There are 97 days until Sun Devil football returns, and Arizona State seems on the verge of something special. There arguably hasn't been this much national hype around the team since the days of John Cooper stalking the sidelines in the 80's. One key player of those teams is our spotlight player for today's countdown: defensive tackle Shawn Patterson.
Patterson actually committed to Arizona State under Cooper's predecessor, Darryl Rogers. Born in Hawaii, Patterson's family moved to Arizona soon after, and he impressed as a football player at local McClintock High School. Patterson earned an offer from Rogers and defensive coordinator Al Luginbill, the latter of whom would return to the program in 2018 as director of player personnel.
Rogers was out after Patterson's freshman season, and in came Cooper from the University of Tulsa.
Patterson's physicality and work ethic made him an immediate favorite of Cooper, and he became a starter along the defensive line as a sophomore. The Sun Devils enjoyed a solid year, going 8-4 with a 24-0 shutout win over No. 18 USC.
The next year proved to be one of the most memorable in program history. Arizona State finished 10-1-1, winning the Pac 10 and beating Michigan, quarterbacked at the time by Jim Harbaugh, 22-15 in the Rose Bowl. It marked the Sun Devils' first ever Rose Bowl victory.
Patterson returned for his senior season as a fixture of an elite defense, but Arizona State's offense took a step back with the graduation of quarterback Jeff van Raaphorst. Still, Patterson and his unit kept the Sun Devils in every game, finishing 7-4-1 and beating the Air Force Academy in the Freedom Bowl.
Patterson leaped to stardom that year, too. He posted 108 tackles his senior year, and for it he was named First-Team All-Pac 10 and Third-Team All-American. It culminated in his being drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
In the NFL, Patterson's work ethic continued to separate him from the crowd. He became a starter as a rookie when starters got injured, and played well enough to work himself into the rotation once the starters returned. He earned a second contract with the Packers, but was forced to retire after the 1993 season due to chronic knee issues.
Still, Patterson finished his six-year career with 11 sacks through 48 games. He also recorded an interception in 1990 when he tipped the ball to himself, caught it, and then promptly returned it for a touchdown.
That singular play demonstrates why Patterson was such a key piece of the Arizona State program during his time in Tempe. His hustle, work ethic, and willingness to go the extra mile made him an instant star in the Cooper years, and that translated to a respectable pro career.
In many ways, Patterson is the model that Kenny Dillingham is looking for in his players today. Patterson helped to anchor a defense that led one of the most successful three-year runs in program history, and Dillingham may be close to topping that. We'll find out in 97 days.