CULLMAN, Ala. – Another season of West Point football is near, and after making the playoffs last year, junior quarterback Max Patterson will look to help lead the Warriors to another postseason berth in 2026. The Warriors will bring over a handful of starters back from last season, and Patterson has been happy with how summer workouts have been going for them so far.
“We will use last season to help set a standard for the program to keep achieving,” Patterson said. “We’ll bring back seven starters from last season, not counting guys such as me and Carter McAfee, who had to start in games when our players went down. Summer workouts have been going good. We have been working to grow as a team. We have gotten a lot faster and have been trying to keep our bodies in healthy condition.”
Max was around a lot of great seniors last season, and he took away so much from them. The past players have been helping Patterson with so many things, from game prepping to getting better as a player.
“I love all those guys to death. They were great players to play with. They showed me so much about the game. The biggest thing they taught me was that the first thing to winning is your mindset. You have to be mentally strong to play through any kind of situation. The seniors last year taught me so much about the game. It was awesome. The bond was really tight as a team. Hunter Hensley, our quarterback from two years ago, still helps me with game prepping and getting better as a player. Seeing the former players help me to this day means everything to me. I miss those guys every day. They played a huge part in my football career.” Patterson said.
Patterson has some big goals set for himself and for the team in 2026, and God has played a huge role in his football career. His favorite Bible verse helps him get through every game.
“I hope to achieve all of my goals, such as 4A Offensive Player of the Year, taking my team on a playoff run, and getting offers to take my game to the next level,” he said. “God means everything to me and my family. I try to do good by Him every day. Philippians 4:13 has been my pregame thing my whole life. My mom has made sure to tell me this before every game I have played.”
Patterson has enjoyed playing with past and current players, and having a strong bond on and off the field will be key going into the new season. Faith has brought the team even closer together on and off the field.
“I have played with some awesome players, such as Cooper Howard, Hunter Hensley, Titan Thornton, Julio Fuentes, Nick Dujoud and I played behind Ayden Ennis last season. They helped me charge through the tough times in the games. They have kept a high motor all season, and they made/make the game awesome,” he said. “It’s the biggest part of the game. You have to work well with your teammates and have that chemistry. That’s why I have full confidence throwing to all my receivers. Faith means everything to our team. We try to get better every day. We’ve had players share their testimonies after practice, and try to get everyone together. We grow in faith, and that brings us together as a team.”
Max will look to create some more great memories with the team in 2026.
“We are looking forward to spending these last few moments as a team together, and enjoying every bit of it, while still trying to take our team on a run.”
