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AFM Magazine


The Way It Used To Be

Football coaching legends share their experiences on the gridiron before laptops, charter jets and mega-million dollar facilities
by: Rex Lardner
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If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football.

American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – coaches provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes, but perhaps you can at least try them on. So sit back and enjoy the game of football “the way it used to be.”


Changes in the Game

Vince Dooley
Legendary Georgia Coach Vince Dooley led the Bulldogs as their Head Coach for 25 years-1964-1988-and recently announced his retirement as Athletic Director...his reflections on the major changes in college football over the past four decades.

“I think the college game now is the most exciting game we’ve ever had. Over the years there have been changes in offense-from single wing, wing T, wishbone, veer, straight T, I formation, and the like with, over time, defenses adjusting to the style of defense and, eventually, catching up with the offense.

“The two major changes over the years have been in the passing game: rules that have helped offensive linemen with pass protection and the sophisticated style of offense now used by many college programs. The college game has been influenced by the pro game and many colleges have installed pro-type passing offenses.

“Fundamentals, however, have not changed over the years. It is still important to be consistent in all areas of play-offense, defense, and special teams. Teams have to block and tackle to be successful. Today’s players are more aware of everything around them and discipline is a key for all coaches. There’s no question there are more challenges daily with personnel than ever before. A coach still must be fair but firm.”

Bob Crable
Cincinnati Moeller’s Bob Crable enters his third season this fall as Head Coach at his Alma Mater...the two time All-America linebacker at Notre Dame still holds the all-time Irish record for career tackles with 521.

His thoughts on what it was like playing at Moeller (‘74-’77) and now coaching there: “ It was a tremendous experience playing for Coach Faust (legendary coach Jerry Faust) for four years. We won three state championships and Coach Faust had unbelievable parental support during my years as a player. His weekly goals were not so much to beat your next opponent but to improve yourself individually from week-to-week. It was always to be the best possible player you could be.

“I took that to Notre Dame and became more focused than ever on being the best possible player Bob Crable could be (Crable was a two time consensus All-America in 1980-81). Coaching, though, is different now with today’s players having so many choices. I believe overall the passion for the sport is less because kids have so many other opportunities and it has become more difficult for them to focus on one thing.

“If you talk to successful people in any walk of life, the underlying trait in nearly all of them is a focus on their overall objective. We understand today’s athlete may want to be more balanced in other sports throughout the year but it still doesn’t preclude him from being the best football player he can. Our job is to help the kids focus and help them understand what’s necessary to be a champion.”

A Legendary Coach

Barry Tompkins
Tompkins has nearly four decades of television on-air experience as a reporter, anchor and play-by-play announcer. A recipient of six Ace Awards and four Emmy awards, Tompkins currently covers over 60 events a year for Fox Sports Net. His reflections on former Stanford and 49er’s coach Bill Walsh:

“I’ve always been a fan of Bill Walsh and have learned more about the game from him than anyone else. When Bill went back to coaching at Stanford after being with the San Francisco 49ers, he was steeped in the ‘business’ of football. But, at Stanford-while football might have been the end-all, it wasn’t always the be-all and that made Bill a little crazy.

“He had a cornerback by the name of Eliel Swinton who was a pretty good cover guy, but Bill always thought that Swinton’s best position was at safety. One day he went to him and said, ‘Eliel, I think your future is as a safety,’ and Eliel calmly responded, ‘Bill, my future is as a film producer.’ It was a foreign concept to Bill who left Stanford to return to the pro game the next season..”






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