[jwplayer Ob3qDJ5R-XNcErKyb]
WINTER GARDEN, FL — Michigan’s offense really turned itself around midseason, with the noticeable uptick coming after halftime at Penn State. The biggest component that has helped propel these Wolverines? Senior quarterback Shea Patterson.
Until that point, while there were moments where Patterson looked the part of his former five-star ranking, it wasn’t consistent — which, given what he was asked to do in his first year in Ann Arbor made sense. Michigan’s offense was predicated mostly on being a game manager at the quarterback position, and not making mistakes. However, with the offseason hire of Josh Gattis as offensive coordinator, expectations rose sharply, given Patterson’s reputation as a gunslinger while at Ole Miss.
But it took a moment for ‘speed in space’ to take ahold, and one it had, Patterson didn’t look back.
While the next two games for the Wolverines weren’t barnburners through the air, the final three were. The Notre Dame contest was predicated on the run, given the inclement weather, and against Maryland, Michigan looked mostly to get in and out of town.
But against Michigan State, Indiana and even Ohio State, Patterson had his best three games, yardage-wise, as a Wolverine, passing for over 300 yards in each — the first time in Michigan football history that a quarterback has had three consecutive 300 yard games.
His former teammate in high school at IMG Academy, center Cesar Ruiz, spoke during fall camp about Patterson doing ‘Shea things’ like what he had seen out of him as a five-star recruit. Once Michigan’s offense started clicking again, that’s precisely what Ruiz saw again out of his signal caller.
“I just saw him playing football,” Ruiz said. “Just being comfortable, not worrying about a lot of things, just going out and doing what he does, just playing football.”
Comfortability seems to be the key here. But how does one get comfortable in a new system?
Gattis’ pro-spread seemed tailor-made for a listed pro-style quarterback who has shown a proclivity towards scrambling. But Patterson — who was hurt on the very first play from scrimmage in 2019 — didn’t look comfortable until said Penn State game.
But it wasn’t just health that propelled him. It was also a strong desire to know all of the ins and outs of the offense he was running. Once he had a full command of the new playbook, that’s when Michigan’s offense really took off.
“I think he just feels really comfortable in the offense right now,” senior tight end Sean McKeon said. “Countlessly watching film, studying — more than I ever have and he did it this season. I feel like he knew the offense in and out, knew his reads. He’s gotten a lot better at reading coverages, too, which is what to attack.”
Now Patterson has maybe his biggest test of his career, save for those games against Ohio State.
Patterson began his career in the SEC, trying to face down a staunch Alabama team that ruled the college football landscape. The sole time he faced the Crimson Tide, in 2017, it did not go well. First, Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the country, as it were. Patterson threw for under 50% as a true sophomore, playing in his seventh career game, throwing for just 165 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns.
This year, Patterson gets an opportunity to even the score, a chance at redemption. And having some familiarity, having prepared for and played Alabama before, despite the horrific stat line, it could be just the key for the departing senior quarterback.
“Obviously, they weren’t as good of a team as we are now when they played Alabama,” McKeon said. “He knows some of those guys, knows how they play. Just gotta focus and take everything really serious. I know we’re at a bowl game and we have fun activities, but we gotta focus in on football when it’s time to play football.”
Patterson will suit up in the maize and blue for the final time come Jan. 1, when Michigan takes on Alabama in the VRBO Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.