Nobody Is Bigger Than the Program: A Message to West Chester Football

After a game under the lights in Lincoln, I talked to our guys about the smallest details, because that's where championship teams are built.

The message: check your ego at the door

I told them: "No individual, regardless of how talented, how popular, how powerful, I don't care how much money you make, it is never going to be more important than the team, than the organization, than the university, than the system."

The small things

We made progress, but we have to get better in the details, and it starts with ego. I named the things I see: pouting when it's not going your way, being the last one out of the locker room, the last one on the bus, and skipping class. "We're only as good as our weakest link."

Four quarters, and the penalties

"I felt like we played four quarters, but we kind of played like two and a half." And on discipline: "We had 111 yards worth of penalties. That's on us." Our standard is to be prepared for four quarters, respect every opponent, and limit the penalties, because "if we going to be a championship team, we got to limit the penalties."

My story

I told the team what happened at the end of my own career. I believed I was the best receiver on the field. My last play was a concussion, and it was the last snap I ever played. I spent months thinking about it. What I kept coming back to was that I was never bigger than the CFL or the NFL. "You going to live with a lot of regret if you don't check your ego at the door."

Why it matters

When football is over, what you'll remember is why you did it, and it's for the man next to you. "There's no time to be pouting. There's no time to be making it about yourself."

If you coach, play, or lead anyone, take one thing from this: start with the small habits. Show up to class, show up ready, and put the team first.

Tough together.