Texas Tech football: Matt Wells gives interesting 2020 insights in radio interview
What he’s told his team in the wake of the George Floyd murder
Like every head football coach in the nation, Wells finds himself in an important position right now given the continued national outcry over the murder of George Floyd. It has to be an unusual and trying time for a coach to try to work through such a charged social issue, one that has ramifications that dwarf anything that could happen on the gridiron. Perhaps never before has being the leader of a hundred young men, most of whom are African American, been so daunting yet so rewarding.
Wells has released a statement on Twitter and so too has the Texas Tech football program with both taking a stand against racial injustice. Still, it was interesting to hear a more candid response from him about how he and his staff have been trying to help their players through this unique period in the history of our nation’s continued civil rights movement.
"“Yeah, Matt, it’s been extremely important it’s been…you know from my standpoint an opportunity for me to listen, to learn, and to hear many of our players,” Wells said. “Even you know, I think in light of everything that’s gone on, very terrible by the way and disgusting, inhumane, but from the standpoint of your question, I think it’s allowed some of our guys, many of our guys, to open up and express their thoughts their feelings. Also it’s an opportunity really learn more about things they grew up with, things they grew up around.”"
Perhaps the most important aspect of Floyd’s murder is the opportunity for our nation to continue to have increased dialogue about where we are as a society. And when that dialogue is led by the young African American leaders our country is fortunate to have, it will only resonate more soundly. That’s what Wells seemed to indicate is happening within his program.
"“I’m learning from my guys through these issues and others, but the platform that they have here at Texas Tech and being a Big 12 football player, I want them to use that platform,” he said. “And you know I think our guys are responsible, they’re smart, they are mature and certainly you want them to use that responsibility in a mature way, in a professional way, but yet a very personal way. And again the support for them in that role but yeah absolutely learning from them and listening and learning and just really having empathy more then we’ve ever had it.”"
One player that seems to be taking a leadership opportunity during this tragedy is sophomore Tony Bradoford Jr. who shared with the world his goal of becoming a police chief after his football playing days.
In an edition of the In My Words series on the Texas Tech football website, he shared that he has been volunteering with the Texas Tech campus police as a security guard and that he wants to impact society by being a police officer, even in the wake of recent events. “I believe deep down we all want change. I want to help lead it,” he says.
It sounds like Bradford has a bright future ahead of him and not just in football. It also sounds like the Texas Tech football program’s plan to be player-led, as Wells has said since his arrival, has become even more important in 2020.