Notre Dame guard Jarrett Patterson out for opener at Ohio State
Notre Dame’s most experienced offensive lineman will not play in the Irish’s 2022 opener. Graduate student guard Jarrett Patterson did not start Saturday at No. 2 Ohio State due to a foot sprain suffered in preseason practices and is out for the game.
Patterson went through pregame warmups and was even in uniform, but did not participate in 11-on-11 warmups. Senior Andrew Kristofic was the first-team left guard in his stead and earned the start.
Patterson, a 34-game starter from 2019-21, suffered the foot sprain in preseason practice Aug. 15. Head coach Marcus Freeman called him questionable when he first revealed the injury, then re-iterated that status Monday and Thursday. Notre Dame sent a statement 90 minutes before kickoff Saturday calling him a time decision, shortly after Patterson jogged onto the Ohio Stadium turf to participate in light warmups with the rest of the offense line.
Sophomore Rocco Spindler was listed as the No. 2 left guard on Notre Dame’s Week 1 depth chart, but Kristofic took the first-team left guard reps in Patterson’s place during all practice sessions open to media. Kristofic started seven games at left guard last year.
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Freeman said Thursday that Patterson participated in some parts of Notre Dame’s practices the prior two days.
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Notre Dame moved Patterson from center to left guard before opening camp. All 34 of his starts were at center, which had been his only position since spring 2019. He missed 2022 spring practice due to a pectoral injury, which allowed senior Zeke Correll to slide in as the first-team center.
Correll did more than just keep Patterson’s seat warm, though. He made a compelling case that he was one of Notre Dame’s best five offensive linemen. The Irish coaching staff agreed and moved Patterson to guard to accommodate Correll, whose best position is center.
Two starts in place of Patterson in 2020 – one of which came in the College Football Playoff against Alabama – highlighted Correll’s potential there. A position switch to left guard last fall and six starts there ended with Kristofic replacing him in a win over Virginia Tech.
Patterson put off the NFL Draft for a graduate season in 2022. He was a projected Day 3 pick in last year’s draft. He has not allowed a sack in 1,306 career pass-blocking snaps. His 85.4 Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade last year was the highest of any FBS center (minimum 400 pass protection snaps). He allowed just 12 quarterback pressures in 13 starts.
