New CB coach John Richardson relishing return to college field after flag football detour

Throughout spring follow, when Arizona runs 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills, its varied coaches are unfold out on the sphere behind their respective sides of the ball. The higher to watch, consider and, if wanted, coach up a participant following a miscue.

In John Richardson’s eyes, that very last thing applies to all of his gamers. That’s why, after walk-on Jeffrey Robinson II was referred to as for holding on a cross play, he pointed to each flag thrown.

“I actually like to educate each single man, from prime to the underside,” mentioned Richardson, Arizona’s new cornerbacks coach. “In case you’re within the room you have to be coached. I like to carry all people accountable, however I like them. In case you can maintain them accountable and so they can maintain you accountable you then received a relationship.”

Richardson joined Arizona in early February, changing Dewayne Walker. He involves Tucson after stints at North Dakota State, Wyoming and, most just lately Washington State, the place he was with the Cougars from 2020-21 earlier than being a part of the employees members let go following Nick Rolovich’s termination in October 2021.

That hiatus enabled Richardson to be a “husband and a father,” getting the type of high quality time together with his spouse and two kids that’s onerous to perform whereas teaching. But he nonetheless discovered himself on a soccer discipline, only one with far much less at stake.

“I really turned a flag soccer coach,” he mentioned. “It was ironic that every one these locations that I coached that I by no means actually received to observe a soccer recreation with my son. We turned a a lot tighter knit household throughout that point.”

Richardson mentioned he introduced his identical ardour to that gig as he does with the Wildcats, with one exception: not anticipating his workforce of 10-year-olds already knew sophisticated soccer schemes.

“I handled that as my mission discipline,” Richardson mentioned. “If God goes to bless me to have the ability to influence younger males then, you realize what, I’m gonna give my all to it. We solely performed in a single location, however we practiced at one other, so it was like touring for us, nevertheless it was enjoyable.”

Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen reached out to Richardson shortly after Walker introduced his departure in early January. There was somewhat forwards and backwards earlier than issues sped up and Richardson was formally employed on Feb. 8.

5 weeks later he was teaching a cornerbacks room that has to interchange a 3-year starter in Christian Roland-Wallace (now at USC) however returns three gamers who began not less than one recreation at CB for Arizona final season.

“It’s continuous motion,” he mentioned. “I imply, it’s a celebration each day. I’m making an attempt to be taught simply as quick as a result of it’s onerous for me to show if I don’t realize it. I’ve received to be humble sufficient that, if I don’t perceive one thing, to ask so I can be capable of set up it correctly. So it’s been a course of for me, however I’m rising and I’m studying. I received nice guys within the room.”

Richardson performed faculty soccer at North Dakota State after beginning out at Mt. San Antonio Faculty in California. In his teaching profession he’s developed a number of gamers who’ve made the NFL, most just lately Tremendous Bowl members Jaylen Watson (Kansas Metropolis Chiefs) and Marcus Epps (Philadelphia Eagles).