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Louisiana Tech inside linebackers coach Bill Clay has seen a lot of
difference in the maturity level of college football players during his
33-year coaching career.
Clay deals with each player differently, based on their experience, but
the difference between senior
Barry Robertson and true freshman Chad
Beverage illustrates the challenge facing coaches today.
Robertson is the kind of
student-athlete that college coaches dream about having. Not only does
he play at a high level (he leads the Bulldogs in tackles), but he
requires little maintenance by his coach.
The father of four young children,
Robertson has a lot of off the field
responsibilities, including changing diapers and picking up the
youngsters at day care. If he's going to be a few minutes late, he calls
Clay to let him know.
Robertson is so dedicated to football that when his wife, Kathleen, gave
birth to their fourth child this fall during two-a-days, he drove to
Shreveport to pick up Kathleen and the baby after the morning session
and was back at practice for the afternoon session.
"How do you not enjoy coaching someone like that? What
Barry is doing
every day is like preparing for work," Clay said. "He's mature and he
wants to be an NFL player."
Although he doesn't have great speed,
Robertson has an aptitude for the
game and he finds the football.
"Barry is in on more plays (1 in 3) than any other linebacker ... and
it's not even close," Clay said. "He doesn't waste movement and he plays
without hesitation. With him and (Byron) Santiago, we have two pretty
good bell cows out there."
The early resume on Beverage has him tabbed to be one of the best
linebackers to play at Tech. The former Airline High product, hasn't
seen much action this fall, but it's just a matter of time before he
begins playing at
Robertson's level.
In the meantime, he's still adjusting to college life with coach Clay
looking over his shoulder.
"He went through the first three weeks of school without any books,"
Clay said. "We got that corrected quickly."
Unlike with
Robertson, Clay has to prepare a daily planner for the young
Beverage.
"His day begins with an 8 o'clock meeting with me, then breakfast, class
and another visit with me," Clay said. "It's like that throughout the
day."
It's a routine designed to keep Beverage on track in his studies, as
well has his football knowledge.
"Chad wasn't used to much of a schedule or in sticking with one when he
got here," Clay said.
The difference in the two approaches to life is what college coaches
have to deal with in getting a team focused on a game on a weekly basis.
"How important is it to Chad Beverage to be focused?" Clay asks.
"There's no problem getting
Barry Robertson focused."
In between the
Barry Robertsons and Chad Beverages are about 60-plus
different approaches to getting focused.
Clay, who has coached at Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Mississippi
State and Oklahoma State, seems to know what it takes to deal with every
one of them.
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