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Pat Richards - - Clemson University Athletics

Pat Richards

Position: Director of Football Athletic Training

Pat Richards is entering his second season as Clemson’s Director of Football Athletic Training in 2023.

Prior to joining Clemson, Richards most recently served as Associate Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Houston for the Cougars’ 12-2 season and No. 17 final national ranking. His professional experience began as an athletic training intern with the Dallas Cowboys during the 2012 NFL season. In the years to follow, he served as a graduate assistant at Utah (2013-14), as an athletic training intern at Louisville (2015), as an associate athletic trainer at Mississippi State (2016-18) and as the associate director of sports medicine at Louisiana (2019-20) prior to his role at Houston.

Richards earned his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from TCU in 2013 before earning a master’s degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Utah in 2015.

Upon his hire, Richards became only the fourth person to formally serve as Clemson Football’s head athletic trainer since 1948. Clemson Athletic Hall of Famer Herman McGee held the role from 1948-57 amidst his 46 total years of service at Clemson that included roles overseeing athletic grounds and equipment. Though there was no designated head trainer in 1958, legendary long-time Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves trainer Dave Pursley temporarily assisted in that capacity alongside McGee during Clemson’s 1958 ACC title season while also assisting MLB farm clubs. Fred Hoover, a Clemson Athletic Hall of Famer and 2002 South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, led football training efforts as head athletic trainer from 1959-98. Danny Poole served as Clemson’s Director of Sports Medicine across the 1999-2021 football seasons as part of his roughly 40 years at Clemson, after which the South Carolina House of Representatives introduced and adopted a resolution to recognize and honor Poole for his service to Clemson student-athletes in early 2022.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Richards is married to his wife, Stephanie.

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