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I BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ // UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Appreciating an amazing run for volleyball 18 had heard so much about Texas and how it was a team that lost only twice all year; just once since September. Just watching them warm up, they were impressive: a really big, tall and athletic team. I was just hoping our women could compete with them. That was my first thought. But Kelly Sheffield and his staff had an unbelievable game plan as far as what they wanted to do and how they were going to attack them and the players went out and really executed that plan. I thought Kelly said it best when he made the comparison to our football team: we're not going to spread out all over the field and try to throw the ball around like so many people today. Because of the type of players that we have in football, we're going to run the ball, we're going to hold on to it, we're going to play smart and we're going make fewer mistakes. That's what happened against Texas. We stuck to what makes us successful. I felt so good for the players and staff afterward. It was a very impressive coaching job and a team that exceeded our expectations all season. When I hired Kelly, a final four appearance this year didn't even cross my mind. We were just hoping to get back into the tournament, especially with the transition the players had to make to a new coach. When he interviewed, he wanted to know about our com- // VARSITY December 26, 2013 mitment to volleyball and whether we would be open to some things he wanted to do to improve the program and I was open to that. A coach needs assurances that things are going to be in place before they come. I thought he did his homework and he made sure things were where they needed to be before he made the move. WHEN I HIRED KELLY, A FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE THIS YEAR DIDN'T EVEN CROSS MY MIND. WE WERE JUST HOPING TO GET BACK INTO THE TOURNAMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRANSITION THE PLAYERS HAD TO MAKE TO A NEW COACH. Everyone who saw us play in Seattle was impressed with our freshman setter, Lauren Carlini. She just stands out. She's got a presence about her and an awareness on the court that is really special. I know our fans will enjoy watching her the next three years. I also know they'll enjoy watching Melvin Gordon for another season. I feel like Melvin is doing the right thing by coming back. We've had a couple of guys go out a little earlier than I thought they should have and it cost them. You look at Brian Calhoun and what one more year here might have meant to him. He would not only have been in the Heisman discussion if he had come back, but he would have had another year of physical maturity that may have prolonged his pro career. That's the way I look at Melvin. He can use another year of maturity. He needs to play a complete season to be in the Heisman talk. You have to show consistency and play big in big games. This is a big game against South Carolina. A lot of people are saying this could be one of the best games of the bowl season and one of the most interesting matchups. Every time I travel to Orlando, I can't help but think about my final game as a head coach against Auburn. I think about it all the time. I talk about that bowl win in some of the speeches that I give. We were big underdogs and they were an outstanding team. Some felt they were capable of winning a national championship. Yet, our guys were really prepared and focused. I don't know if I've ever had a team play better than we played that day against Auburn. We really got after them and we dominated the game. When you look at bowls, teams can change so much. You can have a different team than you had during the season. Who makes the game important? Who's the game important to? I know the South Carolina game will be important to us, especially all of our seniors. They've had a great career and they want to finish the right way.