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It is really about the kind of relationships that are built in coaching.

http://m.journalstar.com/sports/huskers/...touch=true

It would not let me copy and paste the letter. It is worth the short read to understand the profession better. Glad I made the decision I did but some days in the back of my mind I wonder where I would be.

February 17, 2014 7:03 pm • By STEVEN M. SIPPLE
(18) Comments

Former Nebraska assistant Mike Ekeler, a David City native, last week took a job as inside linebackers coach at Georgia.

He's thrilled to have landed the position. But I'll let Mike tell his story in the form of his thank-you letter to several folks who helped him get the job (I'll have a column on Ekeler, and the plight of major-college assistant coaches, for Tuesday's editions).

Ekeler's letter:

Dec. 24th, 2010, was one of the hardest days of my life. We had our last bowl practice in Lincoln and it was the day I told our LB group (Will Compton, Sean Fisher, Lavonte David, Alonzo Whaley, Matt May and pseudo assistant coach Blake Lawrence) that I was leaving. After practice we gathered in our LB group and I broke the news, at least tried to break the news. I couldn't talk, I just started crying and looked up and the whole group was crying. When you leave a dream job, you leave for one reason, and that is to grow both as a person and as a coach.

Fast forward three years. Having spent two forgettable years at Indiana (Oh, I learned more than I wanted!) and one great, highly unusual year at USC (basically four head coaches in one season), I found myself in a position no coach wants to be in. On Dec. 21st, after completing a 10-win season, having the No. 1 defense in the Pac-12 and No. 13 defense nationally, I was out of work.

Let me back up to Dec. 2. I was in St. Louis visiting a recruit, came out of the school and was driving to Chicago. I heard on the radio that USC had just hired Steve Sarkisian. I turned around and headed to the airport and back to L.A. On Dec. 3rd, USC athletic director Pat Haden introduced the staff to Clay Helton (interim head coach No. 2, an unreal guy) and future Head Coach Sarkisian (another great guy).

Sark was in an unusual position. Usually a head coach comes in after a bad season and it’s all very cut and dried. But we had a remarkable season, winning 10 games (while suiting up just 47 players), and going through essentially four coaching changes. Sark told us he hadn’t made any staff decisions and he would meet with all of us.

Dec. 4th, I was sitting in my office game-planning for our bowl game and noticed who I thought was Peter Sirmon (Sark's LB coach from Washington). He was in the office across the hall filling out H.R. paperwork. I walked over and introduced myself as the "former LBs coach at USC." I ended up meeting with Sark the next day and told him if he hadn’t brought his defensive coaches from UW, I wouldn’t have respected him or wanted to work for him. During the next three weeks, I became friends with all the new coaches. It was unusual. We shared our offices and they watched the bowl practices. Dec. 21 we won our bowl game, and I'm officially on the street.

So, the real purpose of this letter. There is a saying in life: “Who are your six?" Meaning, when the crap hits the fan, who is going to be there for you? When you’re out of work in coaching, you find out in a hurry. Jan. 15th, the University of Georgia LBs coach leaves to go to the NFL. Jan. 16th, I called Tom Osborne at 7 a.m. and asked if he would call Georgia head coach Mark Richt. Coach Osborne called me back 20 minutes later and said they had a great visit, and Coach Richt would truly consider interviewing me. At 8 a.m., Bo Pelini called and spoke with Coach Richt and new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. Jeff Jamrog called his good friend Josh Brooks, who works in the Georgia athletic department, and the ball was rolling.

Helton made calls to his good friends, Georgia offensive line coach Will Friend and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. Bob Stoops called Pruitt ... All this to try to get an interview!! Jan. 23rd, I received a call from Pruitt. He said they were going to bring me and a few others in to interview for the last defensive spot. I called Nebraska video coordinator Mike Nobler, a great guy, and he hooked me up with all of Georgia's game film via Hudl; that was huge.

Jan. 31st, I went to Athens and interviewed. What a process!!! During my interview, Coach Richt told the staff, “Mike pulled out the Big Gun on me, Coach Osborne, so I had to bring him in.”

I could write a book on this experience ...

My point is it’s a very difficult profession. Bo called on every job that I had interest in. He went way out of his way for me and my family. John Papuchis wore out the phones for me. I can’t leave out Monte Kiffin (who I got to know when I was at Nebraska); he is the one who brought me out to USC to work for Lane Kiffin (who made calls to both Richt and Pruitt). Now I get to work for a great man, Coach Richt, who was born in Omaha and both parents are South High grads. I left Nebraska three years ago and the people who were there for me in my time of need are in Nebraska. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to coach at the University of Georgia, another dream job, and I hope to be there for 20 years! It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for my Nebraska Family.

Go Huskers and Sic Em Dogs!!!!

Sincerely,

Mike Ekeler

Although coaching football is probably unlike any other profession, it certainly shares the ideas that it's critical to be good at what you do, have evidence to support your competence, and have supporters who are connected and willing to put their necks on the line recommending you. Nice read, thanks for posting.

Bear Bryant's Three Rules for coaching:
1) Surround yourself with people who can't live without football.
2) Recognize winners. They come In all forms.
3) Have a plan for everything.

This is a story about one of the lucky ones.

Every year there are dozens if not hundreds who don't have Tom Osborne to make a call for them, the network or contacts to get another job, and wind up unemployed or out of the profession.

For example, after Molde was let go, only Rock, Nystrom (both kept by Darnell), and Chambers got jobs coaching CFB.

(02-22-2014 07:46 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  This is a story about one of the lucky ones.

Every year there are dozens if not hundreds who don't have Tom Osborne to make a call for them, the network or contacts to get another job, and wind up unemployed or out of the profession.

For example, after Molde was let go, only Rock, Nystrom (both kept by Darnell), and Chambers got jobs coaching CFB.

Interesting read.
From my experience highly typical in networking through collegues.

I always wondered about Coach Kill's staff who, for the most part (if I understand correctly) has remained intact from SVSU, SIU, NIU and now Minnesota.

Particularly in light of his health issues, I never have read of any major or significant "defections". Just thought that more would be spreading out knitting a broader network and utilizing it for themselves.

Killer's staff is similar to Al's in that respect except obviously the former took the next step to Big Ten.

When Kill left Emporia State for Southern Illinois in 2001 his DC Dave Wiemers got ESU head job.

Might've done better to ride with the boss. After six years he was fired and is now AHC/DC at Pittsburg State.

(02-22-2014 07:46 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  This is a story about one of the lucky ones.

Every year there are dozens if not hundreds who don't have Tom Osborne to make a call for them, the network or contacts to get another job, and wind up unemployed or out of the profession.

For example, after Molde was let go, only Rock, Nystrom (both kept by Darnell), and Chambers got jobs coaching CFB.

Edlund and Hermson had job offers but took high school AD jobs to stay in the area. But yes your point is well taken. I am glad I made the choice I did. I don't think I am a big enough ass kisser to recruit.

Al encouraged his guys to get their PhDs like he did while coming up through the CFB ranks in '70s and '80s.

Paid off for them after they were let go by Haenicke. They had options in education besides CFB.

And yes Kimbo - your principal says you're not an an ass kisser of any kind, much less "big enough."

Minnesota: The Gophers have extended Jerry Kill's contract through the 2018-19 season and bumped his salary to $2.1 million. Kill made a reported $1.2 million in 2013.

Ehh...big risk big reward. I walked away from a college job for the low risk low reward lifestyle of a HS coach. Survival of the fittest I guess.

^
Well put fbgab, and I respect yours and the other coaches decisions. Priorities. At the same time, the guys who did choose this path aren't gods because they chose it either, right? You, Kimbo, Jubba, and Hoople are all proof of that. (Did I miss anyone?)