Career
He played college football at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania and later coached college football at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North Carolina State University (1916), Waynesburg University (1924), and Manhattan College (1927). Patterson played college football at the tackle position for the Washington & Jefferson Presidents football in 1913 and 1914. The 1914 Washington & Jefferson team compiled a 10-0-1 record, defeated Yale, and fell one point short of a national championship after losing to Harvard by a score of 10-9.
One newspaper noted:.
. Patterson"s football record is clean. He never before was chased from a game for roughness.
Number man that ever played against him justly can accuse him of "dirty" playing. Patterson always played the game to the fullest limit of his great power.
He opened holes when he was called upon to do it, and he held back his enemies when such action was necessary.
But he always did it fairly, honorably, and in keeping with the rules of the game. And so Patterson"s action, even though it lost the game for West. & J., even though it robbed West. & J. of a wonderful honor, is an excusable action and one which should not reflect upon his football record, which has been as bright and as clean as that of any man who ever played the game."
Patterson sustained an injury to his knee cap during a game against Georgetown during the 1914 season. In February 1915, a newspaper account reported that he had been "crippled probably for life" as a result of the injury, was required to walk with a crutch and had dropped from 225 to 175 pounds.
He later served as the head football coach at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North Carolina State University, in 1916, at Waynesburg University in 1924, and at Manhattan College in 1927.
