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Inside The Lines: Top Miami recruiting target shares thoughts on Lance Guidry, Cristobal recruiting efforts, Super Bowl picks and more

On3 photo -2by:Izubee Charles•02/10/23•

IzubeeCharles

Miami Inside The Lines feature

On the field, Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna 2024 four-star safety and top Miami target Zaquan Patterson has become one of the best defensive backs in the country for the three-time defending state champions thanks to his physical play style and raw athleticism. 

Off the field, Patterson may be even more competitive, playing pickup basketball with his family or bowling with his Chaminade-Madonna teammates. In our continuing series Inside The Lines, we catch up with Patterson and discuss a variety of topics, including music, recruitment, hobbies, football, and more.

Following the announcement of Lance Guidry as the new defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes after Kevin Steele left for Alabama, a video of a speech Guidry gave before a game at Western Kentucky surfaced. Patterson, like many others, responded favorably to the two-minute clip.

“I trust that they made a good decision,” Patterson said. “He’s a great guy, and I seen a video of him, and I felt his energy through the video. I feel like he’s going to make a good impact on the people. I feel like a lot of the kids on the team, like Kam Kinchens and James Williams, are going to play well under somebody who explains it to them and gives them that feeling. I felt his energy through the phone, so imagine what he’s like right in front of you. I feel like they’re going to start making a lot more plays with a defensive coordinator like that.” 

With Super Bowl, LVII just days away, Patterson, who is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, also gave us his prediction on who will walk away with this year’s Lombardi Trophy.

“My team is the Chiefs,” Patterson explained. “So if they win, I’ll be happy for them. But if I’m a betting man, I have to bet on Philadelphia. I’m going with the Chiefs, but if you’re betting, go with Philadelphia.

Patterson also shared his thoughts on Miami’s new facilities and Mario Cristobal’s recruiting efforts. Miami recently announced its plans to upgrade the football facilities, and as a recruit, Patterson has high hopes for what is to come and the impact it will have on the athletes in the program. As well as the new upgrades around the program, Mario Cristobal’s efforts to rebuild the program through an emphasis on recruiting has caught Patterson’s eye.

“I feel like what he’s doing with the fields and the technology allowing the players to get that space and have that game field at practice is going to have a big impact on the program,” Patterson said. “They recruited a lot of players from the 2023 class out of south Florida which I love. I love that they’re trying to keep the players home. It is clear to see when a south Florida kid goes away to school that he plays great, and that’s why a lot of schools like to recruit south Florida. Miami tried recruiting out of south Florida and they kind of fell off. Now they’re recruiting home I feel like it’s a bigger thing.” 

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