The Details: Talent + Character = O.K.G.
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
For Chris Petersen, talent and character go together like the Pac-12 and Rose Bowls. When Washington’s coach evaluates prospects, one trait without the other is like Seattle without the NBA, it just doesn’t feel right.
As Petersen has piled up a 96-13 record as a head coach, he has developed a simple formula: Talent + Character = Our Kind of Guy (O.K.G.). Every recruit the Huskies bring into their program is expected to be great on the field, in the classroom and around the community.
“We’re not going to sacrifice either one of those things,” Petersen said.
But, it starts with talent.
Each time a member of Washington’s coaching staff sits down to watch tape they are looking for a very simple, but specific, reaction: “wow.”
If a prospect can play, the Huskies begin the second phase of the recruiting process. They start to answer a series of questions aimed at ensuring a successful marriage of prospect and program.
Is he a high-character guy?
Does he care about school?
Is he focused on getting the most out of his talent and being a part of a winning team?
“That takes a lot of work,” Petersen said. “You can’t just talk to one person. Talk to four, five people, you can start painting that picture pretty well.
“When we offer a kid a scholarship, we’ve done our homework really well and we think they fit our profile. Now the ball is in their court to do their homework on us and see if they think we fit them.”
When a player accepts Washington’s invitation to become an O.K.G., “that’s when the magic happens.”
During Petersen’s eight years as the head coach at Boise State, the Broncos used the O.K.G. formula to send more than 20 players to the NFL – four first-round picks – despite never having a class rated in the top 25 by the major recruiting services. In 2012, the program had a school-record six players drafted – two in the first round.
“Our whole thing around here is about development. It’s player development. It’s people development.”
Petersen’s first full recruiting class at Boise State in 2007 produced 10 players who appeared on NFL rosters. Those recruits provided the baseline for the O.K.G. formula. That a class rated No. 68 in the nation by Rivals.com and No. 57 by Scout.com produced that many NFL prospects begs the question: What will Petersen do with recruits who rank among the best in the nation?
“Our whole thing around here is about development,” Petersen said. “It’s player development. It’s people development.”
Washington’s players learn in the classroom. They learn life lessons through the “Built For Life” program. They learn on the football field.
Petersen is filling his roster with players who fit the formula: Talent + Character = O.K.G. For athletes to thrive in this system, talent and character have to be complementary traits.
“The biggest misconception when people hear about this O.K.G. thing is it’s all about being just a really good person and that’s not true,” Petersen said. “It’s having really good talent we think has a big upside in addition to all the intangible things that come with it.”
This philosophy of matching talent and character to find the right fit is an idea that is spreading across the country. It is even finding its way into the NFL. Just look at the Seahawks, who used a non-traditional formula to compile the pieces necessary to win a Super Bowl.
At a time when the transgressions of athletes are opening people’s eyes to domestic violence, Petersen offers an option for athletes to find success on the field, while learning how to treat those around them.
The moment Washington’s staff meets a recruit they introduce the O.K.G. philosophy.
“We make no bones about it,” Petersen said. “We’re not trying to paint ourselves different than what we are or what they’re going to get when they get here. We’re telling them exactly what we want and the profile of that person.”
For those who question the long-term viability of building a program based on O.K.G.s, Petersen counters with examples.
"Is he a high-character guy? Does he care about school? Is he focused on getting the most out of his talent and being a part of a winning team? That takes a lot of work. You can’t just talk to one person. Talk to four, five people, you can start painting that picture pretty well."
“Does Danny Shelton have enough talent? He’s an O.K.G. Hau’oli Kikaha? He fits the O.K.G. model. Shaq Thompson fits the O.K.G. model. Is that enough talent for everybody to be satisfied with? That gets us started.”
What begins with those already in the program continues with recruiting players like Budda Baker. A four-star safety coming out of high school, his character matches his talent.
“We’re not into those guys we just like on Saturdays,” Petersen said. “We need to like them Sunday-Friday as well, that they’re doing all the things right in the classroom and off the field, that they’re growing and becoming a better person, preparing themselves for the rest of their lives.”
Petersen agreed to become Washington's head coach, because he believed the university had the mix of academics, facilities and passion for the sport to allow him to bring in elite O.K.G.s.
He developed two-star recruits with one offer into NFL draft picks at Boise State. What will happen when four-star prospects start wrapping up their careers with Washington? The end result will most likely look a lot like Shelton, a potential first-round draft pick making his senior year his best season.
“That’s part of the O.K.G. thing,” Petersen said. “He wants to get better. He’s maturing and learning a lot of things. He’s been here a long time, but that’s an O.K.G. to me.”
Petersen doesn’t expect perfection. He knows there will be missteps along the way. But each player in his program understands the formula: Talent + Character = O.K.G.
“They understand that,” Petersen said. “They get that. They want that.”
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