“He goes, ‘Well, I’ve never snapped in front of 75,000 people before.’
“I said, ‘How long have you been snapping?
“He said, ‘Since the seventh grade.’
“I said, ‘How many times have you snapped it over the punter’s head?’
“He goes, ‘I never have.’
“I said, ‘Why do you think you will now then?’
“He kept saying, ‘Because I’m nervous.’
“I said, ‘You know what? I’ve got confidence in you. Know what confidence is?’
“He goes, ‘Well, it’s a belief that you’re going to do something.’
“So I read the definition, ‘Confidence is the belief that you’re going to be able to do something because of repeated actions.’
“I knew the kid could do it. I just had to give him the confidence that it was going to be all right.’’
Bielema estimated that he has looked up words in the dictionary for specific interaction with players hundreds of times since he became a football coach in the mid-’90s.
Maybe someone is homesick. Maybe someone is having trouble in class. Maybe someone is unhappy with his playing time and contemplating transferring to another school.
“I have looked up the word, ‘quit,’’’ Bielema acknowledged.
In this context, the dictionary has become a valuable tool for Bielema to reinforce a message.
“I think anytime you read something in black and white you tend to believe it,’’ he said. “That’s why I always get mad when people write things that are incorrect.
“Once something is printed, people believe it to be the truth, whether it is or isn’t. A dictionary is a good way to give players something that they can put in their hands and read; something real.’’
