Jon Gruden is one of the most respected football minds in the country.
Even with a 10-year hiatus from coaching to work in the broadcast booth, the former Super Bowl-winning coach was coveted by Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis.
In 2018, Gruden was finally convinced to come back down to the sidelines by Davis.
What where did Gruden get his start? As a graduate assistant under head coach Johnny Majors at the University of Tennessee in 1986.
"I learned I knew nothing and my only chance was to work hard and take notes," Gruden told ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. "Walt Harris, at Tennessee, gave me no choice. Little things. Details. He always emphasized that preparation and presentation go hand in hand."
Harris, a San Francisco native and future Stanford head coach, was Tennessee's offensive coordinator at the time.
Thirty-three years later, Gruden still leans on what he learned during his time in Knoxville.
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"First impressions go a long way, you know?" Gruden told Gutierrez. "The guys that helped train me to coach ... I pattern my whole career after those guys, getting in a routine, how to study tape, trying to not underestimate any detail. Just trying to cover every base. You've got to do the preparation before you present the game plan."
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After going 4-12 in his first season back at the helm of the Raiders, Gruden is looking for better results in 2019. He and new general manager Mike Mayock have added major weapons on offense in an attempt to change their fortune.
Now, it's a matter of imparting the wisdom he's gained over the last 33 years on his players.
