Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/180984
of great memories in my years at Penn State." Munchak's coaching career began in 1994 with the Oilers. When the franchise relocated to Tennessee in 1997 and was renamed the Titans, he remained with the only team he had known at the professional level. He served as their offensive line coach until 2010, when he was named their new head coach, replacing Jeff Fisher, who had led Tennessee to one Super Bowl and six playoff appearances, including a trip to the 2002 AFC championship game. In 2011, his first season at the helm, the Titans finished 9-7 before slipping to 6-10 in 2012. Through three games in 2013, Tennessee was 2-1. Before the start of the season, many picked the Titans to show great improvement over their sixwin campaign last fall and possibly return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. "I think we did a good job when the season ended last year making some of opportunity to be in this position in a game that has been a part of my life for a long, long time," Munchak said. "To be in this position is a great honor for me, and I take pride in my background, my Penn State background with Coach Paterno, so I've had a lot of help and support to get here." When he was hired as the Titans' head coach, he had instant credibility as someone who had paid his dues as an assistant and also as someone who had been a longtime member of the Tennessee organization. However, he also had several additional bullet points on his football resume. He not only played the game in the NFL for 12 seasons with the Oilers, but also was elected into the hallowed halls of Canton in 2001, seven years after his retirement. Munchak agrees that being a former player gave him some instant cred with his players, at least THIRD AND GOAL early on, but he believes that The Titans went goodwill usually only lasts for a 15-17 in Munvery short period of time. "I think mostly it's overrated. It all dechak's first two pends on the person. There's no seasons as head Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Titans doubt if you played, yeah, maybe coach but are it gives you credibility when you the changes we needed to expected to be walk in the door. That may give make with some of the peryou some cred for a short period sonnel and coaching improved this fall. of time, but it doesn't change changes, and we're excited what you can teach them and about the direction of the " team, Munchak said prior to this season. how you can make them better, he said. " "We're excited about what we have. We "If I'm going to make them better and like our team and what our possibilities help them win, it really doesn't matter if I I played or not. " are." As with most coaches, the most rewarding part of his job is seeing players buy into what he's preaching and that moment when the light bulb goes on and he sees every member of his team playing up to their full potential and sees his team in turn also accomplishing its goals. Of course, there are other parts of being an NFL head coach that he enjoys, like helping determine the mix of the 53 players on his opening-week roster. And while he realizes he has a job that is clearly demanding and time-consuming, he also realizes how fortunate he is to be in such a select group, as one of only 32 NFL head coaches. "I think it's a great