SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – Had Kane Patterson stuck with his original commitment, he could be playing on the opposite side of Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl.
A true freshman linebacker for Clemson, Patterson originally committed to Ohio State in the summer of 2018, but decommitted from the Buckeyes less than two months later – and just days after Urban Meyer was suspended for the first three games of the 2018 season. With uncertainty looming over Meyer’s future at Ohio State, Patterson ultimately decided to become a Tiger instead. Patterson hadn’t been recruited by Ryan Day, who ultimately succeeded Meyer as Ohio State’s head coach, and quickly built a bond with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables after receiving an offer from the Tigers.