During his first meeting of preseason camp with Utah's quarterbacks, Dave Schramm stressed that everything they do will be judged.
They're not the only ones.
As a first-time offensive coordinator after two decades in college coaching, Schramm is assuming a job that 45,000 people seemingly believe they could perform just as well or better, and he knows they expect much from him.
"That's great," he said. "I've been in places where nobody cares. I'd rather have it this way."
There's intrigue about where Schramm will take the Ute offense, after he spent four seasons coaching the running backs under former offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. Right now, he's the Paul Millsap to Ludwig's Carlos Boozer in the minds of Ute followers who never embraced Ludwig, now working at California.
Mix in the promises that Schramm is developing a true spread scheme resembling the look of the 2004 Ute offense with a fast-tempo, no-huddle approach, and the expectations of more points, yards and flair rise even higher.
Schramm just might deliver all of that. He'd better, in a culture that asks a lot of an offensive coordinator. In comparison, new defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake will be evaluated far less closely. That's partly because Ute coach Kyle Whittingham is heavily involved with the defense, but mostly a result of higher standards for offensive performance and entertainment value.
As Schramm said with a knowing smile, "They want it to be a trick play and a touchdown, every single play."
I'm not sure Ute fans are more demanding than anybody else's in college football, but they do want a lot from their offense. The grumbling about Ludwig began after Utah's third game of his first year and never really stopped, not even during a perfect '08 season when the Utes averaged 400 yards and led the Mountain West Conference with 36.9 points a game.
So here comes Schramm, recognizing what he's getting into after formerly being the mysterious, bald guy who stood on the sideline and made the personnel substitutions accompanying Ludwig's play-calls.
"I understand the [fans'] passion," he said. "I'm glad they have it. I want them to have it."
He shares their intensity. Unlike the studious, mild-mannered Ludwig, whose background was mostly as a quarterbacks coach, Schramm is accustomed to working with other positions that require aggressiveness.
"He's making the transition well," said Ute quarterback Corbin Louks. "Sometimes we'll catch him being really fiery like he was with his running backs. But it's great. We love it. He's a very enthusiastic coach and we're having fun."
Whittingham cited Schramm's varied experience and understanding of the entire offense in promoting him, even if there was some risk in having him coach quarterbacks for the first time -- in a year when the staff must pick and develop a new starter. Schramm is not feeling pressure about that decision, believing the competition will play itself out. He also has long prepared himself to coach QBs after observing Ted Tollner for eight seasons at San Diego State, where he also worked with New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild.
In advance of the Sept. 3 season opener against Utah State, Schramm said, "How do you possibly put each guy in every possible situation that he's going to face? Well, you can't, because you don't have a crystal ball. But you've got to try to teach them how to be a quarterback in those situations."
Similarly, Schramm is bracing himself for everything that comes with his job. Speaking of his style of coaching quarterbacks, he said, "If they're worried about me jumping their butt, they're going to worry about 45,000 [fans] jumping their butt, so they can't worry about me."
In turn, Schramm's message to the fans is to boo him, not the players. While hoping such treatment is unnecessary, he knows it's inevitable. The coach who never shields his shaved head with a cap apparently can take the heat.
