1 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: Hey, what a welcome, and I'm Doug Gottlieb and this 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: is All Ball. I'll talk a little bit about my 3 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: experience in college hoops and some of these articles that 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: are that are coming out, which is interesting, and then 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: we'll get you a very special All Ball guest. Our 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: All Ball guest is actually a head college football coach 7 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: and a really really good one, and I just think 8 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: that his journey, his story. Lanthley pulls our guest on 9 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: these next two All Ball pods. I just think we 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: can all if you're a sports fan. I mean, that's 11 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: what All balls about. This is kind of deep dive 12 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: inside sports, and a lot of it for me is 13 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: as you guys know, I use it to learn. It's 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: like it's like a professional I don't know, consulting hour 15 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: or so. So Lanceley pulls our guest on this version 16 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 1: of All Ball. At the time of this recording, we've 17 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: just won our second conference game, and obviously a lot 18 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: of the weight has been lifted off our players back, 19 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: some off of my back, and now that we've gotten 20 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: to four wins on the season, we still have one 21 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 1: more home game before we head on the road to 22 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: begin the Horizon League Tournament. And as we've told people, hey. 23 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 2: There's. 24 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: We have eleven games left, you know, on our schedule, 25 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: actually still twelve games left, I guess, right, right, because 26 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: one and then you got to win four games to 27 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: win the conference tournament, and then we'd have to win 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: seven games to win the NCAA tournament. So it's still 29 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: some meat on the bone out there for us. But 30 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: there is something really special about a group coming together 31 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: when so many have frayed apart. And I would guess 32 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: if you listened to this podcast, you like my work, 33 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: whether you like me personally, and I just I think 34 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: it's really really interesting in many ways. The misperception of 35 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: what we do on pods, what we do on radio. 36 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: You know, it's like even the lebron Bronnie take, like 37 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: I'm not some fucking hot take artist, right. And my 38 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: analysis of Bronnie going back to high school was I 39 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: thought it'd be a damn good college player. He was 40 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: not a McDonald's All American. He wasn't close. Nobody thought that. 41 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: Nobody thought that. And then at USC he'd looked like 42 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: a freshman. And my advice was, go play a duquane 43 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: for one of your best friends. Have a great college 44 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: career and if then you want to play in the 45 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: NBA and you know your dad can help you, like great, 46 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: But the shoehorning him in JJ Reddick saying he's you know, 47 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: he's earned all of this, like all of that, it's 48 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: just so fake. It's like one of those don't you 49 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: have real friends that you're like, I don't know if 50 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: I like this now to look for Lebron's Lebron's credit, 51 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: like maybe he doesn't care what anybody thinks. This is 52 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: he wants to do what he wants to do and 53 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: what better way to end your NBA career? And I 54 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: would be surprised if he wants to have Bryce play 55 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: with him. 56 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: Now. 57 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: Bryce is not nearly this accomplished as Brownie, and you 58 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: know he's going to Arizona. I don't see him playing 59 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: very much in Arizona. But maybe the plan there is 60 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: don't worry about it, go there for a year. Come 61 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: and dad wants to play for two years. Then you'll 62 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: play with both your boys. And there is something really 63 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: cool about like I'm playing in the NBA and watching 64 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: my sons grow up, Like that's very cool. But what 65 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't say is, hey, we want to win championships 66 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: when they take up roster spots of guys that you 67 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: need because they're not capable of playing. But none of 68 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: it is like hot, Like a hot take to me 69 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: is like an out of nowhere something that is not 70 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: so over the top in terms of a statement that 71 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: that it's it's not based upon real life. You know, 72 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: it's like, uh, what is the We had somebody on 73 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio say that, like when Lamar Jackson was 74 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: in a contract kind on a dispute or whatever with 75 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: with the Baltimore Evens, Like mar Will never played for 76 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: the Baltimore Evens. Again, it was a couple of years ago. 77 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: He's playing for the Baltimore Evens. Like, do you have 78 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: any factual information to that? No, if not, that's a 79 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: hot take. So the misperception of how we do what 80 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 1: we do, Like I'm not gonna say I'm milk toast. 81 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: I have opinions, but they're all based upon sports, and 82 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: they're all relatively reasonable, I think. But the part that 83 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: I don't know I take the most pride in first 84 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: is I have a team. We lost twenty two games 85 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: in a row. It doesn't it doesn't seem possible we did, 86 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: and yet we kept him together, kept him fighting, and 87 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 1: they're closer now than they've ever been. There a really, 88 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: really good group of kids. So I take great pride 89 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: in like I had. There was one article that was 90 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: written that said we didn't have great culture, and it 91 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: was from somebody who had never been to Green Bay, 92 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: never been to a game, hadn't seen my team or whatever, like, hey, 93 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 1: we we had some growing up to do as a staff, 94 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: as a roster, as a program, but we have grown 95 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: up and that I would challenge anybody to be around 96 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: our group and think we don't have good culture. 97 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: We have great culture. 98 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: And then we have a really young group. But the 99 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: part I take most pride in is and I think 100 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: they're out of a place of honesty because they don't 101 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: have to. But coach is pulling you aside, saying because 102 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: you're doing a good job, because they're getting better, which 103 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: means they think we know what we're doing. And I 104 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: don't care about outside noise of people on social media. 105 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: I actually don't really care about media people because not 106 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 1: the analysts, but most of the media people. They weren't athletes, 107 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: they weren't coaches, they haven't really been inside it. They 108 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: don't actually know shit either. But people that matter that 109 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: watch the games and they're like, oh, getting better or 110 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: not getting better and alfer hous feedback, those are the 111 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: ones I take most pride in because they're giving good 112 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 1: feedback that we are getting better. 113 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 3: Be sure to catch live editions of The Doug Gottlieb 114 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific on Fox 115 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 3: Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. 116 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: But part of my professional development series is reaching out 117 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: to people who I am fascinated with what they've been 118 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: able to do at different places, how they've been able 119 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: to build it going through good years, bad years, tough 120 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: places to coach. And our guest this week is Lanslee Poll. 121 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: When you hear his story, you'd be like, wow, that's 122 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: crazy crazy. He was a Division III player, Division three coach. 123 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: He did have some Division one, Division two opportunities and 124 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: did some other things, but at the end of the day, 125 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: he was at Whitewater and could have been just a 126 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: legendary Whitewater and coach there for his entire life. But 127 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: instead he took a shot on building it at Buffalo 128 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: and then eventually now at Kansas, and he's done some 129 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: remarkable things. So let's catch up with the head coach 130 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: of the Kansas Jayhawks and Football, Lance Sleepold. I'm Doug Gottlieb. 131 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: This is All Ball and welcome in this version of 132 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: All Ball is our part two of Lance Sleepold. He's 133 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: a head coach at Kansas Football. And in this portion 134 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: of our discussion, we'll get to KU, right, what was 135 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: it like to take over, how you built it, how 136 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: you've been able to build, what feels like it's sustainable. 137 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: And first we'll get to why take the KU job? 138 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: Why leave Buffalo after he had built that one? So 139 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: we'll get to all that. A little basketball within this is, 140 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: you know, we talk a lot about my college team, 141 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: and we can talk about the journey and what Championship 142 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: Week is like, because that comes up this coming week 143 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: and we'll start our journey on Tuesday. That'll be the 144 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: first game in the Horizon League Tournament. Of course, those 145 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: are hom sides first two rounds or home sites. We 146 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: did not get a buy obviously, were the last seed, 147 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: so we'll play the sixth seed on the road, and 148 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: then if we win, we played the one seed on 149 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: the road, which is Robert Morris. But I do think 150 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: before we depart from the NBA because that's March. We 151 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: like forget about the NBA for a month. You know, 152 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: the most underdiscussed portion of the Luca trade is that 153 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis. He's not Luca. I think Luca's awesome. I 154 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: think Luca's the best offensive player in the league. But 155 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis was pretty special and I may have even 156 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: underrated him, undersold him for most of his career and 157 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: the last year and a half that he's been healthy 158 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: with the Lakers and you go back to win they 159 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: won the championship. I mean, he's he's a motherfucker. He's 160 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: a motherfucker. So I'm personally excited to see what that 161 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: group looks like when he gets healthy, because now you 162 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 1: have Kyrie, remember you're gonna have Derek Lively and what's 163 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: the kid from Arkansas defending the rim? And that allows 164 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis to play mostly the four, and man, I 165 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: mean he just killed dudes. So excited to see what 166 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: it looks like. And it's like the least discussed portion 167 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: of the trade is you know, Anthony Davis is really 168 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,199 Speaker 1: really good. I still think the Mavericks need a point guard. 169 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: Kyrie's not really a point guard, but there should be 170 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: incredible defensively, and they do have a lot of shooting, 171 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: and they do have riom protection and they were in 172 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: the NBA finals last year. All right, let's get back 173 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 1: to some football discussion. Why would you leave your first 174 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: Division one job a couple of years in to go 175 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: take on the Kansas football issue. Kansas football has been 176 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: good like two years in the past thirty Why would 177 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: Lance Leopold do it? And how has he turned this 178 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: sing around? And what was that first year like when 179 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: they won two games? Let's get to that discussion right 180 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: now with Landsleep. He's the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks. 181 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: And we always joked in the Big Twelve and those 182 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: of you who listen to the pod, no, I'm a 183 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: Big twelve alum. I haven't played oklhand State that wait till 184 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: Kansas goes Division one and football. We used to joke, 185 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,959 Speaker 1: right because KU for the life of my existence within 186 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: the Oklahoma State family, which is nineteen ninety seven until now, 187 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: there was a like a two or three year spurt 188 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: there where they were really competitive and obviously, you know, 189 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: you talk about competing for an Orange Bowl, but outside 190 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: of that, the stadium hadn't been updated and it just 191 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:48,599 Speaker 1: didn't feel like at the level of the rest of 192 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: the league. With all that changed when our guest in 193 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: today's pod took over. He's the head coach, and he's 194 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: taken Kansas not only to consistent success in the Big Twelve, 195 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: but so much so. New stadium is right on the horizon, 196 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: and everyone I think used Kansas football at a completetive 197 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: and Mighty's Lance Leopold. He joins us now on the 198 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: All Ball podcast. 199 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 2: Let's start with. 200 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: You before you took over the job. And I usually 201 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: like to go in chronological order and start with growing 202 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: up in Wisconsin. We'll get to that. But when you 203 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: were a Division three head coach at Whitewater, your alma mater, 204 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: did you ever think about Kansas football in reality? 205 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 2: No, no, Doug, not at all. I had spent ten 206 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 2: of the previous thirteen years in Omaha, Nebraska coaching Division 207 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 2: two ball. I think when I went to Whitewater, my 208 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 2: wife's from Omaha. I thought, if there was ever another move, 209 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: maybe the coach that i'd worked for all that time, 210 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 2: when he retired, maybe I'd be a Division two head coach. 211 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 2: There wasn't any big grand plan to try to be 212 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 2: an FBS head coach in the MAC or the Big 213 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 2: twelve or anything. I think I'm probably living a when 214 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 2: you really look at it, Oh, no question. 215 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 1: But I mean even when you thought of Big twelve, 216 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: like Kansas was so far down the list of schools 217 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: that you'd want to talk about. You know, it's like, 218 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: I know, you worked in Nebraska for a little bit, 219 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: like Nebraska, like Okay, that was that's big time college football. 220 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: Oklahoma it's big time college football. And then and then 221 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: there's Kansas. It's very unique that you take over at 222 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: Kansas and you stay at a Kansas when you've got success. 223 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 2: Right well, you know, I joked. I joked as we 224 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 2: were having success in the twenty two and twenty three 225 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 2: season that sometimes our communications staff would you know, they 226 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: give you those little tidbits before you do an interview 227 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 2: about this is the first time since whatever year and 228 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 2: whatever time that something had been accomplished and some of 229 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 2: those things had gone back into the nineteen thirties or something. 230 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: I said, if I really would have done a good 231 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 2: job doing my research, I probably would have interviewed for 232 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 2: the job. But there were some things there, and there's 233 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 2: some tough times, but you know, the things that really 234 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 2: aligned well of opportunity. You know, when we went into Buffalo, 235 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 2: we took on a rebuilding project, and you know, we've 236 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 2: always felt that, whether it be a Division III or 237 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 2: in the MAC, that we could assemble a staff and 238 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 2: build a program and maintain consistency. And that's what we've 239 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 2: been striving for. And now that you know we've been 240 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 2: able to have success, we have commitment, we have new 241 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 2: things on the horizon, and in this new era of 242 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 2: college athletics, I think anybody has a chance in any 243 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 2: given year. 244 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: I completely agree with you. Let's start back going to college. 245 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 2: Right. 246 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: You went to Whitewater's Division III program. What was it 247 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: like for you in terms of deciding on a school 248 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: growing up in Wisconsin? 249 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I grew up my parents went to Whitewater, 250 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 2: my sister went to everybody. I grew up about fifteen 251 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 2: minutes from Whitewater. I originally was going to go to 252 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 2: Western Michigan and then my mother had been diagnosed with 253 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 2: cancer that summer and decided to kind of re reevaluate, 254 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 2: stay closer a home. Had a lot of good friends there. 255 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 2: You know. The unique thing about Division three athletics and 256 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 2: maybe you see it a little bit in your time 257 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 2: Dow in Green Bay is that the Division three state 258 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 2: schools in Wisconsin probably play a Division two type level 259 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 2: of athletics. Based on that, there's really not Division two 260 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 2: athletics in in Wisconsin. There's not FCS football, so there's 261 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 2: a good, good brand of football there. So kind of 262 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 2: went there and after after college, decided I wanted to 263 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 2: try to explore the coaching route. About nineteen ninety out 264 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 2: a chance to meet Barry Alvarez at the State Coaches 265 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 2: Clinic in Madison, and was fortunate to get hired as 266 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 2: a graduate assistant after his first year and be part 267 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 2: of that building process and from the ninety one ninety 268 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 2: two ninety three seasons. 269 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: Okay, well, let's let's go back to what were you 270 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: like as a player? 271 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: You know, I don't know. I was probably if I 272 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 2: look at it, probably drive myself crazy as a coach. 273 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 2: Probably I probably had a decent arm. I had pretty 274 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 2: good mobility. Not the fastest guy, but I could avoid 275 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 2: a rush. Probably didn't have enough pocket patients in my 276 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 2: early days. 277 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: But you guys run it like this is eighties, you 278 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: guys running power high. 279 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, we will go back then. It was some power 280 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 2: eyes of my senior year of high school. After our 281 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 2: first four games we struggled, and the head coach kind 282 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 2: of abandoned that. We actually went to the shotgun and 283 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 2: and uh and and when four receivers start spreading some 284 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 2: things out and we started evolved to that in my 285 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 2: junior year, my first full year as a starter. And 286 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 2: at Whitewater there's a game against River Falls. We threw 287 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 2: fifty seven times, so there were some times that we 288 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 2: had chance to air it out. But yeah, that football 289 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 2: back then in the eighties versus what we see now 290 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: is completely different. 291 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: Whitewater's biggest rival. 292 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 2: Is here Lacrosse Wisconsin Cross was always the rival, still 293 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 2: is to this day, and it's good, healthy rivalry of 294 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 2: two good programs. 295 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: How far what's the distance between the two places, the. 296 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 2: Two and a half maybe something like that, you know 297 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: what each side of the state there on the on 298 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 2: the border over there on on the on the western side. 299 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 2: But uh, you know, I think just the way that 300 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: league set up, you know a lot of a lot 301 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 2: of competitive people about both schools have good education programs, 302 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: and you know a lot of back in the back 303 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 2: in the seventies eighties, a lot of a lot of 304 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 2: guys that want to be teachers and coaches that end 305 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 2: up in the state went to those schools, so it 306 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 2: is always very competitive. 307 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: We got to have that conversation. Do people I have 308 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: one kid who wants to be a coach, but do 309 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: kids still want to be coaches? Does anybody go like, hey, 310 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: I just I just want. 311 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: To be a coach? Well, yeah, I think we have 312 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 2: to worry about today. Sometimes at this level, you got 313 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 2: to make sure people want to coach for the right 314 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 2: reason and making impacts and and love of the game. 315 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 2: I think, you know, at our levels now, the money's 316 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 2: the money is excellent, and sometimes you got to make 317 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 2: sure that you're going to go into it. And you know, 318 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 2: I say to some of our younger coaches now that 319 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 2: I'm on the older side of things about paying your 320 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 2: dues and a lot of times about you know, having 321 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 2: to you know, do do some of the things of 322 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 2: lining fields and doing laundry and doing things at the 323 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 2: smaller college level sometimes right now, you know, some some 324 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 2: people want to be coordinators before their even position coaches. 325 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 2: So I think there is I think there's people that 326 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 2: love the game and do some things. But like you're saying, 327 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 2: is I think sometimes guys dip their toes in the 328 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 2: water and I find out that there's a lot of 329 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 2: hours and a lot of things go into it, and 330 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 2: just showing up for practicing games right. 331 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: Well, they also think what the head coach at the 332 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: high major level makes is uh, it's a quick transition 333 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 1: to that which you remember once you mad your first year, 334 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 1: you get down to college and your quarterback coach at 335 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: your all the monor so, by the way, that had 336 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: to be awkward because there's a lot of guys you're 337 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: coaching who you had played with previously. 338 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't, you know. At first, I kind of 339 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 2: skipped a little bit of story. I was going to 340 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 2: go into law enforcement. I was taking the state exams 341 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 2: to be a police officer and things like. 342 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: State police or local police as well. 343 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 2: It was more I just wanted to kind of get 344 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 2: into law for so I was taking state exams for 345 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 2: different police departments and around the state. I actually ended 346 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 2: up in my hometown working part time and went to 347 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 2: the academy. Part what were you doing? Hold on, what 348 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 2: were you what were you doing part time? Back then 349 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 2: they let you in a squad car. I was like, 350 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 2: you know, well, you were a part time with the police. Yeah, 351 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 2: and I was going to Yeah, back then, it was 352 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 2: almost like you know, one bullet Barney Fife and they 353 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: give you a car and you're kind of shadowing with people. 354 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 2: And I would I would do these the segments of 355 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 2: the academy at Waukee Shaw Tech and and they're outside 356 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 2: of Milwaukee and and and do some things. But but 357 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 2: I didn't have any full time gig. As Paul Camp 358 00:18:57,800 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 2: rolled around, and I went down and talked to my 359 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 2: former head coach, Bob Breswitz, and he's like, hey, if 360 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: you if you want to come hang out and help 361 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 2: coach Camp, you can. And I went down there and 362 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 2: start helping and I never left. And I think you're 363 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 2: kind of saying, what do you get paid and stuff? 364 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 2: I think I got five hundred dollars my first year. 365 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 2: And I tell people this all the time, Doug is 366 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 2: I never made over fifteen thousand dollars until I was 367 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 2: thirty years old. And it's it's been a long it 368 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 2: was a long ride, and and you know. 369 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: You'd have to apologize to nobody coach zero zero people 370 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 1: you have to apologize to here, So why keep doing 371 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: the coaching and not go to law enforcement? Were you 372 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: a mad top. That was that your problem? 373 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you it was twofold one. It was 374 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 2: hard to get full time employment just going through all 375 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 2: the state exams and the procedures at the time. But 376 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 2: you know, even back in my in my small hometown, 377 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 2: you know a lot of those things. In those I 378 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 2: was the only person in the department, even as part time, 379 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 2: that had a college degree. But yet it was seniority based. 380 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 2: And and I'm working third shift. A lot usually was 381 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 2: just filling shifts. There would be vacations, and you know, 382 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 2: a guy take a week or two whatever, or somebody 383 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 2: goes to the academy for some special training, and and 384 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,399 Speaker 2: then somebody does a fill in, and the guys working 385 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 2: third shift want to work second or first. So and 386 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 2: then there's one night in a small town of about 387 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 2: six thousand people at the time where a car hasn't 388 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 2: gone by in three hours and I and I'm sitting 389 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 2: there thinking to myself, I thought I went to college, 390 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 2: not to work third shift. Yeah, and I and instead 391 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 2: of going home and sleeping right after my shift was done, 392 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 2: I drove back to Whitewater and I got an application 393 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 2: to graduate school. 394 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: So you go to graduate school and you're a grad coach. 395 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 2: What was the experience like, Yeah, you know, I was 396 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 2: a graduate. I was a grad coach at at Whitewater 397 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 2: for a bit and doing my I kind of took us. 398 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 2: And then I took a job in a small private 399 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 2: school in Nebraska where I think, you know, you've gone 400 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 2: through your father to coach. You take those small jobs. 401 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 2: And I was running a dorm and coaching football and 402 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 2: doing intermarals and actually learned a lot through that experience. 403 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 2: And then I went back to Whitewater finished my masters. 404 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: But don't don't skip over create Nebraska, now, I don't 405 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: skip out. So okay, So your two years in grad 406 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,400 Speaker 1: school and you're coaching quarterbacks, wide receivers, your own manor 407 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: how did how did doan job come to be? 408 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 2: Well, one of my best friends of this day, who's 409 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 2: actually was Roger Hughes, who's the coach that was end 410 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 2: up being the head coach at Princeton. He started the 411 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 2: program back up at Stetson. He's actually now the president 412 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 2: of Doan University. From football coach to president like a 413 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 2: Jim Tressel. But we worked together in nineteen eighty eight 414 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:52,479 Speaker 2: in Whitewater and we became really good friends and that 415 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 2: was his alma mater, and he kind of connected me 416 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 2: with the head coach. He knew I wanted to try 417 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 2: to move up levels, but he told me, Lance, you've 418 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,479 Speaker 2: been at Whitewater too long. You need to go to 419 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 2: experience something else. And he was one hundred percent right. 420 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 2: So I went and I and I did it, and 421 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,919 Speaker 2: you know, it was again a good learning experience. 422 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 3: Okay, give me one thing. 423 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: One memory of coaching at Doan and Create Nebraska. 424 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, I remember, like we had this small, small 425 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 2: stadiums and you know they're shared with high schools, and 426 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: you know, we're fortunate at white Water. I have good 427 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 2: facilities and stuff. And we have this little press box 428 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 2: there and at the at the school and I asked 429 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 2: the guy one of the I asked the secondary coach. 430 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 2: I said, so, what side of the press box are 431 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 2: we on? And he said, we're on top of the 432 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 2: press box. I go, what do you mean we're on 433 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 2: top of the press but he goes, yeah, we sit 434 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 2: on folding chairs on top of the press box. So 435 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: my parents had come down to watch me coach my 436 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 2: first game, and here I come walking up the stands 437 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 2: with a folding chair and I had to carry the 438 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 2: folding chair up the ladder to go coach. And I'm like, here, 439 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 2: I am a big time college, big time inn Ai coach, 440 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 2: here carrying a carrying a chair up a ladder right 441 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 2: before kickoff. 442 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: What'd your parents say? 443 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 2: Yeah? Then, you know they you know, it's one of 444 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 2: those things where your parents are waiting for you to 445 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 2: find direction and get a job and kind of get 446 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 2: on it, you know, find it. But they they knew 447 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 2: from my time at Whitewater that it was something I 448 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,920 Speaker 2: was passionate about and wanted to do, and they were 449 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 2: very supportive through the years. 450 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, my dad, he loved to tell the story that 451 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: his first college job he was a he was a 452 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: high school coach. He replaced Huge Brown at fair Lawn 453 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: High School in New Jersey. That was his first job, 454 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: and then he was at Dylanvale, Ohio. He went to 455 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: Ohio State John Howich, he was a JV player, John 456 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: Hawichack Bob Knight. Those guys were star varsity players and 457 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: Hondo helped him get a job close to his hometown 458 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 1: in Dylonville, Ohio. Then he was at Colorado Springs High School. 459 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 2: For a year. 460 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: Then he was at Death Valley High School where he 461 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: drove the school bus, picked kids up, had had taught history, 462 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: had basketball practice, drove the kids home. The all timer. 463 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 2: Right. 464 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: And then when his first college job was at Quinnipiac, 465 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: which is now Division one, was then an AIA and 466 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: he was the freshman head coach, the varsity assistant, the 467 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,120 Speaker 1: head soccer coach, and the head golf coach. And he'd 468 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: never hit a golf ball. He knew nothing about soccer. 469 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 1: And so he learned about soccer by buying a begetting 470 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,199 Speaker 1: a uh, checking out a book at the library. And 471 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:31,679 Speaker 1: then he had to learn to line in the field 472 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 1: and he learned. 473 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 2: All the rules of soccer. That that's how he did. 474 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 2: Had no idea, and that's that's what you did back 475 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 2: in the day, and and and they and he loved 476 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 2: every minute of it. 477 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 1: Probably no question, no question, never a bat, never a 478 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: bad word said about Burt Kahn or Quinnipiac or or 479 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: or anything. Okay, So but one year was enough. You're like, 480 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: I'm out, I got to go back home. 481 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 2: Yeah it was. You know. Bob Breuswiz, head coach at Whitewater, 482 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 2: asked me to come back and help him, uh run 483 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 2: the offense, they had taken a dip, and uh so 484 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 2: I went back, finished up and and and completed my masters. 485 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 2: And then and then I had a chance to, like 486 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 2: like I said, to meet Barry Alvarez that spring, and 487 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 2: and uh so I started driving up the Madison a 488 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 2: lot during during spring practice. And finally, after about my 489 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 2: fourth trip, he he asked me what I had gone 490 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 2: and I said, well, I really like to be in 491 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 2: Madison and he said, well, as far as I'm concerned, 492 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,440 Speaker 2: you got the job if you wanted. So it ended 493 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 2: up being the life changing, uh opportunity for me. 494 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: Okay, but when you got there again, help me out 495 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: if I'm wrong. The year before you got there, they 496 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,199 Speaker 1: were terrible, right, that was very his first year they 497 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 1: were one in ten, Yes, sir, yes, sir, yep. So, 498 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 1: so what was what was? Because Barry Avas now is 499 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 1: like a godfather, right, it's just the ring. This guy's 500 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: done everything. What was he like then? 501 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,159 Speaker 2: No? Again, extremely confident and confident in the plan that 502 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 2: they could get it done. I mean there were times 503 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 2: where I'm sure was you know, things could waiver a 504 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 2: little bit, but he had such an excellent staff, Dan McCartney, 505 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 2: who ended up being a head coach. You know j Norbel, 506 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 2: the current head coach at Colorado State, Brad Schilders, who 507 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 2: was the NFL head coach, Bill Callahan. You know there's 508 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 2: some I look back the coach Bill Callahan. Yeah, yeah, 509 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 2: Like Bill was head coach of the Raiders Nebraska, but 510 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,919 Speaker 2: he's probably the best offensive line coach that there is. 511 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 2: And I look back at just the opportunity, the people 512 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 2: I sat in the room with and just listened to 513 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 2: about football and experiences. But we're five and six the 514 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 2: first the next year, five and six the next year, 515 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 2: then we won the Big Ten and won that first 516 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,959 Speaker 2: Rose Bowl. But watching it come together and watching his confidence, 517 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 2: the work ethic of the of the staff, all those 518 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 2: things were because you know, he always referred to things 519 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 2: between really three people. He talked about Bob Devanny, who 520 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 2: he played for at Nebraska. He talked about Lou Holtz, 521 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 2: and he talked about Hayden Fry, and he talked about 522 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 2: those people and what they were able to do in 523 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 2: building programs. I was always a great foundation. But as 524 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,160 Speaker 2: you know, Barry had a plan and he was awful 525 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 2: confident in how he did and stuck to it. 526 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 3: Be sure to catch live editions of the Doug Gottlieb 527 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 3: Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific on Fox 528 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 3: Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. 529 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: Okay, let's talk about the nineteen ninety three Rose Bowl team, 530 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,719 Speaker 1: right where he had Daryl Belvill, who's been an outstanding offense, 531 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: the coordinator in the NFL, is the quarterback. What did 532 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: you know? And that's a weird year too, because actually 533 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: the only loss in the year was to Minnesota, right 534 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 1: of all teams back when they played in the Dome. Right, 535 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: you've been around there a couple of years. Did you 536 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: know that that team was going to be something special? 537 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 2: Well, if I'd back it up the year before, Doug 538 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 2: was we're five and five, and if we beat Northwestern 539 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 2: last game of the year, we're going to go to 540 00:27:58,480 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 2: one of them. We're either going to go to the 541 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 2: free eat them bull or I forgot the other one. 542 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 2: And we were driving down to kick a game winning 543 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 2: field goal and we end up fumbling. And it was 544 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 2: heartbreaking loss because we really looked at as that going 545 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 2: to be the year that we could we could kind 546 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 2: of take take the leap into Bowld thing. But we 547 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 2: knew we had enough coming back and there was enough 548 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 2: things that we could get off to a good start. 549 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,639 Speaker 2: The pieces were in place, there was enough returning talent, 550 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:28,120 Speaker 2: and there was a good confidence to win it all. 551 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 2: Probably not, but you know, we we had that stretch 552 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 2: where we we upset Michigan, we we tie Ohio State, 553 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 2: and the place was rocking. And then we had to 554 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 2: go to Tokyo, Japan to play the last regular season 555 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 2: game to to to clinch the Rose Bowl berth against 556 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 2: Michigan State. 557 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: That's crazy, Okay, So then what's next? Like, what what 558 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: is it like to then be a part of this 559 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: meteoric rise at Wisconsin. You're from Wisconsin and you have 560 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: all of these different other future head coaches that when 561 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: you go to Rosebull you know it works. You're dealing 562 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: with it. In the last couple of years, everybody plucks 563 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: guys off staff. What were your conversations with coach al 564 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: res like and how did it affect your plan? 565 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 2: Well, you know, at that time, you know, there were 566 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 2: starting to be rumbles about a few guys being involved 567 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 2: with stuff. Actually, the job I ended up taking it 568 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: opened up while we were at the Rose Bowl, and 569 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 2: I'll always be grateful for Barry Is. We're in a 570 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 2: staff meeting, and Pat Burns is a gentleman I worked 571 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 2: for for a long time to brask Omaha. He said 572 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 2: to Jim Hubert are running back coach at the time, 573 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 2: that hey, did you see that that Pat got the 574 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 2: Omaha job? And Barry's wife is from Omaha. And he's like, 575 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 2: that could be a good job. And Jim's like, yeah, 576 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 2: I'm gonna try to get Lance in on that. And 577 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 2: then Barry goes, we're gonna call it right after this meeting, 578 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 2: So so you know, coach made phone call, try to 579 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 2: help me out there. I think that it was about 580 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 2: a year away before the guys really started and Dan 581 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 2: McCartney got the Iowa State job, and and and and 582 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 2: Brad Childers went to the NFL, and then Bill followed 583 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 2: shortly thereafter. You know, there's a lot of rumbles, a 584 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 2: lot of things going and and and guys you could 585 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 2: see were starting to get their plan to take the 586 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 2: next career move. Coach Alvarez was mentioned for NFL jobs 587 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 2: as well as others. So it's probably the first time 588 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 2: you got to you got to just keep your head down, 589 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 2: keep working hard. You know, there was an opportunity for 590 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 2: to stay and work behind the scenes and in some ways, 591 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 2: but I wanted to I wanted to coach and coach 592 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 2: a position. So it worked out for me to make 593 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 2: the move to Omaha. 594 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: When you went to UH Nebraska, you were at Nebraska 595 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: for two years? Is that Solos? 596 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 2: Yeah? It was Frank Solis. Yeah. 597 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: Why why didn't they embrace him? 598 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 2: You know? I I think, you know, expectations, the game 599 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 2: was slowly changing a little bit. There was a dip, 600 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 2: you know, sustaining as you know most places, to play 601 00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 2: at such a high level for such a long time 602 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 2: is very difficult. I think, you know, taking over for 603 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 2: a legendary coach, there was things probably in the staff 604 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 2: that he kept everybody that up until for a couple 605 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 2: of years, and then he made changes. It was when 606 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 2: he was forced to make changes and they won nine 607 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 2: games that year and then let him go even after 608 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 2: he made the staff changes. I just think there were 609 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 2: some things that after it dipped. I think the new 610 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 2: athletic director came in and wanted to hire his own person, 611 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 2: and a lot of times coaches can fall victim of that. 612 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 2: I think when Frank gave up the play calling and 613 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 2: just focused on being a head coach, I think he 614 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 2: really became a good head coach, and I think his 615 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 2: success at Ohio really showed that as well. In a 616 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 2: very difficult situation as well. But it was unfortunate because 617 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 2: Frank's a very good man. He's become a good friend 618 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 2: through our time in the MAC together. Have great respect 619 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 2: for him, and he probably gave me an opportunity that 620 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 2: has definitely helped me my career. 621 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: Two thousand and seven, your life life changed, right, Uh? 622 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: Your all the matter the job came open. What do 623 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 1: you remember about the process in job coming open and 624 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: getting it? 625 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 2: Well, you know I knew that that. You know, coach 626 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 2: Breswis had told me that he was going to be 627 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 2: stepping down. They announced it before the year. I had 628 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 2: a chance to have an informal conversation with athletic director 629 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 2: Paul Plinsky. And then then when the job officially opened, 630 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 2: they were still in the playoffs. They're making a deep run. 631 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 2: They called set up the interview right before Christmas went 632 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 2: the whitewater did it. Didn't really know where it was 633 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 2: going to land for me, my wife and I. We 634 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 2: went out to Denver to see my wife's sister and 635 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 2: family and why we're coming back, and then so Shortly 636 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 2: thereafter I got the call and was offered the job, 637 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:58,719 Speaker 2: and it was definitely life changing. 638 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 1: What what's so, what was the first or when you've 639 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: been in a place as long as you had been 640 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 1: at Whitewater some player, an assistant coach, but now you 641 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 1: roll back into town as the head coach, what's that 642 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: experience like? 643 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 2: Well, it's it's mixed emotions because you know, there's things 644 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 2: that you want to put you know, and I'm sure 645 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 2: you've done it as a head coach. Are are certain things 646 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 2: that you want to you want to do because you 647 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,280 Speaker 2: believe in them, and if you aways wanted to do it, 648 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 2: white Water is still had success and there's there sometimes 649 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 2: you know too much about some things that you want 650 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 2: to just change. And then there's but there's things that 651 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 2: you got to keep in respect tradition, There's there's some uniqueness. 652 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,239 Speaker 2: So so finding the blend of all of that was 653 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 2: probably difficult. You know, you don't have a full staff 654 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 2: of full time people. You don't have you know, embracing 655 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 2: how to do that, how to how to put a 656 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 2: staff together. Not everybody elected to stay all those things, 657 00:33:57,120 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 2: so there's a it was a whirlwind there of a 658 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 2: of of some things in that very first year, and 659 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 2: then they had played at at a high level. They're 660 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 2: the two previous years. Still, it was it was taking 661 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 2: over something with high expectations as well. 662 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,399 Speaker 1: When you finished under and you finished underfeated a couple 663 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,839 Speaker 1: of years, what are those seasons like? Because it's such 664 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,840 Speaker 1: a different experience than, for example, when you take over Buffalo, 665 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 1: where you take over ku where. And this has probably 666 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 1: been the hardest part for me. Obviously we went on 667 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:34,439 Speaker 1: a terrible losing streak, right, But you know, when you're 668 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: when the expectations are to win and now you're like 669 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: winning every game, you know, winning every game? What is 670 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 1: that like from a coaching perspective in terms of managing 671 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: I don't I would say like coaching anxiety because you 672 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: now you're everything. You're running right, what's that? What's that like? 673 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great question and probably one I don't 674 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 2: get asked very often. But you're right because you know 675 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 2: the anxiety, and you know anxiety could be you know, 676 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:07,480 Speaker 2: sometimes it's self induced pressure because you feel it mounting 677 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 2: and the games you should win versus the ones that 678 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:12,400 Speaker 2: you know are going to be dogfights. All those different 679 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 2: things of not letting it down, not letting it slip away. 680 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 2: But you've got to find the balance of you can 681 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 2: you can't keep everybody locked in twenty four set, you know, 682 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 2: and be so tight that you don't play your best. 683 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 2: And I do think it's you've got to stick to 684 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 2: your routines. You've got to go through your process. You've 685 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 2: got to keep your group competing. You've got to find 686 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 2: ways to balance practice. And you know, the thing that 687 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 2: I probably had to learn along the way is it's 688 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 2: okay to be confident and talk about expecting to win 689 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 2: and going out and playing with a confidence and swagger, 690 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,360 Speaker 2: but yet keep them hungry at the same time. And 691 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 2: that was probably the balances of you know, we went 692 00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 2: I think, you know, we won like forty six games 693 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 2: in a row and it was like the fis longest 694 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 2: win streak. And you're like, and I'll never forget. Like 695 00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:06,799 Speaker 2: when we lost, my son was our son was really young, 696 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 2: and he cried more than any any player because he 697 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:12,279 Speaker 2: hadn't seen us lose. And I'm like, you know, son, 698 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 2: you got to accept losing sometimes too, you know. But 699 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 2: it's it's a different type of anxiety of going through it. 700 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,400 Speaker 2: But I think when when when you have a good staff, 701 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,280 Speaker 2: and they're you're making sure that within your staff meetings 702 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 2: that you're checking the boxes, we're covering the details, we're 703 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:31,840 Speaker 2: practicing at a level of expectation that we're going to 704 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 2: win games, and uh, you know, we go through it 705 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 2: in such a way. 706 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:44,799 Speaker 1: Okay, whileave it's your own manor you can put up 707 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 1: ten eleven wins a year, you have, you have one 708 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,919 Speaker 1: year we lost three games at one right the rest 709 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 1: it's you know, forty six game wins streak, no losses, 710 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:58,960 Speaker 1: like it's your You're from Wisconsin, You're a legend, you know, 711 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,000 Speaker 1: Wisconsin Hall of Fame for everything. Why do you even 712 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:02,879 Speaker 1: take a Buffalo job? 713 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 2: Multiple reasons. One is you almost what you pretty much asked. 714 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:13,720 Speaker 2: I remember somebody sent me a clip of an article 715 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 2: that when we were seven and three. It said Whitewater 716 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:23,280 Speaker 2: coming off a disastrous seven and three season. And I think, 717 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:26,759 Speaker 2: and I think, as you said that that anxiety and 718 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 2: that presser, I didn't I don't think I was enjoying 719 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 2: it as much as I probably should have or should 720 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 2: have at that time. And I also looked at my career. 721 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:39,920 Speaker 2: Of the one we really didn't touch on is when 722 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:42,399 Speaker 2: I went to Nebraska, Omaha. We took over a very 723 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 2: similar down program that had really struggled, and we we 724 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 2: went one in ten, three and eight and ten and two. Wow. 725 00:37:51,719 --> 00:37:54,360 Speaker 2: And I really found that just like a little bit 726 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 2: of that time at going into Wisconsin and doing those things, 727 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:00,799 Speaker 2: I really found that Doug to be and and I 728 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:02,959 Speaker 2: think you'll you'll you're gonna feel the same way when 729 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 2: when when things turned for you and your program is 730 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 2: that is very gratifying. 731 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:10,359 Speaker 1: That is Oh, it's it's amazing you bring that up 732 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:15,280 Speaker 1: because it's I actually said this to Jordan McKay's my assistant. 733 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,759 Speaker 1: He's from Kacana, And I remember our first game we 734 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 1: actually end up winning the game, and I said, hey, 735 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 1: we're you know, they go through intros. It takes forever. 736 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 1: And I just said, hey, I want you to look 737 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,840 Speaker 1: at the stands now and then remember this conversation in 738 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 1: a couple of years. And yeah, and and you know, 739 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:39,359 Speaker 1: like our program, like any program, every kid's not gonna 740 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:42,160 Speaker 1: be back, even the ones with eligibility. But to the 741 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,440 Speaker 1: ones who are, like, I'm so excited for them to 742 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:49,200 Speaker 1: have been through this because and I'm and I wonder 743 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 1: if you feel this way, like, look we're we I 744 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,719 Speaker 1: had four freshmen and a sophomore out there against Youngstown 745 00:38:56,760 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 1: and we nearly won the game last week, right, And 746 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:02,919 Speaker 1: and I know that I've I had a lot to learn, 747 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:07,319 Speaker 1: never having been a college coach previously, but trying to 748 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:10,239 Speaker 1: take this on with this amount of youth, being this 749 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:14,720 Speaker 1: experienced my staffs relatively in experience, I've had to learn. 750 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:16,720 Speaker 2: To be an. 751 00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:19,719 Speaker 1: Exemplary coach just to be competitive. Right when you call 752 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:22,480 Speaker 1: a time out in terms of manipulating it so we 753 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: get the double timeouts we wanted to be more like 754 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:28,200 Speaker 1: eight thirty or more. So then one more dead ball, 755 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:30,400 Speaker 1: we get another time out, give our team more rest. 756 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 1: You know how we foul intentionally to get to the 757 00:39:33,719 --> 00:39:38,120 Speaker 1: TV timeouts. We try every little analytic trick we can, 758 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: because you know, we're we had to move some big things, 759 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:42,880 Speaker 1: but now we're to try we got to win on 760 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:47,080 Speaker 1: some of the margins. I would guess that your experience 761 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:51,040 Speaker 1: at Omaha and which helped you at Buffalo, is you 762 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:54,319 Speaker 1: become so much better a coach. And yes, I do 763 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:59,000 Speaker 1: think that there's that false hope of show up, win 764 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,719 Speaker 1: a bunch of games, and know that to build it 765 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:04,440 Speaker 1: and build sustainable you kind of got to go through 766 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 1: the other stuff first, right, and you're one. 767 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 2: Hundred percent right on that stuff, and when you do, 768 00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:15,080 Speaker 2: it's very gratifying. And like I said, I could have stayed, 769 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:18,120 Speaker 2: as you alluded to it. You know, when I interviewed 770 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:20,959 Speaker 2: for the job, there was a concern I would leave. 771 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 2: I said my goal there was there were two coaches 772 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,440 Speaker 2: in over fifty years. I said, my goal was that 773 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:31,000 Speaker 2: there'd be three coaches in seventy five years. I really thought, 774 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:33,719 Speaker 2: I really thought I was going there to stay. But 775 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:37,960 Speaker 2: then there was something always kind of you know, in 776 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,839 Speaker 2: the back of my mind about taking something that's down 777 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 2: and building it up and something that And after that 778 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 2: seven and three season, I really thought that maybe expectations 779 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:50,840 Speaker 2: at Whitewater were going to get to more of a 780 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,799 Speaker 2: realistic type level, and that you know, we could win 781 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:58,759 Speaker 2: the league maybe once out every three years, maybe take 782 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:02,360 Speaker 2: second another year, make the playoffs two out of three years, 783 00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 2: and I think that would be you know, running a 784 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:08,360 Speaker 2: good program. And then we went undefeated right away the 785 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:10,719 Speaker 2: next season, and it was like right back to these 786 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 2: undefeated expectations. So it was different and and and then 787 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 2: out of the clear blue it was it was in 788 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:23,000 Speaker 2: October when when Buffalo Danny White, now the athletic director 789 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:27,160 Speaker 2: at Tennessee was was the athletic director at Buffalo, and 790 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:31,000 Speaker 2: he let go of the coach at early in October, 791 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:35,160 Speaker 2: and they reached out in late October about interest, and 792 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:38,760 Speaker 2: it was and to me, it was like from going 793 00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:41,040 Speaker 2: from Division three to the MAC is pretty unheard of, 794 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,719 Speaker 2: and it was going to be an opportunity probably too 795 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:47,480 Speaker 2: good to pass up, you know, in career wise for 796 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:51,279 Speaker 2: my family and a lot of different things. So you know, 797 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 2: we we we kept going in that route. 798 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:56,080 Speaker 1: What was it like when you get there? 799 00:41:57,480 --> 00:42:00,320 Speaker 2: I'd never been you know, I drove through like Aggara 800 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:03,239 Speaker 2: Falls on a vacation once. You know, I've never been 801 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:05,360 Speaker 2: to New York. I've never really been out east. It 802 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:10,600 Speaker 2: was different Rob Ianella, who's our general manager here now. 803 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:13,440 Speaker 2: Rob had coached at at Acker and he'd been at 804 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,880 Speaker 2: Wisconsin with Barry. He'd been Notre Dame Arizona. Rob been 805 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:18,799 Speaker 2: there long. He had been in the MAC and Rob 806 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:21,360 Speaker 2: I was trying to convince Rob to come be associate 807 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:24,360 Speaker 2: head coach and receiver coach, and he was I was 808 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:27,200 Speaker 2: flying back and forth. You had finishing the whitewater season. 809 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:31,520 Speaker 2: And Rob would come in and work Tuesday through Friday, 810 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:35,320 Speaker 2: and I'd work Sunday through Tuesday morning. And I remember 811 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 2: calling him and I said, well, what do you think 812 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:42,399 Speaker 2: and and he's like whatever, and he goes, did they 813 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,880 Speaker 2: show you the locker room when you were here? Because 814 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,400 Speaker 2: you know, Dougie, you know a lot of times you 815 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:49,400 Speaker 2: don't get a chance to see the places when you 816 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:53,000 Speaker 2: accept the job. You're you're accepting them before you you know, 817 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:55,239 Speaker 2: before you even get there. Well, then I go there 818 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 2: for the press conference and and then he goes me, 819 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:00,360 Speaker 2: did they show you the locker room? And I'm like, 820 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:02,759 Speaker 2: you know what, I don't think they did. And then 821 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:06,040 Speaker 2: he goes, did they show you the weight room? And 822 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:08,560 Speaker 2: I'm like, well, as a matter of fact, they didn't. 823 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:11,399 Speaker 2: I go why and he goes, we got a lot 824 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:15,560 Speaker 2: of work to do, and uh. So, you know, you 825 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:19,080 Speaker 2: find out some things you learn learn a lot. I 826 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:21,040 Speaker 2: think for me, going from a Division III staff to 827 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:24,759 Speaker 2: an FBS staff with with nine assistant coaches then to 828 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 2: be ten your equipment people are around your video, I 829 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:29,959 Speaker 2: had to I had to get a lot better at 830 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:35,400 Speaker 2: disseminating information consistently to a bigger staff and learning those things, 831 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:39,080 Speaker 2: walking into a lot of different high schools than ever before, 832 00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:41,880 Speaker 2: traveling a lot more than for it was there was 833 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:44,319 Speaker 2: a lot of learning going on, but one that I 834 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:47,680 Speaker 2: know that we embraced as a staff. And and again 835 00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 2: we won five games the first year. In the second year, 836 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 2: and and Danny White told me, he said, we'll be 837 00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:55,080 Speaker 2: okay for one year, he goes, but then there's going 838 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,800 Speaker 2: to be a big dip. And sure enough we we 839 00:43:57,800 --> 00:43:59,839 Speaker 2: we had that big dip, and that got pretty tough 840 00:44:00,120 --> 00:44:02,920 Speaker 2: for a while, but then we bounced back. 841 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:04,719 Speaker 1: What it was the toughest So how bad was a 842 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,600 Speaker 1: dep I'm sorry, how bad was a dip? 843 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:12,640 Speaker 2: We're two and ten, you know, morale, We had a 844 00:44:12,640 --> 00:44:14,920 Speaker 2: lot of guys leave the program. I'll tell you. The 845 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:18,920 Speaker 2: toughest thing was as we headed into that season in 846 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:24,120 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen, after one of our first workouts and actually 847 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:29,359 Speaker 2: it was one of our first big conditioning workouts in February, 848 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:33,320 Speaker 2: we had a player collapse and ended up passing away 849 00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:38,440 Speaker 2: and and learned a lot about being a head coach 850 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:41,160 Speaker 2: and trying to keep a team together and doing some 851 00:44:41,239 --> 00:44:45,000 Speaker 2: things and keeping the right things in perspective, and and 852 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,399 Speaker 2: you know, I knew it would be a tough year 853 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:49,680 Speaker 2: on the field, but all that considered it, it was. 854 00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:53,880 Speaker 2: It was definitely one of the tougher times of my career. 855 00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:58,880 Speaker 2: I'm still pretty close with the family and uh and 856 00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 2: that's one of our goes. But but the young man 857 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:04,720 Speaker 2: was such a fine young man and such a team 858 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:08,279 Speaker 2: player and such a great person that that program is 859 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:11,400 Speaker 2: still carried on his name and legacy and it's been 860 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:13,880 Speaker 2: an inspiration that helped us get the program going in 861 00:45:13,880 --> 00:45:17,359 Speaker 2: an a good directions. So you know, there's a lot 862 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:19,319 Speaker 2: there and you know, a lot of growing from a 863 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 2: lot of different people. 864 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:24,440 Speaker 1: All Right, that's it for part one of our discussion 865 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:27,160 Speaker 1: with coach Leopold. Tune in for part two. Remember to 866 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:28,879 Speaker 1: listen to the radio show every day three to five 867 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:32,120 Speaker 1: Eastern twelve two Pacific, Fox Sports Radio, iHeartRadio app. I'm 868 00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:32,600 Speaker 1: Doug Gotlie