Leadership lessons from college football

by. Bo McDonald

Having lived below the Mason Dixon line for the last decade, I’ve engrained myself into the southern culture. Not only in eating grits and picking up a slight drawl, but I’ve become a fan of college football. In the south, it’s just a way of life. One of the biggest rivalries in our state is between University of South Carolina and Clemson.  I have to be careful who I root for in that matchup.  I work with the credit union that serves the University of South Carolina and I’m married to a Clemson graduate.

My team preferences aside, I’ve always picked up on the willingness of USC Head Coach Steve Spurrier, to throw his players and fellow coaches under the bus without a second thought. When Spurrier is interviewed after a less-than-stellar game, he usually blames the players for a lack of effort or not playing hard enough.  If I were playing for Spurrier, I’m sure I would learn a lot from his vast coaching experience, but I wouldn’t mind a public “Atta boy” every once in a while when things go right.

Things recently came to a head for Spurrier and his coaching staff in the tough loss they were handed by Georgia. During the postgame interview Spurrier mentioned he would be getting more involved with the defensive game plan.

“We’re going to change our defense … I’ll give coach (Lorenzo) Ward some suggestions” Spurrier said (). Additionally, on the sideline during that game, linebacker coach Kirk Botkin and defensive line coach Deke Adams exchanged a few heated words, forcing Ward and free safety Brison Williams to separate them.

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