Pitt offensive quality control coach James Patton is on the move, as he was hired by Eastern Michigan to serve as the Eagles offensive line coach, according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. Patton’s departure follows the dismissal of former Pitt offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, who Patton accompanied to Pitt from Indiana.
The arrival of Patton and Watson saw Pitt’s offense plummet from 10th in the nation to 101st in the span of a year. However, that drop coincided with the losses of running back James Conner and quarterback Nathan Peterman, who were essential to the team’s success in the 2016 season.