(Courtesy of SMU Athletics)
This week’s featured coach is offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the SMU football team, Adrian Klemm.
Klemm was a four-year starter and left tackle at the University of Hawaii. Klemm’s interaction with head coach June Jones began his senior year.
Coach Jones started his first year as the coach for the Rainbow Warriors.
Klemm and the rest of his team resurrected the program after going 0-12 in 1998.
The Rainbow Warriors executed the best single-season turnaround in NCAA history by going 9-4 in 1999 and finishing with a 23-17 win over Oregon State in the Oahu Bowl.
Klemm was named the starting left tackle at the Senior Bowl and was also selected to the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl.
Klemm was drafted 46th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Klemm spent seven seasons in the NFL and won three Superbowl rings with New England.
“I had no idea we [the New England Patriots] would have the success we had.” Klemm said.
During his time with the Green Bay Packers Kemm said his role model was Coach Mike Sherman.
“From a standpoint of caring about guys and realizing that everyone needs to be treated the same, and that everyone might need to be yelled at, that would be Mike Sherman.”
Klemm left the NFL and started his career on the Hilltop by volunteering with the SMU football program in 2008.
Klemm quickly established himself as one of the top recruiters in the nation.
In 2010, Klemm marked his third year at SMU. Rivals.com named Klemm the top non-BCS recruiter in the nation. FoxSports/Scout.com also named Klemm the Conference USA Recruiter of the Year.
The Mustangs took a liking to the accolades and named him Recruiting Coordinator for the 2011 season.
In his four seasons with SMU, he has coached tackle Kelvin Beachum to first-team All-Conference honors and also helped J.T. Brooks, Josh LeRibeus and Blake McJunkin to honorable mention All-Conference accolades.
SMU’s offense has set school records in total offense, passing yards, passing touchdowns and first downs. Klemm has had some great players in his time at SMU, but LeRibeus, Klemm said, was his favorite.
“In between drives, he’s smiling and enjoying himself. He almost made me relax a little bit,” Klemm said. “On the field, he turns into a very physical guy and a very dominant player.”
