Welcome to Doyle Performance

Why Substack?

Four years ago, the University of Iowa football program was turned upside down when former players accused several coaches of racism – including claims of inappropriate behavior leveled toward me.

While untrue, the impact of these accusations was immediate. In less than 24 hours, after more than two decades of professional service, I was removed without an investigation or discussion.

A 533-page summary judgement from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office requested that I be dismissed from a lawsuit filed by the former players. More important, this summary judgement included sworn statements from players and co-workers that told a much different story from the accusations posted on social media and reported in the news.

While I wanted the lawsuit to go to court where the facts would come to light, it never did. One year ago, the University settled the case for $4.2 million. In the nearly four years that have now passed, I remain the only coach let go in the face of allegations that were retracted under oath.

Being out of coaching has been difficult – and longer than I expected, however, I’ve had a great deal of time to reflect on where I’ve been as a coach and the lessons learned along the way.

With Iowa football, our expectations and standards of accountability were always high. Insight gained from 20-plus years in the program gave us a clear direction for mentoring successful student-athletes. We demanded championship-level commitment on and off the field from every player, coach and support staff member. Our goal was to develop better people and successful adults.

However, over these past few years, I’ve learned that some student-athletes require greater support and understanding. It’s clear now that I should have provided greater compassion and empathy in a more equitable environment.

I looked inward and critically examined myself and my actions. Do I have ownership in this? What did I learn? How can I be better? To begin with, I should have learned sooner. I failed to fully consider the perspectives of others. I was insensitive.

For some, our approach was exactly what they were looking for and they excelled. For others it was not the right fit. We were training young adults from diverse backgrounds and experiences. There were times that my passion could be viewed as unreasonable, and that I lost sense of the individual. That is on me.

Success in athletics, both as individuals as well as teams, requires growth and accountability. It is not easy, it’s uncomfortable and there is no way around it. Winning teams model the characteristics that lead to success on and off the field. Successful teams respect and support one another as individuals, they are unselfish, they sacrifice and are committed to the greater good. They share common values and chase common goals together.

Perhaps now more than ever, athletics present a unique platform to teach these life lessons. With greater understanding, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us.

Over the course of 35 years in Division I College Football, constantly chasing the cutting edge, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned. Each time you fail to get the desired result, you take ownership and get back to work with newfound experience in pursuit of a better way. I was fortunate to have worked with incredible athletes, coaches, mentors and support staff. With over 250 athletes moving on to professional sports and 40+ assistants advancing to lead programs of their own. The information network has grown and compounded over time. I have been sitting on this information. I learned from so many brilliant people who were generous sharing their time and learning experiences with me. It’s time to pass that knowledge, wisdom and experience on. The role of a coach transcends improving performance. We are in the business of changing lives. The goal of the Doyle Performance platform is to continue to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

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