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Teague Has Big Plans at Tiny Harvest
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By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
September 15, 2004, 10:05 AM EDT
WATAUGA, Texas -- The walls of George Teague's office at Harvest Christian Academy are covered with reminders of his college and NFL playing days.
Prominent above his desk are framed photos commemorating Alabama's national championship win in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. On another wall is the No. 31 jersey he wore with the Dallas Cowboys. Stuffed in a corner of that frame is a snapshot of Teague leveling Terrell Owens when the then-San Francisco receiver celebrated a touchdown on the midfield star at Texas Stadium.
That smallest picture, from December 2000, is what Harvest players knew about when Teague became their coach in January.
"Not too much," said senior lineman Bobby Waters, recalling what he initially knew about his new coach. "I remember him knocking Terrell Owens off the star."
The players have since learned a lot more about Teague and his plans to build a championship squad at the small school in a suburb of Fort Worth.
"We are getting on the right track," receiver-defensive back Trey Dennis said. "We're doing more in the weight room and we never did run that much before. It's a different tempo, basically more upbeat."
Teague's nine-season NFL career ended in 2002 after he wasn't re-signed by Dallas and was cut in training camp by Atlanta. He then dabbled in broadcasting but pursued coaching when that didn't work out.
He wanted to coach in the NFL or college. Not high school, especially at one of the smallest classifications in Texas with a roster of about 30 players.
"That's a spiritual deal. I believe it's a Godly deal that led me here," Teague said. "So I came here full speed ahead and it's been absolutely wonderful."
Teague took his son, an elementary student at the school, to the Harvest gym one day in December to watch a basketball tournament. He crossed paths with athletic director Ray DeBord, who needed a replacement for Rick Jackson, who had resigned as coach.
"He said, 'Well, you wouldn't be interested in a job over here, would you?'," Teague said. "He was kind of smiling and chuckling ... I said, 'Well, I might be.' "
Teague volunteered at Harvest a bit last season. That was after his first coaching experience as an intern for Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Dave Campo, his coach with the Cowboys.
DeBord said he didn't want an immediate answer, telling Teague to pray about it. But DeBord wanted a three-year commitment.
A few weeks later, Teague took the job.
"The fact that he would be willing to come to this small of a school already indicated to me that George does not have a problem with his ego," DeBord said. "I'm so impressed with his work ethic. He's got the kids working hard. He's a real leader and his expectations are not beyond the capabilities of the kids here."
Teague has since gotten calls from two NFL teams. But he's committed to building Harvest, which has been to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools playoffs twice since moving from six-man competition to 11-man in 2000, losing in the first round both times (2000, 2002).
"I've got a long-term vision as far as being here ... win a state championship, and it doesn't mean it has to be five, 10 years down the road, and I want to be a nationally ranked team," Teague said. "I know I can't do that in a short-term type of deal."
The Saints lost their first two games, the most recent 14-8 Friday after giving up two touchdowns in the final five minutes. They have two more home games before district play.
Teague carried some of the intensity he had as a player into coaching. He has also tried to develop a style molding things he learned from coaches he played for at Alabama and in the NFL for Dallas, Green Bay and Miami.
"Jimmy Johnson just scared you to death basically," he remembered. "You never knew if you were going to start, play or be cut. Dick Jauron always seemed like a true player's coach. Then you've got Campo, just a fireplug, a motivator trying to get you up, and a great teacher."
Teague's biggest challenge was just doing things different at Harvest. One of his first acts was to begin a mandatory strength and conditioning program.
"I hope we've established the beginning of our new program," he said. "We've changed the slogan: We're Building Champions. Building, we're in that phase."
Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press
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Teague Has Big Plans at Tiny Harvest
Email this story
Printer friendly format
Top Stories
Mercury-Storm, Box
Storm Clobber Mercury 73-58
Johnson Breaks Strikeout Record by Lefties
Mystics Defeat Silver Stars 84-73
Mystics-Silver Stars, Box
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
September 15, 2004, 10:05 AM EDT
WATAUGA, Texas -- The walls of George Teague's office at Harvest Christian Academy are covered with reminders of his college and NFL playing days.
Prominent above his desk are framed photos commemorating Alabama's national championship win in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. On another wall is the No. 31 jersey he wore with the Dallas Cowboys. Stuffed in a corner of that frame is a snapshot of Teague leveling Terrell Owens when the then-San Francisco receiver celebrated a touchdown on the midfield star at Texas Stadium.
That smallest picture, from December 2000, is what Harvest players knew about when Teague became their coach in January.
"Not too much," said senior lineman Bobby Waters, recalling what he initially knew about his new coach. "I remember him knocking Terrell Owens off the star."
The players have since learned a lot more about Teague and his plans to build a championship squad at the small school in a suburb of Fort Worth.
"We are getting on the right track," receiver-defensive back Trey Dennis said. "We're doing more in the weight room and we never did run that much before. It's a different tempo, basically more upbeat."
Teague's nine-season NFL career ended in 2002 after he wasn't re-signed by Dallas and was cut in training camp by Atlanta. He then dabbled in broadcasting but pursued coaching when that didn't work out.
He wanted to coach in the NFL or college. Not high school, especially at one of the smallest classifications in Texas with a roster of about 30 players.
"That's a spiritual deal. I believe it's a Godly deal that led me here," Teague said. "So I came here full speed ahead and it's been absolutely wonderful."
Teague took his son, an elementary student at the school, to the Harvest gym one day in December to watch a basketball tournament. He crossed paths with athletic director Ray DeBord, who needed a replacement for Rick Jackson, who had resigned as coach.
"He said, 'Well, you wouldn't be interested in a job over here, would you?'," Teague said. "He was kind of smiling and chuckling ... I said, 'Well, I might be.' "
Teague volunteered at Harvest a bit last season. That was after his first coaching experience as an intern for Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Dave Campo, his coach with the Cowboys.
DeBord said he didn't want an immediate answer, telling Teague to pray about it. But DeBord wanted a three-year commitment.
A few weeks later, Teague took the job.
"The fact that he would be willing to come to this small of a school already indicated to me that George does not have a problem with his ego," DeBord said. "I'm so impressed with his work ethic. He's got the kids working hard. He's a real leader and his expectations are not beyond the capabilities of the kids here."
Teague has since gotten calls from two NFL teams. But he's committed to building Harvest, which has been to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools playoffs twice since moving from six-man competition to 11-man in 2000, losing in the first round both times (2000, 2002).
"I've got a long-term vision as far as being here ... win a state championship, and it doesn't mean it has to be five, 10 years down the road, and I want to be a nationally ranked team," Teague said. "I know I can't do that in a short-term type of deal."
The Saints lost their first two games, the most recent 14-8 Friday after giving up two touchdowns in the final five minutes. They have two more home games before district play.
Teague carried some of the intensity he had as a player into coaching. He has also tried to develop a style molding things he learned from coaches he played for at Alabama and in the NFL for Dallas, Green Bay and Miami.
"Jimmy Johnson just scared you to death basically," he remembered. "You never knew if you were going to start, play or be cut. Dick Jauron always seemed like a true player's coach. Then you've got Campo, just a fireplug, a motivator trying to get you up, and a great teacher."
Teague's biggest challenge was just doing things different at Harvest. One of his first acts was to begin a mandatory strength and conditioning program.
"I hope we've established the beginning of our new program," he said. "We've changed the slogan: We're Building Champions. Building, we're in that phase."
Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press
.
.
:cool: