What You Must do to be a State Champion

For the last four years AFM has conducted a nationwide survey of championship high school coaches on a cross section of subjects that ranged from style of play to educational and coaching backgrounds. The results provided some clear cut trends while other topics illustrated subtle shifts that merit attention. The conclusions most apparent were: 1. The consistent use of ‘feeder’ programs among state championship teams. 2. A constant in the number of returning starters combining offense and defense. 3. Similar numbers of both seniors and juniors on varsity teams. 4. An average of 3-5 seniors on championship teams, per year, that go on to play college football. 5. The overwhelming popularity on defense of the four man front. 6. The consistency of overall football budgets. 1. ‘Feeder’ programs: Over the four years of AFM’s State Champions Survey, more than two-thirds of the