Here’s a Large Thank You for Keith Patterson as He Exits Texas Tech
As a sports analyst and internet personality, I say a lot of things on the radio and Twitter. I try to be mostly positive, but in-game reactions and tweeting hundreds of times a game, I'm sure some things slip through the cracks. I know for a fact that I've said some things about Texas Tech Defensive Coordinator Keith Patterson and his defense over the last three years that I'd probably regret now.
Here's the honest truth: Patterson has been the best defensive coordinator at Texas Tech since Ruffin McNeil, and he's laid a solid foundation of talent that hopefully wins quickly with an influx of talent from Joey McGuire and his team of recruiters.
I'm not saying that Patterson's the best lightly, either. Former head coach Matt Wells and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson really do deserve some credit for what they were able to do in resurrecting the defense after the Kingsbury Era.
I could bore you with a bunch of stats and try to convince everybody that Patterson's defenses were actually good in the last three seasons, but I think at this point that's counter-productive. I do hope though that Patterson's time at Texas Tech University is remembered more for the wins over West Virginia or Baylor in 2020, or the 2021 second-half shutout of Houston.
How about looking back fondly on the SFA goal-line stand instead of the Texas debacle or Zach Evans and TCU jogging untouched for nearly 400 yards.
Was it all good? Obviously not. But Patterson admirably upheld all the duties he was expected to and did so with passion and to the best of his ability. When Wells was down, he stepped up. Heck, he's still recruiting for Texas Tech today!
Being the defensive coordinator at Texas Tech has turned into a thankless job. It's like a plumber; you only think about them when there is s**t everywhere. But I think when new head coach Joey McGuire is soon sitting on the best 3-to-5 year stretch of defenses since the Spike Dykes Era, he'll be able to thank Keith Patterson for creating a solid foundation on which to build.
Patterson now turns his attention to a new job as the head coach at Abilene Christian University. Patterson was 1-0 as acting head coach at Texas Tech after filling in for Matt Wells against Kansas in 2020. The last time he was a head coach was in Ardmore, Oklahoma back in 1999 before he made the jump to college coaching at Tulsa.
Patterson also coached in assorted roles at Arkansas State, West Virginia, Arizona State, and Utah State before spending three seasons at Texas Tech.
ACU was 5-6 this year in the Wildcats' first season in the WAC. The school is scheduled to play Texas Tech in football in 2024, but that could change with the addition of new schools into the Big 12 and the exit of Texas and Oklahoma.