TCU's approach to finding its next football coach includes the equivalent of asking Elon Musk if he will give them $10 million in cash or Bitcoin.
The worst thing that will happen is Musk says no.
Even better, if the conversation never includes a direct request for the money you can always deny it.
That's how TCU approached one of the most in-demand, exclusive, but still unavailable coaches: Chris Petersen.
According to sources, TCU reached out to the former Boise State and Washington coach not to directly ask the question, but just to see where Petersen is with everything.
TCU made Petersen tell them, "Thanks, but no thanks."
It was a bold try and an attempt that had to be made.
It also demonstrates that while TCU is a good job and will generate interest from a load of qualified candidates, it's still a spot that has to wait for others.
Petersen is the closest candidate TCU could have found to a Gary Patterson.
From 2006 to 2013, Petersen made Boise State a national brand much in the same way TCU was under Patterson despite not playing in a power league.
Boise State was 92-12 under Petersen, who was one of the most in-demand college coaches for most of his tenure there. He could have left for a higher profile job whenever he wanted.
He always said no, until he finally decided it was time to try a bigger stage.
He coached at Washington from 2014 to 2019, and was 55-26 in Seattle. Washington reached the College Football Playoff in 2017, and is the last team from the Pac 12 to make it.
In December of 2019, at 55, Petersen stepped down from the job. In a news release, Petersen said he wanted to "recharge."
That left some people in college football to believe that he just needed a break, and that he would come back to coaching.
In July of 2020, Washington announced Petersen was appointed to a leadership position at its business school.
In August of 2021, he was added as an analyst by Fox Sports.
The only reason Petersen would not have been a good fit for TCU or any job east of Boise is that he spent his entire playing and coaching career out West. He is a California guy who thrived in Idaho before returning to the Pacific Northwest where he maintained his reputation that he established in Boise.
Nonetheless, Petersen would have been a coup for a TCU.
And it won't happen.
The school moves forward vetting candidates who may be interested in the job, but need a few other moves to be made, or not made, before saying yes or no.
Most notably that includes Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.
There is mutual interest there, and TCU has a (small) chance.
As a Midwest guy, Campbell would prefer a Michigan State or a Penn State. Michigan State's Mel Tucker and Penn State's James Franklin are reportedly candidates of interest for the openings at LSU and USC.
If neither Penn State nor LSU open, Campbell leaving for TCU is plausible.
In his sixth season in Ames, the timing of Campbell's potential exit makes sense.
He has a good team with a senior quarterback, and coaches can often feel if they are going to leave to a "better job" they have to do it now when they have a winning team.
TCU would be a "better job" primarily because it has easier access to a larger pool of potential recruits.
Of the candidates TCU is considering, Matt Campbell is not Chris Petersen, but he's close.
The worst thing either can do is say no.
