Biography
Kansas State (2025):
2025: Redshirted.... For Cub Patton, a star kicker and punter at Lubbock-Cooper from 2022-24, the past year has been anything but typical. After arriving at Kansas State in January 2025, Patton was expected to compete for the starting placekicker role as a freshman. After a standout All-State career for the Pirates, Patton was recruited by coordinator Nate Kaczor who was the Wildcats special teams coordinator. But what initially appeared to be routine setbacks during spring football work quickly turned into something more complex. What followed was several months of uncertainty. Patton dealt with ongoing pain that was believed to be related to common football injuries. Despite working through multiple evaluations and treatment plans, the issue persisted, forcing him to step away from competition and undergo several procedures. It wasn’t until an exploratory procedure that doctors identified the root cause: An issue that traced back several years. During an appendix surgery at age 16 in Lubbock, surgical mesh was placed and later discovered to have shifted over time. The presence of the mesh had neither been disclosed nor identified during prior evaluations or imaging. That migration led to complications in the groin area, where it affected surrounding tissue and nearby structures. The condition was unrelated to football activity and had gone undetected for years. After the issue was identified, the mesh was removed through a series of procedures, and Patton’s symptoms were resolved, allowing him to return to full training and competition. Patton remained deeply committed throughout the entire process, continuing to attack rehab with the same discipline and focus that had defined him as a player long before the setbacks began. Those around him consistently pointed to his maturity, work ethic, and determination, noting that even during the most difficult stretches, his approach never wavered. No longer at Kansas State, Patton is looking for an opportunity for the 2026 season, and thanks to that work ethic, he hasn’t slowed down. After returning to Lubbock, Patton quickly got back to work and is now training daily. He has been fully cleared and is training without restriction, and for the first time in years, he is healthy, confident and fully himself again. A long road filled with setbacks, surgeries and unanswered questions has only strengthened his perspective and resolve moving forward. Now, with his health restored, Patton is actively exploring opportunities and is ready to contribute immediately as he looks to continue his college football career. “I’m thankful to be healthy again,” Patton said. “I’m in a great place and love kicking. I thank God for the medical professionals who worked so hard to figure out what was wrong, and for my family who always pushed for answers. I’m thankful for my teammates and the people at Kansas State who supported me through everything. Even during the difficult parts of the last year, those relationships meant a lot to me. This past year didn’t go as planned. I was set to kick in my first college game in Ireland at our season opener, and having that opportunity taken away only added motivation. I’m excited for whatever is next.”
High School:
3x Texas 5A All-State K/P... 3x THSCA Super Team... 3x 5A District MVP... 3x TXSWA All-State... 3x LSV 1st Team... Was First-Team TX 5A All-State kicker and Second-Team TX 5A All-State punter... Whataburger Super Team... 2x 5A District Special Teams MVP... Kohls Kicking All-American... Sports Writers All-State... 2x TX High School Coaches Super Elite... 2x LoneStar Varsity Special Teams MVP... 2x Hub City Preps All-Star Team... 2x Lubbock SuperTeam First-Team... Played at Lubbock-Cooper under head coach Chip Darden... Earned all-state honors as a sophomore, junior and senior from the Texas Spors Writers Association, while he was named the district special teams MVP all three years as well... Lubbock-Cooper's Cub Patton headlines area 5A TSWA all-state football selections: Lubbock-Cooper place kicker Cub Patton was named to the second-team Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association's Class 5A all-state football team. Patton, a sophomore, was the District 2-5A Division I special teams MVP after converting 32 of his 35 extra-point attempts and going 9-of-10 on field goals... Connected on 9-of-12 field goals – including a long of 44 yards – and connected on all 65 extra points as a junior... School Record: 50-yard game winner record (Cub Patton kicked a 50 yard field goal on the final play of the game to lift Lubbock-Cooper to a 15-14 win over Coronado on September 30, 2022)... Also on the Whataburger Super Team kick in 2022 and named to Kohl’s Kicking All-America Honorable Mention Team as a punter in 2022, while he was a two-time first team honoree on the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal SuperTeam... Patton attended his first Kohl's ranking event in October of 2022 in Dallas, Texas. He charted very well on all three disciplines for a 2025 athlete. He scored 7 points during the field goal charting, hit a 72-yard, 3.81 second hang time kickoff, and hit a 50-yard, 4.25 second hang time punt. Patton demonstrated that he has the leg talent required to be one of the top specialists in his class and we expect some big things form him over the upcoming years... In 2021 his team won district and went to the state semifinals... Also competed in soccer and track & field (high jump)... Soccer was always Cub Patton's first athletic passion, having played the sport about 13 years before he even considered being a football player. At that time, his middle school team needed a kicker, so he gave it a try. A few years later, Patton set the Lubbock-Cooper football team record with a 50-yard, game-winning field goal to top rival Coronado... Cub Patton is a promising young punter and kicker from Lubbock, Texas, who unfortunately appears set to redshirt and not play in 2025 as he recovers from injury. He prepped under head coach Chip Darden at Lubbock-Cooper High School, where he earned all-state honors as a sophomore, junior and senior from the Texas Sports Writers Association, while he was named the district special teams MVP all three years as well. Patton connected on 9 of 12 field goals, including a long of 44 yards, and completed all 65 extra points as a junior, all part of the highlights featured on his own personal website. He also was on the Whataburger Super Team at kicker in 2022 and named to Kohl’s Kicking All-American honorable mention team as a punter in 2022, while he was a two-time first-team honoree on the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal SuperTeam. Patton, who plans on majoring in business, also competed in soccer in high school. In practice, he has showed range of up to 62 yards and even a whopping 67 yards! He signed with K-State over scholarship offers from Air Force (to which he previously was committed), Texas-Rio Grande Valley and UTEP, as well as strong recruiting interest from Arkansas, Houston, Missouri, TCU and hometown team Texas Tech... Held a 4.0 all four years of high school and graduated in the top-100 of his class.
Personal:
Enjoys playing video games, golf, and surfing.
