Van Pelt sidelined in Buffalo
When Alex Van Pelt played quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, he was considered to be a coach on the field.
He knew his job. He knew his teammates' jobs. Heck, he probably knew the responsibilities of owner Ralph Wilson's chauffer.
It should surprise nobody that Van Pelt has chosen to make coaching his post-playing career profession. He's now in his second year as the Bills offensive quality control coach and loving every minute of it.
So what's a quality control coach do?
In Van Pelt's case, he's in charge of getting the other coaches ready for practice each day during training camp at St. John Fisher College, scripting what plays will be run. When the NFL season opens, he'll break down film of the next opponent, help develop a game plan and physically put together the playbooks that each player will receive.
The quality control coach is the guy who sweeps the floor and turns off the lights at the deli. He's the guy in the law firm writing briefs and adding paper at the copy machine. He's the laborer on the construction site.
"It's a dues-paying job and it should be," Van Pelt said the other day. "If you want to coach in this league, it helps you. As an ex-player, you think you know a lot about football but until you really dissect it, break down film and put together a game plan, you don't realize how much you don't know. Just seeing how much work goes into getting the playbooks together to hand out on Monday and Tuesday, you take that for granted as a player."
Only four out of 17 coaches on Buffalo's staff played in the NFL — head coach Dick Jauron, quarterbacks coach Turk Schonert, defensive line coach Bill Kollar and Van Pelt.
There are good reasons for that low number: Well-paid players really don't need to work again providing they didn't invest in any Texas snow ski resorts. Playing a sport doesn't mean you can coach a sport; effectively teaching something is a gift. The hours are nothing short of sadistic.
During the season, Van Pelt will arrive at the stadium at 6 a.m. and won't leave until 10 p.m.
"Players have no idea, none," said Van Pelt, 37, who played nine seasons for the Bills after a stellar college career at Pitt where he broke the records of some guy named Dan Marino. "The hours of discussion that go into figuring out what run plays to use, how will we pick up a blitz, what do you like on goal-line?"
The good news? Coaching can be good for your health. The popular Van Pelt, who lived the life of the reliable but cuddly backup quarterback to its fullest, has lost 30 pounds since retiring in 2003.
At 212, "it's the lowest I've been since my rookie year," he said. "Quality control makes you lose weight — you have no time to eat."
Back home, his wife, Brooke, is working on her sainthood like so many coaches' wives before her. The Van Pelts have three children ages 7, 5 and 2.
"She did well last year, even though it's still wild at home with three young kids," Van Pelt said. "She always knew I'd coach."
Two years as color analyst in the Bills radio booth kept Van Pelt in touch with the game and the team he played in 31 games for with 11 starts.
Doing film work for former coach Mike Mularkey on a volunteer basis in 2005, coaching in NFL Europe, then taking a job as passing game coordinator at the University at Buffalo in 2006 was all Van Pelt needed to convince Jauron of his dedication and drive.
Being hired on Jauron's staff has extended Van Pelt's consecutive years of service to the Bills in some capacity to 13 seasons, making him a great gauge for where the team has been and where it's going.
Van Pelt was a member of the team's last playoff club in 1999. Will the postseason drought ever end?
"Well, we're building it right now," he said. "Last year was the first step and this year, with the improvements we've made, we're shooting for it."
Van Pelt sees an improved offensive line as the key to helping the passing game, allowing the tight ends to release into the pattern more often.
As for a sheer talent upgrade, he thinks rookie running back Marshawn Lynch is the best back the Bills have had since Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas left eight seasons ago.
"He's like Thurman and he might be faster," Van Pelt said. "Hands, instincts, pass protection, running routes ... The things that made Thurman great, Marshawn does."
As for the player he knows best because he plays his old position — quarterback — J.P. Losman's game is "night and day compared to last year."
Van Pelt, a tough Pennsylvania boy, paid Losman, who hails from Southern California, the ultimate compliment when describing his competitiveness.
"He responds well to hard coaching," said Van Pelt, referring to the rented mule treatment Losman gets from Schonert and coordinator Steve Fairchild. "I think he actually likes it. He's a tough kid and he's competitive as heck. That's the one thing that stands out about J.P., like all the great players."
Van Pelt wasn't a great player. But he was a great teammate. Destined to be a coach.
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