First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your coaching time in Pittsburgh?
I’m retired now for 10 years or so. I say retired, but I had some unique experiences as a part-time coaching assistant at the University of California and Duquesne. Those were fun times for for me. I hate to make the comment but it’s tough for coaches to leave the game.
I think now that if I knew what coaching was like, maybe I’d have tried to put an end to my coaching career sooner to do other things.
I had a great career. I coached for 45 years and I tell people I never went to work a day in my life. You move a lot and are hired to be fired. It’s a very volatile profession, but to stick it out you have to have it in your blood. That’s the way I was, since back in junior high school
Why coaching and who were some of your coaching influences?
It’s funny – I’m on a committee now for a sponsored golf tournament for legendary Gateway coach Pete Antimarino. In junior high school I had Harry Furrie as my coach at Monroeville Junior High School. That was before it was Gateway – he was just a tough old marine – crew cut, hard-nosed but totally involved with every player. The sports complex is now named after his honor there.
Then, at Pitcairn High School, Pete Antimarino was there and I played for him my first year. He then went to Gateway and ended up coaching for a total of 38 years. He went 256-93-13 and went undefeated six times.
When I graduated from Gateway Chuck Clausing – who coached Braddock High School – went to become the head coach at Rutgers and recruited me to play there. I never played for him in high school. But much like Pete and Harry, he had a great impact on me. Taught me what coaching was like and what to expect.
How did playing both offense and defense in college help you as a coach?
My first two years in college I played both ways. I had great memories there – at Rutgers I played quarterback and safety. It was a small staff and I was fortunate to be part of a team that went 8-1 and then undefeated. We had really good players then and the friendships and associations I had there were impactful.
After I graduated I became an assistant graduate coach and got my Master’s Degree. I became a head coach afterwards at Wall High School in New Jersey. Afterwards I was given the job of offensive coordinator at Rutgers when Dewey King hired me. He was the coach and taught a football class – I still have my notebook from that class. If I published that notebook today it’d be the best book for young coaches one could read.
What specifically did you learn from those coaches you’ve mentioned. Any examples?
Number one – from a philosophical standpoint – the structure of the offense and how offenses attack defenses. And, how defenses adjust.
King was an innovator on defense. He was one of the first to use multiple defenses – not just one front or coverage. That was back 60 years ago. He’d have the defense change the call at the line of scrimmage depending on the offensive formation. That wasn’t done then. I developed my own philosophy based on those teachings on what I thought the game was about.
In football, there are five or six plays that change the outcome of a game. I was taught a few basic things – and one was, when in doubt in a particular situation, say short yardage, the best thing to do is give it to your best back and run over your best blocker. You’re basically telling the team that if you can’t win with your best guys you don’t deserve to win.
I also learned to be unpredictable on offense. The other teams are smart too – they can take away your defense if you are predictable. Offenses needed to be built on speed, power, and deception. Do those things well and you’ll be successful.
So, tell me, why did Noll later hire you and why did you want the job?
It’s a unique story, and it came about from my being on the staff at Illinois. We were all fired, and at some point, after 17 years of coaching college football and being with some very successful programs, I decided that I didn’t want to start over. I wanted to coach in the NFL.
I worked with Jed Hughes who later became the linebackers coach in Pittsburgh. I met him at the Senior Bowl. It wasn’t being told to anyone at the time, but Noll wanted to give the quarterback position job to Tom Moore, as they had a number of young quarterbacks, and hire a wide receivers coach.
To be candid, I thought I gave a good interview. But I realized there were things in the NFL I didn’t have experience in from coaching in college. So, I wasn’t optimistic. Noll decided he wanted to hire Tom Coughlin, but Tom went to the Giants to coach for Bill Parcells. I continued to correspond with Chuck Noll and had people there talk to him on my behalf. Several months later I went to the combine and interviewed with he and Tom Moore and was fortunate to be hired. It was a dream come true to be hired.
What do you think Noll was looking for most from you? And how did you try to deliver it?
I think he wanted a teacher. Somebody that could teach and provide a background of credibility for the players.
It is one of those things. I honestly believe that at every level – from high school to the NFL – the basic tenet of coaching is to coach every player like you would want someone to coach your son.
I tried to get players to improve on a daily basis. To work on weaknesses more than strengths. For example, Dwight Stone was a running back when I was there and I found out he was about to be cut. I convinced Noll to let me try and work him out as a wide receiver. We worked out over the offseason on catching the ball, and I found out he needed contacts! That immediately changed his ability to catch the ball and to be a wide receiver. Dwight was one of my favorite players.
How did you impact the draft process?
It was very early on my career there and they had a great organization already in place. The scouting department led by Tom Modrak and Bill Nunn. They were instrumental in identifying the top prospects and developing the draft board on what round who would go where.
On the weeks leading up to the draft the entire staff would meet and go over the books and manuals we had on every player we would consider drafting. I’d look at the receivers and read the bios, stats and background information that we had on them. We’d try to find out as much as possible and we’d focus on how they’d fit in the Steelers’ mold.
People don’t realize how great a judge of talent Noll was. I coached for 17 years, but I learned so much by understanding what he thought the Steelers needed. The standards for identifying what he was willing to accept.
Tell me more about those standards – what did he look for specifically?
Noll was not interested in what many people thought was important. The main aspects for him were whether a guy was tough and how he played the game.
He told me he looked for players that would be an excellent addition to the program. How often were they nicked up and not on the field? He didn’t want part-time players. He wanted guys that would play sixteen games and help take us to a Super Bowl.
My first year in Latrobe I had the largest number of players in camp – this was before the rosters were reduced. I had 18 wide receivers and had to cut six of them. I said to Chuck that it will be hard because they were all working hard. He said he’d make it easier for me. He said make a list of those who can’t, and those who won’t. And he got rid of those who won’t first!
I remember too, I was in love with one of the receivers in the draft. I watched him on tape, in practices and seven-on-sevens. He was big, strong, not a blazer but adequate speed. I liked him because he was tough and would catch the ball in traffic.
I told that to Chuck, and he said “Whoa. Stop right there. That’s the problem. The guy’s always in traffic. Give me the guy that’s always alone.” And I got what he meant. He wanted the guy that knew how to get open.
Any funny or poignant moments to share?
I remember a catch made by Dwight Stone – it would have been the longest pass play for a touchdown for the Steelers. He caught it and ran down the sideline and looked back and stepped out of bounds around the five yard line. After the game, all the fun ribbing he had to take from the other receivers. They asked him if he knew what the sidelines were for – that he was supposed to stay inside the lines!
I have so many fond memories of the staff and coaches. I can’t say enough about my appreciation for Coach Noll and what he meant to me. I learned more from him in my first year with him than in my 23 years of previous coaching. I can’t put a value on that but I enjoyed every minute there. I just wish it was longer. But in football, if you stay with a team a long time, well you’re a very fortunate man.
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