14 Broadcaster Press December 13, 2011 www.broadcasteronline.com Joe Glenn comes ‘full circle’ at USD By Jeremy Hoeck jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net A week ago, Joe Glenn was a retired football coach, living in sunny Arizona, working on what he called a “struggling” golf game. Five days later, he was standing at a podium in front of a curious crowd, actively leading a rendition of the school song. So begins — or in this case, restarts — the Glenn era at the University of South Dakota, as the 62-year-old alum was announced as the new head football coach during a press conference Wednesday in Vermillion. As he walked to the podium, the events of the past week seemed to suddenly leave the normally talkative coach speechless. “Wow,” he said, smiling and pausing to look down at his notes. Looking back out at the large crowd, he added, “Somebody come up here and pinch me.” Thirty-seven years after leaving USD for a coaching career across three levels that would result in three national championships, Glenn – a 1971 graduate – is back to lead his alma mater. Joking later that he said no to the job three times, Glenn said he felt a “calling” when athletic director David Sayler and associate A.D. David Herbster visited him in Phoenix, AZ, last Wednesday. “You can tell when your heart’s beating and something feels right,” he later told a small group of reporters. “They asked, ‘Will you be our coach?’ And I said, ‘You’re damn right.’ “I was about ready to head-butt the lockers.” Statements like that were par for the course during Glenn’s first official day as the football coach, a job he said brings him “full circle.” Glenn, already in the USD Hall of Fame, played for the Coyotes from 1967-70 under coach Joe Salem, and later was a backfield coach in 1974. After a stop at Northern Arizona, Glenn served as head coach at Doane College (1976-79), Northern Colorado (1989-99), Montana (2000-02) and Wyoming (2003-08). He won a pair of Division II national titles at Northern Colorado in 1996 and 1997, and won a Division I-AA, now FCS, championship at Montana in 2001. When USD came calling after former coach Ed Meierkort was fired on Nov. 22, Glenn said he looked inward and decided he was ready to roam the sidelines again. “I realized, ‘OK, they want me. I’ve got the energy, the background and the experience, I can still coach,’” he said. “I realized it was a calling.” Seeking a coach that would meet four standards, leadership, discipline, academic priorities and conference championships, Sayler – the second-year athletic director – found his man right away. “I couldn’t believe the passion for the S-D that he has, with his love for this program and this university as a whole,” Sayler said. “It just bled right through him. You could feel it, you could feel the energy. “It’s something special.” Among those in attendance Monday was Wes Beschorner, the USD offensive coordinator who served as interim head coach since Meierkort’s firing. No stranger to Glenn, Beschorner said his newest boss is unquestionably the man to lead the Coyotes further in the FCS ranks. “I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s been great,” Beschorner said. “He’s helped me along the way, and he’ll help this university. There’s no question he’s an energetic guy. You can feel it echo off his body. “That’s a pretty special feeling,” he added, with a wide smile. How that energetic attitude will translate on Saturdays for the Coyotes – who join the Missouri Valley Football Conference next season and are playoff eligible for the first time – is still to be determined. Yet, Glenn was not shy about the challenges that lay ahead. Chief among those obstacles is not only recruiting against the likes of South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Northern Iowa, but beating those teams. “My gut feeling to start out with is, when we were here, we could go in the ring and touch gloves with North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Northern Iowa, and win our fair share,” Glenn said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t. “We’ve got the same amount of scholarships they do, so we’ll touch gloves and fight as hard as we can for 12 rounds.” Fans, players say Glenn is the right fit for Coyotes By Jeremy Hoeck jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net The faces have changed, the competition level has increased and there’s a new football stadium, but Joe Glenn is back home in Vermillion after nearly 40 years. This time, however, the 62-year-old returns as the head coach at his alma mater University of South Dakota. And for those who either remember Glenn from his previous stay at the University of South Dakota or are new to his style, they all say the same thing: “Cowboy Joe” – the nickname he’s earned over the years for his straightshooting, energetic style – is a magnetic personality. “We spent a lot of time together, he and I, so I came to know and love the guy,” said Vermillion High School football coach Gary Culver, who was a defensive back at USD in 1974 when Glenn was an assistant coach. “And you know, he really hasn’t changed at all.” Culver was a three-year letterman for the Coyotes, who won three straight North Central Conference titles in his career. Since taking over the Tanagers in 1976, right after graduation, he has guided the school to five state titles. Saying he was “surprised” to see Glenn as the new Coyote coach, Culver pointed out that USD is getting a man who, despite his age, is the same youthful coach he was in the mid-70’s. “Throughout all these years, he’s the same Joe Glenn I remember,” Culver said.” For what he accomplished after his USD days, Glenn is far from the same. In 24 years as a head coach over three different levels (NAIA, Division II and D-I), Glenn won three national championships – two at Northern Colorado and one 1-AA crown at Montana. He was hired by Wyoming in 2003, guided the Cowboys to a 2004 bowl victory over UCLA, but was fired after a 4-8 season in 2008. It was that track record that fit the mold of USD’s next coach, after Ed Meierkort was fired on Nov. 22, according to tight end Jay Burns. “I wanted someone who was an established winner, someone who’s proven themselves; not just an assistant somewhere,” said Burns, who caught five passes for 32 yards as a junior this season. “On paper, he obviously knows how to win. “He knows what it takes.” The energy that Glenn brought to his job as a color analyst for football games on the WAC Sports Network the last two seasons will no doubt translate to his new player at USD, Wes Beschorner said. “Players will sense what the coach is doing and how he’s giving them energy, and I think our players have done that well in the past,” said Beschorner, who served as interim head coach for the past two weeks. “It’s a different coach, but he’ll send a great message.” That message is something Glenn spent a good portion of his introductory press conference Monday talking about. He said his style of motivation is best described as “Make me feel and I will produce.” He talked at length about treating players the right way and giving them the motivation to want to succeed. That coaching style – falling under the “leadership” umbrella – is one David Sayler said he was searching for. “His ability to tackle things is pretty unmatched, so I’m excited to see how excited the players will be to work with him,” Sayler said. So, will the energy from their new head coach trickle down to the players? “It’s got to,” Burns said. “You’re either going to buy into it or you’re not going to be here.” There are still areas to be ironed out with Glenn’s hiring, specifically a coaching staff, a salary and recruiting. To those areas: • Glenn said one of his first orders of business is to hire a defensive coordinator. “I couldn’t get my arms around a co-defensive coordinator thing,” he said, referring to USD’s format last season. • On the issue of salary, Glenn’s annual contract figures to be in the range of $100,000, which is what Meierkort made last season. • And on recruiting, the new coach said he will remain true to looking at local and area recruits first, and looking elsewhere as needed. Either away, the exuberant attitude Glenn showed at Monday’s press conference – specifically leading the crowd in a rendition of the school song – figures to be here to stay, Culver said. “That’s the amazing thing about him. He’s always been like that,” Culver said. “He’s a youthful 60-year-old, to say the least, and I told him there are great opportunities for 60year-olds. “It’s great to see him aboard and he’ll certainly do a good job in the years to come.” From Slippers To Outdoor Wear, We Have The Sheepskin For Your Feet ON SALE! Men’s & Women’s Boston Shoes to Boots 312 W. 3rd • Yankton • 665-9092 www.bigiron.com UNRESERVED AUCTION - ONLINE ONLY Wednesday, December 21, 2011 First Lots Scheduled to Close at 10:00 AM Central Time NO BUYERS PREMIUM FEE and NO RESERVES!! The following equipment is owned by various owners, visit www.bigiron. com for owner names, items locations and phone numbers. Excavators: 06 Bobcat 323 Compact Excavator, 1007 Hrs; 96 IHI 35N Mini Excavator, 1998 Hrs; 81 Cat 215 Excavator, 3102 Hrs; 93 Kobelco SK 200 Excavator, 9519 Hrs. 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