Usa Football Coach And Coordinator Podcast

Special teams is an area a team can capitalize on in the early season. To be successful on special teams, coaches must be organized in the way they operate and attentive to the details. It doesn't need to be a complex undertaking. It simply means having a sound structure, and you are able to implement it well. In this episode, we talk with retired NFL special teams coach Bobby April, who was recognized as NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2008, Charlie Coiner, who spent 19 years in college football and the NFL with a focus on special teams, and Brett Arkelian, who is an analyst and special teams coach for Fresno State. These three coaches discuss simple ways to gauge special teams success, prepare for the unusual, and coach kickers and punters, especially if your background is not in kicking or punting. Coaches Featured in This Episode: Brett Arkelian, Analyst and Special Teams Coach, Fresno State Charlie Coiner, Retired NFL and College Coach Bobby April, Retired NFL Special Teams Coordinato

Coaching is not a copy-and-paste function. It requires an understanding of what your players need for a particular week and a particular game plan so that they are prepared for the plays you run, the looks the defense gives, and the situations that you will face. In this episdoe, Matt Drinkall, Co-OC/OL Coach from Army West Point, Kyle Segler, OL Coach at Louisiana-Monroe, and Brendan Walsh, OL Coach at Colgate University share valuable ideas for focusing your individual time and practice periods on the aspects of your scheme and technique that specifically be used in the next game. These three coaches share their approach to drills and practice periods to create the most effective way of preparing their players. While the focus is on offense, and particularly offensive line, the ideas shared apply across any position. We look at everything from a process for drill selection, to a focus on details, and creating an effective walk-through. Matt Drinkall, Co-OC/OL Coach, Army West Point Drill bank Spreadsheet

Whether you are on the offensive, defensive, or special teams side of the ball, early season game planning has some nuances in determining exactly what to focus on. It’s a balance of taking what you know about an opponent and their personnel and, to the best of your ability, filling in the blanks with educated projections. More than anything, it is still about building on what you do best. In this episode, we talk with Mike Judy, the four-time Delaware state champion head coach at Smyrna High School, Dan Carrel, who is Coastal Carolina’s Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach, and Dante Bartee, an Analyst at the University of Oregon to gain their insights into early season game planning. While the focus is more on the defensive side of the ball, their approach works in any phase of the game. Mike Judy, Head Coach, Smyrna High School Dealing with the unknowns of an early season opponent What you can get out of a scrimmage film Working with the staff to more accurately predict what an opponent is pl

A strong start to the season is directly correlated to player buy-in. It requires more than telling players they need to own things. Coaches must create environments where players have opportunities to take ownership of the team, offense, and defense. In this episode, Mike Elder, Tyler Roehl, and Todd Drury provide ideas with examples of the little things we can do to create the buy-in needed to get the season started off with a strong foundation with players and coaches aligned in the culture. Focusing on specific behaviors and building them into your team, unit, and position group sets everyone up for success within a player-led culture. Today’s Coaches: Mike Elder is the head coach at Avon High School (OH). Tyler Roehl is the offensive coordinator at North Dakota State University. Todd Drury is the defensive coordinator at Western Illinois University. Show Notes: Be Great at Things That Require No Effort End Everything with a Kick Competitive Excellence Mental Reps and Coaching Everyone Learning

In this episode, we focus on things coaches can do to ensure a positive start to the season and remain aligned with the culture we have worked on all year long and through camp. Going back and revisiting those things before the week one kickoff brings attention back to what has brought us to this point, as well as reinforces the beliefs and behaviors that will take us through the long season. It’s also an opportunity to build football IQ through dress rehearsals and to get the pulse of the team by establishing open lines of communication so that when any issues arise, there’s trust to work together to solve problems. Doing these things puts your team on solid footing as the adversity that impacts every team in some way is about to hit as it always does when the ball is kicked off. Today’s Coaches: Pete Shinnick is the head coach at Towson University. Coach Shinnick has a 159-67 record as a college head coach, spanning 20 seasons with stops at West Florida, UNC Pembroke, Azusa Pacific, and now Towson. He has

The early weeks of the season present varying levels of challenges depending on how your schedule is set up. Regardless of opponent, having clear objectives for your offense as well as a sound thought process for what goes into those early season game plans is important to getting your offense started off on the right foot. You want to have a package built around what your players do best as well as having enough answers to handle all you will face from opposing defenses. In this episode, three coaches take a look at setting goals as well as paring down your whole camp install to something that will be most efficient and effective on game day. Today’s Coaches: Josh Herring is the quarterbacks coach at Lassiter High School (GA). Kyle Ohradzansky is the offensive coordinator at the University of Findlay. Jay Wilkinson is the offensive coordinator at Fayetteville High School (AR). Show Notes: Goals for the Offense Study Your Historical Data 28 Points Per Game Defining the Explosives Goal Start with a

In this episode, Tommy Zagorski talks about the importance of establishing an identity early in the season, playing complementary football in all phases, and simulating situations in practice. Tommy Zagorski was named the head coach at Otterbein University in 2023. He holds a wealth of experience from multiple levels of football, most recently spending the 2022 season at Gilmour Academy in Ohio following a notable career in the college ranks. The Lancers played to a 9-2 record. Coach Zagorski began his career at John Carroll University for eight seasons, beginning as a graduate assistant and finishing as the offensive coordinator. In their last two seasons, JCU went a combined 20-4. He teamed with head coach Tom Arth (now with the Los Angeles Chargers) and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley (now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers) to reach the NCAA Division III Playoffs both seasons. Zagorski then made a jump to the Division I ranks in 2015, joining Butch Jones' staff at the University of Tennessee as a

As camp wraps up, everything has been installed, and it’s now about refining the schemes and techniques, as well as focusing on the details. Coaches cover so many things in camp. While we might feel that we have not given enough attention to everything, remember that your opponents are in the same situation. What’s important is staying focused on improving your players' fundamentals within the schemes you have installed. The cumulative effect of reps will start to take hold as you progress through the early part of the season, and you will start to see your players hitting a rhythm as you roll into mid-season. In this episode, three coaches share their thoughts on the transition from camp into the season. They dig into the things that are most important to them as they make final decisions on the schemes and personnel that give them the best opportunity to win in week one. Today’s Coaches: Deonte Gibson is the run game coordinator and defensive line coach at Youngstown State University. Steven Ciocci is the

The end of camp brings a new approach to the day and week. Schedules adjust with classes starting, and the new routine and rhythm of game week begins. It’s time to cover all the details of game operations, everything from where people stand on the field to how you meet at halftime. Do not take the little things for granted. It’s also important to communicate with players as depth charts and playing opportunities become set, at least for week one. In this episode, Morgan Scalley and Jonathan Himebauch point out the details coaches need to think about while making the transition from camp to week 1. Today’s Coaches: Morgan Scalley is the defensive coordinator at Utah. Jonathan Himebauch is the offensive line coach of the XFL Champion Arlington Renegades. Show Notes: Dealing with the First Day of School Installing Game Day Procedures Plan for Everything That Happens on Game Day Be Deliberate with Communication on the Depth Chart Adjusting Practices and Changing the Focus Additional Episode Featuring C

In our great game, on-field success hinges on a delicate balance between rigorous practice and adequate recovery. The significance of managing the proper amount of work in practice cannot be overstated. It directly influences players' readiness for optimal performance on game day. Striking this equilibrium is essential to ensure players are primed both physically and mentally to face the challenges of game day. In this episode, Kirk Fridrich, head coach of Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, details how he winds down camp to prepare for week one, as well as how he sets the Redhawks' practice weeks up for the season. These practice formats have resulted in Union High School winning over 200 games and five state championships under Coach Fridrich. Show Notes: Cover as Much as You Can  Be as Fresh as You Can Be on Game Day Dr. Erik Korem  Ramp Up Reps to Game-Like Drives No Sweat Wednesday/Thursday and Sprint-Through Thursday/Fast Friday Benefits of This Format Recommendations for Wednesday and Thursda

In this episode of The Season, host Keith Grabowski goes into his coaching notebook to talk about practicing special teams, specifically running an entire scrimmage around third down offense/defense and the kicking game. This rarely used practice script demonstrates the importance of special teams and how to rep specific situations the team may see in the game. Coach Grabowski implemented the kicking scrimmage format, the idea for which he first heard from the late Wally Hood, at the high school and college levels. The Script: The kicking scrimmage begins with a kickoff. While offense and defense can be completely eliminated, you can use the kicking scrimmage to work third down situations. Start with the following number of repetitions in each third down situation: 3rd & 1 (2); 3rd & 2 (2); 3rd & 3 (4); 3rd & 4 (4); 3rd & 5 (2); 3rd & 6 (6); 3rd & 7 (4); 3rd & 8 (4); 3rd & 12 (2); 3rd & 15 (2) Mix up the order as follows: 3rd & 1; 3rd & 15; 3rd & 2; 3rd & 12; 3rd & 3; 3rd & 8; 3rd & 3; 3rd & 8; 3rd & 4; 3rd

When camp starts, we immediately dive into getting our starters ready for the week one kickoff that is right around the corner. Certainly, that is the main objective. We want our team ready to win. However, we are also playing the long game as coaches. Most of our guys fall into the developmental category, especially the youngest players in our program. In this episode, two coaches explain how they prioritize those young players, motivate them by building activities around them, and include the older players in the development. Today’s Coaches: Loren Johnson is the head coach of Highland Springs High School in Virginia. Coach Johnson has led Highland Springs to 110 wins and five state titles in the last nine seasons, including winning the 2022 state championship. Jordan Hogan is the receivers coach at Colgate. Prior to Colgate, Coach Hogan served two years with the Arizona Cardinals in the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship. He’s also made stops at Cornell, Stonehill College, and Buffalo State. Additional

In our last episode, we focused on the physical ways we can keep energy and enthusiasm going as we hit the midpoint of camp. In this episode, we shift to how we maintain the mental engagement of our players. There will come a point when our players have been through the install and need more engagement than just repping the scheme and technique against a base front. They need to apply what they have learned to a variety of situations like they will have to in the game. Scheme and technique can develop simultaneously to ensure our players are able to play fast on game day. Today’s guests discuss how they work to keep players mentally sharp and progressing over the obstacle of hitting a mental lull as they work through camp. Today’s Coaches: Todd Drury is the defensive coordinator at Western Illinois. He shares the ways in which he engages players in meetings, as well as how he keeps their minds sharp by watching situations from NFL preseason games or from their own past film. Kyle Segler is the offensive li

Midway through camp, your team is going to experience some dead legs, but you certainly don’t want your players to experience dead minds or dull spirits. It’s easy to come out at the beginning of camp with fire and energy behind a new season, but inevitably, you hit the midpoint wall. As coaches, it’s part of our jobs to keep the momentum going. Today’s guests discuss ways to bring energy from meetings, competition-infused periods throughout practice, and off-field messages. There are plenty of ideas here to keep that energy flowing all the way to week one. Today’s Coaches: Michael Toerper is the head coach at Ithaca College. He shares ideas for infusing competition into everything they do to keep spirits high, build bonds of the team, and have fun. John Tomlinson is the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Maulers. He sends his offensive unit an email the night before to let his players know what the competition for the next day will be, adding motivational quotes and videos that tie into his message f

All coaches start with a plan for how we want things to look and how we expect things to go. Occasionally, those plans are spot on, and we continue with our progress. But most of the time in this dynamic game, we need to evaluate the progress we expected against what we actually see as we begin to implement that plan. In this episode, Dante Bartee and Matt Drinkall share thoughts on evaluating players and deciding who is the most ready, as well as developing their down-roster guys. They also share ideas on what schemes should be getting the repetitions now as we quickly head towards that first kickoff. Today’s Coaches: Dante Bartee is a defensive analyst at the University of Oregon. He is a repeat performer on the podcast, most recently as a guest on our Accelerate Everything series with Dub Maddox, where Coach Maddox called Coach Bartee the “Good Will Hunting” of defensive football. Matt Drinkall is the co-offensive coordinator at Army. Coach Drinkall is a long-time guest on the show, dating back to 2017

Vince DiGaetano, assistant coach at Fordham University, joins us all season long as our in-house tackling expert. Coach DiGaetano has served on multiple coaching staffs in his career, including taking over as head coach in a very unique situation five days before the start of camp in 2018 at SUNY Maritime. That season, he led the Privateers to a 7-4 mark and a birth in the New England Bowl. We start this episode by learning how Coach DiGaetano was strategic about building the leadership of the program by making the players a big part of the vocal leadership. This case study is one we can all learn from and apply to our own situations. We then dig into tackling with Coach DiGaetano who gives tips for early camp tackling, especially in training situations that do not get much live work because of how we prioritize safety. There are a ton of takeaways from this episode to help you continue to get camp going for the 2023 season. Show Notes: Getting the Players to Lead Vocally Training Players to Be Vocal Pair

Coaches understand that building a strong bond among players is not only crucial for on-field success, but also for creating a positive and supportive environment that fosters growth and camaraderie. In camp, the foundation is laid for the entire season, and the way a team comes together during this crucial period can make all the difference. Throughout this episode, we explore the strategies, insights, and personal experiences of Tyler Roehl and Mike Elder. Both guests shed light on how to create a strong sense of togetherness during the critical camp period. From team-building exercises to promoting open communication, from embracing diversity to setting shared goals, they share invaluable wisdom that benefits coaches at all levels. The biggest theme that comes through in this episode is how these coaches bring their teams and units together with intentionality. They know that they need to create opportunities for their players to bond off the field so that their ability to work together on the field is str

Clear communication is the key that unlocks the door to success. Even the most talented team cannot reach its full potential without effective communication. Today, we explore why clear and open communication is crucial for coaches during the early stages of training camp. Training camp sets the foundation for team dynamics throughout the season. For coaches, establishing trust with their players is paramount. Open communication fosters an environment where players feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. By encouraging dialogue, coaches understand their players’ strengths, weaknesses, and personal goals, creating a strong bond within the team. When athletes trust their coach and each other, they are more likely to collaborate, making the entire team greater than the sum of its parts. In this episode, we hear from three coaches and gain insight and ideas on how we can better communicate during camp so that we are setting our team up for a successful season. Today’s Coaches: Eric Marty,

We are all familiar with what poor coaching energy looks like during practice. It may involve coaches failing to set clear goals, adopting a monotonous tone, remaining stationary on the field, or even sitting back. Coaches lacking energy may display closed body language and use repetitive feedback, language, and drills without considering the needs of the athletes. Having good coaching energy doesn’t mean being a loud, rah-rah coach or constantly jumping around on the sidelines. It's about being positive, consistent, engaged, and demonstrating care for the players and the team. In this episode, we share ideas from three coaches on what they do to bring energy and set the tone for the day. Whether it’s the approach to the start of a meeting or creating drills and practice flows conducive to bringing energy, there’s plenty to take away from the ideas shared here. Today’s Coaches: Siddiq Haynes, Defensive Line Coach, UTSA Dan Carrel, Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach, Coastal Carolina Scotty Wal

The excitement surrounding the beginning of camp has everyone involved ready to run through a wall and get things going. However, camp must begin by setting clear expectations and detailing procedures for all aspects of your program, unit, and position groups to set the stage for success and build the foundation upon which you will operate. In this episode, we gain insight from three coaches on how they clearly define expectations and procedures as they kick off camp. Today’s Coaches: Chris Softley is the head coach of the defending TAPPS 3A state champions at Lubbock Christian School in Lubbock, Texas. Coach Softley was named a 40 under 40 coach by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Chris Kappas takes over as head coach of Louisville High School in Louisville, Ohio this season. Previously, Kappas was the 2022 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2015 Football Scoop D3 Coordinator of the Year. Brett Arkelian is an analyst and special teams coach for Fresno State. How he sets the expectations for both his