Perhaps it would have been fitting had Chase Clement entered The 'R' Room on Wednesday afternoon to music similar to that which greeted young Leonidas' return to Sparta in 300, but alas Clement strolled in looking as understated as when he first arrived at Rice back in 2004.
He wore charcoal slacks and a crisp, white business shirt. Clement didn't quite look the part of a college football coach, but that's exactly what he was, recently appointed by David Bailiff to the newly-created position of quality control coach. It seems that Clement spent so much time hanging around the football offices last season that Bailiff extended a staff position. Iowa State (and former Owls) offensive coordinator Tom Herman attempted to lure Clement to Ames this past December to fill the role as offensive graduate assistant, but for Clement, South Main proved to be the perfect fit. The more things change, the more they stay the same apparently.
Q: You held on to the hope that you would play professionally. Does this decision to initiate your coaching career signal an end to your dreams of playing quarterback in the NFL?
A: I think I'm done playing. The reason why I say that is when you're out (of football) for so long, your chances just diminish . When you're not in a system, whether it's Canada or Arena II, as long as you're playing and practicing that makes such a difference versus sitting out and just training. From that perspective it's tough, but I think my mindset has changed a little bit. With everything that happened with the NFL and Canada, I just decided that wasn't the path for me.
Q: When did you have the epiphany that being a college coach was a viable career option?
A: It wasn't immediate. Coach Bailiff had talked to me throughout the season (about coaching) and I never wanted to do it. I always had (reservations) about coaching - the time (commitment) and moving every two or three years were things in the profession that were reasons for keeping away from it. I talked to my wife (Lauren) about it and said this is what I'm passionate about. Football is a part of my life, so now is the time to try it out, coach, and take a leap of faith. If it works out obviously it was meant to be, and if not I'll get out and do something else.
Q: You and your wife were married less than a year ago. How does she feel about your entering the coaching profession, an occupation known for long hours away from home?
A: She's all for it. She says, 'Hey, this is what you're passionate about. You need to do it. As much as I'd love for you to be home, this is what you need to do if that's what gets you fired up every day when you get up.'
Q: Rice provided you an opportunity to continue your playing career beyond Alamo Heights High that few other programs offered. Did your relationship with Rice impact your decision?
A: The way it worked out, just being here in Houston with Lauren teaching and obviously she couldn't go anywhere, I could have gone to Iowa State with Herman. But Rice, working with Coach Bailiff and (David) Beaty coming back (to serve as Rice offensive coordinator), it was a perfect situation. Who better to work with than Coach Bailiff? That made the decision easy.
Being here in Houston where we're starting to put down roots, it's a good fit. The stars aligned.
Q: Your playing career recently ended, so the responsibilities of being a college quarterback remain vivid in your mind. How does your past experience translate into college coaching?
A: Knowing everything as a quarterback is important. You've got to have that knowledge; that's what makes quarterbacks successful is what's between the ears. Studying and knowing the game is what I strove to do as a player, and that's going to help as a coach because knowledge is power. If you've got a lot of knowledge you're going to help those kids with the game, and that's going to be huge. Of course it all depends on how you do that, too, because some guys have all the knowledge but don't know how to teach it. Certainly it's going to be learning things like that from Coach Beaty and Bailiff that's going to help make me successful down the road.
I'm certainly up for the challenge, and obviously very excited for what we have here to work with and the opportunity I have to get in with the right people and start my coaching career.
I also bent the ear of Owls run game coordinator/tight ends coach/offensive tackles coach John Reagan. I'll have that conversation posted in this space sometime on Thursday.
He wore charcoal slacks and a crisp, white business shirt. Clement didn't quite look the part of a college football coach, but that's exactly what he was, recently appointed by David Bailiff to the newly-created position of quality control coach. It seems that Clement spent so much time hanging around the football offices last season that Bailiff extended a staff position. Iowa State (and former Owls) offensive coordinator Tom Herman attempted to lure Clement to Ames this past December to fill the role as offensive graduate assistant, but for Clement, South Main proved to be the perfect fit. The more things change, the more they stay the same apparently.
Q: You held on to the hope that you would play professionally. Does this decision to initiate your coaching career signal an end to your dreams of playing quarterback in the NFL?
A: I think I'm done playing. The reason why I say that is when you're out (of football) for so long, your chances just diminish . When you're not in a system, whether it's Canada or Arena II, as long as you're playing and practicing that makes such a difference versus sitting out and just training. From that perspective it's tough, but I think my mindset has changed a little bit. With everything that happened with the NFL and Canada, I just decided that wasn't the path for me.
Q: When did you have the epiphany that being a college coach was a viable career option?
A: It wasn't immediate. Coach Bailiff had talked to me throughout the season (about coaching) and I never wanted to do it. I always had (reservations) about coaching - the time (commitment) and moving every two or three years were things in the profession that were reasons for keeping away from it. I talked to my wife (Lauren) about it and said this is what I'm passionate about. Football is a part of my life, so now is the time to try it out, coach, and take a leap of faith. If it works out obviously it was meant to be, and if not I'll get out and do something else.
Q: You and your wife were married less than a year ago. How does she feel about your entering the coaching profession, an occupation known for long hours away from home?
A: She's all for it. She says, 'Hey, this is what you're passionate about. You need to do it. As much as I'd love for you to be home, this is what you need to do if that's what gets you fired up every day when you get up.'
Q: Rice provided you an opportunity to continue your playing career beyond Alamo Heights High that few other programs offered. Did your relationship with Rice impact your decision?
A: The way it worked out, just being here in Houston with Lauren teaching and obviously she couldn't go anywhere, I could have gone to Iowa State with Herman. But Rice, working with Coach Bailiff and (David) Beaty coming back (to serve as Rice offensive coordinator), it was a perfect situation. Who better to work with than Coach Bailiff? That made the decision easy.
Being here in Houston where we're starting to put down roots, it's a good fit. The stars aligned.
Q: Your playing career recently ended, so the responsibilities of being a college quarterback remain vivid in your mind. How does your past experience translate into college coaching?
A: Knowing everything as a quarterback is important. You've got to have that knowledge; that's what makes quarterbacks successful is what's between the ears. Studying and knowing the game is what I strove to do as a player, and that's going to help as a coach because knowledge is power. If you've got a lot of knowledge you're going to help those kids with the game, and that's going to be huge. Of course it all depends on how you do that, too, because some guys have all the knowledge but don't know how to teach it. Certainly it's going to be learning things like that from Coach Beaty and Bailiff that's going to help make me successful down the road.
I'm certainly up for the challenge, and obviously very excited for what we have here to work with and the opportunity I have to get in with the right people and start my coaching career.
I also bent the ear of Owls run game coordinator/tight ends coach/offensive tackles coach John Reagan. I'll have that conversation posted in this space sometime on Thursday.
Thanks, MK. Great to have Chase back. This has been a great offseason so far.. let's hope that continues through the spring and summer.
MK -- Great news, glad to hear Chase is back in the fold. Exactly what are the duties of a quality control coach??
owl-1983: Clement will basically serve as the Grasshopper to David Beaty's Sensei. He will assist Beaty in all things organization (cutting and compiling scouting film, etc) for the purpose of learning how to be an offensive coach. Clement should enable Beaty to focus on the more significant responsibilities associated with being the OC. - MK
So hopefully in 3-4 years when Beaty is hired away to a major BCS program as the head coach, Chase is prepared to step in as OC! Optimistic thinking, I know:-) Maybe I need to change my name to "OptimisticMrbig"
OptimisticMrbig: If Clement is prepared to be a quarterbacks coach in 3-4 years, I would consider his stint as quality control coach a rousing success. - MK