Q&A with Cullen Carroll about changes to winter conditioning

The work never stops. Stanford's football players, with the help of the strength and conditioning staff led by Cullen Carroll, are battling the current versions of themselves during winter workouts in an effort to be better for next season.

The infamous 6 a.m. training sessions began this week and the Cardinal have reportedly embraced some changes to the program. Last year, the Cardinal limped their way to a 4-8 season -- the worst record for the program since 2007 -- and the returning players are focused on addressing the failures that occurred in games with physical and mental training in workouts with Carroll.

Spring practices begin at the end of the month and the first open practice for fans to see the results of what the players have done so far is Saturday, Feb. 29, at 12:45.

Carroll shared his thoughts on winter workouts and more with Cardinal Sports Report in a recent interview.

It’s common for coaches to talk about changes to a scheme or to emphasize something like run blocking in the off-season, what is the equivalent for you during and after the season? What did that lead to in winter workouts?

“You have to have that evaluative process. Every year you have to dive back into what you did that you thought went well, what you did that you think you can do better.

I think from a program standpoint -- down in the weight room and on the field -- we needed to place a greater emphasis on starting fast and finishing strong. I think you saw last year that quite a lot of our problems came from not starting fast and then not finishing strong in those games.

“(We put) more emphasis in our training about the beginning being the most important part, then staying focused during the middle of our training time, and then putting a huge emphasis on finding ways to finish. We put guys in adverse situations -- situations that are positive for them so they can handle the success or handle a lead.

“I think that’s one of the major evaluations we made as a sports performance staff: How many situations can we put these guys in where they’re starting fast and finishing strong?”

That’s interesting because you’re identifying on-field problems and trying to address them with matching scenarios in your realm. Can you provide any examples of how you’re doing that?

“It is situational, so if guys can be exposed to scenarios that are very similar to what they will be exposed to out on the field, whether that be in practice or in games, it’s going to be beneficial because they’ve been there before.

“Making sure that in the weight room, before we start any of our training there is always some type of start-fast team challenge that the team has to successfully complete before we move into the actual physical training.

“At the end of the training session there always is some type of competition: one-on-one, relay races, offense versus defense, line versus line, big skill versus big skill, skill versus skill. Again, trying to put them in situations that may be fair, they may be unfair.

"To the victor goes the spoils and then to the loser there are consequences. We’re trying to put them in as many situations like that as possible. I think it’s going to be really beneficial and the guys are really thriving off that environment.”

Do you mind sharing an example of what they have to accomplish before the training begins?

“It varies from core challenge, to a mental discipline challenge, to a jump rope challenge in which they’re given certain tasks that have to be completed on command. Things like that that build each day so you can’t really fall back on something you’ve experienced before.

"There’s going to be some change. You need to adapt and overcome. It’s usually heart-rate elevating based and it’s usually core-activation based.”

Are you drawing from your own experience of seeing this work and do you guys talk to people outside the program about what they did to accomplish what you want to do? What’s your process for why this is what you’re doing?

“I think it’s a multitude of factors. I’m blessed with a very, very talented, very knowledgeable, staff that is very well read. They are up to date on the latest research.

"They are very well connected socially in terms of what’s working and not working at other programs. From a peer standpoint, I think we have a lot of really good input from sources that we trust.

“Also, we make sure we’re honing in on the details of what we as a program have in terms of expectations. It’s not so much re-inventing the wheel, it’s re-emphasizing how important it is to make sure we’ll all headed in the same direction.”

Is the team where you want them to be right now?

“It’s a long process this off-season. In terms of the team being where we need them to be, I’d say we have so much more to gain and so much more to grow. I think from a foundational level -- building a strong foundation so that the group culturally and physically continues to build -- I think we’re in a great spot right now.

Guys who are in the older tiers have embraced the changes that we’ve made. They really are responding well to that. Our younger guys, they’re just hungry and driven and anything we throw at them they’re excited about competing and getting better.”

Is anyone in particular stepping up as leaders?

“I think it’s some of those guys who we’ve leaned on in the past in the unity council, like Malik Antoine and Drew Dalman and Jordan Fox. Those guys are not new to that leadership role.

"I think they’ve done a great job with our staff of reflecting on what they did well as leaders and what they know they can do better as leaders. As a collective culture that unity council has a great responsibility in front of them and they’re treating it as such.

"The 16 members of our leadership council, I think all of them are doing a great job of embracing that role and demanding things of their teammates -- not their friends, their teammates.”

From this time last year what has been the most important personal development for you in this job?

“I’ve had a lot of time to reflect. Last year there were a lot of challenges that were thrown our way. There was a lot of adversity that we dealt with as a football program and a staff. I made sure I grew from that process.

"And with having a full staff, I make sure I’m utilizing all their talents and everything they can bring to the table to make us a better football program. I think that’s the biggest improvement I’ve made is having all those resources at our disposal and then making sure that we have a great plan and then execute it at a high level.

“My staff and I are all on the same page about what we’re expecting from each other and what we’re expecting from the athletes. Right now that’s a good system we have right now.”

Speaking of your team, can you be specific about what each one has brought to it?

“Coach (Darius) Reese has been my right-hand man in terms of the operational standards of the program. He knows what I’m expecting. He knows what is expected of the staff. Coach (James) Perez brings different exposures in training programs he’s had to enforce our … speed and acceleration drills. We expanded our sports science … and I think Coach (Sam) Contorno has taken that head on in terms of organizing information and allowing us to make informed decisions. And our new hire, Coach (Matt) Gebert brings great energy to the floor. I think it’s going to be exciting to watch him grow with our guys.”

What gets sent to the incoming freshman for them to work on before they get to campus? How much, if any, contact do you have with those guys?

“In their recruiting process we’ve gone over what we as a sports performance and a football program value from a movement standpoint -- those fundamentals of being able to control your body and demonstrate the ability to do the right thing and execute with the team.

"That’s really what we’ve been emphasizing from the beginning of the recruiting process. Now that they are signed, there is some correspondence between me and the signees based on simple questionnaires telling me about themselves personally, telling me about themselves nutritionally, what their goals and aspirations are.

“They also have fundamentals packages that are sent out with an instructional video. The fundamentals packet is very, very basic. It’s a 12-week program that’s going to help them understand the standards and expectations for movement so that when they get to our campus we can strip all those things down and really see how they move and help them develop.

“Right now, it’s about them understanding what we do, what we need them to do well to come in in June and compete with their teammates and contribute.”

I imagine you try to hit that happy, productive balance between them making progress before they get here while not doing things wrong and building bad habits you have to break. With that in mind, last year who stood out because they showed up ready to go?

“I think you bring up a good point because we’ve had some of the correspondence with this class and they ask, “What should I weigh?” My answer to all of them is be who you are when you show up. The weight that you are when you show up in June, that’s where I want you because that’s who you are. I don’t want you worrying about our numbers on the roster or anyone in the conference. You shouldn’t be comparing yourself to those types of things.

“If you can compete with the program and be able to run with the team, that’s going to put you in the best position to be successful. I think a lot of those guys had success last year.

“I think two guys who really stood out to me were Jonathan McGill and Kyu Kelly. They came in and athletically they could compete with the older guys, but more importantly the process of what it took to compete with the older guys, those guys were dialed into the details. They were the ones who benefitted early on and then their teammates in that signing class caught up.

“That would be my hope and expectation for this 2020 class is that the guys who have been committed to doing that fundamentals program correctly so that when they show up … it is old hat for them at that point. The veterans recognize that and they appreciate that. Things begin to build from there.”

Every year for a while now Stanford has had to integrate returning LDS missionaries. What is the challenge of getting those guys back into football shape? Do you have any expectations for what it will be like for Tanner McKee?

“I’m fired to get Tanner and I’m always fired up to get those older guys who have a little higher level of maturity. I think that their maturity level is always a great benefit for the class that they’re showing up with. Not only do they have relationships with some of the older players on the team, but they’re hungry and driven to get on their level quicker. They have a great urgency.

“They show up with those fresh-out-of-high-school signees, I think that class is drawn to that player more times than not and feeds off that person’s maturity. I also think a lot of it has to do with they’re excited to get coached. They’ve been absent from a program for two years in terms of having someone coach them, hold them to standards, give them feedback.

“Their excitement to be involved in the team atmosphere again always plays out to their benefit and ultimately it plays out in our benefit too because guys want to get on their level. Like I said, I’m fired up for Tanner to get here.”