ODUSports.com is working on a variety of ways to continue to give Monarch Nation informative and creative content during the fall. The latest is a series of Q&A's with the football coaching staff. Today's Q&A is with safeties coach, Remington Rebstock.
Q: How have you been since the announcement and how was it talking to the players?
A: Obviously it was tough news for us, tough news for the players and tough news for all the people that invest so much in our student-athletes and our program. But I think one thing that was very clear from Coach Rahne's perspective early on was, we're not victims in anyway. There is so much more going on than our football program, this is a pandemic and there are people losing so much more than a game. I think one great thing from the leader from Old Dominion and our program is the perspective given, that this is tough on all of us, but the victims in all of this are the people losing loved ones and jobs. Once you put it in that perspective. I think our guys understood this is unfortunate and they're suffering a loss of something they care about, there's bigger things than football. One other thing I've been impressed with is the positivity of the things we can still accomplish as a program has been great. Our players are excited to workout to whatever capacity we can and I know the coaching staff is as well.
Q: Coach Rahne mentioned in an interview that you're always positive and in a good mood. Is that challenged right now? And where did that come from?
RR: Has it been challenged with the situation? Yes. We're all passionate about football and what we do and when you're in a situation like this it's tough. But I got over that quick and I try to bring that energy and positivity and it's not something I have to try too hard at because I love what I do and I consider working with this staff and this football program a great privilege. Me coming to work every day, I say I haven't worked a day in my life because I love what I do so it's hard not to be in a great mood when you wake up and do what you love to do. Life is too short to be moping around. I want our guys to have some juice and be engaged and live their lives that way.
Q: You didn't play Old Dominion when you were an assistant coach at UTEP, but what was your view of the ODU program when you were there?
RR: I would seem them once in a while in crossover tape so I had a little bit of a perception based on that but there were a lot of unknowns for me. I didn't have a great feel for what ODU had going. What I did know was, whatever situation Coach Rahne was a head coach that he was going to be successful and somebody I was drawn to with their leadership and what they brought to the table. I will say since I've been here I've been impressed by this program, a beautiful stadium, the investments they've made in the program. My wife and I love the area, and the fan support is great. The sellout streak is mind-blowing, when you've been in this conference and away games, you're lucky if some of the stadiums are half full.
Q: What was your time like in El Paso?
RR: My wife and I really enjoyed our two years in El Paso. The people are outstanding. You can plan a picnic seven years in advance because the weather is going to be great. It's a dry climate. They have like 325 days of sunshine a year. The city is a nice place. The only thing is you're isolated. It's amazing how big the state of Texas is, but El Paso is way out west and you do feel isolated. There are a lot of positives, great Mexican food, but not a lot of water. We love being on the water here.
Q: You coached current Miami Dolphin Nik Needham at UTEP. What does do for you as a coach when you help a guy like that get to the next level?
RR: It's a great feeling. I use Nik all the time, not just in recruiting but also our current players. When you have a guy that does things the right way and work extremely hard and put in the time that Nik has put in and you see that pay off for them it is very rewarding and you can point to that and say, hard work paid off. He was hungry to be the best he could possibly be. He made me better as a coach. He was always trying to push the envelope on how he could improve, how he could prepare better for games. I always had to be on my toes so I could give him everything I possibly, so he could be the best he could be. And then for him to get overlooked in the draft, sign as an undrafted free agent with Miami, work his way from the practice squad and be named the Dolphins Rookie of the Year is awesome. I talk to Nik frequently and he's going to be a long-term success in the NFL. And it certainly helps with recruits to point to the facts that you have seen and been a part of what it takes for another individual to do what they want to do.
Q: Your wife was an assistant softball coach for a year at UTEP. What was that like? Did you see each other at all that year?
RR: Basically to kiss each other good night, and that was a luxury. We practiced in the morning so I was up at 4:45 a.m., and they were practicing late and didn't get home until about 10 p.m. and I was going to bed. So, really that was a year that we did not see a lot of each other but we were both pursuing our passion and doing what we love to do so we had no problems with it and were very supportive of each other.
Q: Were you able to talk coaching with your wife and get advice from each other?
RR: Thursday night in the college football coaching world is usually the night you get off after practice and get a chance to go out to dinner with your wife and we'd have some of those conversations because both of our lives centered around athletics and our student-athletes. She's been such a great sounding board for me, because she gives me a great perspective and is very intelligent. She has an athletic background, played Division I athletics and has coached Division I she understands the crazy hours we put into this thing and she understands that we're attempting to help these guys become the best they can. And she can give me advice when needed.
Q: Why did you want to get into coaching?
RR: I've always had a passion for the game of football. I loved being a player but there was a time I realized I wasn't a good enough player to continue playing. I took a scholarship to a community college in Kansas and that didn't last very long. I knew I wanted to do something that I was passionate about and decided I'm going to go for this thing and attempt to be a coach. I love the idea of it, I love the competition, so I found a way in. That was working night and day to get my foot in the door and once I was able to do that, keep that same mentality of hard work. I was able to be around guys like Bill Snyder (Kansas State), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State) and be around some really great football coaches and great men. That confirmed what I wanted to do. Now that I'm doing it, I never lose sight of the fact I'm doing what I love to do and many, many people have helped me get to where I'm at and I never want to take that for granted.
Q: You were a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State. What was your time there like?
RR: It was great. I got to see a different style of program. Kansas State and Bill Snyder had their own style. I went to Oklahoma State with Mike Gundy and they had their own style, and they were winning a ton of football games. The greatest perspective I got from that experience, other than learning some really good football from some really good coaches, was there's more than one way to do things and be successful. It fermented to me you have to be yourself and trust in your core values, like Coach Rahne has, but there are multiple ways of doing things and being successful.
Q: You and Blake Seiler (Defensive Coordinator) are good friends. Is that one of the reasons you took the job, and what's it like working with a good friend?
RR: Yes, 100 percent. Blake was a graduate assistant when broke in as a student assistant at Kansas State. He taught me a lot of the things I know about defensive football and taught me how to break down film. I've known Blake a long time, so to come to a place and be with a guy that you know is going to bring it every day and is one of the best defensive minds around was a no-brainer. He has a very common-sense approach and is very consistent. That was very comforting for me. The other thing is I worked with Coach Rahne at Kansas State. For me, you have people in the profession that you are friends with and then you have people that you know that you say some day I would love to work for and with. Ricky Rahne and Blake Seiler were on that list for me and having both of those guys on the same staff was a huge factor for me in making the decision to come here.
From the Sidelines: Remington Rebstock Q&A
