WKU Football: An Open Letter to Mike Sanford
Coach Sanford,
When you were hired in December of 2016, I admittedly didn’t know a lot about you. It didn’t take long learn about your football mind. You saw a list of players coming out supporting your hire. Players like Deshone Kizer and big-time coaches like Brian Kelly and Chris Petersen spoke out about you getting the job. They talked about your character and your passion and while I definitely believed them, I got to learn first hand that this was in fact true.
A few months later, I, along with Leroy Kleimola, took over as the heads of WKU RedZone Radio. One of our first main goals was to try and improve what we discovered was a fractured relationship between us and the athletic department. Next, we wanted to interview you to help introduce you to the Bowling Green community before your first Spring Game.
At that point, we had been in charge not even two months, but you still granted our request for an interview. For that, I will be forever thankful.
When we met in your office, you immediately made us feel like you actually cared about the interview, something that student media doesn’t always get. In fact, I remember us asking you how much time we could have and you said as much as we need. You treated us with respect and when Leroy and I walked out of the interview, I remember us talking about how you had already won us over. It was the small things that we were immediately able to learn about your character.
Not everyone would have given us the chance to sit down with you. We were attempting to build RedZone into something bigger than it had ever been, you helped us begin that process. Without giving us the 15 minutes you did, it is hard to know whether we would have ever continued to grow at the rate that we did. I know I can speak for Leroy and all of the guys at RedZone in saying, thank you.
After a heartbreaking last-second loss to Louisiana Tech last season, you came into the postgame press conference visibly disappointed. For me, it was the first time dealing with a press conference following a loss like that. You handled every question with respect and gave full answers. Something that even some veteran head coaches won’t do.
It wasn’t that though that made you continue to gain my respect: It was once you were done answering questions when you walked through the media and shook each one of our hands thanking us for coming. One fellow member of the media, who said that he had been covering sports for 30+ years, said he had never seen a coach do that, especially after a loss.
That turned out to not be a one-time thing. After each press conference of yours that I covered after that point, you did the same. Thanking the media for coming and shaking our hands. It just helped immediately reaffirm all of the respect I had for you even after a tough loss.
Things didn’t go as anyone planned this season and knowing you, I am sure you would be the first to admit that. That did not stop you from coming to press conferences and giving answers that people can deal with. You would also never throw specific players under the bus and instead direct people to place their blame on you. That shows your character and the love that you have for your players.
All of this brings me to last weekend. Since there wasn’t a big crowd at the game, I moved down to sit near my friends in the student section. It was one of the best first half performances I had seen a WKU team have. Complete domination. After the game, you came over and thanked everyone for “sticking with you.” I’m not sure whether you heard my response but I still stick by it, I said that you had all of my support.
Your character is something that is truly unmatched. Even with fans continuously ripping into you, you held your head high and focused on your team and what you could do to improve it. You really did start to see those improvements in the last two games even if one was against a one win team.
Coach, I can’t thank you enough for everything. You treated me, my colleagues and my university with nothing but respect each and every minute you were on the Hill. Fans cannot take that away from you.
I know for certain that you will not remain unemployed for long and whatever team you end up going to will gain me as a fan.
You were the definition of class while here at WKU. Throwing out my personal experiences with you, as a fan/alum of this great university, I have to personally thank you for that.
Good luck to you and your family wherever you may end up!
