Another convention is in the books, and a lot of great speakers had a lot to say. The two big names who spoke on Tuesday were Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech and Gary Patterson of TCU.
Also, before I forget, you can read my complete convention notes by signing up to become a subscriber by clicking here, or clicking on the picture of Chip Kelly up there in the right hand corner of the page.
General Session – Paul Johnson – Georgia Tech
– As a head coach, it’s all about the people who surround you and who do most of the work.
– This past season was one of the most fun seasons I’ve had because we went back to basics.
– I’ve heard every possible excuse why this offense won’t work.
“Be yourself. People are smart and they see right through someone who isn’t sincere. Stay true to your philosophies.”
– I think people want to be held accountable for their actions.
– I’d be a better assistant coach today than I was 18 years ago, because now I know that there is a lot that I never knew as an assistant. Some times the head coach has to keep things to himself.
– Learned early on when he was an assistant at Georgia Southern not to make too many hard and fast rules. Had three players arrive late to a pregame meal because they were at the mall shopping. Coach Johnson wanted to rip them, but the head coach decided to do something different. He talked to the players, saying that he wasn’t sure what he was gonna do to them, but that he would make his decision after he watched them play the game later. Needless to say they played pretty hard that game.
– Johnson doesn’t believe in too many hard and fast rules, but if you have a rule and you say something is going to happen, you’d better make sure it happens.
– Twice a year, he brings in business people from the area to have dinner with the team, so they can get an idea of what success looks like, and so that they can continue to develop as people as well as football players.
– Everyone on the team needs to feel like they’re important. You are only as strong as your weakest link.
General Session – Gary Patterson – TCU
– How do you stay employed? You gotta become who you are. Coming up as a coach, he wanted to be the next Bobby Bowden, but you can’t be them because you’re not them. You have to be you.
– The faster you help other people get what they want, the faster you’ll get what you want.
– When considering a new job, ask yourself whether you fit at that university. If you don’t fit, it’s not gonna work. Look past the facilities, the money, etc.
– “I help coordinate the defense because it’s the only part of my job I like.”
“The one thing people better be able to say about you is that you work hard.”
– Find your niche. Find a place you can do something that no one’s ever done before.
– As a player, when you come to college, you’ve erased everything you’ve done up to this point.
– “I need a five-star player who acts like a walk on.” If you get a whole team of those guys, you can win a national championship.
– “Greatness is somewhere in time where hard work and dreams come together.”
– On the College Football Playoff: “There’s never gonna be a perfect system. If we go to eight teams, there’s gonna be a ninth that’s mad.”
– It’s not about game day, it’s all about how you practice.
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