http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/Thompson-to-be-Muschamps-eyes-in-the-press-box-38860913?utm_source=247Sports+Newsletter&utm_campaign=285b6b074f-150821_Auburn+Tigers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5300ae947-285b6b074f-221629909
Say, that reminds me of a story.
First year coaching and I was doing receivers and secondary. Put me on the roof with a headset. Had certain things to watch. We had a back who, if he'd bothered to do anything about his grades, had some real potential. Great feet, outstanding vision, good speed. Billy something, I forget now.
Anyway, I'm up there and supposed to be watching these things. I'm not thinking three or four plays ahead like I'm supposed to be. I'm getting lulled into watching the game and trying to get one of the kids I teach to run down to the concession stand and get me some hot dogs.
Billy breaks off this sweet 30-yard run, cutting through this sliver of a hole in the offensive line, spinning off a linebacker and getting into the secondary. I've watched the whole thing and was thinking how cool it was when the head coach buzzed my headset and asked me "how quickly did the safeties come up on the run?" He'd, of course, had the QB continue to roll out and wanted to know if, when he ran the same play again later, would the safeties bite and give us a chance for a long pass play.
I had no idea. None whatsoever. As soon as the ball was handed off I was watching that.
Took me a long time to stop watching the game and start watching the individual groups. Then it took me a long time to get out of it when I tried to watch a game. I'd find myself watching one player and judging his steps, his tells, his break... ugh. I was insufferable to watch a game with then. It did pay dividends when I could forecast what was about to happen occasionally.