Hudson Houck philosophy in a nutshell
Thanks Yakusa Rich:
Good old Article on Hudson Houck
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14027312/
In 1970, the freshman football coach at Southern California looked at the varsity's offensive line coach and saw what he wanted to be: a great teacher and disciplinarian, a leader who was demanding but also had fun with his players. "If he would have stayed and been an offensive line coach, he would have been the best there was," the freshman coach says, 36 years later.
You know what became of the line coach? He led the Redskins to three Super Bowl championships and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Now, Joe Gibbs is in his second term in Washington.
The freshman coach also advanced to the NFL, where he has found a way to star in a supporting role for five teams in the past 23 years. You might not recognize his name, but he became what he envisioned Gibbs could have been.
"If there was a Hall of Fame for offensive line coaches," says Chargers tackle Roman Oben, "Hudson Houck would be first in line."
Houck has left his fingerprints from Seattle to Miami. When he was with the Rams (1983-1991), Eric Dickerson won three NFL rushing titles and five offensive linemen were selected to a combined 21 Pro Bowls. When he was with the Seahawks ('92), Chris Warren had the first 1,000-yard rushing performance of his career. When Houck was with the Cowboys (1993-2001), Emmitt Smith was a two-time rushing champion and six linemen racked up 22 Pro Bowl selections combined.
Among the prominent linemen Houck has tutored are Anthony Munoz and Bruce Matthews (during Houck's tenure as USC's line coach from 1976-82); Jackie Slater, Doug Smith and Dennis Harrah in Los Angeles; and Larry Allen, Erik Williams and Nate Newton in Dallas. Munoz and Slater are in the Hall of Fame; Matthews and Allen eventually will join them.
"It's not a coincidence that wherever he's been, it seems there's somebody who emerges as one of the game's best," former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman says.
But one of Houck's best coaching jobs came sans star power. Two years ago in San Diego, he took five new starters — a combination of pedestrian veterans and inexperienced youngsters — and molded them into a cohesive unit that helped the Chargers finish third in the league in scoring, fourth in fewest sacks allowed and sixth in rushing. They won 12 games and went to the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
Going into his second season as Miami's line coach, Houck faces a similar challenge. The Dolphins are expected to have new starters at left tackle (free-agent addition L.J. Shelton), center (former guard Rex Hadnot) and right guard (Bennie Anderson or Seth McKinney). After Miami closed the 2005 season with six straight wins, some preseason publications, including Sporting News, project the Dolphins as a wild-card team. The line will be a big factor in determining the season's outcome.
"Getting the new guys, the new pieces of the puzzle, and putting them together is our major goal at this point," says Houck.
A three-year center at USC who helped the Trojans win the 1962 national championship, Houck has flirted with other positions during his career. He wouldn't have minded coaching running backs, defensive backs or linebackers. But he has stayed betrothed to the offensive line, a unit that can be as sturdy as brick or as breakable as straw depending on its coordinated effort.
"You've got to have five guys working on the same page," Houck says. "They've got to have the same communication. They all have to be doing the correct footwork."
It all requires choreography, and no one devises line schemes better than Houck, who breaks down his philosophy into three areas.
He teaches physical football by emphasizing leverage, the best technique for moving a defender. Houck compares it to sumo wrestling.
He puts his players in the best position to succeed by devising drills that simulate what they'll do in a game — and repeating them over and over.
He sets the standard. "I've got to let them know when they're not putting in enough effort," he says. "And that's something they don't want to hear sometimes."
Houck has coached through personal tragedy — his first wife died on Christmas Day 1988 after a long bout with cancer. He is 63 and has two years left on his contract. How much longer will he continue?
"I'm just going to keep going until that motor wears out — or until my wife says, 'That's enough,' " he says.
That day will have to wait. The master choreographer still has a lot of line dancing to direct.
Good old Article on Hudson Houck
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14027312/
In 1970, the freshman football coach at Southern California looked at the varsity's offensive line coach and saw what he wanted to be: a great teacher and disciplinarian, a leader who was demanding but also had fun with his players. "If he would have stayed and been an offensive line coach, he would have been the best there was," the freshman coach says, 36 years later.
You know what became of the line coach? He led the Redskins to three Super Bowl championships and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Now, Joe Gibbs is in his second term in Washington.
The freshman coach also advanced to the NFL, where he has found a way to star in a supporting role for five teams in the past 23 years. You might not recognize his name, but he became what he envisioned Gibbs could have been.
"If there was a Hall of Fame for offensive line coaches," says Chargers tackle Roman Oben, "Hudson Houck would be first in line."
Houck has left his fingerprints from Seattle to Miami. When he was with the Rams (1983-1991), Eric Dickerson won three NFL rushing titles and five offensive linemen were selected to a combined 21 Pro Bowls. When he was with the Seahawks ('92), Chris Warren had the first 1,000-yard rushing performance of his career. When Houck was with the Cowboys (1993-2001), Emmitt Smith was a two-time rushing champion and six linemen racked up 22 Pro Bowl selections combined.
Among the prominent linemen Houck has tutored are Anthony Munoz and Bruce Matthews (during Houck's tenure as USC's line coach from 1976-82); Jackie Slater, Doug Smith and Dennis Harrah in Los Angeles; and Larry Allen, Erik Williams and Nate Newton in Dallas. Munoz and Slater are in the Hall of Fame; Matthews and Allen eventually will join them.
"It's not a coincidence that wherever he's been, it seems there's somebody who emerges as one of the game's best," former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman says.
But one of Houck's best coaching jobs came sans star power. Two years ago in San Diego, he took five new starters — a combination of pedestrian veterans and inexperienced youngsters — and molded them into a cohesive unit that helped the Chargers finish third in the league in scoring, fourth in fewest sacks allowed and sixth in rushing. They won 12 games and went to the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
Going into his second season as Miami's line coach, Houck faces a similar challenge. The Dolphins are expected to have new starters at left tackle (free-agent addition L.J. Shelton), center (former guard Rex Hadnot) and right guard (Bennie Anderson or Seth McKinney). After Miami closed the 2005 season with six straight wins, some preseason publications, including Sporting News, project the Dolphins as a wild-card team. The line will be a big factor in determining the season's outcome.
"Getting the new guys, the new pieces of the puzzle, and putting them together is our major goal at this point," says Houck.
A three-year center at USC who helped the Trojans win the 1962 national championship, Houck has flirted with other positions during his career. He wouldn't have minded coaching running backs, defensive backs or linebackers. But he has stayed betrothed to the offensive line, a unit that can be as sturdy as brick or as breakable as straw depending on its coordinated effort.
"You've got to have five guys working on the same page," Houck says. "They've got to have the same communication. They all have to be doing the correct footwork."
It all requires choreography, and no one devises line schemes better than Houck, who breaks down his philosophy into three areas.
He teaches physical football by emphasizing leverage, the best technique for moving a defender. Houck compares it to sumo wrestling.
He puts his players in the best position to succeed by devising drills that simulate what they'll do in a game — and repeating them over and over.
He sets the standard. "I've got to let them know when they're not putting in enough effort," he says. "And that's something they don't want to hear sometimes."
Houck has coached through personal tragedy — his first wife died on Christmas Day 1988 after a long bout with cancer. He is 63 and has two years left on his contract. How much longer will he continue?
"I'm just going to keep going until that motor wears out — or until my wife says, 'That's enough,' " he says.
That day will have to wait. The master choreographer still has a lot of line dancing to direct.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:20 AM
<< Home