Big 12, Year Two: 2019's New Coaches Needed Time to Just Get Their Bearings

Neal Brown, Chris Klieman, Les Miles and Matt Wells are making changes in 2020 - some significant, some more subtle

The Big 12 Conference had four new head football coaches in 2019 — a 40 percent turnover. SI Sooners publisher John E. Hoover caught up with all four before they began spring practice to ask how they expect their programs to look different in their second offseason. With the Coronavirus shutdown all but ending spring practice for all Big 12 teams, their plans must certainly adapt. But the offseason words of Neil Brown, Chris Klieman, Les Miles and Matt Wells are now more relevant than ever as they try to evolve in Year Two.

Year Two is underway for almost half the head coaches in the Big 12 Conference.

While everyone has grand designs on being more disciplined in the fourth quarter and identifying playmakers and building depth on the offensive line, there is a more pressing, more mundane reality in the 2020 offseason.

“I can get lost going home on a routine basis,” said Kansas’ Les Miles. “You go left when you are going from your house to work at the office, and you go right back the exact same way when you're going from the office to the house.”

An often overlooked truth of taking over a college football program is the breakneck pace of that first year. Job One is hiring a staff as fast as possible. Job Two is doing that while immersing yourself in recruiting. Then it’s spring football, more recruiting and boom, the season is upon you.

“For myself,” said Kansas State’s Chris Klieman, “I don't know the campus very well yet and that frustrates me. … I know where my office is, I know where my home is and some of the things within our complex here, but I need to get out on campus a little bit more; I need to get into the community a little bit more.”

BIG 12: YEAR TWO

• Monday: Brown, Klieman, Miles & Wells just more comfortable
• Tuesday: WVU: Brown sees ‘stronger, more mature’ team
• Wednesday: KSU: More consistency is Klieman’s goal
• Thursday: KU: Miles wants physical, mental toughness
• Friday: Tech: Red Raiders ’way ahead’ of 2019 to Wells

The first year can take a toll on the human side of a new coach. The second year is so much more relaxed. Texas Tech’s Matt Wells found time earlier this offseason to take his son to baseball practice and his daughter to gymnastics.

“Last year at this time they were still in Utah. Hadn’t moved here yet,” he said. “And you were just totally consumed. You know, legitimately 15-16 hour days in this office, and, I think just struggling to kind of stay towards the top of the water — you are not above water, though. I mean, you were right at the top.”

At West Virginia, Neal Brown couldn’t wait to start his second spring practice — before he and the rest of the world were so rudely interrupted by a pandemic.

“You just have a better understanding how everything works,” Brown said. “I mean, Year One is so fast.”

Brown said he spent this time last year just trying to get to know the WVU players. Now, it’s about growing those relationships — both with the players and his coaching staff.

“We're really focused on, you know, furthering our relationships with our players and developing our players,” he said. “But also … I think there's some things that have slowed down a little bit, where not only can we develop our players but we can put more time and energy into developing our staff as well.

“We’ve got to allow ‘em to grow. We gotta give them opportunities as assistant coaches. You know, you’ve got to pour into them just like they're pouring into the program, and give ‘em opportunities to grow.”

The Mountaineers were 5-7 last season in Brown’s first year from Troy. He had to replace three assistant coaches this offseason.

Texas Tech, on the other hand, went 4-8 in Wells’ first season since coming over from Utah State, and this offseason he’s had to replace two aides (three if you count the 12-day layover Todd Orlando had in Lubbock in between Texas and USC).

After taking 2 ½ seasons off following a successful run at LSU, Miles went 3-9 in his first year at Kansas and has spent a lot of his first full offseason replacing four position coaches and a strength coach.

And after he was hired from FCS North Dakota State, Klieman’s first year at Kansas State produced an 8-4 record and one offseason coaching change (defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton took the DC job at Michigan State).

Being more familiar with the campus, the community — yes, even the drive home — means changes are coming for everyone in 2020.

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