2022 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 34 Days (Will Patterson)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The 2022 Hoosier Huddle Countdown is nearly two-thirds complete. Today brings us to number 34 and another blast from the past, former Indiana Hoosier linebacker Will Patterson!

Name: Will Patterson

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN (Lawrence North High School)

Position: Linebacker

Year: Played at IU from 2006 to 2009

Height/Weight: 6’0”/206 pounds

There is no number 34 on the current Indiana Hoosiers roster so we are reacquainting ourselves with a number 34 from the mid-2000s: Will Patterson. Patterson attended Lawrence North High School, a school known much more for basketball than football. He helped lead the program to a couple of very successful seasons as a starting linebacker but he was viewed as a bit undersized and FBS programs were unconvinced he could play at that level. Indiana saw it differently and became Patterson’s only FBS offer. He accepted and ended up exceeding all expectations.

Despite coming to Bloomington as only a two-star recruit, Patterson notched 41 tackles in 2006 with one interception and then exploded for 104 tackles with three forced fumbles and an interception in 2007. He added 55 tackles and 67 tackles in 2008 and 2009, finishing his career with 38 starts and 267 tackles. He was a captain in 2008 and 2009 and impressed enough to earn a shot with the Houston Texans. Patterson never made an official NFL roster but he did play on their practice squad and then moved to the Arena Football League with the Virginia Destroyers and Iowa Barnstormers in 2011 and 2012. He decided his playing days were over and returned to the Indianapolis area to coach junior varsity football and track and field at Lawrence Central. Patterson then spent two seasons as the head coach for Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis before the Lawrence Central job opened up. The Bears came calling and Patterson jumped at the opportunity. His LC squad went 4-7 in his first campaign.

The countdown continues with a new profile each and every day so come back to hoosierhuddle.com daily!