How others handled tradition
How others handled tradition

By Scott Wright

Published: August 26, 2007

Different coaches have different ways of handling tradition-rich football programs when they take over. Here's what a few others did:

Bill Callahan likes to point out that he has spent the majority of his coaching career in the college ranks. Yet, when he arrived at Nebraska, he came in with an NFL coaching mindset.

The passion and tradition of Husker football was lost on Callahan at first.

He looked the other way when it came to Nebraska's vaunted walk-on program and at times, his behavior was classless as a representative of one of the classiest football schools around.

It took a couple of years, but Callahan has finally caught on. "I probably made some errors, probably said some things I shouldn't have said,” Callahan told The Oklahoman last December. "I've apologized for it and moved on.”

When he came from the New England Patriots to South Bend, Ind., Charlie Weis didn't think of tinkering with the tradition of the Golden Domers. In fact, Weis, a 1978 Notre Dame graduate, went along the lines of Bob Stoops when it comes to embracing the program's history.

Did Dennis Franchione really have any choice but to accept the history and tradition at Texas A&M? Had he put up a fight, he would have 500 Cadets to answer to. Not that coach Fran was going to question anyone in Aggieland, where they redefine the word "tradition.”

Now, Franchione simply needs to find a way to uphold the Aggies' tradition of winning.

When your team's most notable recent tradition involves on-field brawls, maybe it's time to find a new tradition. That's Shannon's plan as he institutes stronger rules and stiffer punishment. His hope is that Miami will soon be remembered more for its ability to win football games, not fights.

By Scott Wright

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