Benny Snell Comparisons are Unavoidable after Jason Patterson Flashes in Freshman Debut
It was deja vu all over again on Saturday night, and I’m not talking about Jamon Dumas-Johnson’s interception on the second defensive snap of the game. A big freshman wearing No. 26 received the handoff, then bounced off defenders before moving the chains. It wasn’t Benny Snell in the backfield. It was Jason Patterson.
The freshman from Sneads, FL entered the game for the first time with six minutes left in the second quarter. On his first carry, Patterson followed his lead blockers, then pushed forward for a gain of 12. Bush Hamdan dialed up the same exact counter on the following snap. This time he had to bounce it wide. For a moment, it looked like he was going to break away for a touchdown, but had to settle for an 11-yard gain to get the Cats into the red zone.
“I thought I was going to score. It just happened like that,” Patterson told KSR on Tuesday. “I was a little frustrated after the run, that’s why you saw the (ball) slam, but it was great.”
Hamdan called Patterson’s number on the next two plays too, but the freshman was stopped short of the goal line. Even though he didn’t get into the end zone, Patterson’s confidence grew in his Kentucky debut.
“When that play happened, I started feeling a rhythm. I think belong out here on the field with these type of dudes,” he said.
How Patterson Used His Head to Make Early Debut
“I think the opportunity he had in the spring to get a lot of reps, he made the most of it,” Mark Stoops said on Monday.
“He is one of those guys that is pretty serious. He is locked in on his daily goals and he works hard daily, he kind of puts his head down and keeps his mouth shut and works hard. He is worried about just getting better. I don’t mean that in any selfish way, he just wants to help the team and he wants to get better and I love that attitude.”
Patterson believes succeeding in the game of football is 90% mental, 10% physical. That is why when he arrived on campus, he wasted zero time learning the playbook. I do not mean that in an abstract sense.
“Jason Patterson brought himself in here early and learned the playbook,” said RB coach Jay Boulware. “I remember turning January 1. I came to my office rather than sit at the house and Jason and Chip (Trayanum) both came up to my office while I was watching film, getting ready for those guys. We sat in there for two days in a row breaking down last season’s stuff. That type of commitment shows up and that’s why he’s in the position he is now.”
The calls come naturally to the freshman. He’s not wasting time thinking, just reacting.
“When he first came, the playbook was second nature to him. Now he’s actually putting it into motion, running through people, breaking runs, and getting first downs, understanding protection calls for the O-line,” said veteran running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye. “I definitely like to see what he’s got in store for this year.”
Running Backs Playing with a Chip on their Shoulder
Kentucky has a long legacy of exceptional running backs who have racked up thousand-yard seasons in Lexington. It’s a big reason why Patterson decided to come to Kentucky. Naturally, fans will compare him to other great running backs in the past. That feels unfair, but boy, are the comparisons uncanny.
The story Boulware shared is not so different than the story Drake Jackson shared about Benny Snell. During an early get-together over chicken wings between the freshman class, Benny stated that he was going to play in the fall of 2016. He said it in such a matter-of-fact manner that his teammates thought he was crazy. He may have been crazy but in all of the right ways.
Jason Patterson did not choose the No. 26. It was given to him by Mark Stoops. Like the school’s all-time leading rusher, Patterson is a serious football player who brings an edge every time he steps out onto the football field.
“We got a chip on our shoulder,” a sentiment Patterson shares with his predecessor. “We know there are a lot of people who probably don’t believe in the running back room like we do. So we’re playing with a different type of chip to hopefully bring a different type of mentality Saturday against South Carolina.”
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