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cavalier profile CHARLES WAY Alum • Football Charles Way ('95) never scored a point nor did he make ers may not buy in and, in extreme cases, even rebel." Obviously, as the head coach of the Giants who play in ized along with co-owner John Mara and general man- ager Jerry Reese that Coughlin had to loosen up and become more approachable if the team was to succeed. A fullback during his playing days at Virginia, Way classi- fies himself as a "liaison between the players and coaches." In this case, Coughlin was his primary "client." a tackle during either of the New York Giants' two Super Bowl victories over the New England Patriots. Instead, his contributions to the Giants were more subtle in nature and centered on notoriously tightly wound head coach Tom Coughlin. Way, the Giants' director of player development, real- stood by his core values and who never waivered in his core values, but who changed his delivery," Way was quoted as saying in Psychology Today. "Leaders can seem aloof and stern. They make the rules, enforce the rules and sometimes make decisions that aren't favored by the larger team. "If the delivery is distant and uncompromising, follow- "Coach Coughlin is a prime example of someone that tween the players and coaches — Coughlin in particular. "He cares about his players, but we've talked about how he could get the most out of each player," said Way, who a media fishbowl where any move or decision is scruti- nized, Coughlin might as well wear a target on his back. That level of scrutiny would have been ratcheted up a notch if the Giants lost either or both Super Bowls and stumbled over their own cleats. Enter Way who, in his words, helped build "a bridge" be- played parts of five seasons with the Giants. "The last thing any coach wants to do is lose his team. You don't want them questioning you. If anything, it's helpful if they view you as a father figure. "Tom needed to change his ways and spend more time with his players. He had to show them he was a regular person — like a grandfather would with his grandchil- dren." Understandably in his position as director of player development, Way has to understand his players. That's one message he conveyed to Coughlin. "Tom worked at becoming more accessible to his play- ers while at the same time proving that he cared," Way said. — Mike Scandura ◆ Photo courtesy UVa