Summer Project: Cornering The Market On A Clear Mind
Developing a process to eliminate clutter is Patton's ask
Mike Brohard
The mind can become filled with all kinds of thoughts at various times of the day.
Even during a football game. What’s for dinner afterward? Am I on TV? How many people are in the crowd?
It happens, and Colorado State cornerbacks coach Marcus Patton knows it will. He’s been there and it happened to him, too. The key is to clear the mind as soon as possible so it can dissect what’s important in the moment.
“One of the big things we always talk about in the cornerback room is creating a process in your mind, as far as the information you need before the ball is snapped, and there’s certain things you know as soon as the play is over that puts you in a mindset,” he said. “And there are things you know once you get the call from the defensive coordinator. We talk about that process, and we talk about getting the clutter out of your mind. The thing that prevents a lot of players from learning or being as efficient as possible is they think about too many other things.”
Cal transfer Chigozie Anusiem won’t deny it has happened to him. A random, out-of-the-blue thought will hit him at practice or during a game. They pop in his head in the classroom or at home.
He’s caught himself wondering about the crowd before. Or thinking about the game being on TV and how many people are watching. But a few years back, he found a way to get himself grounded and focused and he’s trying to take it a step further this year as he’s become more aware of his wellbeing.
“Some of this is new for me. My younger years playing college football were hectic,” Anusiem said. “Playing college football can be stressful, so especially this year, I’ve been trying to take a big role in my own life and step back and take a deep breath. Even if it’s before a play, hit a reset button and go from there.
“I think about foot placement, intricate details I wouldn’t have thought about with a lot of clutter in my mind. I have keys. A specific tattoo I have, before every play, no matter what happens – good or bad on that play – I press it as a reset. It’s a psychological thing I do. It 100 percent has a calming effect on me. I’ve done it for the last two years, and I feel like it’s been helping.”
The tattoo is of crosses on the inside of his left wrist, representing his faith and belief. Patton said every player needs a process, and they will be very individual in execution. He shared the blueprint he used to give them an idea, but he didn’t present it as an end-all, be-all path.
Whatever they find which works is what they need to do for themselves. Because after quarterback, he feels cornerback is the most mentally challenging position. It stems from the assignments they do and how they do them – mostly on an island. And when they make a mistake, it is out in the open for everyone to see.
What he does know is a clear mind will limit those miscues.
I don’t pretend you can get rid of clutter; we all have clutter in our mind – it’s human nature. What I talk to them is eliminate it as soon as possible. We’re playing in the Big House. OK, get over it and stop thinking about it.Marcus Patton
“Again, it’s clutter. How fast a receiver is, a reputation, that we’re playing in the Big House,” Patton said. “When all those things are going through your brain, you’re not going through your process. I don’t pretend you can get rid of clutter; we all have clutter in our mind – it’s human nature. What I talk to them is eliminate it as soon as possible. We’re playing in the Big House. OK, get over it and stop thinking about it.
“Answer those questions. Where are we going to eat after the game? Probably Popeye’s, so get that out of your mind. You try to answer those questions as quickly as possible. This guy is really fast, so coach said to get my hands on him early, so that’s what I’m doing. I don’t have to think about that, so now I can focus on my process. That’s something you have to practice every day, to put your mind in a place to be focused on what we’re doing.”
In a way, he wants them to follow a routine to get them to this mystical place. He also knows there will be a tendency to try to recreate things from prior successes, but he doesn’t want it to go down the road of superstition. He’s not a believer.
Wearing the same socks or eating the same pregame meal is not the answer. For him, it’s about being in the moment and Anusiem has found a way to jumpstart his day to help him get in the right headspace.
“A small example is making my bed every morning,” he said. “That, I feel, helps by starting a good habit to start the day right leads to others. When I come home, my room is clean is my bed is clean. For me, making my bed can make me a better cornerback.”
Patton said a clear mind will leave the space for what is necessary, which is the situation they’ll find themselves on the field. Down and distance. The time on the clock. The score and the hash where the ball is placed. All of those variables will trigger how aggressive the defense will be on a particular play. Those factors should spark a reaction from the player.
Then the play call will come in, which will add more information to digest. At that time, Patton expects his corners to be reacting instantly to all the information. Anusiem knows exactly what his coach is asking.
“For me, getting ready for a play, honestly, it starts, before the game,” he said. “It’s clearing my mind of all the clutter. Then I can talk about a play specifically, I can get the call, process my job and look at the defensive alignment. After I get the alignment and the receivers alignment, I don’t want to be thinking about what he can or can’t do, it’s now reading the call to the best of my ability.”
Film study can help. A cutup will give every factor, and it gives players a chance to quiz themselves over what they should be expecting on a certain play. For Anusiem, it works to a point, but too much he’s found will lead to overthinking, which, in all actuality, becomes clutter.
Which Patton would consider a breakthrough. Again, each of his corners must find their own way to clear their head, and whatever works is fine with him. Just as long as before the ball is snapped, the mind is clear and focused.
“Whatever your process is to learn and be able to execute the way you’re asked to do is the big thing,” he said. “From the football standpoint its understanding the situation. All of those things we know before the ball is snapped, and that can start prepping our mindset.”