Years In Coaching: 21st
Years at USF: 1st
Alma Mater: Bachelor’s in health, human performance and recreation, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 2003; Master’s in education technology, SE OSU, 2005
Family: Wife: Ashley
Hometown: Morris, Okla.
NOTABLE:
• In 2019, Minnesota's tight ends were part of one of the most prolific offenses in school history as the Gophers amassed 5,616 yards of total offense (the school’s third-most ever), threw for a school record 3,293 yards and scored their second-most points (443) in the modern era.
• Named the SWJCFC Coach of the Year as Northeastern Oklahoma A&M went 9-3 and claimed its first conference title since 2003 and was an offensive powerhouse, averaging 524.5 yards (253.8 rushing, 270.6 passing) and 36.2 points per game.
• In 2015, his offense at Trinity Valley CC broke the all-time yards per game record at any level of football, averaging an astounding 656.1 yards per game.
• Played tight end at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (1999 and 2000) for two seasons before finishing his career as a wide receiver at Southeastern Oklahoma State University (2001-02).
Bowl Experience as a Coach
2021 Guaranteed Rate
2020 Outback
2018 Quick Lane
2012 Kanza
Clay Patterson was named the Bulls’ tight ends coach in December of 2022, joining head coach Alex Golesh’s first USF staff.
Patterson came to USF after serving a season as tight ends coach and passing game coordinator at Colorado (2022), adding offensive coordinator duties for the final seven games of the 2022 season.
Patterson arrived at Colorado after four seasons coaching tight ends at Minnesota (2018-21). During the last two years with the Gophers, he worked under Mike Sanford, who he followed to Colorado when Sanford was named CU’s offensive coordinator. Patterson has been a part of winning programs wherever he has coached, as his teams have compiled a 144-81 record in 223 games across three levels of college football
In 2021, he coached Minnesota’s Ko Kieft, one of three tight ends in the nation that earned 80-plus grades both as a receiver and run-blocker by Pro Football Focus. In 2020, behind the offensive line and UM’s bruising tight ends, Mohamed Ibrahim set school records in rushing yards per game (153.7), consecutive 100-yard games (8) and touchdowns in consecutive games (8). In 2019, Minnesota's tight ends were part of one of the most prolific offenses in school history as the Gophers amassed 5,616 yards of total offense (the school’s third-most ever), threw for a school-record 3,293 yards and scored their second-most points (443) in the modern era.
During Patterson’s at Minnesota, the Gophers went 30-16 and were undefeated in three bowl games, winning the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl over Georgia Tech, the 2020 Outback Bowl over Auburn, and the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl over West Virginia.
Prior to his first FBS position at Minnesota, Patterson served as head coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2016-17), where he led the Norsemen to a 14-8 record. After going 5-5 in his first season, NEO A&M went 9-3 and claimed its first Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) title since 2003, along with playing in its first bowl game since 2012. Patterson was named the SWJCFC Coach of the Year as his team was an offensive powerhouse, averaging 524.5 yards (253.8 rushing, 270.6 passing) and 36.2 points per game.
Patterson spent three years as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Trinity Valley Community College (2013-15) in Athens, Texas. He helped coach the team to five SWJCFC championships (three regular season and two playoff crowns), in addition to a pair of Heart of Texas Bowl championships. In 2015, his offense broke the all-time yards per game record at any level of football, averaging an astounding 656.1 yards per game. His 2014 team set two other National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) records for total plays and yards in a single season (938 and 7,778, respectively). In 35 games on the Trinity staff (30-5 record), his offenses scored 50 or more points 23 times (13 60-plus efforts and eight of 70 or more), overall averaging 54 points and 604 yards per game.
Patterson was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (2007-12) for six seasons. His Javelina offense broke 28 individual and 17 team passing records, as it claimed a share of the Lone Star Conference championship in 2009 and made two playoff appearances. He arrived at Kingsville after coaching the receivers for one year at Tarleton State (2006).
Patterson was a tight end at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (1999 and 2000) for two seasons before finishing his career at Southeastern Oklahoma State University (2001-02), where he played wide receiver the following two seasons and earned his bachelor’s degree in health, human performance and recreation in 2003. He began his coaching career later that year at SE OSU, serving as wide receivers coach for the Savage Storm (2003-05) for three seasons while earning his master’s degree in Education Technology in 2005.
A native of Morris, Okla., he lettered in football and basketball at Morris High School. He is married to the former Ashley Holt.
Year-by-Year
2023- USF Tight Ends Coach
2022 Colorado Tight Ends Coach/Passing Game Coordinator
- Interim Co-Offensive Coordinator (final 7 games)
2018-21 Minnesota Tight Ends
2016-17 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Head Coach
2013-15 Trinity Valley CC Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2007-12 Texas A&M-Kingsville Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2006 Tarleton State Wide Receivers
2003-05 Southeastern Oklahoma State Wide Receivers
