Shea Patterson, who announced Monday he is transferring from Ole Miss to Michigan, said his visit to campus last weekend and meeting UM coach Jim Harbaugh sealed his decision.
Patterson, who grew up in Toledo before moving in fifth grade to Texas and then Louisiana, spoke to the Toledo Blade for a story published Wednesday.
“I’m really not one to jump ship on anything,” Patterson told The Blade.
Patterson, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, has a goal of winning a national title. But once Ole Miss was hit with an additional bowl ban for the 2018 season on top of the self-imposed ban this year, he decided he had to move on.
He visited Michigan last weekend with two Ole Miss teammates, sophomore wide receiver Van Jefferson and redshirt freshman safety Deontay Anderson.
“I had a really good feeling around the players,” Patterson told the paper. “How professional and business-like they were in practice really attracted me. It was just awesome meeting with Coach Harbaugh. I could definitely see myself playing for someone like him.”
More:Dad: Brandon Peters ‘welcomes’ Patterson’s UM arrival
He started 10 games over two seasons at Ole Miss but his season this year was cut short when he tore a ligament in his right knee during the seventh game. Patterson told the paper he is fully healthy.
He also thinks the NCAA will grant a transfer waiver and will be eligible to play in 2018. He will participate in spring practice and compete with Brandon Peters and Dylan McCaffrey along with early enrollee freshman Joe Milton.
“From what I’m hearing, I’m pretty sure that I will win that and be able to play next year,” Patterson said. “If I don’t, I’ll work as hard as I can learning the offense and I’ll be playing the year after.”