Coach and Coordinator Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Maximizing Performance Through Self-Scouting and Exploiting Opponent Weaknesses – Scotty Walden (Austin Peay), Dante Bartee (Oregon), Jeremy Hawkins (EKU) Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

As we progress into the late season, identifying and exploiting the weaknesses of opponents often determines success. To do so requires a comprehensive self-scouting process that enables teams to understand their own tendencies and make necessary adjustments.

By analyzing intricate details and nuances, teams can gain a strategic advantage on game day. In this episode, we delve into the importance of self-scouting, the value of exploiting opponent weaknesses, and practical methods for sharing this information effectively.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Scotty Walden, Head Coach, Austin Peay University
Dante Bartee, Analyst, University of Oregon
Jeremy Hawkins, Run Game Coordinator and DL Coach, Eastern Kentucky University

Show Notes:

Scotty Walden

Self-Scouting and Exploiting Opponent Weaknesses
Importance of Self-Scouting and Analyzing Small Details
In-Depth Analysis of Alignment and Stance Indicators
Varying Strategies to Keep Opponents Guessing
Importance of Discipline and Pre-Snap Awareness

Dante Bartee

Learning from Opponents and Adjusting Accordingly
Evaluating the Value of Adding New Plays or Concepts
Special Teams and Opponent-Specific Strategies

Jeremy Hawkins

Evaluating Weaknesses and Making Necessary Adjustments
Utilizing Scouting Reports and Visual Aids for Effective Communication

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Additional Episodes:

Scotty Walden:

Youngest D1 Coach

Dante Bartee:

Accelerate Everything

Communicating to Make a Difference

Jeremy Hawkins:

Good Eyes and Fanatical Effort

Professional Development & Career Advancement

Networking at Conventions and Clinics

Related Resources:

Scotty Walden:

Austin Peay Offense Principles and RPO

Mesh and Shallow Cross Variations

Dante Bartee:

Thoughts from a First Time College DC

Rethinking Defense From Structure to Communication

Split Field Man-Match Quarters

Cover 3 - 1-High Match Principles vs 2x2 Formations

Cover 3 - 1-High Match Principles vs 3x1 Formations

Understanding Position Maintenance: In M.O.F. Closed Principles

Video 1 - Overview and Philosophy of the 4-2-5

Video 2 - MOFC Zone Match Coverage with the 4-2-5

Video 3 - Match Coverage Teach Tape from the 4-2-5

Video 4 - Teaching Man Coverage from the 4-2-5

Video 5 - Split Field Coverage from the 4-2-5

Video 6 - Game Planning out of the 4-2-5

Jeremy Hawkins:

Defensive Line Play

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Keeping Your Defense Adaptable and Unpredictable – Eric Kasperowicz (Mars HS), Branden Jakubcin (Heidelberg), John Rice (San Jacinto HS) Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Coaches who plan ahead and gradually introduce necessary adjustments equip their defenses to handle all situations and offensive schemes. By borrowing techniques from offensive play calling and constantly adding new elements, you can also create a dynamic defense that keeps opponents on their toes.

In this episode, our guests share how they keep their defenses adaptable and unpredictable by building off what they have already done, while planning ahead and creating a toolbox of answers. Their advice for handling the what-if scenarios and planning slightly ahead of your schedule will pay off in late-season, must-win situations.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Eric Kasperowicz, Head Coach, Mars High School (PA)
Branden Jakubcin, Defensive Coordinator, Heidelberg University
John Rice, Defensive Coordinator, San Jacinto High School (CA)

Show Notes:

Eric Kasperowicz

Adopt a Similar Approach to Offensive Play Calling
Package Plays Together
Group Related Defensive Calls That Complement Each Other
Build Week After Week

Branden Jakubcin

Avoid Being Caught Off Guard
Prepare a Walk-Through for What-If Scenarios

John Rice

Defend Specialty Offenses
Analyze the Schedule

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Recycle and Work It In: Late-Season Game Planning – Kyle Ohradzansky (Findlay), Jay Wilkinson (Fayetteville HS), John Tomlinson (USFL) Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

As we have talked about all season long, self-scouting plays a crucial role in understanding the team's strengths, identifying effective plays, and gaining an advantage over opposing defenses.

The late season isn’t the time for something new. It’s the time for what has been the best for you. In this episode, three offensive coordinators from the high school, college, and pro levels focus on what goes into the game plan and how it is worked in during the later weeks of the season.

As these coaches point out, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, what you know about the opponent, and being creative and methodical about how you present concepts in the late season helps create a winning formula.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Kyle Ohradzansky, Offensive Coordinator, University of Findlay
Jay Wilkinson, Offensive Coordinator, Fayetteville High School (AR)
John Tomlinson, Offensive Coordinator, USFL

Show Notes:

Kyle Ohradzansky

Finding Ways to Work New Plays into the Offensive Plan
The Importance of Creating Variations within the Existing Offensive System
Keeping the Quarterback Safe
Maintaining Unpredictability for the Defense

Jay Wilkinson

The Value of Not Rushing the Implementation of New Plays
Introducing New Plays Over Several Weeks
Giving Players Time to Gain Confidence

John Tomlinson

Recycling What Has Worked Best
Packaging and Presenting Formations
Helping the Quarterback Better Understand What the Defense Might Do

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Strategic Practice Management: Less Is More – Matt Drinkall (Army), Pete Shinnick (Towson), Kirk Fridrich (Union HS) Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

As the season progresses, the talent or skill of a team does not solely determine success. Championship teams often maintain their health throughout the season and continuously improve their performance. As coaches, we play critical roles in ensuring our players remain in optimal condition. As we head into the later part of the season, strategic practice management becomes paramount.

In this episode, three coaches delve into the importance of balancing practice intensity and recovery, cutting practice time, and utilizing technology to monitor player workload.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Matt Drinkall, Co-Offensive Coordinator and OL Coach, Army
Pete Shinnick, Head Coach, Towson University
Kirk Fridrich, Head Coach, Union High School (OK)

Show Notes:

Matt Drinkall

Importance of Health and Improvement
Practice Schedule and Schematic Changes
Maximizing Recovery and Player Health
Balancing Practice and Game Time for Players

Pete Shinnick

Cutting Time and Keeping the Team Fresh
Trimming Practice Periods
Efficient Practices and Shortening Periods
Cutting Practice Time and Finding Efficiency

Kirk Fridrich

Recovery Techniques and GPS Tracking
Using GPS Data for Player Management
Starting with GPS Technology and Analyzing Data
Monitoring Top Speed and GPS Load

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Mid-Season Practice and Game Planning Considerations – Jaime Elizondo, XFL Offensive Coordinator Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

Jaime Elizondo joins us again on the podcast. Elizondo has coached at both the college and professional levels, most recently serving as offensive coordinator for the XFL San Antonio Brahmas in the 2022 and 2023 seasons after serving as head coach of the CFL Edmonton Elks in 2021.

In this episode, Coach Elizondo provides a wealth of great ideas from his 20-plus year career that are helpful to coaches today as we get later into this season.

Show Notes:

The Balance of Physical and Mental
Keeping Players Fresh
How Much Hitting Do We Need to Do?
You Can’t Cut the Fundamentals
Looking at Adjusting Team and Group
Conscious of Play Count
Team Run-Play Action
Buffalo Bills Two-Minute Jog-Through
Different Practice Plans Week-to-Week
Being Prescriptive in the Practice Plan
What Is the Day to Take the Load Off?
Wrinkles and Tendencies
Building Complements
Importance of Self-Scout
Look at Base Offense
How Can We Run the Same Plays from a Reduced Split?
How Does It Fit What We Already Do?
Ken Dorsey’s Input
Thinking About Complementary Football
Ravens Color Code System to Communicate Amongst Coordinators

Additional Jaime Elizondo Episode:

OC Office Hour: Approaching the Game with a Situational Focus

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Communication for a Positive Second Half of the Season – John Tomlinson (USFL), Mike Judy (Smyrna HS), Brendan Walsh (Colgate) Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Communication becomes even more critical as we get into the second half of the season. It keeps our players focused as well as properly manages the mental-emotional side of the game. In this episode, three coaches share approaches for clear and strong communication with players to have a positive impact on the remainder of the season.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

John Tomlinson, Offensive Coordinator, USFL
Mike Judy, Head Coach and Four-Time Delaware State Champion, Smyrna High School
Brendan Walsh, Offensive Line Coach, Colgate University

Show Notes:

Honesty
Repetition of the Message
Useful Communication for Coaches Who Have Limited Time with Players
Positive Communication for Players
Different Approaches with Older Players Versus Younger Players

Related Episodes:

Creating a QB-Friendly Offense

Developing a Passing Attack for a Young QB

Additional Resources:

Brendan Walsh:

Going Downhill: GT Counter and Other Variations

OL Fundamentals in Gap Schemes

John Tomlinson:

Building a Passing Attack for a Young Quarterback - Part 1

Building a Passing Attack for a Young Quarterback - Part 2

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Stay Sharp in the Trenches – Steven Ciocci (Bryant), Siddiq Haynes (UTSA), Kyle Segler (Louisiana-Monroe) Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

When coaches think of player workload, we often focus on skill players and the amount of running they are doing. But we also need to be aware of workload in the context of linemen and the amount of contact they are experiencing over the course of the season. We must also effectively adjust what those players do to keep them performing at their best every week.

Ultimately, the healthiest teams have the strongest finishes. Coaches must pay attention to practice loads, rep distributions, and even the drills we run in the second half of the season to keep our teams sharp and ready for game day.

In this episode, three line coaches, two on offense and one on defense, discuss how they maintain peak performance for their guys in the trenches during the season. They share methodologies for rotations in practice and in games. These approaches apply to all levels and not only have a positive impact on the physical side of the game for players but also the mental and motivational sides as well.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Steven Ciocci, Offensive Line Coach, Bryant University
Siddiq Haynes, Defensive Line Coach, UTSA
Kyle Segler, Offensive Line Coach, University of Louisiana-Monroe

Show Notes:

Depth and Tracking Player Loads
Rep Counts
Practice Reps in the Second Half of the Season
Efficiency During the Week
Player Rotations
EBE: Everybody Eats
Limiting Veteran Reps During Individual Periods
Emphasizing Younger Player Reps as the Season Progresses
Motivational Impact

Related Episodes:

Mental Warfare and Calculating the Pass Rush Plan

Get to Sack City

Creating Individual Drills and Practice Periods That Translate to Game Day

Additional Resources:

Siddiq Haynes: Pass Rush - Get to Sack City

Kyle Segler: TE Utilization in Multiple Set Offense

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Evaluating Defensive Performance and Making Adjustments – Eric Kasperowicz (Mars HS), Shane Dierking (North Central), Ty Gower (Princeton HS) Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, three coaches give us their approaches to adjustments to their defensive units. These mid-season evaluations are crucial to remaining on the right track or getting back on the right track when necessary. Each coach gives unique insight into how he views the successes and challenges a defense faces and how to continue to coach the unit throughout the season.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Eric Kasperowicz, Head Coach, Mars High School (PA)
Shane Dierking, Defensive Coordinator, North Central College
Ty Gower, Defensive Coordinator, Princeton High School (TX)

Show Notes:

Eric Kasperowicz

Success Indicators
Point Per Series
Areas of Weakness
Asking Yourself the Right Questions
Making Adjustments
Get an Outsider's View

Shane Dierking

Finding Your Identity
Weekly Goals as Motivation
Focus on the Now But See the Bigger Picture
Presenting the Results to the Defense

Ty Gower

Approach to Mid-Season Adjustments
Looking at the Impact of Injuries
Self-Scout
Focus on Getting Better
Keep Enough Bullets to Fire

Additional Episodes:

Shane Dierking

Eric Kasperowicz

Related Resources:

Shane Dierking

Defending Empty Formations

Manipulating Gaps

Eric Kaperowicz:

Defending Stacks & Bunch Sets

Defending Spread, Tempo & RPOs with the 4-3

Building a Successful Program at the HS Level

Basics of the 4-3 Defense

Stopping the Run in the 4-3 Defense

Stopping the Pass in the 4-3 Defense

Defending 10 Personnel from an Even Front

Ty Gower:

Adding More Tools For Your Defensive Toolbox

Defensive Weekly Game Prep-Saturday To Game Day Guide To Winning The Battle

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Keeping It Simple and Continuing to Evolve Your Style – AJ Smith, OC, XFL Houston Roughnecks Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, AJ Smith, offensive coordinator for the Houston Roughnecks, helps us keep our call sheets and game plans simple, while continuing to evolve as coaches.

Show Notes:

Keeping It Simple
Process for Adding/Deleting
Have More Things That Beat Everything
If You Didn’t Use It in a Week, Retrain It
Be Disciplined to Not Add Too Much
80% of Your Game Plan Should Be Stuff You Have Been Doing Since Camp
Put New Things in the Openers
The Conversion Rate of Two-Pointer
Take Weeks to Develop a Concept
Building Confidence
Trying to Replicate Plays from Twitter
Developing Your Style
Building and Adjusting While Staying True to Style
Stay on the Cutting-Edge at the High School Level

Additional Episodes with AJ Smith:

OC Office Hour

The Most Important Components of Offense

Related Resources:

Official Air Raid Certification

Air Raid Blog

2023 National Air Raid Convention

2023 Official Air Raid Masters

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Mid-Season Workload: Understand Player Needs – Cris Reisert (Tiffin University) and Chris Softley (Lubbock Christian) Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

As your team gets to the middle part of the season, it is important to be in tune with what your players are feeling physically as the reps of the season begin to take their toll.

Today, coaches have access to all kinds of technology to help be in sync with our players. These tools allow us to better understand what reps to give players in practice, how to scale back, and how to push them when necessary.

In this episode, two coaches share their philosophies and approaches to keeping their teams healthy and performing optimally as the season rolls on.

Coaches Featured in This Episode: