Michigan quarterback gets a chance at redemption against Alabama in Citrus Bowl
In what has become a trend of late, Michigan — like many of the top collegiate teams — found its starting quarterback by transfer.
Shea Patterson left Mississippi after the team received NCAA sanctions following his sophomore season. He earned the starting job as a junior for the Wolverines and thrived since with 5,428 yards and a combined 51 touchdowns (44 passing, seven rushing) in two seasons.
Wednesday afternoon, Patterson can redeem himself for one of his worst performances, a 66-3 drubbing against Alabama in 2017. Then the quarterback at Mississippi, Patterson completed just 14 of his 29 passes for 165 yards, was intercepted twice and sacked five times.
Now, more experienced, Patterson will get a chance to erase the bad experience when he leads No. 14 Michigan (9-3) against the 13th-ranked Crimson Tide (10-2) in the VRBO Citrus Bowl.
“It didn’t exactly go my way,” Patterson said of the loss to Alabama. “I just remember going and playing in that game, as a completely different player back then, and I was just happy to get the experience.”
Patterson never had an opportunity to settle in with an offensive coordinator, as he played in a different system each of his four years. But he has enjoyed his most success this season under new Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who was previously coached the receivers at Alabama.
Patterson matched 2018’s touchdown total of 22 this season and stands just 172 yards shy of his first 3,000-yard season.
“Any time [you have a] new offense and coach Gattis had to come in and adjust to new players and we had to learn new schemes, there’s going to be some growing pains,” Patterson said. “But I know in the end, right now, it’s going really well.”
Gattis said he was proud to “just to see [Patterson’s] confidence throughout the year continue to rise each and every week.”
Patterson finished the season with three consecutive 300-yard passing games, with 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions over the span.
“This guy’s a player, man,” Gattis said. “He’s been playing at an extreme high level for us and he’s been the leader of our offense, leader of our team. And, like I said, I’ll go to battle with him any day out of the week versus any team in the country.”