AFM Subscribers Ask

with Mike Van Deist A near legendary coach in NAIA circles, Carroll College’s Head Coach Mike Van Diest’s Fighting Saints have won the last four NAIA Championships. During that time Carroll has ranked among the top ten NAIA teams defensively. Last fall they led the NAIA in scoring defense and total defense and gave up only six rushing touchdowns in 14 games. Q. How do you prepare your players concerning the defensive game plan. Is there anything you’ve learned through the years such as ‘too much information, not enough information’? What, in your view, are the core values concerning defensive execution? Jim Dostal, DC, Prairie High School (IA). AFM subscriber since 1997. A. The keys we concentrate on relative to the defensive game plan are formations, tendencies, down and distance situations, and backfield sets. Another key is whom do they go to on third downs? Because we’re