FOOTBALL: Coaches bring new practice attitude
By KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
The major differences at Notre Dame's practices are easily discernible to any bystander – the absence of the option, the emphasis on pass plays, the number of quarterbacks taking snaps. But there is another difference at practice, a more subtle difference that may, ultimately, have a great impact.
There is a whole new coaching staff and that coaching staff has brought with it some atmosphere changes. Last season, the Irish football players were playing under coaches they had known for years, the men who had recruited them. They had a personal relationship with those coaches, the kind of relationship that is just in its infancy with this year's brand-new coaches.
"It's just different personalities. It's just like making new friends," said rising senior linebacker Courtney Watson. "In the end the message is somewhat the same as far as technique … but it's just like meeting new people and you get into a different atmosphere."
After three years of working with former head coach Bob Davie and most of his coaching staff, the team had a personal relationship with the coaches, Watson said. The respect found in that relationship is different than the kind of respect the team has for its brand new coaching staff.
"It's sort of weird situation. They're coming in after everything that has happened and saying, `I'm your coach, I want you to do this, I want you to do that,' and at the same time, not push any buttons," Watson said. "I think they want us to understand that. I think in that aspect, it was different, because with the coaches last year we didn't have that. It was just common mutual respect for each other."
That respect, although it is different than the personal, man-to-man respect of last season, is apparent this season.
"There is respect there all down the line," said rising senior center Jeff Faine.
The difference in the kind of relationship the players have with their coaches goes beyond respect as well.
Last season it was normal to expect Davie to be watching his defense throughout most of practice, overseeing what defensive coordinator Greg Mattison was doing. He may have shouted-out some instruction from the cart that he used at practice.
Head coach Tyrone Willingham is more of a silent observer.
"He's very to the point, he doesn't waste too many words," Faine said. "He's a real direct man and I think that gets the job done."
Although Willingham is a man of few words, the words he chooses to share with his team hit home.
"Coach Willingham picks and chooses his words very carefully and only says things that are really necessary," Watson said. "He's not a real big talker and that makes what he says taken more to heart. He doesn't say just coach's lines."
In addition to being a silent observer, Watson said, Willingham roams. That very distinct difference, although obvious, makes it very difficult for the players to even make the comparison between last year's practice atmosphere and this year's.
"I don't know if it's a fair comparison, just because Coach Willingham is more of a roam-about coach," Watson said. "He deals in terms of offense and defense, and as everybody knows, Coach Davie was more of a defensive coach. He was with us more so I don't think I can give an accurate description of that."
So while the major changes take place under the eye of the unconnected observer and the subtle change in atmosphere takes place under the eye of the athlete, Faine thinks that the team's goal is the same.
He said, "It's pretty much we're just out there doing the same thing, trying to win games."
Contact Katie McVoy at mcvo5695@saintmarys.edu.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, April 17, 2002
