Dani Meersman/Indiana Athletics
You’re not very far removed from the 2024 season. Have you had a chance to digest all that was accomplished?
In bits and pieces, but the way we played kind of left a sour taste. I think the silver lining is it provides the motivation going into next season, as opposed to having the feel-goods about everything we accomplished. That brings challenges of its own. But it was a lot of firsts, a lot of great things. It’s a good start, but we’re committed to making the next step next season. I give a lot of credit to the players, coaches, and the administration for their commitment and efforts throughout. Not only was it gratifying to string together the wins, start 10-0, and win 11 games for the first time but also to have the support we had from the fans. Thousands were outside tailgating that couldn’t get tickets. It was over-the-top excitement about Indiana football.
Playing in the Big Ten Conference is a different animal than regular college football, but you’ve been around the game for a while. What did this season teach you?
We had a similar turnaround in my second year as head coach at Elon, a place that had not had success. Many on campus thought it was an impossible situation. They were 12-45 before we went in there. It was one of the toughest football championship subdivisions in the country at the time, and we started 8-1 and played for the conference championship at the end of the season. Having that experience to draw from before this all started was a plus. I knew how one thing could lead to another, and that’s sort of how it fell into place for us.
So much about college football has changed since you first became a head coach in 2011. What continues to drive you?
I love the game and the opportunity to put a roster together and build the intangibles of a team. I love to put all the people in place, whether it’s coaches or players, and build an environment, culture, and mindset where everyone can thrive and become the best version of themselves. We’re very process-oriented, with high standards, expectations, and accountability. Our philosophy on how to play the game is: Be where your feet are and make the most of every moment, every day, and stack those moments, meetings, and practices to put yourself in the best position on Saturday. At the end of the day, I’m competitive, and the thing that drives me is winning. But to be honest with you, I think I hate losing more than I like winning.
You had 13 players along with seven coaches come with you from James Madison University. How much does that buy-in illustrate the kind of culture that you create and bring with you?
This process happened so fast. IU made a change on a Sunday afternoon and by Wednesday night, I was offered the job and accepted it. I never once entertained the notion that any of those guys might follow me. When I flew out Friday morning with four coaches and my strength and conditioning coordinator, a couple of them started jumping the portal. Then more came in, and I realized what was possible. I think those guys were huge in this because they understood the program. They could answer questions from the other guys, and they led by example. They had a great work ethic and understood the standard that leads to success. And they knew how to handle that success, as well as failure. A lot of other transfers we brought in had come from winning programs too. They all knew how to play ball and started for two or three years, which was important to me. The one thing I’m most proud of is that for the most part, we played with great consistency from beginning to end. From the first play to the last, we were never satisfied. We played with an edge and as a team. Guys were focused on the same goal. Of course, they all had their individual goals, I’m sure, but they were able to subordinate those for the greater good of the team.
You’ve preached “production over potential” when evaluating potential recruits. What do you and your coaching staff look for first, or most often, when it comes to watching film or meeting with potential players?
You’ve got to love football, first of all. There are a lot of guys who play for different reasons, but we want guys who love ball, love the process, and love the development. Even though it’s not always fun, they yearn for the discipline and structure. A good foundation to have is character. You can get a sense of that in where they came from and how they present themselves. Within the first couple of minutes of sitting down with them, you can get an idea of their character and form a first impression. It isn’t absolute, but it is often correct. A portal guy and a high school guy are different. A high school guy, you have to develop, mentor, and bring along. A portal guy has maturity. They’re coming because they want an opportunity. This is a platform to show what they can do. They want to play at the next level, and they all want to win. In the end, they just have to be our kind of guy and able to fit into our team system.
Much of the talk around college athletics of late has been focused on the difficulty in building a program when you have the portal and NIL (name, image, and likeness) issues to worry about. Do you see anything in the changing landscape that has improved college athletics?
That changing landscape has given people like us an opportunity to be successful right off the bat. The downside of the portal is your roster got lean, but the upside is that it gives you an opportunity to bring in the new faces that you need. I like the control that it provides in terms of building and determining what your roster is going to look like year in, year out. In the past, your roster was built through the high school route. Now, kids who might not have been in the best situation are finding a better situation.
Your father was a Hall of Fame coach; your younger brother has coached for 30 years. Was there ever anything else you wanted to be as a kid?
No, absolutely not. My dad halfheartedly tried to steer me in a different direction when I was in college, but I knew by third grade that I wanted to be a coach. We moved to Morgantown, West Virginia, when Bobby Bowden took the West Virginia job. My dad went with him, and I was on the sideline for the home games and in the locker room for halftime. Listening to coach Bowden talk, I knew right then and there it was what I wanted to do.
The trait most often referenced when describing your coaching style is confidence. What do you think about that?
I probably was a little [more] over the top this year at Indiana than I’ve been at other places I’ve coached, but I felt like that was what was needed. Walking into a place where a lot of people didn’t see much hope and having to get the fan base excited, I had to show confidence. I think it rubbed off on our players too. You’re on more of a national stage here. That gets across more often, so from year one, that was my thing. Confidence was the recipe.
What stands out to you about Bloomington now that you’re a full-time resident?
We really love it here. It’s a wonderful university town. The people are very friendly and welcoming. I like the climate. I just think it’s a beautiful place. I’d been to the university a couple of times before I took the job and was always impressed by the campus. The people I work for, Scott Dolson and Pam Whitten, are great. They’re committed. I feel a real sense of responsibility toward continuing to elevate this program.
Free time is surely scarce as a head coach, but when you do get it, what do you gravitate toward to wind down and reset?
Right off the bat, I go to my recliner! Then my wife, Manette, and I will get away to whatever destination she chooses. It’s usually a sunny beach. I’ve always been a big reader. I used to be an avid golfer too, but once I became a head coach, I quit golfing because it took up too much of my time. Nowadays, this job is 24/7.
