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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, June 1, 2005

Chow enjoying NFL challenge

Advertiser Staff

Norm Chow, former offensive coordinator at two-time national champion Southern California, is in town on vacation and to be the keynote speaker at Sunday's Nissan Hawai'i High School Hall of Honor banquet at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Norm Chow is here on vacation and to speak at Sunday's Nissan Hall of Honor banquet.

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The Punahou School graduate, who is now the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, talked about his change of jobs and head coaching opportunities.

Q: So far, is the NFL anything like you thought it would be?

A: It is everything that I thought it would be. It is exciting; it is challenging; it is all football. You don't have to waste your time with a lot of other stuff. The players are a lot more focused because of the money that is involved.

Q: Had you always wanted to coach in the NFL?

A: I hadn't thought too much about the NFL. Obviously, in this profession where everything is very transitory, there were a couple of opportunities, not firm offers, but I always downplayed them because I never thought that would be for me.

Q: Is it still your goal to be a head coach in college?

A: It has never been a goal. I've never sat around and aspired to that. Obviously, that is the next step in the professional progression but I never worried about whether it was going to happen or not. You always like to run your own ship, if you will, but if I never do it, it is not gonna be a big deal. I don't sit around worrying about that. That's the problem with wanting to be a head coach, you have to sit around and plot your own scenario. There's nothing wrong with that. I don't mean that to be a negative, but you have to spend time on it and I never have.

Q: How many college job offers have you had?

A: I turned down one firm job offer (Kentucky) and then Stanford turned us away. It (hasn't been) like I'm turning this (and that) down. I have not had that many opportunities despite what people say. I've not had that many opportunities to turn a job down. I was offered the Kentucky job and interviewed at Arizona and Stanford. And, Hawai'i, but that wasn't an interview, that was a farce. (Note: In 1995 Hawai'i chose Fred Von Appen as its head football coach.)

Q: Were you soured by the situation at USC?

A: Not really. It was a nice run. It worked out real well. It was time (to leave). You never get soured winning national championships. We had great kids. I could still have been there if we had chosen to do so. Not in a reduced role but different (one) ... maybe as assistant head coach in charge of a lot of different things. He (Pete Carroll) wanted a little more say in the offense, if you will, and it was his (choice) to do so.

Q: Did you have concerns about making the switch from college to the NFL?

A: I met with (Titans' head coach) Jeff Fisher in Los Angeles and we talked. The thing you don't know is the level of sophistication, if you will, of the game; the coverages and the fronts, and all that. He said, "You know what, let's go back to Nashville and we'll talk." We did and we looked at some tapes and I quickly realized it was still football. It is still the same game. It is just done a little better with better players. Once you realize that you can coach it. You still attack coverages the same way you would in college, you just have to do it a lot cleaner.

Q: How are the players different?

A: The dedication of the athletes. There is so much money involved, they are very determined to do well. They want to know exactly what you expect of them. They want that job and that salary. I write the schedules for (offensive) practice and the quarterbacks want those the day before so they can go home and study it.

Q: How has Steve McNair been to work with at Tennessee?

A: He's been nothing but a pro. I had heard that he was close to retiring but I see he has realized he has to make some changes in his game to prolong his career and he's worked hard at it.