By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Spear Reporter // Photo via Titus Wilkinson
While watching SJSU football practice this year, it’s easy to think that there’s no been no personnel changes. Head coach Brent Brennan is returning along with both coordinators and each position coach.
But there’s been one change. He doesn’t coach a side of the ball or a position – rather – every position. And he makes his main appearance at the tail end of practice.
It’s strength and conditioning coach Cullen Carroll, who arrived from Stanford this offseason.
So here’s a brief Q&A with the newest Spartan:
Matt: Where does your philosophy for the end-of-practice stretch routine come from?
Carroll: “I think you’re just trying to complement what they’re getting on a daily basis in terms of what are they doing prior to practice and our activation process? Where are they doing in the dynamic warm up five minutes prior to practice? What are they doing in the weight room when we’re doing lifting? Right? And then what from like a static stretching standpoint, at the end of practice, would compliment all the things that we already have them doing? I think that’s really the question that we ask is what is going to complement the work that’s already scripting. And you know, you’ve never heard a coach say that an athlete’s too flexible.”
Matt: You’re doing something that nobody likes to do – public speaking – and you’re doing it in a context that many people can’t relate to. So what was your first time doing that like?
Carroll: “Oh, well, I think it translates from being a player really, my experiences in leadership roles, right? Leadership, a lot of it is displayed through your actions. And then a lot of it is to be a vocal leader, too. So coaching, if you took on those roles as an athlete, when you transition into the coaching role, some of that really helps with the transition, right? Being able to project and then also have conviction and confidence in what you’re saying, right? When you’re a leader on the defense, and you’re yelling out the calls you have confidence and you’re convicted to it, right? So then when we’re doing any type of coaching, stretching routine, there are 100 plus ears, right? But again, if you have confidence in it, those type of experiences helped with that coaching transition, I would say.”
Matt: Do you ever feel self-conscious?
Carroll: “I’m sure I did earlier on, right? But again, we’re organized, we’re prepared. We have a sound plan. So I don’t mind yelling out our well-thought-out plan. That makes it a lot easier. If I was winging it, I think there’d be a lot of insecurity,”
Matt: I know right now it’s routine, but was there ever any moment back during your early days when you did actually feel like you had to prep yourself a little bit?
Carroll: “Oh 100. I still have to prep myself. I want to make sure that whatever, whatever we are about to do that I’m in charge of that I am 100%, up to date prepared and detailed on how I present it, what is going to be presented, how it flows. I tell a lot of my family and friends that I’m a strength coach, but I’m also somewhat of an event planner, right because every day is an event every runs an event. Every lift is an event there’s a flow to it. There’s a design. How is it actually logistically going to take place? So I think all those things are factored into the process, I guess you could say. And then you gotta go ahead and you got to deliver it.”