For Defensive Tackles Coach Pat Kuntz, Coaching Football is All About Teaching Football
/Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)
When Pat Kuntz is speaking, class is in session: listen up.
So that’s exactly what we at Hoosier Huddle did when Kuntz recently joined IU football radio color commentator Rhett Lewis for another edition of Q&A Under the Hood. One thing stood out for sure; Kuntz is not just a coach of football; he is a teacher of football. And he has the experience to back it up.
Once a standout defensive lineman at Notre Dame, Kuntz joined the coaching profession back in 2010 at his high school alma mater, Roncalli. He eventually left to become the self-proclaimed “oldest GA in college football”, when he joined Indiana’s staff under Kevin Wilson and Tom Allen and began his rise up the college coaching ranks. The fast riser now aims to “coach better than I was ever coached.”
And for him, that’s all about teaching the game.
“It's one thing to be able to coach football, it's another thing to be able to teach football. The smarter you can get your players, the more production you're going to have."
Already having success with this method having coached the entire defensive line, Kuntz thinks his job is only going to get easier now that he is solely focused on defensive tackles. Buddha Williams was hired by Coach Cignetti to coach the defensive ends, and Kuntz describes their coordination as “seamless”.
“From my perspective, having to coach 4, now having to coach 2? That’s seconds that turn into minutes that turn into hours that turn into days of extra detailed focus.”
That extra time will all go into making Indiana’s defensive tackles flawless in their schematic execution.
"Our scheme and what people are going to see at IU, especially up front, it's very productive," Kuntz said. "It allows our guys up front to never block themselves, make fast, violent, vertical decisions, with an ultimate job description of inside-shoulder tackling the ball carrier. You might see some things where people are slipping gaps, getting vertical, but you're also going to see great technique. That's where I'm going to come in and be able to build what's already been built here."
Philip Blidi, Marcus Burris Jr., and JMU transfer James Carpenter are just a few of the names that are here and ready to learn from Kuntz. The tandem of Jalen Green and Jamaree Kromah became only the second JMU duo in school history to log double-digit sacks in the same season just last year under Kuntz’ direction.
“I think the biggest thing is when you have high football IQ and you understand the scheme inside and out, not just your job description, but others around you too…then you tie in getting in the call fast, that’s when you see people are ready in their stance and ready to see other things: ‘Where is the running back located? Where is the tight end located? What is the stance of this offensive lineman?’ Ultimately, when you know what other people are doing around you, especially being a defensive lineman, then you know where you can take aggressive chances.”
It all will be taught by Kuntz with the ultimate goal of bringing JMU’s winning culture to Indiana. But win or lose, he will always be there for his players.
"At the end of the day that's still the main thing: I want to develop great football players but great young men as well. I want to be 60 and they're 35, 40 and calling me up and still bothering me. Like, I love that stuff. The more I care for them, the more they're going to play for me and play for each other.”