Replacing a legendary coach who had been at a program over two decades is a unique challenge that not everyone would be willing to take on.
Sonny Dykes knew the shoes he was stepping into when he decided to leave SMU for TCU to replace Gary Patterson, and at Big 12 Media Days he shared some of his thoughts on the pressure that comes with being the new leader of the Horned Frogs.
"We all have pressure. That's part of college football...it's a pressure packed business. That's what I really love about college football is that there is a certain level of expectations associated with every program."
Dykes goes on to share his unique view what game days are like in his eyes as he looks to build on the solid foundation that Patterson laid for the program.
"The thing that I love more than anything is that there is a certain level of accountability. Every Saturday you march a team out there and you take a test in front of 50,000 people, week in and week out and in front of a TV audience of over 1 million people."
"So you take that test, and there's accountability associated with that, and that's what makes this business so fun and so challenging."
Dykes' response was after being asked about replacing Patterson, but that accountability test is just as relevant for players on game day as it is for coaches.
"When you follow a legend, look, there's not many places where there's a statue of that coach in front of the stadium," Dykes would go on to share. "TCU is about winning championships. There is a high level of expectations, and obviously I knew that when I took the job. I appreciate that. I want to coach in that kind of environment where there has been that level of success and there is that level of expectations as well and I think that's what drives us all to be better and challenges us."
Hear more from Dykes in the clip.