Longtime defensive line coach was part of the Bulls’ original coaching staff and developed All-American and NFL standouts in two previous stints at USF
TAMPA, DEC. 9, 2022 – University of South Florida Head Coach Alex Golesh added a familiar name to his first Bull’s staff Friday when he named Kevin Patrick as defensive line coach, returning Patrick to Tampa for his third stint with the Bulls.
“Kevin was a big piece of bringing the energy that got our program into the top 10,” Golesh said. “He’s a key cog in getting back to that point. Defensive line play is a key piece to competing at a high level and his ties to the state of Florida are going to be a big part of what we are doing in recruiting.”
Patrick established himself as an outstanding recruiter and coach while serving as USF defensive ends coach on head coach Jim Leavitt’s first staff (1996-98) and again in a five-year run from 2008-12 in which he coached defensive ends (2008), defensive line (2009) and defensive tackles (2010-12) and helped to produce first-team All-Big East and NFL defensive linemen Jason Pierre-Paul, George Selvie and Terrell McClain. Pierre-Paul and Selvie also earned first-team All-America honors.
Patrick comes to USF after three seasons coaching outside linebackers at FAU (2020-22). His 17-year coaching career also includes serving as a defensive line coach at NC State (2017-19), Texas Tech (2016) and North Texas (2014-15). He also spent 10 years in private business (1998-2007).
At NC State he coached Nagurski Trophy (nation’s top defender) winner Bradley Chubb, who also earned the Hendricks Award (top defensive end) and ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., Patrick is a member of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame, having earned AP First-team All-America and Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1993 as a defensive end and helped lead the Hurricanes to two national championships with victories over Alabama in the 1990 Sugar Bowl and Nebraska in the 1992 Orange Bowl. He competed in four major bowls as a player, including the Fiesta (1993), Orange (1992), Sugar (1990) and Cotton (1989).
While previously at USF, Rivals named him one of the nation’s top 25 recruiters in 2009, as well as the top recruiter in the Big East Conference. The recognition came after USF signed four four-star recruits, including Pierre-Paul. Pierre-Paul garnered first team All-America honors and was selected No. 15 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. Selvie became the program’s first two-time, first-team (2007 & 2008) and consensus (2007) All-American and was inducted into the USF Athletic Hall of Fame after a six-year NFL career. McClain earned first-team All-Big East honors and was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. USF regularly ranked among the nation’s top defenses during Patrick’s tenure as the Bulls finished among the NCAA’s top 25 units in total defense four times. The Bulls also ranked among the nation’s top 25 three times in team tackles for a loss (2010, 2011 and 2013) and as high as fourth in total sacks (2011).
Patrick is a 1994 graduate of Miami. He and his wife, Rachell, have two daughters, Grace and Belle.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 26th season in 2022 while completing construction on a $22 million Indoor Performance Facility. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons and earned 16 All-America selections, including 2021 consensus All-American Brian Battie, while seeing 32 first-team all-conference selections. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and most recently making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. The Bulls posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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