Long-time coaching veteran Keith Patterson enters his fifth year on the Sun Devil coaching staff. In 2017 Patterson’s role will be more concentrated on working with the Sun Devil linebackers and defensive special teams after serving as defensive coordinator from 2014-16.
With his focus on the inside linebackers in 2017, Patterson oversaw the evolution of D.J. Calhoun and Christian Sam into one of the most dynamic duos among any college football defense this season as both earned All-Pac-12 nods for their efforts this season.
Sam reached double-digit tackles in seven consecutive games prior to the UCLA contest, more than any other Sun Devil had accomplished since at least 2000 - let alone in consecutive games. He has nine total games this season with double-digit tackles. Over the last three years, there have been 34 instances of a Sun Devil reaching double digit tackles. Sam is responsible for 13 of those while 11 other players combined for the other 21.
His 127 total tackles are third among Power Five linebackers while his 87 solo tackles are second in the country. The 87 solo tackles are tied for fourth in ASU history and the most since Adam Archuleta had 93 in 2000.
Sam finished the regular season ranked second in the nation and first in the Pac-12 with 7.3 solo tackles per game. He is 7th nationally and first in the conference in averaging 10.6 tackles per game.
D.J. Calhoun earned All-Conference honors for the second time in his career and first time since his freshman season. He was fourth in the Pac-12 in averaging 5.1 solo tackles per game and seventh with 7.8 tackles per game following the regular season.
Other notable accomplishments on defense during the 2017 seasons with Patterson helping oversee things included the Sun Devil total defenseallowing 447.0 yards per game this season – shaving 73 yards per game off last season's 520 yards allowed per game that was second to last in the nation. ASU dropped that total to 427.6 yards allowed per Pac-12 game this season – over 100 yards fewer than the 543.0 per conference tilt in 2016.
The Sun Devils allowed 31.3 points per game, which was down over a touchdown from last season's 39.8 points per game.
ASU is currently 17th nationally in averaging 2.92 sacks per game while also sitting in the Top-30 nationally in turnover margin and third in the Pac-12 with a .42 average per game.
The Devils were especially efficient on third-down in conference games this season, allowing just a 34.82 opponent conversion percentage in Pac-12 games that was 32nd nationally and second in the conference. This turnaround came after allowing a 54.55 conversion percentage in the team’s three non-conference games on the year. ASU was first in the league and 13th nationally in allowing just 37.50 percent of opponent fourth-down conversion attempts to be successful.
Calhoun is one of just nine inside linebackers in the country this season to miss two or fewer tackles on the year on 830 total snaps this season. He has missed one tackle on a running play and one tackle on a passing play, good for a 49.5 tackle efficiency rating from Pro Football Focus that ranks third among all inside linebackers. The remarkable turnaround comes after Calhoun was eighth in the FBS among all inside linebackers for most missed tackles last season with 18.
In 2016, Patterson’s guidance was instrumental in the standout performances turned in by linebackers Koron Crump and DJ Calhoun. Crump led the Sun Devils in sacks in 2016 (nine for minus 68 yards) while recording three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Crump, who was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List for the 2017 season, also added an interception to go along with his 37 tackles (28 solos stops). Calhoun was the team leader with 77 tackles, was tied for the team lead in tackles for loss and was second to Crump in sacks with 4.5.
Patterson also had a big hand in the Sun Devils special teams success last season as ASU finished fifth in the nation and second in the Pac-12 in net punting (42.0).
Patterson’s defense helped the Sun Devils post 111 tackles for loss in 2015, with an average of 8.5 tackles per loss per game that ranked third nationally and first in the Pac-12. ASU averaged 3.54 sacks per game in 2015, a total that ranked first in all of the FBS. ASU forced 370 negative or no-yardage plays out of 967 run by the opposition (38.3 percent).
The 2015 season saw Patterson put together one of the elite linebacking groups in the Pac-12 with his starting trio of Salamo Fiso (99), Christian Sam (96) and Laiu Moeakiola (44) finishing first, second and sixth on the team in total tackles and accounting for over 30 percent of the team’s tackles on the season.
Fiso would go on to earn All-Pac-12 accolades while racking up a career-best 20.0 tackles for loss, good for sixth nationally. He finished second in the Pac-12 and 12th nationally in averaging 6.0 solo tackles per game.
Under the direction of Patterson, the 2014 Sun Devil defense finished sixth in the nation in turnover margin at plus-14 and led the Pac-12 with 14 interceptions. Patterson mentored linebackers D.J. Calhoun, Fiso and Moeakiola to third-team All-Pac-12 honors, and Calhoun was named a freshman All-American. Patterson’s linebacker group combined for 16 of the teams 39 sacks and also produced three of the team’s top five tacklers.
Patterson came to ASU from West Virginia University, where he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2013 and as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2012. ASU head coach Todd Graham and Patterson have a professional and personal relationship that goes back to East Central University where they were college roommates.
Patterson, who has coached in nine college bowl games, mentored West Virginia linebacker Isaiah Bruce, who was named to three freshman All-America teams and two All-Big 12 teams in 2012 after ranking second on the team in tackles with 94, fourth in tackles for loss with 6.5 and first on the team in fumbles recovered with two. He also tied for the team lead in interceptions.
In 2011 Patterson served as Graham’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Pittsburgh. That Pitt defense was ranked No. 3 nationally in quarterback sacks (3.31), tied for No. 12 in tackles for loss (98), No. 14 in defensive third-down efficiency (32.98), No. 21 in rushing defense (116.9), No. 35 in total defense (350.62) and No. 38 in scoring defense (22.4). The defense placed five players on the All-Big East Team and featured one All-American. Patterson served as the interim head coach for the BBVA Compass Bowl against SMU when Graham left for Arizona State.
Patterson coached at the University of Tulsa from 2003 until 2010, where he tutored some of the most productive and accomplished defenders in the school’s football history. Patterson began by coaching linebackers in 2003 and then added the title of defensive coordinator from 2006 through 2010. In 2010, he helped mold a defense that led the country in interceptions (24) and ranked third in turnovers gained (36). Facing the nation’s top passing offense in Hawai’i in the 2010 Hawai’i Bowl, Tulsa’s defense forced five interceptions and six total turnovers en route to a victory over the No. 24 Rainbows.
The win was the Golden Hurricane’s 36th over a four-year span and marked the program’s third consecutive bowl triumph. His star pupils included first-team All-Conference USA performers Nick Bunting, Chris Chamberlain and Nelson Coleman. The three rank among the top 10 tacklers in school history, a list topped by Coleman who had an impressive 413 career stops. Bunting finished his career as one of the most decorated linebackers ever at Tulsa. He was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Newcomer of the Year in 2003. Chamberlain, who finished fifth in Tulsa history with 352 tackles, was drafted by St. Louis in 2008 and has spent the past three seasons with the Rams.
Prior to his college coaching experience Patterson spent 16 years coaching high school football in Oklahoma and Texas. He spent two years (2000 and ‘02) with Graham as linebackers, defensive backs and special teams coach at Allen (Texas) High School. He also coached at Allen High School from 1995-96. Before that, he was the head football coach at Ardmore (Okla.) High School for three seasons (1997-99). At Ardmore, Patterson led his team to the District 5A-1 Championship in 1999, while earning district coach of the year honors. In 1994, Patterson was the head coach at Edmond Santa Fe (Okla.) High School. Prior to that, he served as defensive secondary coach at Edmond Memorial High School for two seasons (1992-93). He began his high school coaching career in 1988 at Altus (Okla.) High School, where he coached the outside linebackers and defensive backs for four years. He helped lead Altus to a state runner-up finish in Class 4A, while helping Edmond Memorial to a Class 6A runner-up finish in 1993.
Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from East Central (Okla.) University in 1986. He was a four-year letterman at defensive back for ECU and later served his alma mater as a graduate assistant coach. He earned his master’s degree in kinesiology and sport studies in 2003 from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Patterson and his wife Melissa have three daughters and one son.
Coaching Responsibility: Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Special Teams Coach
Birthday: May 20
Hometown: Marlow, Okla.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree (East Central, '86); Master’s Degree (Texas A&M-Commerce, ’03)
Family: Wife – Melissa, Daughters – Fallon and Erin, Stepson – Kelby, Stepdaughter – Bretlie
Year at Arizona State: First
Years in College Coaching: 11
Playing Career
- Four-year letter winner as a defensive back at East Central (Okla.) University
Coaching Career
2014-p: Arizona State (Linebackers Coach/Defensive Special teams Coach)
2012-13: West Virginia (Defensive Coordinator/linebackers)
2012: West Virginia (Co-Defensive Coordinator/linebackers)
2011: Pitt (interim head coach)
2011: Pitt (defensive coordinator/linebackers)
2006-10: Tulsa (co-defensive coordinator/linebackers)
2003-05: Tulsa (linebackers)
2002: Allen High (assistant coach)
2000: Allen High (assistant coach)
1997-99: Ardmore High (head coach)
1995-96: Allen High (assistant coach)
1994: Edmond Santa Fe High (head coach)
1992-93: Edmond Memorial High (assistant coach)
1988-91: Altus High (assistant coach)
1986: East Central (graduate assistant)
Bowl Experience
2015: Cactus Bowl
2014: Sun Bowl
2012: Pinstripe
2012: BBVA Compass
2010: Hawai’i
2008: GMAC
2007: GMAC
2006: Armed Forces
2005: Liberty
2003: Humanitarian
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2015 Football Roster roster
