71 days to Miami Hurricanes Football: Top Canes to wear No. 71

Can you feel it? The season is coming soon. Still, we are more than two months and over ten weeks away, but with key commitments such as Al Blades Jr. coming this month, there is certainly a strong buzz coming from Coral Gables.

Because we are seventy-one days away from the season, today, we will highlight the best No. 71: Matt Patchan.

Matt Patchan’s story is uplifting, yet at the same time sad. At Left Tackle, Patchan won 1983 and 1987 National Championships with the Hurricanes, was an All-American Honorable Mention his Senior year, was destined to be a first-round pick, but life took a sharp turn. Due to a shoulder injury, Patchan was drafted in the 3rd round, 64th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles. Patchan’s injury was eventually deemed career-ending, but Patchan still attempted an NFL comeback, only to find out he had developed lymphoma cancer. If he did not attempt to make the NFL comeback, though, it would’ve been likely that Patchan’s cancer would’ve escalated and been life-threatening.

Today, Patchan has two sons, Matt and Scott. Matt Jr., who was originally committed to the University of Miami, flipped his commitment to Florida and would then finish his college career at Boston College. Matt was signed by the Buccaneers in 2014, had a short-lived career, but now is attending law school.

Although Matt Jr. decided to flip from Miami, Matt Patchan’s younger son, Scott, decided to follow in his father’s footsteps in 2014.

I know I’m cheating because Scott wears No. 19, but how can I not mention him? Scott didn’t just walk-on to Miami because he was a legacy, but he was a 4-Star Defensive End and chose Miami over offers from Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and UCLA. In his senior season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Scott had 13 tackles, two pass deflections, two tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks by the end of the 3rd quarter of the first game, but tore his ACL shortly after. Patchan redshirted his Freshman year in 2015, and made his debut in last year’s Florida State game, but tore his meniscus. Patchan is now healthy and impressed in the spring. Hopefully Patchan gets more opportunities now that he is healthy.