There aren’t many college programs out there that, year in and year out, contend for a national title. OK, yes, there’s Nick Saban’s Alabama football program and Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke basketball program, but stop and ponder for a second, because Glenn Caruso’s St. Thomas football program deserves to be in the conversation too.
Before joining TommieMedia in the middle of my junior year, I was actually a part of coach Caruso’s program myself, so I know how things are run.
Caruso and his staff expect nothing but perfection.
I remember scoring a touchdown during a scrimmage my junior year. In my mind, I had done everything perfectly. I ran the route, I caught the ball and I crossed the goal line. What more can a coach want? I showed up to watch film the next day and found out the horrible truth: I had taken six steps on my route instead of seven. Yes, I scored the touchdown, but it was not perfect. Caruso and his staff demanded seven steps. They demanded perfection.
Perfection and a “next man up” mentality are what makes the program strive.
In Caruso’s program, if a player gets taken out of the game due to injury, the next man up is expected to fill the position and perform it even better. If a player gets taken off the field for making a mistake, the next man up is expected to fill the position and perform it even better. If a player graduates, the next man up is expected to – you guessed it – fill the position and perform it even better. It’s that “next man up” mentality that makes Caruso’s teams who they are.
With Caruso at the helm, the Tommies will never fall.
I’ve heard some rumblings around campus that people think Caruso’s team will not be what they usually are this upcoming fall. That, because of the many key players that will be lost in my graduating class next week, the team will not be their dominant selves. But, I’m telling you, with the program Caruso runs, they will be just fine.
The team held their spring game at O’Shaughnessy Stadium on Saturday, and they did not disappoint. On the first play from scrimmage, running back Josh Parks sprinted to the endzone for a 75 yard touchdown. On the next possession, linebacker Luke Swenson intercepted quarterback Ronnie Jones’ pass and took it to the house.
That was it for me; I had seen enough. The Tommies are, once again, going to contend. And, as long as Caruso and his staff are there, they’re going to contend for a long, long time.
Gamiel Hall can be reached at gamiel.hall@stthomas.edu.