Where Are They Now: Patterson remembers 'special time' with Hoosiers
As a kid growing up in Lawrence, Indiana, Will Patterson was very familiar with the Indiana University football team.
His familiarity would grow as a high school player at Lawrence North High School when Indiana assistant coach Billy Lynch would come over to recruit him and offer him the opportunity to play for former coach Terry Hoeppner.
"I selected Indiana for three reasons -- Terry Hoeppner, Billy Lynch and the opportunity to build a winning legacy," Patterson told TheHoosier.com. he relationship that I built with the coaches became the deciding factor in my choice."
Patterson said what set Indiana apart from other programs that recruited him was Hoeppner and how he treated recruits.
"Coach Hep was, obviously, a great coach, but what I loved about him is that he wasn't a salesman. He was real and he had faith in me and my ability to lead and make Indiana football a special program. I was a major key to helping Indiana turn the corner and that motivated me to become a Hoosier," said Patterson.
From 2006-09 Patterson was a part of Indiana's defense and immediately made a name for himself as a freshman.
Some of that was due to a belief that he had to prove something.
"I remember when it was time to narrow down schools in my recruiting process, I had a coach tell me that he didn't think I could be successful at the Division I level or it would be a struggle to get playing time so I worked and showed up at Indiana and finished my freshman season as an All-American," Patterson said. "The rest is history."
During that 2006 season, Patterson played in all 12 games, starting five of them en route to ending the season with 41 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss and a sack. He also recorded one interception, three pass breakups, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble as well as being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team by Sporting News. He was also an Honorable Mention member of the Freshman All-American Team by Sporting News.
As a sophomore, Patterson was second on the team with 104 tackles, including 59 solo tackles. He also led the team with three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and had 8 tackles for a loss. Against Northwestern, Patterson had 14 tackles and recorded 13 each against Penn State and Wisconsin.
As a junior and senior, Patterson was a captain for the Hoosiers and started 10 games in both 2008 and 2009. The 2008 season featured Patterson notching 55 tackles despite missing two games due to a knee injury. His senior season witnessed him record 67 tackles despite him playing through a nagging wrist injury.
For his career, Patterson made 267 career tackles, 173 of which were solo stops, in 38 career starts. He also earned the Harold Mauro Award in 2009, which is given to the Indiana University football player that best exemplifies valued qualities demonstrated by Mauro to Indiana University and the Bloomington community.
Looking back on his career, Patterson said his days at Indiana were "special."
"I remember the hard work the most. It was a great teacher of how life will present you with an opportunity that will impact you forever," Patterson added. "In my time at Indiana, I loved the grind of being a student-athlete. It was a privilege to be there and have the opportunity to create my own legacy. Nobody in my immediate family had ever done that so I didn't have a blueprint. I was able to write my own story."
When his career with Indiana finished, Patterson was not ready to give the game up, opting to pursue a career as a professional football player.
"I had a cup of coffee in Houston playing for the Texans, and I played a season in the AFL with the Barnstormers. I felt a little lost after playing, but I had to understand what it was to operate in your purpose for life," Patterson said.
That purpose became evident to him immediately -- he loved mentoring, helping and leading others in the game of football, so he stepped away from the professional aspect and picked up a whistle and clipboard and began coaching.
"I got into coaching in 2011 and have been everywhere since," Patterson said. "I started at my alma mater, Lawrence North, coaching football and track-and-field. I left to join the staff at Lawrence Central in 2013 as an assistant. I left Lawrence Central in 2018 to take over at Arsenal Tech and was able to build and turn around a program. I was hired back at Lawrence Central in March right before the hit of Covid-19."
And through it all, Patterson maintains he has been "blessed" to coach the players he has.
"Two U.S. Army All-Americans, a bunch of guys signed, sealed and delivered playing in college,” Patterson said. “The greatest thing for me is that they are able to create their own legacy and call me if they ever need a moment of mentorship.”
Through it all, Patterson says he wouldn't have the experiences he has had at Indiana and as a coach without God and his family.
"It's true what they say, everything starts at home. My parents turned me into an animal. I can still hear it ringing in my ears, "You give it your all and do it with God. If you start it, you better finish. I'm not raising no quitter." God was put in my brothers and I at a young age, work ethic was put in us at a young age, having faith that you can conquer anything if you just believe was a message often given to us by mom and dad, God rest his soul. That gave us the edge," Patterson said.
And, while it has been over a decade since he last suited up for the Hoosiers, Patterson still keeps up with Indiana and the recent success.
"I have a Hoosier Man Cave at home with some memorabilia from my playing days in it, and I enjoy watching the Hoosiers prosper. What a great win against No. 8 Penn State. We've always battled them tough in my years at Indiana, but it was beautiful to see us breakthrough. I am looking forward to seeing them continue to grow and go Hoosiers.”
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