Buried in a FOXSports’ Stewart Mandel mailbag comes the note that TCU head coach Gary Patterson says to watch out for Texas Tech. Yeah, really.

When Mandel is asked about the TCU defense now that defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas has retired, we get this gem, emphasis mine:

If it were most programs, I’d certainly be concerned about a highly respected coordinator of 11 seasons stepping down. But TCU’s program is Gary Patterson’s program, and TCU’s defense is Gary Patterson’s defense. He’s arguably the most hands-on head coach in the country, particularly on that side of the ball. I was among a group of writers who talked with Patterson at last week’s Big 12 meetings, during which we learned both that he’s already watched the televised spring games of his opponents this season (watch out for Texas Tech, if his scouting report is to be believed) and that he watches college basketball to glean nuggets from the teams’ defensive schemes. Also, he’s still got co-DC Chad Glasgow, who’s been with him there for all but one season.

I think there’s a few things to consider here.

1. I cannot believe that Patterson sat through all of Texas Tech’s spring game, much less every Big 12 spring game. For me, the Texas Tech game was awesome and I still have it on my DVR, but for other folks, I could see how it might be incredibly boring and tough to watch.
2. Do not even go there with some sort of conspiracy theory, i.e. Mandel dropping that note because Patterson wanted him to drop the note to give all Texas Tech fans, players and coaches some sort of false confidence is laughable.
3. Most likely, this is totally a scenario, where Patterson makes an off-hand comment about how good Texas Tech looked, not really expecting it to go to press and here it is in a parenthetical. Of course, on the other hand, Patterson knows that anything he says, unless off the record, is on the record.
4. I know that from my mind, I was pleasantly surprised with the progress of the defense, particularly the defensive line and the linebackers. The secondary looked like it was ready to pounce and I think he knows that Patrick Mahomes is a Treyvon Boykin starter-kit (but I think Mahomes is a better passer with Boykin being a better runner).
5. I never thought I would say that I, without a shadow of a doubt, 100% completely agree with Gary Patterson about Texas Tech . . . watch out.