"Since I've been here, I can't remember playing a game at Christmas that really actually had meaning," Wake told USA TODAY Sports this week "Normally, it's kind of like, 'OK, guys, let's play for pride!'
"(Philbin)'s just taking the reins and kind of steering the ship to get into a great position that we're in. Now, we have our own path that we can control what happens the next three games."
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"You just have to stay true to yourself, who you are and what you believe in with your core beliefs, why you got into coaching, all of those things," Philbin said Friday. "You have to have confidence in your players and your staff. You keep working.
"There's no magic to football. There's absolutely zero. You keep working, and you keep plugging away and coach and teach. That's what you are."
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"It's kind of funny, because you're seeing him maybe loosen up a little bit, kind of grow into his space and you're seeing more of his personality as a coach," Wake said.
"But at the same time, (he's) narrowing down and fine-tuning everything, literally, from (giving players) Thursdays off and the way the schedule's been and the practices and the routine. He's been on top of it from details, head to toe."
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