Thomas Hammock stood near midfield, tears streaming down his face.

In the moments after his Northern Illinois football team stunned No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday, the 43-year-old coach was overrun with emotion describing what just transpired. 

“I’m so proud of our kids, the coaches, everybody,” said Hammock, who starred at the school years prior.

“All of these guys have been in our program, been through the ups and downs, continued to fight. It’s like they’re my kids.”

While Hammock’s palpable emotion has garnered most of the headlines and social media attention in recent days, there was important value in his words for any coach, executive, or team builder. 

In the era of upheaval, transfer portal acquisitions and constant moving and shaking across college sports, Northern Illinois returned 18 starters on offense and defense from last year’s team.

Eleven players in the program have competed in more than 40 games at the school.

The value of that experience and larger continuity isn’t lost on Hammock, who considers four critical components when he examines talent and puts together a roster:

1. Evaluate
2. Recruit
3. Develop
4. Retain

In essence, pursue the right skillsets and character fits, cultivate the appropriate strategies to help our team members in the short and long term, and build truth-based relationships that can withstand adversity.

"A lot of teams came after our guys in December, and guys believed in the program, guys believed in the brotherhood,” Hammock told CBS Sports.

“We lost two, but two didn't become 12. That's why that emotion after the game came over me. These guys stayed, and they believed. They were committed to one another.

“That's what, as a coach, you are always looking to build."

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