December 8, 2025 • 14 mins
Coach Candle at Pratt & Whitney Stadium during is introduction to the UConn Football Community
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thank you for all those kind words from everybody. Obviously,
this is a humbling moment for me because I'm I'm
really honored to be your next head football coach here.
I think this is a tremendous opportunity a place that
has so much to you know, it's accomplished so much
in the last couple of years, but to a certain extent,
to have the opportunity to maybe wake up the echoes
(00:21):
of the past too and maybe what this looks like
and take this into a different era of college football.
I got a couple thank yous real quick too as well.
You know, obviously, uh President Meerica. In the five minutes
I've been here, I mean you've You've opened up my
eyes to the possibilities of what alignment and partnership would
look like. Anybody that can capture that four year old's attention,
(00:42):
you deserve a medal of honor.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So I appreciate you for that, uh Dan.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
The board of trustees and all the help and the
recruiting process, and and really just from Afar, the ability
that you've had to or the willingness and the ability
to impact you know, your program and try to take
this into the new age of college football. It's been
it's been fun to watch from afar, and I'm looking
forward to being a part of that. David Benedict and
his wife Lisa for opening their doors to my family,
(01:09):
you know, and the recruiting process to come see this
fantastic place. I knew there was a you know, there
was a reason before walking out into the twenty seven
degree weather and Mount Pleasant, Michigan wide, I didn't have
a hat and some gloves to wear to the game.
I knew I wanted to show my toughness, but I
didn't know that that was ultimately going to be a
selling point to to be the head football coach of
(01:30):
the Yukon Huskies. But I thank you for doing being
really authentic and genuine in your process that goes.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Along with way with me and my family.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
And you know, you talk about alignment and you speak
to it speaks volumes, and what you've been able.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
To accomplish here is is incredible.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
And I'm looking looking forward to locking arms with you.
You know, you have a lot of great coaches here
and you know, you know Dan, you know they mentioned
Geno and and Dan being able to you know, be
part of the recruiting process and reaching out and helping me.
And I think the success of those men and what
they've been able to accomplish is not only a model
for your university, but it's a pillar of you know,
what success looks like across college athletics. And you know,
(02:06):
it's not often you get a chance to go to
work at a place where you know, you get stimulated
and you get motivated by, you know the success of
others around you. And look, We've been a part of
a lot of championship teams where I've been able to
be the coach. And I played at Mount Union College
where we won fifty four games in a row and
for some reason we figured out how to lose one
and then we ran.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Fifty five in a row back after that.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
That's the cut the cloth that I'm cut from, and
I want to surround myself with winners, and I think
I found a perfect place to do that. So I'm
really excited to be a part of that special thanks
to my wife and Nicole, you know, a rock star,
a great teammate. You know, I think, along this journey
eleven years ago, what are you signing up for? My gosh,
she had no idea, but here we are. You know,
(02:48):
I got beautiful children. You know, we got a great
family and man or man. Uh, if that was only
as cool as the as the husky mascot, where we'd
be we'd be doing some good things. But we're excited,
uh to grain ourselves in the community, looking forward to
you know, uh, seeing which stores and seeing what the
state of Connecticut you know, is all about.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And you know this is going to be a great thing.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I'd like to thank coach Mora, you know, and the
coaches that are back working to get this team prepared
for a bowl game.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You know, you know, you.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Oftentimes you get a chance to take over these opportunities,
and you know, a lot of places there's coaches doing
the same thing I'm doing today and the program that
they're walking into is not very good.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And this is not the case here.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The team has done you know, wonders in the last
twenty four months, and now it's the challenge of how
you can take that and take it to the next step.
And you know, something I'm looking forward to and putting
the staff together that can be able to highlight and
enhance what those men have been able to do. Those
players have worked tirelessly and really done a great job
to put themselves in participate in an opportunity to go
play a bowl game here against a great opponent and
(03:48):
win that game, and ten wins is a special thing.
Not too many teams get to do that, and I'm
looking forward to watching that journey for them. Lastly, you know,
i'd like to thank the University of Toledo. You know,
I've been through, you know, multiple presidents, multiple athletic directors,
and a ton of great people along the way. And
you know, sometimes you go, you go on the dance
(04:09):
floor and you try to really pay attention to each
step that you make, and you're not trying to go
to a direct place. You're just trying to enjoy the
step and enjoy the process. And man, oh man, I've
enjoyed every step of that, every step of the way.
We've been able to create at a great culture, some
tremendous leaders, some tremendous players that have went on and
done great things at the National Football League, and ultimately,
(04:30):
you know, people that have went on to do great
things in life. And I think that it's fair to
judge coaches, not today, yes quite yet, but it's fair
to judge coaches based on wins and losses. But I
don't think it's fair to judge kids off wins and losses.
I think we're ultimately going to be defined as young
men and players of what we've become twenty years down
the road.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Would you know what an impact.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
To society we can make, you know, what a tremendous
husband we can be, What a tremendous father we can be.
And that's what we're going to build. That's what we
were able to build, it to lead, and that's we're
going to continue to build here going. You know, my
the ad that hired me, Michael Brian, you know, told
me right from the jump, right when I got hired,
you know, ten years ago at Toledo that man, Jay,
(05:10):
it's you're following a really good coach. But I really
believe that you can go on and take you know,
this thing to another level. And I feel the same
way about that situation as I do now. So this
is challenging, it's exciting. I'm looking forward to it. You know,
I'm ultimately was, you know, really impressed when I got
the call to be you know, just the interest you know,
from your university to have a conversation with me, and
then getting to know David and the other people throughout
(05:31):
the process. Here this became a no brainer. You know,
the alignment. I keep coming back to the alignment and
the stability of what that looks like from the top
down on how a football coach or any coach can
really parlay that success into success on the field. You know,
we're gonna put a lot of effort into three hundred
and fifty three days out of the year that there's
not a football game. I truly believe in holistically building
(05:51):
the young man. These are people's sons, These are people's
most prized possessions that they turn them over to you,
and in four to five years they should understand, you know,
when they walk across that stage and they grab you know,
the President's hand and shake their hand and meeting and
getting a meetingful degree that this was the coolest experience
of their life. So I feel a tremendous amount of
responsibility in that is we sit in the homes of
(06:13):
young people and recruit them to this fine university. So
we're going to do a really good job of those.
Like I said, three hundred and fifty three days out
of the year, we're gonna put a lot of energy
in that.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And continue to build really good people.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
And then those twelve days that there are six or
seven that we're able to be out here in this
great stadium, you're going to be proud of the product
that we put on the field out there.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
For me, you know, I'm really looking forward to just
kind of hitting the ground running here, you know, trying
to get started, getting to know the people, getting to
know the players, getting to know all of you, trying
to find the lay of the land, and trying to
make not to make any rash decisions on what it
looks like from a staffing standpoint or you know, in
today's world, a players standpoint. So I'm looking forward to
getting started, getting my feet on the ground and getting
going and trying to make the best decisions so we
(06:53):
can have a great season next year and build a
program that's the built to last and what that looks
like sometimes and today as college athletics, sometimes that's more
of an art than a science. But our staff will
work really tirelessly to do that and work really hard
to make you proud and excited to get started. So finally,
you know, I just say that we're grateful for this opportunity.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
UH.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Success comes in multiple different ways. You know, we need
everybody to lock arms and to buy in, you know,
the you know, from the at the city level to
the state level to alumni, you know, former Huskies, future Huskies,
everybody that's ever touched our program, or anybody that's going
to be bringing that we're going to bring into this thing.
It's a proud day to be a Husky. I'm super
excited to be your football coach. UH, And like I said,
(07:36):
I can't wait to get this thing kicked off. So
that being said, go Huskies.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Over here, coach.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Thank you. Joe's own Channel three of the CBS station
in Connecticut. When you were and your wife were going
over the reasons why we should take the job, maybe
why you shouldn't take the job. What was the one
thing that you said, we have to take this job
the people. I think it always comes back to the people.
I think it's always you know, look, winning's hard, recruiting's hard.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Retention has become incredibly difficult if you don't have great
people around you and you don't have the ability to
have authentic relationships. This is a relationship based business. It
always has been it always will be. It drives me
crazy when I hear that, you know, man, kids are different,
kids have changed.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I don't believe that.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I think that sometimes the people that are traditionalists or
the adults, sometimes they've changed maybe a little bit.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And I think at the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You know, kids want structure, they want support, they want
a vision, they want to be able to stay connected
to that vision. And if you don't have great people
around you as the coach, you have no chance. So
I think I would always go back to, you know,
the people, and there's great facilities here, there's great things.
Campus is awesome, campus is great, there's so many things
that's but it's not about bricks and mortar. It's about
relationships and that's about the people.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
Coach Joe Rude with the Hertford Current, just curious, what
was it during this process that you maybe saw or
heard that convinced you about the potential for this program.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Yeah, I think I'd take it back to you know,
you look for these opportunities. You have different positions or
different job opportunities that may pop up, and it's not
often that you get an opportunity to be at one
that had a winning season that has the foundation to grow,
you know, and I think you always ask yourself can
you make an impact? And can you can you enhance
(09:33):
it and can you make it better? And you know,
I think if the starting point is farther down the
down the line, it makes for an easier transition.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
This is never going to be easy.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I know, let's not get it confused, but I think
a good foundation. You know what coach More and his
staff were been able to do to this point time,
the players in that locker room, and then obviously the
alignment from the administration and how they see this thing going.
I think it really aligned with how I see it,
and you know what our goals would be.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Welcome coach Roger Cleveland from Hurst Media, Connecticut. I'm just
wondering you're you're thrown into it at a time when
the sport is really kind of has a different atmosphere.
What are your priorities for the next three weeks to
kind of get a foundation under you?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, great question.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
I think college athletics sometimes it's rocky waters right now.
I mean the ship is moving all over the sea
and you have to be able to grab the wheel
and stabilize and steer it the right way.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
I think things that are.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
You know, you have to decide as the coach, what
is a little bit of a burning match, so to speak,
speak on the floor versus a burning home, and put
energy in the right places because there's really not enough
hours in the day to pay attention and move, you know,
and and chase the you know, the wind, so to speak.
So you know, obviously we've got to get the ground
running here of hiring a coaching staff. We've got to
(10:57):
be able to get some relationship for him with the
current players. We got to be able to be ready
to roll when the transfer portal opens up in January
and get moving as it pertains to building next year's team,
because you know, in the last ten years my tenure
being the head coach, I've seen this thing change on
how how rosters are built and how they're constructed, you know,
almost every year.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
So you got to be able to adapt. You got
to be able to overcome maybe the challenges.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
And then I think that's you know, what's staring us
right in the face right.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Now at Jason Domamory from the Hartfred Current. Do you
construct rosters more with the portal or more with traditional
high school recruiting. It seems like you do more of
a balance maybe than they've seen here.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah, I mean, I think I'd take that up the
same approach I would be to hiring a staff.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You have to fit the institution.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
You have to understand the climate of the current environment
that you're walking into. You know, I was at a
place for ten straight years and we were able to
be do an unbelievable job and as good as a
job as anybody in.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
The country, and retaining our athletes.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
You know, We've had eleven draft picks there since I've
been the head coach, and we'll probably have one or
two more this year. Our guys don't leave, you know,
when you have that luxury and you're able to retain them.
That way, it's really easy to continue to cycle in
high school player after high school player and really put
you know, raw energy into development.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
We can't get that confused. It's still about development.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
It's still about providing a plan for a young person
to stay connected to and allowing them to, you know,
really feel that they if they do what they need
to do, they can be the best version of themselves
right here at Yukon. So I'd hate to sit here
and not tell you the truth. The truth is is
these rosters turn over a year and in year out,
and we're into a new world that none of us
are really totally familiar with. But the toothpaste is not
(12:39):
going back in the tube. You know, this is where
we're at and we're going at a at rapid speed.
We have to be able to put a team on
the field next year that's highly competitive, yet not sacrifice
what growth and development looks like for a four or
five year run of what this looks like for these
student athletes.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
Coach Eric Joe Brats with the ABC station in New Haven,
how important is it to you to build relationships with
the high school coaches in the state and to keep
the local talent here in Connecticut.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's a life blood of your program. You know, this
thing has to be built inside out. It can't be
built outside in. You know, I would go back to
you know, I'd start right if I was the head
coach of Toledo still and you asked me the same question,
I'd say, we'd start in Lucas County. We'd start with
the great high school coaches right there in our city.
We have a great opportunity to do that and then
from there you branch out. You know, you get a
four or five hour radius of campus. So what you
(13:28):
really try to you know, you try to hammer home
and I think that that goes a long way. That puts,
you know, a lot of creates a lot of buzz
locally about your team. It puts people in the stands
to watch their their favorite high school player from you know,
their local cities. But if you can't find them, it's
still my job to put the best product on the
field on Saturday. Then from there you got to get
on an airplane and go find them. But ultimately, you know,
(13:49):
if you can get a car and drive five minutes
on their own to find a great player rather than
flying the Los Angeles to do it, I'd rather do that.
But we gotta do what's best for the program. We
want to you know, we want to bring in the
high school coaches. We want to really support the state.
We want I think there's underrated talent here. I think
there's untapped potential. I think building relationships with the high
school coaches is a critical piece to how.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
You build a program.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
And you know, we want to support them in anything
that they do or any adventure that we could help,
you know, learn from a professional development and we'll do
lots of clinics, we're going to do lots of camps.
We're going to really involve the youth in our community,
and we're going to truly build community. And without being
having those great relationship, I don't think you have an
opportunity to do that.
Thank you for all those kind words from everybody. Obviously,
this is a humbling moment for me because I'm I'm
really honored to be your next head football coach here.
I think this is a tremendous opportunity a place that
has so much to you know, it's accomplished so much
in the last couple of years, but to a certain extent,
to have the opportunity to maybe wake up the echoes
(00:21):
of the past too and maybe what this looks like
and take this into a different era of college football.
I got a couple thank yous real quick too as well.
You know, obviously, uh President Meerica. In the five minutes
I've been here, I mean you've You've opened up my
eyes to the possibilities of what alignment and partnership would
look like. Anybody that can capture that four year old's attention,
(00:42):
you deserve a medal of honor.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So I appreciate you for that, uh Dan.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
The board of trustees and all the help and the
recruiting process, and and really just from Afar, the ability
that you've had to or the willingness and the ability
to impact you know, your program and try to take
this into the new age of college football. It's been
it's been fun to watch from afar, and I'm looking
forward to being a part of that. David Benedict and
his wife Lisa for opening their doors to my family,
(01:09):
you know, and the recruiting process to come see this
fantastic place. I knew there was a you know, there
was a reason before walking out into the twenty seven
degree weather and Mount Pleasant, Michigan wide, I didn't have
a hat and some gloves to wear to the game.
I knew I wanted to show my toughness, but I
didn't know that that was ultimately going to be a
selling point to to be the head football coach of
(01:30):
the Yukon Huskies. But I thank you for doing being
really authentic and genuine in your process that goes.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Along with way with me and my family.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
And you know, you talk about alignment and you speak
to it speaks volumes, and what you've been able.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
To accomplish here is is incredible.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
And I'm looking looking forward to locking arms with you.
You know, you have a lot of great coaches here
and you know, you know Dan, you know they mentioned
Geno and and Dan being able to you know, be
part of the recruiting process and reaching out and helping me.
And I think the success of those men and what
they've been able to accomplish is not only a model
for your university, but it's a pillar of you know,
what success looks like across college athletics. And you know,
(02:06):
it's not often you get a chance to go to
work at a place where you know, you get stimulated
and you get motivated by, you know the success of
others around you. And look, We've been a part of
a lot of championship teams where I've been able to
be the coach. And I played at Mount Union College
where we won fifty four games in a row and
for some reason we figured out how to lose one
and then we ran.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Fifty five in a row back after that.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
That's the cut the cloth that I'm cut from, and
I want to surround myself with winners, and I think
I found a perfect place to do that. So I'm
really excited to be a part of that special thanks
to my wife and Nicole, you know, a rock star,
a great teammate. You know, I think, along this journey
eleven years ago, what are you signing up for? My gosh,
she had no idea, but here we are. You know,
(02:48):
I got beautiful children. You know, we got a great
family and man or man. Uh, if that was only
as cool as the as the husky mascot, where we'd
be we'd be doing some good things. But we're excited,
uh to grain ourselves in the community, looking forward to
you know, uh, seeing which stores and seeing what the
state of Connecticut you know, is all about.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And you know this is going to be a great thing.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I'd like to thank coach Mora, you know, and the
coaches that are back working to get this team prepared
for a bowl game.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You know, you know, you.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Oftentimes you get a chance to take over these opportunities,
and you know, a lot of places there's coaches doing
the same thing I'm doing today and the program that
they're walking into is not very good.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And this is not the case here.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The team has done you know, wonders in the last
twenty four months, and now it's the challenge of how
you can take that and take it to the next step.
And you know, something I'm looking forward to and putting
the staff together that can be able to highlight and
enhance what those men have been able to do. Those
players have worked tirelessly and really done a great job
to put themselves in participate in an opportunity to go
play a bowl game here against a great opponent and
(03:48):
win that game, and ten wins is a special thing.
Not too many teams get to do that, and I'm
looking forward to watching that journey for them. Lastly, you know,
i'd like to thank the University of Toledo. You know,
I've been through, you know, multiple presidents, multiple athletic directors,
and a ton of great people along the way. And
you know, sometimes you go, you go on the dance
(04:09):
floor and you try to really pay attention to each
step that you make, and you're not trying to go
to a direct place. You're just trying to enjoy the
step and enjoy the process. And man, oh man, I've
enjoyed every step of that, every step of the way.
We've been able to create at a great culture, some
tremendous leaders, some tremendous players that have went on and
done great things at the National Football League, and ultimately,
(04:30):
you know, people that have went on to do great
things in life. And I think that it's fair to
judge coaches, not today, yes quite yet, but it's fair
to judge coaches based on wins and losses. But I
don't think it's fair to judge kids off wins and losses.
I think we're ultimately going to be defined as young
men and players of what we've become twenty years down
the road.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Would you know what an impact.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
To society we can make, you know, what a tremendous
husband we can be, What a tremendous father we can be.
And that's what we're going to build. That's what we
were able to build, it to lead, and that's we're
going to continue to build here going. You know, my
the ad that hired me, Michael Brian, you know, told
me right from the jump, right when I got hired,
you know, ten years ago at Toledo that man, Jay,
(05:10):
it's you're following a really good coach. But I really
believe that you can go on and take you know,
this thing to another level. And I feel the same
way about that situation as I do now. So this
is challenging, it's exciting. I'm looking forward to it. You know,
I'm ultimately was, you know, really impressed when I got
the call to be you know, just the interest you know,
from your university to have a conversation with me, and
then getting to know David and the other people throughout
(05:31):
the process. Here this became a no brainer. You know,
the alignment. I keep coming back to the alignment and
the stability of what that looks like from the top
down on how a football coach or any coach can
really parlay that success into success on the field. You know,
we're gonna put a lot of effort into three hundred
and fifty three days out of the year that there's
not a football game. I truly believe in holistically building
(05:51):
the young man. These are people's sons, These are people's
most prized possessions that they turn them over to you,
and in four to five years they should understand, you know,
when they walk across that stage and they grab you know,
the President's hand and shake their hand and meeting and
getting a meetingful degree that this was the coolest experience
of their life. So I feel a tremendous amount of
responsibility in that is we sit in the homes of
(06:13):
young people and recruit them to this fine university. So
we're going to do a really good job of those.
Like I said, three hundred and fifty three days out
of the year, we're gonna put a lot of energy
in that.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And continue to build really good people.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
And then those twelve days that there are six or
seven that we're able to be out here in this
great stadium, you're going to be proud of the product
that we put on the field out there.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
For me, you know, I'm really looking forward to just
kind of hitting the ground running here, you know, trying
to get started, getting to know the people, getting to
know the players, getting to know all of you, trying
to find the lay of the land, and trying to
make not to make any rash decisions on what it
looks like from a staffing standpoint or you know, in
today's world, a players standpoint. So I'm looking forward to
getting started, getting my feet on the ground and getting
going and trying to make the best decisions so we
(06:53):
can have a great season next year and build a
program that's the built to last and what that looks
like sometimes and today as college athletics, sometimes that's more
of an art than a science. But our staff will
work really tirelessly to do that and work really hard
to make you proud and excited to get started. So finally,
you know, I just say that we're grateful for this opportunity.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
UH.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Success comes in multiple different ways. You know, we need
everybody to lock arms and to buy in, you know,
the you know, from the at the city level to
the state level to alumni, you know, former Huskies, future Huskies,
everybody that's ever touched our program, or anybody that's going
to be bringing that we're going to bring into this thing.
It's a proud day to be a Husky. I'm super
excited to be your football coach. UH, And like I said,
(07:36):
I can't wait to get this thing kicked off. So
that being said, go Huskies.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Over here, coach.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Thank you. Joe's own Channel three of the CBS station
in Connecticut. When you were and your wife were going
over the reasons why we should take the job, maybe
why you shouldn't take the job. What was the one
thing that you said, we have to take this job
the people. I think it always comes back to the people.
I think it's always you know, look, winning's hard, recruiting's hard.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Retention has become incredibly difficult if you don't have great
people around you and you don't have the ability to
have authentic relationships. This is a relationship based business. It
always has been it always will be. It drives me
crazy when I hear that, you know, man, kids are different,
kids have changed.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I don't believe that.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I think that sometimes the people that are traditionalists or
the adults, sometimes they've changed maybe a little bit.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And I think at the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You know, kids want structure, they want support, they want
a vision, they want to be able to stay connected
to that vision. And if you don't have great people
around you as the coach, you have no chance. So
I think I would always go back to, you know,
the people, and there's great facilities here, there's great things.
Campus is awesome, campus is great, there's so many things
that's but it's not about bricks and mortar. It's about
relationships and that's about the people.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
Coach Joe Rude with the Hertford Current, just curious, what
was it during this process that you maybe saw or
heard that convinced you about the potential for this program.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Yeah, I think I'd take it back to you know,
you look for these opportunities. You have different positions or
different job opportunities that may pop up, and it's not
often that you get an opportunity to be at one
that had a winning season that has the foundation to grow,
you know, and I think you always ask yourself can
you make an impact? And can you can you enhance
(09:33):
it and can you make it better? And you know,
I think if the starting point is farther down the
down the line, it makes for an easier transition.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
This is never going to be easy.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I know, let's not get it confused, but I think
a good foundation. You know what coach More and his
staff were been able to do to this point time,
the players in that locker room, and then obviously the
alignment from the administration and how they see this thing going.
I think it really aligned with how I see it,
and you know what our goals would be.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Welcome coach Roger Cleveland from Hurst Media, Connecticut. I'm just
wondering you're you're thrown into it at a time when
the sport is really kind of has a different atmosphere.
What are your priorities for the next three weeks to
kind of get a foundation under you?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, great question.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
I think college athletics sometimes it's rocky waters right now.
I mean the ship is moving all over the sea
and you have to be able to grab the wheel
and stabilize and steer it the right way.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
I think things that are.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
You know, you have to decide as the coach, what
is a little bit of a burning match, so to speak,
speak on the floor versus a burning home, and put
energy in the right places because there's really not enough
hours in the day to pay attention and move, you know,
and and chase the you know, the wind, so to speak.
So you know, obviously we've got to get the ground
running here of hiring a coaching staff. We've got to
(10:57):
be able to get some relationship for him with the
current players. We got to be able to be ready
to roll when the transfer portal opens up in January
and get moving as it pertains to building next year's team,
because you know, in the last ten years my tenure
being the head coach, I've seen this thing change on
how how rosters are built and how they're constructed, you know,
almost every year.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
So you got to be able to adapt. You got
to be able to overcome maybe the challenges.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
And then I think that's you know, what's staring us
right in the face right.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Now at Jason Domamory from the Hartfred Current. Do you
construct rosters more with the portal or more with traditional
high school recruiting. It seems like you do more of
a balance maybe than they've seen here.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah, I mean, I think I'd take that up the
same approach I would be to hiring a staff.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You have to fit the institution.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
You have to understand the climate of the current environment
that you're walking into. You know, I was at a
place for ten straight years and we were able to
be do an unbelievable job and as good as a
job as anybody in.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
The country, and retaining our athletes.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
You know, We've had eleven draft picks there since I've
been the head coach, and we'll probably have one or
two more this year. Our guys don't leave, you know,
when you have that luxury and you're able to retain them.
That way, it's really easy to continue to cycle in
high school player after high school player and really put
you know, raw energy into development.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
We can't get that confused. It's still about development.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
It's still about providing a plan for a young person
to stay connected to and allowing them to, you know,
really feel that they if they do what they need
to do, they can be the best version of themselves
right here at Yukon. So I'd hate to sit here
and not tell you the truth. The truth is is
these rosters turn over a year and in year out,
and we're into a new world that none of us
are really totally familiar with. But the toothpaste is not
(12:39):
going back in the tube. You know, this is where
we're at and we're going at a at rapid speed.
We have to be able to put a team on
the field next year that's highly competitive, yet not sacrifice
what growth and development looks like for a four or
five year run of what this looks like for these
student athletes.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
Coach Eric Joe Brats with the ABC station in New Haven,
how important is it to you to build relationships with
the high school coaches in the state and to keep
the local talent here in Connecticut.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's a life blood of your program. You know, this
thing has to be built inside out. It can't be
built outside in. You know, I would go back to
you know, I'd start right if I was the head
coach of Toledo still and you asked me the same question,
I'd say, we'd start in Lucas County. We'd start with
the great high school coaches right there in our city.
We have a great opportunity to do that and then
from there you branch out. You know, you get a
four or five hour radius of campus. So what you
(13:28):
really try to you know, you try to hammer home
and I think that that goes a long way. That puts,
you know, a lot of creates a lot of buzz
locally about your team. It puts people in the stands
to watch their their favorite high school player from you know,
their local cities. But if you can't find them, it's
still my job to put the best product on the
field on Saturday. Then from there you got to get
on an airplane and go find them. But ultimately, you know,
(13:49):
if you can get a car and drive five minutes
on their own to find a great player rather than
flying the Los Angeles to do it, I'd rather do that.
But we gotta do what's best for the program. We
want to you know, we want to bring in the
high school coaches. We want to really support the state.
We want I think there's underrated talent here. I think
there's untapped potential. I think building relationships with the high
school coaches is a critical piece to how.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
You build a program.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
And you know, we want to support them in anything
that they do or any adventure that we could help,
you know, learn from a professional development and we'll do
lots of clinics, we're going to do lots of camps.
We're going to really involve the youth in our community,
and we're going to truly build community. And without being
having those great relationship, I don't think you have an
opportunity to do that.
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