Why I’m Thinking About Culture at 2 A.M.
Culture Changes Everything—Quicker Than You Think in College Football
It’s often said that a good run game and stout defense travel.
Meaning—regardless of the crowd, weather, or opponent—if you can run the rock and play sound defense, you’ve always got a shot. I’d agree.
But I’d also say this: when a healthy culture travels, you have a chance to win, too.
What Does Culture Really Look Like?
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about that word—culture—and what it actually looks like in football programs.
Over the years, we’ve labeled great teams and their cultures in a variety of ways. Take the 1990s New York Knicks: tough, physical, reflective of the city they represented. Or the 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes: resilient and on a mission, led by veterans who knew what was at stake.
I still remember visiting Utah’s football team before the 2005 Fiesta Bowl as I was on the broadcast of that game. Alex Smith led the Utes to a 35-7 win over my beloved Pitt Panthers. Even then, you could see it: smart, tough, dependable. Kyle Whittingham’s squads have stayed true to that identity ever since—whether you're in Salt Lake City or Tuscaloosa, you know what you're getting with the Utes.
Or look at the early 2000s USC Trojans, a top-4 team for seven straight seasons. The word that comes to mind? Competition. It wasn’t just a talking point; it was the bedrock of Pete Carroll’s culture and philosophy.
Last year, Kenny Dillingham created a culture of love and joy at Arizona State. His former boss, Dan Lanning, curated one at Oregon based on connection. Both ended the season in the College Football Playoff as conference champions.
There’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint, but great cultures tend to share a few traits:
Relationships
Growth mindset
Toughness
Selflessness
A love of competition
A New Chapter in Paris
Some of you may not know that I’m a minority owner of a football team in Paris. Yep—Paris, as in France. We’re in Year 3 in the European League of Football, which is like a reimagined version of NFL Europe.
Each team has:
4 Americans
40 players from its home country
6 international players from across Europe
Some games draw 400 fans. Others? Up to 40,000. Teams range from the Vienna Vikings to the Madrid Bravos. Our club, the Paris Musketeers, just partnered with the New Orleans Saints and it has been such a joy to watch us grow from an idea to a playoff team last year to one led by a former NFL head coach.
This offseason, we hired Jack Del Rio as our head coach. We just kicked off the 2025 campaign against the two-time defending champs, the Rhein Fire, and while we lost 17-15, it was immediately clear that a culture has already begun to take root.
And while I love being part of this team, I’ve also found myself up late at night, restless, thinking: How long does it take to truly set a culture?
Some say 18 months. Others say 18 weeks. My youth flag football team might say 6 games.
Personally, I am somewhere in the middle but I do think the best coaches can flip a culture fast—if the players are bought in, if their voices are heard, if trust is strong, and if alignment exists from top to bottom it can happen fast. Especially in this new era of college football.
Culture in Action: The Raiders
From a struggling franchise to a new ownership group with a revived roster and a new coaching staff it’s safe to say that the Raiders are my new favorite NFL team. I’m fascinated to watch Pete Carroll and his staff impart his ‘Always Compete’ philosophy on the team. His teams have always been founded in competition and powered by a deep love for one another. If you love the concept of ‘culture’ within sports teams the Raiders are a must follow this season.