Carl Pelini had his first sit down with the media since taking over at Florida Atlantic two weeks ago.
Here are some of the highlights:
* Pelini has hired three coaches, DC Marvin Sanders, secondary coach Ross Watson and Jeff Sims, who will coach an offensive position yet to be determined. He said he the rest of the staff will fall into place once an offensive coordinator is hired. He has spoken to four candidates and hopes to hire one soon.
* On Sanders, Pelini said: ?What it allows me to do is to be a head coach. I?ll still have some involvement with the defense, to not feel like I have to micro manage things over there. I got a guy over there I trust, knows the system. It will allow me to be a head coach, which was my vision, to have involvement on the defense, on the offense, special teams, recruiting. I didn?t want to be a coordinator I wanted to be a head coach. Hiring Marvin was just huge for that.?
* The Owls will return to a 4-3 base defense after switching from a 4-3 to the 3-4 for 2010. Pelini said he did use a three-man front at Nebraska but more as a pressure package on third down.
* Pelini said a coach or two could come from Howard Schnellenberger?s staff. The best bet is Jared Allen, who has been recruiting in Palm Beach County and has been going on the road with Pelini.
* On the reception from the local high schools, Pelini said: ?Very good. We got out and hustled in a lot of schools. The high school coaches are telling me the same thing I believe that there?s great potential here. Our visit weekends in January are filling up fast. We got kids who want to come see what we?re all about. We?ve had some unofficial visits, mid-year kids, junior college kids, really working hard in that respect.?
* Pelini is excited about the recruiting class, one that including three oral commitment from Palm Beach County players: American Heritage RB Jeremy Gaskins, Forest Hill athlete Mikey Bullard and Atlantic receiver Chad Ward.
* Pelini said he?s brought in a lot of kids on unofficial visits. ?That?s going to be a huge part of this process is to sell them on the opportunity to sell them. But that?s what having such a great local recruiting base gives you an opportunity to do.?
* On bringing in Junior College players, Pelini said: ?That is part of the evaluation process. You look at your team and evaluate where you are. We are not going to be a junior college based football team. What you do is look at potential junior college recruits and say, ?Could this guy come in and help us immediately?? The last thing you ever want to do is bring in a bunch of junior college players who can?t play for you right away.?
* Don?t make the mistake of mentioning the Owls were 1-11 this season. ?I made it clear to my players that that is history. I don?t think of this as a 1-11 team. This is the next year?s team. We are going to approach it as winners and with that philosophy. The 1-11 is gone.?
* Pelini once again said he is coming in with a wrecking ball. ?I plan on improving every aspect. Everything is being evaluated. Strength program, conditioning program, academic side, football specific, everything is going to be different. Not commenting on the last staff, it is going to marry my philosophy. For me it is a matter of changing the entire culture. In order to do that, you just can?t start making quick decisions.?
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