Neal Brown explains why West Virginia players are getting football homework
With the first few practices of the Neal Brown era in the books at West Virginia, the important installs are done, but Brown told reporters after practice over the weekend that the team has yet to learn how to practice right. For Brown and his staff, that means guys staying off the ground.
From the sounds of it, another change that is happening with Brown and his new staff is - as one reporter put it - football homework. It starts with treating the install meetings and the film room like players would a classroom.
"Here's what it's about. It's no different from being in class. It's about when you are in the position meeting, you treat it like a classroom. You take notes, and you look at your notes."
"They have access. They have iPads. We have film available, usually about an hour after practice, and they can go back and watch all of their clips. It's really about studying, preparing and not repeating mistakes."
As with any new staff, the learning curve of new systems, expectations and terminology and having to learn some of those things on your own time as a player is expected. What I found interesting is Brown referring to "fail up."
"I'm OK if they mess it up. I'm good," Brown explained. "I want to fail up. I feel like failure allows you to grow, but you shouldn't have repeated things, especially consecutively in practice or back-to-back days."
Hear more from Brown in the clip (head to the 4:09 mark to his response to player homework).
https://youtu.be/fq3qsedmbl0?t=253
