Coach Petersen philosophy ideal for Washington Football team

NCAA football demands a great deal from coaches and players. Washington Football head coach Chris Petersen remains a straight shooter. And so, he places his team in the best position to overcome all obstacles.

The Washington Football team, for all intents and purposes, has sprung up from nowhere to claim the Pac-12 title in Coach Chris Petersen’s third season. Now, the Huskies must fight the perception of one-and-done success by proving they are deserving this year. For other teams, other programs, that might require a bit of shuffling the scheme and team message. But it all feeds directly into Coach Petersen’s philosophy:

He directs all players to look within. Ignore the noise from outside the team. Focus on the team, the team’s goals, the team’s performance.  In the end, it’s the only true answer for the oscillation of public support.

Coach Petersen is recognized as a top NCAA coach

But he is not just recognized as a solid NCAA athletic philosopher. He gets results. Solid success on the field.  That earned his place as highest paid football coach in the Pac-12.

But money is only part of the reverence the sport has for Coach Petersen. He is the type of coach who is entertaining. Not from outlandish behavior like Lavarr Ball.   He is noteworthy because he is the straight-shooting guy who sticks with a formula which works for him.  That makes him an interesting read.

ESPN features Coach Petersen in a recent article

And so, his perspective is the topic for ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. In the article, Rittenberg cites his success at Boise Statue University. Despite never playing for a national championship, he has remained steadfast in his philosophy in recruiting and in coaching.

This is not a goody-two shoes criteria. The basic philosophy for the Washington Football team is about self confidence and self reliance. Players who understand their own potentials don’t boast, don’t seek the limelight. They know their potential.

Petersen is not so selective that he has limits to who he recruits.  As he shared with Adam Rittenberg:

"“We’re not looking for perfect people,” he said. “(On one hand), we’re not looking for kids who only come from two-parent households. (On the other hand), we’re not looking for a bunch of Eagle Scouts. (In the end), We’re looking at guys that fit our locker room, and there’s a lot of guys out there that do.”"

Best team players needn’t be best individual athletes

But while the team looks for their type of players, they are not always the athletes who rank tops in the nation.  And that is what makes this team so very special.

The Washington Huskies won the Pac-12 title last year.  One of the classes for that success was the class of 2014.  That recruiting class was ranked 38th nationally, and seventh in the Pac-12. From that class, the team brought in plenty of talent to the team. Budda Baker was the top-ranked recruit from that class which included: Kaleb McGary, JoJo McIntosh, Dante Pettis, Sidney Jones, and Drew Sample, plus a solid group of role players.  Now, the team is attracting more highly regarded athletes, but with the same “does this player fit our team needs?” mandate.

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It’s not easy to stick to your principals. But Coach Petersen proves that by doing so, the team can win.  Washington Football is all about fit, mentoring, depth, and focusing on what each player can change.  In the end, the team is merely an extension of the head coach.

And that is why this Washington Football team wins. Coach Petersen attracts winners.