Best of the Bus: Kalen DeBoer On Taking Over From Nick Saban + Implementing His Own Culture

00:00:00
Speaker 1: And we got this also sit with coach de Boor, who came from Washington, and we talked with him about succeeding obviously arguably the greatest college football coach of all time in Nick Saban. We talk a lot about his transition from Washington, going from that, going from that national title loss to getting the job with Alabama, some of the culture wrinkles he's bringing in Alabama. I can already foresee headline coming out about you know, hey, they're.

00:00:23
Speaker 2: Playing music now.

00:00:24
Speaker 1: They seem a little bit more loose at Alabama as the culture. You can see some stuff already being created out of that. But he talks about some of the new things that he's bringing in Alabama, what got him the job, succeeding Nick Saban, and how you know, in those interviews with the players, we asked them about how it's been in springball with coach de bor So check those out. You guys are gonna love this conversation with coach to Boor, he was all time with the boys. But yeah, man, and shout out to the University of Alabama for letting us in. I know that we've tried for a couple of times and usually it's a very it's a tough place to get in. So we thank you guys for allowing us to see your facilities. A plus all around, Like you guys crushed it. You guys, Tyler Booker gave us a tour. It was incredible. Again, you guys are gonna enjoy this interview. Oh yes, So, without further ado, Bakehogs, tiny kisses. Make sure Alabama fans, if you were new here, make sure you're subscribed to the Boys leave comments throughout the episode.

00:01:16
Speaker 2: But yeah, coach the boor yeah, I can't help. But as the yeah you need some dad here, it's just like, uh, it's just.

00:01:27
Speaker 3: Like I'm something with when Will and I met, there's been a couple like that. I guess, look look at the landing over here. So the dad hat. There's been like a couple like the when I signed a contract with the Titans, I like wore this boss hog outfit all white, and I said, daddy's here, and so like a couple of people in Nashville calling me dad for a little bit. And then when Will and I met.

00:01:58
Speaker 2: That that what that's the origin story of the day.

00:02:00
Speaker 3: That's how starting. That's how I'm telling this, how I was starting, and then uh, when.

00:02:06
Speaker 2: This story origin stories my first time here is the dad.

00:02:11
Speaker 3: You know you remember that, right, Delanny. That's right.

00:02:16
Speaker 2: I know that that is I know, I know that that is a moment in time.

00:02:19
Speaker 3: It's a moment in time that I think of myself When I look at the dad hats I think, wow, I.

00:02:22
Speaker 2: Really did that.

00:02:23
Speaker 3: Yeah, and so when Will and I first met, I had a very young daughter and then a bean, the bean, and then now I have two kids. Will's Will's got a daughter. So we came out dad hats man because it's it's a it's a culture. People don't know. There's all these dumb jokes about well people know because they have dogs. You don't understand what it's like to have a kid. So you actually have a kid. So it's like a nice little groups. You're more than willing to be in the group. If you want, we'll send you a couple of hats.

00:02:48
Speaker 2: I got two girls, girl dad. Perfect, we have girl dad, so we'll get you hooked up.

00:02:54
Speaker 3: When you were let's actually, by the way, Derek's calling me back right now.

00:02:59
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:02:59
Speaker 3: I wanted to make sure because Jackson's video that.

00:03:01
Speaker 1: Taylor had a tough loss Derek was texting and Taylor tried FaceTime, and then he didn't answer Taylor's phone call. But he's responding and texting back and forth.

00:03:10
Speaker 2: The whole time.

00:03:13
Speaker 3: Seven years teammates. Seven years. Yeah, I tried to pull it off, always at OTAs trying to get his raven friends.

00:03:19
Speaker 2: Yeah, and stuff like that.

00:03:21
Speaker 3: What do you want to start? Oh, I want to start with your two daughters. When you had two girls, did you think maybe one more, I'll go for a boy.

00:03:30
Speaker 4: No, honestly no, I think once we got the younger one, I think we were all good. Certainly would have been fine with boys. And looking back on it though, and now being a football coach, I think it's actually a blessing, you know, having no pressure on any boy and having to play football and just enjoying who they are. And you know, man, they love the game and they love being around the team and all that kind of stuff. And they both have totally different personalities and totally different likes interests. But it's awesome being a girl.

00:04:02
Speaker 2: Dad. Were you like myself?

00:04:04
Speaker 1: I was let down when I saw the pink come from the cake that we were having a girl.

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Speaker 3: Oh, hey, not only he's true. No, he came his wife came in with a cake at the bus and when he saw that color, it was there was no hiding it. It was true disappointment was going to get that.

00:04:21
Speaker 2: I was going to get a light.

00:04:22
Speaker 1: But as an athlete, which I can't wait to ask you about, because you were a stud at Two Falls, were you hopeful for your for for the first kid?

00:04:31
Speaker 2: Were you hopeful that it was a boy?

00:04:33
Speaker 4: I I honestly didn't have feelings one way or another. I really didn't better.

00:04:39
Speaker 3: Very politically correct answer, yeah, strong, well thought out answer.

00:04:42
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:04:42
Speaker 3: I was not gonna get anything mad with that one.

00:04:44
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:04:44
Speaker 4: I think it was meant to be. That's the way I look at it.

00:04:46
Speaker 1: So you have a few records coming up as a wide receiver, do you keep a highlight tape close by just to let the boys know that you can dabble, that you can dabble with the best of them.

00:04:58
Speaker 4: No, I don't. Nothing like what these guys are here at this level. They would turn that on and have a few laughs. So, uh, I'm proud of what we did. But as a team, but that level was a little different.

00:05:11
Speaker 1: Than record in yards, receptions, touchdowns. You played some semi pro ball as well, what as you were going through as you were as an athlete going the semi pro Bawl route in that moment in time, are you sitting there you're trying to gather tape to try to get to the next level, or after you had a couple of years, you're like, okay, I just I need I need to start making a pivot going into the next thing.

00:05:31
Speaker 4: Yeah, are you talking the football piece?

00:05:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, football piece.

00:05:33
Speaker 4: Yeah. From from with the football it was just you know, indoor football there and Sue Falls enjoyed a couple of years kind of right there at home, and I was already on into coaching high school ball and kind of onto while you're playing things while I was playing, so you know, that was that was just a kind of a side hobby. It's with you during those two years, and got into the college coaching there at University suit Falls and then kind of had to put everything else on the back burner and move on with the career.

00:06:04
Speaker 3: Obviously, like coaching, you've done an amazing job, You're at one of the most prestigious universities of all time. But playing and realizing that, okay, this is the road's coming to an end. Of my playing career, Like, how was that transition for you? I know you were coaching already, but was there ever that point where you're like identity crisis or anything like that.

00:06:19
Speaker 4: No, I don't think it was at that level. I enjoyed the relationships, I enjoyed the friends. I knew that there was definitely a ceiling and I had probably maxed out that ceiling as a football player myself, and so, you know, great times, but it was time to move on.

00:06:35
Speaker 1: Yeah, proud though, you've been wildly successful as a head coach in the NAI ranks, three national titles. I think you were sixty five and three as a head coach with Washington. I mean a two time coach of the year. I think you go was twenty five and three with Washington. What do you feel like you've cultivated, whether it's values, philosophies over the years to have that.

00:06:55
Speaker 2: Much, to have this much success.

00:06:57
Speaker 4: I always go back to when I was a player at Two Falls. We were two and eight my freshman year and we were fourteen to no national champs my senior year, and I knew what the culture looked like, what it felt like as a player the first year, and also what it took to get there over those four years, and I always just remember that, And it was the relationships, It was the you know, just the consistency you got from the people that were in the building or on the team, and just the work that it put in, and so it made it was fun, which allowed you know, and I enjoyed the process, which you know, I think our entire team did. And so I try to make that what we have here, you know, and wherever I've been, try to make an environment or facilitate a you know, an atmosphere that's full of energy. You know that you know, you can find them driven people, let them go do their thing, whether it's coaches or players, and they enjoy each and every moment. They enjoy each you know, everyone that's a part of it. And just just let's go have some fun. Let's cut it loose, Let's make the most of every opportunity we get.

00:08:01
Speaker 3: Turning back to your success at Washington, you were the only coach to go eleven or more wins in consecutive years and then you get the call from the Crimson Tide. You just competed for a national championship. What was your thought process when that phone call did come.

00:08:15
Speaker 4: Yeah, that was the timing of everything. I think is what really makes it extra hard through all of this, because my time at Washington is going to be for me and my family probably the best time of our life. You know, those two years there and the way we were embraced from a community aspect to the team, to just how much fun it was working with our staff. It was a special time that I know we all are going to cherish forever as a family and eating individually as well. But you know, just the opportunity to come here to Alabama knowing this program and what the history was all about, and getting a chance to meet Greg Byrne and just really hearing the vision, understanding the interests and how excited he'd be to have, you know, me leading the ball program. That meant a lot. And you know, did a goutt a chance maybe over twenty four hours to do a little bit of just kind of investigating and kind of really thinking it through and talking to a couple people that I'm close with, But it just it just felt like, you know, this is something that was too good of an opportunity, and it's just been an awesome experience here these first three to four months.

00:09:21
Speaker 3: Is that how quickly you had to make that decision? Was twenty four hours?

00:09:25
Speaker 4: Yeah? I mean I pretty much had to make the decision if I was offered the job. You know, That's really how it really comes down to, you know, and you know, and I understand why. You know, in the just the environment we're in college football, the timing of it, you know, we're talking the middle of January, retaining a roster. I just the urgency that it needed to be to keep the program moving forward. I completely understood why. You know, Greg Burn told the team, you know, give me seventy two hours, you know, and you know that was that was that urgency if I was going to be the football coach. I knew getting down here and being around these guys and just being NonStop and trying to build these relationships and keep things together in the first two weeks while I was here, while I'm building the staff, was going to be critical for our immediate and long term future.

00:10:17
Speaker 2: Were there nerves involved in the interview process.

00:10:20
Speaker 1: Like you're going, you know, you have your success at Washington, You're going after this Alabama job. There's always that kid in us. It's like you go to the next stage you go to the next thing. Were there any nerves involved in going after this job.

00:10:30
Speaker 4: No, not at all, because I had a great place where I was at. You know, really it was more about making sure that this was going to be a good fit, that this is going to be a place I could see, you know, myself, you know, being successful and you know people that I was going to be enjoying the journey with, you know, from Greg Burn to others here in the athletic department at the university. So, in all honesty, no, because I was at a great place, and so you know, it's just a matter of really thinking it through. And you know, I think the piece that I truly to make sure it was I wasn't getting caught up in the emotions of the ups and downs of what we had just been through with the season and trying to really take a step back in a short amount of time and have some perspective on everything, because you know, we had had such an amazing year and you know, on a Monday night in the National Championship, you know you're the wins taken out of your sales, and you know you're trying to support your team and your your staff but you know, I just wanted to make sure I ain't caught up in that, and uh, you know, taking a step back as much as I could and in the moment was important.

00:11:33
Speaker 1: You've obviously had a lot of experience being being an athlete yourself. You know, you set records, you go to the nai A, you win national titles there, you uptake into the Vision and college football realm, you win a Pack twelve title, you take a team to a national championship in sports, like as athletes, coaches, everybody in the performance world, you're always you know, you're moving, You're moving up the ladder, You're coming in to succeed somebody like arguably the greatest coach of all I'm in, Nick Saban. How has your experience moving up, you know, in your journey helped you kind of not see these expectations you come into a seat like Alabama and succeeding Nick Saban, Is there anything with that that you think about?

00:12:13
Speaker 4: Well, I think my journey in general is just something I'm super proud of because I've always focused on just where I'm at, And really it's never been about getting to an Alabama or it was never even about getting even to a Washington or Fresno State. I mean, go on and on. It was about just coaching ball, loving the moment we're in, you know, raising a family, and doing it with other people that had the same like minded interests as I had in all those areas, both football and family, and so you know, just enjoying that journey and joying that ride. But I think, you know, coming here, I just can't say enough about again being embraced by the community. You know, Coach Saban, he's so respectful and how he's trying to handle and he wants to see the program. You can just tell he wants it to be great, and he he wants it to continue to go this direction and and us continue to build on all the things he's put in place. And so he's almost been over the top, respect respectful, trying to keep that distance, and you know, I want him, you know, to always know that, hey, this is this is our program. Because everyone who ever set foot in these buildings, and that's alumni, that's former staff members, everyone who made this place great are always gonna feel we want I want them to be a part of it.

00:13:29
Speaker 3: When you like, when you play with other Alabama players, it's like they've taken a drug or something like that. They're so obsessed with Alabama truly, Like there's literally times I walk into the cafeteria and Rashaun Evans and Derek Henry are there's pointing people you lost to Alabama. You lost to Alabama. Lot of pride there, they truly have, like of any other team, the most school proud I've ever seen anybody else. And so, now, like we'll just said, you're taking over for a guy that is arguably probably the greatest college football coach of all time. You're walking into a room where guys when they commit this school, they're expecting to win national championships. So they don't argue about how many games they win. They argue about how many national championships They went, oh you only got two? I got Yeah, which class was better? Was there any point for you where you sit down, you sit in the nice chair that Nick Saban once sat, and you go, oh, fuck, like this is this is I mean, there's gotta be a level of like, this is a lot of responsibility. And you're walking into a room of these guys signed up to be coached by Nick Saban and now you have come in you're like, we're gonna run this, this is gonna be our offense. And keeping these kids around, especially with Nil, there's got to be a lot of tremendous you know pressure on that.

00:14:39
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:14:39
Speaker 4: I mean, you know, you know what you signed up for. And I guess it just always goes back to everyone's human and I think that being around these guys, you understand the reasons why they came here into this program, and it's Alabama football. It has a lot to do with coach Saban. You know, the guys in their commitments to be in here, but they are just so proud of this program and they want to be the ones that carry on the legacy of this place. It's been fun being around the alumni that that do have that pride. I feel that, and it's you know, it's not an ego thing. It's pride, you know. And these guys that are in this program that chose to stay here over the last couple of months, they believe in this place and they know what we can accomplish. I have an appreciation that they understand that it's really about them and them sticking together. And the ones that stayed, man, they are they are resilient. They're hard headed in some ways because they man, we got to win a championship. We got a chip on our shoulder, and you know, people think we're going to fall off because of the transition and all that. So it's been fun locking arms with them and you know, helping them realize their goals and the reasons that they came here and help it help us through and make this progress.

00:15:53
Speaker 3: Jalen Milroe was quoted by saying, you prove that you were the right man for the job every single day during springball. What is your relationship with him?

00:16:01
Speaker 4: He's been He's special. He just has a heart of gold. He wants it so bad, both personally and also for this program. He's you know, takes on the responsibilities of being the quarterback at Alabama with such grace. He's there for others. He's willing to give as much as he can. Sometimes I'm you know, just always checking in with him to make sure he's good because he gets pulled in a lot of different directions. But in the end, he loves getting out there. He loves the game of football. I mean we've talked about that a number of times. He just loves everything that surrounds it, from the teamwork and the leadership that he is asked of him to, you know, just working on the daily skills. He loves the film. He just loves so much about the game itself. And you know, it's fun being around guys that are willing to put in all the things and make the sacrifices needed to go be great.

00:16:51
Speaker 1: When you walk into the team meeting room for the first time. What was your message to the team when you first took the job. It's a great question.

00:16:57
Speaker 4: Well, yeah, that was That was Friday night, and and I knew that this was a group that had been through a lot just in the past couple of days. You know, I don't remember exactly what that message was. It was a whirlwind for me and my family as well, just a few hours earlier, you know it kind of I had pretty much been off for the job, you know, been through my emotions, uh within in regard to you know, everything of Washington still certainly and even come close to getting through that. But knew that the team just needed to hear that. I was excited about, you know, joining them, meeting them, meeting them where they're at, and getting to know them and appreciated their patience because with all the noise that was around the program and and all the noise that they were probably hearing individually, and you know, being pulled in different places and going different different directions, they just, uh, you know, their belief in Alabama was something you could tell and feel right away. And there was there's a connection with a few of the guys, and I think those guys quickly just uh, you know, held the team in place. There were some staff members here that did a great job, but you know, that was that was a meeting I think, just to to get in there and tell you know how excited I was to be a part of this special place I have.

00:18:16
Speaker 2: I have another one.

00:18:18
Speaker 1: I was just I wanted to ask him about his very first phone call when he heard that he got the job.

00:18:26
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I I felt like it was kind of going in that direction. So it wasn't necessarily a surprise, but it was you know, I think it was just more about being honored to to you know, to have that responsibility to be the head coach here. It's just something again I won't take lightly. And you know I had thought through, you know, the night before just if this opportunity came up working just talking through with my family, you know, you know what that would all mean and uh, you know the moving and the life changes and stuff that we'd be going through. So but from a program standpoint, it's just such an honor and a privilege.

00:19:04
Speaker 3: I want to talk about the big dogs for a second, the Hogs. How has it been for them transitioning in this offense? Because they they obviously ran a lot of zone read with Jalen in the backfield last year. But it seems like, you guys, from what I was told in the small little snippet, is you guys going more zone outside zone type stuff. How have they been picking that up? Because for me, transitioning from like a duo gap scheme type offense into like the zone was like at one point I wanted to quit. I was like this is horrendous, and then and then quickly I was like, this might be the best offense you can possibly be in. How have they handled that transition?

00:19:34
Speaker 4: I think that I think it's been great. I think that really it's not that far off from what we what they did before. It's just a matter of where your tendencies, where your priorities, you know how many reps you're practicing a certain concept versus another based on compared to how they did it before. We certainly got to use Jalen's skill set and you know, have him be a threat to with the ball as much as possible. Uh. And so you know, I don't feel like there's as many changes as maybe you know some of the guys. I think, you know, it's been seamless. Coach Cap has done a great job. He's well versed in all the schemes that we've done before, as well as being able to help the guys translate things you know that they had done technically of you know, language wise in our offense. Just that translation. He's he's super super sharp, and you know his relationship with these guys. You can see it coming out as the spring's gone on, and just how much better they got from practice one to practice fifteen. I think it's probably the position group that if I had to pick one or two, they would certainly be in that mix. As far as the improvements that they've shown here in the spring.

00:20:41
Speaker 1: When you're looking at when you're recruiting guys, like everybody's got all the tangible things, the surface level things, what are some intangibles or some values or character things that you look for, like when you're recruiting guys to a place like Alabama.

00:20:54
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think there's you know, you know, toughness is always going to be something that I think is just critical of what doesn't matter where you're at. I think the game was meant to be played that way. The championship teams have that mental toughness, that physical toughness that you have to have. But I think there's also the discipline, accountability along with just you know, a personality that's kind of like wide eye, just excited to learn, excited to grow. I just feel like they haven't arrived and that there's a there's a there's there's not a ceiling that they're they're looking at and they're far from it if they if they think there is, and so it's just a matter of you know, growth mindset and you know, guys who want to come in here and be a part of something, not just you know, it's all about me. And you know, so we always talk about in terms of our non negotiables being family, accountable, and toughness, and so, you know, I think I hit on as all three of those and just doing it the right way, do it with class, integrity, and also, you know, while you're here, making sure we get that degree as well.

00:21:55
Speaker 3: A couple of fun questions, You got a couple. I got a couple of fun ones.

00:21:58
Speaker 2: Okay, oh hang on, let me go on, let me go one more serious boy.

00:22:04
Speaker 1: Okay, what traditions of Alabama do you that you've learned about that you're keeping and keeping part of the program. And what are some things culture wise, tradition wise do you feel like you're bringing to Alabama.

00:22:18
Speaker 4: That's a that's a really good question. And I think that everything. I don't want to say every day I learned something, but I think, you know, there's a there's been many times you're like, Okay, I think I got this, understand I think I understand this. I understand that you know what's important, what's been done for decades, what's been done just maybe over the last year, you know, and understanding this was this sounds like something they really like, But is it really a tradition?

00:22:44
Speaker 2: You know?

00:22:45
Speaker 4: And so you know, just I think guys just the pride they have in some of the simple things. Uh, you know how they look and you know how we practice and you know, tucking shirts in and for workouts and practice. I mean, those are just things that just the pride of the place, uh that come out. Obviously, there's the walk you know that we had and that's special and you know seeing those guys do that a a was was really cool. But you know, the fourth quarter program is something these guys just really believe in. And so a lot of these traditions are things that just are are they're so accustomed to. And I could go on and on, but you know, keeping some of those things and and still bringing in the things that I think have been been good. If it adds uh, it adds to our culture and it's something that you know the guys might enjoy. You know, we're going to balance that between you know, hey, these are really important aspects of Alabama football, and these are some of the things that have worked for me. And you know, I'm not married to a lot of things. But I think it's more about the feel and the energy and what can what can we bring to add to what's already here?

00:23:52
Speaker 2: Did I read did I read something about thunderstruck?

00:23:56
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's with the with the out out in our game day, you know, the walk.

00:24:00
Speaker 2: That is that yours? That of it?

00:24:02
Speaker 1: Was that a Bama thing? That's Bama. I mean that goes, that goes hard, struggles hard. It is a good song.

00:24:08
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a it's a classic football song.

00:24:10
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:24:10
Speaker 3: What's a core value? Not a core value, but what is like a non negotiable thing that you've brought with you to Alabama as far as a culture deal, this is how we're gonna go about business.

00:24:22
Speaker 4: Honestly, there's I mean there's probably the guys would probably the probably guys would probably say there's a lot of things.

00:24:29
Speaker 1: You know what would the players say something that's something a wrinkle that's been thrown in.

00:24:35
Speaker 2: You know?

00:24:35
Speaker 4: Well, I actually I can't think it's something that. The one that made some waves early in the spring was you know, we play music in practice, you know, so that was something that hadn't been done before. So not that I feel like you have to, but I think there's a lot of benefits that can come from it, you know, trying to you know, well, first of all, the juice and energy the vibe that can it can create, but also I think there's ways you can utilize it for even you know, distractions, right, you know, and so you know, there's a lot of distractions on game day, right one hundred thousand people, there's music playing in the stadium, and so I think there's a lot of things we actually and I tell these guys, I'm intentional on telling them the things that maybe I'm trying to do someday when I feel like they're even super locked in, you know, just cranking it up a little bit louder to see if see if they can work through that and uh, you know, listen a little harder, you know, communicate a little better, you know, hand signals and stuff. You know, you always practice noise stuff. Uh, you know throughout the week especially you know, home and away, depending on your offense and defense. But uh, you know, those are just some of the things that I think are our benefits of that. That was something that hit the i know, the waves a little bit and our guys, our guys enjoyed it, you know, and enjoyed it, and again it's been a.

00:25:47
Speaker 1: Positive its As players, I think we can all agree with the music is the music?

00:25:51
Speaker 2: Is the music?

00:25:52
Speaker 3: Are you taking requests or is this a set playlist?

00:25:54
Speaker 1: Not?

00:25:55
Speaker 4: Ye, there's we have specific people and it's been it's been transferred on. Uh, Robbie, my guy from Washington, he started it, and I'm like, you know, we gotta have the clean versions. We gotta have that.

00:26:06
Speaker 2: You know.

00:26:09
Speaker 4: We got around brown practice. But uh, you know you know that that and I think he's kind of pushed it on. So they'll certainly take requests. Yeah, and at some point I'm sure they'll get the themes of the day or themes of the week and uh and so forth.

00:26:23
Speaker 1: So you mentioned something about tucked in shirts and basically details of how you operate around the facility, on the practice field and everything else.

00:26:31
Speaker 2: Do you feel like you got those.

00:26:34
Speaker 1: You feel like you had some of those ideas when you talk all the way back to I was on a two and eight team, losing team, and then I was part of a national championship team when you played, like how those locker rooms look differently and what it takes to win and even if they Hey, I might sound ridiculous saying you have to have your tucked in shirt, but there's a way, I promise you, if you just trust me, these are the things that it takes over and over consistently to get to the top.

00:26:57
Speaker 3: You gotta think Saban's a tucked at shirt guy.

00:26:59
Speaker 1: Got to Yeah, it's great, but being a part I mean, we've all been a part of bad locker rooms.

00:27:03
Speaker 2: We've been a part of good locker rooms.

00:27:04
Speaker 1: And what good culture looks like in bad culture looks like we were a lot of have earrings.

00:27:08
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah, Well I think I think, I think is what all these things whenever you're talking about you know, those type of uh you call it non negotiables or whatever they are. I think it always it always goes back to pride in who we are and that you're willing to be a part of a team. And and it's not a sacrifice, but man, looking good for us is important. And this is one of the things that we think is about looking good and looking unified and and looking the way you're supposed to when when you're representing Alabama, you know, whether it's in the weight room, whether it's on the practice field or on game day, you know, and so you know what what your facility looks like, and are you picking up after yourself? Those are just like those are classy things you should do as just a human being, right, and it shows that you know the simple things. We're not going to overlook those and just be out there and focused just on the football part. And you know, I know many programs and many people have said the same thing, and I truly believe it. How you do anything is how you do everything, and those things right there, and how you treat people. We're on the road, you know, I have no doubt that these guys are gonna, you know, travel well, you know, represent themselves in our program in a first class way, home way wherever they're at on their own, doesn't have doesn't have to just be when we're together as a team. But those values come out in those type of actions and those type of things that you feel are important to your program.

00:28:31
Speaker 1: How you do anything, how you do everything, phenomena, phenomenal unless you want some good I'm.

00:28:39
Speaker 3: Nervous questions, Yeah, well I just don't want to.

00:28:43
Speaker 1: I mean, I'm nervous too. When you say you're nervous, three of.

00:28:46
Speaker 4: Us down the line. Now that awkward is really important.

00:28:57
Speaker 2: There's playing everything.

00:28:59
Speaker 3: Out of play as I got to because I don't want to be in that. I'm not gonna be nasty, but I want to. I want to talk about I do want to talk about Michigan a little bit. If that's okay. And but you've said there's there's pain there, and I don't want to go in a direction that this has been a fun interview, it's been a good time, and I just don't want to ruin the interview. So I'll I'll pivot and we'll just talk about the SEC for a second. All Right, A lot of bad dogs out here, a lot of strong dogs out here, a lot of strong head coaches. If it really came down to it and you had to fight these head coaches, do you think you're losing to any of the head coaches?

00:29:33
Speaker 4: Man, I'm not even going there.

00:29:36
Speaker 2: There, we won't do any.

00:29:40
Speaker 3: Didn't work.

00:29:41
Speaker 2: Who's a who's a head coach?

00:29:46
Speaker 1: And this, you know, out of respect for the head coach, like who's the head coach? You would love to obviously win the game, but you're you've obviously competed in your own journey to get to you know, Washington. Maybe it happened in Washington, maybe it hasn't happened yet, but that you would, you know, love to be across the sideline on it. You kind of pinch yourself, like, Yo, I'm coaching against so and so.

00:30:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think I mean, I think a lot of those coaches are are here, and I guess I even just going back, you know, the last two years, UH has so much respect for you know, these coaches that have been doing it for many years, the coordinators working their way up, just very similar to the journey I've been on. And so I've I've stolen a lot of stuff, just like every coach does from from everyone. We've watched the film, We've watched the you know, cutups in the off season, and so you know, you know, you learn how you learn what to do, you know, maybe not what what not to do sometimes, you know, uh as far as like handling your team, uh, you know, publicly, socially and all that. So there's a lot of these just are pretty much the coaches in this conference that have nothing but respect for and you know, I know that every Saturday, you know, you got to be at your best. And that's how it is. I think at Alabama anyway, everyone's gonna bring their a game. You know, We've had conversations about rivalries, and we've had a lot of teams and people that I know, and they felt like Alabama was their rival, you know, just because you know, it was such a big game each and every time that game was played. So I'm excited about, you know, lining up and you know, being challenged to be my best each and every week against all these coaches.

00:31:28
Speaker 1: Is there a coach that, as you're progressing through your learning curve as a an offensive coordinator, a head coach, whether it's a mentor or a coach out there that kind of jumped out at you when you're learning about situational ball and how to you know, if you saw somebody else in it one way, you kind of dove into their tape all season long, they kind of helped you along the way.

00:31:46
Speaker 4: I think, you know, there's been coaches, especially when I was a coordinator and after i'd been a head coach for five years at small college and you know, I think about the leadership aspect and how you know, Chris Creighton at Eastern Michigan, it was just, you know, I just learned so much on how bringing a team together happened there. I think about Jeff Tedford and how you know, we're there were one and eleven before we got there, and it was you know, we're not gonna We're gonna take our guys and we're gonna maximize what they can be. And the next year, you know, you're ten and four and then twelve and two and really had nothing to do with bringing a bunch of portal guys in. It was taking who you had right there, believing in them, putting some structure and organization together some you know, offensively. I learned a lot, you know, during those two years there. And then you know Indiana, you know, being thrown in the mix there with you know, just being part of the Big ten and being challenged to be your best at the Power five level. And so you know Tom Allen, you know, so you know, he just the passion he brought out stuck with me, you know, and how he dove into the relationships with the guys, and so it is something at every place along the way. I think it's a lot of times the people you work with each and every day, the position coaches that I continue to learn from. I'm learning from something from our coaches right now. You know, hired an amazing staff, and to me, that's the key. Has never stopped learning, never stopped growing up at your staff.

00:33:13
Speaker 3: Nick Sheridan, he and I played together in college. What have you seen from him? From who Sheridan Sharonick. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:33:19
Speaker 2: What have you seen from him in college?

00:33:21
Speaker 3: Yeah, I was, I was a young boy, he was a senior. Yeah yeah. What have you like seen from him to make him the man for the job to be the OC?

00:33:30
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:33:30
Speaker 4: Well, first of all, working backwards, he's done an amazing job this spring, just pulling everything together. He's he's more than ready for this opportunity. You know. The cool thing about him is that he he was patient. You know, there's opportunities he certainly could have had over the last couple of years, you know, because he is someone who is known as a very bright mind, understands the game on another level. But we had a chance to work together in twenty nineteen at Indiana and he, you know, from from an ego standpoint or just an unselfish standpoint, move from quarterbacks to tight ends and you know, for me to come in and coach quarterbacks, which I feel is a big piece of being an offensive coordinators being in that room every day, you know, but learning and working with him, I remember just thinking how bright he was for considering, you know, his age and how many years he had actually been at high level of football already at that time, then two more years at Washington, you know, where again he's just right there. You know, brings a lot of ideas, brings a lot of just game planning thoughts, helping you pull everything together. It's details, but it's also a big picture all mixed in one. And then he's just such a great relationship builder. He's got great personality. Guys I think enjoy being around him. He leads in a way where he's firm, you know, he's got his things that he's feel strong about. But he also you know, enjoys, enjoys, you know, just the camaraderie and enjoys working together with the staff. And he's done an awesome job having the entire staff all feel a part of it, you know, And that's I think been a big part of my success over the years is having you know, the strengths and of everyone and tapping into their strengths, you know, be why we were successful, whether it's offensively or as a full team with.

00:35:20
Speaker 3: Guys that are working under you, and you become such a cohesive group. Especially with all the success that you've had, Guys are eventually going to leave. They're going to go to you know, find they're going to elevate themselves and try to become head coaches just like you. When you see yourself having the success you did at Washington and andever we will have here, do you keep something in the back of your head, be like, all right, if this guy goes and I have these two guys in my head as are always a constant game plan of a depth chart of who you would want to fill those spots.

00:35:44
Speaker 4: Well, I mean, in a way, it kind of happened here already. You know, Ryan Grubb was was the offensive coordinator, you know, Washington with US and and coming here and then got the opportunity to be with the Seattle Seahawks. And you know, there are guys that I would love. You know, I'm strong on trying to keep the continuity of your system. Of course, the people is where it all starts, but the continuity of the system. And and I know offensively that continuity of our system will always exist because it's the system that you know, we've built over over many years now. But both sides of the ball, there certainly is a method. And I've done this at Fresno, did this at Fresno State, did this at Washington, where there's there's some depth to our staff. Guys, many guys who have called games as coordinators at the power five level on both sides of the ball, guys who you know are just low ego willing to come in be part of it right now. And you know, again hopeful, I hope we are so successful to where those opportunities come up for our staff. You know, that's how I got to the place where I'm at. And you know, I'd be pretty hypocritical if I didn't say that, if I didn't want to root for these guys to get their opportunity someday as well.

00:36:58
Speaker 1: Do you have a favorite post game you will after a win, whether it's a post game you like, I always love the post game cigar, post game beer, post game milkshake, post game burger.

00:37:07
Speaker 2: Something with the family, Yeah, maybe indulge on a meal.

00:37:10
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's always with the family. It's always And you know, you play day games, you play night games, so it's never it's never the same, but uh, you know, it's always with the family, you know. And if if it's a day game, you'd love to have the staff over. And I think that's one thing I'm excited about here is just proximity and where we're all going to be living. You know, when you have that time, just continue to grow our group together. I'm really excited about that. But you know, I think you just get you're so exhausted, usually from a game and the things that go into it. Winning a football game at the college level is hard. I don't care where you're at. It takes everything, and uh, you know, enjoying it for that little moment before you flipped the sunday started all over again. I think that's a big part of the process. So trying to take a deep breath and just enjoying what happened that day after a win is a big part of I think the process.

00:38:07
Speaker 2: M I think, thank we feel good man. That was awesome. Yeah, yeah, man.

00:38:14
Speaker 4: All over the country and really appreciate you guys coming to see us.

00:38:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I was nervous about being here. Yeah.

00:38:20
Speaker 3: I mean you walk in the door and you look at a bunch of rings and watch it immediately and you're like, oh my god, we're in the present.

00:38:27
Speaker 1: You're in the Mecca. But yeah, thank you very much. Everybody's been awesome to us, and thank you for this interview. It's been incredible.

00:38:33
Speaker 3: We really do.

00:38:33
Speaker 4: Appreciate it, and I mean I appreciate that respect because I know where you guys played too, you know, and uh, you know that's that says a lot about you guys. So thanks for thanks for coming and coming to join us.

00:38:44
Speaker 1: Yes, sir, absolutely, coach, thank you man, And we'll hook you up with the dad. We'll hook you up with some dad.

00:38:49
Speaker 4: I need it, I need it. I'll take it.