We overlook, or altogether forget, this one little thing about coaching lifer Keith Patterson: He wasn’t a Pitt coach, either the defensive coordinator or interim head coach, before he was hired by WVU.

He was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas State.

Only a year after becoming the defensive coordinator at Pitt, and less than two weeks after taking a new job to be closer to family, Patterson decided to relocate one more time.

Ultimately, the opportunity to be a defensive coordinator in the Big 12 and work for another offensive-minded coach was too tempting to pass up.

“I knew my family situation was going to dictate what I did,” said Patterson, who is from Marlow, Okla. “I was going to try to get back as close as I possibly could to our hometown. I ended up going to Arkansas State with Gus Malzahn for almost two weeks. Then, Dana called. I flew out and talked to him and felt like, career-wise, it was a good move. My family’s roots are in Oklahoma and Texas, so it’s right in the heart of Big 12 country.”