Shannon's first decision as head coach was to remove the players' surnames from their jerseys, in order to emphasize the team over individual members. Some fans complained the decision made the game more difficult to follow. He also instituted a strict code of conduct for the program, a response to the frequent on-field and off-field misconduct that characterized Coker's latter tenure. Among other things, anyone caught with a gun would have not only been kicked off the team, but thrown out of school as well.