Coach to Coach: The Turnaround

Prior to the season, If you would have told any rational Auburn fan or even most returning players that they would be playing for the 2013 national title, I think most would have been skeptical at best.

There was excitement within the football program at the University of Auburn last off-season when they hired Gus Malzahn as their head coach. Malzahn had been instrumental in Auburn’s success during the 2010 National Title season. But the team had only won 3 games in 2012 and was winless in the SEC. To take a winless conference team and win the conference title and play for a national title  the very next year would be implausible for even the most fanatical fan.

Florida State also found renewed success under the leadership of head coach Jimbo Fisher. In his first year as head coach, the Seminoles reached the ACC title game for the first time since 2003 and four seasons later he had his team in the national championship for the first time since 1999.

There are many other examples of coaches who have turned programs around in quick fashion. In looking at these coaches and their teams, each had their own circumstances and challenges but each followed a plan that resulted in great success.

Earlier this year, I accepted  the associate head football coach and offense coordinator positions at Shasta College in Redding, California. In 2012, the team had won 3 games and was 1-4 in conference play. This season we won 6 games and went 4-1 in conference, winning a share of our conference championship. Our success was certainly not as dramatic as the turnaround at Auburn but going from the bottom to the top of our conference was a rewarding accomplishment.

Turning a struggling team and program into a winning team and program takes work. Sometimes it happens very quickly, as in the case of Auburn, but in other circumstances it takes a little time. Regardless of how rapid success comes, it is very obtainable if a well-designed plan is implemented and the support to carry out the plan is given. In looking at some of the coaches that have had tremendous success in turning programs around, I think there are some things that they have in common. If you find yourself in a rebuilding situation, you may find some of these ideas helpful.

1. Know who and what you are.

Every coach has strengths and weaknesses. Some are great at leadership and organization while others might be gifted in motivation and scheme. Coaches who know who they are and what they are when it comes to devising a winning plan can implement their plan in rapid order. When Jimbo Fisher took over the FSU program he stated, “Empowered, confident athletes are winners. My goal is to get the structure, the staff and the support resources in place to facilitate a winning plan and get players into the structure and start effecting change now.” 

Coach Fisher had a mission statement that guided his early decision making when he took over the program. He wanted structure, resources and confident athletes. Notice he said nothing about scheme. He was focused on building a staff that cultivated a climate of confidence and empowerment. I am sure he hired people who were very good at the Xs and Os part of the equation but his initial statement spoke of a culture change, not a schematic change.

When Malzahn took over at Auburn, he focused on starting fresh and forgetting about the 2012 season. He stated shortly after being hired, “I told the players, ‘I don’t care what you’ve done in the past. I don’t care what happened last year. We’re starting over,’” Malzahn continued. “I promise you this – we’re going to get back to playing good, hard-nosed Auburn football.” He brought a new attitude to Auburn. He also brought a renewed focus on how they would schematically be known, “No-huddle training. That’s our philosophy,” he said. When you are given the task of turning a program around, you must know who and what you are. Your confidence in your philosophy and plan has to be unwavering.

Hire people who will pull the rope in the same direction. The last thing anyone needs when they are trying to change the culture of a program is dissention and confusion. There needs to be one unified voice and message among the entire football staff. Coaching Xs and Os can be taught and improved but loyalty and a commitment to the cause is of paramount importance when putting together a staff. In coaching, you’re either All In or All Out and that attitude and commitment must permeate through the coaches and be instilled in the players. Positive inertia is hard to achieve but it is impossible if some involved are pulling the rope in the opposite direction. Get rid of the dissenters and hire enthusiastic people who support your vision.

2. Have a proven offense and defensive system.

At Auburn, Coach Malzahn took many of the same kids who finished 114th in scoring  in 2012 and improved to 17th  in 2013. They went from 118th in total offense to 15th. Malzhan has a system that he knows and that he and his staff can teach. A “system” offense and defense allows the coach and the players to be confident in their assignments. It also sets the parameters for recruiting and player development. Often the word “system” is frowned upon when describing an offense or defense, but in reality it is simply a systematic methodology in developing and executing a specific offense and defense plan.

This basically goes back to knowing who and what you are as a coach. You, your staff and your team should be able to articulate your identity when it comes to offense and defense. If you were to ask my staff or players about our offense, they would tell you that we are a balanced, spread, fast-paced offense. We pride ourselves on being able to run the ball with great effectiveness as well as execute a diverse pass package. This season we finished #1 in the conference in scoring offense, averaging 49 points a game. We did it with a balanced and fast-paced attack that I have been running as a coach for many years. Our staff and players know who and what we are and, in knowing that, we all have great confidence in executing our offense at a very high level. When building or rejuvenating a program, don’t grasp at straws. Have a system that everyone believes in and is willing to execute with great enthusiasm and energy.

3. Pay attention to the details.

Success is often found in the details that some overlook. I have coached with coaches who are detail-oriented and who pay attention to the small things and I have coached with guys who do not. The very good and successful coaches are detail-oriented. John Wooden, one of the greatest coaches of all time, stated, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” Win the details war and you will often win the football war.

If you find yourself in a situation that demands an overhaul of culture and character, I hope you find a few of these ideas helpful. Rebuilding can be demanding but it is also very rewarding. Being a part of the process can provide a jolt of energy and satisfaction that is reserved for those who have stayed the course and reaped the rewards of success.