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f o o t b a l l f e a t u r e : g r e g h u d s o n Expecting The Best Hudson a motivator in many ways BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com A ppearances aren���t everything. In looks alone, Purdue defensive coordinator Greg Hudson has the presence of an intimidator; he is 6-foot-1 and 252 pounds with broad, muscular shoulders and a shaved head, and he has a booming voice that easily could capture attention. Yet those are appearances only, none of which come to mind first when Hudson���s former players are asked to describe him. ���He���s a clown actually,��� said Vince Williams, an outgoing senior linebacker at Florida State, describing the good-natured personality of his former position coach. ���He has a really soft side. ��� He���s one of those guys who once he knows you, once you earn his trust and his respect, you have a friend for life.��� So is Hudson a softy? Well, that���s taking the story far too far. The former linebackers coach at Florida State, where he spent the last three seasons after stops as the defensive coordinator at East Carolina (2005-2009) and Minnesota (2001-2004), Hudson commands the respect of his players because he expects nothing less. He���s demanding, prodding them to give their best at all times, but his method for drawing that out has changed over the years. In his early years as an assistant coach, the former Notre Dame linebacker used his physique, but Florida State Greg Hudson helped develop Florida State���s linebackers into one of the nation���s best units, leading the Seminoles��� second-ranked defense in yardage allowed. Now as a first-year defensive coordinator at Purdue, Hudson hopes to transform the Boilermakers into a hard-hitting, physical unit from a 4-3 base front. most especially his voice, to gain attention. But for Midwest Ties Strong A native of Cincinnati who played at Notre Dame, Greg Hudson���s heart is in the Midwest. So after spending eight seasons in the southeast, the first five as the defensive coordinator at East Carolina and the last three as Florida State���s linebackers coach, he was ready to get back to his roots. ���If you���re a traditionalist in college football like I am, you know where the best overall conference is, top to bottom,��� Hudson said of the Big Ten. ���When you talk about the student-athlete, it���s not even close. I���ve been able to equate that value after being in a different area for eight years. ���I���ve come back to the old neighborhood.��� Although Hudson was looking for job openings in the Midwest, a prime opportunity came about with the change in staff at Purdue. Hudson had only cursory familiarity with Darrell Hazell, but with both having strong Ohio ties, they had mutual acquaintances. One of those put the two together. Immediately, Hudson said he felt a connection with the Boilers��� new head coach. ���His demeanor, his style, his close-to-the-vest approach, you can feel his intensity even in a quiet statement,��� Hudson said. ���It was 15 minutes into my interview and I wanted to text and call my wife and say ���This is the guy. Pack your stuff, because if this happens, we���re going.��� I���m serious. I knew I had to step my game up, I knew I had to get this job. ���I was very lucky that an acquaintance gave my name (to Darrell) and I was able to meet with him.��� Son Garrett Hudson, who will walk on to Purdue in the fall, says he can tell his dad is happy to have found the opportunity. ���He loves being in the Midwest,��� said the younger Hudson. ���He loves Purdue. I have talked to him and he loves being here and being the coordinator. Everyone is going to love it, I promise you. Everyone is going to love watching him coach and the guys are going to love it, too.��� ��� Kyle Charters 40 ��� Gold & Black IllustrateD ��� volume 23, issue 4 the 46-year old that changed 18 years ago with the birth of his first child, Garrett, who will walk on to the Purdue football team as a freshman this fall. ���I was a certain type of coach from the early ���90s to 1995. I thought volume had substance,��� Hudson said. ���Then, I had a son and became a different coach in February of 1995 because I realized that that (player) is somebody���s child. Sometimes the coach is hardest on his child, but it���s done in the right way. And that���s sort of the route that I take. It���s somebody���s child; it could be my child. How would I want them mentored or driven? ���I���ve learned a lot now being a parent of an athlete, how little things you say can affect a child. I���m still learning that today.��� Hudson���s new approach paid dividends with former Florida State linebacker Mister Alexander, who just finished his second season with the Houston Texans. Hudson didn���t yell at Alexander once during the season. ���I got more out of him by whispering to him ���You know you���re really killing me when you makes these mistakes, so can you fix this here?��� ��� Hudson said. ���There���s a lot of ways to skin a cat.��� Williams, who is preparing for the NFL Draft, says adaptability might be Hudson���s greatest strength. Hudson has an ability to relate to each of his players, whether they need a vocal dress down or more of a subtle poke. GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com