University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina Defensive Coordinator John Gutekunst Quotes
January 12, 2004 | Football
Jan. 12, 2004
Opening statement:
I'm very happy at this time. This is semi-home to me and is a school that
I've always admired because it has core values. It knows how to try to excel
and be the best and not compromise those values. I hope I can do the job
that Coach Bunting expects me to do.
I've always admired North Carolina from a distance and you can't always say that as Duke graduate, but honestly I did. I worked for Coach Dooley and many of the coaches that were there under him for a long time.
On his coaching philosophy:
I believe in fundamentals. I've never been locked into one pure scheme ... In
today's football I think you've got to try to disguise coverages for the
quarterback and make some reads after the ball is snapped. It's always going
to get down to having great unity, toughness and fundaments. I think young
people still have to learn to play this game no matter what the recruiting
services tell you. Everybody's been all-state in this league.
I what he wants to improve at Carolina, etc.:
I've watched a lot of tape. In fact, I've probably watched more than in any
other situation prior to being there. I normally don't like to do that
because you have tendency to prejudge kids. This isn't pro football and you
don't release people, and I don't think you judge kids. From what I saw, I
thought they worked hard. The coaches worked hard to get them to make some
negative yardage plays ... I think the biggest thing is you win with players.
I don't know many players that want to go to college to be a poor player.
You make assumptions with them. The first assumption is they want to
graduate, second is they want to be a great player, third is that the want
to win and fourth is that they're a good person. If I'm wrong in those
assumptions then you have trouble with that player. But if I'm not - and I
think most kids want to those things - then it comes down to teaching and
setting expectations and giving them a method and motivation to reach them.
On his previous relationship with Coach Bunting:
I really didn't know him other than growing up around Philadelphia, I was an
Eagles fan and that sort of stays with you until you get older and you have
players and friends you've coached with with various teams. The biggest
thing was I remember the intensity with which he played at the University of
North Carolina and I remember the fondness that Coach Dooley had for him as
a complete person and player.
