After 32 years in the college game as a mentor to star quarterbacks such as Steve Young, Jim McMahon, Ty Detmer, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, Norm Chow is embarking on a great adventure – becoming the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans. Last week, the 58-year-old rookie discussed finding a comfort level in his new job and saying goodbye to college – as well as being surprised by some of the people he left behind.
Anthony Cotton: After 32 years, here you are in the NFL. How do you feel?
Norm Chow: Well, it’s awfully exciting and it’s a big challenge. It’s different, but it was time to try something different and something new. And I’m very grateful that (Titans coach) Jeff (Fisher) gave me the chance.
AC: When you look back at your collegiate career, is there a lot of disappointment that you never were hired for a head coaching position?
NC: No. You know, I’ve never worried about that kind of stuff. I learned a long time ago that you work as hard as you can work and things will happen, so I just did that. The disappointment occurs right after, but five minutes later you just push on. And there weren’t that many opportunities, I can promise you that.
AC: But with your credentials, you would think you would have warranted an opportunity.
NC: Yeah. To become a head coach, there’s so many factors involved. You have to hit it right and be the type of person they’re looking for and all that kind of stuff, and it just didn’t happen.
AC: Obviously you haven’t had a season yet, but what sort of things are you picking up on in the NFL?
NC: The quality of the athlete and the sophistication of the game, if you will. You’re obviously playing at the highest level, and the players are very determined and dedicated – the coaches are, and the whole organization is. It’s a very serious business that’s taken very seriously. But it’s still football. They still cover the same way; they still run the same plays – it’s just done with better people.
AC: What is it that you understand about offense and quarterbacks that has made you so successful?
NC: I’ve just had good players. Every situation we’ve gotten into there have been good players there. And I think you allow them to show off their skills; you maximize the skills they have. That’s the
key to being a good coach in my mind – you allow them to do what they do.
AC: But everybody says that.
NC: Everybody runs football plays, but it’s the comfort level they have, the confidence level they have, to believe that collectively we’re going to get this thing done. You feel a lot better if you go out there knowing you have the support of the coach. I just say, “Hey, go out and have some fun. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake. Don’t play so tight that you’re always looking over your shoulder.” I don’t know what else to do but transfer that information to the players.
AC: Was there any hesitancy about moving into this whole new world, the NFL?
NC: Sure there was. I was concerned about the sophistication of the game. When I met with Jeff – I told my wife, “If we’re going to try this, I can’t think of anyone better to do it with than Jeff Fisher” – he assured me. He said, “Let’s go look at some game tapes.” So we watched some tapes, and you realize it’s still football. There’s certain coverages, certain fronts and certain plays that are being run. They’re just being done by better people.
AC: There have been coaches – a Mouse Davis or a June Jones – whose ideas on offense were considered somewhat revolutionary in the league. Will you fall into that category?
NC: No, no, no. I’ve never, I mean, I’ve copied every play I’ve ever run. Those guys in football who think they’ve invented things, woo boy, I don’t know. That’s not me.
AC: What is an ideal quarterback?
NC: I’ve always thought there were certain attributes necessary – one was to be extremely bright; another was to be very accurate. And then, obviously you want someone very tough and physical and aggressive and tough-minded, where he can make a bad play and forget about it.
AC: You didn’t say arm strength.
NC: On this level, it’s my understanding that that’s very necessary. I haven’t been here long enough to know that. I’ve been with quarterbacks who didn’t have great arm strength, but to me, if you’re accurate and you understand the game, then you can anticipate things and maybe get away with not having as strong an arm as people seem to think you have to have. Now that may be naive; I haven’t been on this level, but that’s what I believe.
AC: But speaking of those other attributes, it sounds like you’re describing (Titans quarterback) Steve McNair.
NC: Sure. I told him the other day, “You sure make this game look pretty easy.” He’s been around and he understands.
AC: There was a lot of talk at the end of last season that he might retire. How worried were you about that?
NC: There was nothing to worry about. It was a decision that he had to make with his family and with Jeff and the doctors and so forth. I couldn’t worry and fret about it; it wouldn’t have done any good. I was hoping, obviously, to get a chance to work with a young man like that.
AC: Were you surprised that (Heisman Trophy winner Matt) Leinart didn’t come out? (Chow coached him at Southern California.)
NC: Yes.
AC: Why?
NC: What more is there to conquer? He’s done it all on that level. But he enjoys college football, and physically there were a couple of things he needed to get squared around. He had surgery on his elbow and he had a little problem with his groin. I talked with him the other day and he said it’s all fine now, but his concern was that when it came time to show himself off to the NFL, he would not have been able to do much.
AC: But you would think pro teams would understand that.
NC: Yeah, you’d think so, but you’re asking if I was surprised, and I’d have to say yes.
AC: Were you surprised at (former Cal quarterback) Aaron Rodgers falling to No. 24 in last weekend’s draft?
NC: I was. But the draft is so critical that teams were picking for needs. There are so many holes to fill because of the salary cap and stuff. I’m sure it went down that way: “We’d love to have Aaron but we need a tight end; we’d love to have Aaron but we need a cornerback.”
AC: Seeing that, being the offensive guy that you are, when there’s a player like that – where the 49ers were talking about taking him at No. 1 – do you go to Fisher and say, “Hey, this guy is sitting right there. Steve is getting older; he’s been beat up.”
NC: Obviously, I don’t have that much say, compared to the personnel people and the scouts and the head coach. But, yeah, you think it. In fact, that discussion did come up. “If Aaron Rodgers fell to No. 6 (where Tennessee picked in the first round) would the Titans be interested? If (No. 1 pick) Alex Smith were there would we be interested?” Sure enough Aaron was there, but we feel like we filled two needs because “Pac-Man” (Titans selection Adam Jones) is a cornerback and a return man.
AC: Well, I wish you every success.
NC: We’ll see; we’ll find out soon enough, won’t we? I’m old enough that if we can’t do it, we’ll just fade off into the sunset and spend the rest of our life surfing.
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.