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Barousse has major legacy with Mules football
Editor's note: This the second part of a two-part story. Part One ran in the Oct. 12 edition of the Daily American Republic and can be found online at semoball.com
Current Poplar Bluff assistant football coach Mark Barousse has a legacy with the Mules that goes beyond the 77 wins and two district championships he racked up in 12 seasons at the program's helm from 1997 to 2001 and 2011 to 2017.
Barousse also served as head coach Paul Webber's offensive coordinator from 1989 to 1991 and played a crucial role in rebuilding the program from a 2-38 stretch from 1985-88 to going 10-0 in 1990, winning district and SEMO North titles and making it to the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
“The first time I was here, I was young and got the opportunity to run the run-and-shoot (offense) and do what I wanted to do,” Barousse said “I had a good three years here and enjoyed it. And this year there's a good chance to come back and coach with (my son) Brett — and I told (current head coach) Jeff (Mannon) I'd help him out a little bit. How long I do it? I don't know, but I told him I'd help him for a little bit.”
What is the run-and-shoot offense? Basically, it was a four-receiver, no-tight end offense with just one running back which put a strong emphasis on spreading out the field — and also on throwing the football. It was the forerunner of today's spread offenses which dominate the game of football.
Today, four-receiver sets are common in the game of football. In 1989, it was downright revolutionary for a game which still featured many teams running wing T and wishbone offenses and rarely throwing the football.
“There were a few people in NFL running it, and there were a few colleges running it, but most of them had a tight end still …” Barousse said. “It was great … that I knew how to coach it — and even better, that teams didn't know how to line up to it. It gave people trouble who were normal Okie 50 (defense) people and 6-1 (defense) people and they couldn't cover down. We enjoyed some success, but even then, we went through growing pains that first year. I don't think anybody comes in and hits the ground running and lights it up.”
PLAYING IN THE PROS
Another interesting fact about Barousse is he played pro football before coaching for the Mules. He played as a wide receiver and slotback with the USFL's Houston Gamblers in 1984 and 1985 and with the Canadian Football League's Ottawa Rough Riders in 1985 and 1986. He also spent the 1983 preseason in training camp with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Barousse caught passes from Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly with the Gamblers and also was teammates with two-time Super Bowl champion wide receiver Ricky Sanders in Houston and with future Congressman J.C. Watts in Ottawa.
“Playing with those guys was a lot of fun,” Barousse said. “Sometimes you don't realize the importance of it when it's happening. But looking back on it, it was a great experience for me. And I got to see a lot of places, meet a lot of people and do a lot of things.”
He also was coached by Darrel “Mouse” Davis, who was the Gamblers' offensive coordinator in 1984 and who Barousse learned the run-and-shoot from.
“Mouse was the man,” Barousse said. “Mouse was, without a doubt, the best coach I ever played for. He was definitely before his time.”
Davis later spent three seasons (1988-90) as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, where he brought the run-and-shoot to the NFL for the first time and also coached a young running back named Barry Sanders.
“Unfortunately for Mouse, there were a lot of people in the NFL (back then) that didn't want to see four wide receivers and no tight end — they didn't want to see that,” Barousse said. “I think two of the three years he was there, Detroit led the league or was second in total offense.”
COMING FULL CIRCLE
Now, just like 35 years ago, Barousse is back on the Mules' sidelines as an assistant coach, where he is also getting to teach his son Brett the ropes of coaching.
“The biggest thing is wanting him and (fellow assistant coach) Austin Jefferson to understand the game planning on the weekends and how to call plays, when to call plays, and stuff like that,” Barousse said. “I think they're learning, and I think weekends with us game planning is is good for them. Sometimes I just do and don't explain it, and that's my fault. I might be going too fast and not explaining why we're doing things, but I think as the year goes on, they're picking it up.”
And Brett Barousse enjoys the opportunity to learn from his father.
“I think it's pretty cool what he's done,” Brett Barousse said. “I've been able to go in the past, look at it, and recollect on it, even though I wasn't around for most of it. I'm trying to gain from him and learn from him, and how he's able to do things like that. I'm not going to an be exact copy, but (I want to) be able to do my best to replicate what he's done.”
And Brett Barousse was a part of what his father did with the Mules, playing for him toward the end of his father's head coaching career. He said playing for his father was hard, but rewarding.
“People think you get special treatment, but really, you're treated harder than everyone else,” Brett Barousse said. “You really have to prove yourself, just because a lot of people like to say, 'Hey, you're playing because you're the coach's son,' so you have to prove it three times more than everyone else that you are the guy for that spot.
“It wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but it's also a blessing. I also got to learn so much from him and (was) able to learn so much about football from being able to talk to him so often.”