New FAU football coach Carl Pelini addressed the media today for the first time since his introductory press conference on Dec. 5.
The second football coach in school history talked about his new defensive scheme, inspiring players and building back a program that had its worst season in history last year.
Some highlights from his group session:
On coaching lower caliber players than he did at Nebraska: “One thing that Nebraska really prepared me for is we didn’t have a lot of in state recruits. Ultimately we would take three or four from Texas, a couple from Florida, three or four from California, one or two from D.C., and put together a recruiting class that way. We were forced to be very meticulous and win on maybe a two or three star kid who maybe wasn’t recognized as that caliber. In my mind, that prepared me very well for this type of job and I’m not trying to go out and settling for anybody. What I’m trying to do is do my due diligence and evaluate players.”
On his defensive philosophy: “It will be based out of a 4-3. We’ll experiment a little in the 30 [formation] this year. Primarily it’s more of a pressure package on third down that we spent some time with Will Mushcamp (Florida’s head coach) last season and talked to him about our coverage philosophies. [It’s] more of a pressure package on third down. Ultimately we’re based out of a 4-2 high scheme. When we approach defense, we don’t approach it like most schools. We teach it conceptually. Week to week we don’t say these are our calls. We marry concepts together to best defend the opponent we’re playing. It gives you a lot more freedom but its a lot more work on the front end to teach guys to play that way.”
On his plan to ease freshmen into the role of a student-athlete: “There’s a life skills component to my program which teaches incoming freshman everything from how to balance a checkbook, to how to open up a bank account, to how to deal with the media, and how to speak to the media and how to work with teammates, deal with coaches.”
On changing the culture of the program: “I don’t think of this as a 1-11 team. We’re going to approach it as winners. The expectations are completely different. I plan on improving every aspect of the program. Everything’s going to be different. It’s going to marry my philosophy. For me its a matter of changing the entire culture, so in order to do that, you can’t just start making quick decisions. Ultimately, you get your staff in place first then you share a vision with them or a mission statement. You can’t have one aspect of your program going off in a different direction. So it’s a monumental task to do that. You have to be a very detail oriented person and willing to put that time in. Nothing is minor because because you’re completely changing the culture and expectations. ”
On his plan for a leadership counsel for the players, inspired by the book Good to Great: “Great leaders teach people to become leaders. If I’m going to teach players leadership, then I’ve got to give them responsibility of leadership. You groom these guys to share your vision and to share your philosophy and your culture and then you give them a say-so in how it’s imputed.”
On the attention he’s received since becoming a college head coach for the first time: “I’ve probably heard from 40 Division 1 head coaches for all different reasons. Recommending guys, congratulating me.”
