Coach and Coordinator Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Best of 2025, The Think Tank- Dan Gonzalez, Josh Herring, Dub Maddox Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Best of 2025 of Coach and Coordinator Network, we revisit one of the most impactful conversations of the year. The pilot episode of The Think Tank, first aired in January 2025. This roundtable brings together experienced football coaches to dive deep into offensive strategy and how coaches can make continuous adjustments against always evolving defensive trends, without losing their identity.

The discussion explores how building a common language within a program improves communication, teaching efficiency, and on-field execution. The coaches break down offensive structure, protection issues, and personnel usage. Highlighting that great teaching drives player development.

Throughout the episode, the panel shares applicable insights on walkthroughs, technology in coaching, and season-to-season reflection as tools for growth. As a foundational Think Tank conversation, this episode set the tone for collective learning, intentional strategy, and authentic dialogue, making it a clear standout and a worthy Best of 2025 selection.

Think Tank: Offensive Structure & Teaching AI Companion

Chapters

Why This Became a Best of 2025 Episode
Offensive Structure and Coaching Identity
Integrating Coaches and Building a Common Language
Diagnosing Passing Game and Protection Issues
Adapting to Defensive Trends
Innovation Without Losing Identity
Teaching Option Routes and Player Understanding
Flexibility and Personnel-Driven Adjustments
Balancing Complexity and Execution
Teaching, Walkthroughs, and Feedback
The Think Tank Approach to Learning and Collaboration
Modern Football, Technology, and AI as Coaching Companions

Keep up with all things from Coach and Coordinator visit https://coachandcoordinator.com or follow @CoachKGrabowski on X

About Modern Football Technology

Battle-tested, Modern Football’s platform provides real-time self-scout and opponent tendencies while eliminating manual tagging into HUDL, DV Sport, and XOS. Trusted by teams at every level, see how top coaches leverage this platform for in-game decision-making and play-calling success. To book a demo, visit⁠ www.modernfootball.com. Mention Coach and Coordinator Podcast or use the coupon code CC10 when signing up for a demo to receive 10% off your first year.

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Building Ownership, Accountability, and Growth - Cris Reisert, OC, Toledo Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Coach and Coordinator, Keith Grabowski sits down with Cris Reisert to explore how the Kaizen philosophy can transform coaching, team culture, and player development. Drawing from Reisert’s experience at Tiffin University and Gardner-Webb University, the conversation centers on building programs through Kaizen - continuous improvement, accountability, and shared ownership.

Reisert breaks down how metrics, evaluation, and clear standards help teams track growth and reinforce expectations, emphasizing that quality and improvement are everyone’s responsibility. They discuss the importance of feedback and adapting systems to fit the people within the program, not the other way around.

This episode highlights how making a big deal out of small wins, reframing mistakes as learning opportunities, and serving others with humility can create a positive, growth-oriented environment. It’s a practical and philosophical discussion for coaches looking to build sustainable success through culture, consistency, and a commitment to getting better every day.

Chapters

Introduction to Kaizen in Coaching
Cris Reisert's Journey with Kaizen
Implementing Kaizen in Team Culture
Metrics and Evaluation for Continuous Improvement
Accountability and Standards in Practice
Fostering Collaboration and Feedback
Adapting Schemes and Strategies
Creating an Inclusive Environment
The Importance of Ownership
Final Thoughts on Embracing Kaizen

Coach and Coordinator AI - Kaizen Companion

Connect on X:

Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski

Cris Reisert: @CoachReisert

Related on Coach and Coordinator Network:

The Kaizen Coaching Blue Print + Kaizen Companion

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Kaizen: A Blueprint for The Process - Keith Grabowski Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

Every coach talks about “The Process,” but few can define it—let alone build it. In this episode, Keith Grabowski introduces a new blueprint rooted in Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement that transformed global manufacturing. Drawing on personal stories from his early career in an automotive factory, Keith explores how Kaizen’s principles—total quality control, system thinking, and empowered people—can reshape how coaches build, lead, and develop their programs. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start improving, this is where your process begins.

Dig into the episode & apply to your coaching with our AI Companion:

Coach and Coordinator AI - Kaizen Episode Companion

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Jay Paterno Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Coach and Coordinator, Keith Grabowski is joined by Jay Paterno for an honest conversation about the rapidly changing landscape of college football. They break down how the rise of NIL and the transfer portal is reshaping recruiting, player retention, and the day-to-day reality of coaching.

Paterno shares deep insights into why emotional intelligence has become essential for today’s coaches, impacting everything from team cohesion to player development and culture building. The discussion also explores the emotional strain coaches face, both personally and within their families, as expectations and pressures continue to climb.

Together, they examine honesty in recruiting, the influence of money on the sport, and why mental health must become a priority for every program. Looking ahead, Keith and Jay reflect on what the future of college football may require and why there is still hope in the next generation of coaches who remain committed to leading with integrity and purpose.

Chapters:

The Evolving Landscape of College Football
The Pressure of the Transfer Portal and NIL
Emotional Intelligence in Coaching
Building a Culture of Honesty and Accountability
The Emotional Toll of Coaching
The Impact of Money in Coaching
Navigating Societal Issues in Sports
The Future of College Football
Hope for the Next Generation of Coaches
Introduction to Coaching Insights
Promoting Coach Paterno's Book and Resources

Connect on X:

Keith Grabowski: ⁠@CoachKGrabowski⁠

Jay Paterno: ⁠@JayPaterno

Check out Coach Paterno's book:

Blitzed! The All-Out Pressure of College Football's New Era

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Lessons in Leadership and Balance - Jason Eck, New Mexico Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Coach and Coordinator Podcast, we sit down with Jason Eck to explore the real-life balance between coaching, family, leadership and the evolving world of youth sports. Eck reflects on the importance of family alignment in every coaching decision from career moves to the daily demands of the season and how being present at home strengthens his effectiveness on the field.

He discusses why making youth sports enjoyable is essential for long-term development, and how positive role models shape athletes far beyond the game. Eck also shares strategies for involving family in the coaching process, maintaining connection during stressful stretches, and building a coaching philosophy rooted in service and purpose.

Throughout the conversation, he opens up about the lessons learned across his career, the impact of coaching on personal relationships, and the legacy he hopes to leave as both a coach and a father. This episode offers a grounded and inspiring look at what it truly means to lead with intention and with family at the center.

Chapters

Introduction to Coaching Philosophy
Balancing Family and Coaching Life
The Role of a Coach's Wife
Raising a Family in Coaching
Navigating Career Moves and Family Decisions
Balancing Family and Coaching Responsibilities
Navigating Job Changes and Family Dynamics
Maintaining Connection During the Season
Lessons from Struggles in Family and Coaching
Creating a Legacy Through Coaching
Introduction to Jason Eck's Journey
Leadership and Culture in Coaching
Utilizing the Culture OS Companion

Connect on X:

Keith Grabowski: ⁠@CoachKGrabowski

Jason Eck: @Coach_Eck

🌐 coachandcoordinator.com

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The Mentors Behind Great Offensive Line Coaching Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Keith pulls together short teaching moments from Andy Reid, Bob Wylie, Dante Scarnecchia, and Jon Gruden to highlight the coaching wisdom that shaped generations of offensive line coaches. These clips go beyond technique—they reveal how great coaches think, prepare, teach, and adapt.

Keith breaks down each lesson and shows how these ideas connect to the learning environment inside the Mushroom Society, including new tools, partner integrations, and the AI Mentors built from COOL Clinic presentations. If you’re looking for practical guidance and a deeper way to grow your offensive line unit, this episode is a strong place to start.

Join the Mushroom Society at: mushroom-society.com

Use the Mushroom Society AI Mentor for free here.

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Game Planning Tips: Situational Mastery, Pass-Rush Targets, and Hidden Yardage Wins Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

In this week’s Game Planning Tips, Coach Keith Grabowski shares three playoff-critical concepts that tighten your game plan and sharpen your team’s edge when every possession matters.

Andrew Sowder opens the episode with a clear approach to situational football—how to build and use a complete situational chart, when to make two-point decisions, how to practice post-touchdown mechanics, and why your two-point menu must be ready before the season’s biggest moments.

Siddiq Haynes, Defensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator at UTSA, breaks down his QB Window Evaluation—a four-window system for studying sack locations, scramble tendencies, completion patterns, and where the quarterback is most vulnerable. It’s a simple, repeatable way to target your pass-rush plan instead of guessing.

Garrett McLaughlin, Defensive Line Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Columbia, closes the episode with a framework for quantifying hidden yardage. He explains how he grades punt net, kickoff start lines, explosives, and sting punts so players finally see the kicking game through the same lens as offense and defense.

Presented by Lauren’s First and Goal Foundation:

Supporting pediatric brain tumor research and families impacted by cancer through football.
Learn more or get involved at laurensfirstandgoal.org.

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National Coach of the Week - Eric Kjar, Corner Canyon HS (UT) Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of National Coach of the Week, presented by Modern Football Technology, Keith Grabowski sits down with Eric Kjar, head coach of Utah powerhouse Corner Canyon HS, fresh off another state championship. This year’s title marks six championships in the last eight seasons, a run that has firmly established Corner Canyon as one of the premier high school football programs in America.

Ranked among the top teams in the nation, Coach Kjar’s Chargers continue to raise the standard through elite practice habits, consistent accountability, and a culture of toughness that shows up every Friday night. In this conversation, Coach Kjar shares how his staff responded to early-season adversity, how they refined their practice structure, and how their players elevated their performance when it mattered most.

It’s a detailed look inside one of the country’s most successful programs and what it takes to compete at a national level year after year.

Chapters

Returning Champion: Six Titles in Eight Years
Staff, Support, and the Power of Teamwork
Competing Nationally and Early Adversity
The Turning Point: Practice Standards and Accountability
Raising Effort Across the Entire Roster
The Importance of Measurable Standards
Accountability Systems That Work
You Can’t Scheme Toughness: Winning the Rematch
Becoming a National Program
Preparing for the ESPN Showcase Game
Game Details and Broadcast Information
Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

Connect on X:

Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski

Eric Kjar: @KjarEric

Modern Football Technology: @modernFB

Ready to gain an edge on game night?

Modern Football Technology helps coaches make smarter real-time decisions with in-game analytics. It’s simple to get started, and you can be up and running by Friday night.

Book a demo today and see the difference this week:

⁠https://www.modernfootball.com/demo

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Be the Best Truth Telling Team in America - Brian Kight Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Brian Kight is back on the show, and this time we get into something most coaches talk about but rarely build: a staff and team that can actually tell each other the truth. We look at why honesty fades during the grind of a season, how communication can get sideways in a staff room, and what leaders can do to fix it.

BK walks through the standards he uses with the teams he works with and explains why being able to take the truth matters more than how cleanly it’s delivered. He gives real examples and simple steps any coach can start using right away.

If you want your program to communicate better, reduce hidden tension, and handle challenging moments with more confidence, this episode will point you in the right direction.

Chapters

Introduction and Catching Up with Brian Kight
The Importance of Daily Discipline
Embracing Change in Coaching
Doesn't Matter, Get Better Mindset
The Culture of Truth-Telling in Coaching
Establishing Standards for Communication
Building Trust and Courage in Conversations
The Importance of Reflection and Feedback
Using AI as a Thought Partner
Understanding Cause and Effect in Coaching
The Role of Truth in Team Dynamics

Connect on X:

Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski

Brian Kight: @TBrianKight

Sign-up for BK's Daily Discipline:

https://www.dailydiscipline.com/

BK's website:

https://www.tbriankight.com/

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Game Planning Tips: Odd-Front Answers, Defensive Excellence, and Special Teams Situations Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

In this week’s Game Planning Tips, Coach Keith Grabowski brings you three coaches with practical, teachable ideas you can use immediately in your game plan.

Lauren’s First and Goal Foundation presents Game Planning Tips.

On offense, Jason Mangone, Head Coach at Brockport, shows how to attack an odd front with a downhill inside zone plan. He explains box identification, numbering linebackers, handling movement, and preparing for the three pressures you must block to run the ball with confidence.

On defense, Kevin Doherty, Defensive Coordinator at Georgetown, breaks down the Hoya Five-Star Plan — a clear, disciplined framework built on vision, standards, daily fundamentals, and the traits that define elite defensive play.

On special teams, Dan Swanstrom, Head Coach at Cornell, covers the special situations that decide games: fair-catch and straddle rules, blocked punt scenarios, momentum plays, hands-team responsibilities, and end-of-game decisions every team must be ready for.

Supporting pediatric brain tumor research and families affected by cancer through football.

Learn more or register for this year’s clinics at laurensfirstandgoal.org

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