By Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer)
Is your team one that has or may have looming assistant coaching changes? If so, read on and get the real truth on assistant coaching changes.
If you are a top team and you're getting your staff raided, that could be a good thing, according to history.
First of all, your team is being raided because it's doing something right, and as long as you hold on to the head coach, your ship will still sail the right course.
Once your staff has been together for two or more years, having your coordinator leave is not the kiss of death. Assistants underneath him have studied under that man and know how to keep things going.
Kevin Steele came to Alabama and worked the Saban system and departed to Clemson. Kirby Smart took over as defensive coordinator, but Alabama didn't miss a beat and won a national championship. Smart had not been a coordinator before.
Major Applewhite came to Alabama to head up the offensive coordinator's job. He left to go back to Texas, a place where he shined as a player, and Alabama brings in McElwain. You know the rest.
McElwain was just what McElroy needed, but if he leaves, A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims will start their time with the knowledge that he left behind and the new ideas and energy of their own coordinator.
Alabama won't miss a beat because they'll still be playing Saban's concerto, just with different musicians.
As long as the new coaches can also recruit to an acceptable level, then your team won't miss a beat and could actually do better.
Why?
Lance Thompson is a good example. A great recruiter, he was only a passable position coach. When Saban came to Alabama he needed good recruits, hence the hire.
But Thompson left for the Tennessee job. Alabama fans feared they would lose out of his recruiting. However, Saban hired James Willis, who stepped in and did as good a job recruiting and a much better job at coaching linebackers. He is now the defensive coordinator at Texas Tech.
Alabama had Thompson's recruits, but they were now coached by better coaches.
Because your team is a good team, the best up and coming or most prolific coaches will want to take that job at your school.
If your school is a jumping off place for coaches to get better jobs because of reputation and success, why would the best not jump at the offer to come and be part of that?
Most coaches are fired and most teams suffer losses because their head coaches get comfortable or close to the assistants and won't fire them. Each sports fan can rattle off names of coaches who fell into that trap.
New coaches bring new ideas, new excitement, new hope and a bit of mystery in your tendencies, keeping your opponents guessing. It's not always a bad thing.
So while continuity and consistency have a place in a team, that continuity is most important with the head coach. Keep him and you keep the most important man.
Jennifer Gareis Ashlee Simpson Donna Feldman Jodi Lyn OKeefe Emma Watson
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