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Want to understand Bruce Arians? Ask those who’ve known him 40 years Want to understand Bruce Arians? Ask those who’ve known him 40 years
(about 2 hours later)
Before Bruce Arians was a Cardinal, a Colt, a Steeler, a Brown, a Saint, a Chief, a part of a Crimson Tide (at Alabama), a Bulldog (at Mississippi State) and an Owl (at, of course, Temple), he was a Hokie.Before Bruce Arians was a Cardinal, a Colt, a Steeler, a Brown, a Saint, a Chief, a part of a Crimson Tide (at Alabama), a Bulldog (at Mississippi State) and an Owl (at, of course, Temple), he was a Hokie.
Before his remarkable 41-year coaching career took its voluminous twists and hairpin turns to a debut, at a robust 63, as a head coach in an NFL conference-title game — that’s coming Sunday, when his Arizona Cardinals visit the Carolina Panthers in the NFC championship game — he ran the offense as a quarterback in Blacksburg.Before his remarkable 41-year coaching career took its voluminous twists and hairpin turns to a debut, at a robust 63, as a head coach in an NFL conference-title game — that’s coming Sunday, when his Arizona Cardinals visit the Carolina Panthers in the NFC championship game — he ran the offense as a quarterback in Blacksburg.
And the funny thing is, even after all the hirings and the relocations and all, his Virginia Tech teammates of yore say it all has made sense to them, because even at 21 in 1974, as former Hokie guard Steve Philbrick put it, “You could sense he had that ‘player-coach’ about him.” And the funny thing is, even after all the hirings and the relocations and all, his Virginia Tech teammates of yore say it all has made sense to them because even at 21 in 1974, as former Hokies guard Steve Philbrick put it, “You could sense he had that ‘player-coach’ about him.”
[Redskins will build roster around Cousins’s contract][Redskins will build roster around Cousins’s contract]
And another funny thing is, this coach who has worked with quarterbacks so masterfully — Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Carson Palmer — ran the wishbone for Virginia Tech in 1974 as it went 4-7. “Bruce was the leading scorer [11 touchdowns] that year,” said former Virginia Tech tight end Mike Burnop, “and he was the leading passer, and his numbers were something ridiculous.” (Fifty-three completions, 118 attempts, three touchdowns, seven interceptions for the season.) And another funny thing is, this coach who has worked with quarterbacks so masterfully — Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Carson Palmer — ran the wishbone for Virginia Tech in 1974 when it went 4-7. “Bruce was the leading scorer [11 touchdowns] that year,” former Virginia Tech tight end Mike Burnop said, “and he was the leading passer, and his numbers were something ridiculous.” (Fifty-three completions, 118 attempts, three touchdowns, seven interceptions for the season.)
Another funny thing is, Arians’ stay at first string lasted one season, so some Hokies and many students might not realize he went there. “Probably not,” said Burnop, the longtime analyst for the Virginia Tech broadcasts. Another funny thing is, Arians’s stay at first string lasted one season, so some Hokies and many students might not realize he went there. “Probably not,” said Burnop, the longtime analyst for the Virginia Tech broadcasts.
Here they are, all this time later, with their careers and their businesses, and with the Cardinals going 14-3and Arians telling reporters this season, “I would’ve still been a junior-high teacher-coach if I could’ve gotten a damn job.” Here they are, all this time later, with their careers and their businesses and with the Cardinals going 14-3 and Arians telling reporters this season, “I would’ve still been a junior high teacher-coach if I could’ve gotten a damn job.”
He spoke of trying to get one at a “big, brand-new school” in Reston. But he didn’t get it, and then the new Virginia Tech coaching staff convinced him to stay, and then head coach Jimmy Sharpe made him a graduate assistant, and then . . . He spoke of trying to get one at a “big, brand-new school” in Reston. But he didn’t get it, and then the new Virginia Tech coaching staff convinced him to stay, and then head coach Jimmy Sharpe made him a graduate assistant and then . . .
“Before you knew it, he was at Alabama,” Philbrick said, what with Sharpe a former Bear Bryant assistant. Arians would have two stints in Tuscaloosa, including the one as running backs coach after which Bryant, advising Arians as he left to become the head coach at Temple, said, “Coach ’em hard, and hug ’em harder later.”“Before you knew it, he was at Alabama,” Philbrick said, what with Sharpe a former Bear Bryant assistant. Arians would have two stints in Tuscaloosa, including the one as running backs coach after which Bryant, advising Arians as he left to become the head coach at Temple, said, “Coach ’em hard, and hug ’em harder later.”
In describing Arians in separate phone calls, his former teammates use the same terminology: “real,” “no ego,” “one of the guys,” “not a politician,” “always funny,” “nothing presumptuous,” “a sponge,” and, vitally, “not a phony.” Randy Vey, the center as Arians’ quarterback in 1974, used the term, “A steady ship.” The guy they knew and, in some cases, know, is the same guy talking through the TV. In describing Arians in separate phone calls, his former teammates use the same terminology: “real,” “no ego,” “one of the guys,” “not a politician,” “always funny,” “nothing presumptuous,” “a sponge” and, vitally, “not a phony.” Randy Vey, the center for Virginia Tech in 1974, used the term “a steady ship.” The guy they knew and, in some cases, know, is the same guy talking through the TV.
Said Vey: “He’s a good guy to root for. He really is. He’s the real deal. He’s not a phony. He deserves what he got. He didn’t get there on some luck of the draw or whatever. I mean, he paid his dues.”Said Vey: “He’s a good guy to root for. He really is. He’s the real deal. He’s not a phony. He deserves what he got. He didn’t get there on some luck of the draw or whatever. I mean, he paid his dues.”
As for that player-coach aspect, it shone in the summer of 1974. That’s when Roscoe Coles, the outstanding back who would gain 3,459 rushing yards at Virginia Tech, arrived on campus at 18 for a mini-camp of learning and bonding. By then, Arians played under his third coaching staff — those of Jerry Claiborne, Charlie Coffey and Sharpe. Coffey did not run the wishbone. Sharpe did. As for that player-coach aspect, it shone in the summer of 1974. That’s when Roscoe Coles, the outstanding back who would gain 3,459 rushing yards at Virginia Tech, arrived on campus at 18 for a minicamp of learning and bonding. By then, Arians was playing under his third coaching staff — those of Jerry Claiborne, Charlie Coffey and Sharpe. Coffey did not run the wishbone. Sharpe did.
Yet Arians knew the offense already.Yet Arians knew the offense already.
“Bruce was in charge of us young guys,” Coles said. “We had just come up a week or two before everybody else to learn the system. Bruce was our go-to guy, making sure we were learning and doing what we were supposed to be doing running the wishbone, which was brand-new.” “Bruce was in charge of us young guys,” Coles said. “We had just come up a week or two before everybody else to learn the system. Bruce was our go-to guy, making sure we were learning and doing what we were supposed to be doing running the wishbone, which was brand new.”
Said Burnop, “He always knew where everybody was supposed to be.”Said Burnop, “He always knew where everybody was supposed to be.”
As he recollects, Coles can’t pinpoint in memory the presence of any particular coach, but he can pinpoint Arians. “What I remember is Bruce,” he said.As he recollects, Coles can’t pinpoint in memory the presence of any particular coach, but he can pinpoint Arians. “What I remember is Bruce,” he said.
That dovetailed with the realness, of the kind that had Arians saying, just after Arizona’s wacko playoff win over Green Bay on Jan. 16, that he would recover with “an adult beverage.” That dovetailed with the realness, of the kind that had Arians saying, just after Arizona’s wacko playoff win over Green Bay on Jan. 16, that he would recover with “an adult beverage.”
Said Greg Toal, a former Virginia Tech fullback coaching at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, “He didn’t take himself seriously. That was the big thing about Bruce. He was great in the locker room. There was no ego. I think that’s what comes through now. People see a real guy.”Said Greg Toal, a former Virginia Tech fullback coaching at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, “He didn’t take himself seriously. That was the big thing about Bruce. He was great in the locker room. There was no ego. I think that’s what comes through now. People see a real guy.”
When the Cardinals hired Arians before the 2014 season, after he had filled in for Chuck Pagano while Pagano battled leukemia in Indianapolis in 2013, Vey decided to call. He had lost touch with Arians for maybe 25 years, but he wanted to offer congratulations. “I figured I’d talk to his secretary, leave a voicemail, whatever, and that pretty much would be it.” When the Cardinals hired Arians before the 2014 season, after he had filled in for Chuck Pagano while Pagano battled leukemia in Indianapolis in 2013, Vey decided to call. He had lost touch with Arians for maybe 25 years, but he wanted to offer congratulations. “I figured I’d talk to his secretary, leave a voice mail, whatever, and that pretty much would be it.”
Arians, of course, took the call, and they’ve stayed in touch since. Arians, of course, took the call, and they have stayed in touch since.
Back in a shag-carpet era, of course, there were stories. In a less-serious time, the players used to play softball or, in the case of Toal and Arians, tennis. There was bonding, such as the night that summer camp ended. Back in a shag-carpet era, of course, there were stories. In a less serious time, the players used to play softball or, in the case of Toal and Arians, tennis. There was bonding, such as the night that summer camp ended.
“That week up there, we worked hard,” Coles said. “Now, I was not a drinker, I didn’t drink and I still don’t drink. And that last practice, that evening, we were required” — required! — “to go out and we chugged beer. More beer was on me than in me. I don’t drink. But this was required, mandated, sort of like that last bonding piece.” “That week up there, we worked hard,” Coles said. “Now, I was not a drinker. I didn’t drink, and I still don’t drink. And that last practice, that evening, we were required” — required! — “to go out, and we chugged beer. More beer was on me than in me. I don’t drink. But this was required, mandated, sort of like that last bonding piece.”
Thereby did Coles wind up experiencing his first spinning bed, his first hangover, his first headache and an illness that carried much of the way on his eight-hour drive the next day from Blacksburg to Columbia, S.C., with the window open and the fresh air inbound. Then the very real story lasted through that season, of course, and through the ensuing 41 years.Thereby did Coles wind up experiencing his first spinning bed, his first hangover, his first headache and an illness that carried much of the way on his eight-hour drive the next day from Blacksburg to Columbia, S.C., with the window open and the fresh air inbound. Then the very real story lasted through that season, of course, and through the ensuing 41 years.
Virginia Tech rose to 8-3 in 1975 with Arians as graduate assistant, and to 6-5 the season after that, but it didn’t go to bowl games in part because it didn’t belong to a conference. From that setting and time came this coach, long known to NFL intellectuals but making something of a debut come Sunday. Virginia Tech rose to 8-3 in 1975 with Arians as graduate assistant and to 6-5 the season after that, but it didn’t go to bowl games in part because it didn’t belong to a conference. From that setting and time came this coach, long known to NFL intellectuals but making something of a debut come Sunday.
Meantime, his former teammates have jobs, or businesses, or retirements close ahead, a son playing college football at Penn in Vey’s case. Meanwhile, his former teammates have jobs or businesses or retirements close ahead, a son playing college football at Penn in Vey’s case.
“They text me every Saturday from the games in the parking lot,” Arians said during this marvelous Arizona season. “And I say, ‘Ah, [expletive]. I have to work.’” “They text me every Saturday from the games in the parking lot,” Arians said during this marvelous Arizona season. “And I say, ‘Ah, [expletive]. I have to work.’ ”