“SLANT! Sit up, lean forward, act interested, nod your head, track the speaker.” This is how Coach Bill Busch started his motivational speech to the Sandy Creek football team last week.
It’s a technique he uses to start meetings, getting his players’ attention. Busch was brought in by private donors to tell his story and to get the players and coaches fired up for the upcoming 2024 football season.
Coach Busch told the players about how he worked for the University of Nebraska’s football program three times, the first time by cold calling Coach Osborne from his dorm while he was attending Kearney State College. When Osborne told him their coaching staff was full, Busch made up a reason to be in Lincoln the next day and asked Coach Osborne for a little of his time.
After waiting for three hours, Busch got to talk to Coach Osborne and volunteered himself for a non-paid position that Coach Osborne agreed to. Busch had a seamstress make him a “fake coach’s outfit” that resembled former Husker legendary coach Milt Tenopir, and drove himself to away games where he quietly slid into line with the team and other coaches entering the stadiums. And that’s how he got his start in coaching.
Busch coached at Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ohio State (under Urban Meyer), Utah, Rutgers, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, Utah State (where he was named Co-Defensive Back Coach of the Year), and LSU (where he won a National Championship.) While at LSU, Busch served as the lead recruiter involved in getting Joe Burrow to play for the Tigers.
Busch talked to the athletes about being the hardest worker on the team and what it would look like if each of them was that player.
