NEW ORLEANS - Ned Burke probably already knows the first play the Patriots will run against the Rams in the Super Bowl this Sunday. And the second, third and fourth.
And when Antowain Smith runs against the Rams defense, Burke's words of advice will be banging around somewhere in Smith's mind.
Heady stuff for a guy who, three years ago, was charting plays at a prep school in Connecticut.
Burke, a 29-year-old Wayland native, is an offensive assistant and running backs coach for the Patriots.
But even as the mania of Super Bowl week and the prospect of coaching in a game that 100 million will watch swirls around him, Burke remains placid.
Perhaps it's because Burke knows all too well that - on Bill Belichick's staff - a buttoned-down mind is a valuable thing.
"He wants young, hard-working guys that are hungry and will work the long hours," Burke said this week. "That's what made him successful. Or at least paved the way."
In 1975, Belichick took an unpaid assistant coaching job with the Baltimore Colts. He did such a good job that after a few weeks they started paying him $25.
But Belichick immersed himself in the business and soon began climbing the ranks of the profession. Ever since, he's hired young coaches for short money and asked them to do what he did.
Ned Burke became one of those young coaches with the New York Jets in 1999.
He had spent the previous two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Salisbury School in Connecticut and the year before that playing semi-pro football in Spain.
He got the Jets job after meeting Belichick at the Belmont Stakes and talking about (of all things) lacrosse. The two remained in touch until Belichick called him to see if he was interested.
Burke's responsibilities in New York?
"Everything from bagel runs to making copies to actually evaluating players and taking statistics off of tape from players on special teams," said Burke.
So it wasn't the most glamorous job. Even so, Burke knew what it meant to actually hold that position.
"I think (Belichick) appreciates (the person who has the entry-level assistant job)," said Burke. "(Director of Player Personnel) Scott Pioli was that guy. (Secondary coach) Eric Mangini was that guy. Numerous guys around the league were that guy.
"I think the big reason (it's an important position) is that's the way Bill came up," Burke said. "Despite the fact his father played professionally and coached in college, he paid his dues to get where he got. I think his belief is that you have to pay them."
NEW ORLEANS - Ned Burke probably already knows the first play the Patriots will run against the Rams in the Super Bowl this Sunday. And the second, third and fourth.
And when Antowain Smith runs against the Rams defense, Burke's words of advice will be banging around somewhere in Smith's mind.
Heady stuff for a guy who, three years ago, was charting plays at a prep school in Connecticut.
Burke, a 29-year-old Wayland native, is an offensive assistant and running backs coach for the Patriots.
But even as the mania of Super Bowl week and the prospect of coaching in a game that 100 million will watch swirls around him, Burke remains placid.
Perhaps it's because Burke knows all too well that - on Bill Belichick's staff - a buttoned-down mind is a valuable thing.
"He wants young, hard-working guys that are hungry and will work the long hours," Burke said this week. "That's what made him successful. Or at least paved the way."
In 1975, Belichick took an unpaid assistant coaching job with the Baltimore Colts. He did such a good job that after a few weeks they started paying him $25.
But Belichick immersed himself in the business and soon began climbing the ranks of the profession. Ever since, he's hired young coaches for short money and asked them to do what he did.
Ned Burke became one of those young coaches with the New York Jets in 1999.
He had spent the previous two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Salisbury School in Connecticut and the year before that playing semi-pro football in Spain.
He got the Jets job after meeting Belichick at the Belmont Stakes and talking about (of all things) lacrosse. The two remained in touch until Belichick called him to see if he was interested.
Burke's responsibilities in New York?
"Everything from bagel runs to making copies to actually evaluating players and taking statistics off of tape from players on special teams," said Burke.
So it wasn't the most glamorous job. Even so, Burke knew what it meant to actually hold that position.
"I think (Belichick) appreciates (the person who has the entry-level assistant job)," said Burke. "(Director of Player Personnel) Scott Pioli was that guy. (Secondary coach) Eric Mangini was that guy. Numerous guys around the league were that guy.
"I think the big reason (it's an important position) is that's the way Bill came up," Burke said. "Despite the fact his father played professionally and coached in college, he paid his dues to get where he got. I think his belief is that you have to pay them."
With Burke's dues paid (at least in part), he began moving up the coaching ladder when Belichick took over in New England. He was given an expanded role with the offense and participated in game-planning and scouting.
This year, when quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein died during training camp, the Pats needed to reconfigure their staff some. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis stopped working with the running backs to fill in for Rehbein and Burke moved over to work with the running backs.
"He's been force-fed a little bit this year," said Weis. "He now has more teaching and coaching responsibilities."
How's he done?
"Well, how's the running game?" asked Weis. "How the players are doing is always a reflection of how the coach is doing. That's the way you judge his performance, on how the players do. And I think they've done pretty well."
They have. Led by Smith's 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns, the team churned for 1,793 yards on 473 carries this year (an average of 3.8 per carry).
"Ned's a good coach," said running back Kevin Faulk. "He's learning how to deal with the players and everything but he has a great feel. Being a former player, you have a feel because you've been coached yourself and he does a good job."
"Coaching the running backs is foremost and it's been enjoyable for me because I played quarterback and running back in college," explained Burke, who was a three-year starter at Cornell while majoring in economics and government. "But I also help Charlie (Weis) in his offensive preparation, typing up and organizing game plans, putting (passing) routes on computer and organizing scout sheets and our (play) call sheet."
Burke stays in close touch with his friends from Wayland.
As a senior captain, Burke quarterbacked the Warriors to an undefeated season (9-0-1) in 1989. He also started at outside linebacker. The other captain on the team, Scott Parseghian, just completed his first season as head coach at Wayland.
Last fall, Burke spoke to the Warriors before a big game with Acton-Boxboro and he says he talks shop with the Wayland coaches, Parseghian and Mark James. This week, his two best friends, Ted Keenan and Eric Poydar, will join him in New Orleans as will all of his immediate family.
"It is one of the highlights of my coaching career (to see Ned on the Patriots staff)," said his former coach at Wayland High, Tom Hermanowski. "To see one of your former players become involved in something like this, it is such a positive feeling."
When Burke played at Wayland, Hermanowski considered him another coach on the field.
"We didn't get to the Super Bowl because of the point system (used in selecting teams), but now he is at a bigger Super Bowl."
"It's an honor to be coaching in the NFL and you can't underestimate that opportunity," Burke said. "Because there's a million guys who want to be here working those bad hours and doing the grunt work."
