Join Collin Kushner for a conversation with Todd Reesing, the legendary quarterback who took the University of Kansas football program to new heights. Despite being overlooked as a football player, Reesing's passion and perseverance led him to become the most successful quarterback in program history. In this episode, Collin dives into Reesing's childhood in Austin, Texas, his time at the University of Kansas, and how he overcame obstacles to achieve greatness. From breaking records to leading his team to a historic Orange Bowl victory, Reesing's story is one of grit and determination. Tune in to hear how this underdog athlete became a college football legend.
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Join Collin Kushner for a conversation with Todd Reesing, the legendary quarterback who took the University of Kansas football program to new heights. Despite being overlooked as a football player, Reesing's passion and perseverance led him to become the most successful quarterback in program history. In this episode, Collin dives into Reesing's childhood in Austin, Texas, his time at the University of Kansas, and how he overcame obstacles to achieve greatness. From breaking records to leading his team to a historic Orange Bowl victory, Reesing's story is one of grit and determination. Tune in to hear how this underdog athlete became a college football legend.
Want to hear more? Check out previous episodes, subscribe & leave a review.
APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/32M5E2T
SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/32AyXFq
Connect with Collin:
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CollinKushner
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/collinkushner/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CollnKushner
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-ku...
PERSONAL WEBSITE: https://linktr.ee/collinkushner
EMAIL: ckushner1@gmail.com
We went in to meet with Coach Mangino, and I remember this pretty clearly. He goes, well, Todd, you know, I saw your tape this morning for the first time. He goes, I've seen all I need to see. Um, we wanna offer you a scholarship. He what? Like, I don't, he goes, I don't care how tall you are, I don't care how fast you are. He goes, you, you have the X factor. You have the it and I. That's all I need to know. Having a coach say that to you when you know that you are being overlooked because of size or speed or whatever it might be to say, Hey, I don't care about any of that. I think you can play a football and I think you can play on my team. I mean, that, that immediately sold me on the idea of playing for Coach Mangino.
Collin Kushner:Welcome everybody to another episode of the Hayward You Go podcast. I'm your host, Colin Kushner, and we have a super exciting guest, former University of Kansas quarterback Jayhawk legend. That's factual by the way. We'll get into that a little bit later on. Todd Reese sing, how's it going man,
Todd Reesing:Colin, I'm doing great. Really excited to be on the podcast today, uh, and spend some time talking with you.
Collin Kushner:Yeah, man. Likewise. This is, uh, this is an honor. So thank you for, for carving out the time you grew up in Austin, Texas. What was your childhood like and how early on did you get introduced to football?
Todd Reesing:Yeah, well, I, I'd say I had a very active childhood. You know, I think I played every sport under the sun. I mean, at one point, you know, I was big into swimming at one point it was tennis and then, you know, it was soccer at one point. Um, you know, I, I always loved football growing up. I mean, mostly just playing, you know, backyard pickup football, you know, back in the, you know, the, the ratty little, uh, grass field that we had behind our elementary school. And I think that's really probably where I got my first taste of, uh, of the kind of style of play that I ended up having in college was, was playing on that, uh, that grass field growing up. Um, but you know, it wasn't until, you know, later years that I actually kind of settled on football as my primary sport. Um, because like I said, I just, every couple years my favorite sport changed when I was a kid growing up.
Collin Kushner:That's the beauty about being a kid. You can try different things suit you like, suit you don't like. Uh, at what point did you decide to, to kind of hone in on football and become a quarterback? Cuz there's so many other positions you could pick. I don't even know how you choose.
Todd Reesing:Yeah. You know, when I was playing, uh, flag football, I think in middle school, I guess this would've been sixth grade. Um, I actually got beat out by another kid, uh, for the quarterback spot. Um, I thought it was the wrong decision, but, you know, you gotta go with what the coach says. Um, so I ended up playing receiver that year, which is an absolute blast, especially when you're playing flag football, um, getting to run down the field, um, and everything else. But it was, uh, you know, then I, you know, transitioned to, uh, tackle football the next year and we actually, uh, moved school districts out to Lake Travis where I ended up, uh, staying for high school. Um, and that's when I won, you know, the, my first quarterback job as a seventh grader. Um, and after that I was, I was kind of hooked on on being quarterback because I had to have the ball in my hands every play. And I, I just couldn't imagine playing a position where that wasn't the case. So, although at that age I was, uh, I was pretty good size, so I was also, uh, doing a double duty as middle linebacker on defense. So you can imagine a quarterback, middle linebacker in seventh and eighth grade, um, while I was also the punter in kicker. So I was kind of trying to do it all in the football field in middle school.
Collin Kushner:That's the funniest part about hearing these childhood stories about football or, or pretty much any sport because you, you play all these different positions and you're right, as you get, as you get older and as you grow, you know, in that sport that you end up choosing, like in what world are you playing middle linebacker, you're playing quarterback, you're kicking May, are you coaching too? Maybe we're throwing a little coaching as well.
Todd Reesing:You know what's funny, I wasn't doing any coaching, uh, but, uh,<laugh>, I was just laughing about this. I was thinking back, I used to take my shoe off to, uh, to do the punting and kicking for whatever reason, I, I, I kicked the ball, you know, further and better when I had my shoe off. So you imagine running off the field, having to take your cleat off, run out there and kick it. And a few times I had to make a tackle when there the ball was being returned, you know, with one shoe running around the field.
Collin Kushner:<laugh>, you went to Lake Travis High School, uh, you have a ton of success there. You're named the Texas Forer Player of the Year as a junior. Uh, but you weren't getting a lot of interest from colleges. Why, why was that, Todd? What, like, what do you think was going on kind of in that world?
Todd Reesing:Yeah, well know that's, you know, lake Travis at that point in time certainly wasn't, uh, a renowned powerhouse in football. Uh, like it is, you know, now, 15 years later, um, you know, we were oh and 10 my freshman year, uh, my sophomore year. I think we went three and seven, and I actually played receiver that year as well, uh, as the backup quarterback. Uh, which I do think, you know, playing receiver gave me a lot of insight, um, into what receivers are going through, how they evaluate, how to get open, how they're reading defenses, which I think translated and helped me become a better quarterback because I, I played the position, I understood what they were going through. Um, you know, then we, we have a, a, you know, a good year my junior year and then go 10 and oh my, my senior year. Um, but I think back about, you know, the, the recruiting process, I think a lot of it had to do with this, you know, lake Travis wasn't well known on the map, so it wasn't like an area that people were gonna be coming forward looking for recruits. I think Austin in general, you know, wasn't oil hotbed. It was more Dallas and Houston and, and still largely is, I think for the most part, um, and I was undersized, right? I'm, you know, five foot 10 in a quarter in reality, you know, 5 11, 6 foot, if they give me a gimme, a little nudge on the program. Um, so a lot of it was proactive efforts. Um, you know, back then we were still rocking VHS tapes, so I remember together our own little collage, uh, of game film along with a little, you know, one page resume. And it was me and my parents, you know, sending tapes out to, you know, anybody that, that would have us. Um, and so that was really what we were doing. Um, you know, throughout my junior year, um, you know, trying to build up some sort of an engagement or, uh, interest from schools around the country.
Collin Kushner:You win Texas for a player of the year, Texas is synonymous with football, and when you're tearing it up, I, I guess from my side, I just thought offers would be pouring in. I guess they didn't really understand that it's, it's also dependent on a lot of the other factors. Is your school having success? Um, like where are you located? And, and of course the, the, the stuff like how, how tall are you in the physical attributes? Which I think, I think that part is ridiculous.
Todd Reesing:It is. Well, and there's, you know, it's really tough to evaluate kids at that age because a lot of kids aren't done growing. Uh, a lot of them may have very limited experience playing football. Maybe they got recruited in by the coach cuz of their size or their speed, but they haven't developed the technical skills yet, uh, or really understand the xs and o from a mental aspect. Um, so I can understand the challenge with, with finding, you know, high quality recruits, um, because a lot of guys just aren't, aren't there yet, but they turn into great players in college or even after college as guys are still developing into their professional careers. Um, so yeah, I, I certainly, um, you know, was, um, uh, I had had a good idea that I wanted to play football that I knew I could play at that level. And it was really just a matter of finding anybody to gimme a chance. Um, and it was pretty interesting. The, the first, uh, scholarship offer I got actually came outta the blue. Um, I had had no, no contact with Kansas State, which is where the offer was from back when, uh, coach Snyder was there, who obviously is a legendary college football coach, had a ton of success at K State. I came home and opened up a letter from Kansas State one day and they said, Hey, we'd like to offer you a scholarship. And I had had, you know, hadn't talked to any coaches on their roster, so I, you know, called up their coaching staff and was kinda like, I was kind of curious like, Hey, why, why'd you send me the offer<laugh>? I'm, I mean, I'm like, I'm thankful. I'm grateful for it, don't get me wrong. Um, and so that was my first, um, you know, opportunity to obviously play in college. So at that point, I knew I would be able to, at a minimum go to Kansas State. Um, and then after that, I think that's when I started to have a lot more engagement, um, with other schools. And that was kind of the, the spring of my junior year.
Collin Kushner:You ended up going to the University of Kansas to play under, uh, former head coach Mark Mangino. Todd, what do you think Coach Mangino saw in you that a lot of the other schools didn't see?
Todd Reesing:Yeah, it's a great question. And you know, I, I essentially, you know, asked that same question or he offered up his answer to that question. It would be a better way to describe it. Uh, it was actually after I had visited Kansas State for a, a summer mini camp with, with high school players. And, uh, one of the Kansas coaches had called me when I was on my way to go visit Kansas State and said, Hey, you know, we got your tape. We, we'd love for you to, to come on by. Um, you know, coach Benino would like to meet you. So my parents and I drove down to Lawrence and um, we went in to meet with Coach Mangino, and I remember this pretty clearly. He goes, well, Todd, you know, I saw your tape this morning for the first time. He goes, I've seen all I need to see. Um, we wanna offer you a scholarship. Well, like, I don't, he goes, I don't care how tall you are, I don't care how fast you are. He goes, you, you have the X factor, you have the it and I, that's all I need to know. And so right away, whereas, you know, I've, I talked to other coaches, other schools like, Hey, we, you know, you're not very tall, you're not very fast. Or one coach told me that I was on his B list. Uh, we ended up going on a beat them Texas a and m, uh, that felt good cause I grew up a a Longhorn fan anyways. But yeah, having a coach say that to you when you know that you are being overlooked because of size or speed or whatever it might be to say, Hey, I don't care about any of that. I think you can play football and I think you can play on my team. I mean, that, that immediately sold me on the idea of playing it for Coach Mangino.
Collin Kushner:That's so cool to hear. I actually, I, I got chills hearing that story because I recently chatted with Brandon Lloyd, former wide receiver, and he actually touched on something, Todd, that I think you can really resonate with, uh, when effort and opportunity come together. That was something that he talked about when he had a career year, uh, with the Denver Broncos. When you, when you think about effort and opportunity, because clearly you're giving your best effort and you're doing everything that you, you can personally control, the opportunity part, unfortunately is out of it. So what are your thoughts kind of on, on the effort meeting opportunity component?
Todd Reesing:Yeah. Well, they have to go hand in hand. Um, you know, you can put as much effort as you want into anything, but if you're never given the opportunity to showcase your skillset, showcase your, uh, your talent, then you're never gonna be able to have a culmination of that result in, in success on the field, success in life, success in your professional career. Um, and Coach Mangino was the one who gave me that opportunity. Um, and you know, there's some other factors that went into, uh, my eventually being named the starter, uh, and then playing for three years at Kansas. And part of that had to do with the fact that unfortunately, uh, the starter my freshman year was injured, and then the backup didn't play well, and they ended up pulling my red shirt. Uh, and that was probably, that created the opportunity for me to then compete for the starting job the next year. Um, so there is, there's a little bit of good luck that has to go hand in hand sometimes with the effort that you put in, with all of the practice, all the hard work, um, so that you can, you know, get out there and showcase what you can do.
Collin Kushner:I guess from, from a mental standpoint, Todd, at a young age, like how did you, how'd you kind of grasp all these different concepts? Because, you know, when you're young, you're, I think, I think we tend to be more focused on the game that we're actually playing and maybe not be as strategic. Did you have help for parents, uh, coaches, friends growing up that really kind of helped you dial in, like, Hey, hey man, like, just keep grinding, keep doing your thing, or was that something that, that came from within yourself?
Todd Reesing:No, I think it was definitely instilled, um, first and foremost by my parents. Um, you know, both my parents, um, came from very humble backgrounds, um, you know, worked, uh, extremely hard their entire life to provide for me, my brother, my sister, to give us a better life than they had. Um, you know, my dad, they both were, were, you know, big athletes, um, you know, huge fans of sports growing up. My dad was a, a football player and baseball player and all that. My mom is a heck of an athlete as well. So, you know, my dad would, you know, drop anything he was doing and take us out to the baseball field and hit grounders or go out there and throw the football around and, and play games in the yard. Um, my mom pushed us really hard academically. She was, came from a long line of educators in her family, and so mom didn't accept bees, right? So you, you either getting an A or you were gonna get in trouble. Uh, so I think, you know, really that hard work, um, that determination, uh, really started with my parents. Uh, and I think that, you know, then translated into really learning the xs and os of football with my high school coach, um, guy by the name of Jeff Dyk, who's he'll still still coaching here in Austin. I like Travis to their first state title a few years after I left. Um, and he was really the one that pushed me to be a better football player, right? He, he made me become a student of the game when I'm, I'm betting a lot of kids in high school weren't doing film study and sitting down and spending, you know, an hour after practice with their coach to understand the game, understand how to read defenses. Um, and he's the one that really, I think took my game to a whole nother level that created the, the opportunity for me to get a, a college scholarship.
Collin Kushner:So, 2007 season, you're at University of Kansas, dude, you rip it up, 12 and one overall record, uh, you guys win the Orange Bowl, uh, your stats that year, 3,486, passing yards, 33 touchdowns, seven picks, um,<laugh>, when I read all that off to you, man, like what kind of goes, what kind of pops into your head given, you know, all the doubts and all the, and all the other stuff that happened before leading up to that.
Todd Reesing:Yeah, well, you, you mentioned getting chills though. I think I just got chills that time thinking back about that. Um, you know, I, I, I don't think I ever get tired of, of talking about, you know, that oh 7 0 8 season, uh, and obviously anytime you go back or I go back to Kansas or you read one of the Kansas fans, everyone always remembers where they were during the Orange Bowl game or where they were, uh, you know, watching Kansas go on this, you know, historic run. Um, because, uh, you know, the university never seen anything like that before. Uh, but it was, I mean, it was, there's so many great memories from that season. Um, and I really think it, you know, it started in the off season before, you know, we had a lot of really talented players on both sides of the ball. Uh, we bring in a new offensive coordinator to start to revamp the offense and go to more of a, of a running gun spread offense. Uh, which I think was a, a huge, um, uh, you know, progression forward for me to be able to suc uh, to succeed as quarterback because, you know, I'm not your traditional understander type of quarterback. So I'm having him come in and really call plays and, and kind of restructure the offense to suit my skillset definitely helped me excel. So, um, so many great memories to, to go through from that oh seven season, um, that, you know, I don't even know where to start.
Collin Kushner:Well, I, I think it, it, it's so crazy, man, because typically when you look at statistics, um, over at any college football program, any sport you, there's usually like pretty close from number one in a specific category to number two for you. It's, it's insane. Todd, you finished your University of Kansas playing career with 11,194 total passing yards, a school record. The next person is at 6,410 passing yards. That's about a 5,000 yard difference when it comes to passing touchdowns. Similar, you're number one 90 total passing touchdowns at Kansas. Number two is Carter Stanley. He finished with 37. Your stats are crazy, man.
Todd Reesing:Well, I guess that goes to show that we had never rerun that, uh, that spread offense that I was talking about before<laugh>, cuz we hadn't had a ton of success in the passing game. But yeah, I mean, those, listen, those stats, it's, it's certainly, uh, humbling to hear that. Um, I'm very proud of what I was able to accomplish at Kansas, but I think that's also a reflection of all the guys that I played with, of all the coaches that I had, um, call and plays, uh, and in setting us up for success, allowing us to succeed, um, out there each and every week. So, um, it's great to be able to share those kind of records and share'em with my teammates, um, because those, yeah, those are some, some impressive numbers if you, if you think about it. Um, and it's just, uh, it brings me great, you know, great, great pride to be able to, to know that we accomplished so much those those few years at Kansas.
Collin Kushner:It was just cool to see just from, from my p o v just as a, as a, as a college football fan, just to, to kind of, to kind of read up a little bit and just really just see how you got there. You were given that opportunity, you're given that chance. And I think that's, and I, I, I think that's all we, we really kind of seek out in life. We're putting in the hard work. It's all about getting that chance an opportunity is, is there anything that you would kind of tell a, a younger version of yourself or maybe a, a young man or young woman in the same position that you were about how to kind of drive through some of the obstacles that, that you had to?
Todd Reesing:I think the first, um, you know, first thing I would say is you have to believe in yourself. Um, you know, I went into a situation where the, the guy ahead of me, Carrie Meyer, who ended up becoming, um, my roommate and and close friend while we were competing for the starting quarterback job, you know, he was this guy where I come in for off season workouts and he's blowing past me in every drill. He's six three, you know, 2 25, you know, fast as heck. Uh, everyone called him franchise around the university. So I'll, I'm thinking, man, I gotta compete against a guy named franchise. Like, how am I ever gonna be able to, to win a quarterback job, uh, when he's already the starting quarterback? Um, but I didn't let that affect my mindset. Um, I continued to work hard to try to get better, to improve myself physically, to improve myself mentally understand the offense, learn how to read defenses so that if I was given the opportunity I'd, I would be prepared to seize it. Um, so I think believing in yourself is something that you, you, you always gotta focus on. Cuz that's something you can control. There's a lot of things in life and sports, uh, in your profession that you can't control, but that's outta your hands. If you focus on what you can control and go at it with enthusiasm, uh, with determination, with a lot of hard work, then when you do get that opportunity as we talk about effort and opportunity, then you're gonna be, uh, be, be, uh, in the best position possible to take advantage of it.
Collin Kushner:You're so right about, about the mindset and, and believing in yourself. I mean, that, that's so crucial and key for, for, and it's not just for sport, it's for the business world for, for relationships as well. I mean, it, there's something powerful about having that inner belief. And I know that's what helped me through my life, whether it was, I kind of had similar things. I was a hockey goalie and they're like, you're too small, you're undersized. And I remember my dad would tell me, um, Hey, you know, you can't control that aspect of it, but what you can is come in every day with a positive attitude, work hard, and you know, you'll see where the cards, you know, fall for you. And I, I think the one thing I want to know is like, that doesn't mean that disappointment doesn't come, it just means that it's just a different way and a different avenue to kind of look at your life and, and reshape things. I, I don't know, that's just my p o v man.
Todd Reesing:Yeah, listen, disappointment's gonna be, uh, you play sports long enough. Um, we all have disappointment in sports at some point, you know, we, we, after winning our first 11 games, I lost the last seven to end my career. So, um, you know, as a high of a point as I, there was to start, it was a, you know, a very low point. The culminate also in Coach Mangino, you know, kind of being, being forced out of being the head coach at Kansas. So I got to experience both. Um, and, you know, the, the low lows, um, aren't, aren't ever as bad as the high highs, um, are gonna be good. So you just gotta keep yourself focused on the positive. Even when things, uh, aren't going your direction, again, you come back to that mindset, um, you know, lean on your teammates, lean on your friends and family for support. Um, because at the end of the day, whether it's it's sports or, or, or work or family, whatever it might be, you know, the sun's gonna rise the next day. Uh, you got a new opportunity to improve things to, to, to work, um, to make things better. Uh, and if you keep that kind of mindset, you know, everything's gonna be okay at the end of the day.
Collin Kushner:I love that, man. That's a powerful message. It's a really powerful message for, uh, I'm excited for people to drop in and, and, and listen to this because again, sports, business, life, whatever it is, uh, it, it's also important. You're such a humble guy and I, I do appreciate you, you know, talking about how your teammates and how's a complete team effort and Coach Mangino, you know, giving you the chance. But Todd, you're considered the best quarterback, uh, in school history. When you hear that, what does that bring up for you today in this moment?
Todd Reesing:Well, it's, um, you know, it brings up a lot of emotions. Um, like I said, you know, know, uh, I try to stay humble and, and, and, you know, deflect praise when it, when it comes my way and, and, and, and have it be about my teammates, cuz it, it, it was a collective effort. But, um, I mean, it, I think it, it also is a reflection of all the work that I put in for, you know, 20 plus years of my life to get to that moment. Um, I'm extremely, you know, proud of what I was able to accomplish at Kansas to, to have my name be inducted in the Ring of honor and sit alongside guys like Gail Sayers and, and John Hale. And John Hale was someone that I become very close with, kind of like a mentor, uh, when he was working at the university and I was playing, and he actually was one of the ones that helped me get to my job after, uh, after, um, I ended up my hanging up my paths for my playing career. So, uh, it's extremely humbling to be, uh, to have people mention my name in, in that, that same regard. So, um, really proud, uh, real, really happy that, uh, things turned out the way they did
Collin Kushner:After Kansas. Did you have your eyes set on the NFL or what was next for you in, in your mind?
Todd Reesing:Yeah, I, I certainly, uh, would've loved the opportunity<laugh> to play in the N F L. Uh, you know, I, I was invited to play, uh, in the Senior Bowl. Um, so went down there, great experience getting to compete against some of the, the best cultural players from across the country. You know, really enjoyable experience also, just getting to go and visit the Shriners Hospital and like, and, and be able to, to go visit kids and have a, a great time playing with them and showing them some support and love. Um, you know, at the end of the day, I, I didn't get a call from any of the teams to, to be picked up after the draft or invited to, uh, one of the mini camps. Um, I, you know, in the back of my mind, I had kind of prepared myself, um, that that would light, that could be an outcome that was very possible. Um, the person that I had a hard time to convince was my dad. Uh, he was, uh, he was completely focused that I needed to get a shot at the N F L and I almost had to be like, dad, it's, it's okay if it doesn't work out. Like I'll be all right<laugh>. Um, but that just, again, that just showed how much he, he supported and believed in me, you know, my entire life all the way up until the end. Um, so when that, you know, unfortunately, um, you know, didn't happen and, you know, maybe if it had been a few years later when the, when the shorter quarterback had become, you know, in vogue in the N F l, maybe things were differently. Um, but it, you know, eventually, um, signed on with the Saskatchewan Ruff riders up in the Canadian Football League. Um, so was invited to go to go join up there. Um, which again was a, was a rather short-lived, uh, experience. But, um, you know, I was grateful to get, to go up there and experience the, the wacky Canadian football up north.
Collin Kushner:Why do you think you didn't get a shot in the N F L? Do you think it was completely related to, to the height, to the height factor? Or like, or like why, from from your side of things.
Todd Reesing:Yeah, I, I think it, the, probably the two biggest attributes when, you know, they think about evaluating quarterbacks would be, you know, height and arm strength. Um, I don't think the the speed thing would, uh, that's not gonna be a make it or break a decision for, um, why they pick N F L quarterbacks, you know, nowadays the dual thread has become, you know, somewhat of a more common thing, but, uh, you know, 15 years ago it, you know, wasn't, wasn't as common maybe as it is now. Um, so yeah, I think those are probably the, the two biggest reasons. Um, nothing I could do about height. Um, and, you know, I only got the arm that God gave me. So<laugh>, I wish it was a little bit stronger, it served me well in college, but, um, you know, it certainly probably wasn't as strong as a lot of other guys out there. So I would say if I had to point to two things, it'd be those,
Collin Kushner:I think the heart and, and the hard work. And I, I don't know, I think those oftentimes get overlooked. And again, I'm not an evaluator by any means, but you just hear it on TV all the time focusing on the physical attributes and, you know, this person's six six and they got the arm and the hand size, and maybe I'm an old school, Todd, but what about heart? You know, what about hard work and, and preparation and dedicating yourself to the craft? I, I, I feel like that that means something and I feel like it should mean more.
Todd Reesing:Yeah, there's, and again, I think that's, you're getting at that, that X factor and, and that kind of, I think that's what Mangino saw in me when he watched my team evaluating me back in high school. And I, I think there's certainly a, a truth to that because not every first round draft pick in the N F L turns out to be, uh, a pro bowler. Sometimes you've got guys like Tom Brady drafted in the seventh round that become the greatest quarterback of all time. So there's certainly more, um, how successful or how great a player becomes beyond height, weight, and 40 time, right? There's, there's a lot more that goes into it. Are they a student of the game? Do they put in the extra hours beyond the mandated practice time? Um, are they always trying to get better? How do they take care of themselves off the field? Are they trying to improve their athleticism? Are they trying to stay healthy? How do they eat? Um, so I think all of those things go into, and those are things you can't coach. You can't tell someone what to do when they're not at practice. Um, you can't, you can't tell'em how to have the right attitude. You know, all of that kind of comes from within. And if you don't have that, I think that's, that's what separates the good from the great, uh, is all the little things that, that coaches or anyone else can, can't make you do. You have to do it yourself. You have to make up your mind that you want to be great. Um, and put in the work day after day after day, even when it's not fun.
Collin Kushner:On the program's website, um, under personal, there was something that said football is dot, dot, dot, and your answer was indescribable through the modern English language. No spoken words can illustrate the complete inner satisfaction, the sport unveils to those who play. That's pretty powerful and poetic man.
Todd Reesing:Yeah, I, it is. I mean, when you're out there in front of 75 to a hundred thousand people and you connect on a, a deep touchdown pass and you throw your hands up in the middle of the field and you hear that roar, like, what's better than that? There's, there is not many things on earth or mid environments that I think could create a, a more fulfilling, more adrenaline, uh, filled rush than that. Um, you know, I I probably liken it to people that do these really extreme, uh, adrenaline sports, like, you know, going skydiving and win wing suits, like it's extreme. They do it because that's, they, they get that this rush that just, once you've got a taste of it, uh, it's hard to let go of. And, and that's why I think so many people are alwa they want to extend their career in sports because they have that competitive juice. They get that adrenaline, that satisfaction. Um, and when you put in so much time, so much effort your whole life then to just to get, enjoy those handful of kind of pure bliss moments, um, it really makes it all worth it.
Collin Kushner:Yeah, man, those moments are everything. God, it's, it's so cool when you're in, when you're in the middle of a, of a moment in a sport that you've dedicated your entire life to, and you get that satisfaction of throwing that touchdown pass, making that big love save on the breakaway man. They're, and it's hard to describe into words. I think it took me years to be able to kind of describe what the, what the game of hockey meant to me, you know, over the years in my life and how it helped through different trials and tribulations. Man, it's, it's, it's so
Todd Reesing:Cool. It is. And I think, you know, I was talking with, with someone recently about, you know, what are some of the lessons that, that football in particular, but, but I think sports more broadly, you know, taught me that, um, have been now translated over to my personal life, to my pro professional life post football. And, and there's so many, I, I think so many of those attributes that you're taught playing any sport growing up, and certainly at a high level, um, you know, hard work, discipline, dedication, um, teamwork, collaboration, all attributes that, you know, anybody wants in a good employee, that anybody wants in a good friend or a good husband or a wife, whatever it, it might be. Uh, and I think that's why you see a lot of, of, a lot of athletes that go on to be very successful in whatever they may pursue after sports, because they've, they, they know what it takes to be successful. They know what it takes to, to put in the time, to put in the effort to, um, you know, be the best at your craft.
Collin Kushner:Yeah. There's that like deep, that deep understanding that that maybe gives you the edge over somebody else who maybe wasn't as active in, in competitive sports growing up. I completely, I completely agree with that. I know you had mentioned that in the back of your mind you were prepared to, to take that next step in your life away from the game of football. But was it hard to move away from it given all the success that you had?
Todd Reesing:Uh, it was extremely hard. Um, you know, in the back of my mind when I went up to the Canadian Football League, um, you know, I thought at a minimum I'd be up there for a few years. Um, you know, whether or not I got a chance to, to start again. Part of that's gonna be are you on a team that doesn't have a starter or do you have an all star on your team who's been playing for four or five years? Um, and so some of that's outside of your control. Um, but I certainly didn't think that it would be done and I'd be moving on. Um, but I, I, you know, I did come to grips with it, you know, I think, um, shortly after I started, um, my first job, it was kind of funny. I, I got a, a phone call two weeks after I started, uh, after I'd been waiting for, for six months to see if I'd get another offer to go back to the C F L. And then lo and behold, two weeks after I start my first job, I get a call from the team in Montreal, uh, wanted the, wanted to know if I wanted to come back to training camp that year. So, um, maybe if that call was three weeks earlier, things would've turned out differently. Um, but I think, you know, as I thought through it, um, you know, weighing the pros and the cons and, and I always knew that there would, you know, there's gonna be a whole lot more life after football than there's gonna be life in football. And, uh, what I thought about from that perspective, um, you know, I think it, it made it a little bit easier to come to grips with it. But, you know, those first couple of seasons when I was watching football instead of playing after college, um, were certainly where we're tough. Right? You just wanted to be out there so bad because, uh, you still had that taste of the game in your mouth.
Collin Kushner:Was there anything in particular, like one thing where that just really, really helped you out during that time?
Todd Reesing:Yeah, I think there was certainly a bit of like, maybe I just need to take a breather<laugh> from football. Cause I've been living and breathing it for the last, you know, 10 years or so. Um, but you know, I think a lot of it was just, um, having a sense of gratitude. You know, being extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to, to start and to play for three years and to play in a couple bowl games. To have the best season ever at Kansas, um, and have the kind of success that you dream about as a kid. Um, I mean, most people don't get the opportunity to play in high school. You had a low in college and then from there, even get on the field and, and win games. So to accomplish what we did, um, you know, I think just focusing on that and being thankful that I was able to have that time and have that success, um, and, you know, focusing on the positives and not the negatives that I wasn't playing anymore because, um, you know what, it's not gonna do any good to, to dwell on what, what could have been.
Collin Kushner:Gratitude is such an important piece. It's really amazing how shifting the mindset to a gratitude perspective really does shift things. Again, it doesn't mean that you don't, you, you've sit in that disappointment for a while. I think that's part of the process to kind of go along. But having gratitude is, is everything in in it, it really does. It's like a mind, body and soul experience, man. It changes everything for sure.
Todd Reesing:Uh, it, it, it does. Uh, and, and I think you can take that to, again, to that approach to so many aspects of your life, right? You start each day being, being thankful for what you have and not focusing on what you don't have. And again, I think that that ties into what we were talking about earlier, which is focusing on what you can control. Like, hey, I can't control that. I'm not playing football anymore. That's okay. I got a lot of other things in my life that I, that I should be focusing on that, um, can bring me a lot of, you know, new joy and fulfillment, you know, being successful in my career, focusing on, uh, being a great brother, uh, being a great son, um, you know, having great relationships with my friends and having new adventures in life that are, have nothing to do with football. Cause there's, there's a whole lot of things out there besides sports, you know? Um, you know, I enjoy the time I had, but there's, there's so much more to, to, you know, focus on and enjoy in life as well.
Collin Kushner:That's such great perspective. And that kind of leads us to where you are now. You're the vice president at Dimensional Fund Advisors in Austin. It's a global investment firm. Uh, you've been there for a long time now, man. Uh, how is that transition over into the finance world for you?
Todd Reesing:Well, you know, when you, when you think you're gonna play football for a few years, uh, when you end up deciding that, uh, that's not gonna work out, uh, I kind of hit one of those, well, what am I supposed to do now?<laugh>? And, you know, I had always, you know, focused, um, you know, really hard on my, uh, academics throughout my whole life. I told my my mom being, uh, being an AER bus kind of woman in the household. Um, so when I went into, uh, school, you know, I, I double majored in economics and finance. Um, I actually served as a teaching assistant for one of our finance professors, uh, while I was in school. So I could get, uh, a few extra bucks in my pocket, uh, for spending cash. Uh, when I, you know, I, I made the decision to, to move on from football. Um, my, my actual, my first call was, um, to David Booth, who was the, the founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors. He actually went to the University of Kansas, grew up in Lawrence, down the street from, from Allen Fieldhouse. Um, and he had a relationship with, with John Hale, who I, um, referenced earlier. And, you know, John kind of always pushed me, Hey, you know, whenever you're done, you need to call David. You need to call David. And it just so happened that Dimensional had just moved their headquarters into Austin, Texas, just down the road from where my parents live. So like, the stars were kind of aligning to like, Hey, you, this is, this might be the, the place you need to go. Um, and I did, I had lunch with David and, uh, had to, he was like, well, why don't you come in and interview? So I had to build a resume for the first time in my life. So<laugh>, I went home after that. I'm like, all right, what do you, what do you put on a resume? Um, and then, you know, interviewed with Dimensional, ended up getting the, the job. Um, yeah, back in, back in 2011, I guess is when I, um, started and, and still at that time, I didn't really know a whole lot about, about what the company did. Obviously I was learning and doing my research, trying to understand, you know, more about the, the history of the firm, um, you know, how they, how they view investing, how they view capital markets, but it was basically like going in and, and getting a, a crash course, uh, which I think a lot of jobs are that way, right? You, uh, college gives you the skillset, the education, um, to be able to learn, to adapt, uh, and to, to focus on, you know, new endeavors. But, um, you get a lot of that learning done as soon as you join the company.
Collin Kushner:Yeah. You know, I<laugh> I went to Arizona State and I was under the impression that everything I learned in journalism school, like, that's it, like that, that's it, that's all you need to know. And then, you know, you get that first shot, you're like, wait a second. I, I don't really know a lot about what's happening and I need to really dive in to just figure this out.
Todd Reesing:It's so true. And that's, you know, whenever we have, you know, new associates that, that join the team now, and a lot of'em last, you know, how, you know, what I did to be successful early in my career to progress, um, to where I, you know, I'm at today. And, and what I'll tell'em is, you've gotta have an entrepreneurial mindset, right? You gotta, you gotta go in, uh, be willing to ask questions. Um, you know, if you don't know something, you know, speak up and ask if people are gonna be willing to, to share their knowledge, share what they know with you. Um, but it's, you know, part of that's gonna be on you, right? Um, no one's gonna no hold your hand anymore. You got to, to step up to the plate, if you will, um, and take a proactive mindset. Uh, that's how you know great companies are built, is by everyone taking a proactive entrepreneurial mindset to how can we do things better? We don't always have to do things the same way each and every day, uh, or else we're gonna be stagnant. Um, and I think that that kind of, that kind of the spirit and mindset and culture something, I think dimensional is always add. It's why, you know, it's been built up to the global company that it is now because we had a lot of people, a lot of former athletes as well in my group, um, that approach the business that way.
Collin Kushner:How have those football lessons, the good and the bad, helped you in the financial world?
Todd Reesing:Well, again, some of those attributes that we talked about earlier. Um, I think the, the discipline and the determination, um, you know, you gotta, when you get into the real world, um, you know, again, it's, it's a little bit different than, you know, being in school and, you know, playing football. Um, you know, it's, it's more, it's more cutthroat, right? You gotta come to work every single day, every single week, and you have to perform. Um, so, and a lot of that's gonna be based on, you know, your, your personal effort, uh, and you gotta go above and beyond what you're supposed to do if you really want to excel. So I think having that, that hard work, uh, that disciplined mindset to be successful, constantly trying to find new ways to learn, to evolve, to grow, um, as an employee are really important. Uh, and then I think, you know, on the flip side, it's also having, uh, a very collaborative, um, teamwork focused mindset. And that's one of the things that I've always really appreciated about Dimensional, is that it really feels like one team, right? We're all working towards a common goal, which is, um, to, to impact as many investors as possible and, and show'em a great investment experience that leads to, um, you know, a happier life to a better retirement, to fulfilling their, you know, charitable goals, whatever their, their dreams might be. Um, and that we've got a lot of people that are willing to help each other, right? It's not, Hey, I'm trying to outperform that guy so I'm not gonna help him so I can get a bigger bonus, right? That's, that's not the mindset that we've had, and it just makes coming to work each day that much more enjoyable, right? Because you know that you're working with someone that's, they, they'll, they'll drop whatever they have to do to help you out. Um, because at the end of the day, it's the results of the team that matter, not one individual.
Collin Kushner:I love those parallels. It parallels perfectly with, with football and in your, in your football career. Juice Williams, a former alumni quarterback, was talking about as a financial advisor, how the certain tasks, the tasks that he has each and every day helping clients, he kind of channels football jargon and implements that in his mind to, to, and, and, and how it just translates perfectly into, into getting the job done, uh, efficiently and quickly. I don't, I don't know. It was, it was fascinating from, from my end. And even though I know it's second nature for you guys,
Todd Reesing:Well, there is, again, like I said there, there's so many, so many parallels. And if you, if you, if you take that kind of mindset, um, it's funny that you mentioned, you know, financial advisors, cuz those are, those are our clients, right? And I, there's tons of parallels between, you know, being a quarterback and being someone that's trying to be the quarterback of, of someone's, you know, finances to trying to help someone, you know, see the field if you will, and understand and make the right decisions, uh, based on, uh, you know, a good set of data, a good set of information. Um, so yeah, I think you can, you can carry those sports parallels to, to just about any phase of life.
Collin Kushner:<laugh> to wrap things up, dude, do you miss football?
Todd Reesing:I do, yeah. You know, I, I've actually had a, uh, a little bit of a kind of a resurgence, if you will, in, in, in watching more football the last couple years. Um, you know, I've kind of, you know, gone back and forth between watching more college, watching more N F L, uh, it's kind of varied over the years, but, you know, this year with this, uh, this resurgence that the University of Kansas has had, um, having quarterbacks that are, are, are talented in making plays, having an offense that's scoring points, um, that really has kind of reunited my, my passion for, for college football. So I've, I've been really enjoying watching every Kansas football game. Uh, I got back for homecoming this past year and got to get up on stage during a pep rally and, and amp the crowd up. Uh, a lot of fun. So it's, it's been a, a, a really enjoyable fall and a lot of fun watching the Jayhawks come back to life.
Collin Kushner:Todd Reese sing, university of Kansas Football legend. Appreciate the time, brother.
Todd Reesing:Oh, and it's been a ton of fun and a pleasure. Thank you so much.