Like any new head coach at any college football program across the country, one of the first, and often the most challenging tasks for the new head honcho isn’t installing a new offense.
Before a new head coach can dream of winning a championship, they have to get their new crop of players to buy into their new vision for the program. They have to get them to buy in.
It’s a phrase heard a lot throughout the college football landscape when describing a coaching change.
It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process.
From a coach’s perspective, it means your players put their faith in you and what you want to accomplish.
It means most of these players, who previously bought into a different man’s vision, choose to trust you and what you want to do.
Day 1 of spring football for the Florida Gators is in the books, and it was one of the first steps for first-year coach Jim McElwain to accomplish that task.
For McElwain, buying in is more about the individual players rather than himself.
“I don’t have any real magic potions here,” McElwain said. “The key is invest in yourself, give of yourself for the benefit of others and you know what, be accountable for everything you do. Your actions speak louder than words, man. We’ll see it on film, we’ll coach it on film. The guys who learn to do what’s right, pretty good chance they’ll play.”
Redshirt sophomore Antonio Riles, one of just seven active offensive lineman on scholarship this spring is confident that the culture shift is underway.
“Of course. How could you not? He’s a great coach,” Riles said. “We’re starting to love him, we’re starting to be around him a little more and that’s what we need. We’re excited about the way things are going. Of course it’s a big transition for us, but I think everyone is buying in.”
The obvious change McElwain brings to Gainesville is his pro-style offensive attack, which saw success at Alabama and Colorado State most recently. While installing the offense is one of the primary focuses for the spring season, McElwain says that a sense of trust needs to be met first and foremost before actual installation can begin.
“It’s one of those things where guys ... know what you’re doing (and) they trust you. And so there’s a lot that that needs to continue to work at every position—develop trust and then once they develop trust in them then you’ve got a chance to be a leader.” McElwain said.
171 days. That’s how many days left until Florida kicks off against New Mexico State on Sept. 5 to officially start the 2015 season. More importantly for McElwain, though, it’s 171 days to get the players to fully believe in the process.
Convincing a team to buy in isn’t an instantaneous process, but thanks to spring football, McElwain has a chance to move closer to fully accomplishing that job.
“I like the way the guys have come together, the competition between the units, understanding that each and every play is an opportunity to get better,” McElwain said.
Follow Morgan Moriarty on Twitter @Morgan_Moriarty
Florida football coach Jim McElwain speaks to media members during a press conference on March 10 in the Southeast End Zone meeting room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
