Jonathan Patke was named the defensive coordinator for Texas State in December 2022.
Originally from Houston, Patke arrived in San Marcos with experience coaching at Miami (FL), Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech and Incarnate Word, which is where he helped guide the team to the FCS Playoff semifinals alongside Texas State head coach GJ Kinne.
In 2022 as the defensive coordinator at UIW, Patke helped the Cardinals earn a No. 7 national seed and Southland Conference championship before reaching the farthest the program has ever gone in the postseason. The defense, with a “swarm” mindset, was first in the country in tackles for loss and top-10 in sacks and takeaways. It also had the best total defense and scoring defense in the Southland Conference.
Patke, who also oversaw the linebackers at UIW, tutored Kelechi Anyalebechi to All-America honors from Stats Perform (second team) and the Associated Press (third team). Anyalebechi was named a Buck Buchanan Award finalist, which is given to the nation’s top defensive player.
Prior to UIW, Patke spent six seasons at Miami (FL) from 2016 to 2021. He rose from a quality control analyst to linebackers coach and special teams coordinator and worked under Manny Diaz.
Patke joined the Miami football coaching staff before the start of spring practice in 2016 and served as the team’s quality control analyst for Hurricanes’ defensive unit for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He was elevated to outside linebackers coach prior to the 2018 season, where Miami’s defense ranked among the nation’s best in several categories.
At the conclusion of the 2016 season, Miami was ranked No. 20 nationally in total defense (up from No. 69 the previous season), No. 9 in yards per play (No. 86 in 2015), No. 12 in scoring defense (No. 77 in 2015), No. 5 in tackles for loss (No. 105 in 2015), No. 22 in team sacks (No. 70 in 2015) and tied for No. 8 in defensive touchdowns allowed (No. 61 in 2015).
In Patke’s second season as a quality control analyst in 2017, the Hurricanes ranked among the nation’s leaders in several defensive categories, including first nationally in team sacks, third nationally in tackles for loss and ninth nationally in opponent yards per play. Thanks in large part to its dominating defense, Miami also ranked No. 5 nationally in turnover margin, No. 8 nationally in fumbles recovered and No. 15 nationally in passes intercepted.
In Patke’s first season coaching linebackers, the Hurricanes were ranked No. 4 in total defense in 2018 and were No. 1 in team tackles for loss, passing yards allowed and third down defense.
On the special teams side, Patke helped set an NCAA record and coached a Lou Groza Award winner in his three seasons as the special teams coordinator. In 2020, with the boot of two-time Ray Guy Award finalist Lou Hedley, the Hurricanes set the NCAA record for net punting in a season. Also in 2020, Jose Borregales became the first Hurricane in school history to win the Groza Award, which honors the nation’s top kicker
In Patke’s six seasons, Miami went to five bowl games.
Patke went to Miami after he spent the 2015 season at Mississippi State, where he also worked with Diaz on the defensive side of the ball as a graduate assistant.
During his lone season in Starkville, Patke helped guide the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record and a victory in the 2015 Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. The Bulldogs set the school record for tackles for loss and ranked 10th nationally in that category.
Before joining the coaching staff at Mississippi State, Patke also worked with Diaz at Louisiana Tech during the 2014 campaign and helped guide the Bulldogs to a 9-5 record. LA Tech also captured the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl by defeating Illinois, 35-18.
The Louisiana Tech defense ranked No. 1 in the country in turnovers gained and interceptions and No. 2 in tackles for loss.
Patke began his coaching career in 2011 at UIW, where he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant. After starting out as a graduate assistant helping with the offense, he eventually worked his way over to the defensive side in 2012 and then linebackers in 2013.
Patke was a four-year player and three-year starter at Stephen F. Austin. He worked his way from first-year walk-on to the starting job in his career, but injuries cut his 2006 and 2007 seasons short.
A Houston native, Patke received his undergraduate degree in business administration from Stephen F. Austin in 2008 and his master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis on sports management.
Jonathan Patke Career Timeline
2011: UIW – Graduate Assistant (Offense)
2012: UIW – Graduate Assistant (Defense)
2013: UIW – Graduate Assistant (Linebackers)
2014: Louisiana Tech – Graduate Assistant (Defense)
2015: Mississippi State – Graduate Assistant (Defense)
2016: Miami (FL) – Quality Control Analyst, Defense
2017: Miami (FL) – Quality Control Analyst, Defense
2018: Miami (FL) – Outside Linebackers
2019: Miami (FL) – Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
2020: Miami (FL) – Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
2021: Miami (FL) – Inside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
2022: UIW – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2023: Texas State - Defensive Coordinator
Postseason Appearances
2014 – Heart of Dallas Bowl (W)
2015 – Belk Bowl (W)
2016 – Russell Athletic Bowl (W)
2017 – Orange Bowl (L)
2018 – Pinstripe Bowl (L)
2019 – Independence Bowl (L)
2020 – Cheez-It Bowl (L)
2022 – FCS Playoff Semifinals
