Rare are those times when a college football team selects its center as Most Valuable Player.  But Pat Killorin was that kind of lineman for Syracuse University in the mid-1960s.

The Watertown High product anchored offensive lines for Ben Schwartzwalder-coached teams in 1963-65, Orange squads that won 22 of 31 games and went 13-2 in Ancient Archbold.  Killorin & Co. opened holes for Orange legendary running backs Floyd Little, Larry Csonka and Jim Nance on a 1965 offensive unit that was No. 1 in all-purpose yards per game.

First team All-East as a junior and senior, No. 58 was a two-time first team All-American (Associated Press in ’64, United Press International in ’65).  He was recipient of the Bill Horr MVP Award in ’65 and played in that season’s Sugar Bowl against LSU.  Hall of Fame coach Schwartswalder named Pat the best center he ever coached.

A ’66 SU graduate with a BA degree in Education, Killorin was a Letter Winner of Distinction in ’93 and Zunic Award winner in 2013.  From 2016-18, Pat was president of the Syracuse Football Club, representing more than 1,500 football alums.

Pat was the starting center in the 1965 East-West Shrine Game and ’66 Hula Bowl All-Star Classic as well as the 1966 College All Star game against the Green Bay Packers.  Pat was drafted by Pittsburgh (NFL) and Miami (AFL), and played five games for the 1966 Steelers.  Two serious knee injuries cut short his NFL playing days, but he returned to the gridiron with his hometown Watertown Red and Black semi-pro team as player-coach from 1969-72.   Pat also played and coached for the Syracuse Aces semi-pro football team with Hall of Famer Rocco Pirro.  He also officiated scholastic and collegiate lacrosse in the mid-70s.

Career-wise, Pat was vice-president of Syracuse Key Maintenance Products from 1971-85, when he formed Patco Management, Inc., a nationally-recognized food safety consulting firm providing services to over 20,000 stores in the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico.  He served as president/CEO until Patco was sold in 2008.  He’s now a partner in SMS (a sales and management company) and JKPK Associates LLC ( a food safety consulting company).  Community-wise, Killorin was presented the key to the City of Waterown for his community service.  He’s been named Hospice of Central New York Volunteer of the Year, received the United Way of Central NY Exceptional Volunteer Award and U.S. President’s Call to Service Award.  Also involved with Meals on Wheels, Honor Flight, American Cancer Society and Disabled Veterans, he’s found time to coach girls’ youth softball.

Pat and Michelin, his wife of 53 years, live in Radisson.  They have 3 children, 8 beautiful grandchildren.

Named to the Watertown Red and Black Hall of Fame (2013), AFA Semi-Pro Hall of Fame (2014) and North Country Sports Hall of Fame (2017), Pat Killorin now becomes a member of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2019.