In a recent SEC Network roundtable discussion hosted by Joe Tessitore, several of the league’s 14 coaches reflected on the challenges of handling scrutiny and outside chatter and the role it plays in their respective positions.
(h/t @SECNetwork)
Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M: “It’s part of the job. If you’re going to compete at this level, obviously we all can’t win. It gets back to anybody can play well one game, but to put them back to back to back … everybody has 20-20 vision looking in the rear-view mirror. When you’re on the sideline and you’re playing, it’s all part of it. We’re real fortunate to be in the SEC.”
Mark Stoops, Kentucky: “We’re our biggest critics as well. We put enough pressure on ourselves that all that outside stuff really doesn’t affect us as much as most people would think.”
Derek Mason, Vanderbilt: I’m probably the one on the panel who has had the most heat come at him, just in terms of what the season looked like a year ago, but here’s what I know. You get a chance to do it all over again, you recalibrate, push the reset button. You get your mind to the next target. Then you start to grind. You drown out the white noise and focus on the things we can do.
Bret Bielema, Arkansas: “The thing that gets frustrating for me is when a player doesn’t see how easy he could have success. He chooses to be five minutes late rather than five minutes early and you as a coach, you get frustrated. When the media goes after a young man that really hasn’t done anything wrong. He may not have played as well as everyone wanted him to be, but he probably played as well as he could play.”
Jim McElwain, Florida: “Each one of us is there to support (players) in everything we do. Both places we’ve been able to go to, one of the things is building that relationship so they understand you’re there for them. Not only there for them, but there with them. you’ve got to show that vulnerability as a coach … that they understand you’re in it. When everybody knows you’re in it together, you’ve got an opportunity to really be successful.”
