“Adamczyk takes the snap. He goes play action to the left side. Oh, he tosses it right to Erik Walker, who runs far right. He cuts back left through the hole. He makes one defender miss. He has daylight and he’s in for the score. Touchdown Wildcats!”
These or similar words were the only indication that one Weber State University football coach received to know how his game plan was working in the game against Stephen F. Austin State University.
Robin Pflugrad, offensive coordinator for the WSU football team, returned to the sidelines this week after serving a one-week suspension by the NCAA for violations of NCAA procedures during his time as head coach at the University of Montana. Pflugrad was not allowed to have any contact with the team starting the Monday before the season-opener.
“The NCAA would not allow me to be in the stadium,” said Pflugrad on Tuesday. “I actually could not get the game on the computer either. I went out to my car in my garage and listened to the game. That was pretty tough to do, because you want to be with the players that you’ve spent a ton of time with. I’m so proud and happy for them that they were able to start fast and continue to play hard throughout the game.”
Although linebacker Anthony Morales told reporters that the team had “game plans for the first four weeks” of the season before training camp even started, Pflugrad said he still found it difficult not being on the sidelines for the game, especially for in-game adjustments that needed to take place.
“I thought the staff did an outstanding job when I wasn’t here,” Pflugrad said. “I was not allowed to talk to them at all. That was also a tough thing. We couldn’t correspond and say, ‘Hey, coach, what do you think about this or that?’ It was shut off at 12 midnight on Sunday night. That was really hard.”
When Pflugrad heard the words “touchdown Wildcats,” it might have helped soften the blow a little bit. The points just kept on coming.
“I guess I was really happy emotionally that it went fast and that we scored and were able to put points on the board,” Pflugrad said. “Kind of what we were preaching came to fruition, if you will, and that was exciting.”
One of the happiest people to have Pflugrad return was head football coach Jody Sears. Sears joked after the game that Pflugrad’s job was safe for the time being, seeing how the offense put up 50 points.
“It feels awesome (to have Pflugrad back),” said Sears on Tuesday. “I feel like a complete family now. We missed him tremendously. The kids did a good job of executing his game plan without him here. But it’s gonna be nice having him on the sidelines on Saturday, that’s for sure.”
Pflugrad had a smile on his face as he exited the practice field Tuesday. He can now completely focus on the next task at hand: the game against the University of Utah.
“It felt really good to be hired by Coach Sears last spring and to get back in the saddle and kind of do what you’ve done for a ton of years, it seems like,” Pflugrad said. “It kind of rejuvenates a lot of your entire life on and off the field. It’s exciting. I’m fired up about it.”
