Quiet Work, Loud Results
Hard work, internal competition found sophomore linebacker Langston Patterson a role on Vanderbilt’s defense
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Sophomore linebacker Langston Patterson recalled always knowing football growing up. Playing it. Watching it. It was part of the culture in the Patterson household.
So was competition. As one of four brothers, Langston always had an innate desire to compete and win. That drive and determination has led him to finding a place on the Vanderbilt defense this fall.
As a freshman, Patterson saw game action predominantly on special teams as a member of all return and coverage units. He said it was a matter of finding his role on the team. Coming into college as one of the best players on one’s high school team and realizing “that a lot of people know a lot more and are a lot more talented at that time than you are” can be quite the adjustment.
Instead of letting that realization discourage him, Patterson used it as motivation to work harder.
“It’s about competition with yourself and pushing yourself as hard as you can go,” he added.
Putting in the work
Patterson attributes this transition to hours spent at the facility during the offseason, getting in extra workouts, watching more and more film every day alongside his older brother and graduate student linebacker, Kane Patterson. Role models like Vanderbilt’s more experienced linebackers, Ethan Barr, Anfernee Orji and Kane, guided Langston during his freshman season.
“They helped guide me, helped teach me both little and big details,” Patterson said. “They really taught me how to study, how to learn, how to game plan and just helped me improve my game from my freshman year to my sophomore year.”
Seeing the results
In the Commodores’ season-opening win versus Hawai’i, Patterson recorded eight total tackles, matching the second-most tackles by a member of the Commodore defense during the game. Although four of those tackles were labeled as solo, Patterson credits this success to the defense as a whole, “doing a great job, getting great knock back, not letting the O-line climb up to me, and creating open and easy gaps for me to do my job and get the ball down when it ran in my hole.”
Why Vandy?
When choosing a college, Patterson looked at three main criteria: education, relationship with the coach and culture of the program. Vanderbilt checked all three boxes. A human and organizational development major at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Patterson said that “you’re really not going to get a better education than at Vanderbilt.”
One of the main reasons Patterson said he chose to Vandy was the relationship he could have with the coaches.
“Coach [Clark] Lea put together a great staff, one that will develop me into the best player I can be,” he stated. “It feels like a family, The coaches truly love you. You’re a part of their own family. That’s something special you don’t really find anywhere else.”
Third, the culture of the program was a factor in Patterson’s college decision. He expressed excitement about the direction of the program and the championship culture that has been instilled by Coach Lea.
Brothers on and off the field
Another added bonus was the opportunity to play alongside his brother, Kane. From splitting their four siblings into teams to compete in the yard, to playing together in FirstBank Stadium, Langston said that “there’s no better thing than playing with Kane.” The two brothers came to Vanderbilt together in 2022, Langston as a freshman and Kane as a transfer from Clemson.
“That’s one of my favorite things at Vanderbilt. Getting to play with your brother is something super special,” Langston said. “Looking to your side, we have this chemistry. I know where he’s going to be; he knows where I’m going to be. It’s just a really good time playing out there with him.”
Looking ahead
Looking at the coming season for Patterson, it’s all about competition with himself.
“I want to push myself to the limits and be the best player I can be. That starts every day, coming out to practice, working as hard as I can in the weight room,” he said. “Every little thing I do, just doing the best I can, getting extra reps and studying as much film as possible, so I am as prepared as I can be when I go into the games.”
Following a season-opening victory over Hawai’i last weekend, Patterson and the Commodores return to FirstBank Stadium on Saturday when they face Alabama A&M. Kickoff is set for 6p.m.