Q&A with David Coburn

Q&A

Athletic Director David Coburn

SEMINOLE BOOSTERS: In the last Unconquered, you used the words “intelligent, articulate and passionate” when describing Mike Norvell during the search process. Now that he’s put his staff and recruiting class together, what qualities have you seen? DAVID COBURN: The two qualities that really stand out are the level of organization and the attention to detail. I mean, he came in here with a plan in terms of structure, in terms of personnel. He has proceeded very quickly to implement that plan. Everything reflects that level of organization and the attention to detail. I am very impressed.

SB: He met with each of the players. Do you know what his message has been? DC: His message overall has been, ‘You are going to be pushed to be the best you can be. This is going to be demanding and you need to expect you will see the results but you need to expect it’s going to be demanding.’

SB: What does demanding mean? DC: I think it means strength and conditioning. Practice. The attention to detail. The expectation that perfection is the goal. It’s like those TV commercials, ‘Just okay is not going to be okay.’

SB: Norvell has hired 10 assistants, the strength and conditioning coach, a number of graduate assistants and analysts. How does his staff compare in terms of numbers and in terms of salary to Willie Taggart’s staff? DC: In terms of numbers, he’s probably going to end up with a few more positions. But in terms of dollars, it’ll be the same; just allocating things differently.

SB: How does it compare to Jimbo Fisher’s staff? DC: The budget increased some from year to year, as people received pay raises, but it is essentially the same.

SB: Does the strength and conditioning staff change in numbers or budget? DC: There may be more positions but the budgets are not expanding. We talked about these numbers when we interviewed. He knew what he was going to have. That’s why he came in with such a great detailed plan. He understands he has a budget. He’ll push but he understands.

SB: Have you talked about football facilities? DC: What I’ve told him is I want him to go through the semester. You know, go through spring practice. Spend some time in the facilities, using everything, and then we’ll sit down and talk. But he’s never been anywhere where everything (offices, stadium, practice fields, training room, locker room) literally is within 100 yards.

I think they’re not particularly happy with the way this building is laid out internally. Other than that, I think, he wants to use it for a while and see how it goes.

SB: Both your men’s and women’s basketball teams jumped out to fast starts and have been highly ranked. DC: Well, they’re both off to great starts and both have really good things going. Leonard has really got it going right now. He has a very good team. He’s had very good teams. He has a very good recruiting class coming in and he’s working on another really good recruiting class for next fall. Leonard’s obviously rolling and Sue has been up to number eight in the country. She has three great seniors and some great freshmen. I can’t say enough about the job she’s done. So very happy with where we are with both teams right now.

SB: Leonard has been very consistent over the years instilling culture and winning but it seems his program has risen to a higher level nationally in terms of respect, and the number of wins he’s putting together in the ACC. What do you attribute his success? DC: A few years back, he made some changes in his assistant coaches and they began getting him in front of better players, in my view. Leonard can flat get you if he can get in front of you. And once they started getting Leonard in front of better players, he was signing better players.

He’s also got assistants who can flat out coach as well as recruit. Stan and CY an those guys can put a game plan together. I saw them practice before Louisville and I knew we were going to win that game. CY knew exactly what he wanted them to do. And they worked and worked and

worked in practice till they were doing what he wanted them to do offensively and defensively to beat Louisville. They went up there and controlled that game and they did it with his gameplan.

SB: Sound like Leonard does a good job of delegating. DC: Yes, he does a lot. I mean, he gives them each games they’re responsible for (game plan). But I tell you what’s interesting in practice, he knows those game plans. When he sees they’re not doing something the assistant wants them to do, he jumps right in there. So he may be delegating, but he’s not hands off. I mean, that guy can coach, especially on the defensive end. And to me, that’s what’s gotten him here; the details.

Leonard is in a realm now where Hugh Durham was in his heyday. We were recruiting at a level nobody in the south had ever recruited and he was making his living on the defensive end. The same thing applies to Leonard. Leonard is recruiting at an elite level and that consistent defense is sustaining his program.

SB: His contract is up for renewal. Would you comment? DC: It’s been made very clear to him he’s here for as long as he wants to be here. He has 100% support from the president and from me. We’ll get that done. That’s just a matter of working out details. He’s busy coaching right now.

SB: Your fall sports teams are currently ranked 11th in the country after the fall sports seasons. Your thoughts. DC: You know to finish the fall 11th, in spite of football’s record, is pretty impressive. We have a chance now to make up some ground in the final rankings because both basketball teams are good, softball is going to be good, baseball is going to be good, indoor and outdoor track are great. Golf and tennis are too… so we’ve got a chance to finish pretty well.

SB: The ACC placed five programs in the top 11. The SEC had no programs in the top 10. The ACC had nine in the top 25 compared to two SEC teams. What are your thoughts? DC: I would tell you that’s probably not going to continue to happen. We are now seeing the SEC schools making investments in facilities and coaches in sports other than football. For example, LSU just built a really nice beach volleyball facility and went out and hired a really good coach. Suddenly, they were in the tournament last year. And that’s going to happen in all the sports now. With the discrepancy in SEC and Big 10 network revenue (more than $40 million per year per school according to media reports), it’s going to happen more and more.

SB: Can you give us an update on the Renaissance Campaign for facilities? DC: It has gone extremely well. Some of our big boosters have stepped up when we needed them, and I’m very thankful. A number of those people have given before, so it is very gratifying.

SB: Mike Martin Jr.’s career begins as FSU’s new head baseball coach. What are your impressions? DC: “I have been very impressed. I think he has recruited extremely well. I like the level of discipline. His approach is going to be a lot more aggressive and I think it’s going to be exciting. Ticket sales have been really, really, good for baseball. I’m very happy with him right now.”

SB: Baseball is installing new LED Lighting. Where does the money for that project come from? DC: The bulk of the money is coming out of the Seminole Boosters’ general facilities fund. Some of it is coming out of the Bullpen Coaches Club fund.

SB: Golf is a project nearing completion. David Coburn: Yes but we’re still short of our cash goal for the project. We need to keep fundraising. The grand opening is set for March 7th and by then that course ought to be absolutely gorgeous.

SB: Season football tickets and annual fund contributions account for about 40% of the revenue in your athletics budget. How are they tracking thus far this year? DC: Well, tickets are tracking a little bit better than last year since we hired Coach Norvell. As for the annual fund, I think it’s too early to tell.

SB: How have the student athletes performed this year in terms of academics and community service? DC: Our hours are up in community service. Our student athletes put in 3800 hours just in the fall. We did 6200 hours over the course of last year, so we are doing very well there.

Academically, we’re tracking along in most of the sports very well, right where we’ve been. I think football is improved, and will improve even more, although coaching transition always hurts in the short term.

I am happy with the academic staff we have working. We went through some changes when Greg Beaumont retired. I mean a lot of experience and influence on campus went away with him. Greg was very well respected but Kacy King is doing very well.

Kacy has been here for a while, working with Greg, so she’s very well connected on campus. She’s also very well connected nationally, as she’s been active in the national organization, which has helped her recruit. She’s done a good job of hiring.