Wright leading Northwest is the right call

DAILY FORUM FILE PHOTO
Rich Wright, then defensive coordinator, celebrates a third-down stop for his defense during a 48-7 victory against Missouri Southern in 2015.

The decision came quickly.

Coworker Henry Janssen and I weren’t even out of the parking lot after the Division II National Championship game when word came across the Twittersphere that Rich Wright would be taking over the head football coaching job at Northwest Missouri State University.

It all but confirmed a very poorly kept secret that Adam Dorrel was taking the head football coaching job at Abilene Christian University in Texas.

My initial thought was that this happened way too quickly. I probably would still think that … if it wasn’t Wright who got the job.

Northwest made a very good decision going with Wright.

He has been the captain of the most dominant defense in Division II football since he took over the defensive coordinator position for the Bearcats six years ago.

He is already deeply rooted in the Bearcat way and culture. The most obvious sign of respect from his peers is the fact that none of his full-time assistants are leaving the program. That shows a sign of unity and family. The Bearcat coaching staff and players truly love each other and it’s thrillingly obvious.

Wright said that was extremely important to the chemistry of the team.

“It’s huge,” he said. “Terminology and the way we do things day to day isn’t going to change and I think that’s really important. It’s a big relief to the players.”

I asked a big Bearcat football fan and friend of mine the other day what she thought about Dorrel leaving and she essentially told me that she was more at ease with it as long as Wright didn’t go with him.

While Wright said there was some discussion about going to ACU together, that part of their discussion didn’t take long.

“We’ve talked a lot over the years and he knew that this is the job I’ve always wanted,” Wright said. “When it became available, I knew I was going to pour my heart and soul into it. Adam knows my goals and aspirations. We meet after every season to talk about where we want to be and if there’s Division I aspirations.”

It was also clear during Monday’s introductory press conference that this is something that he’s wanted for a long time.

What made it even better, in my eyes, was the almost Christmas-came-a-week-early excitement he had when he received the news.

“I was shocked, honestly,” Wright said. “I knew he was going to go upstairs to talk to the team. I was talking to two of our former players in the back and all of a sudden, someone comes up to me and tells me Adam wants me up front. I was dumbfounded.”

Wright didn’t have to wait long to be reminded of the huge shoes Dorrel was leaving for him to fill.

At his introductory press conference, he told a story about one of his daughters reminding him that he needs 10 more wins in a row to tie the all-time NCAA record for consecutive wins at 40.

Wright notified her that the one-step-at-a-time process is important.

“I told her, ‘thanks honey, but, I’m just going to worry about winning one game first.’”

With the season now over, Wright and his staff turn their attention to recruiting. While recruiting is technically always an ongoing process in college football, the dial is turned up a couple notches as the calendar churns toward Christmas and the New Year.

He said the remainder of the week is going to be for finalizing the recruiting board before Christmas then finalizing the in-home visits.

Before Dorrel headed for Texas, he gave Wright some sound advice. It was the same lesson Dorrel had learned along the way.

“He just told me to be myself,” Wright said. “Don’t try to be coach (Mel) Tjeerdsma. Filling the shoes of Scott Bostwick wasn’t an easy role either. He just told me to trust my instincts and ‘you’re an excellent football coach.’”

Dorrel is exactly right.

This was my first season covering the team and one season is really all you need to see what kind of respect Wright has from his players and fellow staff members.

While there will be some minor adjustments that need to be made, having Wright take over as head coach is the best possible move the university could have made.

He’s essentially taking the keys to the well-oiled, and largely bulletproof car. Only this one isn’t necessarily a Porsche as the common saying goes.

This machine is more like an old-fashioned American muscle car built with grit, grime, and brute strength.

When you have a car like that, it’s best to have somebody who’s an expert at driving it.

Wright is that guy.