Sourdough Sam
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
- 1,637
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What drives you to continue your career as a coach? What are the most rewarding elements of your job?
“What drives me is that I still have the love and passion for it. Outside of wanting to be a pro player in the NBA or NFL, I’ve always wanted to coach since I was 12-years-old. It involves so much of teaching, but also helping young men, seeing them grow and that’s what keeps me going. When everyone else sees these guys on Sundays or Monday and Thursday night football, they don’t know all of the hard work, time and energy that gets put in to get them to that point.”
“I started coaching 48 years ago and everyone always asks how long I plan on doing this. I always tell them that it’s whenever I wake up and say this isn’t fun anymore. It’s hard and it’s hard work, but until I wake up and say this isn’t what I want to do or this feels like a job, I’ll keep doing it. I don’t even think about retiring. Also, the players will let you know. As long as they give you that respect and they’re playing hard for you, that’s all you can ask. There’s life and then there’s life after football. My whole thing is seeing them proposer on the football field and in the game of life, it’s not just about the X’s and O’s.”
As a coach, what excites you most about the running back group you have this year?
“They’re young and they’re coachable. Of course they are talented and physical, but the key thing is their character, the character traits of this group. I really enjoy coaching players that want to be coached. These players are willing, they’re not selfish and they know that it takes all 11. They know that it’s not about themselves, it’s about team above self. That’s the main thing that I enjoy about my players.”
What skills does a running back need to be successful in Head Coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense?
“I’ve been doing this for 48 years so I’ve been involved with a lot of head coaches and for any offense, a young man must be able to have running skills. He must have instincts, run instincts. I don’t care what offense, what head coach, what offensive coordinator, he’s got to be a runner first and foremost and be instinctive.”
“Again, he’s got to be coachable. I mentioned this earlier, we look for certain things, but I want a player that can be able to have vision. He has to understand how all 11 work together. Running backs are key in helping set up the blocks, not only for the linemen and the tight end, but the wide receivers. Last but not least, he’s got to be the perfect fit, it’s got to be like a marriage. It’s got to be the perfect fit, and that’s what makes the offense run.”