AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Getting Defensive

With Woody Widenhofer
© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

When Woody Widenhofer decided to end his seven-year relationship with Vanderbilt (1995-2001) as the school’s 25th head coach, the legendary defensive guru, who won four Super Bowl rings as a defensive coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers, thought about leaving football for good.

“I was going to retire after I stepped down at Vanderbilt, but Hal called me and convinced me to come down here,” said Widenhofer. “I just met so many people that have such tremendous passion about building this program, so I asked myself, why retire now when I can come down here and lend a hand and do the best I can to help get this program off the ground?”

Coach Widenhofer and Coach Mumme had been friends for years and had always talked about the possiblitiy of joining their philosophies into one football program.

“We saw each other last spring at the Sisters of the Poor Claire Charity Golf Tournament in Memphis and we talked about the possibility of working together. He and I had a real good relationship and we sorta made a pact that whoever got a job first would – if the other was still available – try to get the other on board. So, when it came time I called and invited Woody to Southeastern to just take a look. He stayed about four days, met our president and AD. We took him around town and he loved the place. He called about two weeks later and took the job.

“I think he is genius,” he added. “First of all, the 3-4 defense is not as popular as the 4-3 because most people don’t know how to use it. I hated playing Vanderbilt; Woody drove Spurrier nuts and he drove me nuts.”

Widenhofer grew up in Riverview, Mich., along with childhood friends Lloyd Carr and Bill McCartney. Although Widenhofer had football in his blood from the start, he attributes his coaching success to former Steelers head coach Chuck Noll.

“Coach Noll had more influence on me than anyone else,” said Widenhofer. “He was the best person that I have ever been around as far as having priorities squared away. Of course, he was a great football coach and a great leader, but he was just a great person to be around.”

Under Widenhofer, Vandy’s defense terrorized the SEC. The Commadores never possessed the roster of Tennessee, but you could always count on Widenhofer’s defense to be well prepared and tenacious.

“We had a very good scheme with good kids and we would coach them as well as we could,” said Widenhofer, who has coached legends such as Jack Lambert and Jack Hamm in the NFL. “A couple of corners or linebackers is all I need to put some pressure on the quarterback.

“My big deal is breaking down the protections and drawing audibles. If you know what the audible is, then you check out of your blitz when they audible. Then audible your scheme to what they audibled to. We want to create confusion. You know, Tennessee’s Peyton Manning threw only one touchdown in three years against us at Vanderbilt.”

Widnehofer looks forward to the challenge of coaching in the Southland Conference against teams such as Northwestern State, Stephen F. Austin, Nichols State and Tommy Tate’s McNeese State, which played in the 2002 national championship game.

“This is really special for me,” said Widenhofer. “I am used to being a pro coach or I-A coach, but we spent last year literally teaching players who were out there simply for the love of the game. I really respected that because they work their tail off and they listen to every word you tell them.

“I just love coaching,” he concluded. “A coach is a teacher and football is your subject matter. The pupils are your players and your test is on Saturday afternoon.”





NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved