got to be better at all 22 positions, plus the coaches.”

The coaches go back to practice planning. Certain calls will be made for certain formations, using terminology I’m sure not many (other than coaches) outside those walls have heard. Patterson talks about how well the offensive line has blocked so far, which is a testament to new offensive line coach Chris Thomsen. The new coach has studied the film on the Frogs’ defensive line since he got on campus. Patterson knows it but admits that’s not a bad thing.

It’s been nearly an hour and a half of the coaches making preparations for Tuesday’s practice and for the most part the room is quiet with the exception of the music playing. I’m sitting quietly, which is part of the plan for me to be there. I’m acting as if I’m not there. I’m enjoying the music of Fleetwood Mac and The Randy Rogers Band playing above me. Each coach writes down notes for the next day while taking a brief moment to discuss ideas with the rest of the staff. Coach Patterson will make suggestions and ask his staff for their opinion; it’s his show but each coach provides valuable input to the practice plan.

Coach Patterson asks an assistant coach about a certain call on defense, asking if it’s the right call. The coach disagrees and Patterson, already knowing the right answer, asks why they shouldn’t make that particular call. The coach gives him the right answer. Pop quiz passed.

“A long time ago I coached at Sonoma State and there were only two full-time coaches and you had all of these other coaches but they were bartenders or worked at the school and had other jobs. Then, they would come and coach at the school in the afternoons,” he said. “So what you had to do, everybody had to say it the same way, be on the same page and have the same answer. If not, that’s where a lot of people get in trouble when they coach on the field because not everybody is on the same page.

“When you talk to kids everyone has to say it the same way or they don’t understand you when you go on the field. When kids get older you don’t have to have a chalkboard for them to understand. They can visualize it like you do. You’re constantly trying to grow guys up. I treat GA’s like I do full time coaches. You have responsibilities on the field. You’re not just a computer guy, you’ve got to learn how to coach technique, how to draw cards, learn how to recruit. All of the above. That’s why we’ve had guys that have had success when they leave here because we train them to do all of the above.”

Copies are made of the notes for Tuesday’s defensive practice plan. I’m included on this handout. I take a look at the practice schedule and it is scheduled down to the last minute. To me, I finally gain a little understanding to the plan and can see they will be going 25 periods on Tuesday.

It’s getting close to lunch time and Coach Patterson makes a comment asking if I thought the day is turning out how I anticipated. Is it what I envisioned? I tell him it’s exactly what I expected.

He tells me I’m not going to like hanging out with him during lunch. “I only eat trail mix,” he said.

LUNCH TIME; GREAT MUSIC AND AFRICA



Coach P has taken a liking to Chris Stapleton's music

12:25 p.m. - The defensive coaches finish their scripts for the next day and Coach P and I head back down the hall to his office. True to his words, the coach wasn’t lying about having a small lunch; he’s a breakfast and dinner guy that “doesn’t have enough time to eat lunch.” He grabs a handful of “trail mix” out of a gigantic container on his desk and starts to snack. If I wasn’t in his office he tells me he would be out running the stadium bleachers; that will have to wait until Tuesday now.

Just about as soon as he begins to snack he asks if I want a smoothie and with me not being one to turn down any kind of food I quickly tell him that sounded great.

We start making our way over to the smoothie bar located inside the weight room. On the walk over we discuss the changes that have taken place over the years around the football and basketball facilities. The smoothie bar is what every college athlete would want at their disposal: smoothies, beef jerky, PB&J sandwiches; basically anything to add protein back into an athlete’s body following a workout.

As if it’s not already known, Patterson is a celebrity on TCU’s campus. Everyone greets him with a ‘Hey Coach P,’ or ‘Hey Coach” and he makes sure to acknowledge each one. I was impressed with one particular exchange on the way back to his office as we passed a potential student with his parents that was being shown around campus by a host. Patterson stopped and greeted all of them without hesitation as I stood in the background just in case there was a chance this kid was a recruit.

We get back to his office and it gives us time to really sit down and talk about some things. I ask about specifics on the record and discuss several things off record. That doesn’t stop him from asking if “that thing is on” referring to my recorder at least one time.

Patterson turns on music just as it was in the defensive staff meeting.

“We’ve always had music,” he said. “I concentrate better with music than I do when it’s quiet. I’ve always had music playing where I go anywhere, even when I was a defensive coordinator. It helps me focus. I’m not a great silence guy.”

He asks if I listen to Chris Stapleton and we both agree that he is a great talent. Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” begins to play and we talk about how great the song is. Somehow, I hope Stapleton finds out how one of the top coaches in college football listens to him in his office on nearly a daily basis. The same can be said for The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and, of course, The Randy Rogers Band.

While visiting about different topics, his trips to Africa in 2010 and 2014 get brought up. He jokes and says he needs to get back because every year he’s been to Africa the Frogs have been good on the field. He’s just a tad superstitious. This is the coach, after all, that changed his shirt during halftime of the greatest comeback in college football bowl history because his black shirt wasn’t working.

He lets me look at photos from the Africa trips that have been turned into a photo book courtesy of his wife Kelsey, who, by the way, can take some great pictures. He then shows me videos of lions, elephants and other exotic animals he still has on his phone from the trip. The videos are remarkable. I got the sense that if the coach ever wanted to quit the coaching profession, he’d be a great tour guide and he’d love doing it.

It’s a surreal feeling as I sit across from Patterson, constantly telling myself how fortunate I am to be able to carry on a discussion with him as a person instead of just a reporter.

COMMUNICATION IS BIG FOR GP

2:10 p.m. - The fun time in the office is over. It’s time for Coach Patterson to get back to work and focus less on entertaining me. Since the players didn’t have practice on Monday they watched film. It’s a mandatory session in the Four Sevens team room with only the defensive players present. Before we enter he asks that I turn off my phone… it’s the rule.

Coach Patterson is at the front of the room, commanding the attention from each player. Obviously I’ve seen the coach in the front of the same room countless times over the years when he meets with the media. This setting was going to be fun. He sits in a chair but the chair should just be pushed to the side as he is constantly getting up and showing his players the type of technique they should use for specific plays.

I claim the coach looks animated in the meeting. To him, it’s about the energy.

“I don’t think I’m animated, that’s just the way I am,” he said. “The key is they’ve got to understand what’s important and you’ve got to give them energy. Some coaches are laid back and always laid back so when it’s not going the way it needs to somebody has to become the guy. If they have a lot of energy I’m quiet.”

He tells the players, “this isn’t high school anymore. We expect you to play at a high level.” It’s been said plenty of times from former Frogs that make it to the pros about the intensity level with which TCU plays, particularly for a practice. Many have said the transition to the NFL is easier than what they go through at a typical Patterson-run practice. Patterson takes that as a compliment because he knows he’s putting his players into a position to be the best player they can be.

He’s very meticulous with his practices. They’re fast, intense and on schedule.

Like any coach, Patterson has his red laser ready to point out mistakes that were made in team emphasis by his players. Jason Phillips calls out the defensive call the Frogs were in for that particular play. Patterson interacts with each player that made a mistake on each plays, asking what they did wrong and if they know what needs to be done to correct it. Some players react quick, others still have to learn and “grow up.”

“A lot of kids nowadays, because of text and DM, they don’t know how to communicate in person,” he said. “So one of the things you have to teach them to be able to communicate. It’s becoming a lost art. But when you have a group that talks together they save each other. You become a better player as a whole and not just an individual. That’s been one of our secrets about playing defense.”

Like any good coach, Patterson is always teaching and trying to protect his players. He’d rather them make mistakes in front of, what he calls, “bees and the trees,” instead of 50, 60, 70 or even 100,000 fans.

“You want to force them to make mistakes so we can correct them,” he said. “You don’t want them to find out on Saturday. I get tired of hearing that we have 18 starters coming back so we should be good or we lost 18 starters we’re not going to be good. One of the ways you stay somewhere for a long time whether you lost 18 or have 18 coming back, you’re always trying to build the best football team.”

Patterson doesn’t only point out mistakes, he’s just as quick to find the positive in every play too. In one particular play he finds a younger player on defense: “Look, an animated guy. I love it!” he tells the team.

If you didn’t understand already by the way his players react in team meeting sessions, Coach P is big on communication. In fact, if you’ve ever wondered why players now have a white stripe on their helmet during spring and fall camp it’s because Patterson can see whether or not a defensive player is communicating simply by the player turning his head. The white stripe helps in identifying this. The white stripe better be moving. It shows the players are talking with each other.

“I don’t care if the offense knows what we do by talking” he tells the team.

After 45 minutes it’s time to head back to the coach’s office.

THE CEO OF TCU FOOTBALL INC.

2:55 p.m. - We get back to the coach’s office and again we catch up on some of the things I learned from the film session. Some notes are on record while other notes remain off record. First things first though, he gets the music started.

This time in his office I have the time to finally look around a bit; the trophies, the pictures, memorabilia from past year’s teams as he’s thumbing through some paperwork in a folder. I jokingly ask if he’s already got the uniform picked out for the first game.

He pulls out a piece of paper from the folder and begins to write down more plays for his practice script. The guy never stops working. He tells me that a day like today is when he gets caught up on his scripts or even gets ahead. For most coaches, assistants are doing this kind of work for them. For Patterson, he can’t think of a reason why he wouldn’t be in charge of it. When I ask him about the importance of maintaining that role he tells me to come around to take a look at something.

He opens a drawer and inside is stacks and stacks of practice scripts. The last four years of every spring and fall practice to be exact. He pulls out a script from a practice as they prepared for South Dakota State last season. I should be amazed or surprised, but I’m not. This is Gary Patterson we’re talking about.

“Everybody has a reason why they want to be a head coach and CEO. I am a CEO but what I love most about the game is we tell kids we want to develop them and do things,” he said. “I’m involved in the game plan and everything else because I love games. That’s why I got in the profession. That’s what keeps my sanity being part of the game plans. I know when to wear a different hat, but I think I’m always in football mode. What I truly love to do is coach. For some people it’s a job and to me it’s a way of life. I don’t go to work. I’ve always been a guy that loves it. I don’t understand people that don’t.”

Patterson is one of the highest paid coaches in college football for good reason. He’s won more games at TCU than any other coach in the program’s history. He has a statue not far from the stadium.

Lately he’s seeing a trend of coaches getting in the profession for the wrong reason.

“A lot of guys want to get in the profession because they think it pays better, but the bottom line is it’s going to be hard for them to last in this profession if you didn’t get in it for the kids,” he said. “In the end there’s no amount of money that makes up for the amount of hours you have to work and take all the scrutiny and the things you have to go through. For me, it’s constantly always trying to train. That’s why I stay here in the summer and my coaches go on vacation. It’s my chance to get around the players by myself.”

As he finishes up with working on a script, he doesn’t waste time beginning his next task. It’s something I personally had no idea he had a hand in.

Patterson isn’t just the head coach, he truly is the CEO of TCU Football Inc. Decisions are not made without his authorization and if by chance they do, he still has the final stamp of approval. That goes for recruiting when it comes to offering a kid a scholarship or even having a certain kid on their radar. It goes for much more than that as I learned earlier in the morning.

By now, Frog fans have seen TCU player cards that include the top players for the Frogs and Patterson himself. Fans have also seen the player banners that hang during the season in downtown Ft. Worth and on University Drive as they drive toward TCU.

It’s Patterson that makes the final call on who should be on the cards and banners for the upcoming season. He admits it’s not as easy as it sounds.

He gets a list of players each year to choose from and from the looks of the list he’s handed for this upcoming season I can tell it’s not as easy as a task. Some players are missing from the list that he feels deserve recognition in some form. This is a team that is loaded with seniors; he wants as many as he can to have a chance to be recognized. It’s cool for the players and their families.

He marks down players on the list he feels deserve the right to have their own football cards. He looks up at me and tells me he wishes he could just take his name off the list and give it to a player instead. “They deserve the recognition,” he said.

As I’m watching him make selections, Coach Patterson actually apologizes to me about the lack of activity for the day, hoping “that I will have something to write.” He tells me I need to come back during the season to get some real action and I quickly tell him I’ll be ready when he is.

In the meantime, Patterson is trying to set up a meeting to talk with TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte. He has to discuss some things with the AD, who has been in meetings during the afternoon.

As he’s finishing up his task of selecting players for banners and cards, one of the coaches walks into Patterson’s office and tells Coach Patterson they have found a defensive end he needs to see. This is sometimes how quickly recruiting happens; Patterson mentions an immediate need at a position that can be at TCU this summer in the 8:30 a.m. meeting and hours later it appears the coaches have delivered. Just as he prepares to head down the hall to watch the player’s film, Patterson’s longtime and wonderful administrative assistant Donna Biasatti tells him Del Conte is out of his meeting and ready to meet with him. But first, Patterson wants to see the player.

HOW QUICKLY RECRUITING CAN TAKE PLACE

4:45 p.m. - Patterson heads down the hall to the defensive coaches room and the coach is in there ready to show the film on the player. Another coach, who has already seen the prospect’s film, comes into the room to watch the film again with the head coach.

The kid is good and I quickly recognize his name when he was a prospect out of high school a few years ago. He has decent size and plays smart, something Patterson says they need right away. He said earlier in the day that former Frog Jon Koontz wasn’t the biggest or fastest, but he was smart and made the rest of the defense better.

It doesn’t take long for Patterson to be impressed, saying the player does everything they need him to do. He asks a few questions to the coaches including how many years of eligibility the prospect has remaining and when he can be on campus. Patterson doesn’t just want to see the film; he wants to see the kid in person so he tells one of the coaches to get an official visit set up for the kid. If Patterson likes what he sees in person, the kid may receive an offer. This is big for the coach; he rarely offers any kid before seeing him. I remember talking to this particular kid when he was in high school; TCU was his dream school and he made sure I knew it. I don’t say anything but if Patterson offers this kid, he is going to be a Frog.

This process happens within a 10-minute span.

5:10 p.m. - The coach and I make our way over to Del Conte’s office, walking through the Dutch-Meyer complex where the food smelled amazing. He tells me I’m more than welcome to be with him when he gets to Del Conte’s office, but I will have to wait outside for the meeting. He’s given me great access on the day but the information for this particular meeting I would not be privy to. I was not about to complain.

The two have a meeting for around 15 minutes; I’m not worried about what’s being discussed, some things are better left unwritten. Besides, I’m not about to get greedy. Del Conte sees me in the waiting room and immediately spots my green Under Armour shirt; I’m told he’s really big on color coordination, just as long as it’s purple and white. He wasn't the first person to give me heck about the shirt on the day; deservedly so!

We get back to the coaches offices and find the coaches we watched the JUCO prospect's film with are visiting in another coach’s office. Patterson makes sure the coach he had instructed earlier about setting up the official visit had done so. The recruit will visit later in March.

It’s around 5:30 p.m. and I’ve spent nine hours with Coach Patterson. The hours might’ve seemed long to him, but it seemed like minutes for me. He asks me if I want to eat with him in the Dutch-Meyer area and while I was very tempted, the coach had been gracious enough throughout the day and I wasn’t about to wear out my welcome any longer.

As he’s sitting at his desk I get a chance to thank him again for the opportunity to be around him all day. He extends his hand to shake it, gives me that Patterson grin and tells me again he “hopes I have enough good things to write.”

I leave his office feeling important and lucky at the same time. I'm thinking that I can’t wait to share my experience and I'm already hoping that I’ll be able to put into words well enough about my time with Coach P for the day. I came to him with an idea that I felt would be beneficial to both of us. He won’t say it nor would I ever expect him to admit it, but I know he knows the day was more about me than it was for him.

He was helping me. And that’s the norm for him.