In the nonstop world of football, there’s always something new to prepare for. The next game, the next practice, the next set of recruits, the next season; the list is endless.
At Mike Bellotti’s press conference, when the coach announced he would step down as head football coach and take on the athletic director’s role in June, he mentioned he was looking forward to having more time – despite that as athletic director he will be in charge of all the University’s sports. But in the life of a football coach and player, there’s never a day off. Being a head football coach is a 365-day job. Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti talked about recruiting after the Spring Game on Saturday, and players were looking forward to summer conditioning and fall camp.
“We’re going to regroup, talk a little bit about personnel and depth chart, and then start recruiting,” Aliotti said with his customary hoarse voice. “The bulk of what’s going to happen now is recruiting. Starting like, tonight. That’s going to go on for the next month and a half.”
In the high-stakes world of college football, recruiting is the name of the game. Aliotti touched on it, and so did new head coach Chip Kelly when he said he’s sending seven coaches out across the country in search of new players.
Here’s a taste of linebacker coach Don Pellum’s schedule over the next month:
“I have a flight out tomorrow at noon,” he said. “I’m heading to Dallas for a day, Houston for a day, East Texas for a day, L.A. for four days. I’ll come back for two days. I’ve got a physical – make sure I’m OK – and then the 13th I’m back on the road for three or four days, I’m back here for two days, then I’m out until the 29th (of May). That’s recruiting. It’s full speed ahead.”
Before being hired as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for UO last Thursday, Mark Helfrich came to Eugene April 28 and 29 to interview with the Oregon staff and watched last Wednesday’s practice before traveling back to the Boulder campus of the University of Colorado. While talking with reporters on a conference call Thursday, he said he was already packing up his belongings.
“I’m sitting in my old office right now, looking at the sunset and packing – an odd feeling right now, but I’m very excited,” Helfrich said.
By Saturday, he was in Eugene for the Spring Game. Kelly said he would be on the road beginning May 4 recruiting for a team he has barely had time to watch on film or meet.
While the coaches will be scurrying around the states trying to woo 18-year-olds to come to Eugene, the players already wooed will be working on solidifying their spots on the roster. Receivers will work out with quarterbacks. Linemen will work on the sled, and most importantly, the entire team will spend the bulk of its time in the weight room.
“We’re just going to work hard, and try and get bigger and stronger,” quarterback Justin Roper said. “We want to build some chemistry with the team and run around a little bit and try and relax.”
For defensive back Walter Thurmond III, the summer means being able to connect with the younger guys and showing them the ropes.
“Of course there’s a lot of working out and lifting weights,” he said. “But also, just trying to get the young DBs around and learning the plays so we can all be knowledgeable of the game and flawless when the season comes.”
Coaches have also given players things they need to work on and goals for the summer. For the wide receivers, position coach Scott Frost said he wants them to work on perfecting what they learned in the spring.
“They know what they need to get better at,” he said. “They need to be better blockers, catch the ball better, run better routes; everything receivers do. If you just shut it down after spring ball, all the progress we made will be lost.”
Another player who will have to put in a lot of work this summer is running back LeGarrette Blount. The 1,000-yard rusher missed all the winter workouts because he was suspended for “failing to fulfill team obligations.” He came into spring drills overweight, and a foot injury also slowed him down.
“He’s still a ways away,” Kelly said. “That’s not going to happen until the end of spring and into the summer. He needs to get back down to his playing weight. But he’s working as hard as he can work. It won’t happen overnight, but fortunately we don’t play until September.”
September is the ultimate goal. The Ducks will reconvene their team workouts in August in preparation for the 2009 season, and the athletes will finally be able to tackle someone who isn’t wearing an Oregon uniform.
Tight end Ed Dickson has raved about both the offense and the defense, calling the defense one of the best in the Pacific-10 Conference, and saying the offense is going to turn heads.
“I would describe our offense in one word: great,” Dickson said. “There’s no one who can stop us except ourselves.”
“I think we have improved a lot,” Thurmond III says. “We just have to go from here and work hard into summer workouts. We have four more months until Boise State and everyone is looking forward to the first game and getting the first win.”
– Robert Husseman and Andrew Greif contributed to this report.
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