Post by Sly Fox on Dec 3, 2005 9:03:20 GMT -5
Flames play for Rocco now
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
December 3, 2005
For a brief moment, the doom and gloom was gone from the Liberty University football locker room.
Freshman quarterback Brock Smith and his Flames teammates sat anxiously while assistant strength and conditioning coach Dave Williams took roll call.
“Then he just comes in and makes us laugh,” Smith said of new head coach Danny Rocco. “We were sitting back wondering what this guy was going to be like. It lightened the mood. It showed us his demeanor right off the bat.”
Rocco probably could have used the comic relief by the time the meeting started. His whirlwind first day on campus started with a 9 a.m. news conference at the DeMoss Center, followed by a trip to convocation at the Vines Center. After a day full of meetings, Rocco finally got to address his team.
His team.
The sound of those words was sweet to his ears.
“This is truly an answer to many of my prayers and my dreams,” the 45-year-old Rocco said at the news conference. “I’ve aspired and worked hard for such a position over 20 years of coaching.”
Turning around a losing program first requires a change in attitude. At the end of Liberty’s program-worst 1-10 season, the Flames had lost the will to win and compete. Some players admitted as much.
“What I had heard (about Rocco) was that he was really a genuinely nice guy, and that he wants to have a relationship with his players,” Smith said. “That’s a big part of winning. If you’re going to go out on the field, let’s go get it for the head coach. Let’s go get it for coach Rocco.
“I don’t know how much of that we had on the team last year.”
So Rocco came into the afternoon meeting with a simple message.
“You’ve got to spark some enthusiasm,” Rocco said. “That’s the first thing that’s got to be done. I’m going to talk about our future. I’m going to talk about the things we can and will accomplish.”
Linebacker Manny Rojas, one of the Flames’ most outspoken leaders on defense, was impressed with Rocco’s message and demeanor.
“His brother Frank is one of the reasons why I came here,” Rojas said. “I think he carries himself the same way Frank does. He’s a tough coach, but he’s down to earth, ready to go and ready to win.”
A meeting with former Liberty coach Sam Rutigliano Wednesday upped the excitement quotient in the locker room, and Rocco’s talk Friday had the players ready to strap on the pads.
“Everybody seemed to be really upbeat after the meeting,” Rojas said. “We’re ready to get back out to practice already, even if we really can’t.”
Rocco will meet with the remaining assistant coaches to evaluate talent on Monday.
He’ll also work on putting a staff together, and all assistants will be able to interview for their jobs.
Rocco will find a team that is mostly intact. Aside from the graduating players, there are only four known departures from the roster, according to Rojas.
Running backs Rod Fluellen and Rajive Otah will transfer. Freshman Joshua Kephart (military commitment) and redshirt freshman James Sweeting (family issues) will not return to school next year.
The rest of the players share Rocco’s excitement for next season.
“I was in the front row, but when he was talking, I was looking around, everybody has smiles on their faces,” Smith said.
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
December 3, 2005
For a brief moment, the doom and gloom was gone from the Liberty University football locker room.
Freshman quarterback Brock Smith and his Flames teammates sat anxiously while assistant strength and conditioning coach Dave Williams took roll call.
“Then he just comes in and makes us laugh,” Smith said of new head coach Danny Rocco. “We were sitting back wondering what this guy was going to be like. It lightened the mood. It showed us his demeanor right off the bat.”
Rocco probably could have used the comic relief by the time the meeting started. His whirlwind first day on campus started with a 9 a.m. news conference at the DeMoss Center, followed by a trip to convocation at the Vines Center. After a day full of meetings, Rocco finally got to address his team.
His team.
The sound of those words was sweet to his ears.
“This is truly an answer to many of my prayers and my dreams,” the 45-year-old Rocco said at the news conference. “I’ve aspired and worked hard for such a position over 20 years of coaching.”
Turning around a losing program first requires a change in attitude. At the end of Liberty’s program-worst 1-10 season, the Flames had lost the will to win and compete. Some players admitted as much.
“What I had heard (about Rocco) was that he was really a genuinely nice guy, and that he wants to have a relationship with his players,” Smith said. “That’s a big part of winning. If you’re going to go out on the field, let’s go get it for the head coach. Let’s go get it for coach Rocco.
“I don’t know how much of that we had on the team last year.”
So Rocco came into the afternoon meeting with a simple message.
“You’ve got to spark some enthusiasm,” Rocco said. “That’s the first thing that’s got to be done. I’m going to talk about our future. I’m going to talk about the things we can and will accomplish.”
Linebacker Manny Rojas, one of the Flames’ most outspoken leaders on defense, was impressed with Rocco’s message and demeanor.
“His brother Frank is one of the reasons why I came here,” Rojas said. “I think he carries himself the same way Frank does. He’s a tough coach, but he’s down to earth, ready to go and ready to win.”
A meeting with former Liberty coach Sam Rutigliano Wednesday upped the excitement quotient in the locker room, and Rocco’s talk Friday had the players ready to strap on the pads.
“Everybody seemed to be really upbeat after the meeting,” Rojas said. “We’re ready to get back out to practice already, even if we really can’t.”
Rocco will meet with the remaining assistant coaches to evaluate talent on Monday.
He’ll also work on putting a staff together, and all assistants will be able to interview for their jobs.
Rocco will find a team that is mostly intact. Aside from the graduating players, there are only four known departures from the roster, according to Rojas.
Running backs Rod Fluellen and Rajive Otah will transfer. Freshman Joshua Kephart (military commitment) and redshirt freshman James Sweeting (family issues) will not return to school next year.
The rest of the players share Rocco’s excitement for next season.
“I was in the front row, but when he was talking, I was looking around, everybody has smiles on their faces,” Smith said.
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Let's hope those are our only casualties due to the coaching change. It sounds like Coach Rocco did a great job giving the players a reason to stick around.
Of course, every starting position will be up for grabs with the new staff. But we are bringing back the core of our squad.
