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Those of you with an Athletic Subscription are familiar with Justin Williams. His Fickell interview was awesome. Here's a couple snippets:

https://theathletic.com/3129742/2022/02/...=twitterhq

On being a head coach:

Quote:Even though I was defensive coordinator for a long time and had 50 guys or so, you still had this position group of 11 or 12 linebackers that you had a little bit of a closer relationship with and held expectations and accountability. So I look at it as a head coach now that my group is those assistant coaches, and you try to have that same relationship where you find ways to motivate but still have a connection.

On changing up how he dealt with position groups after year 1:

Quote:And also, after Year 1, I don’t sit in the defensive position meetings with the players anymore. I go with the quarterbacks...But I always remember back in that 2011 season at Ohio State, (Mike) Vrabel came with us and was coaching the linebackers, but as a former defensive lineman who was new at coaching, he couldn’t help himself and would be hollering at the defensive line guys all the time. And my line to him would always be, “Shut up and coach your own players.” Maybe I said it a little different, but it reminded me that too many voices for those guys is not a good thing

I know there were some people around here who implied he didn't have a good relationship with Cunningham, but everything he says indicates otherwise. There's a bunch on trust with the extension, here's a snippet:

Quote:Yeah. I’m still looking at it myself. There’s a relationship there (with John) where I knew we’ll figure and work it out, but obviously, there are some things we need to make sure we’re on the same page with. But yeah, it’s getting done.

Probably my favorite part of the interview:

Quote:And again, not just for me, but for the next 20 years. I told John the other day with the contract, there are some areas where they need to consider the big picture. Maybe it’s not helpful to me, but I want to do it with the assistant coaches too, putting something in their contract about, if you leave, do it the right way. Because programs are vulnerable with transfers and stuff. I don’t know why they don’t start thinking about that with head coaches too. There are buyouts, yes, but maybe another level so that if you leave, you gotta do it the right way or else you owe more. And the right way is protecting the program, meaning not taking kids with you and things like that.

There is a ton more than this. I don't want to post anymore because it's behind a paywall for a reason, but it's worth subscribing if you haven't. This interview was extensive and very inciteful.

He's the best coach in America aside from Saban. No doubt about it! Thanks for the info!

So impressive; thanks for sharing all that. This has convinced me to subscribe to The Athletic, mostly just for Justin's UC coverage. It appears they have a subscription deal online right now for just a dollar a month for the first year. That's pretty hard to pass up.

(02-15-2022 12:10 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Those of you with an Athletic Subscription are familiar with Justin Williams. His Fickell interview was awesome. Here's a couple snippets:

https://theathletic.com/3129742/2022/02/...=twitterhq

On being a head coach:

Quote:Even though I was defensive coordinator for a long time and had 50 guys or so, you still had this position group of 11 or 12 linebackers that you had a little bit of a closer relationship with and held expectations and accountability. So I look at it as a head coach now that my group is those assistant coaches, and you try to have that same relationship where you find ways to motivate but still have a connection.

On changing up how he dealt with position groups after year 1:

Quote:And also, after Year 1, I don’t sit in the defensive position meetings with the players anymore. I go with the quarterbacks...But I always remember back in that 2011 season at Ohio State, (Mike) Vrabel came with us and was coaching the linebackers, but as a former defensive lineman who was new at coaching, he couldn’t help himself and would be hollering at the defensive line guys all the time. And my line to him would always be, “Shut up and coach your own players.” Maybe I said it a little different, but it reminded me that too many voices for those guys is not a good thing

I know there were some people around here who implied he didn't have a good relationship with Cunningham, but everything he says indicates otherwise. There's a bunch on trust with the extension, here's a snippet:

Quote:Yeah. I’m still looking at it myself. There’s a relationship there (with John) where I knew we’ll figure and work it out, but obviously, there are some things we need to make sure we’re on the same page with. But yeah, it’s getting done.

Probably my favorite part of the interview:

Quote:And again, not just for me, but for the next 20 years. I told John the other day with the contract, there are some areas where they need to consider the big picture. Maybe it’s not helpful to me, but I want to do it with the assistant coaches too, putting something in their contract about, if you leave, do it the right way. Because programs are vulnerable with transfers and stuff. I don’t know why they don’t start thinking about that with head coaches too. There are buyouts, yes, but maybe another level so that if you leave, you gotta do it the right way or else you owe more. And the right way is protecting the program, meaning not taking kids with you and things like that.

There is a ton more than this. I don't want to post anymore because it's behind a paywall for a reason, but it's worth subscribing if you haven't. This interview was extensive and very inciteful.

I think the word you were looking for Mark is “insightful”, not “inciteful”. Good stuff, however.

With regard to AD JC, the article also mentioned that John set the contract extension on Big Fick's desk after week 8 of the season for him to review it. Fick told him he wasn't going to look at it until after the season so he could focus on the team and the goals they had set. He trusted John that it would all work out for everyone involved - including for the assistants. Let there be no doubt that JC is on top of things folks and the relationship between the two men is iron clad. Alignment within the organization is key to the program's future. That is a bright one indeed!

(02-15-2022 03:12 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  

(02-15-2022 12:10 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Those of you with an Athletic Subscription are familiar with Justin Williams. His Fickell interview was awesome. Here's a couple snippets:

https://theathletic.com/3129742/2022/02/...=twitterhq

On being a head coach:

Quote:Even though I was defensive coordinator for a long time and had 50 guys or so, you still had this position group of 11 or 12 linebackers that you had a little bit of a closer relationship with and held expectations and accountability. So I look at it as a head coach now that my group is those assistant coaches, and you try to have that same relationship where you find ways to motivate but still have a connection.

On changing up how he dealt with position groups after year 1:

Quote:And also, after Year 1, I don’t sit in the defensive position meetings with the players anymore. I go with the quarterbacks...But I always remember back in that 2011 season at Ohio State, (Mike) Vrabel came with us and was coaching the linebackers, but as a former defensive lineman who was new at coaching, he couldn’t help himself and would be hollering at the defensive line guys all the time. And my line to him would always be, “Shut up and coach your own players.” Maybe I said it a little different, but it reminded me that too many voices for those guys is not a good thing

I know there were some people around here who implied he didn't have a good relationship with Cunningham, but everything he says indicates otherwise. There's a bunch on trust with the extension, here's a snippet:

Quote:Yeah. I’m still looking at it myself. There’s a relationship there (with John) where I knew we’ll figure and work it out, but obviously, there are some things we need to make sure we’re on the same page with. But yeah, it’s getting done.

Probably my favorite part of the interview:

Quote:And again, not just for me, but for the next 20 years. I told John the other day with the contract, there are some areas where they need to consider the big picture. Maybe it’s not helpful to me, but I want to do it with the assistant coaches too, putting something in their contract about, if you leave, do it the right way. Because programs are vulnerable with transfers and stuff. I don’t know why they don’t start thinking about that with head coaches too. There are buyouts, yes, but maybe another level so that if you leave, you gotta do it the right way or else you owe more. And the right way is protecting the program, meaning not taking kids with you and things like that.

There is a ton more than this. I don't want to post anymore because it's behind a paywall for a reason, but it's worth subscribing if you haven't. This interview was extensive and very inciteful.

I think the word you were looking for Mark is “insightful”, not “inciteful”. Good stuff, however.

Nonsense, the interview will cause riots.