Frank Smith – December 15, 2022
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Thursday, December 15, 2022
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(While giving away obviously nothing from the gameplan this week, in general I just wanted your thoughts on; when you see the type of defense the Chargers had, clogging the middle and heavy man, what generally is affected when countering that? The first couple of things that come to mind would be what?) – “Well, just in general from the Chargers game, I mean overall, for us, schematically, we’re looking at where we’re at. I wouldn’t say we’re sitting there going ‘These plays are not good versus that.’ I think ultimately it came down to a lot of our execution inside of it. I mean we had guys that, as they’re getting open within the timing of the play, sometimes we have a guy open and a protection breaks down. I think there were overall a multitude of factors. I wouldn’t say that ultimately we looked at that game and thought we’re getting out-schemed. I would say that we look at it and we were getting out-executed. Our details weren’t where we wanted them to be. And I think that was the challenge of the two-game stretch. When you go on the road, across the country, and things don’t work out the way that you want them to, coming back and understanding when you’re critical of yourself, starting with us as coaches. Are we putting ourselves in position schematically? Then we looked at it in the game and we saw execution errors and fundamentals that we can improve. I think ultimately that was our challenge this week to make sure that we – I know Mike (McDaniel) has hit on it too. If you look at it from the top down, just what we’re doing, the schematic things, then you get into fundamentals and technique, and that’s the emphasis for this week. That’s the challenge of the National Football League just because you come off a game like Cleveland and you’re feeling pretty good and then the next thing you know, you get humbled because you don’t get the execution that you want. But that’s the chase to stay on this goal for all of us is to make sure our execution is at the level we want to be able to take advantage of the plays that were there.”
(How different is this offense since the last time you guys played Buffalo? I guess at that time, you were just kind of figuring yourselves out and getting some confidence. Since then, you’ve had the five-game win streak, you’ve had some tough losses, different personnel, but two or three things that are different about this offense?) – “I would say that what’s different about the offense is just from the course of September to now is that you have the ebb and flow of the season. I think the biggest thing, like you stated, that you’re looking at that point in the season, we’ve had some guys coming in and out of the lineup. We’ve had some roster moves – some guys acquired and some guys have left. I think ultimately there was a time in November, obviously, we felt our execution was great, and right now, we’re obviously cleaning up some things that help us for our execution. I think that ultimately, you’re saying what’s different from now is just our experience playing together. Our experience through good times and bad. So we’ve had now the NFL season really coming to an end where now it’s kind of like, you know what you need to do for the next four games if you want to be in contention to continue your season. So ultimately, I think to your point, we started off, that was a very – that was a game where it was just our third game together, and now we’ve got basically through the quarter of four quarters of the season. So I think our experience and being a little more connected is something that would probably be the difference.”
(When we spoke in L.A., T Eric Fisher had barely gotten off the plane. Now that he’s had a little bit of time, do you feel comfortable putting him in if need be or if you choose to? And do you feel comfortable basically calling any play with him in there?) – “Yeah, I mean, (he’s a) true pro. His preparation is obviously top notch. We have all the confidence in what he’s done as far as preparation and working on his fundamentals. So he’s done an excellent job. You can see why he’s played at such a high level. It’s because of the detail to his preparation and his execution and how he takes the sense of urgency that everything matters. I think that’s ultimately, when you’re looking at a guy with his experience, that’s why he’s been so successful because he maximizes every opportunity and doesn’t waste a moment.”
(We’ve been making a big deal about the weather, and I’m wondering where you come down on that. Specifically with the Miami Dolphins, just considering everybody who plays for the Dolphins isn’t a South Florida native. They didn’t play college football here; guys have gone to Wisconsin, Purdue, all over the nation. So with the Miami Dolphins going up to Buffalo in cold weather, how big a deal is that and how could it affect the game? What are your thoughts on this?) – “Well, I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, so I grew up in the subarctic. So knowing that (and) the differences to that, I’ve worked in Chicago, I’ve worked in New Orleans, I’ve worked for me personally, different parts of the regions of the country, count the West Coast last four years. So what’s the difference? It’s like the cold weather team coming to the warm weather – there’s an adjustment. But ultimately, it’s just understanding what every element is going to provide, and you make sure that in your preparation, you understand for it and you have the adequate resources you need. So I think – I mean, I remember back when we were in New Orleans in 2013. We were a dome team that couldn’t win a cold weather game, and it was this whole big deal, and we went to Philadelphia and handled our business. I think ultimately, it’s going to be about our guys coming together and understanding that there is a temperature difference, but it’s only a problem if you let it be a problem, like everything.”
(How much do the elements alter offensive scheme and play-calling, without getting specific of course?) – “Ultimately, from my familiarity of that area of the country and just northern states in wintertime in general, the weather could change tomorrow. So I think even (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny (Crossman) with his experience working there, it’s like, if you’re planning for one thing, the weather might change. I mean, I remember a couple times in Chicago, we thought we’re going to have a blizzard and then it turned out being 40 degrees. So it’s just one of those where you understand what elements could be, you understand how it can impact things, you have contingency plans for it and you just adjust to what occurs. But I mean, ultimately, it’ll be about our execution, regardless of what the climate is.”
(How much during a game do you – obviously there’s a lot going on for Head Coach Mike McDaniel calling plays, but how often do you give him input, suggestions on what he might want to run? Does he solicit that from you as the game is ongoing?) – “Yeah, we have conversations throughout the game. During the drive, in between them, we’re talking the whole time, pregame, postgame. It’s just kind of our dialogue we have as far as what we’re seeing (and) what we’re trying to attack in the defense. So yeah, I think the dialogue with (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and I is constant, really. It probably honestly is never ending. It continually go seven days a week.”
(I’m doing something on good advice people received through their careers. It’s a little off the track here from what you’re talking about.) – “Yeah, surprise! (laughter) I was expecting another ‘it’s snowing’ question.”
(Have you heard any good advice about living in the winter?) – “Yeah, exactly. (laughter) Bring a coat.”
(Anything anybody said to you that stuck with you that you can pull up on immediate recall here?) – “Oh, yeah. I was a finance major, and it was my third year in college. I’m sitting in Finance 301 and I’m just looking at my exam. I have my financial calculator. I’ve got my charts. I’ve got all this stuff, and I’m looking at it and then I’m just going, ‘What the hell am I doing?’ And then as I look out, I see these two dudes throwing a frisbee back and forth – classic frat boys. I’m going like, ‘Man, I don’t know what those guys are doing, but they’ve got it figured out. They’re just having fun.’ I remember leaving that exam, going down to meet with my coach Terry Hoeppner, my head coach in college, and I just was like, ‘I don’t know what I want to do in life. I don’t think I want to be a business guy, because that’s what my dad was.’ And he goes, ‘Well, have you ever thought about coaching?’ And I looked at him like, ‘You think I’d be any good at it?’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, you make all our calls, what you do well, communication skills, all (that) stuff.’ He went on to list some things about me that – I don’t handle praise real well, so I still like, right now I remember that moment, I’m going back to it going, like, ‘Alright, Coach, what do you think I should do?’ And he said then, ‘But if you get into coaching, there’s no guarantee you’re going to have financial success. Like, there’s no guarantee of anything. But if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.’ And ultimately, I was like, that makes sense to me. Because ultimately, my father was very successful. He worked his way up from being an accountant to the president of his company, and I got to see his career path. And when he was about 60 years old, he got fired for the first time and to see him through that time really figure out what he wanted to do in the back half of his career, and just seeing that through his financial success, there’s plenty of stress along the way. I just knew for me, I wanted to find something that I enjoyed every day. And back when I started being a graduate assistant for $800 a month, 10 months out of the year, which was fun trying to make sure I could pick up every recruiting dinner I could so I could have some extra money. (laughter) I just think that ultimately, it’s hard I think in your career to find a job that you love what you do, but coaching provides such an opportunity to really live that. When I was at Butler in 2009, I think I was making $32,000 at that point in my life and that was one of the best moments in my life. They were 0-11 in 2005, and then get there our first year and then four years later, we go 11-1 and win the conference and made a playoff game. There’s no monetary value to the connection you have with people that still lasts a lifetime. Because it’s funny, when the pro guys meet, they meet these random Butler guys along the way which is funny. They always look at them going like, ‘Their version of me at that time as opposed to all the pro guys,’ they’re like, ‘He was what?’ I was like 28 years old – I thought I had all the answers back then, so I was a little more fiery. But I think ultimately, if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Fortunate enough for many of us coaches, we fulfill that every day.”
(Who was the coach you said that to?) – “Terry Hoeppner, he was my college head coach.”
(Did you live in Hepburn Hall?) – “I did. I did, I lived in Hepburn Hall. Corner room, I don’t remember the number, but I was in the corner left, and me and my roommate, Jacob Bell, he started eight years in the National Football League. I remember when I told him I was switching to go into coaching, he looked at me and was like, ‘You’re doing what?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to do that.’ He was like, ‘Alright, man. I’m going to play in the National Football League.’ I’m like, ‘Well I’m glad you got your (expletive) figured out.”
(What if those guys weren’t playing frisbee that day?) – “I don’t know. I probably just would have looked out with despair and go like, ‘There is no hope.‘ (laughter) You’re taking me around the … thank God for the frisbee guys. So it’s moments in life – that’s probably for me, that was a life changing moment, because maybe they weren’t there and I don’t see that and I keep going and just think this is what it is and I go into finance doing God knows what right now. So I’m about as lucky of a story as you can have. I’m very fortunate.”
(I know one guy who has appreciation for RB Myles Gaskin is Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Coach Eric Studesville, having worked with him the last three years. If he’s needed Saturday, obviously with RB Jeff Wilson Jr.’s hip, what skills have you grown to admire on field and off field about him?) – “Yeah, I think he’s really prepared himself. We have full confidence in him. There’s not like anything that we’re really thinking that, ‘Hey, we can’t do this with him.’ His preparation, his work ethic, I think he can step in the role and really fulfill what we need all of our backs to do with their skillsets.”
(I’m doing a profile on Head Coach Mike McDaniel, and I’m just sort of curious what’s sort of the biggest difference from working with him from all the other head coaches you’ve worked with?) – “Man, I thought I was just going to get weather and Bills. I’m getting life changing stuff. (laughter) Well, the one thing about (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) that is different – I mean, I’ve been fortunate, I have a real cross-spectrum of guys I’ve worked for. I worked for Sean Payton, John Fox, Jon Gruden, Brandon Staley and in college, Terry Hoeppner, I got to GA for him. He’s probably the most impactful person I’ve ever worked for. But I’d say that Mike, the one thing with him is his ability for this offense and to understand how to communicate and how to utilize our scheme and use it to attack defenses. Mike has excellent communication skills and his ability to see what the defense is doing and attack it. And then every day, he has such a positive approach. I mean, he’s one of the most positive people I’ve ever been around. Like you guys know, every day, you’re also going to laugh when you go to work for him, too. That’s not always true at some places. But I mean, ultimately, his communication skills of the scheme, his endless positivity and I think I can probably speak for most of the staff (that) we are fortunate enough to work here and most of us skip to work every day when you have a boss that is able to communicate through a positive approach every day.”
(When you say positive, is he complimenting you guys? Or is he just always thinking – what do you mean by that?) – “Well, ultimately, I can be standing in this room right now looking at it going like, ‘God, no one wants to show up for me?’ Or I could say like, ‘These are the guys that really love football.’ (laughter) I mean, it’s just how you view every situation. So I look at it like you can either see what you don’t have, what you need, but you’re always looking for an option to give you an out towards a situation or what’s occurring as opposed to attacking the situation with what you have, with relentless pursuit to try and get it the best you can. I just think that he always sees the moment for what it is, doesn’t make excuses and has such a positive approach to it, because when you do that, you’re always knowing there’s a chance as opposed to in the other way, when you’re pessimistic and kind of given these subtle outs, that’s just not the way he ever operates anything. It’s just how do we get to where we need to go with what we have and let’s make sure we have an energy and optimism to what we do because we’re fortunate enough to be here. We love what we do, and you can tell he loves coaching football.”
