Reading the obituary tributes to former Rough Riders coach Jim Gilstrap, who died last Thursday at age 65, it's striking how much offensive line coaches in football show he stereotype of the tough, gruff, quick-to-anger football coach isn't remotely true.
Both pieces I've read portray Gilstrap as someone who was nice to a fault, knew the game inside and out and relished the chance to teach. With the offensive line, especially at the collegiate level, which is what Gilstrap was coaching most recently at Oregon State, there's so many technical aspects to learn. It often involves working with players who might have confidence problems after moving over from another position group, or not having the most natural ability. The late Bill Miklas, who was the best O-line coach in the CIAU (now CIS) in his days at Queen's, was like that. As one of his players, Ken Kirkwood, once put it, he had a "gentle way of teaching" that helped facilitate his players' growth. It seems like that Gilstrap was that kind of coach. He couldn't have done it for 42 seasons otherwise.
Related:
He dared to dream (Earl McRae, Sun Media)
Gilstrap surpassed the game (Brooks Hatch, Corvallis Gazette-Time)
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