Patterson ready for offense again

After the first week of the fall camp Daymond Patterson was walking around with sore legs. After one practice he walked past the gathering of media and quietly said, "I need a ice bath after this practice."

But that's okay with Patterson because he's back on offense where he always wanted to be. And he's getting a workout. He's been running from the receiver group to special teams where he will be the punt returner.

"I get a real good workout," Patterson said. "The offense is so up-tempo and fast because we have so many different formations and personnel changes you are moving the whole time. Practice is really fast but we got used to it. That first day back I was dead after that practice. We're just trying to catch the defense off guard so we have to practice that way."

Over the summer Patterson trained hard and said the strength and conditioning workouts were intense. But once he took back to the field it was all different.

"Football shape is a lot different than just straight running," he said. "When you are running in summer a lot of it is straight and there may be some cutting drills. But in football you are running around people, getting hit, and falling down getting back up. The physical aspect is a lot different."

Patterson will be doing a lot of running this year. But he wouldn't have it any other way for the chance to get back on the field at the position he always wanted to play.

"It's great," he said. "I love being back on offense. It is the most fun I have had in two-a-days. We've had a lot of fun with the coaches and everybody. I wouldn't change anything and I'm glad we are out here working hard. It is going to play off when the season starts."

This year Patterson will be in the slot where he can use his ability to make people miss with his smooth, east-west cutting ability. It was an element missing from the offense last year and it could be a vital part of this year's team.

He learned the new offense with a lot of work with wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Darrell Wyatt.

"He makes sure we know what we're doing," Patterson said. "He takes pride in execution and technique. That's what you have to do at receiver. We make sure we go over all of the fundamentals."

When asked if Patterson likes the new offense he just gave a big smile and said, "oh yeah."

When asked if he will be involved a lot in the offense he smiled bigger and said the same thing.