Aztecs recruit adds all-star luster to Spanos Classic

07-06-2006

By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions

Sports today, heavily influenced by television images and money, often breaks down to labels. There’s new school vs. old school, for example.

When it comes to college scholarship-bound football players competing in summer high school all-star games, new school means skipping the game. Not only do the athletes fear risking injury, sometimes their college coach instructs them not to play.

Old school is lining up and playing. San Diego State recruit Raymond Patterson, a Crawford High quarterback and safety signed as an “athlete” by the Aztecs despite missing the second half of his senior season with an ankle injury, is most definitely old school.

“I want to play,” Patterson said. “A lot of people don’t know what I can do. There is a shadow of doubt. I want to show them I’m as good as anybody else in San Diego.”

Patterson was one of the first players to eagerly commit to the 16th annual Alex Spanos All-Star Football Classic at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 14 at Mesa College.

The Spanos game, sponsored by the Chargers and hosted by the High School Sports Association as a fund-raiser, matches recently graduated seniors from CIF San Diego Section schools in a North vs. South format.

The “new school” attitudes toward all-star games from players have led to a decline in interest among fans, too. The Shrine All-Star game in Los Angeles was once a marquee summer event that in 1957 it drew 86,000 fans to the Coliseum for a Northern California vs. Southern California game.

The decline has led to the growth of regional games such as the Spanos Game that is now California’s longest continuous all-star game with the same sponsor and format. Last year’s game attracted a crowd of 4,000.

Although Patterson is lining up as a receiver for the South, he was a three-year starter at quarterback and safety at Crawford. Patterson led the Colts to a 10-0 regular-season record and Central League title as a sophomore. Crawford returned to the playoffs his junior year, but the Colts’ 2005 season was short-circuited by Patterson’s high ankle sprain. It’s a slow-healing injury and Patterson aggravated it when he tried to return to the field too soon.

Some colleges backed off after Patterson was sidelined, but SDSU receivers coach LeCharls McDaniel stayed on him throughout the recruiting process. McDaniel recruited Patterson while a member of Tom Craft’s staff and continued, even when it was apparent Craft would be fired and there was no guarantee new head coach Chuck Long would retain him as he ultimately did.

“He was real with me,” Patterson said. “He told me he thought San Diego State was the best school for me, even if he wasn’t still going to be coaching there. Not many coaches would tell you they might not be there next year and still say it’s a good move for you.”

McDaniel sees Patterson as a receiver, but new defensive coordinator Bob Elliott views Patterson as a safety or cornerback. Patterson said Long told him they’ll decided his best position later.

Some San Diego high school observers believe Patterson’s leadership skills would be better utilized at safety. As a sophomore, Patterson wasn’t shy about shouting instructions to seniors. More to the point, they did what he told them.

“I think he’d make a better safety,” said Crawford coach Tracy McNair. “He can set up the defense, he knows how to lead and he can make open field tackles. He’s coming from a college style defense he played in high school and he read defenses as a quarterback.”

Patterson grew up playing youth football focused on the defensive side of the ball until he arrived at Crawford and McNair put him at quarterback in his Wing-T option offense.

“Scoring touchdowns was something new, and I liked it,” Patterson said. “I like showing off my ability.”

He missed basketball season because of his ankle injury, but he ran track in the spring and feels fully recovered. He says the Crawford’s fitness center, thanks to a $50,000 grant in 2004 from the Chargers through the Chargers Champions program, helped him rehab his injury in a modern weight room.

Patterson is a San Diego kid planning to play for his hometown college and a little help from his hometown NFL team helped him recover from an injury. Another San Diego State recruit playing in the Spanos game for the South is Eastlake High linebacker Marcus Yarbrough, an All-CIF pick.

“I like the idea of staying home and playing for San Diego State,” Patterson said. “People say you should go away to college. I feel when I’m in college I’ll be away from home, but home is still just down the street. I like Coach Long and the school. We’re going to win here, believe me.”

Tom Shanahan can be contacted at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.

16TH ANNUAL SPANOS ALL-STAR CLASSIC

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 14 at Mesa College.

Tickets: Adults $8, children $5, children 4-and-younger free.