Linebackers coach Feeney, players learning together
Matt Feeney has learned how to handle it.
Time and time again, he has heard the references to Mr. Feeny, the teacher/ principal/college professor on the 1990s TV sitcom “Boy Meets World.” He has stood there with a smile on his face as people have fallen over themselves trying to make a joke he has probably heard before.
“It’s one of my favorite shows, ironically,” Feeney said recently.
But the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga inside linebackers coach does have something in common with the TV character — he knows how to instruct.
After a solid playing career at John Carroll University, during which he was named the Ohio Athletic Conference’s most outstanding linebacker as a senior, Feeney jumped directly into coaching. He spent three seasons on staff with new UTC head coach Tom Arth at John Carroll, coaching all-conference selections and All-Americans in his time at the Division III program.
“I don’t know if I could find a better young coach,” Arth said. “He’s 24, 25 years old, but he’s so smart. He knows the game, he’s so far beyond his years, he’s really remarkable and his ability to teach is outstanding.
“He has such a bright future, and we’re fortunate to have him.”
Feeney has his work cut out for him his first season with the Mocs. He returns one starter in his position group, Dale Warren, with talented converted safety Tae Davis manning the other spot. He hasn’t had T.J. Jenkins all spring, because the 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior who was a backup to All-American Nakevion Leslie has been out.
The team is also changing its style, going from four down linemen to three, with four linebackers taking the place of two linebackers and a dime. The adjustments haven’t always come easy, but Feeney feels confident in the group’s ability.
“We play a lot more three down, which is a little bit different,” he said. “The gaps get blurry, so we talk about leveraging the ball carriers, which allows them to be instinctual off the cut of the (running) back. That’s where the footwork comes into play. We don’t want guys crossing over in the box and stepping over themselves, so the biggest focus is changing our vision through the line to the back.
“We have a great defensive line in front of us, and (defensive line coach Brian) Cochran does an incredible job, so the path of the back will change when they penetrate through the line of scrimmage.”
With talented players such as Davis, Warren, Jenkins and junior Michael Bean, to name a few, the group is starting to figure out what it can do. Now it’s Feeney’s job to take their skill sets further and bring the best out of them.
“These guys have been giving it their all since we’ve been here,” he said. “They’ve done an incredible job. (New defensive coordinator Tom) Kaufman has stepped in, taken control and done an incredible job.
“The guys are buying into what he does and what we do as a linebacker unit.”
“He knows the game, he’s so far beyond his years, he’s really remarkable and his ability to teach is outstanding.”
– TOM ARTH