A Blueprint For Success

Published on June 5, 2003 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release


For the second consecutive season the San Jose SaberCats earned the top seed for the Arena Football League playoffs, but head coach Darren Arbet gives credit for the team's success to just about everybody in the organization except himself.

"It's the system," said the fifth-year field general about the club's glorious run. "It starts at the top. From ownership, to the coaches, to the training staff, to the front office."

The system has worked quite well over the past four years. San Jose's 47-11 regular season record since the start of the 2000 season is the best in the league, the team captured its fourth straight Western Division title this year and the SaberCats are the only squad to earn a first round playoff bye in each of the four years since the AFL expanded its format for the 2000 postseason.

Playing big roles in San Jose's system are offensive coordinator Terry Malley and defensive coordinator Michael Church. Each has complete control over his respective area and Arbet lets them do their thing.

The two have differing personalities but the same desire for success. "Terry is a detail guy," noted Arbet. "He's not going to miss anything. Everything has to be right on every play or he will have you run it over again." The attention to detail has paid off as San Jose led the league in scoring for the second straight season.

Church's personality and his approach in getting across to the players is more ‘in-your-face'. "If you're not physical, Mike will let you know you're not physical," said Arbet. "The guys have a hard time looking Mike in the eye when they don't play well for him on defense."

Arbet puts his own stamp on the team as well. "I want the guys to hustle around, be on time and accountable for everything," he said. "Everyday I go to work and I want to improve the team and if you talk to any of the coaches they would say the same thing."

Like a nicely wrapped gift it all ties together. "We all add something different," said Arbet. "We have a system here and everybody has a role and understands their role and it works great."

Back in 1999, Arbet's rookie season as head coach, the team struggled. The system wasn't in place then and the team limped to a 6-8 record and missed the playoffs. The success enjoyed after that season was at the time a dream that Arbet knew could become reality. The difference maker, according to Arbet, was experience.

"I got the opportunity to do it (coach)," he said. "I was told don't make the same mistake twice, that's been the motto for me and for this team and we work really hard at it. Do we sometimes? Yes. We're not perfect, but we work hard at not making the same mistakes over and over again."

Line coach Bill Tripp was on Arbet's staff that first year. Malley joined in the middle of the season and Church came on board the following year. "We've been together for so long and know each other," quipped Arbet. "Like Terry said, and what I believe in, you never put a person in a position to fail. You have to do what you believe in, what's natural to you. Those are my things."

With a veteran coaching staff possessing years of experience at every level on hand, the SaberCats needed to bring in the talent to get them to the upper echelon and keep them there.

"I don't know what other teams are doing to get players, and we don't pay too much attention," noted Arbet. "Our job is to bring in talent. Terry, Mike, myself, Anthony Ross, Carlton Connor, Bill, we've all brought players here every year time and time again."

With the loss this past off-season of Bob McMillen and Mike Jones, the FB/LB position looked a little thin. No problem. Enter Keala Keanaaina and Kevin Buck. With Omarr Smith off to Tampa Bay enter Rashied Davis, an impact two-way player whose season was cut short by injury.

The SaberCats don't rebuild; they reload.

"Our coaches develop players," said Arbet. "I'm not saying everybody else doesn't, but I know our coaches do. They put their time and energy and work in to get it done. They are doing a great job."

Arbet again refers to the system as the key to his team's success. "I've always said it's the system. It's not me, it's not Terry, it's not Clevan, it's the system. Just plug it in and let everybody do what they do. Nobody is selfish around here, that's the biggest thing."

Also part of the system are Head Athletic Trainer Steve Bartlinski and Strength & Conditioning coach Fred Stephens. "I can't say enough about Steve," Arbet said. "When these guys are injured he gets them back on the field in a hurry, and Fred does a heck of a job keeping these guys strong and ready to play. They all respect the heck out of him."

As San Jose prepares for the Drive To ArenaBowl XVII and its second consecutive league championship, Arbet reflected on the 2003 campaign. "I don't look at wins and losses as much as I do on the team's improvement," he stated. "Do we have a solid base, are we prepared for this or that. I thought the guys did a nice job preparing themselves to get ready for the tournament." That's easy for a coach who has the second-highest winning percentage in the history of the league to say.

With five years of head coaching experience, two Coach of the Year awards and a league title under his belt, the time would seem right for Arbet to reap the rewards of his successful run.

"I'm enjoying what I do," said Arbet. "Take a guy who's been working at the Ford factory building cars for 15 years. He gets the opportunity to go do something else but he likes building cars. What's next for him? Build a b etter car."

Arbet's hunger to learn is driven by his work ethic and fueled by his passion for football. "If I have to stay in the office until 2 a.m. to get it done, that's what I'm going to do. I don't look at the clock," he said.

"I think anytime you feel you are not learning, it's time to go do something else. Right now, everyday, I think we are all (coaches) learning something. We all feel that way and feel we can get better as coaches. That's what keeps us coming everyday. I enjoy coming to work. I enjoy doing football."

When asked about another championship run, Arbet refused to give any team locker room fodder. "I'm happy with the guys. We have some guys that have developed beyond where I thought they would this year and we were able to secure the No. 1 seed again. I'm happy with the efforts and development of this team."

He did, however, say with a smile, "We are just enjoying the journey." Hopefully, San Jose fans will also.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 5, 2003


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