New college FB coach in big trouble after what he did to freshman - report
The relationship between a coach and his players can be a delicate one, especially in today’s age of instant social media.
On the one hand, some of the most successful coaches in recent history have exhibited a surly and gruff exterior when it comes to how they treat their own players.
Bobby Knight, Gregg Popovich, Bill Belichick and Pat Riley are just some of the coaches who have won championships in their respective fields while never being described as “warm” or “cuddly.”
On the other hand, the hard-nosed, blue-collar coach archetype is a dying breed. They are giving way to a new breed of coaches who are far more “player-friendly” than their predecessors.
But it’s not as if coaches like John Calipari or Mike D’Antoni aren’t experiencing their own levels of success.
Which is all to say, there’s no “right” way to coach. Wildly different coaching styles can all breed success under the right circumstances.
But apparently, there may be a “wrong” way to coach, at least according to Eastern Tennessee State University.
Newly minted ETSU head football coach Randy Sanders has been suspended before even getting to coach his first game, per the Johnson City Press.
According to sources, Sanders was suspended after striking a player during practice.
The player in question is supposedly Tyree Robison, a freshman defensive back.
Sanders allegedly hit Robison in the helmet when the freshman didn’t take a knee quickly enough during a drill.
The severity of the incident is certainly debatable. Old-school football purists will probably all have memories have coaches verbally and physically berating them during practice. New-school football pundits probably feel that Sanders crossed a line. It is unknown at this time just how hard Sanders allegedly struck Robison.
Sanders has been suspended with pay while ETSU investigates the incident.
In an unrelated but just as jarring move, ETSU also lost its offensive coordinator, Marcus Satterfield, to Baylor.
That means that the ETSU Buccaneers will not have a head coach or offensive coordinator for their big spring game. Defensive coordinator Billy Taylor will be in charge defensive play-calling, while receivers coach Mike Rader will make the offensive calls.
Sanders, 52, has spent the last five seasons as the assistant offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Florida State Seminoles.
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