Third and Shorts

Frank Boyles Award
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Since 1996, the Frank Broyles Award has gone to the nation’s top assistant football coach. The award is named in honor of longtime Arkansas athletic director and former Razorbacks coach Frank Broyles. During his coaching career Broyles developed a reputation for producing outstanding assistants with more than 25 becoming head coaches at the college or professional level. Among the former Broyles’ assistants were Joe Gibbs, Hayden Fry, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill, and Barry Switzer.

Each NCAA Division I head coach may nominate one of his assistants for the Broyles Award. The finalists are then chosen by an eight-man panel that may be the most prestigious in the game: Broyles, former Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler, former Georgia coach Vince Dooley, former Washington coach Don James, former Syracuse coach Dick MacPherson, former Baylor coach Grant Teaff, former BYU coach LaVell Edwards, and former Iowa Coach Hayden Fry.

The previous winners include three that have gone on to head coaching jobs:

1996 Mickey Andrews Defensive Coordinator Florida State

1997 Jim Herrmann Defensive Coordinator Michigan

1998 David Cutcliffe Offensive Coordinator Tennessee

1999 Ralph Friedgen Offensive Coordinator Georgia Tech

2000 Mark Mangino Offensive Coordinator Oklahoma

2001 Randy Shannon Defensive Coordinator Miami

2002 Norm Chow Offensive Coordinator USC

2003 Brian VanGorder Defensive Coordinator Georgia

Announced in mid-January, this year’s winner was Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizik. The finalists included: Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator Chuck Long, California defensive coordinator Bob Gregory, Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker, Boise State offensive coordinator Chris Peterson, and Connecticut offensive coordinator Norries Wilson.

The 43 year old Chizik, Defensive Coordinator of the Tigers, was the architect of Auburn’s rock-solid defense. Through an undefeated 13-0 season the Tigers were a dominant defensive team. Consider Auburn’s defensive statistics:

• Finished first in scoring defense (9.7 Points per game)

• Allowed only 19 touchdowns in 13 games

• Allowed only 4 rushing touchdowns in 13 games

• Forced 25 turnovers

• Held opponents to an average of 3.3 yards per rushing attempt

• Finished fifth in overall defense.

Since his arrival at Auburn in 2002, Chizik has guided Auburn to consistent national rankings in a number of defensive categories. The Tigers finished 13th in scoring defense in 2002 and ninth in 2003. A former linebacker at the University of Florida, Chizik previously coached at Seminole High School in St. Petersburg, Clemson, Middle Tennessee State, Stephen F. Austin, and Central Florida. While at UCF, he turned around a defense that ranked 81st the year before his arrival, to a number 16 national ranking in total defense in 2001.

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College Football Transactions:

Head Coaches: Eastern New Mexico elevated Mark Ribaudo to head coach to succeed the retired Harold “Bud” Elliott. Ribaudo has been defense coordinator for the past eight seasons... Donavon Larson announced plans to retire as head coach at Hamline... New Mexico head coach Rocky Long was awarded a contract extension through 2009. Long has guided the Lobos since the 1997-98 season...Van Nickert resigned as head coach at Kalamazoo, but will continue as an assistant. Nickert took over the top spot in February after working as an assistant for the Hornets’ program for 21 seasons... David Dunn was hired as head coach at Becker. Most recently, Dunn has been running backs coach at Florida Atlantic... Henderson State head coach Jesse Branch resigned after four seasons... Bob Bierie retired as head coach at Loras. Bierie, who will continue with the school for the next two years assisting the athletics development staff, has been in charge of the program for 25 seasons... Brad Smith resigned as head coach at Chadron State but will continue as director of athletics at the school. Bill O’Boyle, an assistant football coach for the past 14 years, was named as interim head coach.... Augustana (South Dakota) promoted offensive coordinator Brad Salem to head coach to succeed Jim Heinitz who retired after being the Vikings’ coach for 17 years... Dominic Livedoti was named as head coach at Olivet to succeed Irv Sigler who retired after three years in charge of the program.

Assistants: South Carolina added Steve Spurrier Jr. as receivers coach, Mark Smith as strength coach, Mark Latina as offensive line coach and Jamie Speronis as director of football operations... Mark Hutson was promoted to assistant head coach at Eastern Illinois and will also continue to serve as offensive line coach... Arkansas tabbed Reggie Herring, former defensive coordinator North Carolina State, as defensive coordinator... Kentucky elevated Joker Phillips to offensive coordinator... Donnie Thompson was named as assistant head coach and defensive line coach at East Carolina... also at East Carolina, Phil Petty was selected as an assistant coach... Gary Andersen was promoted to defensive coordinator and Jay Hill was elevated to secondary coach at Utah... Greg Mattison was hired as co-defensive coordinator at Florida. For the past five seasons, Mattison has worked as defensive line coach at Notre Dame. (Courtesy: NCAA News) Please send all coaching transactions – high school, college, or professional – to AFM’s Managing Editor Rex Lardner: rlardner@lcclark.com

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Coach at War
My Experiences During Operation Iraqi Freedom

by Coach Bill Hanifin Defensive Coordinator/ Strength Coach, East High School, Rochester, NY

This isn’t just any fall season in America. Our nation is at war. Instead of raking leaves in the backyard, munching on hot dogs, watching football games, coaching football games, shopping for holiday turkeys, tens of thousands of our neighbors and friends and fellow citizens are currently at risk on foreign soil. They get up every day, pull on their body armor and helmets, and set off on dangerous missions whose success or failure could ultimately affect the lives of millions of people. Some of these Americans will die. And, they are doing this on my behalf and yours. Some of these Americans are our football players, the ones we’ve coached and taught throughout the years.

We must be prepared for what JFK called a “long, twilight struggle” and remember his pledge that the US would “pay any price, bear any burden, met any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”

This is A Real War... Don’t ever take anything for granted...

We’ve had some tough moments in Iraq this year. But every war has low points that victorious nations must grind through-like with football games and schedules. The difference between Civilizations or Teams that triumph and those that surrender is often simply a matter of keeping your determination and fighting spirit intact through the down days. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. There is always hope. And, good will overcome evil.

For more than three years, there have been no terrorist attacks on US soil. As some of my soldier acquaintances put it, “we are now playing an away schedule” with the fighting of this war shifted to the other guy’s backyard. Americans should be thankful...

What is the “backyard” like? Will, I am going to only give you some real “American Perspectives.” This country, Iraq, is a very poor country. I mean, the people live in poverty much worse than we could imagine. The people were also held back from becoming educated and successful with their lives. A person’s word does mean a great deal. Trust really goes a long way. Some other perspectives to think about and that you can smile about, be happy about, and know that there is a Great American Spirit over here.

I am assigned at TAJI Military Training Base (Iraqi training side). I love football. In fact, I love football way too much. I should – I am a football coach. I just finished watching Coach Hatcher and his Valdosta State Blazers win the National Championship. It was on ESPN and in our Dining Facility yesterday morning. Great Victory for that program. Great season for both teams and for all the teams in Division 2.

My friend, Coach Fred Cassin, sends me newspaper clippings from the Rochester, NY area on the High School Teams and the College team he coaches: St. John Fisher College. They too had a great season. Congratulations to all... Thanks Fred. Me, I am a BIG Georgia Bulldog fan. I have a “G” flag hanging next to my brother’s 82nd Airborne flag. I have my “G” baseball cap – only other “hat” I wear besides what is required. And, I have been able to socialize with some other “BullDawg” fans – fellow soldiers. My Chaplain, Col. Paul Womack, is a huge Tennessee fan and had to bust my behind this year when his Volunteers caught us by surprise. I live next door to him and I could not count the number of “T’s on my door the next morning. That’s OK – at least he’s a SEC fan... Our Streets are named by some very high-spirited individuals and units. Many College Football fans too. We have Gamecock Road, Razorback Blvd., Seminole Place, Georgia Blvd. and Bulldog Lane – See that. Two streets named for Georgia Bulldog fans. Great to see the spirit.

Our Armed Services Radio and TV provide coverage of big games and we stay up all night just to watch our favorite teams play. Something also awesome that I was able to experience: My Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major Chris Robb, was Pat Tillman’s Sergeant Major at Fort Benning, Georgia during the time Pat Tillman went through basic training, etc. What an awesome experience. What a role model Pat Tillman is to us all. There is more to life, spirit, duty, honor etc. than making millions.

The spirit of football continues to live through another’s sacrifice – thanks to all the soldiers that played for us coaches. We will always remember you...

In my free time, I try to write articles for the New York State High School Football Coaches Association. I also try to keep up on some reading – of course on football subjects, etc. Otherwise I try to stay in shape and stay sharp with the strength training and conditioning of my own body and for those who I coach at East High School. Sounds like I may be concentrating on football but, believe me, I am concentrating on the soldiers under my authority, their safety and need for them to accomplish their mission and return home to their families. I am also concentrating on myself, my safety, and how I am going to react to my family when I come home. THE REAL HEROES – OUR FAMILIES...

I would like to thank the people at American Football Monthly for allowing me to share this story with you. I thank all my football friends, my non-football friends and mostly my family. They are the ones making the biggest sacrifices. THEY ARE MY HEROES.

Football is alive and well throughout the world. It does motivate and keep people together. It does develop the relationships and friendships in our lives. It is important in building trust, character and a sense of TEAM.

Please, all the coaching profession, friends and ANYONE. Don’t be afraid to go to a spouse of a soldier and thank them for their sacrifice. Don’t be afraid to approach a veteran and thank them for their sacrifices. Give your children hugs and tell them you love them. Give your spouse a hug and tell her you love her, too. To contact Coach Hanifin, you can email him at william.hanifin@us.army.mil

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