Pease excited to be back in the game
John Pease, Utah's new defensive line coach, said he can't wait to get back into the college game again. The only aspect that has him a little intimidated is recruiting, or at least all the protocol that goes with it.
The NCAA requires coaches to pass a recruiting test before contacting recruits and Pease said he passed his on the first try, but admits all the rules and regulations coaches have to follow these days are quite different than when he was in the college game many years ago.
"Back then you'd just go out and recruit," said Pease, who coached at Washington from 1978-82. "Heck, now I'm afraid to talk to anybody," he joked.
Getting back into the game isn't as intimidating for him.
"Players are players," he said.
Pease, a frequent visitor to Utah's practices, is excited about joining coach Kyle Whittingham's staff as a full-time assistant. He and his wife, Chris, plan to sell their Jacksonville, Fl., residence and live in Utah full-time rather than just part of the year as they do now.
"Everyone is complaining about the cold weather, but I love it," he said.
Pease knew Kyle's father, Fred, and said he thinks his own style will mesh well with Kyle's.
"I wanted to work with someone I respect," he said. "I wasn't begging for a job, but this came along and it was the right fit."
Pease said he has no drastic plans to change anything with the Utes.
"I don't want to do anything different," he said. "It's already outstanding. I just want to add some bits and pieces and help where I can."
As for the recruiting, it sounds like Pease will only do some limited recruiting in the near future with players here and there since the recruiting is well underway for the 2009 class.
Pease's appointment means the Utes are down to filling two spots, replacing offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig and offensive line coach Charlie Dickey who are going to Kansas State.
More on Pease, Dickey and recruiting can be found here.
Well I know of at least one AP voter who is leaning heavily for voting the Utes No. 1. Mark Anderson, a Florida grad who covers the UNLV Rebels for the Las Vegas Review Journal, said he thinks the Utes are deserving of at least strong consideration. Here are his thoughts.
"I am leaning heavily toward voting Utah No. 1, and I definitely will put the Utes ahead of USC. I want to try to keep an open mind with BCS games still to be played, and if Florida or Oklahoma wins in a rout, that could sway me the other direction. But my belief is I'll go with Utah. Getting it done on the field has to count for something, and it's hard to deny the Utes after what they just did to Alabama. That was no fluke victory. Their resume stacks up with the other contenders, beating four ranked teams, including an Oregon State squad that handed USC its only loss. If the Utes played in the Pac-10 or Big 12, there would be no doubt about their qualifications. Utah is fortunate the Mountain West had its best season, so that might swing more votes its way."
The NCAA requires coaches to pass a recruiting test before contacting recruits and Pease said he passed his on the first try, but admits all the rules and regulations coaches have to follow these days are quite different than when he was in the college game many years ago.
"Back then you'd just go out and recruit," said Pease, who coached at Washington from 1978-82. "Heck, now I'm afraid to talk to anybody," he joked.
Getting back into the game isn't as intimidating for him.
"Players are players," he said.
Pease, a frequent visitor to Utah's practices, is excited about joining coach Kyle Whittingham's staff as a full-time assistant. He and his wife, Chris, plan to sell their Jacksonville, Fl., residence and live in Utah full-time rather than just part of the year as they do now.
"Everyone is complaining about the cold weather, but I love it," he said.
Pease knew Kyle's father, Fred, and said he thinks his own style will mesh well with Kyle's.
"I wanted to work with someone I respect," he said. "I wasn't begging for a job, but this came along and it was the right fit."
Pease said he has no drastic plans to change anything with the Utes.
"I don't want to do anything different," he said. "It's already outstanding. I just want to add some bits and pieces and help where I can."
As for the recruiting, it sounds like Pease will only do some limited recruiting in the near future with players here and there since the recruiting is well underway for the 2009 class.
Pease's appointment means the Utes are down to filling two spots, replacing offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig and offensive line coach Charlie Dickey who are going to Kansas State.
More on Pease, Dickey and recruiting can be found here.
Well I know of at least one AP voter who is leaning heavily for voting the Utes No. 1. Mark Anderson, a Florida grad who covers the UNLV Rebels for the Las Vegas Review Journal, said he thinks the Utes are deserving of at least strong consideration. Here are his thoughts.
"I am leaning heavily toward voting Utah No. 1, and I definitely will put the Utes ahead of USC. I want to try to keep an open mind with BCS games still to be played, and if Florida or Oklahoma wins in a rout, that could sway me the other direction. But my belief is I'll go with Utah. Getting it done on the field has to count for something, and it's hard to deny the Utes after what they just did to Alabama. That was no fluke victory. Their resume stacks up with the other contenders, beating four ranked teams, including an Oregon State squad that handed USC its only loss. If the Utes played in the Pac-10 or Big 12, there would be no doubt about their qualifications. Utah is fortunate the Mountain West had its best season, so that might swing more votes its way."
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