All due respect, who said Gary Patterson even wanted the job? Great, JJ identified a solid option, but Patterson just wrapped year six with the Horned Frogs, went 11-2 in 2006—and 11-1 in 2005, winning the Big 12, where he received a contract extension in December 2005, where he'd been a defensive coordinator for three years before getting promoted to head coach after the 2000 season.
Even if JJ recommended him, anyone really believes Patterson was leaving what he was building at TCU for Miami 2006—a reeling program that saw a mid-season, an on-field brawl with FIU (resulting in massive suspensions and a brutal PR hit) and then a player murdered weeks later miles from campus (Bryan Pata), en route to a 7-6 season and a rabid fan base that has been up in arms for years. (The 2005 season also ended with a post-game tunnel fight with LSU after that 40-3 Peach Bowl loss and 2006 stated with a loss to FSU and an embarrassing pre-game logo stop at Louisville, before the Cards whooped the Canes.)
Greg Schiano didn't even want the job in 2006 when it was offered; y'all really think a clean-cut, Kansas-bred Gary Patterson wanted anything to do with Miami when he was 54-19 at TCU with two Big 12 titles in six seasons?
Back to our fans thinking this is a better job than it really is—especially back in 2006 when this program was toxic.
The best Miami could've (and should've) done in 2006 was to hire Butch Davis back, which they had a shot at before UNC snatched him up (weeks before Coker was let go. Five years removed from the program he rebuilt, that was the only coach would've wanted it and fit the brand.
Patterson was never leaving TCU for Miami. Stop that nonsense. Nobody wanted the job back then, hence why The Onlon got the promotion. Miami even did a search for that 2006 hiring season and no one wanted to touch UM with a ten-foot pole.