Clemson freshman linebacker Kane Patterson saw the most extensive action of his young career on Saturday, playing 23 snaps and posting his first career sack in the Tigers’ 45-14 win over Florida State at Death Valley.
“That was really cool,” Patterson told the media on Monday. “I got more opportunities this past game, which was very exciting, just for all the work I’ve put in this summer and fall so far. I got the opportunity and it went well. (FSU quarterback James) Blackman scrambled my way, and it was just really exciting to get my first sack.”
Patterson, who enrolled at Clemson this past summer, has appeared in all six games thus far this season. The native of Brentwood, Tennessee, played solely on special teams in the first two games against Georgia Tech and Texas A&M before recording a tackle at Syracuse and then adding a pair of tackles against Charlotte.
A four-star prospect coming out of Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville, Patterson was a later pickup for the Tigers in the 2019 recruiting cycle. He de-committed from Ohio State a couple of days after Urban Meyer was suspended Aug. 22, 2018, for three games and flipped his commitment to Clemson less than two weeks later.
Patterson had offers from more than two dozen programs, but it was the combination of culture, defensive coordinator Brent Venables and program success that made him want to sign with the Tigers.
“I would say the first thing was just probably the culture that Clemson’s created,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any college that has a culture like Clemson does and just the people that they have. I also wanted to play for Coach V. I feel like he’s probably the best defensive coordinator out there, and I loved him from the first time I met him. And then also the success of the program — I wanted to play for a team that’s playing for championships every year.”
Patterson couldn’t be happier about his college choice. Several months after arriving on campus, the former high school All-American says his experience at Clemson so far has been even better than he expected.
“Everything and more,” he said. “I’ve loved it since the first day I got here. I just love the people and just the culture and everything about it.”
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