Part 6: 5 Burning Questions

Today's segment of the 5 Burning Questions series covers Safeties Coach David Bibee..

1) Talk about the benefits of having Kevin Brown and Jeremy Kellem returning to your unit in 2009?
Having both starting safeties returning is super because they are both outstanding people as well as players. They will provide positive leadership and experience to our defense as well as our team. They are both very coachable and want to be the best they can be. They just need to work to be the best and continue to study the game every day. Both young men are a blast to coach!

2) Derrick Crumpton was a surprise last season by getting significant playing time as a true freshman, how has he grown in the spring and what do you expect from him next season?
Derrick is just a ball player. He loves to play and plays the way you are supposed to play this great game. Derrick is working hard to become a technician and is fine tuning the small things. His willingness to focus and work on the little things has shown his maturity. I expect him to contribute in a major way to the success of our defense and special teams next season.

3) Denzell Guerra redshirted last year but has some people excited about his potential, what have you seen from his development and maturation this spring and do you think he will make an impact this fall?
Denzell has matured a lot since the beginning of fall. We have seen what we were so excited about when he was in high school and we recruited him. If he continues to work and discipline himself he should be in the thick of things this fall.

4) What type of contributions if any will the incoming freshmen have at the safety position in 2009?
The great thing about Coach Stockstill’s philosophy is that the best players play. Safeties are big time situation players (Dime & Nickel packages) as well as special teams players. If a freshman safety learns quickly and can match the college tempo, I don’t see any reason why one could not get on the field in the fall.

5) What was your secret to success and how were you so productive on the recruiting trail this past signing day by signing 8 recruits?
There is no secret to recruiting. The old saying goes; “recruiting is like shaving, if you don’t do it every day you look like a bum.” Along with each individual’s hard work, team work is also vital. Everyone a prospect comes in contact with on his visit must make a positive impression. Last and certainly not least, our head coach’s work ethic in recruiting sets the bar and he truly runs a class program in all aspects which is essential.

Extra Point- You have an extensive background in coaching, with all the stops in your career what coach has had the biggest influence on your style or philosophy as a coach?
The person with the biggest influence on me was my head high school coach, John Cropp, who became a very successful college coach and is now a college assistant athletic director. Coach Cropp cared about us as individuals and would never compromise integrity for success. I learned that if you want to get 100% out of a player, he better believe you care about him as a man not just as a player. If the only way our guys grow is on the field as a player then we have missed the boat and have failed them.