Patu Joins Duke Football Program

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head football coach Manny Diaz announced Thursday that quarterback Ari Patu has signed a financial aid agreement to attend the institution and join the Blue Devil gridiron program.

The 6-4, 220-pound Patu played in 20 games the last five seasons with North Alabama (12) and Stanford (eight) with four starts.

Patu, a Folsom, California, native, will have one season of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2026 campaign.

For his career, Patu has completed 113-of-212 (.533) passes for 1,202 yards with nine touchdowns. He owns 87 carries for 260 yards (2.99) and three scores. He has compiled 1,578 yards of total offense. He surpassed the 200-passing yard plateau in two games including a career-high 328 yards against Illinois State in 2024. He accounted for two or more TDs in two games with a personal-best four against Illinois State in 2025.

Patu threw two or more touchdown passes in one game with a personal-best four against Illinois State in 2025. He completed 20 or more passes once with a career-high 21 versus Illinois State in 2024. He connected on a career-long 47-yard pass to Takairee Kenebrew against Illinois State in 2024.

Patu registered five or more rushing attempts in nine games, 10 or more in four contests and tallied a personal-best 14 against Illinois State in 2025. He ripped off career-long runs of 25 yards against Southeast Missouri in 2024 and Western Kentucky in 2025. He scored one rushing TD against Southeast Missouri (2024), Illinois State (2024) and Southeast Missouri (2025).

As a true freshman at Stanford in 2021, he started the Cardinals' game at Oregon State, throwing a touchdown pass in the third quarter. He totaled 51 yards passing and 31 yards rushing in the contest before exiting in the third. He became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Stanford since John Paye in 1983.

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Patu Joins Duke Football Program

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