You know, I heard that same kind of talk back when we had Coach Mike Price. The difference was, Price actually won games and took us to bowls. Building men is a fine sentiment, but you build men by teaching them how to overcome adversity on the field, not just in the locker room. I remember the 2004 and 2005 teams under Price. Those guys fought for each other and it showed in the win column with back-to-back bowl appearances. That’s building a legacy. Forty years is a long time to talk about character if you’re not also piling up wins against your rivals when it counts. We had a linebacker in the late 80s, Robert Lyles, who was the definition of a man built by this game. He earned it through blood and sweat on the Sun Bowl turf, not just through speeches. Lasting impact is measured in championships and the respect of your peers, not just in tenure. Your guy had his run, but let’s not pretend longevity alone equals quality. We’ve seen plenty of coaches come and go in the WAC and old C-USA who stayed forever but never figured out how to win the big one. That doesn’t build men, that just breeds complacency.
