There’s one common thread that unites all of the new additions to Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables’ first staff. They all seem to genuinely dig the process of getting to know and building relationships with their players.
That trait manifested itself as Oklahoma finished strong with a series of late flips in the 2022 recruiting class. Gracen Halton, Kevonte Henry, Alton Tarber, and R Mason Thomas were all committed elsewhere but ended up signing with Oklahoma on national signing day.
As a result, new Oklahoma defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis was named as one of On3’s top 10 recruiters for the 2022 class. That’s just it, though. Chavis really enjoys recruiting.
“Yeah, amazing. Yeah, awesome. Like, I felt like I was cheating in life. Like, even right now, man, being up here, like this is unbelievable, and just because it doesn’t feel like work. It’s what I love doing. I think recruiting, when it comes down to it, is really about relationship building and connecting. I think it’s about authenticity. And I think you have to do a good job of it if you want to do it this way, the way that I’m talking about, that you have to be okay with not getting a guy that you don’t fit or that he doesn’t fit your institution or your program.
“But fundamentally, I think recruiting is connecting. And so, man, I’ve just been very, very blessed to have people in my life to show me and teach me how to connect with people. And I care about people. I love people. So yeah, I got here and got all cleared by compliance and all the rest, and they threw me an OU shirt on and some Jordan’s and I went on the road. And I think I’ve texted my wife and took pictures of everything. But it was amazing. We were able to get Alton Tarber—I can’t wait to get him from Deerfield Beach—R Mason Thomas. And Ahmad Moten, we almost got him from Cardinal Gibbons. Great program Coach [Matt] DuBuc is running there at Cardinal Gibbons. And so it was awesome. I love it,” Chavis said.
Building relationships beyond the game of football is something that Chavis believes in. It’s why he did pastoral ministry for three years after his stint in the NFL came to a close.
“The best CEOs of companies, the best pastors, the best leaders of family, the best men and women I’ve ever been around are those people who can connect and love the people that they serve. Period. And so my first week here, within the first week or so, just like taking my guys out to dinner and like not talking football. And listen, I coach for Brent Venables. We’re going to have more than enough time to talk football. All right? Our guys are going to know what the heck they have to do. But just investing in them, man, making phone calls. That’s one thing we did. Calling them all personally, asking them about their mom, their dad, little Suzie. They’ve been dating for two weeks and now they’re Facebook official for two weeks. Okay? We ask about another one here soon. But just what are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your fears? What are your aspirations? I think all of these things are super, super important,” Chavis said.
Chavis likens the best coaches to part-time psychologists. Knowing each of his player’s individual goals and aspirations is part and parcel with seeing the best versions of his players.
“They need to know that you care, they need you to know their identity and they want to know that you love them. And if you love your players, you can coach them as hard as you want to. But just being very, very connected with them. I send them encouraging messages almost every morning, whether it’s things from scripture, things that are motivational or encouraging to me, and then just being able to take the time out to not talk ball all the time, and thinking and understanding and learning the different types of personalities. There are so many different personality tests.
“And I think, man, it’s like psychology. I’m serious. I think a great football coach is like 50 percent a great psychologist and understanding that just like parenting, you can’t treat all kids the same. And so different coaching techniques, and they all learn differently, but I think being intentional with your words, I think getting to know parents, getting to know players, their likes and dislikes, their fears and aspirations, makes them a lot more likely to trust you and to be endeared to you and to play hard for you. The guys that I’ve seen that played the hardest for their coaches are the guys that would literally die and lay their life on the line for the coaches because they know their coach loves them and would do the same,” Chavis said.
It doesn’t feel like lip service when Venables talks about serving his players’ hearts and not their talents. It certainly doesn’t with Chavis either.
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