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| Hall of Fame Coach Chris Ault and Nevada Quarterback Cody Fajardo |
During the summer of 2010 I knew of my impending travels to The U.S.A. and Mexico. Knowing my travels would be in the mid to late March period my brain started ticking over to the possibility of seeing some spring football. Further research led me to the conclusion that only spring games were open and they all would fall at later dates. However maybe I could attend and be a guest on campus with a college team.
Due to my holiday being through the west coast and Mexico I started looking at camp dates that would align with my stay. One location though stuck out head and shoulder above the rest and would just squeeze into my possible window. The University of Nevada located in Reno. We had just moved to a Pistol Offense locally with The Perth Broncos and had difficulty picking up exact timing and footwork off of film alone. The University program was run by College Hall of Fame Coach Chris Ault which further made it appealing. Lastly this is the birth place of The Pistol alignment/offense decades after Coach Ault had created the "jail break screen" at this very university he had again created history and innovation.
I looked up the number for the University of Nevada Athletic Department and called all the way from Perth. This meant I had to either call at the wee hours of the morning or I had a brief window each day to align with their office hours. They told me the person who would be able to help me the most would be Coach Scott Baumgartner who was the receivers Coach but also in charge of visiting staffs. A few emails later and a brief explanation of my coaching history and what I hoped to gain from the visit and the wheels where in motion.
After enjoying my fantastic holiday in Hollywood, Anaheim and Puerto Vallarta. I then spent a week in Las Vegas before finally heading off to Reno and my time at The University. It had been nothing but warm spring days to date on my journey with the occasional windy outburst in Vegas.
Not long after I was joined in the room and introduced to 3 men all clad in blue and explained they were the only other offensive guests during my visit. So myself and the Houston District High School Champions from Cy Creek continued to pour over film. I was still stationed at the computer due to my now brief knowledge of the library of film and how to navigate it.
A Nevada Coach enters the room and introduces himself as Offensive Line Coach Nordcross. The man in charge of what the Wolfpack refer to as 'The Union' he then follows by asking if we have any questions on what we have viewed so far? We say yes we assume there is a check on a certain play when a defence presents a certain look? Well Coach Nordcross just grabs a whte bord marker from the desk I am at and walks right up and draws directly onto the cinema screen/wall. Turns out the whole wall is some king of whiteboard material but with a matte finish. we then move on and continue to pour through game film.
We decide to take a morning break for a coffee we are escorted by Coach Baumgartner and Defensive Coordinator Andy Buh to the cafeteria as we step outside to my surprise it is snowing. I am dressed in shorts and sneakers with a windbreaker on hardly snow attire but no fuss we move on.
(You can see the snowy practice and the town that evening in the above photos)
As we come back we do a tour of the football building where we see some of last years graduated Seniors working out before the NFL Draft we meet Virgil Green (now a Tightend with The Denver Broncos) and Colin Kaepernick (starting Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers). We then move into a coaches meeting in Coach Ault's office to go over todays practice schedule and what will be covered in install that day.
Each Coach then gets to select a position meeting they would like to sit in on after the full team meeting. I choose the Quarterbacks who will be with Coach Ault. We again move into the team meeting room where players have started to make their entrance. Coach Ault welcomes new students to the program and speaks about expectations set for the times ahead. Players are then all told to move to their positional meetings.
We speak about the days install which will focus on a play that wasn't used as much during Kaepernick's time at the school as he excelled in other areas. A spread variation of a play that Ault used to use a lot in his Wing-T days.
Players are dismissed to get ready for practice as coaches get to make their way to the field. At this point Coach Baumgartner points out it is still snowing heavily outside and yells out "Lets get this crazy Aussie into some warm clothing" we make our way down to the equipment room where the volunteer students who work there allocate me cold weather team apparel
There is an interesting dynamic between these volunteers and the players on the team Rishard Matthews (now a Miami Dolphin) comes in and asks for some extra cold weather gear for practice. At this point the volunteer refuses and chastises him for still having gear from the previous years bowl game. I smirk and think to myself "Haters Gonna Hate"
Out on the practice field the team begins to warm up. Todays practice is unique. To gain an extra day of spring training the practice will be run without footballs. Some assistants run onto the field with towels that are electrical tapped into shape for use by the Quarterbacks and Runningbacks as they do run game install.
Legend has it that in the creating of the Pistol Coach Ault and Coach Jim Mastro (runningbacks Coach at the time) went through proposed footwork in the changerooms using towels as there were no other staff to provide footballs on site.
I move between the Quarterbacks group and the Union on the field. I keep a very keen and close eye on Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Cody Fajardo as back home Reece MacMillan and I used him extensively on the NCAA Playstation Game. I also mention to Coach Baumgartner that I am rooting for Farjado in the new QB competition to replace Kaepernick.
After practice Coaches again meet in Ault's office to breakdown film of session and to breakdown next days install.
We are dismissed for the evening and ready to sleep recharged for day 2.
Day 2 we again go through a similar routine. Footballs today and some O v D work. I see a player flash around the field and wonder who the newcomer is. I also notice an absence of dynamic safety Duke Williams (now with the Buffalo Bills) I ask Coach Buh who points out that the young player and Duke are one in the same and that he had a number change in the off season.
Day 2 again ends with a Coaches film breakdown and then a meeting between Coach Ault, the Cy Creek Head Coach and myself. We go over any questions what we thought of practices to date. At this point I query both foot placement and weight transfer by the Quarterback on a certain run play.The question and the content catch Coach Ault off guard. "Are you telling me you Australians actually know some stuff about football? I didn't know you were at that level' he proceeds in detailed back and forth with me regarding the play and further questions. Mentions I am the furthest travelled coach to ever be part of their program. As he says good bye and I thank him he leaves me with one last statement. "Your lucky I am easy on you for coming this far. If you ever wear Red in this building again there will be trouble" I was in my team gear the red of cross State rival Rebels.
My time with a Hall of Fame Coach and witnessing the workings of what was a top 15 College Football program the year before was invaluable.
Not only for learning about the Pistol from it's creator before it's further spread through the football world.
But for learning how to build and sustain a successful team environment and how to share information with your staff and players to maximise limited time.
