Five years ago, Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea flew to Baltimore and interviewed Jesse Minter.
Lea was looking for his defensive coordinator. After meeting Minter, Lea saw no reason to interview anyone else.
"I was blown away," said Lea, a sentiment shared by many coaches who have worked alongside Minter. "Jesse was on the Ravens' staff (defensive backs coach), and we did the interview at Jesse's house. Sometimes when you interview a coach, you sense a lot of ego or self-importance. It's almost like they're giving you a sales pitch.
"With Jesse, it was just a lot of smart communication. He could think quickly on his feet. This was a guy who could sustain high performance. When I left the house, I knew Jesse was the guy. I could feel it."
'He Doesn't Make It About Him'
Minter's friends and former colleagues are rejoicing that he has been named the fourth head coach in Ravens history. They are convinced Baltimore made the right choice, just like Lea was convinced he made the right move five years ago when he hired Minter.
Lea is 44 years old, just two years older than Minter. Lea is a first-time head coach at Vanderbilt, just like Minter will be a first-time head coach with the Ravens.
Having been a head coach for five years, and coming off a 10-3 season in the highly competitive SEC, Lea can relate to the challenge that awaits Minter. What advice would Lea give Minter as he takes over the Ravens?
Lea chuckled at the question, but he has no doubt that Minter is ready to sit in the big chair.
"I don't think there's anything that can totally prepare you to be a head coach," said Lea, who has turned Vanderbilt's program around and recently signed a six-year extension. "It's something you have to experience and learn from.
"The thing about Jesse is, he's a teacher and he understands it's a players' game. He doesn't make it about him. The other thing is, he's going to make mistakes. We've all made mistakes, but it's not about being perfect. It's recognizing where the gaps are as a head coach and moving quickly to fix them. That's Jesse. He adapts quickly."
'His Football IQ Was Years Ahead'
Central Florida offensive line coach AJ Blazek loved matching wits with Minter during meetings and practices when they worked together at Vanderbilt. He described Minter as a coach who creates an atmosphere where players enjoy learning, whether he's dealing with college walk-ons or NFL superstars.
"All players, even great players, still want to learn if they want to get better," Blazek said. "They are students of the game. They want to see the overall picture and Jesse is a great teacher.
"His football IQ was years ahead of his age. He's coached at the NFL level as an assistant. His father (Rick Minter) was a college head coach. Jesse wasn't loud and yelling in front of everybody all the time. You'd see him on the side talking to guys individually, talking a lot after practice. There's a trust with him. He takes an individual interest in each guy."
'I Always Admired His Work Ethic'
Penn State special teams coordinator Justin Lustig is eager to watch Minter coach a roster as talented as Baltimore's.
"The best coaches know how to utilize their players, not just a great player like Kyle Hamilton, but everybody," Lustig said. "He's going to a first-class organization."
Lustig coached special teams/tight ends at Vanderbilt in 2021 during a season in which the Commodores finished 2-10, including 0-8 in the SEC. Adversity often reveals character, and Lustig admired how Minter handled that difficult year.
"We were coming off the Covid year, we weren't winning, but Jesse was consistent," Lustig said. "We had a lot of challenging games, but he was the same guy every single day. I always admired his work ethic. He's a grinder."
'Confidence But No Arrogance'
Texas A&M quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch went to elementary school with Minter in Muncie, Ind., when Rick Minter was defensive coordinator at Ball State (1985-91). Lynch says Minter's persona hasn't changed since they were two kids playing football on a Saturday afternoon.
"He's as good of a guy as you'd ever want to be around," Lynch said. "He has confidence but no arrogance."
Lynch said Minter's down-to-earth personality has always helped him connect quickly with players. If Minter can't solve a problem, Lynch said he won't hesitate to find someone who can help.
"He's going to surround himself with really good people," Minter said. "He's going to listen. He's going to ask questions. He's going to figure things out. He's going to win. I think the Ravens made a great choice."
