Wallie Kuchinski, defensive coordinator of the St.Thomas football team, coaches a unit that is top-ranked in the MIAC and fourth overall in Division III.
Last year, his defense made national headlines for allowing only 21.9 net rushing yards, the fewest by any NCAA football team in one season. In his 11 seasons coaching the Tommies, Kuchinski attributes much of his success to his players.
“There’s a lot of different reasons why we’ve had successes, starting with the kids,” Kuchinski said, “We have good players, there’s no doubts. The kids hold themselves to a really high standard.”
Kuchinski has helped the Tommie’s defense finish in the top 10 in total yards allowed in each of the last four years.
Senior linebacker Matt Mitchell has witnessed Kuchinski’s defense grow in his four years with the team.
“He has completely changed the game when it comes to how defenses play and the way that we attack offenses,” Mitchell said.
St. Thomas had talent when Kuchinski arrived, but he said the culture of the team needed to be corrected. That’s when the defense began to evolve.
In this Oct. 8, 2016 file photo, defensive coordinator Wallie Kuchinski talks with his players during a game against Concordia-Moorhead. Kuchinski has led the Tommie defense since he and coach Glenn Caruso joined the organization in 2008. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
“The kids wanted to be good and had this idea that this is not what they thought college football was going to be like,” Kuchinski said. “They were ready to take on a different type of culture and have a winning culture.”
This winning culture has propelled the St. Thomas defensive unit to where they are now, playing with tenacity and high intensity on every down.
“Even if we sack a quarterback, for example … and they don’t go after the football as they are sacking the quarterback, I want more out of them,” Kuchinski said.
Even when the defense has a shutout game, Kuchinski said they understand the need for growth and the need to get better.
“When you have a bunch of coaches on the field, a bunch of players coaching each other and having those high expectations, and more importantly holding their peers accountable for those expectations, that’s when the culture really starts to evolve and be impressive,” Kuchinski said.
Kuchinski has introduced a blitz-heavy defensive scheme that forces the opposing offenses to play defensively.
“It’s total mayhem,” Kuchinski said. “We bring more pressure than anybody in the world.”
The unit has led the conference in various statistics and produced 12 All-Americans in the last eight years, but Kuchinski really doesn’t pay attention to individual accolades.
“We don’t need 11 All-Americans or 11 heroes (on the field),” he said. “We just need 11 guys doing their job to the best of their ability. That’s it.”
Kuchinski and Caruso have been together since day one of the program. Kuchinski said that he draws a lot of strength in being a man, a father and husband from how Caruso lives his life.
“It’s not necessarily what he says, it’s more what he does that allows people to look at that’s how I want to be able to live my life type of thing,” Kuchinski said. “From a coaching standpoint, he’s incredibly bright, has a phenomenal eye for talent and recruiting. He’s the best coach I’ve ever been around.”
The relationship between Kuchinski and his players is significant too. He holds them to high expectations and always wants more out of them. If they have a great practice or game, he lets them know that, but he doesn’t want them to linger on the past.
“I have a genuine love for our football players, and I know they have a genuine love for me. The relationship is not a buddy-buddy relationship at all,” Kuchinski said. “It’s like a parent type of relationship, where they push you to be the best version of yourself that you can be all the time.”
Mitchell said the biggest lesson he has taken away from Kuchinski is to never apologize for who you are.
“Who we are as a defense is we bring pressure, get in people’s faces and we are violent about it,” Mitchell said. “We are never going to let anyone change that about us.”
Kuchinski’s talent has brought many opportunities and offers to become a head coach, but for now, he is content where he is.
“I make a choice, a conscious choice, to stay here. I love the area, I love the coaching staff, I love the players I get a chance to work with, the school. I love everything about it,” Kuchinski said.
Kuchinski believes the defense can be as good, if not better, than last year’s unit, which led all D-III in fewest total yards and points allowed. For that to happen, however, it comes down to the players.
“It all comes down to trust and accountability,” Kuchinski said.
Carly Noble can be reached at nobl1781@stthomas.edu.