Coach Q&A: Blake Brockermeyer says farewell

Blake Brockermeyer's football resume is loaded. A first-round NFL Draft grade in 1995. Nine NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Carolina Bears and Denver Broncos. A decorated college career at Texas, where was inducted into the UT Hall of Honor in 2015. All-state and All-American accolades in high school at Fort Worth Arlington Heights.

In April 2018, Brockermeyer joined the SMU staff as a defensive quality control analyst. Late last week, Brockermeyer publicly announced via social media that he was leaving SMU to rejoin the staff at Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal, a place where coached at 12 years and saw five state-championship teams.

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That team currently has two of his four sons -- twin brothers Tommy Brockermeyer and James Brockermeyer. Tommy is a five-star offensive tackle. James is a four-star interior offensive lineman. Collectively, they have more than 40 offers -- and Dad will get to coach them in their final high school year.

In one of his final moves as a member of the SMU staff, Brockermeyer spoke with The HillTopics for the "Coach Q&A" series. He discussed the relationships built on the HIlltop, the immediate expectations of SMU, getting to coach his sons and more.

You're going to get the chance to coach your sons in their final year of high school. What does that feel like as a coach and, more importantly, as a dad?

It's awesome. I coached at All Saints the last 12 years before the last two years, and I've coached all of my kids most of their lives in pretty much every sport. It was great to go to SMU for two years, and I learned a ton, but to get the chance to coach my last two kids for the last time ever, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up -- especially when they needed someone to help out.

You mentioned Kevin Kane, Sonny Dykes and Randall Joyner in your farewell tweet. What was it about those guys that made you so appreciative?

Coach Dykes gave me an opportunity to come work there. He didn't have to do that, obviously. I appreciate the opportunity. He's an awesome human being and a great coach. I can't imagine there's a better head football coach to work than him. He's family first, and he's a great human being.

With Coach Kane, I know I'm an offensive guy and have been an offensive guy my whole life. Honestly, I never really played much defense in my life, but they always say they want offensive people on the defensive side of coaching. It was actually probably the best thing I've ever done. I've had a lot of people tell me this was going to be a great opportunity for me to learn, and I really did learn a ton.

Coach Joyner's the best young defensive line coach in the country. To work under him last year and learn what Ohio State's doing, it gives me a huge advantage as an offensive line coach and as a dad teaching his kids what it's going to be like on the next level.

What's the one thing that you'll miss most about SMU?

The people, really. The coaching staff there. I'd say 99% of the people who work there are some of my best friends. Then there are the players. You get a chance to have a relationship with the players who have been there the last two years. That's been awesome. I don't get to work with them like the regular coaches, but I still got to be around them and learned a lot in all phases. From football to recruiting to strength and conditioning to how to run a program -- it's been a great experience.

This is more for the college football recruiting fans: Tommy is a five-star. What is it that makes him such a wanted athlete?

He's crazy athletic, and he's long. He's got a good mean streak to him. It's hard to find offensive linemen who can play tackle that are long and tall. He has advanced technique for his age. I think it's a combination of that, and his ability to get even better.

If you think about it, he's really a little behind in the weight room with having surgery and missing last year. He's still got a ton of room to grow. Working with him the last few months has been an awesome experience, because I see the potential in him. I'm sure this year, he'll show what he can do.

Same question with James, who is a four-star.

James will be an inside guy. He'll play center this year, most likely. James has really earned everything he's gotten. He was undersized until about six months ago. He had a couple of college coaches say to get to this weight and they'd re-evaluate. Whatever they told him to do, he did.

He's very intelligent. He almost has a perfect 4.0. But he's a psychotic guy on the field. He's a crazy man. I've been working him out in the weight room the last few months, and he's got a few screws loose -- that's what you want in an offensive lineman. He's one of those kids where you teach him something once, he'll never forget it. He's very coachable, and he'd be really perfect at center. He can get everybody lined up, he can make the calls, he can block the big guys and the small guys, and he can get everybody on the same page.

You had a chance to see SMU when everything clicked in 2019. What are the expectations of this program with 2020, assuming COVID-19 lets us play?

Offensively, there's a lot of weaponry. Losing [James] Proche and some of the running backs from last year are going to be a little bit of a blow, but they've got a lot of really good guys coming in. Shane [Buechele] is the leader of the pack, and I think they have a chance of being even better.

Defensively, we lost our real core of the defensive line, which had some really great players. But they've got some young guys coming back, and Mike Williams will really help SMU. Getting Richard Moore back is going to be huge. He's such a good player, and he's so underrated. The secondary will be young. The safeties will have some different looks. It'll be just getting everyone on the same page.

And then, they're going to go from the unknown team to the team to beat. Shane's going to be on the cover of Texas Football. Everybody knows SMU will be a tough game, so when you're the hunted, it's all about how you're going to step up to the plate. They've got great leadership and great coaches. Hopefully, they put it all together and run the table this year. I think every single game they play this year, I'm expecting them to win. It's hard to do that, but they have the team to do that.

For all the recruits looking at SMU, what would you say to them in looking at the university?

Being in the city of Dallas is a big selling point. Obviously, it's a very good school with great coaches, coaches who can really develop the talent and skill you need to get to the next level. Recruits get caught up in logos, Power 5/non-Power5, which is easy to do, but SMU is a great program on the rise, and I don't see that changing. I see it getting better and better. It's a great opportunity for kids -- especially local kids -- who want to go there.

TRACKING THE HILLTOPICS' COACH Q&A SERIES

Feb. 16: Co-offensive coordinator/OLs coach AJ Ricker

Feb. 23: Co-offensive coordinator/QBs coach Garrett Riley

March 1: Defensive coordinator/LBs coach Kevin Kane

March 8: DLs coach Randall Joyner

March 15: TEs coach Josh Martin

March 22: WRs coach David Gru

March 29: Safeties coach Trey Haverty

April 5: RBs coach Ra'Shaad Samples

April 12: CBs Kevin Curtis

April 19: Director of recruiting relations and community engagement Scott Nady

April 26: Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Chris Brasfield

May 3: Assistant director of football operations Bret Grant

May 10: Offensive analyst Hunter McWilliams

May 17: Assistant director of player personnel Joe Grilz

May 24: Director of recruiting operations Tyler Olker

May 31: Defensive graduate assistant Reilly Christie

Today: Defensive quality control analyst Blake Brockermeyer