With Smith Out And Tormey In, It’s Matter Of Styles

The first thing you notice is the notepad.

It seems attached to Chris Tormey’s hands like an extended fingernail. About the only time he sets it down is when he turns his University of Idaho hat around and assumes a three-point stance to illustrate a drill to a Vandals football player.

The new UI head coach is continuously jotting down notes, or perhaps areas of emphasis for Idaho’s next spring football practice. Details to work on and work out.

“He has a pencil and paper with him all the time,” said senior offensive lineman Jim Mills. “It’s pretty impressive that he doesn’t want to miss anything.”

The differences between Tormey and former UI head coach John L. Smith go well beyond a simple notebook. Smith also coached tight ends, so he often monitored offensive drills; Tormey roams freely between offense and defense. Tormey’s practices seem to be more low-key, more positive and more enjoyable for the players than Smith’s.

Do not misconstrue that to mean it’s a more productive or better method. Certainly no valid comparison of the coaches can be offered at this time. As Tormey pointed out earlier this week, there’s still 139 days before his first regular-season game against Oregon State, and Smith was extremely popular with his players.

We simply point out that Tormey and Smith have different styles and both are intriguing. Said senior receiver Dwight McKinzie: “It’s the perfect example of two coaches getting it done with two different ways.”

“I think he (Tormey) wants to make it more fun, let us enjoy it more,” Mills said. “If you’re not going to enjoy it, why be out here?”

Before a recent practice, players clowned around with assistants, who clowned back. Words of encouragement far outweighed words consisting of four letters.

Ask Tormey about his coaching style and he jokes, “What style?” More seriously, he points out that he hopes to be a conglomeration of Dennis Erickson, Don James and Jim Lambright, the trio of coaches Tormey served under as an assistant.

“We’re all affected by the coaches we’ve worked for,” he said. “But I don’t want to try to be anybody but myself. We want to be demanding on the field, but positive.”

Lack of hustle appears to be Tormey’s pet peeve. At a practice last week, the second-team defense moseyed off the field with all the speed of a nightcrawler. Tormey summoned the defense back on the field for a set of ups-and-downs, which involves running in place, dropping to the ground and quickly returning to an upright position for more running. When one is already tired, this drill can foster uncertainty in one’s stomach.

Still, notes McKinzie, the underlying theme of Tormey practices seems to be positive reinforcement.

“I’m at the stage where I respond more to positive reinforcement. They don’t yell and hound at you as much as some of the other coaches, but they get fired up when they need to,” McKinzie said. “I needed to get yelled at when I was younger, but now I’m a senior.”

He, too, quickly points out that he liked playing for Smith and the previous coaching staff. “I really miss just talking to Coach Smith, just hanging with him,” he said.

But McKinzie said he senses more unity on the current staff. “If a receiver drops a ball, (offensive line) coach (George) Yarno doesn’t get on the receiver. If the protection breaks down, other (coaches) don’t get on Yarno.”

Mills believes Tormey is a problem solver.

“We had a seniors’ meeting during winter conditioning and we asked for something,” Mills said. “The next week it was organized and done. He listens to the players.”

Tormey said he isn’t trying to stamp the program with his imprint. He’s quick to praise the Vandals’ dominating run over the last 13 years.

“My goal is to keep this thing going,” Tormey said. “There’s been a lot of great things done here and it’s our responsibility - mine, the coaches and the players - to maintain the level of excellence.”

He seems to be off to a good start.

Sometimes change is good, and Idaho needed a change. Smith admitted as much when he bolted for Utah State after last season.

This fall, UI followers should begin finding out if that change was for the better for all parties involved.