Really excited about the staff they've put together. 108 combined years of recruiting the state of Texas. 17 years of head coaching experience at the HS level in the state. Guys are very well known in the state, will pay dividends on the recruiting trail, unbelievable mentors and teachers. Great producers of quality young men and players.
Was surprised on some of the negativity from Ohio State fans on the Beck hire. It's well known Beck didn't call plays at Ohio State. He spoke JT Barrett and Cardale Jones and both think the world of him. Chalk that up to bad info on social media, and he'll never be swayed by that.
Spring ball start tentatively on March 6. Get two practices in shorts out of the way, go on spring break, then come back with four straight weeks. Spring game on April 15.
Stan Drayton a "home run hire." Worked together for three years at Ohio State. Could always run the football at OSU. Has coached some of the best backs in the game, including Ezekial Elliott and Jordan Howard, top two rushers in NFL this year. Probably the premier RB coach in the country, but also understands their culture and what they expect. He's going to be Herman's right-hand man. Think he'll be one of the next great head coaches in college football and that's part of why he came back to college ball.
Alignment ... is of utmost importance. It's everything. There are 200 million coaches who can teach inside zone, press coverage, etc. This game isn't that hard. Won't have a secret offense or secret defense that nobody else has. That doesn't exist. It's how well do you execute what your offense and defense is, and who do you do it for. Do you do it for the guy next to you and the love of your position coach? Herman's job is to coach coaches and disseminate their culture. Has to have confidence that when he leaves, those guys go into their meeting rooms and they're in complete alignment and there's no deviation from that. He has full confidence in that.
Coaches and players win games, administrations win championships. Administration told him to go get the best in the country, but those guys have to fit what is expected of them. He's not into going out and getting hired guns because you lose alignment and trust.
On the offense, it's not Herman's, it's not Beck's ... They're a pro-spread. Will run pro concepts in both run and pass games, do it from the shotgun and you have to defend the QB run game. The relationship will be similar to what they did at Houston. Herman will be very involved in game plan, personnel, practice, etc. On game day, he'll have different duties. Beck will call the game with some suggestions from Herman.
He knew early as a head coach that his two most important hires would be strength coach and defensive coordinator. Strength coach is around guys year round. And as an offensive guy, he needed to hire the best DC in the country. Lowest a national champ in BCS era ever ranked in total defense was 35th (estimating) ... they're going to play tremendous defense. Offensively, he knew you can't rob Peter to pay Paul. If he was going to be head coach and OC, he would be doing both jobs a disservice and wouldn't be doing both jobs as well as he could.
The experience in the state as recruiters was huge. Three criteria to hiring coaches. One, can he recruit? Two, develop your unit, can you develop them into better players, husbands and fathers. Distant third, how much football do you know? Football coaching isn't rocket surgery, it's who does it with more passion and more toughness. It's not secret plays.
Craig Naivar has an extensive background with special teams. Has been around Herman the longest, fought for Herman to get his first coordinator job at Texas State.
Herman will coach punt team and call the punt team. Naivar will coach the other units, with help from the other coaches. Have to have all hands on deck. Derek Warehim at OL is a "get the job done guy." Will be an inside zone and power run football team, that's what his experiences are, but they're not into fitting square pegs into round holes either. They'll tweak things if necessary, but philosophically they want to be a downhill, power run team.
They better all have aspirations of being a head coach. If you don't want to be the best at your craft, then you're probably a bit misguided. All nine guys probably aspire to be college head coaches. Thinks it's his job to prepare his staff and teach them the things that were taught to him on how to succeed as a head coach.
Has had two "whoa" moments as head coach at UT. One was walking into PC, seeing Edith Royal, Dodds, Mack and Sally Brown. Second was about an hour ago, assistant Kasey Johnson handed him a print of Longhorns running, at the bottom were the signatures of all the head coaches at UT since Darrell Royal, including Royal. For him to put his name on a print that had sigs of Royal and Mack Brown was a wow moment. Other than that, you have such tunnel vision, it's impossible to realize the gravity of things and he hopes it stays that way.
Tells players they'll get five pats on the back ... four bowl games and when they graduate. Other than that, they're into working.
On the transition ... anyone who tells you that a young man should choose a school because of the school and the people, that's wrong. If you're a football player, you're going to remember two things about your college experience ... one is the winning, the other is the people. It's their job as coaches to push guys to their limits, but to also build very trusting, loving relationships with them. He's seen it done marvelously at Ohio State and Houston, and the plan is the same at Texas.
On depth chart .. assistants have watched some film from last year, Herman has not watched one snap of film from last year and he will not. There are no starters. There are players. You get what you earn around here, and that earning starts on Jan 17, first day of winter conditioning. If you want to earn his respect, be the hardest working, toughest guy in winter conditioning and you'll have a chance to play for them.
Tim Beck and Herman go way back. Have known each other casually through Beck's rise. When Beck got to Nebraska, Herman would study their film, called him and they struck up a relationship. When in the area recruiting the same area, they'd get together and talk football. What sold him on Beck is his relationships with his players, two young men in Barrett and Cardele Jones give him a big thumbs up. And his eagerness to adapt and learn. Still wants to learn, still wants to grow.
On the support staff ... administrations win championships. He's been told "yes" for everything he's asked for, from the building, to graphics, to locker room, weight room, to support staff. They've identified an area they're deficient in, they needed to create positions in their recruiting and support staff and they've done that. They're going to get an army down there, just like the rest of the big boys in college football do. They're going to get this facility in very short order where it's as good or better than any in the country.
The job of a coach is very parental. People don't always like their parents, but if they're good parents, you'll die for them and love them. They're going to be very demanding of their players so when they do come of age and are wise enough to realize that the things they did for them, they'll appreciate it. That's the only way to go. Same with a teenage son or daughter. There's going to be some pushback, but when they know that you love them and the reason you're so hard on them is because you want the very best for them, then the sky is the limit.
Yancy McKnight ... he wasn't going to take the Houston job if McKnight wasn't going to come with him. Not going to say he wouldn't take the UT job without him. He's pretty important, but not that important. They believe in the same things, was a match made in heaven. He's Herman's "soul mate" when it comes to coaches. They share the same beliefs, but McKnight has a brain that works differently from his in a physical performance standpoint.
On recruiting, they're going to swing for the fences, but if there's any testimony to the fact that relationships are key in recruiting, it's shown during a coaching search. As much as they have to sell at UT, they don't relationships with a lot of the guys so that makes it very difficult to get in on some guys. Numbers show the first class during a coaching change has the most attrition, the most misses in terms of talent and the most off-field issues. When they took over at Ohio State, 2012 class signed 19 kids and only three of them played significantly. They're going to focus on relationships they already have and kids they know fit what they want to have in the program, and kids who want to compete for championships at a place like Texas.
On Buechele ... for their offense to work, you don't have to be Braxton Miller or Michael Vick. You just have to make the defense pay if they don't pay attention to the QB run game. Don't have to hit home runs if you can hit singles and doubles, thinks Buechele can do that.
Doesn't know what all of the play-calling dynamics were during Beck's two years at Ohio State. But Beck was never the primary play caller. The list for OC was very short, it was Beck first and if that didn't work he would have had to have gone to plan B, but Beck was his first choice.
Facilities are behind, but not by much. Nothing a multi-million dollar facelift can't fix. Graphics are off of the wall in the football facilities and being replaced right now. Have to make the place appealing to 17-year-old young men.
On facilities, his job is to tell Fenves and Perrin what they need to compete on a national level. Need to modernize graphics on the walls, locker room, update and re-configure the weight room. They're full-steam ahead on all of those.
Didn't do any scheduled one-on-ones with players due to finals and time, but had a lot of players who came in and visited, some in small groups and some individually. Now that the staff is in place, it's important that the position coaches start forming relationships with the players too. He'll have a tight relationship with the players, but he has to be the hammer too and that can be tough if you get too close.
On being behind in facilities, they have work to do. They changed Houston in 23 months more than anyone thought possible in an infrastructure standpoint, has no doubts they'll do the same at Texas in a very short team. It'll take more than one year. Thinks you should have some capital project going on in football each year, at varying levels. When you finish one project, you should be starting on another.
On support ... if Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson et all have it, Texas is going to have it. If one analyst sees one thing that can make one play that helps win a championship, it's worth it.
That's it. Lots of good info in this one. Refreshingly different than what we're used to.
Was surprised on some of the negativity from Ohio State fans on the Beck hire. It's well known Beck didn't call plays at Ohio State. He spoke JT Barrett and Cardale Jones and both think the world of him. Chalk that up to bad info on social media, and he'll never be swayed by that.
Spring ball start tentatively on March 6. Get two practices in shorts out of the way, go on spring break, then come back with four straight weeks. Spring game on April 15.
Stan Drayton a "home run hire." Worked together for three years at Ohio State. Could always run the football at OSU. Has coached some of the best backs in the game, including Ezekial Elliott and Jordan Howard, top two rushers in NFL this year. Probably the premier RB coach in the country, but also understands their culture and what they expect. He's going to be Herman's right-hand man. Think he'll be one of the next great head coaches in college football and that's part of why he came back to college ball.
Alignment ... is of utmost importance. It's everything. There are 200 million coaches who can teach inside zone, press coverage, etc. This game isn't that hard. Won't have a secret offense or secret defense that nobody else has. That doesn't exist. It's how well do you execute what your offense and defense is, and who do you do it for. Do you do it for the guy next to you and the love of your position coach? Herman's job is to coach coaches and disseminate their culture. Has to have confidence that when he leaves, those guys go into their meeting rooms and they're in complete alignment and there's no deviation from that. He has full confidence in that.
Coaches and players win games, administrations win championships. Administration told him to go get the best in the country, but those guys have to fit what is expected of them. He's not into going out and getting hired guns because you lose alignment and trust.
On the offense, it's not Herman's, it's not Beck's ... They're a pro-spread. Will run pro concepts in both run and pass games, do it from the shotgun and you have to defend the QB run game. The relationship will be similar to what they did at Houston. Herman will be very involved in game plan, personnel, practice, etc. On game day, he'll have different duties. Beck will call the game with some suggestions from Herman.
He knew early as a head coach that his two most important hires would be strength coach and defensive coordinator. Strength coach is around guys year round. And as an offensive guy, he needed to hire the best DC in the country. Lowest a national champ in BCS era ever ranked in total defense was 35th (estimating) ... they're going to play tremendous defense. Offensively, he knew you can't rob Peter to pay Paul. If he was going to be head coach and OC, he would be doing both jobs a disservice and wouldn't be doing both jobs as well as he could.
The experience in the state as recruiters was huge. Three criteria to hiring coaches. One, can he recruit? Two, develop your unit, can you develop them into better players, husbands and fathers. Distant third, how much football do you know? Football coaching isn't rocket surgery, it's who does it with more passion and more toughness. It's not secret plays.
Craig Naivar has an extensive background with special teams. Has been around Herman the longest, fought for Herman to get his first coordinator job at Texas State.
Herman will coach punt team and call the punt team. Naivar will coach the other units, with help from the other coaches. Have to have all hands on deck. Derek Warehim at OL is a "get the job done guy." Will be an inside zone and power run football team, that's what his experiences are, but they're not into fitting square pegs into round holes either. They'll tweak things if necessary, but philosophically they want to be a downhill, power run team.
They better all have aspirations of being a head coach. If you don't want to be the best at your craft, then you're probably a bit misguided. All nine guys probably aspire to be college head coaches. Thinks it's his job to prepare his staff and teach them the things that were taught to him on how to succeed as a head coach.
Has had two "whoa" moments as head coach at UT. One was walking into PC, seeing Edith Royal, Dodds, Mack and Sally Brown. Second was about an hour ago, assistant Kasey Johnson handed him a print of Longhorns running, at the bottom were the signatures of all the head coaches at UT since Darrell Royal, including Royal. For him to put his name on a print that had sigs of Royal and Mack Brown was a wow moment. Other than that, you have such tunnel vision, it's impossible to realize the gravity of things and he hopes it stays that way.
Tells players they'll get five pats on the back ... four bowl games and when they graduate. Other than that, they're into working.
On the transition ... anyone who tells you that a young man should choose a school because of the school and the people, that's wrong. If you're a football player, you're going to remember two things about your college experience ... one is the winning, the other is the people. It's their job as coaches to push guys to their limits, but to also build very trusting, loving relationships with them. He's seen it done marvelously at Ohio State and Houston, and the plan is the same at Texas.
On depth chart .. assistants have watched some film from last year, Herman has not watched one snap of film from last year and he will not. There are no starters. There are players. You get what you earn around here, and that earning starts on Jan 17, first day of winter conditioning. If you want to earn his respect, be the hardest working, toughest guy in winter conditioning and you'll have a chance to play for them.
Tim Beck and Herman go way back. Have known each other casually through Beck's rise. When Beck got to Nebraska, Herman would study their film, called him and they struck up a relationship. When in the area recruiting the same area, they'd get together and talk football. What sold him on Beck is his relationships with his players, two young men in Barrett and Cardele Jones give him a big thumbs up. And his eagerness to adapt and learn. Still wants to learn, still wants to grow.
On the support staff ... administrations win championships. He's been told "yes" for everything he's asked for, from the building, to graphics, to locker room, weight room, to support staff. They've identified an area they're deficient in, they needed to create positions in their recruiting and support staff and they've done that. They're going to get an army down there, just like the rest of the big boys in college football do. They're going to get this facility in very short order where it's as good or better than any in the country.
The job of a coach is very parental. People don't always like their parents, but if they're good parents, you'll die for them and love them. They're going to be very demanding of their players so when they do come of age and are wise enough to realize that the things they did for them, they'll appreciate it. That's the only way to go. Same with a teenage son or daughter. There's going to be some pushback, but when they know that you love them and the reason you're so hard on them is because you want the very best for them, then the sky is the limit.
Yancy McKnight ... he wasn't going to take the Houston job if McKnight wasn't going to come with him. Not going to say he wouldn't take the UT job without him. He's pretty important, but not that important. They believe in the same things, was a match made in heaven. He's Herman's "soul mate" when it comes to coaches. They share the same beliefs, but McKnight has a brain that works differently from his in a physical performance standpoint.
On recruiting, they're going to swing for the fences, but if there's any testimony to the fact that relationships are key in recruiting, it's shown during a coaching search. As much as they have to sell at UT, they don't relationships with a lot of the guys so that makes it very difficult to get in on some guys. Numbers show the first class during a coaching change has the most attrition, the most misses in terms of talent and the most off-field issues. When they took over at Ohio State, 2012 class signed 19 kids and only three of them played significantly. They're going to focus on relationships they already have and kids they know fit what they want to have in the program, and kids who want to compete for championships at a place like Texas.
On Buechele ... for their offense to work, you don't have to be Braxton Miller or Michael Vick. You just have to make the defense pay if they don't pay attention to the QB run game. Don't have to hit home runs if you can hit singles and doubles, thinks Buechele can do that.
Doesn't know what all of the play-calling dynamics were during Beck's two years at Ohio State. But Beck was never the primary play caller. The list for OC was very short, it was Beck first and if that didn't work he would have had to have gone to plan B, but Beck was his first choice.
Facilities are behind, but not by much. Nothing a multi-million dollar facelift can't fix. Graphics are off of the wall in the football facilities and being replaced right now. Have to make the place appealing to 17-year-old young men.
On facilities, his job is to tell Fenves and Perrin what they need to compete on a national level. Need to modernize graphics on the walls, locker room, update and re-configure the weight room. They're full-steam ahead on all of those.
Didn't do any scheduled one-on-ones with players due to finals and time, but had a lot of players who came in and visited, some in small groups and some individually. Now that the staff is in place, it's important that the position coaches start forming relationships with the players too. He'll have a tight relationship with the players, but he has to be the hammer too and that can be tough if you get too close.
On being behind in facilities, they have work to do. They changed Houston in 23 months more than anyone thought possible in an infrastructure standpoint, has no doubts they'll do the same at Texas in a very short team. It'll take more than one year. Thinks you should have some capital project going on in football each year, at varying levels. When you finish one project, you should be starting on another.
On support ... if Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson et all have it, Texas is going to have it. If one analyst sees one thing that can make one play that helps win a championship, it's worth it.
That's it. Lots of good info in this one. Refreshingly different than what we're used to.
