TCU's head coach didn't elaborate on when and why he muttered the word ... only adding, "I have always encouraged our players to do better and be better and I must live by the same standards."

Gary was accused on Monday of saying the word during a dispute with a Horned Frogs linebacker at a team workout this past Sunday.

In the accusation, redshirt freshman Dylan Jordan claims he was quarreling with Patterson during practice, when the coach told him, "You're a f**king brat I'll send you back to pitt," referring to DJ's hometown of Pittsburgh, Kansas.

"I said, 'for what I ain't did nothin'," Jordan said. "He followed with 'you've been saying n***as in the meeting room.'"

Jordan said he and other TCU players refused to show up to practice on Monday over the coach's use of the word ... adding, "[Patterson] came to the locker room & said 'I wasn't calling him a n*****."

Jordan continued, "This behavior is not okay now or ever and there needs to be repercussions to these actions."

Another TCU player, senior tight end Artayvious Lynn, said Patterson did, in fact, say the slur ... but added Patterson never directed it at Jordan or anyone else.

"'You n***** or n***a' was never stated to anyone or never said," Lynn said. "Coach P was trying to get Dylan to stop saying the word period."

Patterson said in his statement Tuesday, "I met with our Seniors and Leadership Council last night about how we move forward as team, together."