First, can you tell us how you got into coaching and how you arrived back at USC?
I’m the Offensive Analyst at USC. Once I was done playing in ’06 I took a year off to figure things out – like a lot of guys end up doing. I was like “Damn. What do I do now?”
In ’07 I got an opportunity as a Graduate Assistant at San Diego State. I wanted to go back to USC but they didn’t have any openings then. That’s how I got started. After that in ’08 I went to the University of San Diego to coach tight ends – it was a restricted earnings salary so I only made $20,000, but it was an opportunity for me to coach my own room. I didn’t have kids then so it was something I could do.
Then USC offered me the analyst job in ’09 – that was Pete Carroll’s last year. I stayed on when Kiffin came in but after a while I got a coaching job at a private school. They pay well and supplement your income with stipends too. But I went back to USC in 2018 when Sarkisian asked me to return as their analyst and I’ve been here since.
Who are some of the guys that influenced how you coach now, and how did they do so?
When I played at USC we have four offensive line coaches in five years. It was a good and bad thing. Good because I had the benefit of seeing how different guys do things.
The most influential guy was Kennedy Polamalu – Troy’s uncle. He showed me how to study the game – what to look for. Defensive sets that open your eyes to what the defenses are doing and your own blocking schemes. As linemen you often just look at what’s in the box – but if you can see the coverages that can help you to understand what the defenses are doing and attack them better too.
You came to Pittsburgh after a stint in Baltimore – what prompted you to sign with the Steelers and who helped you to adjust to the team?
The Ravens let me go after I was there for three weeks. I went home for six weeks – I had a workout with Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and a couple of other teams. Pittsburgh brought me back again for a workout and signed me to the practice squad foe the rest of the season.
I was fortunate to have Troy there – he and I were college roommates. I stayed with him for a week.
How were the Ravens and Steelers different, from your perspective?
It was all very different from the Ravens – not that it’s better or worse I guess. The Ravens just weren’t as inclusive as the Steelers are – as players and an organization, They aren’t as welcoming. In Pittsburgh the locker room was more of a family -Troy, Bettis, Ben – they were all welcoming. Hines, Deshea, Randel El, Faneca, Ross, Brooks…all of them.
When new guys come in players are usually pretty guarded – they don’t want to help the new guy – they are afraid you’ll push for their job. It wasn’t like that in Pittsburgh. They went above and beyond to help me learn the playbook. In the meetings, Russ Grimm would ask us questions. Hartings, Faneca, Ross…they’d be feeding me the answers. In Baltimore they wanted to see you fail, but here these All Pros and vets were giving this practice squad guy the answers. It was almost distracting – I wanted to show that I knew the answers!
Did Russ catch those guys?
Grimm would get frustrated after a while and tell them to let me answer the question! It was pretty cool that those guys were helping this guy the team just put on the practice squad.
Any memories stand out to you most of your time in Pittsburgh?
For me, the biggest memory is just those game times in the locker room. The guys had this game they’d play with each other. They’d get guys to talk to you and pretend like they’d be interested in what you are saying, then yell “Alright!” and walk away. Randel El and Starks both did that a lot
Any practice squad matchups stand out to you?
I had to go up against guys like Aaron Smith, Kimo, Hoke, Kirschke – Foote, Farrio, Porter – they were there too. When those guys would beat me in a rep, they’d work with me after to give me tips. Like not to lean too much – to sit inside more so it’s harder to club me. They actually took the time to work with me versus just whooping me and moving on.
What happened after the season ended?
In 2005 I was one of the players allocated to NFL Europe. I took two weeks off before going to Hamburg but blew my knee out there. I spent the year rehabbing in Birmingham. But I wasn’t right again after that. I was never the same after the injury.
Now as a USC coach – do the Steelers scouts talk to you a lot? Anyone we should be on the lookout for as a good fit for the Steelers?
Phil Kriedler talks to me sometimes – he was actually at my workout. Kelvin Fisher too. They are the main guys that ask me thoughts on guys here. One guy to watch is Alijah Vera-Tucker- he’s an underclassman – offensive guard. He’s got that great work ethic the Steelers like – he’d be a great fit for the Steelers!
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