View from the Sidelines: In returning, Shea Patterson finds his place
ATLANTA — It’s a little past 8 a.m. and Shea Patterson is animated.
The topic is a Family Feud-style game Michigan played against Florida last night — one of those promotional things through the Peach Bowl — and Patterson is as excited as he’s been in an interview all year.
“Man, it just — it came outta nowhere,” he says. “It came, literally outta nowhere. ... I got panicked. We had four guys left and they had one. And I thought all three — two of them were facing one way and I thought Quinn Rothman was facing that way, too. So I turn him around real quick.
“Next thing I know, the dude’s like, ‘Alright kids, round three.’ I’m facing the other way. I’m like, ‘Ok, I’m just gonna take one for the team right here. I’m gonna lose.’ And all three of them go down. And I’m like, ‘Man. I guess I’ll be in this position.’ ”
He’s sitting at a table in a hotel ballroom, fielding questions and a looking a little less miserable than he should after waking up at 7:42 and coming straight here. Patterson has cultivated a reputation this season as someone who stays quiet around media — both literally and figuratively. Right now though, this doesn’t seem to be a veneer of amiability. He looks, in a word, comfortable, and given the topic of the day, that fits.
[After THE JUMP: some words]
Last week, the junior quarterback announced he will return for his senior season. This after a season in which he threw for 2,364 yards and 21 touchdowns, helping the Wolverines go from 85th to 24th in offensive S&P+. When Patterson walked into Crisler Center last season for a basketball game, that was the type of season people envisioned. Patterson wasn’t quite a savior but it’s not easy to imagine Michigan going into Columbus with a playoff berth on the line without him.
On that day last December though, much as general consensus was that Patterson would likely come, it felt like Ann Arbor would be a pitstop. Not just for him, but for Deontay Anderson and Van Jefferson. It turned out that Patterson was the only one of those three that came — and of leaving early was ever his plan, then sometime along the way, it changed.
There are a multitude of reasons for that, but most telling: Patterson has moved around a lot in life — living in place after place. On Thursday, he was asked if Ann Arbor is the most home he’s ever felt in a place.
“I think so,” Patterson said.
This — his first full year in college football — was a confluence of catching fire and ultimate falling short. It was a year that allowed Patterson to say, “I’m happy with the spot we’re in,” and, “We definitely didn’t meet our expectations,” not 20 minutes apart.
Much as Michigan would have been happy with a New Year’s Six bowl 13 weeks ago, the Peach Bowl comes with a sheen of disappointment.
“When things go your way for a long stretch of time — and you can look at it, it really did. I think obviously, that (Ohio State) game’s not looked upon lightly,” defensive coordinator Don Brown said. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, it’s ok, let’s move on. So I think everybody feels it.”
Patterson does, surely. It’s high among the reasons he’ll be coming back, and it sounds good in a quote. But his decision is about more than that, and it’s about more than improving his draft stock, too.
“I grew up in Toledo for 12 years, got a lot of friends and family there,” Patterson said. “Traveled over to Ann Arbor when I was little. I think the guys just make it — if anything, the guys make it the most home for me.”
December 27th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
Good stuff. Excited to have him back!
December 28th, 2018 at 1:14 AM ^
Sorry, but this feels like a lot of reading into what Shea is thinking. He has very few quotes in this article and there's a lot of conjecture by the writer. It's kind of a good read, but I don't feel like it's very authentic.
December 27th, 2018 at 4:02 PM ^
I can't even begin to understand the quote from Shea regarding the game he was playing. What does that even mean?
We had four guys and they only had one, but then he said he is going to lose on purpose and knock out three of them? I thought they only had one left? Why is he turning people around? What the hell is going on?
December 27th, 2018 at 5:32 PM ^
I read past the jump specifically to learn more about this game and it wasn’t even mentioned. I really want to know what they were doing.
December 27th, 2018 at 5:38 PM ^
Unbelievably confusing.
December 27th, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^
This is the final round of the game. Basically they have an either or question, and whichever way you turn (left or right), states your answer. If you notice in the video below, Shea turns left (towards Eminem, correct answer), and the UF player turns right, which is why Shea wins. If you have multiple players from each team, then it makes sense to spread the risk and have a shot to hit the next round unless you're 100% sure.
Shea Patterson leads Michigan to victory in FaceOff and the belt wait for the celebration pic.twitter.com/X6FfY8ODsB
— angelique (@chengelis) December 27, 2018
December 27th, 2018 at 4:14 PM ^
Shea Patterson's attitude if I have it right - he wants to win - is why I lambasted a editor's post at Maze and Brew this morning. He asked how fans felt about the need for a win against UF in the Peach v. some kind of BS moral victory associated with "progress" and getting younger guys reps. He made a case for this dumb-ass position and I told him GTFO with his loser attitude; it shits on what athletes who don the winged helmet strive for. Winning, being champions.
Chase, who has decided to play in the Peach despite needing surgery and despite his interests in participating in the NFL combines and Shea, who has decided to return because he states he wants to win (and beat osu) are young men who I admire. They want to win and be champions. Michigan football is in a great spot with kids like this. The osu loss was tough on me personally and my fandom but it's back on the upswing.
December 27th, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^
I'm with you. "Meaningless" bowl game? What the what?! 14 out of the last 17 seasons have ended with a loss to OSU and a loss in the Bowl game (or no bowl game). It left a bad taste in our mouths the whole off season. Remember what a difference that Bowl win in Harbaugh's first season made? And now these towering intellects what to make it 15 of 18 to get guys who won't make the 2 deep a few more snaps? To hell with that! Mitch had the right idea, "win the game!"
December 28th, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^
How many now saying the bowl game is meaningless will be fixing “baawwwww! Hawt takes!!!”
about the offense and the coach after the game? I’m guessing a few.
December 27th, 2018 at 5:32 PM ^
Author appears to believe 7:42 is an early time to be awake
December 27th, 2018 at 9:09 PM ^
I caught that, too! By 7:30, I've already been at the office for 30 minutes! Damn slacker millenials!!
December 27th, 2018 at 9:42 PM ^
Yeah, I'd like to sleep in to 7:42 on workdays if I could.
December 27th, 2018 at 6:09 PM ^
Looking forward to seeing him play on Saturday!
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