NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Gerry Rardin watched Mike Vrabel lead the Titans in practice on Tuesday, he had a flashback to nearly 20 years ago.

Back then, Vrabel was a freshman at Walsh Jesuit High School (Ohio). Rardin was the school's head football coach, and Spanish teacher.

"We didn't allow freshmen to play on the varsity, although Mike probably could have," Rardin recalled. "I'll never forget, we had a big playoff game against Massillon coming up, and when Mike was in my freshman Spanish class – he sat right in the front row – he just begged me in front of the entire class to be a waterboy for that game so he could be on the sideline. I let him, and he was so excited.

"I think about that now and I laugh, because now here I am down here watching his pro team practice. Jeez, it's really something.

"I am extremely proud of Mike. Not shocked, but extremely proud."

Vrabel, hired by the Titans back In January, hasn't forgotten where he came from – he invited Rardin to Nashville to watch the team in organized team activities, and attend meetings with coaches and players at Saint Thomas Sports Park.

And he invited him into his home. Rardin, who coached 35 years at Walsh Jesuit and is now Dean of Students at the school, spent the night at the Vrabel residence in town on Tuesday night, where the two coaches caught up.

Vrabel was a standout in high school playing under Rardin before earning a scholarship and starring as a defensive end at Ohio State University. Vrabel played 14 NFL seasons with the Steelers, Patriots and Chiefs before going into coaching. He served as defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans last season.

"I don't think I could find one teacher at the school during Mike's time there that wouldn't say he was one of the neatest kids to have in class," Rardin said. "He was fun, but not to the point where it was bad for the classroom. He would keep everyone in good spirits with his attitude, and that was throughout high school. And when I went and visited him at Ohio State, he was the same exact way with the coaches there. And I would hear stories from reporters in New England who would tell me Mike would do things no other player had done. He was the first player, they said, that ever made (Bill) Belichick laugh during a practice — and only Mike could do that.

"He is special. So when people ask me, 'Is it too soon for Mike to be a head coach?' I tell them, 'Mike has done everything this way.' He's not a big ego guy. He is a guy who is going to work hard and he is going to be good to the people around him. It's not too soon. He has been ready for every moment."

Rardin observed practice from the sideline on Tuesday, and then chatted with his former pupil coming off the field. They shared a laugh about making tacos in Spanish class, and how students would be responsible for the ingredients, including the tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. Rardin took care of the meat seasoning with his special skillet, an inside joke the two smiled about.

Rardin smiled big when he talked about Vrabel. He said he was impressed with how his former pupil made the rounds in the building at STSP, popping into meeting rooms for position groups on both sides of the ball.

He's come a long way from his days as a waterboy.

"Mike is Mike," Rardin said. "He was with guys like Belichick and coached with Urban Meyer, but Mike is not going to copy anybody. Mike is going to be Mike. But I think Mike will see the best traits of guys he's been around and adapt him to Mike.

"Watching him, I just see an all-around coach. Belichick told me Mike was by far the smartest football player they've ever coached. Mike is a special person, and he's always been that way. I am so proud of him."