Basically the night before the game is filled with meetings, eating, and waiting.  You have various meetings, reviewing film and talking about the “keys” to the game.  Some coaches get nervous before games and some are very relaxed and easy going.  Coach Hill is always relaxed.  He exudes that been there, done that attitude that can calm a nervous player.  After arrival at the hotel the team is steered to a dinning room to eat.  This is probably the best “perk” to being on the team (if there are any), and the part that I will miss severely.  The night is kick started with a smorgasbord of food from Ruby River.  Then after you have eaten to your hearts content you retire to your room for a bit to get ready for the fireside.  (the firesides are something I will address later)

After the fireside the defense goes to campus for another walk through before, what my wife calls, second dinner.  At around 9 o’clock we have a snack of cheese burgers, hot wings and everything else.  You are most certainly not left wanting.  After second dinner you head back to your room to watch some TV or film and normally lights are out by 10:30 or so.

The night before games are for the most part uneventful.  You eat, meet, and wait for the next walk through.  One thing that is not looked kindly upon is being late to anything.  And by late I mean 15 seconds.  Coach Mendenhall runs an extremely tight ship.  For instance the morning walk through normally starts promptly at 7 or 8 depending on kick-off time.  If it is planned to start at 8 then Bronco is outside at 7 pacing the parking lot, watching his watch like a hawk.  Then, at the stroke of 8 the walk through begin, but not a moment before.  I always got a chuckle when I would look out the window in the morning and Bronco was out in the parking lot, alone, pacing.

Hey, to each his own, some players are extremely loose before games.  Some are completely uptight.  Some guys can laugh and joke and some are so nervous that they can’t eat or talk.  It is an interesting dynamic.  One thing that is for sure is as the team gets closer to the stadium, everyone starts to get more serious, quite, and focused.  It epitomizes the phrase, the quiet before the storm.