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SPORTS & FITNESS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 9, 2024 


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit.
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness.

HUDDLE UP

With HARVEY HYDE


“USC DEFENSIVE DEVELOPMENT”

In my mind, defense has always been the backbone of any great 
football program. Yes, offense pleases the crowds and fans, but 
defense wins championships!

The defensive mind set: “Wear the offense down/ deliver the blow/ 
make the tackle/ force the turnovers/ take away the big plays/ find 
the football and go get it!” It should be fun to play defense and not 
have any question about our ability to stop the opponent and win the 
game. Defense has as much right to the football as the offense. 

This has not happened at USC over the past several years. They have become soft, lost confidence 
and the confidence of fans that “defense will get us back the ball.” Why? Simply because defense 
has not been the focus. It’s been “showtime!” Attention has been on receivers, wide open offenses, 
scoring big. Focus has not been on the balanced concentration needed to be a success in all 
possible situations.

Other team defenses have been able to get to USC offenses. Some quirks with the Trojan offense: 
no 2-back sets; not using the tight ends; no going under center with the QB in short yardage; not 
developing successful running series to keep the defense off balance. They can’t win a PAC-12 
championship with a Heisman Trophy winner at Quarterback? Better defense could have helped. 

Defensive changes at USC have been overdue. Coach Lincoln Riley finally has figured it out that 
what they were doing wasn’t working. So let’s clean house on the defensive side of the ball. New 
coaches. That’s the answer? Maybe.

Coaches need to know that it starts with players that they can motivate and develop. Players have 
gotta be put in positions that fit their mindset and ability, taught to understand their assignment 
and not be thinking about what they should do. You can’t ask players to perform assignments that 
are impossible to achieve. Let’s get the best eleven players on the field, and establish strength in 
each position. 

The reason so many highly-ranked high school players have not worked out is because of lack 
of development, and being asked to play a position that does not match their skills and abilities. 
Recruiting on defense was not a priority. I say get the players who can play…. Not the “maybes.” 
Get great local players, then look to the national scene. Coaches need to have material to work 
with that can be used to build that strong defense. Balanced recruiting is key. Let’s not overload 
certain positions with kids who want to play but lose confidence because they don’t get their turn. 

The new defensive staff has made their goals known in their recent press conference to media that 
was a good presentation. 

 Coach D’Anton Lynn, the new Defensive Coordinator has discussed his philosophy that lays 
down his plan on how to build a defense: Coaching, personnel, development. 

Defensive Line coach Eric Henderson (from the Rams) tells a story of his success and the sacrifices 
one must make to succeed on and off the field. I enjoyed the message. 

Linebacker Coach, Matt Entz (North Dakota State ) says it all. He came to SC for great traditions, 
where one could move to a power 5 head coach job, have the pride of wearing an SC jersey. He is 
looking for size, speed and power in his backing crew. 

Coach Shaun Nua is a holdover (USC) and will coach defensive ends to bring strength and 
maturity to that position. 

Secondary Coach Doug Belk (Houston) was a defensive coordinator with experience who will 
coach a group of athletes who have struggled. (but I did like their performance in the Holiday 
Bowl. His goal, no missed tackles, play shoulder tackling, move those feet, bring players to the 
ground. It’s not a difficult game.

All four new coaches were strong, committed and proud to be Trojans. By the way, new running 
back coach Anthony Jones (TCU) will add to the offense mix. This all sounds great, however,

believing in yourself and teammates is critical. Both offense and defense need to feel confident 
about both sides of the ball. Now…. the next question: What about special teams? Direction is 
badly needed! What’s up coach? OR maybe you already know. You may have told us and I missed 
it.. At any rate… the season opens with LSU on Labor Day Weekend in Las Vegas!

Huddle up and Buckle up!

Follow me at: coachharvey Hyde/ or harveyhyde,com 

JUST ONE MORE

We've all been there. We know what our 
bodies are capable of, especially when it 
comes to our workouts. But sometimes, 
it just seems easier to do less. Maybe we 
convince ourselves that skipping a run is 
ok or lifting lighter weights is better than 
doing nothing. Over the years, I've seen 
many fitness participants who were once 
super fit and strong end up losing that edge. 
Life throws curveballs – a move, tighter 
finances, or other unexpected changes – 
and suddenly, the whole workout routine 
gets upended. Figuring out how to shift 
gears, how to make sure you're still keeping up your fitness, and holding onto the gains you 
worked hard for becomes a real puzzle. It's a challenge to navigate these changes and make 
sure you're not giving up on all the benefits you've earned through your efforts.

If you've been engaged in strength training, stretching, cardio, hiking, or other physically 
demanding activities, it's crucial to recognize that simply "going for a walk" isn't a 
comparable substitute. While taking occasional breaks or easing up on intensity can be 
beneficial and even necessary at times, consistently opting for a less demanding approach 
can lead to significant consequences in the long run. It might seem like not pushing 
yourself to your full potential (as opposed to not exercising at all) won't make a noticeable 
difference, but the results are impactful. Think about some of these potential outcomes 
that you may not be fully aware of.

While your physical fitness may not undergo a drastic decline, there's a notable risk of 
falling short of your maximum potential when it comes to cardiovascular health, muscular 
strength, and endurance. The commitment of time and effort to exercise is rooted in the 
belief that it's worthwhile – to maximize these efforts, pushing your limits is crucial. When 
you opt for less intense or varied exercises, you inadvertently limit your progress. This can 
affect development in terms of muscle growth, weight loss, or reaching overarching fitness 
objectives. It’s also more likely that you'll spend more time exercising without reaping the 
full spectrum of benefits. You’re investing more hours without witnessing a proportional 
return on your fitness investment. To get the most out of your commitment to exercise, 
embracing challenges and pushing beyond your comfort zone is indispensable.

Opting not to push your physical limits not only risks hitting a plateau in your results 
but also impedes the potential for continuous improvement. In the realm of activities 
involving skill development, backing off may mean missing opportunities to improve 
technique, coordination, and overall proficiency. The human body is remarkably adaptive 
– it adjusts to the level of exercise it regularly encounters. Actively challenging yourself 
becomes the catalyst for breaking through plateaus and unlocking ongoing enhancements 
in performance and results. When you refrain from pushing your boundaries, you 
inadvertently extend the duration of your workouts without reaping commensurate 
benefits. A scenario where the time spent exercising doesn't align with the outcomes 
achieved. Embracing challenges ensures that each session contributes to your overall 
progress, creating a positive cycle of advancement and accomplishment.

Not giving it your all may also lead to a lack of motivation over time. Achieving and 
surpassing personal goals can be a strong motivator for continued exercise. Doing less than 
what you know you can do starts a process of gradual decline. Staying in your comfort zone 
erodes the psychological rewards that come with conquering challenges in your fitness 
journey. To make the most of your commitment to exercise, actively seek challenges, 
consistently push beyond your comfort zone, and enjoy the satisfaction of achieving and 
exceeding your personal goals. 

Remember exercise isn’t just for your body. Your brain needs it too. Reap the cognitive 
benefits of working out. High-intensity exercise has been linked to improved cognitive 
function and memory. By not exercising to your full potential, you may miss out on some 
of these cognitive benefits. Mental health is vitally important too. While you may still 
experience some benefits from moderate exercise, pushing yourself to your full potential 
can lead to greater releases of endorphins, contributing to an improved mood and mental 
well-being.

It's important to strike a balance between pushing yourself and allowing for adequate rest 
and recovery. Learn to recognize when your body needs rest or when you can push a bit 
harder. Become aware of when you can do “just one more.” Obviously if your body is 
showing physical signals such as fatigue, soreness, and pain it’s time to back off a little. But 
if not, and you just don’t feel like it, remember it’s a lot harder to get fit than stay fit. Instead 
of just treading water, focus on propelling yourself forward.


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