Coach and Coordinator Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Laser-Focus on Fundamentals and Communication Wins – Colonel JR West, Director of Operations, United States Army Recruiting Command Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

In this special edition of Coach and Coordinator Podcast, we gain perspective on the season from United States Army Colonel JR West. Colonel West brings the unique perspective of serving as a leader in the Army, coaching for ten seasons, and having played for Army West Point.

We discuss different aspects of the season with insight into how fundamentals and communication, whether in football, the military, or life, will always lead to a win.

Show Notes:

Why Coaching Matters
The Purpose of Creating Go Army Edge
Fundamentals, Fundamentals, Fundamentals
Investing in Individuals
Communication
After Action Reports

For more information on Go Army Edge, visit www.GoArmyEdge.com.

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Tips for Being Special on Special Teams Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

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 Coordinator

Show Notes:

Keys to Great Contact
Hit It with a Sledgehammer
How to Drill It
Lock Out Kicks
Goal Post Kicks
Same Approach Every Time
Dry Run/Walk-Through for Kickers
Punters: It’s All About Hands
Laces: Spaces Drill
Be Like a Bad Baseball Pitcher
Work No Fundamental Movement Skills
Dealing with Unusual Formations/Plays on Special Teams
How to Present Content and Structure
Dealing with Shield Punt
Swinging Gate
Defending Fakes
Organization
Gauging Success
Stats for Complementary Football

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Creating Individual and Practice Periods That Translate to Game Day Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

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 set up
Avoiding haphazard approach to practice planning
Allocating time properly

Kyle Segler, OL Coach, Louisiana-Monroe

Footwork pre-practice period
Details create the big picture
Practice is as important at the end of the season as it was in camp

Brendan Walsh, OL Coach, Colgate University

Walk-through
Filming walk through
See their eyes

Related Episodes:

Matt Drinkall: Defeating the Tite Front

Kyle Segler: Navigating a Coaching Transition

Additional Resources:

Matt Drinkall: Sprint Out Passing: Moving the Pocket for Success

Kyle Segler: TE Utilization in Multiple Set Offense

Brendan Walsh: Going Downhill: GT Counter and Other Variations

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Early Season Game Planning Tips Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

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 planning on being

Dan Carrel, CO-DC/LB Coach, Coastal Carolina

It is about what you do best
An example where they didn’t think ahead about getting ready for things that they’d see from the offense
Planning for the future

Dante Bartee, Analyst, University of Oregon

Game planning for early season opponents
Thoughts on how to work ahead in game plan preparation
Advice for game plan prep on a smaller staff

Related Episodes:

Dante Bartee: Accelerate Everything

Dan Carrel: Complementary Football

Additional Resources:

Dante Bartee: Thoughts from a First-Time College DC

Dan Carrel: Make Sense of Your Self-Scout

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Creating Buy-In and Playing to Strengths for a Strong Start Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

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 from Larry Kehres
The Brotherhood
Player Ownership Through Communication
Everyone Is in Alignment
Player Autonomy to Create Ownership
Players Have Ownership in Coaching
Examples of Players Taking Ownership
Bringing Ideas to the Coaches
Begin with the End in Mind
Play the Game the Right Way
Prepare Players for What They Will See Most
Coach the Fundamentals
Situational Preparation

Related Episodes:

Mike Elder: The Importance of the High School Coach in Building a K-12 Football Progra m

Tyler Roehl: Utilizing the TE and FB in the Pro-Style Offense

Todd Drury: A Unique Practice Period for More Reps for the Defense

Additional Resource:

Tyler Roehl: Developing Fullbacks and Tight Ends

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Setting a Strong Foundation for the Start of the Season Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

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 twice been recognized as the Division II National Coach of the Year and won the 2019 D2 National Championship.
Scotty Walden is the head coach at Austin Peay University. Coach Walden believes in revisiting all cultural beliefs and behaviors before his team kicks off for the first time. He explains the dress rehearsal that ensures everyone in their program – coaches, players, and support staff – knows exactly what to do and where to be on game day.
Loren Johnson is the head coach and five-time state champion at Highland Springs High School (VA). Coach Johnson explains the importance of sitting down with the leaders of the team to have open discussions outside of the football setting and how they bring the whole team together to discuss how they need to do things and communicate throughout the season.

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Setting Goals and Narrowing Down Your Early Season Offense Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

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 Big Install
Narrow It Down to What Your Players Do Best
Deciding What Stays and What Goes
Determining What Makes Early Season Game Plans
4-Day, First-Week Game Plan Install
Building Identity in the Early Season

Related Episodes:

Additional Resources:

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Build Identity and Play Complementary Football Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

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 an offensive quality control coach. He then transitioned to Eastern Kentucky University (2016-18) and served in roles as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and tight ends coach. Zagorski moved back to reunite with Tom Arth at the University of Akron (2018-21), coaching the offensive line before assuming OC responsibilities once again.

Show Notes:

Using Spring Football
Evaluation Heading into the Season
Filter for What Gets into the Early Season Game Plan
Establish an Identity Early On
Don’t Over Plan
Complementary Football
Simulating Situations in Practice
Great Clips

Check Out Our Entire Catalog for The Season.

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Modern Football predicts your opponent’s next move. Some of the most elite coaches in the game leverage this new platform for in-game decision making and play-calling success. Visit teammofo.com today to start dominating your opponents with a tool for detailed analysis that simply works and delivers value.

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Fine-Tuning as Camp Ends and the Season Begins Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

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 run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Bryant University
Jeremy Hawkins is the run game coordinator and defensive line coach at Eastern Kentucky University.

Show Notes:

Focusing on Refining Technique
Watching Individual Film
Being Prescriptive with Drills
What Personnel Is Working Best
What Have We Repped Most
What Plays Are Working Best
Focusing on the Details
Coaching as a Mentor
Helping Players Be Vocal in Coaching Each Other
Turning Vocal Leadership Over to the Players

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Installing Procedures and Starting the In-Season Routine Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

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

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