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Learning new schemes nothing new for ISU
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-04-16
Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud has a master’s degree before he’s received his bachelor’s.
Because he’s on his third offense in three years, Arnaud, and the rest of the veteran players, have spent enough time in the classroom to earn an advanced degree in scheme installation. And all the time spent learning new systems has helped them grasp the concepts new coaching staffs throw at them quickly.
“I’ve done it before,†Arnaud said. “I have a pretty good idea what it takes to learn a system.â€
It’s one of the few advantages that comes from the revolving door of ISU football coaches.
Through trial and error, Arnaud knows he’s a visual learner. He needs to see video of an offense to master it.
So Arnaud’s been in the film room watching tapes of Herman’s old teams at Rice. And he believes his film sessions helped him get a basic understanding of things heading into the summer.
“I have to see it on tape,†Arnaud said. “I’ve been in here trying to watch a lot of film and meet with the coaches and pick up everything I can as fast as I can.†It helps that not everything thrown at Arnaud is new.
Some of Herman’s plays are pretty similar, if not the same thing, to plays he ran when Dan McCarney or Gene Chizik was in charge. Those ones come back quickly, with Arnaud only needing a refresher course in route progression or blocking schemes before he moves on to something new.
“That can make things a little less complicated,†Arnaud said.
Things are a little bit easier with the defense.
Defensive tackle Nate Frere said the line does the same thing, primarily focusing on footwork and hand placement, regardless of who is the coach, and all Frere has to learn is the verbiage of the new staff.
“I’m a very quick learner when it comes to football,†Frere said. “It didn’t take me very long at all to fall into this system. We do some of the same stuff that most defenses do so it wasn’t bad, different terminology but not too hard.â€
But for the younger players, it’s a different matter all together.
Wide receiver Sedrick Johnson never has gone through a coaching change. By the time he fully understood Robert McFarland’s offense, Chizik left for Auburn. He’s spending time in front of the chalk board, chatting with coaches and watching film so he can learn Herman’s offense faster than he learned the last one.
But he said he needs more time before he’s ready to say he has things down pat. That’s where repetition comes into play.
“(It’s) the No. 1 thing we have to do to get things taught to our kids,†ISU coach Paul Rhoads said. “Some learn at different levels and speeds and you can only advance as fast as the weakest link or the last player to learn it.â€
Once everything is put in place, safety James Smith hopes it’s a long time before any Cyclone has to start the process over again.
“I’ve done it before,†Smith said. “It’s no problem for me. But that’s not the case of the younger guys.â€
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929, or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-04-16
ISU quarterback Austen Arnaud has had plenty of practice when it comes to learning a new system. He is on his third coaching staff in four years.
Tribune file photo
Tribune file photo
Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud has a master’s degree before he’s received his bachelor’s.
Because he’s on his third offense in three years, Arnaud, and the rest of the veteran players, have spent enough time in the classroom to earn an advanced degree in scheme installation. And all the time spent learning new systems has helped them grasp the concepts new coaching staffs throw at them quickly.
“I’ve done it before,†Arnaud said. “I have a pretty good idea what it takes to learn a system.â€
It’s one of the few advantages that comes from the revolving door of ISU football coaches.
Through trial and error, Arnaud knows he’s a visual learner. He needs to see video of an offense to master it.
So Arnaud’s been in the film room watching tapes of Herman’s old teams at Rice. And he believes his film sessions helped him get a basic understanding of things heading into the summer.
“I have to see it on tape,†Arnaud said. “I’ve been in here trying to watch a lot of film and meet with the coaches and pick up everything I can as fast as I can.†It helps that not everything thrown at Arnaud is new.
Some of Herman’s plays are pretty similar, if not the same thing, to plays he ran when Dan McCarney or Gene Chizik was in charge. Those ones come back quickly, with Arnaud only needing a refresher course in route progression or blocking schemes before he moves on to something new.
“That can make things a little less complicated,†Arnaud said.
Things are a little bit easier with the defense.
Defensive tackle Nate Frere said the line does the same thing, primarily focusing on footwork and hand placement, regardless of who is the coach, and all Frere has to learn is the verbiage of the new staff.
“I’m a very quick learner when it comes to football,†Frere said. “It didn’t take me very long at all to fall into this system. We do some of the same stuff that most defenses do so it wasn’t bad, different terminology but not too hard.â€
But for the younger players, it’s a different matter all together.
Wide receiver Sedrick Johnson never has gone through a coaching change. By the time he fully understood Robert McFarland’s offense, Chizik left for Auburn. He’s spending time in front of the chalk board, chatting with coaches and watching film so he can learn Herman’s offense faster than he learned the last one.
But he said he needs more time before he’s ready to say he has things down pat. That’s where repetition comes into play.
“(It’s) the No. 1 thing we have to do to get things taught to our kids,†ISU coach Paul Rhoads said. “Some learn at different levels and speeds and you can only advance as fast as the weakest link or the last player to learn it.â€
Once everything is put in place, safety James Smith hopes it’s a long time before any Cyclone has to start the process over again.
“I’ve done it before,†Smith said. “It’s no problem for me. But that’s not the case of the younger guys.â€
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929, or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
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