Louis Matsakis came to me and set up my headset. He gave me a play sheet with the calls. I was able to hear Coach Mitchell (sideline) and Coach Likens (booth). Matsakis introduced me on the headset and I put it on. Coach Likens said "Welcome, Terry. If you don't mind, for now, just listen. I have to make adjustments." He went on to make adjustments saying things like "If they come out with this lineup, we're going to go with X, If they show this, everyone will shift to this, If they show this, X goes here, Y goes there, and Z lines up here." Just amazing to listen to this man rattle off all the notes he'd been compiling in the booth while making these rapid fire calls.
I was escorted to the sideline and introduced to Reggie (no offense meant by not saying coach, just going to shorten sentences). He said if I needed help, just ask. Otherwise, just make the call using the play list. There were 4 run plays and 4 pass plays. You can see them on the picture I've attached. (Assuming the picture attached, not real confident.) The sideline was chaos. Players were jumping around fired up for the kick off. Constant chatter from Likens in the headset, talking to other coaches. It was total sensory overload, but a beautiful thing seeing how these guys operated. I think Cox took the kickoff, and immediately, I heard Likens saying "Oh no. No. Get down. Okay, that's enough. Drop down. Stop running." He went immediately in to "Terry, what's your call?" I can't remember what I called. The amazing point, is he was ready to go and remembered my name. Likens called the second play. I just listened to all the talk, amazed at the process. He called the second play. Then he said, "Oh, Terry. I'm so sorry. I got carried away. You'll call the next two series. Stick around. Don't leave after this series. While the play is going on, be thinking ahead to the next play you want to call. We want to move quickly." We punted and the offensive coaches ran across the filed to coach from the other side. I called a run play and Likens said "Are you sure about that?" I said I liked the line play and had faith in them. He said "Ok." Got major yards, but a holding call. During the play, Likens is saying "Go. Go. Go. Great hole. Great call. Holding? Holding? How do you call that holding call in a spring game?" Likens tossed in the fluff, like "you're making great calls, you should be up here by me." While bull, it was nice to hear. We did move the ball well with my calls, and I'm sure it was totally my skills. ;-)
We were crossing the field for my last series, and I looked up and Coach Bowen was running towards me as he ran to his side. He had a huge smile and his hands in the air as if to say "WTF?" and hollered "What is up with that play calling?!!" I told him thanks for all he's done for KU Football.
What I learned? This coaching staff is amazing. Reggie is Reggie, but he can also be a hard ass bad ass coach. A player didn't go in for a play. Reggie is yelling for him to go in. Likens is on the headset saying "Where's our tight end? What tight end doesn't know to go in for this play?" The kid got a pretty good earful from Reggie. Likens is my new man crush. Well, Bowen, too. And Reggie couldn't have been more gracious. Likens is in the booth, making calls and watching the game, yet he made sure to involve me in the process. I know it had to be annoying, but I was included like I belonged. Bowen, going out of his way to talk me up shows what he is like. It's organized chaos down there. A call is made, and immediately, at least 3 coaches start hand signalling plays. The players are all looking over watching different coaches send different signals. I know this is not news, but to be in the middle was eye opening.
I was a freshman at KU in 76. I've been a football first fan for all those years. I've seen some good football and a lot of really bad football. I believe this coaching staff will get us back to being a winning team. Probably won't go bowling next year, but I am sure the kids we do have will give it their all and be disciplined. The one constant over the years is the kids that choose KU and play for us. We bitch a bunch about wins and losses and coaching, but I hope we never lose sight of what it takes to be a student athlete. Days I bitch about getting up at 6 or 7 to go to work, these kids have been up working out already by that time. Then school, tutoring, and more practice. It can't be easy. We can hate the coaches, but I hope we never not go to games because of the coaches. These kids deserve so much better that what we show them sometimes.
Oh, and I will never bitch about a play call again.
Onward and Upward! Rock Chalk!
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