Marcus Patton joined the TXST staff in January 2026 and serves as the Bobcats' secondary coach. He spent the 2025 season at Sacramento State, serving as defensive coordinator.
This past season, the Hornet defense ranked among the best in the Big Sky Conference, leading the league in tackles for loss and sacks, while ranking in the top 10 nationally in both categories. The defense also registered 12 interceptions and five forced fumbles. Sacramento State improved its defensive scoring average by 8.5 points per game from the previous season.
Individually, Koa Akui and DeSean Watts earned first-team All-Big Sky honors. Akui totaled 65 tackles while leading the team with five interceptions and two fumble recoveries, while Watts finished the season with 36 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.
Patton joined Sacramento State after serving as cornerbacks coach at Colorado State from 2022-24. Under his leadership, the Rams ranked third in the Mountain West in defensive passing efficiency in 2022. In 2024, Chigozie Anusiem and Dom Jones both earned all-conference honorable mention recognition, with Jones recording 61 tackles, two interceptions, and eight pass breakups. Colorado State finished the 2024 regular season 8-4 (6-1 Mountain West) and earned an invite to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.
Prior to Colorado State, Patton spent six seasons at Tarleton State as defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He helped guide the Texans through their transition to NCAA Division I in 2021, leading Tarleton to a 5-3 record. His defenses consistently ranked among the nation's best, including a historic 2018 season in which Tarleton State went 12-1, won the Lone Star Conference title and allowed just 16.4 points per game.
Patton has coached multiple conference players of the year, three All-Americans and several future professional athletes, including NFL linebacker E.J. Speed, the highest draft pick in program history.
He has also previously served as defensive coordinator at Colorado Mesa, where his 2015 defense ranked among the top 10 nationally in multiple categories and made coaching stops at various collegiate programs including UCLA, Indiana State and South Florida among others.
A St. Louis native, Patton played collegiately and earned his bachelor's degree at Kansas State from 2000-04.
