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Franchione exits TCU sooner than expected
By Stephen Tsai
Special to ESPN.com
In his plush office, in the middle of another 5-to-9 work day, surrounded by
the legends and expectations that come with running one of the most
successful and proudest college football programs in history, the new
University of Alabama coach is at ease.
He has respect, a Regis-sized contract and the nation's top Southern recruits
on speed dial.
This is paradise.
Almost.
"I would have liked to have said goodbye," said Dennis Franchione, his
voice trailing into a whisper. "That's one of those things you want to do,
but don't want to do. Do you understand?"
|  | | Dennis Franchione will likely watch the Horned Frogs bowl game on TV. |
For Franchione, the Mobile Alabama Bowl was to be the final celebration, a time to toast the improbable resurrection of the Texas Christian football program, which made the complete turnaround from 1-10 in 1997 to 10-1 this year. It was to praise L.T. and the Big Uglies; to ask the question, "Who let
the Frogs out?"
But two weeks ago, Franchione resigned as TCU coach, accepting the head
coaching job at Alabama. Soon after, TCU's Gary Patterson, coordinator of the
nation's top defense, was promoted to head coach. Then last Thursday,
athletic director Eric Hyman said that Patterson, not Franchione, as first
announced, would coach the Horned Frogs in the Mobile Alabama Bowl.
Franchione already was at Alabama, but he was supposed to meet the team in
Mobile this week. Instead, Franchione said, "Gary broke the news to the
players. He took care of them."
Franchione said he sent several farewell messages to the coaches and
administrators, but has yet to address the players. He also has avoided
attending practice, although he said he will watch the game, probably on
television.
"I don't want to be a distraction," he said. "With this game in Alabama,
it would have been too much about me, and not enough about TCU and the
players. I didn't want that to happen. The players deserve the attention.
What they have done is awesome."
To be sure, it was a partnership. Franchione had earned a reputation as a
football doctor, fixing broken programs at four previous stops and earning a 138-65-2 record over 18 years. But the TCU program he inherited in 1998 was far removed from the one that produced Bob Lilly, Davey O'Brien, Sam Baugh and several Dan Jenkins novels.
In his first speech to a team that was 1-10 the previous season,
Franchione spoke of commitment, working hard and the "building of esteem and
trust."
Inside, Franchione felt, "as visionary as I try to be, there's no way to
predict what will happen. When you inherit a 1-10 team, you're never really
sure."
First, Franchione placed heavy emphasis on a weight program that would
provide bite for his triple-option offense. He also worked to build a more
aggressive defense. Finally, he tried to develop area talent; his first
project was a running back named LaDainian "L.T." Tomlinson.
In 1998, the Horned Frogs went 6-5 during the regular season, then knocked
off Southern California in the Sun Bowl. The next year, with Tomlinson
leading the nation in rushing, the Horned Frogs won a share of the Western
Athletic Conference title.
The success helped the Horned Frogs secure a regional television contract,
create enough interest to improve the athletic facilities and become a
marketable free agent. Last year, the Horned Frogs accepted an invitation to
join Conference USA in July.
"It was apparent we were going in the right direction," Franchione said.
This year, TCU was in contention for a berth in the Bowl Championship
Series, a run that was short-circuited by a loss to San Jose State, the
Horned Frogs' only setback this season. Tomlinson also won his second
consecutive NCAA rushing title, earning a trip to New York as a Heisman
Trophy finalist. And the "Big Uglies" -- Tomlinson's blockers -- became
almost famous.
But for as many programs that Franchione has cured, he also has left a
string of heartbreaks. Just a few years ago, New Mexico athletic director Rudy Davalos lamented how he could not afford to keep Franchione from making what he called a "lateral move" to coach the Horned Frogs.
Franchione earned $300,000 in 1997, his final year at New Mexico; he made $500,000 at TCU in 1998, and $750,000 this year. He will earn more than $1 million annually at Alabama.
But Franchione said he has not actively lobbied for a new job. He
insisted, "We certainly left the program in a lot better shape than we found
it. We're 10-1, nearly 11-0. I don't know if you feel your work is done. I
could walk away and feel good about (the improvements)."
Franchione said his three recruiting classes at TCU were highly rated;
five of the top 12 players return on offense.
He also said Patterson, who also coached with Franchione at New Mexico,
gives TCU stability.
But Franchione said the Alabama job was too good to refuse. "When you
think about the tradition. . .the opportunity to compete for a national
championship. . .the more I thought about it, the easier it became."
Stephen Tsai covers the WAC for the Honolulu Advertiser.
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