Florida A&M

Updated: March 2024

Milton Patterson enters his fourth season with the Rattlers and first as the defensive coordinator for Florida A&M after joining the staff in the spring of 2021.

In 2023, Patterson was part of the Dark Cloud Defense that ranked in the top 25 in 12 defensive categories, including the number one passing efficiency defense and the number two total defense and scoring defense. Patterson saw two members of the defensive line earn All-SWAC honors. Anthony Dunn Jr. was named to the first team, and he finished second in the league in sacks with eight and ninth in tackles for loss with 12. Gentle Hunt was named to the second team as he finished the season with 29 tackles, ten tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries, and one forced fumble in ten games.

In 2022, Patterson was pivotal in developing All-Americans Isaiah Land and Kamari Stephens. Land continued to wreak havoc in the offensive backfield, recording 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in the eight games he played. Stephens came onto the scene recording ten sacks (T-8th in the nation) and 13 tackles for loss after only recording 0.5 sacks in 2021. Land and Stephens were also named to the All-SWAC First Team. Land signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

In Patterson’s first season, he coached the nation’s best defensive player Isaiah Land. Land led the nation in sacks (19.5) and tackles for loss (25.5) as he went on to win the 2021 Buck Buchanan Award and SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. Land also set a Florida A&M single-game record after recording five sacks in a win versus South Carolina State. Land finished the season as an AP All-American, AFCA All-American, FCS Stats Perform All-American, HERO Sports All-American, and BOXTOROW All-American.

Patterson also coached Savion Williams, who finished the season on the All-SWAC 2nd Team after recording 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. 

Patterson comes to Tallahassee following a stint at Fayetteville State, where he served as the defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2021.

Before FSU, Patterson was the defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and director of recruiting at Clark-Atlanta University from 2017 to 2020. Under Patterson’s guidance in 2018, CAU produced the 2ndranked defensive unit in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and ranked 10th nationally. As the recruiting coordinator, he oversaw CAU’s recruiting budget and increased the Panthers’ scholarship count.

In 2017, Patterson served as the assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at Alabama State, where he worked directly worked with men’s & women’s track & field, men’s & women’s cross country, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s golf, women’s golf and assisted with all other Olympic sports.

From 2014 to 2016, he was co-defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and director of sports performance at Mississippi Valley State, directing strength and conditioning for all 15 sports. 

Before arriving at MVSU, Patterson spent two years on the coaching staff at Jackson State. From 2012 to 2014, he worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and defensive analyst for the Tigers. 

Patterson was a four-year letterman on the football team at JSU. He earned a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy.