BC’s Matusz has eye toward NFL Combine
Boston College first year strength and conditioning coach Phil Matusz is bringing the NFL experience to spring football.
BC coach Jeff Hafley hired both an experienced body builder and an innovative thinker when he brought Matusz with him from Ohio State to refashion the Eagles’ training programs.
Before Hafley and his staff begin evaluating talent and installing new systems, Matusz will put the players through an exact replica of the NFL Combine.
“We had a really good winter phase and right now we are transitioning into obviously spring ball,” said Matusz during an introductory press conference on Monday at Conte Forum.
“The first half of this week is dedicated to our BC Combines and on Wednesday we are going to execute an NFL style combine here at BC.”
The Eagles will perform every convoluted drill that the nation’s elite college players will undergo at the NFL Combines on Feb. 23 to March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
Matusz said the BC Combines will be a reliable dress rehearsal for potential draft picks that get invited to the NFL showcase.
“They are going to run and test and (Monday) they did measurements and orientation type activities,” said Matusz. “We are prepping them and when their time comes to go to the NFL Combines, their arrival date in Indy will look like this.
“The interviews, the medical screenings, the physicals and more interviews and what day 2 looks like and what day 3 looks like. You don’t start physical activity at the Combine until the last two days there.
“The last day you are doing position drills so we are literally prepping them almost identical to the NFL Combines in 2020.”
Matusz started three seasons on the defensive line at Villanova and, once certified, became the Wildcats strength and conditioning coach.
Matusz first introduced his Combines concept at Villanova and took to another level when he joined Ryan Day’s staff at Ohio State. Matusz said he plans to expand the regimen beyond the Buckeye Combines he instituted at OSU.
“It is very fortunate that we can do it at the time we are doing it because the NFL Combines are coming up and we have spring ball this week,” said Matusz.
“Allowing us to do it now before it even hits, that’s even better. I’m firm believer that as soon as you step on campus you are preparing for that day, preparing for that moment.
“For us as a strength staff, if we don’t integrate that, if we don’t prepare for that, what are you really preparing for? You are not setting this kid up for success when all of a sudden you have a product from BC that didn’t test well at the Combines.”
Matusz relationship with the BC Sports Medicine dept. is equally important as the one he develops with Hafley and the staff. After meeting with the trainers, Matusz began developing weight and exercise program specific to each position.
Strength and conditioning coaches have the leeway introduce measure of levity and competitive initiatives into the routines, an activity currently underway at the Fish Fieldhouse.
“I’m all about the delivery and we make it fun,” said Matusz. “We’ve loved the integration so far and it’s going to be tough and it’s going to be built on love and we are going to compete.
“Everyday they are competing against somebody. From the very first day they know their matchup so they talk trash all week.
“We post on Friday and they start chirping at each other. The head coach and I are on the same page and our delivery is going to be authentic and genuine and catered to where every athlete is at.”