RUN WITCHIE RUN! Now on to the Next one……

 

“If we can hold them to a field goal….we may be able to block it…heck….something!”

“We gotta have something…A STOP….right….NOW!”

The Navy offense was simply running Dives and Belly’s trying to get into field goal range and then position.

It was an ironic sight, really.  So much emotion and intensity balled up into a waining clock at the United States Naval Academy Football Stadium in Annapolis, Md.  I was in the press box with Defensive Backs Coach and DFO……social media director…..and whatever else title they could give him…Riley Wanckett as the Mighty Falcons made their last defensive stand.

The remnants of Navy’s last game against North Texas were littered around the press box as we reviewed our game plan notes….lo0king for a miracle in the fine print.

In the press box 2 doors down….Navy’s varsity coaches were watching and anticipating the end of the game.  Jotting notes on the visiting Milford Academy Falcons and any possible recruits they could possibly bring on board.

All 100 fans….a slight exaggeration… were still in hope that Chaplick…or one of his assistants….had a trick up there sleeves. Newly promoted Defensive Coordinator Lamarr Stewart had executed a great game plan thus far and kept the Naval Academy Backs in check…and not wanting to run between the tackles.  Blitzes were well timed…..and honestly…I was in the belief that Navy thought they were just showing up to a slow-paced scrimmage.   They thought wrong….

Offensively, we were clicking!  Offensive Coordinator….Assistant Head Coach….Offensive Line Coach…and Michigan State Alum Stephon Wheeler was in “The Zone”!  We had drawn up a perfect balance of runs and intermediate passing plays that kept the Midshipmen off-balance and ….at times…..confused.  My favorite was a delayed draw that combined some Jim McElwain flare and some misdirection as the QB appeared to roll out….before a Guard pulled to the weak side…..NASTY!!

As time slowly ticked away…a feeling of frustration…of another ALMOST started to creep into that press box.  We had done just about everything we could possibly do…..everything…EVERYTHING!  Then……

4th and 3……..30 Seconds on the clock…..Tick….Tick…Tick…..

Navy keeps their first team Offense on the field…Tick…Tick…..

Navy lines up…..(maybe they are trying to draw us offsides…..)

Navy…..SNAPS THE BALL????!!!!!!…..TICK…

THE QB picks the WRONG GAP and BOOM!!!   Meet Witchie Exillhomme……

FUMBLE….The ball is on the carpet……Riley and I stop breathing for the next 10 seconds…..Witchie picks the ball up….And

Run!!!!! Witchie….RUN!!!!!!   Maybe an explicative or 3………

Witchie returned the fumble 79 yards…into Navy territory…and into prep school and Naval Academy lore……

The press box was pandemonium….and the Varsity Coaches 2 doors down……were not happy.  Buddy Green, Varsity Assistant Coach, stood by the goal post as the Mighty Falcons piled on…. he was emotionless.

And the craziest part of it…..

THERE WERE NO ESPN REPORTERS ON THE SIDELINES!

THERE WERE NO FANS WAITING FOR AUTOGRAPHS OUTSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM!

THERE WASN’T EVEN A POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE……

IT WAS…..OVER!

we got on our charter bus…and we went back to Upstate New York….and it was…

ON TO THE NEXT ONE!….

Except this time….there was no next one!  It was time to pack up my belongings…my playbook, and my memories…..and head back below that Mason-Dixon line.  My life was now a question mark…  And my success as a coach….was resting on my ability to get to…THE NEXT ONE.

Coach Chaplick turns to me and says, “You know Bama, you are going to miss this! You are going to miss these kids and this place!”

Coach Chap was absolutely correct!!

Some of the most memorable moments in life… are only seen by a handful of people if anyone at all.  There are no cameras, no lights, no interviews!  Just a memory…shared with a few people and that day!

Coaching has taught me many things.  It has forced me to live in dormitories, Graduate Assistant housing, my Head Coach’s spare bedroom, on a very old couch in an unheated school building, and best of all…..on top of my desk in an office in Virginia.

Coaching has forced me to be a teacher, counselor, parent, pastor, paramedic, tutor, and…..well…you get the idea.

And do you know who filmed it all!?!?

NO ONE!!!…..AND SOON AS THE MOMENT COMES…..ITS…

ON TO THE NEXT ONE….

Many times, I will be enjoying a cup of coffee and my mind with drift back to a practice field in Danville, Va….or a weight room in New York, or even the Indoor at The University of Alabama.  I will think of Mike Dunlevy trying to pronounce a player’s last name….maybe running through a cemetery at 5am in the snow…..or having Leigh Tiffin absolutely school me in field goal competitions.  Whatever the moment…whatever the memory…there was always a sense of……

Be ready for whatever the next step is….

 

Today, I opened Snapchat on my phone and I saw a former player…Andrew Coleman….Snapchat himself pulling his name plate out of his locker with a “So long locker” tag on the middle of the screen!  The moment stung! Without talking to him…I knew it was a difficult moment.  Surreal almost!

It’s a moment we all must live through.  It’s over! On to the next one!  Regroup and refocus! And whenever life quiets down….the Memories come rushing back!

This week I felt specifically driven to resume our weekly quotes…. and in particular how to transition.  This weeks quote….

“On to the next one…..”

Whatever is going on in life…whether positive or negative…or neutral….we all must learn to look “on to the next one!

Some of you will be entering college!

Some of you will be entering the NFL Draft!

Some of you will be graduating from college and entering the world of work!

And some of you will be getting married and starting a family!

Regardless of what you are doing…or where you are….you must keep looking ahead and fighting off complacency!

The best I have personally seen at the ability to compartmentalize and keeping focusing on what’s next is Nick Saban.  In 2003 he took the LSU Tigers to the National Championship to play the Oklahoma Sooners. The Bayou Bengal Tigers won the National Championship and shortly after the game Coach Saban was asked what the most difficult thing about winning the national championship is……..Nick Saban’s reply:

“The hardest thing about becoming great…is getting over being good!”

So you have applied to several jobs?……..follow up!

So you are new on a job?……seek new responsibilities!

So you are getting married?….look ahead on how to keep the marriage healthy!

So you are getting Drafted in the NFL?……look forward and train to beat the opponent.

In this life you will have a handful, if you are lucky, of life-defining moments.  Moments that you will look back on and say one of two things….

“I transitioned well during that period….”

or 

“I should have transitioned better during that period….”

The key is to “Get over being good” and Get Going “To the Next One!”

Much Love,

CoachKD

#Ontothenextone