Dan Sartin is a 1974 graduate of Morgan County High and an Engineering graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served in the Army Infantry after graduation and had achieved the rank of Captain when he left the Army to enter the private sector. Dan did his post graduate studies at the University of Kansas, studying Engineering Management. The proud parent of two children, he now lives in Austin Texas.

At the age of 18, Danny’s skill at football, coupled with his integrity, perseverance and intelligence landed him an appointment to West Point. This is no run of the mill college experience; it takes so much more than most of us realize to succeed in such a disciplined and tough academic setting. His ability to adapt and flourish under these extraordinary requirements have ushered him through the rigors of a military career and personal challenges. My admiration and respect for him and his accomplishments is immense!

 

Charlsa: Several of the boys you played high school ball with-including yourself, went on to play college football at various universities. That is unusual for small high school programs that would otherwise not be distinguished as “standouts” within the State. Do you have thoughts as to what characterized the teams and young men you played with in you high school career?

Dan: I think it is a combination of all of those things. I remember summer vacations in high school when all we could think about was the start of football practice. It was an incredible mix of dreading the two a day practices, the anticipation of the first day in pads and getting to hit again, and just looking forward to that first game. The coaches were always encouraging us to prepare for the season and all of us were focused on how we could get better. I think it is a feeling that continues to thrive in the south, football was as much a part of our life as anything, we lived for Friday night and game time. When I think of some of my fellow teammates and the accomplishments they achieved, I am so proud to be associated with them.

Charlsa:  Tell us how you were recruited to play for and attend West Point. Were you expecting such an appointment? Was there local influence in securing this appointment?

Dan:  I am still not sure exactly how it all transpired. I received a call one Friday night from a coach at West Point saying they had seen film from our games in Hartselle and they wanted to invite me up to New York to try out for the Army Team. I went to West Point and tried out with players from all over the US and afterwards I was asked to apply for admission to the Academy. I believe a MALO, (Military Academy Liaison Officer) submitted my name for consideration by the coaching staff. Military Academies rely on former grads to identify talent for admissions. I had to apply for nominations from my Senators and Congressmen for admission to West Point.

Charlsa:  Well, that certainly makes ME proud of you! It’s no secret that admission criteria at West Point are set extremely high. Your ability to play football
was only one component of your acceptance. The character, personal tenacity and leadership abilities you possess played a huge role in being selected for study and training at our country’s top military academy.

What position/s did you play for Army? How does the size, weight and speed of the game today compare with the years you played?

Dan:  I started out playing defensive end for Army and then was moved to offensive tackle my sophomore year. I do remember being the smallest lineman on the offensive line, not a distinction I’m necessarily proud of! When I look at the players today I am amazed at the size and speed they all possess! My size then would not even get me noticed in today’s college football world.

Charlsa: Yes, I’ve heard a couple of other players from the 1970’s make similar observations.Please give us a memorable moment/s from your playing days as a high school and college player.

Dan: In high school it had to be key wins against our rivals (Decatur, Austin) and coming so close to making the state playoffs as a senior. In college I cannot tell you how humbling it was to take the field for the annual Army-Navy game in Philadelphia. At West Point there is no game more important than the Army-Navy game. To see all of the former graduates, military heroes, and the immense display of patriotism in the stadium is something hard to describe and explain. Even today as I watch the annual game and see young athletes and future leaders of our military forces play a game with such tradition, knowing that they may well be in a war zone within a year of graduating, I feel a great sense of pride.

Charlsa:  Yes, I certainly see your point. That’s a sobering thought. How has your experience at West Point and your military career served you as a businessman, a man and a father?

Dan:  West Point took the concept of teamwork we learned on the football field and ingrained in me the importance of that teamwork in all other facets of life. On the field and in the game the team’s success depends on each member of the team doing his job to the best of his ability, supporting a common goal. In the military it may well mean the difference between life and death. The importance of teamwork in your family, your job, your life, it is the common goal that makes us successful.

Charlsa:  ‘A very CLEAR connection, there.

Tell us a little about your Army career and then your business experiences since leaving the Army.

Dan: I served in the Army as an Infantry Officer assigned in Central Germany to the 3rd Armored Division. I was privileged to serve in various leadership positions and command a Mechanized Infantry Company on my first tour. While in Germany I discovered Rugby and was fortunate to play with The Frankfurt American Rugby Club. We played teams throughout Europe and I had the opportunity to play in the Heineken Sevens International Rugby Tournament in Amsterdam. An interesting transition from the full pads of football to no pads and full tackle rugby! In the business world I have worked with many great companies in the field of logistics and distribution.

Charlsa: Do you follow college football today?

Dan:  Of course, college football will always be my favorite spectator sport. Whenever I can I attend the Army-Navy game, and I also try to attend one game at West Point when possible. I love that the SEC has established itself as the premier conference in college football, not that we didn’t know that already in Alabama! I am now in Texas and it has been interesting observing the conference re-alignments and the move of Texas A&M to the SEC and the potential impact on the Big 12.

Charlsa: Yes, you are right there in the middle of a “hot-bed” of expansion talk. I know you have 2 wonderful children of whom you are very proud! Tell us a bit about each and what they are doing now.

Dan: Well my son Tavis is currently teaching English in Japan after getting his degree in German from the University of Kansas. My daughter Maryl just graduated for the University of Vermont and is currently living in the Washington DC area.I cannot tell you how proud I am of both of them. They both spent time studying abroad in Europe, Tavis in Germany and Maryl in France, and have really become world travelers. I know great things are definitely in their future.

Charlsa: Fabulous! Do you have any parting comments that our readers might find interesting?

Dan:  I just have to say that football in the small town of Hartselle, AL, literally opened up a world of possibilities for me.

In closing, each Army football player passes a sign as they go out onto the playing field that features a quote by General of the Army George C. Marshall Chief of Staff during World War II. This sign says, “I want an officer for a secret and dangerous mission. I want a West Point football player.”

I can assure you that every Army football player and officer takes that “charge” very seriously and aspires to that high calling.

Charlsa: Thank you so much, Danny.

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Eidson is a graduate of Morgan County High School in Hartselle, Alabama. After high school he played for Mississippi State University as a stand-out offensive lineman. At Mississippi State, he received his Bachelor of Science degree and later completed a Master’s Degree in Business Administration in Finance Strategy, Marketing and Business Policy at Southern Methodist University. Jim is currently President of Precedent Equities, LLC., which specializes in commercial real estate and development with a Health Care focus. He is a proud father and devoted husband. He and his wife, Jana Beth make their home in Dallas, Texas.

I remember him as “Jimmy”, wearing his letter sweater and towering above the rest of us as we walked the halls in high school. Since he was just a bit ahead of me in school, I admit that he seemed way out of my league at the time! Jim is fabulously talented and has achieved what many would describe as the pinnacle for college football players.  These talents and achievements took him to the NFL and beyond to a successful business career. I feel honored by his friendship and grateful that our Hartselle roots have granted me the privilege of this interview.

Charlsa: I know you played football for the larger portion of your young life, but at what age did you become a “starter” and where did you first play?

Jim: My first attempt at organized football was the summer before the 7^th grade. I came to practice in my steel spiked baseball shoes. I made it without notice until about 3 plays into a scrimmage and some of the offensive players began telling the coach that I was stepping on them with my steel cleats. The coach advised me to go home and tell my parents that I needed some football shoes. In those days, football cleats had steel tips as well, so I didn’t see the big difference.

I started on that team as a middle guard or nose guard and also as a 3 technique tackle on defense.  The 3 technique lined up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. That was the fall of 1966. Most of the time, if you were a starter on one side of the ball, be it offense or defense, you were expected to start on the opposite side of the ball, i.e., specialization was not the norm.

Charlsa: Did you start out in High School as an Offensive lineman?

Jim: I started both ways in high school, both offensive and defensive tackle.

Charlsa:  I’m told that the size of linemen in the SEC has changed since your college playing days. What major differences do you see from those days and the SEC offensive linemen in 2011?

Jim: The weight difference is substantial . . . during college I played at approximately 255-265 lbs. That’s about 35-40 lbs. lighter than today’s norm. The most
significant difference is speed. In my era, we used solo tackle sweeps and guard & tackle sweeps. We could get to the POA (Point of Attack) and turn up-field to lead the sweep play. Sweeps are very rare in today’s game, because the linemen are generally too big to get to the outside perimeter in the allotted time. Additionally, we mixed in the use of crab blocks techniques that were popularized by Bryant’s “small player” teams of the 1960’s. The crab block is what it sounds like . . . the offensive lineman quickly moves into his opposing players legs while on his hands and feet. We used regular crab blocks and reverse crab blocks. The reverse crab is when you lead your head to one side or the other of the defensive down lineman and “invite” them to fight the pressure and just as they start moving in opposition to the pressure, you spin your legs around them in the opposite direction.

On a straight zone blocking play, today’s linemen use a form of tripod blocking with their head and hands.  Because the use of hands was much more restrictive in my era, I used what many call the swimmer’s technique. Think of a swimmer poised to spring from the starting blocks for a 50 or 100 meter race. Note that when they take off from the platform their straight arms are drawn behind them, much like cocking a spring, to create more momentum when they leave the platform. This was my technique from a crouched position. I would lead with my forehead and “cock the spring” to create maximum impact to my aim point, the opposing player’s sternum.  Upon contact with the sternum, I would bring my cocked fists directly into the solar plexus, slightly behind the initial contact. Defensive players find it hard to react to the ball when they can’t catch their breath.

Charlsa: I certainly see your point! Can you tell us about a “stand-out” moment while playing as a Miss State Bulldog?

Jim: A moment that changed my life came in the spring of 1974, the spring of my sophomore year in college. I had been moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle and was trying to make my way to be the starter at right tackle. We had a defensive end by the name of Jimmy Webb who was All-SEC and All American at MSU. He would later be the #1 pick of the SF 49’ers in the spring of 1975.

Jimmy Webb was about 6’5” and 250 lbs., and it was nearly impossible to hook block Webb on a wide play to his side of the field. First, he was very long armed and as a result maintained good leverage up and down the line; second, he lined up a little wider than most defensive ends because he could close the inside gap in a big hurry when he needed to; and, lastly he was just a very tenacious player. If you blocked Webb, you had to earn it.

During a 100 play marathon Spring scrimmage, we ran a 48 toss (outside play to my side of the line), and I was able to get leverage on Webb by hooking his outside shoulder with my head and inside shoulder. I continued the block and took him to the ground and as I looked up from the ground I saw the trailing linebacker and was able to put him on the ground as well.

I did not know it until later, but Red Hickey, the former Head Coach of the 49’ers and the then current chief scout for the Dallas Cowboys was watching our spring scrimmage from the stands. As a result of that play I became a marked prospect for the Dallas Cowboys.

Charlsa: That’s an amazing story, Jim; right time-right place!  But, you know what they say, “there are no coincidences”.

As a 2^nd round draft pick in 1976 for The Dallas Cowboys, you were certainly marked as an outstanding player. Would you tell us a bit about your experiences in the “pros”?

Jim:  I never aspired to play pro ball. My focus was on college ball, as a means of paying my way to college.  Following my senior season in college, I began
receiving invitations to several post season games, to include the Blue Gray, East-West Shrine, Senior Bowl, Coaches’ All America, and the College All Star
Game. Based on my experiences with these games, I was confident that I could compete at the next level (pro ball). In April of 1976 the Cowboys selected me
in the 2^nd round of the NFL draft. Following college, I moved to Dallas to begin working out and learning the Cowboy system. So, in retrospect I would say that there wasn’t much time to consider if I was “living the dream” or not. Pro ball is a very different experience than you might think. It is all about the highest levels of competition and the business end of sport. Not much rah-rah.

My pro career was cut short by a spinal cord injury that I received in my 3^rd year at Dallas. I had “stingers” as a high school and college player, but as I
matured the born spurs that had developed on the upper portion of my spine had grown inward toward my spinal cord. Of course I was unaware of any of these developments until my final play in football, which was a one on one pass protection drill with Ed “Too Tall” Jones in the summer of 1978 during Cowboy’s training camp in Thousand Oaks, CA.  Ed’s favorite move was the right shoulder grab using his left hand followed by the right hand over the top or swim move. He had a tendency to fully expose his sternum during this move and we played against each other in practice each day, and as a result I had a depth of experience with all of his techniques. On this particular play, we were taking part in our daily ritual of one on one and two on two pass protection. These drills were always filmed from above so that we could review our techniques (feet, hand placements, knee bend, and explosiveness) in that evening’s group film sessions.

As usual Ed exposed his sternum in the swim move and I countered his move with a right fist parry into the bicep/tricep (nerve area) of his outstretched left arm and “cocked my spring coil” and exploded into his chest with my headgear.  Upon contact Ed’s feet left the ground and both of us fell backwards on the ground. Ed got up following the play, but I did not. I had no feeling from my neck to my toes. As the feeling returned over the next few days, I was flown to Dallas for further testing and evaluation.

Charlsa: Oh my, how frightening that must have been! I had no idea you had been through an ordeal like that. I can see that as quite a perspective changer.

Charlsa: On a completely different note, would you tell us bit about some of the other “personalities” that were there with you?

Jim: Coach Landry had essentially rebuilt more than half of the team in two drafts, 1975 (12 players) and 1976 (11 players). In those days there were 43
players for each team, and no practice squad or taxi squad.  So, you either made it or you didn’t. No gray areas.

Those teams were in Super Bowl X (lost to Pittsburg), Super Bowl XII (won against Denver), and Super Bowl XIII (lost to Pittsburg).

Some of my teammates included: Mel Renfro (NFL HOF) Lee Roy Jordan, Randy White (NFL HOF), Roger Staubach (NFL HOF), Harvey Martin, Ed Jones, Rayfield “Big Cat” Wright (NFL HOF), Tony Dorsett (NFL HOF), and D.D. Lewis (MSU HOF and College Football HOF).

Charlsa:  What direction did your career take following your injury? Can you identify the value of the lessons you learned as a player in regards to your development as a businessman, husband and a dad?

Jim: When the neurologists determined that I shouldn’t play the game anymore and I retired from football in Dallas, I went into commercial real estate as a
broker. I would call on property owners and they would always want to “talk about football” or to see my Super Bowl XII Championship ring. After about a
month of that, I figured out that I was not getting any business done. So, I parked the ring in my safety deposit box, and it helped redirect the conversation back to business.  I occasionally will bring the ring out for a special occasion, like a high school reunion, etc.

Today, my football background is usually a surprise to most people that I interact with in business. I never wanted to be “one of those players” that sat around and relived the past, much like the character in “Everybody’s All American.” For many guys, football was the “end game.” I always viewed football as a means to
an end . . . a way of providing my own path for further education and advancement.

In a nutshell, athletics enhanced my natural tendency to take calculated risks and to apply commitment and resolve to stated objectives. It taught me to “look
beyond hills” (impediments to progress), and that outcomes can rarely be found in the local barbershop.

As for my home, my wife and grown children would be the better judges of football’s impact. I will say that I always have encouraged my wife and kids to pursue their own passions. I always told our son, Grant, that I would rather see him take up golf rather than football, but some things are just genetically
predetermined. He became a 1^st Team All State (Texas) and Dallas Morning News 1^st Team ALL Metro guard while playing at Highland Park High School in Dallas. He received a full athletic scholarship to SMU and started as a guard for 2 years. He just completed law school at the University of Oklahoma and sat for the Texas Bar Exam in July 2011.

Charlsa: I can only imagine how proud you must be of your children and their accomplishments.  I’d like to say that your life and your accomplishments have inspired me.

Playing on the offensive line is a body-punishing deal as evidenced by the spinal injury you incurred. Were there other injuries?

Jim: Beside the spinal injury, four knee surgeries that began when I was 16 in Hartselle. Multiple dislocated fingers. Hyper extended elbows and 2 or 3 concussions.

Charlsa:  Got it…whew.

As a Dallas resident, I would love to hear your thoughts on “conference re-alignment” and specifically, what you think about the Texas A&M departure from the Big 12 and the direction that conference will take afterward.

Jim:  It’s all about the $. The potential loss of regional rivalries is a tragedy. Can you imagine a day when Auburn and Alabama may not play in the last game of the season? I couldn’t imagine that their game would not be played at Legion Field in Birmingham, but things change. Last evening, OU’s Bob Stoops was talking about OU potential departure from the Red River Shootout (Texas vs OU) at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. I guess it is human nature to continue to tinker in an effort to stay competitive as a team, but some things are just better left in their unfettered state of condition. I long for the days of Johnny Unitas and
his high top black football cleats. I saw Maryland’s new uniforms the other day and they looked like a joke. Collegiate and pro-football are redirecting their games to a different audience. Apparently gangster rap is the common denominator. It’s beginning to look like a caricature or parody of what once was real tradition.

I can see the day coming when college football players will be paid (legally) for play. Billions of dollars are being generated and it would seem a natural extension for competition to dictate that the best players will go the highest dollars (especially if regionalism dies).

Charlsa:  Traditional rivalries are so much a part of football here in the South. I sure hope we don’t see those become watered-down and anemic shadows of what they once were.

Thank you so much, Jim. Your knowledge and insight is wonderful and I appreciate the clarity with which you explained the “football” terminology! We “girls” are trying to learn as much as we can.

 

Roger M. Chapman is a graduate of Morgan County High School in North Alabama. He played football at the University of Alabama where he was a “kick-off and field goal specialist”. He received his degree in Geology from the University and has worked in that field since graduation. He and his wife, Amy have made their home and raised their children, Tyler and Caroline in Brewton, Alabama.  Tyler recently completed graduate work at Alabama and Caroline is a sophomore there this year.

Roger is a respected member of his community, a leader in civic and church organizations and University of Alabama alumni and Athletic Department activities. In the midst of his numerous successes and accomplishments, he remains devoted to his faith, family, friends and…Alabama football.
He is a dear and life-long friend of mine and I appreciate all he and his family have meant to me and mine through the years.

Charlsa: I don’t believe that I have ever witnessed so much activity in the NCAA arena, particularly since the end of last season. Specifically, I’m speaking of the violations, coaching and staff turnover, sanctions, the talk of investigations, and threats and rumors being reported by the media for various programs. I am interested in your take on that and how you might compare it to
your awareness of such things when you were a college athlete.

Roger:  Today, we have instant communication that didn’t exist back them. When I was in college in the mid to late 70’s, nobody had cell phone. You had the daily newspapers and TV news. But today, everybody’s carrying a communication device. Any casual comment can immediately hit the airwaves; whether it be a tweet, an email, or on FaceBook. Then of course, we have sports-talk shows and entire networks dedicated to sports information. A high percentage of the sensational talk is just pure cannon fodder and has often not been verified.

When I played, the NCAA’s business didn’t seem to receive as much attention. I believe the increased attention given to the “big time” programs today is the
reason for the change. Competition is so key today. More colleges are competing to recruit top athletes. A  top “5” ranked recruit might be considering  LSU,
Alabama, Georgia, Florida, USC, Michigan, South Carolina, for example. Today’s communication is almost instantaneous. The NCAA has to do a great deal more to “stay on top of every institution.

Charlsa: What years did you play in the program there at Alabama?

Roger:  I was a freshman in 1974 and graduated in August of ’79. The easiest way to date my time there is that I was on the team that played Ohio State and Woody Hayes in the Super Dome in New Orleans and we won 35 to 6, and the following year, the famous “Goal Line Stand”, when we beat Penn State in the Sugar Bowl for the National Championship.

Charlsa: That is a great way to “date” your time there. Those are certainly memorable games in Alabama Football history!

Charlsa: The NCAA does at least “give the appearance” of having a lot more control over college athletic programs. Are there more rules and regulations today?

Roger:  I think the NCAA’s hand in things is kind of like a big pendulum. Perhaps at times they swing too far to one side and then back too far to the other side. But along with your big time programs – I’m talking about national contenders every year- you also have so many other college teams playing the game as well.  There’s so much money involved in the ball games and the TV contracts.  The smaller colleges can’t compete financially with your big time programs, so the NCAA rules are aimed at “leveling the playing field” and making the competition equal.

Charlsa: I see.

Roger: One swing of the pendulum came with the elimination of what we called, “athletic dorms” because they were thought to be an unfair advantage to the schools that didn’t have athletic dorms. In an effort to even the playing field, the rule, I think, stipulates at least 51% non-athletes must reside in the dorm. It’s interesting to see how universities have implemented this rule. Where a college used to have an athletic dining hall, they now provide a common dining hall where all students can eat. The food costs may be expensive for students, but all students and even faculty and such can eat at the dorms with the athletes if they want to.

Roger: Compliance with so many rules can be tough, but I know that all schools do the best they can to keep their athletes and programs on target. I do think at times though, we may go too far in trying to create a level playing field. It may not ever exist.

Charlsa: Were you schooled on rules by coaches or the compliance officers there at the University?

Roger:  In the fall of every year we had meetings aimed at informing players of expectations.   Back in the seventies, it wasn’t such a big, big business – it was just “football”. It was fun. Much of it involved the use common of sense.

Charlsa: Novel idea.

Roger: For example, as a player you’re a non professional. If a guy says, “Here’s $500 for making that kick”.  You say to yourself, “that’s not right, I
can’t do that”.

Charlsa:  Yeah. You kind of know that, don’t you?

Roger:  You should run. Right?

Charlsa:  Right.

Charlsa:  Poorly thought out comments coupled with instantaneous communication can do more than cause trouble. Ill-timed and thoughtless remarks can also bring a student athlete’s NFL stock down. There is not a lot of room for error when you open your mouth these days as a player, so they must take great care with what is said.

Roger: Right.  And then there’s the broad definition of “booster”.  Are they fans? The NC2A says  boosters don’t have to be alumni but can be almost anyone these days.

Roger:  Many of the problems arise with traditionally winning football programs; whether it be an LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan or Oklahoma, when fans kind of forget what the “rules” are and just want so badly to be part of and to be associated with that program. I think a lot of the violations come from people that just are so caught up in the moment, and so caught up in winning, that they just want to do something for a player.

Charlsa:  I got you.

Roger:  I can only speak for Alabama…, I know the University goes as far as they can to protect their players from that kind of situation and to educate the players. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about: Let’s say I have a hunting cabin and I’d like to take friends hunting with me. Some of them are players and some are not. How do you police these kinds of situations?  As a fan or booster, you have to use common sense. In this case, it could be wrong to take a friend hunting and buy him things because it could be seen as an “athlete receiving improper benefits from a booster”.  Many have done these kinds of things with no intent to do harm or break a rule.

Charlsa:  I see your point. Today we hear of numerous players that aren’t making it academically, failing classes, etc. In the mid and late seventies, what kinds of resources were available to help you with your studies?

Roger:  It was certainly available. We had study hall and mandatory study hall. You are a student athlete first and foremost and if you can’t pass, you can’t play. Resources were there for the asking- but it was your responsibility.  I can remember going to study hall as a freshman and getting help. Academic help is readily available at Alabama. The dorm that was once Bryant Hall is now an academic center devoted to assisting students and helping them succeed. It is completely staffed with people that make sure athletes are prepared and are getting their time in. Their check-in to study hall is monitored, I think. Equipment
is computer based and information is up to date. The athletes do feel pressure, but they need to realize that without the grades you could go from a D1 player to a D2 player real fast.

Charlsa: Since you played as a kicker, would you talk a little bit about changes that you see in special teams play?

Roger: Well I think the biggest change overall between now and the seventies or even eighties, is the speed of the game. The speed of the football game today is phenomenal. When I played, if you weighed 215 or 220, you were pretty big. Now you got people at 250 or260 that can run like a deer. This is really a huge change and special teams are a part of it. Bigger and faster players are needed to respond to the skilled people that catch and return the ball so phenomenally fast.

Roger: You’ve still got to do what we did; stay in your lanes and make the play come to you. If you go chasing somebody that’s got 4.1 or 4.2 speed, you’ll end up running a big circle! They could be a world class sprinter, like Willie Gault.  I kicked off to him once in a Tennessee game. I thought I had a pretty good angle on him so I took off, but by the time I got to him, I was way behind him and he went down sideline to the end zone, untouched.

Today there are Willie Gault-types in every game. As a kicker, you have to know who to kick to and where to kick. Special teams practice schemes designed to take away the kicking team’s options for running a reverse or a big return. Special teams play a big part because they can change the momentum of the game. A hundred thousand fans are screaming because somebody breaks an 80 yard kick-off return. As a player, it can be difficult to regain composure after that.

Charlsa: It’s interesting to me that I don’t often hear much about outstanding kickers, or punters. In a recent magazine article, I noted that the “top” punters seem to average 45-46 yards a punt.

Roger: Well, in recent times we’ve seen the point of the kick off change somewhat. We kicked from the 40 yd line, and I used to get a few in the end zone, 4 or 5 yards deep and there would be no return. Today they kick from the 30 I think. Kickers had gotten good enough to put it out of the end zone, but with kick-offs from the 30 now, the kicks only occasionally go into the end zone.

With punting, what you want is “hang time”- as much hang time in the air as possible – this allows your coverage set up downfield.  If you kick a 55 yard punt with very little hang time, you’ve out kicked your coverage and “here they come”, with a great return. So you want a hang time and a punt that goes 40-something yards. Then you have time to set your coverage and stop the return.

Charlsa: I’d love to hear some stories about your personal experience, if you don’t mind.

Roger:  One particular year, Auburn had 3 All-American running backs on kick-off return.  Cribbs, Brooks and Andrews.  On any given kick-off, they had those three guys deep: one back deep and one on either side.  There was a “standing rule” that if there was a TV time out while a kicker was on the field, he was supposed to come off and talk to Coach Bryant, to put you at ease- like that would be possible! Maybe you might tell a joke to relax while the commercial ran on the TV. Once when we were playing at Legion Field, I saw the 3 All-Americans – Joe Cribbs, Brooks and Andrews deep. I remember asking Coach Bryant, “who should I kick it to?” -thinking that he might offer some advice. He said, “Can you kick it over their heads?” “Yes sir,” he said, “that’s what I want you to do. Don’t kick it to any of them.”  So, I put my mouthpiece in went back in.  I’d like to say I kicked it over their heads, but I really don’t remember. Those were my instructions.

Charlsa: ‘Makes perfect sense.

Roger: Perhaps, “Coach Bryant” had a few other words in there that flavored the language up a little, but I got the point!

Charlsa: I like that story.

Roger: On another occasion, we were playing Georgia at Bryant Denny, and beat them by 9 points. I kicked 3 field goals. Following a field goal, I had a really nice kick off; a little wind at our backs, kicking to the north end zone and the ball just jumped off the tip of my foot -it was just beautiful, floating end over end, deep into the end zone.  I was half-way jogging down the field, because I knew there wouldn’t be a return. All of a sudden, I don’t know
from where… this Georgia player just put his helmet right in my ear hole. The hit knocked me completely to the ground and I got up kind of unsteady and
continued heading toward the sideline. Then, he popped me and knocked me down again.  I said, “hey man you’re not going
to return the ball, lighten up”. But by the time I said that, he got me for the third time. When I finally got to the sideline (where I knew he couldn’t hit me
again), I said, “ I’ve got some kind of record here- knocked down on three times on one kick off”.  To the observer, it must have looked awful; it felt awful
and it looked even worse on the film Sunday afternoon! I learned my lesson though. My son played in high school and my advice to him was, “until the
whistle blows, you’d better pay attention son, you might get hit from the blind side”.

.

Charlsa: Sound advice.

Roger:  It’s good to reminisce a little bit.

Charlsa:  Yeah it is. I’m sure that you enjoy doing that with your friends that were former players.

Roger:   Well, we had an alumni meeting last week and Coach Mal Moore, the AD at Alabama was the guest speaker. I was privileged to introduce him. He has done a great job of keeping the whole family together. We’ve been through some tough times at Alabama, but he has done an outstanding job of keeping everybody together – former players, alumni, administration and the entire program. I’ve heard him speak several times and he always does a great job.  One just can’t just say enough about what a class guy he is and the amazing process that he has set in motion at the University.

We hear Coach Saban talk a lot about “The Process” and working until you are executing without mistake. Of course, these are 18 year olds playing the game
and they are going to make mistakes. Coach Bryant always said that if you make a mistake, make it full speed.  I have no doubt that Coach Saban is absolutely the best coach we can have at the University.

Charlsa:  I think most folks would agree with you! On your previous topic of Coach Moore, it must have been a great honor to introduce him. He’s just a good man and that shows in his demeanor and the way he presents himself and the program. I realize that college football is probably not a normal thing for a woman of my age to be enamored with, but it has had a great effect on me. I think a lot of it comes from growing up with boys like you, watching you all play in high school and then going off to school
together.  I had such pride and admiration for all you guys as you played and then as you went on to play at the college level.  That’s just something that I wouldn’t take anything for.

I am interested in the impact you feel your playing time has had on you as an adult and, as a parent of children who followed in your footsteps to the University of Alabama.  Can you comment on this influence on you as a husband, a man and a father??

Roger:  Well, regardless of whether you played college football or not, the thing of pride is that you are attending THE University of Alabama – the flagship university in the state. Of course, I have good friends who went to Auburn too and they feel the same way about Auburn. It was a great opportunity to be involved with the athletic program back in Coach Bryant’s days there.  It is rare that a day passes by without somebody saying, “Hey, this is Roger Chapman, he played at Alabama under Coach Bryant.”

Charlsa: Wow!

Roger:  As a high school player, I was like so many with the dream of going on to play college ball. I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time and have an opportunity. I don’t think you can put a price tag on that. I learned a lot of valuable lessons.

When our children were young, we tried to teach them that in “life” as with football, you’ve got to tow the line, be prepared, have a plan and execute it.  And you have to learn how to deal with competition.  I do think that my time at Alabama probably helped open doors for me in many ways. As you said Charlsa, there are alumni and fans all over the world that recognize the University of Alabama and what it means – its tradition, its winning and its legacy.

I can’t say enough about the excellent work of our president, Dr. Witt. We have 35,000 students, 127 national merit scholars on campus this year. A very
prominent high school near Dallas recently sent 30 students from their senior class to the University of Alabama. We have the ability to draw outstanding academic students as well as outstanding athletics. Of course, Dr. Witt uses this in recruiting, and attracting these top students. I really couldn’t be prouder of
the University right now.

Charlsa: Of course, I DO realize that academics and the value of a degree is much more important than football. But we sure do love it!

Roger:  And you know one thing Dr. Witt has made clear, is that we are a state university at the University of Alabama. We’re here for our in-state children and the children of our alumni. While we do go out and recruit top students nationally, we also have a place for the students that don’t have the top grades. They will come and work hard to prove themselves and the university always has a spot for them.

Charlsa:  That’s a nice thing to know. We have a friend whose child wanted more than anything to go to Alabama but didn’t do very well in his senior year. The parents told him he would have to attend junior college and prove himself before they would allow him to attend Alabama. This young man wanted it so badly. He did attend a two year school, got his grades up, worked hard and he is at the University now.  He is so proud to be there because he worked for it and achieved his dream. He will not graduate with a cum laude degree of any sort – he is just happy to be there.

Roger:  Oh that’s great!

You Know that we are lucky to have that beautiful campus today, after the close call with the April 27 tornado. Tuscaloosa will not recover anytime soon, but
thank goodness the university campus was spared.

Charlsa: Amazingly so.

Roger:  I’m just proud to be an alumnus, like I know you are too.

Charlsa:  I am and I’m proud of you. I always am. Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me and to share this on Southern Girls College Football Guide.

Roger:   Well I hope it was helpful-you call any time. And if you have questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.  Roll Tide,
tell  Sela hello for me.

Charlsa:  I sure will…