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NEXT MAN IN

At the University of Notre Dame, every player is ready to go when his name is called, thanks to a unique coaching philosophy developed by Head Coach Brian Kelly.

By Mike Phelps

Two-thirds of the way through the 2010 University of Notre Dame football season--Head Coach Brian Kelly's first at the school--the Fighting Irish's record sat at a disappointing 4-4. To make matters worse, early in the team's ninth game, against the University of Tulsa, Notre Dame lost starting quarterback Dayne Crist to a knee injury. While some teams might have lost all hope for the season under such circumstances, the Irish didn't flinch. Without hesitation, Kelly inserted freshman Tommy Rees under center.

Although Notre Dame went on to lose to Tulsa, Rees responded to his opportunity, throwing for 334 yards and four touchdowns. The next week, in Rees's first start, the Irish upset 15th-ranked Utah, 28-3. The rookie quarterback followed that performance with wins over Army at Yankee Stadium, Southern California on the road, and Miami in the Sun Bowl, making Kelly the only Notre Dame coach to win a bowl game in his first season.

While Rees's story is exceptional, it's also expected for a Kelly-coached team. Before he took his talents to South Bend, Kelly was Head Coach at the University of Cincinnati from 2006 to 2009. During his final season with the Bearcats, the team traveled to the University of South Florida in mid-October for an important Big East Conference match-up with a 5-0 record on the line.

The Bearcats' star quarterback, Tony Pike, had staked his team to a 17-10 halftime lead. But early in the third quarter, Pike went down with an injury, and Kelly turned to backup Zach Collaros. Just like Rees at Notre Dame would do a year later, Collaros seized the opportunity. In relief, the sophomore threw for 72 yards, ran for 132 more, and scored a pair of touchdowns as the Bearcats won, 34-17.

Collaros ended up starting the next four games in place of the injured Pike, earning victories over Louisville, Syracuse, Connecticut, and West Virginia. Against Connecticut, Collaros passed for 480 yards, which at the time was the second most in school history. In fact, Collaros played so well that Kelly considered keeping him as the starter even when Pike was ready to return. But following the West Virginia game, Pike was reinserted into the starting lineup against Illinois and promptly threw a school-record six touchdowns. The Bearcats finished the regular season 12-0, won the Big East title, and earned a Sugar Bowl berth.

"At that point, Zach hadn't played a ton, but he was always prepared and always believed that when he got his chance, he would be ready," says Kelly. "The team valued him as a player and trusted him to get the job done. So when he became the starter, he had a great deal of confidence because others had confidence in him."

The success of Collaros and Rees didn't happen by accident. It came from a unique coaching philosophy Kelly has developed that centers on three words: Next Man In. The philosophy states that every person associated with the football program must be ready and have the confidence to perform when his or her name is called. From the starting quarterback to the last man on the bench, every player is accountable and has to prepare as if he is stepping onto the field on the next play. Each coach and support staff member also is asked to be ready to step up whenever he or she is needed.

It's a philosophy Kelly feels very strongly about, and one that has helped him climb the coaching ladder and lead his teams to new heights. It's also an idea that any coach can easily implement into his own program at any level.

THE ORIGIN
The philosophy that now affects every facet of the Notre Dame football program began in the weightroom at Central Michigan University, where Kelly was Head Coach from 2004 to 2006. Kelly noticed that in the weightroom everyone is equal. There's no such thing as first- or second-string, which promotes teamwork, confidence, and accountability. He wanted to replicate that atmosphere on the football field.

"In the weightroom, nobody is slotted into a specific position or place on the depth chart," Kelly says. "Everyone is on the same page in terms of their status within the team, and we wanted to carry that concept to all aspects of our program.

"In my experience as a head coach, I've learned that it's not just your starters who are the reason for long-term success," he continues. "It's that next level of player who has to go in there and still perform at a high level. He's the guy who nobody knows but needs to come in prepared and ready to contribute. That's the basis for this concept."

HOW IT WORKS
The goal of the Next Man In philosophy, first and foremost, is to instill confidence in each and every member of the program to perform at their peak when called upon to do so. In sports, injuries are inevitable, and if the team isn't prepared to deal with them, even the most promising seasons can fall apart.

"Next Man In is about getting the most out of the average player and getting him to play above his means," Kelly says. "If you focus on just the top 22 players and you have an injury, you're going to be in trouble because you forgot to build Next Man In within your team--you forgot to build a level of confidence. So when a player gets a chance, he may not have confidence in his ability."

If your next line of players does have that confidence, you may be surprised at what you find when they're called into action. "I don't know how many times in our program one guy has gone down and the next guy went in and played great--maybe even better than the first player," says Paul Longo, Notre Dame's Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, who also worked with Kelly at Central Michigan and Cincinnati. "When you put effort into players who are working hard to get into a more prominent role, it produces a more dynamic work environment."

Longo has found that a strong belief in the Next Man In philosophy can also help players who aren't happy with their role stay motivated and keep their heads up. "Once the season starts and players start getting slotted into second-team, third-team, or scout team, you can see them deflate," he says. "Part of Next Man In is coming up with a way to have those guys continue to work and get better. It promotes the idea that everyone is important and that leads to great morale."

At the same time, the philosophy puts pressure on the starters, who are aware the backups are pushing harder and harder each day. "All the players understand they can be replaced at any time," says Kelly. "When you have a Next Man In philosophy, those front-line guys know that the coaches are building depth. We're building trust not just in the top tier, but in the next tier as well. The starters learn they better stay accountable and responsible."

Next Man In helps to create a feeling of importance among players in practice and in the weightroom. If they know they have to be prepared to play at a high level on a moment's notice, they'll be forced to work hard to keep themselves ready.

"We want everyone to feel that sense of urgency on a daily basis," says Longo. "For example, we have a group of 25 freshmen who aren't playing much this season, but if I'm not getting after them and they're not making progress each and every day right now, they won't be ready next year.

"If players have the attitude that they're just the backup and they'll start working when they're the starter, you'll never get over the hump and never win," he continues. "We want everybody to be training like they're already the starter."

The philosophy also applies to the coaching staff. "We, as a program, can't find ourselves in a situation where we lose a coach and all of a sudden people think, 'How are we going to succeed without him?'" says Longo. "Another coach becomes the Next Man in. Coach Kelly likes to promote from within, which helps to emphasize the philosophy."

Kelly also feels that Next Man In teaches people how to deal with hardship. "We're all great when things are going well," he says. "You don't need much help at that time. Next Man In prepares you for that situation when there's adversity or when somebody crucial to the organization goes down. It ensures that somebody is ready to step in and perform the necessary duties. I think the greatest thing about the Next Man In philosophy is that you know when bad things happen, you'll be ready to handle them."

ACHIEVING BUY-IN
As with any coaching philosophy, the concepts will go nowhere if the players don't believe in what the coach is saying. To achieve that buy-in, Kelly insists that everyone associated with his program has a voice.

"Everyone has a seat at this table we call our football program," Kelly says. "Everybody is valued, there's a shared trust, and anyone can share their thoughts. I've found that when you allow people to weigh in, you get great buy-in. I've seen it with not just players, but with coaches and administrators as well."

In order to make everyone feel comfortable enough to speak up, Kelly focuses on building relationships. "It's easier said than done, but you have to do it," he says. "One of the things you're trying to build within your organization is camaraderie, which is found in every successful business or organization. Camaraderie is that link that builds trust. As head coach, I'm going to make the final decision, but I'm a better decision maker when I hear from others."

Another aspect of getting everyone aboard is engraining "Next Man In" into the minds of the players. Kelly uses the words as a slogan and posts them everywhere, including on T-shirts for the players. He and his coaches also point to past examples of unknown players stepping up to do great things, so his current players realize the philosophy has produced results.

"There have been plenty of examples of the walk-on who is on the scout team and relegated to holding a blocking dummy, but because of injuries is called upon to help the team," says Kelly. "We talk about those things continuously. It's important that we communicate this concept on a day-to-day basis.

"The players clearly understand that Next Man In means if they're called upon, they better be ready to go," he continues. "The concept is about accountability and responsibility to the program. You can't be disengaged just because you're not immediately getting a chance to play."

Once there is buy-in for Next Man In, Kelly is careful to never deviate from his philosophy lest he undermine it. For example, if a player is injured, the coaches have to give the next player a chance, rather than move a different player from another position into the opening.

"The coaches must have faith in the next player in line for an opportunity," Kelly says. "You can't move somebody in front of the Next Man In. If he's been working diligently at a particular position and then all of a sudden you put somebody in front of him, your philosophy doesn't have teeth."

"In a lot of situations, it'd be easy to say, 'How will we ever be able to play without the player who went down?'" says Longo. "But Coach Kelly sticks to his philosophy and never wavers. The next man goes in. That backup also practices hard and does what everyone else does, so he should be able to step in and get the job done. If you have confidence in a player who might be a fourth-teamer, and send the vibe that the team's chances haven't changed because that player is now in, that will inspire the other players on the bench."

OFF THE FIELD
The benefits of the Next Man In philosophy extend beyond the football field, as it's a concept that can be applied in many situations. "I think this philosophy is, without a doubt, the way to run any business or program because it talks about how everybody is important--from the lowest guy on the totem pole all the way up to the boss," Longo says. "It also boosts the self esteem of the people at the lower level, giving them a sense of importance and of being able to climb the ladder. At the end of the day, it's all about morale."

In fact, Kelly has brought the philosophy to the entire Notre Dame athletic department. "For me, Next Man In means that you're ready to help in any team format," he says. "For example, if I can help with recruiting for another sport here, I will. I may sit down with a basketball or baseball recruit, if asked. I am ready to be the Next Man In to assist the school in areas outside of football."

The impact of the philosophy and the lessons it teaches can also carry far beyond an athlete's playing career. "Athletes who are no longer playing football understand the Next Man In dynamic as it relates to the real world and their own jobs," Kelly says. "In any positive business or organization, there really has to be a trust within the organization that everybody is capable of contributing. By being a part of this program and learning about Next Man In, my players realize how important the philosophy is and appreciate what it can accomplish."

Mike Phelps is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management.