Sports

Colleges

USF's defensive staff squeezes experience into 'submarine'

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 18, 2007

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ADVERTISEMENT [Brian Cassella | Times] The scheming done in the "yellow submarine" is responsible for a defense that leads the nation in tackles for loss, that ranks 11th in both yards and points allowed.

TAMPA - It's an old-school reference, one that today's college football player might not fully appreciate.

But the four men who have collaborated to create USF's dominating defense smile when they share their name for their meeting room, where they bunker down for long days of preparation every week.

It's the yellow submarine.

"On Sundays, we go in the yellow submarine," defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. "We work until 12, and 12 (Monday), and 12 and 11, and on Thursdays, we say the submarine's coming up."

It's not exactly a life of ease, but the secret to USF's defensive scheming is in that room, where Burnham and his three veteran assistants - defensive line coach Dan McCarney, cornerbacks coach Rich Rachel and safeties coach Troy Douglas - craft the defense that has led the Bulls to a No. 2 ranking and a 6-0 record entering tonight's game at Rutgers.

"We're kind of holed up in there," Douglas said. "It's hot, and it stinks, and smells like feet and men in there, but somehow we brew up a little gameplan and get it done on Saturdays."

The four combine for 116 years of college coaching experience, a full 30 years more than any other defensive staff in the Big East. Burnham, 66, actually played for Bear Bryant at Alabama; Rachel, 60, was a high school coach in Tampa during the days of integration; McCarney, 54, came to USF after 12 years as head coach at Iowa State. Those three joke that Douglas, the pup of the group at 42, helps keep them awake.

"When it starts getting close to midnight and we're starting to fade, Coach Douglas gets out his laptop and makes us guess fight songs," McCarney said. "I know all the Big 12 and the Big Ten ones, and I'm learning all the Big East ones, too."

Together, they're responsible for a defense that leads the nation in tackles for loss, that ranks 11th in both yards and points allowed. The Bulls defense has ended Heisman campaigns this season, has held the nation's leading rusher to 117 yards below his average. Tell Burnham he has a good staff, and he'll tell you they ought to be by now.

"It's invaluable, the experience we have on this staff," said Burnham, who joined Leavitt's staff with Rachel in 2000. "People who have hit the bumps in the road, have gone through the valleys and have been toward the top, you can't replace that."

All of them except Douglas are older than USF coach Jim Leavitt, 50, who respected their wisdom long before he was able to hire them onto his staff.

"We're just fortunate to have all those guys," Leavitt said. "They work so well together, and it means a lot to all of them. When you have coaches that love young people and work hard, that's a pretty good combination. I try to stay out of their way."

Leavitt has known McCarney since 1989, when he was a graduate assistant at Iowa and McCarney was the defensive line coach. When he and Bob Stoops were assistants at Kansas State in the early 1990s, they'd drive to Tallahassee to meet with Burnham when he was linebackers coach at Florida State. Leavitt came to respect Rachel when he recruited against him at Rutgers.

Douglas is young enough to identify with both his elder colleagues and his players. When several Bulls got Mohawk haircuts before the West Virginia game, he told them he'd do the same if USF won.

The Bulls, forcing six turnovers, beat the Mountaineers, and a week later - after a few recruiting stops that required a more presentable image - he got the haircut for the players.

"I'm the young one," Douglas said. "But (the other coaches) have just as much energy as I do, maybe more. McCarney's always hyper, and Wally and Double-R have been around a long time, so they carry me."

All four have a certain hunger about them, and part of it comes from having recently lost coaching jobs when USF hired them. Burnham had been out of coaching for a year after being fired at South Carolina; Rachel was at a community college in Kansas after a year away from football. McCarney had been let go at Iowa State, and USF was Douglas' fifth school in seven years.

"I thought I was getting out forever. When you get fired, you don't feel good about yourself," Burnham said. "I missed being with the kids. I love practice, being out there. I just missed it."

There's a camaraderie on the staff that spills over to players, who joke that Rachel is so old he recruited Jesus; Douglas said the older assistants call him "Radio," because he never stops talking.

The coaches work well together during games, when Burnham and McCarney work the sideline and Rachel and Douglas watch from the press box, charting formations and tendencies to help in making adjustments.

"There's a great chemistry, a lot of mutual trust," McCarney said. "I know what it takes to have a really good staff, and everybody has to know their role. It's a joy to come to work with these guys every day."

Rachel said the four get their energy from their players: "You like coaching kids who liked to be coached."

Burnham, the only grandparent of the four, said he has no plans on retiring, as long as he's healthy and enjoying his job as much as he is with his fellow submariners.

"They're good teachers, good motivators, good at gameplanning and adjustments during a game," Burnham said. "I'm thrilled to be working with them."

By GREG AUMAN Times Staff Writer

TAMPA

It's an old-school reference, one that today's college football player might not fully appreciate. ¶ But the four men who have collaborated to create USF's dominating defense smile when they share their name for their meeting room, where they bunker down for long days of preparation every week. ¶ It's the yellow submarine. ¶ "On Sundays, we go in the yellow submarine," defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. "We work until 12, and 12 (Monday), and 12 and 11, and on Thursdays, we say the submarine's coming up."

It's not exactly a life of ease, but the secret to USF's defensive scheming is in that room, where Burnham and his three veteran assistants - defensive line coach Dan McCarney, cornerbacks coach Rich Rachel and safeties coach Troy Douglas - craft the defense that has led the Bulls to a No. 2 ranking and a 6-0 record entering tonight's game at Rutgers.

"We're kind of holed up in there," Douglas said. "It's hot, and it stinks, and smells like feet and men in there, but somehow we brew up a little gameplan and get it done on Saturdays."

The four combine for 116 years of college coaching experience, a full 30 years more than any other defensive staff in the Big East. Burnham, 66, actually played for Bear Bryant at Alabama; Rachel, 60, was a high school coach in Tampa during the days of integration; McCarney, 54, came to USF after 12 years as head coach at Iowa State. Those three joke that Douglas, the pup of the group at 42, helps keep them awake.

"When it starts getting close to midnight and we're starting to fade, Coach Douglas gets out his laptop and makes us guess fight songs," McCarney said. "I know all the Big 12 and the Big Ten ones, and I'm learning all the Big East ones, too."

Together, they're responsible for a defense that leads the nation in tackles for loss, that ranks 11th in both yards and points allowed. The Bulls defense has ended Heisman campaigns this season, has held the nation's leading rusher to 117 yards below his average. Tell Burnham he has a good staff, and he'll tell you they ought to be by now.

"It's invaluable, the experience we have on this staff," said Burnham, who joined Leavitt's staff with Rachel in 2000. "People who have hit the bumps in the road, have gone through the valleys and have been toward the top, you can't replace that."

All of them except Douglas are older than USF coach Jim Leavitt, 50, who respected their wisdom long before he was able to hire them onto his staff.

"We're just fortunate to have all those guys," Leavitt said. "They work so well together, and it means a lot to all of them. When you have coaches that love young people and work hard, that's a pretty good combination. I try to stay out of their way."

Leavitt has known McCarney since 1989, when he was a graduate assistant at Iowa and McCarney was the defensive line coach. When he and Bob Stoops were assistants at Kansas State in the early 1990s, they'd drive to Tallahassee to meet with Burnham when he was linebackers coach at Florida State. Leavitt came to respect Rachel when he recruited against him at Rutgers.

Douglas is young enough to identify with both his elder colleagues and his players. When several Bulls got Mohawk haircuts before the West Virginia game, he told them he'd do the same if USF won.

The Bulls, forcing six turnovers, beat the Mountaineers, and a week later - after a few recruiting stops that required a more presentable image - he got the haircut for the players.

"I'm the young one," Douglas said. "But (the other coaches) have just as much energy as I do, maybe more. McCarney's always hyper, and Wally and Double-R have been around a long time, so they carry me."

All four have a certain hunger about them, and part of it comes from having recently lost coaching jobs when USF hired them. Burnham had been out of coaching for a year after being fired at South Carolina; Rachel was at a community college in Kansas after a year away from football. McCarney had been let go at Iowa State, and USF was Douglas' fifth school in seven years.

"I thought I was getting out forever. When you get fired, you don't feel good about yourself," Burnham said. "I missed being with the kids. I love practice, being out there. I just missed it."

There's a camaraderie on the staff that spills over to players, who joke that Rachel is so old he recruited Jesus; Douglas said the older assistants call him "Radio," because he never stops talking.

The coaches work well together during games, when Burnham and McCarney work the sideline and Rachel and Douglas watch from the press box, charting formations and tendencies to help in making adjustments.

"There's a great chemistry, a lot of mutual trust," McCarney said. "I know what it takes to have a really good staff, and everybody has to know their role. It's a joy to come to work with these guys every day."

Rachel said the four get their energy from their players: "You like coaching kids who liked to be coached."

Burnham, the only grandparent of the four, said he has no plans on retiring, as long as he's healthy and enjoying his job as much as he is with his fellow submariners.

"They're good teachers, good motivators, good at gameplanning and adjustments during a game," Burnham said. "I'm thrilled to be working with them."

[Last modified October 17, 2007, 17:36:38]