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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 3

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48 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATE VOLUME 26, ISSUE 3 we have to fill some voids, position voids." Q: You talk about going back and breaking down the whole season. But if you change your offense with a new coordinator, is that a productive thing for you or are you looking more at individuals? Hazell: "It's definitely a productive thing. I think it's pro- ductive in terms of how players play, how players play tech- nique, even schemes. In football, Cover 3 is Cover 3, Cover 4 is Cover 4. Running an out-cut is running an out-cut. It doesn't matter who the coordinator is, what it's called. So you can see a lot of those things. So, yes, it will be very pro- ductive for me." Q: You said after losing the Indiana game you needed to fix everything. Maybe that was emotional statement after losing to a rival and finishing 2-10. Do you still feel that way? Hazell: "Maybe I shouldn't have said it that way. Every- thing is everything. You took it literally. I meant it (like) there's a lot of things we have to fix, obviously, which we started the process (by dismissing the three coaches)." Q: Other than the changes you made, what else needs to be fixed? Hazell: "I think there's things that we can (fix) with all the different groups, whether it's ourselves as coaches, our- selves as strength coaches, ourselves as academic people, ourselves as medical staff, that can even become more co- hesive in getting better results out of our guys. I met with a group (recently), just how we would support one another's efforts, and we have, but it can be better in terms of getting better results in every facet that is important, which is ev- erything." Gold and Black: When you talk about moving in the right direction, which you said quite a bit this year de- spite the results, what do you mean? What are you see- ing specifically? Hazell: "I see guys competing hard every week and bat- tling and just not making the critical play or plays at critical situations. That's what you see. I see guys who are more bent out of shape when we don't get the results. I think that's a key point that I can't say we saw — I know we didn't see it the first year — but I think guys are truly hurt by the result of the game. That's a good thing." Gold and Black: Going into this season, you said the team needed to be mentally tougher. Do you still feel that way coming out of the season after losing more close games; that they need to be able to handle that adversity better? Hazell: "Absolutely. I think you can always get more men- tally tough. That's one of the things we'll address again in the offseason in our training. And, you know, it's funny. Foot- ball is a crazy game because it really comes down to a couple things, comes down to putting guys in the best position, it comes down to those guys who are in that position, making the play and then so many other things change when those things happen. Obviously there's a lot of other intricacies — how hard you play, the technique, not holding, getting bad penalties at the end of the game and those types of things — but it really does come down to can you get guys in the right position, give them a chance to get in the right position? And here's the big thing we as a staff have to realize — we've got to keep reminding ourselves — that these guys are, we get them for X amount of hours a week and I think that comes back to (playing) base defense, being really good at it and not putting too much on them where they aren't exactly sure or base offense where your guy can play a position and know exactly what to do when I get this look, this look, this look on a base play as opposed to saying, 'We're going to do this, this and this,' which is not the base concept." Gold and Black: How do you cultivate mental tough- ness? You talked this season about they just need to get that one game where they win and then they'd say, 'We can do it now.' But how do you get it until you do it? Hazell: "That's a good point. I think it's a little bit of a Catch-22. You have to keep putting it in their head. It starts with doing things the right way all the time. I think that's where it starts. Whether it's five minutes early for a class, making your appointment when you're supposed to be get- ting treated, whether it's taking notes, whatever it might be. When they don't (get it done), there has to be a repercus- sion that's consistent throughout the organization. That's where we have to get to in every single behavior. Because what happens is you have 110 guys in your locker room and you have 95 percent of them do exactly what you want them to do — or trying to do it — and then you'll have, in any or- ganization, six to eight people who you have to monitor. But sometimes those things filter into other areas, if you don't correct the behavior. I think that's where we can take the next step. That's where the support of everybody (matters). So if a guy is not going to a treatment, it comes back and here's the repercussion. "And maybe I'm talking out of turn in terms of this is the thing that fixes winning and losing, but it certainly is a part.

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