Stubblefields

Before you read any further, understand this notion clearly: WE SIGNED UP FOR THIS LIFE. Three years ago, out of the blue (its been well documented), I was without a job and was forever blessed when @CoachDickert pulled my family and me out of the figurative scrapyard in Virginia and salvaged us to the Palouse. It’s standard practice for an assistant coach’s contract to be tied to their HC’s one; whatever the HC unilaterally chooses to do with his career, our futures as assistants are also tied to that choice. Sometimes those choices personally work in our favor, other times they don’t. Inoke Breckterfield @CoachNokesDL is my childhood friend/bradda—my TokoUso if you will. He was the University of Washington’s DL coach for the past 2 years. He was part of the debris left in the wake of the Washington/Alabama HC transition; Alabama decided to keep their incubent DL coach thus making Inoke the odd-man out. Three years ago, that was me at UVA enduring tons of ambiguity surrounding my professional future. It’s hard to mentally grasp because you didn’t get fired, but you’re still without a job. I am particular about what I post on my social media platforms. I felt strongly to highlight Inoke because our profession is in desperate need to find and keep men of substance. I emphatically put my stamp of approval that Inoke is one of them. Hell, the most baffling thing to me is that he was coaching his ass off in the National Championship game against Michigan last week and then 3 days later he’s jobless. Shoot, come to think of it, that scenario will also happen to the 10 assistants of the National Champs at Michigan should Coach H. take a NFL HC job in the near future. Again, that’s our crazy profession and exactly what we signed-up for when we entered it. Nokes, I just wanted you to know that your brother in Pullman is thinking of you. We’re just two fwams from the 808 tryna make it in this dog-eat-dog world. Head back, chin up, chest out, and let’s attack this situation like we do everything else: with God at the helm giving everything we got. I’m sure you’ll land someplace soon (you’re too good a coach not to) but I understand these unsettling times so I wanted you to know I have your six. Truth be told, I hope Coach F keeps you on at UW. You got me in Pullman our first Apple Cup and we were 5 seconds away from kickin’ your asses out of the CFP (that one still stings) this year. I gotta get one on you, Boso. Love you, my bradda🤟🏾 Mark Atuaia