West De Pere starting quarterback Patrick Greisen shined in his first year as a starter. Not only did he lead the state in passing yards, but he also led in passing touchdowns.
His success is not surprising given that his dad, Phantoms head coach Chris Greisen, played in the NFL. Now, all the work the two have put in together has led Patrick to play at the Division I level this upcoming season.
“I’m a competitor,” West De Pere QB Patrick Greisen said. “I love to win.”
Patrick and Chris Greisen discuss their bond over football:
For as long as Patrick can remember, he’s had a ball in his hands. His dad says it started at about six months old when Chris was still in his professional playing days.
“He would sit in my lap and we’d just throw a ball, and I’d throw it against a wall and he’d naturally put out his hands,” Chris remembered.
Chris never forced football on Patrick, but he gravitated toward it anyway.
At about nine years old, he decided he wanted to play quarterback just like Dad.
“I look up to him, and I want to follow in his footsteps for sure. He’s been through a lot, and he tells me stories and knows when I’m down that I can do it because he did it,” Patrick commented.
The first thing Chris wanted Patrick to learn was how to read a defense, but the most important lesson he wanted to instill in his son was how to be a leader.
“Being accountable. Everyone is looking at you,” Chris explained.
“You gotta lead your team to win,” Patrick added. “If you’re not leading, your team is not going to play for you, and you’re not going to get the job done.”
Greisen had to wait until his junior year for it to be his time to helm the Phantoms’ offense, and he shined. Statistically, he was the best quarterback in Wisconsin and came up just short of leading his squad to the state title game. Greisen threw 49 touchdown passes and over 3,500 yards, both state bests.
“He was always blessed with athletic ability and to be able to throw and all that stuff,” Chris added, further praising his son. “He did some things last year that I had to even say, ‘Whoa! That’s pretty good.’”
The senior QB doesn’t want to feel the way he felt when last year ended. He’s hoping that in his last season with his dad, they can hoist a gold ball down in Madison together.
“This year, every time we come out to practice, we’re going to look at that state championship board on the West De Pere football field and just imagine a 2026 state champion.”
No matter if the pair wins a state title together or not, their hard work has helped Patrick commit to play Division I FCS football at the University of South Dakota.
“They just really wanted me, to be honest, and you want to go somewhere you’re wanted,” Patrick said.
