So Coach was on 1010XL here in Jax today and gave a pretty good interview. Pretty balanced show for being down here and the hosts seemed really impressed.
Link
Cliffs:
Host 1: Wanna start with you on SEC Nation a couple of Saturday’s ago, you didn’t just sell the idea of winning, you believed in it. You gave fans credit. How important was Texas win?
Coach: Very important. Helped us in recruiting, but mainly brought belief back to fans we can win a big game. Goal I had when got HC job at Arkansas, wanna make people of Arkansas proud of FB team. Student section/fans were incredible. Believes that fans can help and will help on Saturday. End of game, looked in stands and was very happy for fans and those on field.
Host 2: NFL franchise here has been losing for a long time(Jags), how did you change the culture?
Coach: First thing, didn’t run anybody off. Nor did we try to keep anybody. If you wanted to go to portal, we helped them with that. Next, brutal honesty. Put it on paper. Say it, do it. If you let something go, it festers. Players want brutal honesty and we appreciate their feedback. Not always hunkie dorie(sp?), but our relationship with our kids is strong.
Host 3: Big game Saturday. Do you feel like you’re getting the last laugh (before host explains OL coach from UGA, Coach says, “I know what you mean.”)? All these SEC schools hiring names and you and Arkansas have momentum now, is there a who’s laughing now?
Coach: Not really, because most of those people didn’t know who I am. Everybody has an opinion, but maybe you shouldn’t give it if you don’t know somebody. Lot of people did, that’s fine. They hired an Associate HC and someone who had been offered as an OC at SEC level, a guy that had coached at Arkansas and understood what we needed. Some people don’t understand what they’re talking about. You have to hire good coordinators, and those that believe what you to do pass that belief down to players.
Host 1: Not only were you a good hire, so were coordinators.
Coach: Love ‘em. On Odom: He can do so many different things. Main reason, friends for 20 years. Other was he’s very multiple and when played against him, he was good and his kids played hard. Talented.
On Briles: Exactly offense I wanted to run and he was available. So fortunate to get him, RPO, QB, where’s the ball.
Third, (hide @HTHog), Scott Fountain, neighbors at UGA, and was able to get him to come here. Is finally starting to show on the field.
Host 2: Players win games, and part of this momentum is when you win, you have something to sell. How important was Texas and how important was A&M?
Coach: You feel it. On the phone this week with 10 kids from TX. You don’t know how it helps until you get on phone with kids. It’s a change. ‘If you can beat them, then maybe I should look at you.’ Main way to do that is win football games against logos, traditions. Certainly helped. If we’re fortunate to win against A&M, they’re both great programs hard to recruit against, but at the same time you have a fighting chance.
Host 3: A&M then UGA. What do you want to find out about team over next 10 days?
Coach: I hope we’re the same. Run the ball, physical, believe we can win. We’ll find out if we can physically match up to these teams. Talked about Texas game as a big game, but in SEC all games are big. Play all these ranked teams, already played #15. They’re all big games.
Dude just flat out gets it.
Link
Cliffs:
Host 1: Wanna start with you on SEC Nation a couple of Saturday’s ago, you didn’t just sell the idea of winning, you believed in it. You gave fans credit. How important was Texas win?
Coach: Very important. Helped us in recruiting, but mainly brought belief back to fans we can win a big game. Goal I had when got HC job at Arkansas, wanna make people of Arkansas proud of FB team. Student section/fans were incredible. Believes that fans can help and will help on Saturday. End of game, looked in stands and was very happy for fans and those on field.
Host 2: NFL franchise here has been losing for a long time(Jags), how did you change the culture?
Coach: First thing, didn’t run anybody off. Nor did we try to keep anybody. If you wanted to go to portal, we helped them with that. Next, brutal honesty. Put it on paper. Say it, do it. If you let something go, it festers. Players want brutal honesty and we appreciate their feedback. Not always hunkie dorie(sp?), but our relationship with our kids is strong.
Host 3: Big game Saturday. Do you feel like you’re getting the last laugh (before host explains OL coach from UGA, Coach says, “I know what you mean.”)? All these SEC schools hiring names and you and Arkansas have momentum now, is there a who’s laughing now?
Coach: Not really, because most of those people didn’t know who I am. Everybody has an opinion, but maybe you shouldn’t give it if you don’t know somebody. Lot of people did, that’s fine. They hired an Associate HC and someone who had been offered as an OC at SEC level, a guy that had coached at Arkansas and understood what we needed. Some people don’t understand what they’re talking about. You have to hire good coordinators, and those that believe what you to do pass that belief down to players.
Host 1: Not only were you a good hire, so were coordinators.
Coach: Love ‘em. On Odom: He can do so many different things. Main reason, friends for 20 years. Other was he’s very multiple and when played against him, he was good and his kids played hard. Talented.
On Briles: Exactly offense I wanted to run and he was available. So fortunate to get him, RPO, QB, where’s the ball.
Third, (hide @HTHog), Scott Fountain, neighbors at UGA, and was able to get him to come here. Is finally starting to show on the field.
Host 2: Players win games, and part of this momentum is when you win, you have something to sell. How important was Texas and how important was A&M?
Coach: You feel it. On the phone this week with 10 kids from TX. You don’t know how it helps until you get on phone with kids. It’s a change. ‘If you can beat them, then maybe I should look at you.’ Main way to do that is win football games against logos, traditions. Certainly helped. If we’re fortunate to win against A&M, they’re both great programs hard to recruit against, but at the same time you have a fighting chance.
Host 3: A&M then UGA. What do you want to find out about team over next 10 days?
Coach: I hope we’re the same. Run the ball, physical, believe we can win. We’ll find out if we can physically match up to these teams. Talked about Texas game as a big game, but in SEC all games are big. Play all these ranked teams, already played #15. They’re all big games.
Dude just flat out gets it.
