Saul Patu

Saul King Patu (born June 8, 1978) is an American football coach and former defensive end. He played college football at Oregon and professionally in the Arena Football League.

Saul Patu
No. 48
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1978-06-08) June 8, 1978
Seattle, Washington
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school:Rainier Beach (Seattle, Washington)
College:Oregon
Undrafted:2001
Career history
As player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As coach:
  • Sheldon HS (2017)
    Defensive line
  • Rainier Beach HS (2018)
    Defensive line
  • Lewis & Clark (2019)
    Defensive line/run game
  • Capital Christian HS (2020–present)
Career highlights and awards
  • 3× honorable mention All-Pac-10 (1997–1999)
  • Second-team All-Pac-10 (2000)
  • ArenaBowl champion (XIX)
Career Arena statistics
Total tackles:125
Sacks:14.5
Forced fumbles:9
Rushing yards:196
Rushing touchdowns:9
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Early life and college career

Patu was born and raised in Seattle to a family of Samoan, Tongan, Fijian, German, and French background.[1] He graduated from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle in 1996.[2]

From 1997 to 2000 at the University of Oregon, Patu was a four-year starting defensive end for Oregon Ducks football. As a senior in 2000, Patu set a school record for single season tackles for loss with 19 and ranked third in the Pac-10 in sacks with three.[3] Patu earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors for his first three seasons and second-team All-Pac-10 honors in his senior year.[3] He graduated from Oregon in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in family and human services.[4]

Professional football

Saul Patu signed a free agent contract in the National Football League for the New York Jets (2001) and spent time with the New England Patriots (2001) and Tennessee Titans (2001–2002) before signing a contract in the Arena Football League for the Colorado Crush (2003–2008).[5] Patu is the Crush's all-time sack leader and holds the record for yards per carry as a fullback.[3] He was part of the 2005 Crush team that won ArenaBowl XIX.

Patu played last for the Columbus Destroyers in 2008 before retiring from football. In his six seasons with the AFL, Patu had 125 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, nine passes defended, nine forced fumbles, 196 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, and one touchdown reception.[6]

Post-football career

Coaching career

Patu began a football coaching career in 2017 as defensive line coach at Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon.[4] Patu was defensive line coach at Rainier Beach High School in 2018 and defensive line coach and run game coordinator for Lewis & Clark College in 2019.[7][8] Then in 2020, Patu joined Capital Christian High School in Sacramento, California as head football coach and advancement director.[9][10]

Outside of football

After retiring from football, Patu also worked as a youth pastor, team chaplain for Oregon Ducks men's basketball, and as a manager at Symantec and Veritas Technologies.[10][11][12]

References
  1. Dodson, Allyson (August 19, 2020). "Meet: Saul Patu". Capital. Capital Christian Schools. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  2. "Saul Patu". University of Oregon. Archived from the original on July 26, 2001. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  3. "Saul Patu". Colorado Crush. Archived from the original on March 14, 2008. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  4. "Saul Patu". Pro Star Coaching. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  5. Moss, Irv (2007-02-27). "Three receivers among latest cuts". The Denver Post. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  6. "Saul Patu". ArenaFan. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  7. Evans, Jayda (September 6, 2018). "Orin Patu joins football team at Rainier Beach, a place where his name already hangs in the rafters". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  8. "Saul Patu". Lewis & Clark College. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  9. Davidson, Joe (April 30, 2020). "Patu on board: New Capital Christian coach is father of area's top QB recruit". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  10. https://www.facebook.com/CapitalChristianSchools/photos/a.10150706684716095/10158445510471095/
  11. Moseley, Rob (March 29, 2010). "Faith in the future". Eugene Register-Guard. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  12. https://www.linkedin.com/in/saul-patu-a0930370
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