Coaches' Notes Keep It Real

Football as we all know, is a violent sport.

But that still doesn't mean there aren't moments when kindness and respect aren't shown to a fellow opponent. This seems to occur often in the South and Southwest.

For example, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray tore his ACL against Kentucky, which ended his season prematurely. But Murray has been such a warrior that he received best wishes from opposing teams' players and coaches alike.

One of those coaches was Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin.

Although the two never faced each other, Sumlin sent Murray quick compliment and expression of encouragement.

How cool is that? Murray, of course, responded in kind.

"Thanks, Coach Sumlin, for the letter. Much respect to you and your program. Good luck in the bowl game."

Soon-to-be retired Texas coach Mack Brown has been known for doing the same thing. Last season, he jotted a get-well note to Iowa State's Jake Knott after his season ended suddenly with a shoulder injury. The Cyclones' defensive tackle, now in the NFL with Philadelphia, was moved enough to post it on his Twitter feed.

A much more common practice is to keep in touch with high school coaches so the recruiting pipeline stays full. Brown did a good job of keeping track of milestones, such as when Ryan High's coach won his 200th game in Texas.

So these dudes do more than squint at video and gladhand boosters when they're not on the field. In these instances, it's reassuring to see their considerate side towards others in the sport's community.