Pat Clysdale was a Bronco through and through. Clysdale was a Western Michigan alum. His career was spent in service of WMU and its student-athletes as a coach,an administrator, and later as a professor.
After growing up in the Detroit area, Clysdale came to Western Michigan and lettered in both basketball and football in 1949 and 1950. He was an All-Mid-American Conference selection in football in 1949 and served as a team captain in 1950 under head coach John Gil.
After earning his degree he served in the United States Armed Forces before returning to Michigan to help coach high school football and basketball at South Haven High School in 1955-56 and then Allen Park High School in 1956-58.