Assistant Football Coach AC Patterson is making a return to the Portland State program in 2022. Patterson returns to the Viking coaching staff after a three-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.
        
When Patterson was originally hired at Portland State in 2015, he was the youngest (22) Division I football coach in the country. Patterson is now a veteran coach and still only 30 years old. He will begin his fifth season overall at Portland State. While at Minnesota, Patterson served as an offensive quality control and assistant running backs coach.
 
During his first two years at PSU, Patterson produced quality offensive line play that had been a standard at Portland State for many years. Those two seasons ranked among the top four rushing performances in PSU history. Four Viking starters earned All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2015. Tackle Kyle Smith was named second team, tackle Mike Davis and guard/center Cam Keizur were named to the third team, and guard Randin Crecelius earned honorable mention. In 2016, Keizer was named first team, Crecelius earned third team and Tyshon Mosley was named honorable mention All-Big Sky.
 
In 2017, Patterson moved over to assist in coaching running backs. In 2018, Patterson took over as tight ends coach and the all-important responsibility of recruiting coordinator. Patterson guided tight end Charlie Taumoepeau to All-Conference honors and All-American honors.
 
Patterson played offensive line at the University of Texas-El Paso from 2011-12. He was named to the Conference USA Honor Roll in 2012. Due to knee injuries and four surgeries he had to retire from collegiate football. However, Patterson became a student assistant under Mike Price at UTEP. In 2014, Patterson served as a volunteer assistant coach at Jefferson High School in El Paso.
        
Patterson starred at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas earning All-League and All-State honors. His team won back-to-back state titles. He comes from a coaching family as his father, Andre, coached 14 years in the NFL, including with the Minnesota Vikings) and 14 years collegiately. Viking Coach Bruce Barnum was hired to his first stint at Cornell (1991-92) by Andre Patterson and has known AC his entire life.