OT: Culture Change at Texas

Submitted by Jack Daniels on

Came across an interesting article over at Barking Carnival, the UT website on SBNation.  Link: http://www.barkingcarnival.com/2014/1/14/5308182/culture-change-at-texas

Seems like Charlie Strong has wasted no time getting the program back on track. He's put in place guidelines for his players to follow, some of which might seem familiar.

I copied and pasted the meaty part of the article: 

  1. Players will attend all of their classes and sit in the front two rows of all of their classes.  GAs, academic folks, position coaches will be checking constantly now.
  2. No headphones in class.  No texting in class.  Sit up and take notes.
  3. If a player misses a class, he runs until it hurts.  If he misses two classes, his entire position unit runs.  If he misses three, the position coach runs.  The position coaches don't want to run.
  4. No earrings in the football building.  No drugs.  No stealing.  No guns.  Treat women with respect.
  5. Players may not live off campus anymore, unless they're a senior who hits certain academic standards. The University will buy out the leases for every player currently living off campus and put them in the athletic dorm.
  6. The team will all live together, eat together, suffer together, and hang out together.  They will become a true team and learn to impose accountability on each other.  The cliques are over.
  7. There's no time for a rebuild.  "I don't have time for that."  The expectation is that Texas wins now.
  8. Players will learn that they would rather practice than milk a minor injury.
  9. The focus is on winning and graduating.  Anything extraneous to that is a distraction and will be stamped out or removed.
  10. Strong met individually with seniors and key leaders and re-emphasized that the plan is to win now. They can lead the new culture or be run over by it.
  11. "I don't want to talk about things.  I'd rather do things.  We just talked.  Now it's time to do."

It seems to me like most of these things would already be in place, but I guess not.  Reading through the list actually reminded me of the passages in Bo's Lasting Lessons where Bo talked about what changes he brought to Michigan when he first arrived, i.e making the team live on campus, stressing academics first, respect everyone, and more.  I'm impressed by Strong.

 

 

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Reader71

January 15th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^

If I remember correctly, Lloyd had the same policy. I remember a few guys that had just gotten their ears pierced coming in with tape over their earrings. I never questioned why that was an issue, although it seems weird now. I think the idea of not wearing them under your helmet is OK, as it presents a torn-lobe risk.

Joined: 08/30/2009

MGoPoints: 22968

teamgreg8

January 15th, 2014 at 8:23 AM ^

I just hope the culture doesn't change too much, such that Charlie won't wear Mack's burnt orange rancher jacket to/from campus. I couldn't find a picture on the internet so you will all have to take me at my word.

As an above poster said, this reminded me a lot of Coach Carter. Good flick. **SPOILER ALERT** it does NOT end with them winning a state title.

Joined: 02/01/2010

MGoPoints: 1862

dahblue

January 15th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^

Forcing them to live in the dorm (beyond freshman (and maybe soph) year) seems like a mistake.  Learning to live in the "real world" (i.e. not a special athlete dorm) is an important part of college and personal growth.  They aren't doing these guys any favors by isolating them from normal, adult responsibility.

Joined: 11/09/2009

MGoPoints: 5253

Mr Miggle

January 15th, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^

I never liked the idea of athletic dorms either. The players should come to school to be college students first, football players second. Having them live in a cocoon, with minimal interaction with the other students deprives them of a lot of the learning experiences college should provide.

The college years are an opportunity for most of us to mature. To learn to deal with increased freedom, distractions and responsibilities. All of that can be overwhelming for incoming freshmen. That's why many schools require all underclassmen to live in the dorms, not just football players. I don't see how it's good for the seniors to be treated like freshmen. They're going to go 4-5 years without learning a lot of the basic things to prepare them for life on their own.

Joined: 10/07/2010

MGoPoints: 47544

reshp1

January 15th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^

I wonder how Bo's my way or the highway tough nosed style of discipline would play in the current time. It seems like the "players' coaches" that are fun to be around (Pete Carroll) seem to be more successful now a days.

I wonder if Strong is going to see a big backlash from these new rules. Those who stay and all that, but I think the possibility is real that a lot of their stars don't stay.

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

Blue Durham

January 15th, 2014 at 10:46 AM ^

Not a lot of Shembechlers, Hayes, and Bryants out there these days. A guy like Frank Kush (or in basketball, Bobby Knight) would never be tolerated today. Its a different era and there is too much stuff being caught on camera. Bo also shunned individual awards, particularly the Heisman trophy. The AD never promoted the player for it and it seemed that Bo tried to keep some of the stats down for a few of the stars. Keeping the entire team on the same plane.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 6082

Reader71

January 15th, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^

The HC's priorities should be winning then graduating. A few losses can get you fired, while a few dropouts won't. It is also very unrealistic to put a lot of responsibility o. The HC for players graduating. They have a staff to monitor and they will give a talk or punishment to guys who don't comply, but they can't make anyone go to class. I know from experience.

Joined: 08/30/2009

MGoPoints: 22968

mvp

January 15th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^

Isn't monitoring student's attendance (not in season) one of the "violations" we picked up under RichRod?  Also, I agree that the playing through injuries thing is a fine line.  Even so, I like the rules and the clear expectations.  Nobody can claim they didn't know.  We'll see how it works.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 2417

Mr. Yost

January 15th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^

Monitoring to make sure guys are at voluntary workouts, grading them, and reporting back to the coach is one thing.

Making sure guys are in class is another.

Every school in the country uses managers, athletic staff and/or GAs to make sure kids are going to class.

Hell, at one school I was at, we had to make sure golf carts where available from 11-noon every day so managers and DOBOs could drive kids to class and check on the rest of the team in class.

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

delmarblue

January 15th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^

I think Strong will be great at UT.  Thanks, but I do like to keep Bo's legend factually based.  1982-1986, Michigan upperclassmen players did not have to live on campus, though many did.  Always surprised to see senior Stefan Humphries in the meal line in south quad.  Players did not sit in the front of class.  

Joined: 08/29/2011

MGoPoints: 164

Coldwater

January 15th, 2014 at 3:31 PM ^

I can get with all his rules except the last part of number 3. Making a position coach run as punishment is a farce. I would never work for a head coach that stoops to that level. I would have no respect for a head coach that does that.

Punishing a coach because he can't completely 100% control a players action is laughable.

Joined: 12/14/2008

MGoPoints: 11234

5starrecruit

January 15th, 2014 at 4:36 PM ^

I can say this....if I was a potential recruit of Texas I would cross them right of my list after this bull shit. YOU DONT PLAY SCHOOL !!!!

Joined: 01/19/2013

MGoPoints: 79

TXmaizeNblue

January 15th, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^

Funny you mention Bo's book, I thought the same thing when I heard this list this morning on the local sports station. And the entitled "I'm a star" attitude that Bo had to root out is exactly what Strong is facing. Mack was a great guy, but a terrible disciplinarian. He gave players why too much leeway, and turned a blind eye to off the field issues that were impacting on the field results. I'm excited to see how this plays out over the next few months. I fully expect some prima donna's to hit the road.

Joined: 09/22/2010

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