Football Coaching Career Management: AFM Articles & Insights
Navigating a successful career in American football coaching requires strategic planning, continuous development, and skillful management that extends far beyond the X's and O's. Whether you're just starting out, seeking advancement, or leading a top program, managing your career path effectively is crucial for long-term success and satisfaction in this demanding profession.
This page brings together American Football Monthly's expert articles focused specifically on Football Coaching Career Management. Here, you'll find a curated collection of resources designed to help you tackle the off-field challenges and opportunities inherent in a coaching career.
Explore valuable insights and practical advice covering key areas such as:
Browse the comprehensive list of career management articles below, drawn from the trusted archives of American Football Monthly. Find the strategies and perspectives you need to build, manage, and advance your football coaching career.
Randy Allen is one of the greatest football coaches in high school football history.Leading Highland Park High School, in Texas, Coach Allen has amassed 460 victories in his 44-year career.
Your Take: I Hate Banquets (Part I)
I hate banquets. I hate awards. I hate all-conference voting. I hate newspaper articles. I hate stats.Maybe it’s just this time of year as sports are winding down and people are starting to get recognized (or not recognized) for their on-field achievements. Or, maybe I have just reached my yearly tipping point, where I get so fed up with the modern culture surrounding high school athletics that I truly comprehend doing something else for a living.I think I am like most
Leadership Strategies: How to Develop a Steady Stream of ‘Championship Level QBs in Your Program, Part I
There is not much argument in any level of football that to win consistently and compete for championships you need strong quarterback play. So what defines ‘strong quarterback play’ and how do you develop that consistently within an organization? This series of articles will lay out a clear path that can easily be followed in any program given the proper attention. Let’s first discuss what goes into the makings of a great quarterback. From there, you’ll be in a better posi
Effective Strategies for Dealing with Man - Coverage Beaters: Stacks, Bunches and Mesh
ULM’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme is known for its aggressive style of play predicated on five and six-man pressure. To effectively utilize this type of defense, the pass coverage system must be proficient in man-to-man coverage. The ability to play cover 1 and cover 0 allows the defensive line and linebackers a great deal of freedom to find numerous ways to pressure the quarterback and stop the run by outnumbering the offense at or near the line of scrimmage. Of course, no defensive scheme is w
Post- Season Priorities - Wrapping up one season and transitioning to the next are critical times for successful programs
When your season ends, do you kick back, relax and get away from the game for a couple months? Of course not. Whether it’s formulating and implementing an off-season strength and conditioning program, ushering in a new group of players and preparing them for the following season or putting together motivational exercises, every successful coach knows that winter presents an opportunity for physical and mental team building.To find out how the best coaches approach the post season
Every Program Needs a Speed System Like the One at Southeastern Louisiana
For the past 20 years it has become understood that football speed training is beneficial. However, what’s often missing in speed programs is the lack of a technically sound system. According to the definition of the word ‘system’ it’s “a group of related parts that move or work together.” This is the very essence of what makes a speed program viable. Many organizations throughout the country address the issue of speed training but may not be aware they could be missing the most i
A Quick, Simple, High Rep Progression for Defeating Blocks
Repetitions with four different ways to defeat blocks – the rip, punch, slip and cut techniques – will help improve your overall defense.One of the many great things about being at Butler University is being centrally located and having so many terrific football programs very close to use as professional development resources. Let’s be clear, no one is inventing a new defense. However, there are many different schemes, philosophies, fits, terminology, etc. This is where I think a
Why Coach? Being Compassionate, Optimistic, Attentive, Confident and Humanistic are Some of the Qualities a Coach Should Possess
When I was invited to submit an article to AFM, I figured I would simply put some drills together, share some concepts, propose a few diagrams and maybe even talk about the transition of players from high school football to college competition. After all, that’s what we, as coaches, would need for personal or professional development, right? I shared my ideas with colleagues in the office and even surveyed some young coaches who were helping with our sum
Ways to Turn a Season Around – Four Coaches Have Proven Ways to Help Turn a Season Around After a Struggling Start
Dan Rohn Grand Rapids West Catholic High School (MI) In 2013, Coach Dan Rohn’s Grand Rapids West Catholic team started the season 1-4 – and went on to win the Michigan state championship. In 2012, West Catholic started 1-3 – and reached the state championship game. In Rohn’s first eight seasons, West Catholic won its season opener only three times. It’s all part of the plan. “We gear everything toward being the best football team in
Leadership Strategies: Prima Donna Athletes – Transformational Leadership vs. Servant Leadership
Narcissus, a beautiful youth, glanced into a pool of water. Rejecting the nymph Echo, he fell in love with his own reflection. – Greek mythologyTying Greek mythology to football isn’t really a stretch, given the fact high school coaches are continually faced with one or more players who believe the team is there to serve them and not vice versa. Many coaches label these players as ‘cancers’. Unless, of course, they are clocked in the 40-yard dash under 4.5 or are of behemoth si
Drills Report: Route Running – Improving Your Technique and Speed
There are a number of priorities a receiver should focus on when running proper routes. They include:• Being precise.• Reaching for the toes.• Have the head and eyes up.• Stem – win the leverage battle.• Speed in, burst out of the cut.• Hit your depth.• Arm action.• Footwork – pressure step/foot fire. Included are three different drills – the Clock Drill, Diamond
A Special Coach of the Year
There are a number of coaching awards each year but one that stands out is the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award. The award is intended to “honor exemplary high school football coaches who display the integrity, achievement and leadership demonstrated by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula.”Two years ago, Steve Specht, the head coach at St. Xavier in Cincinnati, won the award and last year the winner was Mike Grant from Eden Prairie High School in Min
Having a Dominant Defense at the Point of Attack – URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.
URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.Coaching a defensive line to be dominant is based on consistency in coaching. The players standard of performance begins and ends with their coach. We believe if players don’t understand their assignments, we need to change the way they are taught. Consequently, if drills aren’t showing up on tape, the drill needs to be adjusted. There is no such thing as “dumb players”, ju
Texas Legend Phil Danaher
Phil Danaher has been the head coach at Calallen High School (Corpus Christi, Texas) since 1984. He is one of two coaches in the history of Texas high school football that has amassed over 400 wins. Danaher has a chance in 2016 to surpass the all-time leader – G. A. Moore – who won 426 games over a 44-year career. Danaher’s career record is 407-103-4.Danaher’s teams have made the playoffs every year since he arrived at Calallen. Before he took over the program, Calallen had
An In-Season Strength and Conditioning Strategy
After completing a successful summer off-season program, I began to look at our in-season training and evaluating what we wanted to accomplish. The typical goals for an in-season program are to keep the players healthy and maintain what we achieved during the summer training. Not only did I want to accomplish this, but I also wanted our players to feel energetic, explosive, and powerful come Saturday. Since the beginning of my career in strength and conditioning, it has been common for footba
We Are The Champions
Earning the state champion title means different things to different coaches.After the Gatorade is dumped, after the trophies are raised, after the last party is over, the coaches of the 300-plus high school state champions have time to reflect on their seasons and what winning the state title meant to them, their players, their schools and their communities.To some, becoming a state champion is the culmination of their coaching career. For others, it’s the continuation of
Letter from AFM – The Best of the Best
A state championship is the culmination of a year-round program that includes an extensive off-season strength and conditioning program as well as a detailed summer training program. We asked the state champion head coaches questions about their 2014 campaign. What were their priorities going into the season? What made last fall memorable? What were the keys to the championship season? Did adversity play a part of the season? And, has your coaching philosophy changed – if at all – over th
Interview with Dr. Jared Wood and Jeff Heath, Dallas Cowboys Safety and Special Teams Starter
This past off-season I had the opportunity to interview Jeff Heath, a safety and special teams starter for the Dallas Cowboys. I love getting to interview guys like Jeff because they weren't superstars coming out of high school or college, and yet they are
Why We Do What We Do - A Look Inside Clemson's Strength and Conditioning Program.
The foundation of any successful collegiate football program is an understanding and commitment by all who work with the student-athletes to shape them into the vision the head coach has for the team. Head Coach Dabo Swinney has a vision of greatness for our program, which in the past four years, has driven us to two ACC Atlantic Division Championships, one conference championship, a 4-year span of 10+-win seasons, three straight bowl wins over ranked opponents, three straight Top 15 finishes
Improve Your Pass Defense by Stealing the QB's Time - Defensive backs can adjust their coverage with pre-snap quarterback reads.
The no-huddle spread offense as it is played today has certainly revolutionized the game. Creating mismatches, getting the ball into the hands of your playmakers, spreading the field and forcing the defense to play in space are three of the primary goals associated with this offensive scheme. Proper execution coupled with accurate quarterback reads is one way for a spread offense to gain a schematic twelfth man advantage in the passing game. Taking the snap from the shotgun position has been
Letter from AFM - Hat's Off to You, Coach
The next time you go into our online archive of back issues at AmericanFootballMonthly.com, scroll all the way down to June 2004 and open up our cover story on John McKissick. At the time we published this profile, McKissick was the all-time winningest coach at any level of football with 510 victories in 52 years as head coach at Summerville High School in South Carolina. In the feature, he shared some of his secrets of success and longevity with our readers. He summed up his belie
Maximizing Your Defensive Circuit Drills – Turnover, tackling, and block destruction drills can improve your defensive play.
Every year we try to create themes for our team that we can use throughout the year to refocus our players no matter how our team is performing. We are also always looking for ways to maximize reps and be more efficient in practice time. One of the ways we do this is our SU Defensive Circuit (See Diagram).
Winning the Key Ground with Kickoff Coverage - Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment ...
Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment along with a kicker who must be skilled in directional kicking.This is a game of field position and we talk a lot about “Winning the Key Ground.” Below is our philosophy and goals for our kickoff cover unit.Philosophy 1. Cover two-thirds of the field with directional kicks.2. Inside and in front coverage – not lane.3. &nb
Building a Program From the Ground Up - South Alabama Head Coach Joey Jones
South Alabama Head Coach Joey JonesUniversity of South Alabama Coach Joey Jones is no stranger to rekindling programs or starting them from scratch. The former Alabama WR was the head coach for a decade at Mountain Brook High School (AL) where he went 101-27. He inherited a program that had nine consecutive losing seasons and took them to the state championship game in his first year as coach. In the 10-year period in which Jones was head coach (1996-2005), Mountain Br
Samson Equipment's Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2014
NFL: Garrett Giemont Pittsburgh SteelersBACKGROUND Garrett Giemont’s first job in the NFL was with the Los Angeles Rams in 1978. With over 30 years of experience in the NFL, Giemont was also the strength and conditioning coach for both the Oakland Raiders (1995-2002) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003-2005). Head Coach Mike Tomlin brought Giemont to Pittsburgh in 2007 and he enters his 9th season with the Steelers this fall. Coach Giemont also worked as the D
Speed Report: Visual Cues Deliver Exceptional Speed
Football players must rely heavily on having good field vision in order to play fast and move effectively. It’s a huge benefit having good visual skills which enhances “transition speed”. More specifically, angle and velocity changes executed with maximum velocity. Many athletes are naturally gifted with good visual skills. Unfortunately, many athletes also struggle with this skill. The good news is that you can develop this ability by using designed drills correctly and specific cues a
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – The New QB Gurus
Most coaches would agree that quarterback is the most critical position in the sport. This past decade has seen the boom of the specialized private quarterback-coach business, transforming the position and the game. Former Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer is one of this new breed, running the prestigious Elite 11 camp and starting his own training method. In this excerpt from The QB – The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, veteran sports writer and bestselling author Bruce Feldman gi
Training the Offensive Lineman
Your offensive line is the life-blood of your football team. A strong, quick OL can change the complexion of any football game. Many of our players that went on to NFL careers took a strong interest in the weight room and the benefits it brought them. In this age of fast-paced offensive football, there still comes a time where your OL is going to be asked to put the game away. To accomplish our goal of developing offensive linemen to handle the pressure of a fourth quarter wi
Get Organized - Having an efficient and effective play calling system can help maximize your offensive potential.
As the offensive coordinator, there are many ways to organize your play calls. After six years as an offensive coordinator, I have experimented with several formats to find what works for me. What I have settled on is a format that is flexible in games and helpful in game planning on the weekends.When structuring my call sheet, the first thing I did was to create landmark calls. We broke the field down by zones, similar to what air raid teams do. But we decided to get more specific
Rawlings Football 2014 College and High School Coaches of the Year
Urban MeyerOhio StateIt was supposed to be a relatively straightforward formula. Any team with designs on winning a national championship should flex its muscles early in the season, stay relatively healthy, especially at the skill positions, and play its football in the Southeastern Conference. Somehow, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes did not come close to following that formula, yet the team pulled off
Strength Report: Indiana’s Off-Season Training Philosophy
College football seasons are becoming longer and more physical than ever before. With many college football teams seasons lasting from 14 to 20 weeks, it is critical to use the off-season training weeks as a time to rebuild and retrain in a proper way. In order to start the year off with a proper foundation for the upcoming year, off season training programs can last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks consecutively, depending on a number of factors - spring practice start dates
From the Coach’s Bookshelf: Linebacker Lessons
Coach Lou Tepper brings more than 45 years of experience as a college football coach to Complete Linebacking. In this excerpt, Coach Tepper details the many intangibles a linebacker must possess to maximize his success.Linebackers are the glue of a defensive unit, physically and emotionally. Physically, they fill the open seams between defensive linemen inside and patrol the perimeter in conjunction with the secondary. In zone coverage lineback
The Dupe Run-Pass Combo
The Dupe concept is the name of the pass concept that is tagged with the run call and can only be run out of the 3 x 1 formation. It is one of our 12 run/pass combos that gives the quarterback the opportunity to make an easy hitch or slant throw.We always run the dupe offense out of either a static 3 x 1 formation or motioning into a 3 x 1 formation. Dupe communicates to our receivers the pass routes. The single receiver away from the formation call will always run a 6-yard hitch r
Maximize Practice Time with Special Team Drills
We pride ourselves on having a special team’s identity. It’s consists of pressure, field position, and points. These identities help create tempo and energy throughout practice and games. Our philosophy consists of: Pressure:• We make every effort in every way to apply pressure to our opponent. Field Position:• We either want to flip or win field position whenever possible. Points:• With every special teams unit, we e
Running Ahead of Speed – Technical Foundation, the Heart of the Matter (Part III)
What’s important for enhancing team speed for football? Too often, coaches don’t understand what skills help effectively produce football acceleration, change velocities and deliver burst capability. The essential skills are just that – essential. To produce these skills, you must realize that the bottom line is dependent on a sound foundational movement premise. Foundation simply refers to one fact that overrides all other factors; that is, technical application. Technique must always
Aggie Upgrade - With the help of their friends and neighbors at Samson Equipment, New Mexico State completed a major renovation to their strength and conditioning facility.
One would be hard pressed to find a strength and conditioning coach with more experience than Don Decker. One of only 140 individuals worldwide to have been named a master level strength coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Association, Decker’s 24-year collegiate career includes 15 seasons at Arkansas and four at Ole Miss, working with some of the most prominent coaches in the sport. Now, as Director of Strength and Conditioning at New Mexico State University, Decker supervise
Managing Your Program: Evaluating Staff - Creating an Environment For Success
As the season ends, equipment is collected, banquets are planned, and goals are set with the returning players. It’s important to not lose sight of one very important component in your program – the coaching staff. The team’s success is very closely tied to the coaches who create the environment that nurtures that success, yet often, the staff is the last component attended to in the transition from one season to the next. Years ago, former Navy Commander and aut
Speed Report: Running Ahead of Speed - Stimulus for Training Incentives (Part II)
In our last article on running ahead of speed, we focused on in season concepts that aide the transition of off season development. In part two, here are suggestions and methods that can help stimulate your athlete to strive for higher production. Working year-around can sometimes be mundane, which will disrupt the concentrated and continuous focus needed. Their sense of purpose is significant for sustaining collective desire for reaching objective goals and benchmarks. Speed train
Fueling Champions
Sophisticated nutritional and recovery practices and new NCAA food guidelines help Florida State’s Katy Meassick keep Seminole athletes fully fueled and ready for competition.To build a championship program in the ultra-competitive FBS, every aspect of athletes’ training, on and off the field, must be carefully addressed. That includes making sure that proper nutritional and workout recovery practices are being followed. At Florida State, that job falls to Sports Registered Die
Options Galore - To be successful running a multiple option offense from the gun and pistol, every player must identify the read key and the option key.
Option football has changed over the years. My experience with the option has included under center wishbone as a high school coach in the mid ‘80s, followed by under center flex-bone as a college coach in the late ‘90s, and flex-bone shotgun in the 2000s. After becoming the head coach at Augustana College in 2011, I wanted to return to option football but with a more updated approach. So, in 2012, we began running a unique, multiple option system from the shotgun and pistol th
Lasting Legacy - At 70, Corky Rogers is still going strong as a member of the exclusive 400 win club.
It was a misty, cool, December night in Florida. Things looked bleak for coach Corky Rogers and his Bolles School team from Jacksonville. The Bulldogs were trailing a powerhouse Santa Fe team 17-6 with less than a minute to play in a semifinal playoff game. Santa Fe was loaded with future NFL players. “We were just getting it taken to us,” Rogers said. “We were trying everything you could try, because nothing was working.”In that final minute, Rogers made an adjustment and
Five on the Line - The 5-man defensive front is making a comeback – especially against traditional run-first offenses.
Before the advent of today’s high-powered spread offenses, it was common for defenses to employ a 5-man front with a nose guard, two tackles and two ends. While many teams have gone away from 5-man fronts, AFM found a surprising number of 2013 state champions that use the front either exclusively or part time.Here, coaches from four championship programs share their insight and strategies for making the 5-man front effective, especially against the run. They are Matt Crossman, de
Speed Report: Running Ahead of Speed - Making it Doable and Challenging During the Season
Making it Doable and Challenging During the SeasonThis is part I of a four-part series entitled, “Running Ahead of Speed.” The objective is to help you build a truly consistent results-oriented football speed and movement program. Like any endeavor that’s year -to-year, it must rely on certain required elements in order to truly maximize training success.We’re all busy, and this can often determine what is done and how it’s done. Just running isn’t speed work. Ru
Best of the Best
The team representing the Miami Dolphins captured the title at the NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament presented by the National Guard.As more and more coaches and skill-position players have recognized the value of off-season competition as a way to fine-tune their passing attacks, 7-on-7 events have flourished. There are dozens of tournaments across the country in the summer months, with some featuring hundreds of teams competing for local and regional supre
Taking the No-Huddle Offense to the West Coast – Combining the West Coast offense with an up-tempo, no-huddle system can result in a powerful running and passing attack.
Football is a sport that runs in cycles. Offenses and defenses are constantly inventing and re-inventing themselves to match and overtake what the other side of the ball is doing. Systems and styles come and go and then are cycled back again. The constant on either side of the ball, no matter the generation or system, is the importance of a running game. Every defensive coordinator’s first job in preparing for a game is to figure out how to contain the running game. Every offensive coordina
A Complete In-Season Training Program
Our mission as a strength and conditioning department is to develop strong minds within strong bodies and prepare each athlete for the rigors and demands of college athletics. We have three goals we use to summarize the mission:1. Reduce the occurrence of injury2. Improve athletic performance3. Optimize team successWith our football program, I view the in-season as our most important training stage of the entire year. This is the time when the
Coach to Coach: The Mental Fundamentals – Motor Programming
The ball is in the air. It’s a perfect spiral flying straight into a pair of hands. He drops it! It’s like his hands exploded from the speed of the ball. The coach yells “catch the ball, you gotta make that catch” or something similar, as if the player didn’t want to catch the ball in the first place. Why waste your breath on stating the obvious? What kind of receiver doesn’t want to make the catch? Chances are, the reason he missed the catch is because he hasn’t done
The Kettlebell Alternative
Ten years ago I made a decision that would change the course of my training practice and instruction forever. On the recommendation of a mentor of mine, I took a considerable leap of faith, jumped on a plane to St. Paul, MN, and with virtually no experience whatsoever, dove into a kettlebell certification weekend that nearly killed me. It was the RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certification) by Dragon Door and I had no earthly understanding what I was getting into. It was like a football training ca
Speed Assistance and Resistance - Good or Bad for Football?
Since speed and movement and movement control are the most sought-after athletic qualities, coaches and trainers are always looking for ways to help athletes improve in these areas. Let’s look at the topic of loading and assisting and try to sort out the good from the not so good. Coaches constantly ask me about load speed work and assisted speed work. For football, it’s a controversial subject. First, coaches place too much value on it and, in most cases, use it improperly. Of
Letter From AFM: Kickoff 2014
It’s that great time of year on the football calendar when pre-season camp is winding down and you’re putting the final touches on plans for the opening game, which will happen in a matter of weeks. You and your players have spent many hours preparing physically, mentally and strategically for the season and anticipation of a great year is high. It’s true what they say about August – every team is undefeated.Like everyone involved in the game, our anticipation of the upcomi
A Question of CHARACTER
The NFL High School Player Development Program presented by the National Guard helps thousands of high school athletes develop strong character.From an athletic standpoint, the hundreds of camps of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard help thousands of high school student-athletes refine their football skills using drills developed by a collegiate coaching staff. From a competitive standpoint, HSPD organizes the nation’s largest 7-on-7 tourna
Play Keep-Away: Each time your team punts, the goal is to kick it 40 yards and out of bounds.
It’s that time of year when coaches are in clinic research, upgrading playbooks and pushing the weight room as hard as possible. One area that is overlooked in a lot of playbooks is special teams evaluation. In most cases, special teams is the difference between two evenly-matched teams. Often overlooked and under-practiced, special teams play effects the overall efficiency of your program.In high school, we all face that very special player in the kicking game that can score any
Big D: Defensive Line Philosophy and Daily Drills for an Aggressive Front
One key to a strong defense is that each position group develops the fundamental skills required to consistently execute their individual assignments. Here is our defensive line philosophy and an outline of the daily drills we utilize to help our players compete at a high level. Defensive Line PhilosophyWe pride ourselves on being a fast, aggressive front that plays with exceptional fundamentals and discipline. We prepare, practice, and compete with tremendous energy and
AFM’s Annual State Champions Roundup
State Champ Coaches’ Profile Average Age = 48 Average Years as a Head Coach = 13 (22% have 20 or more years experience) 80% are coaches and teachersWhat are some of the reasons for your success? (multiple answers)100% said Coaching Staff98% said Players72% said Parents Support69% said Strength and Conditioning57% sai
Coaching American Football Overseas
By John Trana, American Football Coach in Russia and Croatia American football’s popularity is growing quickly all around the world. It is opening up new avenues for players and coaches to continue their football careers. There are over 700 teams in Europe alone playing American football. The quality of football can vary drastically with the top teams playing at a low college level. As the NFL continues to expand overseas, so will the popularity of American foo
Your Take: Expanding Your Coaching Network
We all have a stack of business cards, or an inbox full of messages from other coaches throughout our network. When was the last time you reached out to one of those coaches to discuss a concept or to share a scheme? Have you applied or inquired about a job at a school where you did not know anyone on the current staff? Is there a chance that one of those contacts in your file has a connection to use?The concept of increasing value and depth to your network is one that should not b
Put the Block On – Block circuit drills and one-on-one punt rush drills can increase your chances of blocking a punt.
Blocking punts takes not only personal belief and courage, but training and a good scheme to get the right player free to the punter. We teach the techniques necessary to properly block punts. We also practice different drills to train players to use those techniques plus a few scheme adjustments to try to get players free to the punter. I always tell the players that I want volunteers, not mercenaries. Mercenaries are people you hire to do a job; volunteers do it because they love it. Pu
Summer Priorities – What should be your priorities heading into the summer months?
The summer months bring about a number of challenges for every football coach. Staying in contact with players and parents without school every day can be difficult. Similarly, coordinating staff meetings and giving players and coaches the needed time off before the grind of a new season begins can also be taxing.What should be your priorities heading into summer? What are the most effective ways to communicate with players and coaches? How important are strength and conditioning p
A Lifetime in the Game – Troy Vincent has transitioned from collegiate All-American to All-Pro to player’s association president to top NFL executive
If you’re a Wisconsin Badger fan, you likely remember him as the 1990 Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year as a defensive back who doubled as an electric, record-setting return man under Barry Alvarez. You probably also recall with pride his selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 1992 NFL Draft as the 7th overall pick.If you’re a Philadelphia Eagles follower, you saw him at the peak of his 15-year NFL career. His eight years with the team as one of the leagues most dependable co
Speed Report: Football Movement Training – Complete Before the Season
Many sports require a variety of movement and speed changes. However, football has a greater challenge performance-wise than other sports due to the immense contact that is a part of the game. Other sports don’t endure the physicality like football.Good movement control is the backbone of football speed. What marks outstanding skill performance is not solely the level of an athlete’s talent but the level of movement skill ability that accompanies the athlete’s natural ability
Drills Report: The Wall Return Drill
One of the most exciting plays in football is when a punt returner is able to sprint around the edge and make use of the “wall” on an outside return. At Illinois, we rely on a drill installed on day one of our fall practices for our punt return team.An important phase of the return is having initial landmarks for the wall blockers (Diagram 1). When the ball is on a hash and a wall return is called to the wide side of the field, the wall blockers use the far hash as a landmark.
Mixing Business and Pleasure
You’re probably familiar with the famous Harvey Mackay quote about the best advice to give a young person deciding on a new career – “Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”.While not everyone can find a job that they truly love and still pay their bills, we’re confident that most coaches feel fortunate to be able to combine something that they love with their profession. Whether you’re a full time coach or a coach as well as a
Major Undertaking
Behind the scenes at a successful football skills and character development camp of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.As you would expect, managing the largest football skills and character development camp program in the world is a massive organizational challenge. With nearly two hundred camps across the country involving thousands of high school athletes, the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Gua
SERVE and PROTECT
Legendary New England Coach John Papas teams up with Xenith to provide future collegiate athletes with added protection, better fit and strong performance.If you’ve coached at the high school and collegiate levels for over 35 years, chances are you’ve developed strong opinions about football equipment. You know which products are best for your players from performance and safety standpoints and you know which companies are best to work with. Coach John Papas has seen
BE SPECIAL By committing to better special team practice organization, your units will create more explosive plays.
Special teams are an important part of any football game. They are the first play of every game, and many times the last and decisive play in a game. During every special teams play, one of these situations occurs – a large field position exchange, a change of possession, or a scoring opportunity. Frequently, two of these situations take place on the same special teams play. By their very nature, special teams plays are “special” and have a big impact on the outcome of the game.
The 35 Defensive Package Cover 3, Cover 4, and Blitz Packages Part II
In blitz packages, it is critical for the defensive ends to draw blocks to free the blitzing linebackers or defensive backs.In the last issue of AFM, we discussed our base alignment, gap responsibilities, our gap numbering system, and the receivers’ numbering system. We included diagrams that explained our numbering system vs. the spread, an open twins formation and a pro formation. Secondary coverage vs. these three formations concluded part I. In this issue, our robber coverage and
Athletic Body Control The Movement Training Correlation to Football Speed
Before we move to the details of movement training, let’s clarify what is football speed – the velocity and control by which variable movement patterns are executed efficiently without velocity loss. Most of the time it’s far easier said than done. My term for this activity is “Transition Speed.”The second area to clarify is Athletic Body Control (ABC). The term “Athletic” means athletes and the exercises practiced by them in a sport that requires physical skill or st
Lessons from Leaders
At every NFL PREP 100 Series event, representatives of the National Guard present a program based on leadership development to all participating student-athletes. It gives players a chance to learn leadership skills and hear directly from an individual who is in a leadership position. It also provides the National Guard with an opportunity to educate athletes who may not pursue careers in football about the benefits of military service.At a recent PREP100 Series event in Balt
The Business of Coaching - Joe Moglia is a prime example of how success in business and coaching go hand-in-hand.
If you pay attention to the great coaching stories in college football, then you already know about Joe Moglia.You may recognize him as the former CEO of financial services company TD Ameritrade, where he oversaw the firm’s meteoric growth during his seven years at the helm. Or, you may know him as the current head coach at Coastal Carolina, where, in his first season in 2012, he led the Chanticleers to eight wins en route to being named the Big South Coach of the Year. He follow
SPECIFICITY TRAINING The Key Factor for Optimizing Football Speed
Football speed training is too often confused between what should be correctly conceived versus what is incorrectly believed. This is relevant to you if you have a desire to make changes that will benefit the quality of each player’s speed capability. Change that will maximize results drastically. The majority of football coaches use training applications that are not processing their athletes’ football speed by the rule of specificity. That is, specific applications that offer pure value
Systematic Innovation: The No-Huddle, Power Pistol Offense
For Head Coach Robbie Owens of Grand Junction High School (CO), the system’s the thing. He believes offensive innovation is important, but without a system that is simple, adjustable and easy to install and teach, the value of innovation can be diminished.Owens’ system has proved itself over multiple seasons of high-octane offense. By combining the pistol formation with a punishing running attack and an up-tempo, no-huddle pace, Owens’ Grand Junction teams have produced proli
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
NFL: Luke Richesson Denver BroncosBackground - Luke Richesson began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Kansas, in 1997 after a four-year career playing safety for the Jayhawks. After one season as a strength and conditioning intern, he spent the next season at the University of Wyoming and the following two at Arizona State University as a graduate assistant before becoming the performance team direc
Coach to Coach: Thanks for the Memories
In 2010, I wrote my first article for American Football Monthly. In that article I told the story of how Hall of Fame Coach George Allen returned to coaching at the age of 72 to coach my college football team at Long Beach State University. The experience of writing that article and the positive response that I received from coaches around the country far exceeded any expectations I may have had about the joy of writing and sharing my ideas. What was supposed to be one article has turne
Strength Report – The Art of Strength and Conditioning Coaching: Beyond the Sets and Reps (Part II)
A program’s success is equally impacted by a coach’s ability to manage, motivate and lead athletes by training methodology. This philosophy, which has served as the foundation of my coaching career, aligns with wisdom shared as by a legendary strength and conditioning coach:“It is usually not whether the program works or not, but whether the player works or not, that determines success.”- Buddy Morris(College and NFL strength and conditioning coach now at the Universit
Speed Report: Can You Improve Your Quarterback’s Speed?
My goal each month is to deliver information useful for all aspects of football. This month, Cree Morris, a long time quarterback training specialist, discusses the topic of improving a quarterback’s speed. What is the difference between football speed and football quarterback speed? Better technical applications produce more efficient movement, which creates effective speed. That is usually the requirement it takes for the QB to avoid a sack or make a play. I will give some spec
Letter from AFM – Coach, Writer, Friend
When we first met Bryon Hamilton in 2007, he was an up-and-coming high school head coach in Northern California. His innovative offensive system, the Shotgun Zone Fly, was the cover story subject in our December issue. The SZF was putting up record numbers with its potent inside-outside running attack, which was a precursor of the misdirection run game employed by Gus Malzahn at Auburn in last season’s run to the championship game. The feature proved to be very popular with AFM readers and
Shining Stars
Top NFL and college players honed their football skills and grew as individuals through the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.When high school football players attend the free camps conducted by the NFL’s High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard, they improve their football skills and also learn valuable life lessons in character development sessions. All participating athletes gain from their HSPD experie
Rawlings Football College and High School Coaches of the Year
It was a summer evening in the mid-1980’s. Volunteer workouts were revving up for the Salem University football team. Salem Quarterbacks Coach Terry Bowden pointed at his quarterback’s cleats and laughed. “His football shoes were covered in cow manure and hay,” Bowden recalled with a chuckle.Thirty years later, that quarterback with the stinky shoes is a national champion and Rawlings Football Coach of the Year, Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher.“Althou
Speed Report: The Virtues of Off-Season Conditioning - Is It Good for Football Speed?
To every football coach, the word conditioning means getting fit to play or producing stamina for performance situations. Conditioning is, in reality, a performance trait, most useful during the season. It can cut into your periodization schedule in the off-season, when in reality, it’s not relative to development for that time frame.You should center your off-season training on speed and power, not on conditioning. Your skills, speed, flexibility, and athletic movement speed and
Getting Defensive – Cocoa High School’s base 3-3-5 defense shuts down nearly every opponent they face.
When you ask Cocoa High School Head Coach John Wilkinson about his personal philosophy, it’s very obvious what motivates him. “I want winners because I want to win,” he said. “I want to do whatever it takes to win. It may sound simple but, to me, there is something very different between competing and winning.”And win he has. In his nine-year career at Cocoa, Wilkinson has a record of 100-19 which includes three Florida 4A state championships, a 38-game winning streak, a
Strength Report: Develop Complete Athletes – Liberty Universitys Unique Strength Program
Building true strength and power on the football field has less to do with fine tuning minor details and more to do with building more horsepower in the “engine” of an athlete. From there, details can be modified to turn the advanced athlete into an elite athlete. The process of creating more horsepower in the athlete is more methodical than most think and we use methods that are not practiced on a large scale. Last year, we had over 82 football players clean at least 300 pound
Speed Report: Is Your Speed Training the Real Deal?
Have you analyzed why you use the methods and teaching applications for football speed training? Have you just borrowed available concepts and plugged them into your program? Are you just covering bases or do you really feel you’ve reached a high level of knowledge and are satisfied with your results? Where did you get what you use today and is it working? Why did you choose to incorporate it into your program? Did you get your material from a friend, a colleague, a relative
Confuse the Quarterback (Part I)
To stop the zone read, it is critical to present a number of different coverages to the opposing quarterback including a two-deep safety look.The zone read spread offense has had a major impact on all levels of football in recent years. Defensive coordinators have had to make adjustments to their base defensive calls in order to defend the basic running plays, play assignment football against the option, and defend the pass. Many years ago at a coaching clinic I heard a coach say that
Speed Report: The Off-Season - Preparing for Advanced Level Training
When you begin the off-season with speed training, one of your major challenges will be organizing and periodizing your product. Obviously your periodization scheme stretches over many months. Your design is critical to the success of the progression you expect to gain during the year. One area that can be a little tricky and can have a distinct affect on your development for team speed is working with large numbers of players who are at two different levels of ability. My experien
Game Planning Your Coaching Career (Part II)
The Third Quarter After the first half (introduction and growth phase) and making adjustments at half-time, the third quarter becomes the maturity phase of the coaching career. This does not mean that, as coaches, we do not continue to grow or learn. It means that we become more stabilized in our “giftings” as a coach. I admire the confidence of the FBS assistant who maintains a positive attitude that he will land a job in a better environment, after
Circuit Drills Emphasize Repetition, Range of Motion and Reaction to Improve Your Special Teams Play.
Our staff at Central Washington University understands the importance and value of the kicking game in each contest. We treat each special team’s preparation with the same enthusiasm, intensity, and creativity as our offense and defense. To do it right, we must train our special teams players in the same way. Preparing players for their special team roles, however, presents some unique challenges. Consider the following:1. Getting Enough RepetitionsAlmost all of our playe
Two Minute Crunch Time: 'Go-To' Plays and a Clock-Killing Strategy
With the increased use of the up-tempo offense at all levels of the game, some teams seem as though they’re running a two-minute drill the entire game. No huddles, keeping the defense off balance, quick scores. But a true two-minute offense, of course, has the added pressure of clock management. When you must have a score with limited time left, it’s critical that your offense remains calm under this pressure – advancing on every play, stopping the clock whenever possib
Speed Report: Combining In-Season Conditioning with In-Season Speed Training
Combining the two – in-season conditioning and speed training – is a subject that often comes up for discussion when I’m doing clinics and workshops across the country at various high schools and colleges. We always discuss the physiological energy mechanisms and how they function when we train. The same question seems to arise each time: What’s the best way to condition during the season?The answer is usually not well-received. My reply is that we need to understand how the ga
Game Planning Your Coaching Career (Part I)
(This article is written to discuss career planning in the coaching profession and this is by no means the only way to pattern your pathway. The experience of one coach, while addressing many issues, does not include all scenarios. However, the organization of the material is well-known to all coaches as it is structured just as all of us would game plan against an unfamiliar opponent. It is hoped that this discussion would have us in the coaching profession talk about
The Mean Green Way: North Texas' Multi-Year System of Training
“As to methods there may be a million and thensome, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson This quote hangs in my office as a daily reminder of the dichotomy of our profession. Truly, there are countless methods to improve athlete performance. Ask 125 FBS football strength and conditioning coaches how best to train an ath
Developmental Tackling Part II: Hashmark-to-Boundary Drills and Pursuit Drills to improve overall tackling
The safety considerations and progressive skills emphasized in part I of Developmental Tackling must be maintained and re-taught as you move from individual skill areas to group skills and game preparation. Nothing can impact your season more than great defensive play exemplified by great tackling skills, team pursuit and rallies to the ball. In film review, we always count the players who swarm to the ball carrier and address the responsibility of cutback and backside pursuit. ON
Speed Report: Fast Twitch for Football Speed - Can it be Produced?
Muscle fibers are made up of two different types of fiber composition, slow twitch fibers and fast twitch fibers. Skeletal muscles are made up of numerous individual muscle fibers called myocytes. Each myocyte contains many myofibrils, which are strands of proteins that can grab on to each other and pull. This shortens the muscle and causes muscle contraction. Of course, contraction can be very fast and dynamic or slower with endurance capabilities. When we think about football speed we natur
Urban Legend
In 2001, his first year as a head coach, Urban Meyer led Bowling Green to a 8-3 record – a tremendous improvement over their 2-9 season the year before. In quarterback Josh Harris, Meyer had a versatile run/pass signal caller that his new spread option offense could be built around.In what was perhaps the first time that the spread was utilized to its fullest potential, Harris led the Falcons to a 9-3 season in 2002 while throwing for 2,425 yards and 19 TDs and adding another 20
Unqualified Success
The Leadership Program of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard has set new standards for grooming the leaders of tomorrow.When the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard introduced its new Leadership Program, the goal was simple – to develop leadership qualities of high school football players who have already demonstrated leadership potential in the classroom and on the field. Combining an advanced cha
New Weapon – More and more offenses are adding a read-option scheme to incorporate the QB into the running game.
In this new age of football, teams are using athletic quarterbacks to add an additional dimension to their offense. I believe the pro-style attack offenses will mirror this trend, whether it’s a specific package or a main part of their offense. We began this transformation this past year.Last fall, we had a very athletic quarterback that we wanted to utilize in our run game. After implementing this, we ended the season ranked 12th nationally within FCS i
Developmental Tackling, Part I – Effectively using the shimmy technique can help ensure the safety of all defensive players.
Without question, teaching safe tackling skills and drills is one of the most demanding tasks every coach in the country must master. In my 54 years of coaching varsity football, nothing gave me more concern than the idea of a collision with a player’s head down, chin on chest, and the resulting straight line spinal column hit with the top of the helmet. That is almost always the primary cause of paraplegic injury. That is why so much emphasis is placed on converting the speed run of pursui
On Top of the World – AFM’s Annual State Champions Survey and Profiles
State champion coaches share their secrets to winning it all. The results may surprise you.Most high school coaches would agree that their ultimate goal is winning their state championship. Taking home the trophy after the punishing regular season and pressure-filled playoffs is the pinnacle for the 300+ teams that annually achieve that goal.But do coaches agree on the best methods to use to reach that mountaintop? What offensive, defensive and special teams strategies give
Speed Report – Dynamic Relaxation – The Misunderstood Nugget for Speed and Quickness
When we think of the word relaxation it doesn’t suggest a very aggressive picture in our mind. Whenever I mention the term “Dynamic Relaxation” to coaches, they’re momentarily puzzled. They are searching their thoughts for where this picture fits football, a sport that delivers aggressive action every play.Football movement is not naturally linked to relaxation when the game is all about contact. Having a consistent forceful mindset week to week is what every coach desires.
RE-STARTING A COACHING CAREER
I had the good fortune of leading one of the most successful public school programs in the state of Virginia for 22 years. At Western Branch High School in Chesapeake, winning became synonymous with Bruins football. From 1997 to the 2006 season when I retired, our winning percentage was over .800. We won numerous District titles and had three undefeated regular seasons. It
Coach to Coach – College Coach or High School Coach: Comparing the Two
As I wrote in May, I recently resigned from my decade long head coaching position at Foothill High School and accepted the associate head coach and offense coordinator job at Shasta College in nearby Redding. The transition from high school head coach to college assistant coach has actually been easier than expected. It certainly helps that I am familiar with both the college assistant role and the Shasta College program as I previously spent six seasons (1997-2002) as an assistant coach ther
Speed Report - Football Speed Information: Good News or Old News?
I have been writing AFM’s Speed Report for 6½ years and have traveled the country for 30 years engaging with coaches who want to learn “thorough and complete football speed training”. Not second-hand information that isn’t football speed specific. More specifically, lineal track techniques. Coaches should understand that these particular techniques don’t provide movement skills needed for football speed and/or transition speed that’s required to play fast and stay in control.
Drills Report – Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part II
Last month’s drills for wide receivers included five different drills intended to make players concentrate on catching the ball and improve their route running. The six drills included this month are more detailed with an emphasis on proper technique (In each drill, ‘C’ refers to coach and ‘R’ for receiver).Chute DRILL (Diagram 1)
Strength Report – A Complete Strength and Conditioning Report for Offensive Linemen, Part I
It is my belief that all strength and conditioning programs grow from a very specific set of needs and circumstances that differ from team to team. Every situation is different, so a program influenced by principles rather than copied verbatim is needed.From years spent playing offensive line then beginning my coaching career coaching it and finally working as a football strength coach for the past 25 years, I have gained perspective into the needs of offensive linemen. The princip
Letter from AFM
Top HonorThere is no shortage of coaching awards. Every year, league, state and national coaches of the year honors are awarded to deserving coaches everywhere. It seems that every media organization, including this one, gives out annual accolades to coaches who have led their teams to great success on the field.But there is one honor for high school coaches that, in our opinion, stands above all others – the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year. A
Making the Grade – Spring evaluation is essential for maximizing each player’s contribution to the team
Spring evaluation is essential for maximizing each player’s contribution to the team.While coaches understand that player evaluation is a year-round necessity, spring is a particularly important time for returning player evaluations as your team heads into the summer pre-season lull. It’s the perfect time to size up the strengths and weaknesses of each athlete and set personal and team goals. What is the best way to evaluate a returning player? American Football Monthly asked seven
Coach to Coach – Change of Season
Last year, I wrote an article describing the ever-expanding coaching carousel that all of us in this profession encounter. The article described some of the challenges of change within the coaching profession. I received a lot of emails regarding this article. It seems that all of us in coaching are presented with change or the opportunity for change on a continual basis. Some of this change is welcomed and, unfortunately, some of it is not. Deciding to change jobs is often one of the most di
Speed Report - Off-Season Speed Development: A Dilemma for Small Schools
As I write this column each month, I receive more and more replies from coaches at smaller schools. It’s become apparent that most of them have something in common – that the off-season presents a challenge for speed and lifting development. The problem is that athletes at these schools need to be multi-sport athletes. The bulk of the football team plays two to three sports in a small school, so it’s almost impossible to fill the rosters on other sports if they were only playing footbal
Developing an Efficient Kickoff Team – Following a detailed teaching progression for your kickoff team will maximize their potential.
There are many factors that contribute to a successful season on special teams. The most important factor is the strong support and focus of the head coach to ensure that players and coaches are committed to this phase of the game. We always begin our practices with special teams and then break to offense and defense. That goes for installation meetings, film review and practice. We start with 20 minutes of special teams and end practice with a field goal or punt. The importance of special te
From the Coaches Bookshelf – Earn the Right To Win – By Tom Coughlin with David Fisher
Like most coaches, New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin has had moments when he’s lost his temper on the sidelines. In his new book, Earn the Right to Win, he shares his best advice on managing your anger and dozens of other topics about leadership, communication and preparation. His lessons are illustrated with previously untold stories about players like Eli Manning, Doug Flutie and Michael Strahan. Probably the most difficult thing for me t
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2012
NFL: Chris CarlisleSeattle SeahawksBackground – Chris Carlisle began his coaching career at Dodge High School (NE) in 1985. After continuing to coach on the high school level and then as an assistant at the University of Arkansas, Carlisle joined the staff at Tennessee in 1998 under John Stucky. He then became USC’s head strength and conditioning coach in 2001 when Pete Carroll called Stucky and asked for a recommendation.
Safety First – Contact In Practice – Is It Worth It?
Football is changing. With the game under great scrutiny from a player safety perspective, those in and out of football are questioning long-held practices that may put players at greater risk of injury.One of those is full contact in practice. The old belief that contact drills and hitting are necessary in practice is giving way to a more restrained approach that limits or even eliminates contact in the interest of player safety. Rockhurst High School (MO) Head Coach To
Speed Report – Weight Training for Speed in a High School Environment
Football has become a game of speed. High school football strength and conditioning coaches across the country are constantly searching for ways to improve the speed and explosiveness of their team in order to produce maximum results. Training for speed in the weight room is paramount for coaches and teams to reach their desired results. Focusing on Olympic movements in the weight room can be very beneficial in increasing a player’s speed.Why Use Olympic Movements?The reason
Leaders-in-Training
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard expands their Leadership Program into more markets this year to impact more of tomorrow’s leaders.What makes a good leader? Is it having confidence in one’s abilities and then building confidence in others? Is it the skills to connect with individuals in a caring, empathetic way? Is it mental and physical competence and the ability to solve probl
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Gary Joseph Katy High School Joseph led the Tigers to one of the most dominating seasons in Texas football history. A last-minute playoff loss ended the Katy Tigers’ 2011 season. It marked the second straight season the Tigers had been close, but were unable to finish. Head coach Gary Joseph was determined not to let that happen in 2012. “We had been competitive, but hadn’t finished. This year, we were going to become a more physical football team that w
AFM’s College Coaches of the Year for 2012
AFM’s FBS Coach of the YearBrian Kelly Notre DameAfter decades of frustration, Kelly led the Fighting Irish back to national prominence.It was not a pleasant environment, but Brian Kelly had been there before. He knew what to say.In 2001, Kelly led Grand Valley State to an undefeated season and its first appearance in the Division II championship game. It was also Kelly’s first national championship game as a head coach, and it would end in heartbreak.
Coach to Coach – Four Strategies in Preparing Your Quarterback for Success
At the start of the 2012 season, there were a lot of questions from coaches, players, fans and the local sportswriters regarding the state of our quarterback position. We had graduated a MVP quarterback in 2011 and the heir apparent was an undersized junior without any varsity experience. The questions regarding the position were legitimate and I knew that in order for our team to make another championship run, it was imperative that we continue to have great play at the quarterback position.
Safety First – Training for Safety
Vince Lombardi once said, “Football is not a contact sport. Football is a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.” This, coupled with the fact that every year, athletes at all levels are getting bigger, stronger, and faster, means that there is a very real threat to see a dramatic increase in football injuries. These run the gamut from minor injuries with no time lost to more severe injuries that could be season or career ending.Keeping a football te
Student of the Game: Using Academic Resources To Enhance Your Program
Volume 3: The 10,000 Hour Rule, Athlete-Controlled Feedback and Inside-Out Circuits by Jack Byrne, Defensive Coordinator, Windham High School (NH)
Giving Back
Two Regional Directors of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard discuss how coaches everywhere can give back to the game.Most successful coaches recognize that they are fortunate to have made a career out of football. That’s what motivates so many to give something back to the game by participating in activities that can make a difference – using football to be a positive influence with youth in their communities.Hundreds of coach
From the Coaches Bookshelf - Dream Chaser – 4th and Goal by Monte Burke
For some, coaching football is simply in their blood. In his new book, 4th & Goal, author Monte Burke tells the amazing story of Joe Moglia, who left coaching to pursue what would become a monumentally successful career in financial services. Moglia has since returned to the sidelines and fulfilled his life-long dream of becoming a college head coach. Here is an excerpt.Now sixty-two, Joe Moglia is standing on the sidelines of a football field in Nebraska, wearing a headset and a w
One Team – Two Offenses
By Jeff Hancock • Offensive Coordinator • Siena Heights Universityand Jason Mensing • Head Coach, Whitehall High School (MI)Two years ago the Board of Trustees voted to start football at Siena Heights University and we were fortunate enough to be a part of the very first staff. Among the overwhelming number of things that go into starting a new program was this question because of our limited senior leadership – how were we going to recruit enough players
Legendary Leader – John Gagliardi retires after 64 years, 489 wins and countless changed lives.
Amos Alonzo Stagg coached college football for 57 years in the first half of the 20th century, winning a then-record 314 games. Bobby Bowden tallied 377 wins in his 44-year coaching career at Samford, West Virginia and Florida State. Eddie Robinson coached Grambling for 55 years and won 408 games.John Gagliardi bettered them all. In a coaching career that spanned 60 seasons at the helm of Division III St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and four prior sea
Speed Report – Is Your Off-Season Football Speed Training on Track?
If you have been reading my articles over the last six years, you know that I try to point coaches in the right direction for true football speed development. My hope is that you will apply useful teaching methods that are currently not available. The first step is having an open mind for learning new concepts. Whatever you have chosen to use as a method for speed development requires time to install. Time is the greatest commodity in life. We only have so much time to utiliz
Record Setters
It’s natural in all sports to measure success by counting the number of wins a team or a coach achieves, and football is no different. With the possible exception of championship rings, total wins is recognized as the yardstick we use to rate coaches and judge their careers.In this issue of AFM, we celebrate the career of not only one of football’s greatest winners, but one of its greatest gentlemen as well – proving that the two are not mutually exclusive. Last month, John G
LINEBACKER TACKLING DRILLS AND TECHNIQUES
One of our defensive coaching guidelines is that we will get what we demand or allow. If we do not emphasize what we think is important to our defense or if we do not hold our players accountable for what our expectations are, then we are held responsible for the lack of production on the field. This definitely applies to tackling. We demand to be 90% efficient in all tackling opportunities and we do not want to allow poor practice habits or a lack of emphasis on the right things to adversely
Banner Year
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard achieved record-setting participation in 2012 and concluded the year with its largest National 7-on-7 Tournament ever.However you measure it, the 2012 NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard was a resounding success. The HSPD camps experienced dramatic growth in bo
Secure the Future by Playing it Safe
By the time you read this article, your 2012 football season will most likely be over. I hope that it was a success for you and your team. Some of you are enjoying the holiday season with the satisfaction of winning a championship while others are already charting a course of action that will result in more success in 2013. Regardless of how the 2012 season finished, the winter months will provide all of us the opportunity for some much needed rest and a time to reflect on a
Quickness Drills - Essential for Quickness Development
Every coach wants players to play fast and quick. Can quickness be developed or is it just left to those who are genetically blessed. When I started speed training in 1979, every coach said you can’t teach speed. Today we’re talking about quickness, which is an aspect of speed. What if moving with electric transitions and ballistic quickness on the football field could be trained? I can’t say that every athlete on your team will be quick just because you trained them. I
FADE OUT - The fade route is a potent offensive weapon that can be incorporated into any offense.
There is not a bad time to throw the fade route. It’s a relatively high-completion (55-60%), low-risk, and big-reward play.The fade does a number of positive things for an offense. The vertical stretch of the fade usually forces safeties and corners to play deeper. This can give the run game and the quick passing game more room to operate. The run game is also enhanced by the fade since defensive linemen are constantly trying to get pressure on the quarterback, usually without su
The Pirate Returns - Mike Leach brings his high-powered but surprisingly simple passing offense to Washington State
Mike Leach is complex. Contrary to popular belief, his coaching philosophy is not. Dating back to his early days as an innovative offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan and Valdosta State, Leach has always experimented with unique plays and unusual ideas. Yet, two decades later, his first offense at Washington State has just 14 pass plays.
Drills Report Bonus - Improving Your Offensive Production
In our offense that we call the “truck and chuck”, we borrow academy-style option principles, implement them from a normal five-yard depth in the shotgun, and then throw as much play-action as we can into it. Like any offense, there are countless ways to practice and prepare our players to execute our style of play. However, when we think about drills and teaching methods for our offense, we stick to a few basic principles:#1 Big/Little/Big - Give the players the big picture (the
Coach to Coach Dealing with Discipline
I was having dinner on a Saturday night with my family when the doorbell rang. Upon opening the door, I was a little shocked to see a former player that I had not seen in almost ten years standing in front of me. Having past members of my teams stop by to say hello is not an uncommon occurrence but this was different. This young man, who was a part of my first varsity team at Foothill High School, had the distinctive “honor” of being the first player that I had ever dismissed from m
Get More Out of Your Film By Having Better Film
In today’s coaching world, film is a major tool for success. Yet, sometimes we get film that just isn’t up to par. When you get opponents’ film, you are left at the mercy of their filmer. Often it’s a young manager, injured player, young coach, or possibly a volunteer. Your own filmer can sometimes be very green with the camera, have tripod issues or even miss entire plays. People can forget equipment, and then you’re stranded without film. We’ve all had it h
Defending the Wing-T Offense
The Wing-T is a great offensive system that challenges defenses at both the high school and collegiate levels. Many of today’s one-back and spread offenses can trace their roots back to the Wing-T.We defend the Wing-T by being as simple as possible. We try to play one front and one coverage the entire game vs. Wing-T sets. We take an “Over” front concept and slide the front to the TE/Wing. We want to take away or limit the Wing-T’s ability to run to the TE surface (Diagrams 1
Managing Your Managers
Most coaches have a good handle on their responsibilities and those of their players. In many programs, these responsibilities are very detailed and almost always put in writing.But often overlooked are the roles and responsibilities of team managers. That’s unfortunate, since having solid, detail-oriented team managers can be a blessing to a coaching staff – giving them more time to focus on helping their players be successful on the field.In my coaching career, I p
Slowing Down the Spread
What do defenses do to slow down the spread and how do offenses counter? AFM asked spread offense coaches, “What defenses give you the most trouble?”Sparky Woods • Head Coach • Virginia Military InstituteSparky Woods has been the head coach at VMI for the past four seasons. Previously, he was head coach at Appalachian State and South Carolina and the OC/QBs Coach at Memphis. Woods was also a position coach at Alabama, Virginia, and Mississippi State. He has b
Strategies to Overcome a Poor Start
Football season is finally here.By the time you read this column, your team might have already played several games. Hopefully, the start of your season has been successful and is full of promise. The reality is, however, that each week 50% of all teams, coaches and fans suffer through a defeat. In my 20 plus years of coaching football, I have been a part of teams that started great and I have been part of teams that have struggled mightily out of the gate. Both situations can pres
EXTENSION PLANTS The Key to Football Speed Transition
All movement requires force application but transition speed is what makes plays happen fast. The key to playing the game fast is due in part to the ability to plant well when directionally displacing momentum. Pure speed lineally is useful in smaller dimensions than we think when evaluating speed traits. The forty-yard dash as a measurement that forecasts speed is the wrong tool. Playing speed should not rely on the forty as a pure indication for playing fast. The game is played on your feet
Boot Camp Day for High School Football
Last April, during Ohio’s North / South All-Star Football Game at Ohio Stadium, I had the good fortune to be standing on the sidelines with members of the Ohio Army National Guard. As we were talking, they shared with me how they did a number of “Boot Camps” with high school football teams in Southern Ohio. I let them know that I would love to do something like that with my team. Fortunately, a member of their unit was transferred to recr
Master Clinic – 5 Elements of Success in Coaching Football
The quest to identify and analyze the elements of successful coaching in football is challenging and varies much depending on perspective and who is conducting the analysis. The definition of success is also very much dependent on expectations and can be quite relative to the current status of a program and its history. There are, however, consistent elements I believe are inherent in most football programs which are perceived as successful for sustained periods of time.1. Depth
That Championship Season – AFM’s 2011 Survey of 334 State Champions
Winning a state championship is the pinnacle for most high school teams. Learning from the experience of championship coaches can help in your quest to hoist the trophy.Hard work. Dedication. Leadership. Commitment. Focus. Team chemistry. These are the common themes that emerge when you talk to high school coaches that won their state championships in 2011.But there is also great diversity among the 334 teams that raised the state championship trophy last season. There are t
Drills Report – 13 Advanced Punting Ideas and Drills
Punting is one of the most difficult and least acknowledged skills in the game. Coaches expect punters to punt well every time, but one bad punt or a botched snap can result in a serious conversation from a coach or, even worse, a loss of a game. Punting can be a big momentum changing play for you or the other team. Here’s a list of coaching points and drills that can help with this position and make it a more positive part of your program.1. Punter Stretches• Make ea
Tournament Time
This month, hundreds of young athletes representing all 32 NFL teams will converge in Indianapolis for the NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament presented by the National Guard.7-on-7. The name evokes highly-skilled athletes, pinpoint passing attacks, and non-stop action.In the last decade, there has been an explosion of high school 7-on-7 events during the summer months. Most of these competitions feature elite skill position players honing their gam
Powerful Partnership
The National Guard’s Citizen Soldiers contribute to the success of the NFL High School Player Development program on many levels.What does it mean to serve in the National Guard? It means that you’re part of the oldest established branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, dating back to 1636. It means that you can be called upon to provide relief to those that have suffered from natural disasters in your home state. It also means that you could serve overseas, if needed, as part of America
Reloading at Rockhurst – Tony Severino, the head coach at Rockhurst High School for 29 years, believes in keeping his players busy in all aspects of their lives – not just on the field.
It was near the end of an hour-long interview when Tony Severino was asked a question that he has fielded numerous times in recent years. “How much longer do you think you’ll coach?”His answer is the same every time.“I get asked that every day. You’re the second one today that’s asked me,” said Severino, who will turn 64 in September. “I’ve been saying, ‘five years’ for the last 10 years. I have such a good time doing what I do. When I don’t, I’
Speed Report – Execution in Football and In Football Speed
In football, execution is a key component to winning, performing consistently, confidence, attitude, focus enhancement, skill development, and a commitment to excellence.As Vince Lombardi said, “The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field or endeavor”. Lombardi believed in the premise of having pride in execution to the maximum degree. His premise in the world of football speed is absolutely paramou
Coach to Coach – Summer Session
Using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods.Being a head football coach is a job that requires a multitude of skills. The coach that is successful over a long period of time has learned to master the art of the “tions” – motivation, delegation, innovation, articulation, dedication – all the while maintaining the most important element – passion. In order to become efficient in all of these areas, a head coach must know and be able
Louisiana Legend
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Eyes Up – Quarterbacks Coach Terry Shea has devoted more than 40 years of his coaching life to the development of the position including the training of elite players like Robert Griffin III.
Terry Shea knows quarterbacks. In addition to quarterback coaching stints in the CFL, college, and the NFL, Shea has helped prepare future NFL quarterbacks for their professional careers. Among others, he has tutored Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, and most recently, Robert Griffin III. When elite quarterbacks want the best in personalized instruction, they call Shea.The compilation of his 40 years as an expert in coaching quarterbacks is now in his recently published book, Eyes Up
The Fix Is In – Adjusting your defense at halftime and during the game can pay big dividends.
All coaches know that tweaking a defensive scheme during a game or at halftime can often make the difference between winning and losing. But how do some of the game’s best defensive minds approach in-game defensive adjustments? Is it better to completely revamp a defensive game plan or is it better to make minor adjustments based on what you’ve seen from an offense? AFM asked three prominent defensive coordinators about their approaches to in-game defensive adjustments and found some spec
Speed Report – Multi-Dimensional Movement Speed Before the Season Begins
The essence of football speed is velocity with control. Many sports require movement changes. However, football is more challenging than other team sports due to the amount of contact during practice and games that other team sports don’t have.Football has multiple requirements. Add the speed and movement factors involved and movement becomes challenging. Good movement positioning and control is the backbone of performance. What makes for an outstanding performance is not solely
Coach to Coach – Underestimating the Underdog
Months would pass before I would log my first meaningful memory of Joey. I remember the howling wind and unseasonably cold weather that made it almost impossible to communicate that night as I stood outside of the visitor’s locker room in Dixon, California. Players were starting to make their way towards the field as I reviewed my play call sheet minutes before we would kickoff the 2010 season. Joey, looking more like a manager than a player, nervously approached me with tears in his eyes a
Open Opportunities - Get your tight end involved in the option pass game.
We enjoyed a phenomenal year as an offense this past fall, averaging 490 yards per game with a 73 percent completion rate and a pass efficiency rating of 190.3. Our quarterback threw for 46 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. Our tight end had 33 catches this season and one route concept that proved to be particularly successful for us was the “Option” portion of our passing game. We throw the “Option” from multiple sets and personnel groupings but most often from either
Making the Most of the Hurry-Up, No-Huddle Offense - Calling plays at the line can let you double your offensive snaps.
His team had just been walloped 56-7 in its spring game last May and Palm Beach Gardens (FL) head coach Chris Davis knew he had to make some adjustments or face another mediocre .500 season. He just wasn’t sure what he was going to change in his system. His teams had been 4-5 and 5-5 in 2009 and 2010.A few weeks later, Davis was attending a coaches clinic where he heard Gus Malzahn, then the offensive coordinator at Auburn, speak on the advantages of a no-huddle, hurry-up offense
Advanced Secondary Drills
Over my coaching career, I’ve accumulated a number of effective secondary drills that can be used at any level. They include drills to improve hip rotation, change of acceleration, and leverage angles with receivers. I’ve included both points of emphasis and what is the projected result of each drill.
Love the Grind: Summer Football Strength and Conditioning Program
At Fruitland High School, we refer to our football program as the “Biggest Small School Football Program in the State of Idaho.”Our athletes pride themselves on their off-season work ethic or what we like to refer to as “The Grind”. For our program, we run six-week strength and conditioning classes Monday-Friday leading up to the start of our double day practices. Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are lift days; Tuesdays and Thursdays are agility and conditioning days.
Your Take – Get the Head Out of Football
At every level of football, greater awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the role that helmet-to-helmet contact often plays in them has led to rule modifications and, in many cases, a greater effort by coaches to minimize the risk of head injuries by incorporating blocking and tackling techniques that take the helmet out of the game. It is critical that this continue to help ensure safety of players and protect the future of the game.Since being taught the proper blocking
6 Rules for Beating Press Coverage – Are your receivers getting stuffed by the press? Here’s how to get them freed up.
One of the most difficult things for my players to do is beat press coverage. Since we run a double wing offense at John Carroll, defenses will often pack the box with defenders and lock down on the outside. By playing press man, defenses try to disrupt the timing of pass routes by jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. If successful, the defense has a greater opportunity to sack the quarterback since teams often blitz when playing man coverage. However, when a receiver beats press cover
Samson’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
NFLMark UyeyamaSan Francisco 49ers If the San Francisco 49ers weren’t the most physical team in the NFL, they were high on the list.Mark Uyeyama is the main behind that physicality, although the 49ers strength and conditioning coach is way too humble to admit it.“Take a look at Justin Smith or Ray McDonald, really look at those guys, now,” said Uyeyama, Samson Equipment’s NFL Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year. “That’s not me, man.
The Challenges of Teaching Football Speed
The first step toward teaching football speed is dealing with velocity and angles that change rapidly. Secondly, you must provide a progressive training system that is relative to speed and movement physically, mentally, and technically. The nature of the game provides various challenges to movement speed, angle changes, frequency changes, and rapid acceleration. Your teaching must fit these practicums because, unlike track sprinting, the technical application for football speed is not all li
Moving Up, Moving On or Moving Out: Life on the Coaching Carousel
Years ago I sat in a clinic presentation given by a prominent NFL head football coach who stated “Most high school coaches want to be college coaches, most college coaches want to be NFL coaches and most NFL coaches would like to be high school coaches.” Most coaches possess an unquenchable desire to advance their careers to the next level. Most of us are eager to face new challenges and conquer the next occupational mountain.The world of football coaching is fill
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Hal Wasson Southlake CarrollWhile celebrating on the field after his Carroll High School team, known to most around the country as Southlake Carroll, completed a 16-0 season with a 36-29 victory over Fort Bend Hightower in the Texas Class 5A- Division I state championship game, Hal Wasson thought about a fateful decision he made back in 2002.After over 20 years as a successful head coach at multiple high scho
AFM’s College Coaches of the Year
Mike Gundy Oklahoma StateGundy led the Cowboys to the greatest year in their history, netting him AFM’s top coaching awardThe visitors’ locker room at Texas A&M is located right next to the entrance that takes you onto the field. Every time the doors open, the visiting locker room is treated to the sounds of Kyle Field, featuring rowdy fans, bands and entertainment. It’s not the most peaceful environment to settle a team down, especially one trailing 20-3 at the ha
Letter from AFM- Home on the Range
This year, over 20% of FBS schools will enter the 2012 season with new head coaches. That’s nothing new. Every year, more and more coaches find themselves on the coaching carousel as the pressure to win, win often and win consistently becomes more relentless. Sometimes, a change at the top is just what a program needs to get on track. Witness Brady Hoke, who led a Michigan team that had underachieved for years to 11 wins, including a victory over Ohio State for the first ti
Muddle Hd” The New Age Muddle Huddle Two-Point Formation
Like all coaches, I look forward to the off-season to attend as many coaching clinics as I can that are held throughout the United States. Some coaches attend clinics looking to have a good time and use the weekend as an “outing” away from the wives and kids to unwind and enjoy themselves with their staff. When I go to clinics, I aim to attend as many sessions as possible to learn and gain knowledge from some of the most successful and innovative minds in football today. I set out to lear
AFM Subs Ask - with former NFL special teams coach Mike Sweatman
Mike Sweatman coached for 23 years in the NFL, primarily with special teams. He began his NFL career with the Vikings and later coached with the Bears, Patriots and Jets and had two stints with the New York Giants. Sweatman coached under Bill Parcells when the Giants won the Super Bowl in 1990 and later, Coach Tom Coughlin hired him as Special Teams Coordinator in 2004. His career included three Super Bowl appearances and two championships. He answers your questions about special teams
Texas Titans – Lake Travis High School has built a winning tradition from the ground up.
The Lake Travis (TX) High School athletic program is blessed with a huge enrollment, college-caliber facilities and an abundance of next-level talent, especially at the quarterback position. With those types of advantages, the Cavaliers are expected to have success.But, with four straight 4A state titles and a shot at an unprecedented fifth, Lake Travis football has exceeded even the highest expectations and stands out as a prime example of an administration and coaching staff that
Coach to Coach – Off-Season Priorities
“The Future is Now!” was a phrase I heard often during the 1991 football season at Long Beach State. It was one of the many catch phrases that George Allen coined and is famous for. As we enter the heart of the 2012 off-season, it’s sometimes difficult to envision that the future of next football season is now. When it comes to developing a successful plan for the 2012 season, the future is indeed now. Over the past year and half, I have shared many of my ideas as they relate to the pri
Speed Report – The Off-Season is Back – Time for Foundation Speed Drills
If you’re not moving forward each year, you’re standing still. If you wish to grow, you need to review what you’ve been doing and challenge yourself to do more. I’ve spent 32 years adding something that improves my program to better levels than they were the year before. Sometimes it’s a new system or just tweaking the old one a certain way. Whatever your situation might be, it can always be better, especially when it comes to speed. I will give you a few thoug
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Madden - Larger Than Life
In Madden, longtime sports columnist Bryan Burwell has written the first comprehensive biography of this living legend. From his days as a star athlete in Daly City, California, Madden was driven to succeed, a trait that helped him persevere during his tumultuous years with the Raiders under Al Davis and compelled him to try his hand at broadcasting after his coaching career was over.John Madden is arguably one of the two or three most unique men in the history of American professional
Zone Blitzing the Spread Offense – Use this aggressive approach to disrupt routes and timing of the spread.
Head Coach Danny Hale just completed his 19th season at Bloomsburg and has seen over those years a trend in our opponent’s offense, a change from the traditional 2-back attack to more of a spread attack. Defensively, we have had to adapt to the ever changing schemes and, along with Secondary Coach Chet Henicle and Defensive Line Coach Bill Perkins, we have developed a scheme that is both effective and easy to understand and one that employs the most basic but also most important aspect of d
Drills Report – Expanded – Advanced Defensive Line Play Techniques and Drills
At Kutztown University, we believe in an aggressive, attacking style of play from our defensive line. Here are seven coaching points and seven drills to help your defensive line improve every day. Coaching Point #1 – We use this acronym every day.SACKERS - Stance (balanced and coiled)A - Alignment (See foot and shoulder)C - Concentration (What are you looking at?)K - Keys (mirror feet)E - Evaluate (what do you see?)R - Res
Strength Report – Density Training for the High School Athlete
Many programs can help make high school athletes stronger, more muscular and even faster. However, if your goal is to train your high school athletes to improve athleticism, flexibility, balance, strength, power and speed, density training is the way to go. Density training is a philosophy of training based on strength coach Charles Staley’s program, “Escalating Density Training”. Since the program was introduced, strength coaches all over the country have been putting together their ow
RECRUITING AT A SMALL SCHOOL WHEN YOU HAVE NOT HAD RECENT SUCCESS
By Derek Schlieve Head Coach Mayville State University Taking over a program that has not been successful has many challenges. We are facing those challenges here at Mayville State University right now. Here are some of the ways we are meeting that challenge. Be Honest:
Making an Impact with Your Kickoff Return
For a successful kickoff return, it is critical for all 11 players – including the deep returners – to think about making their block.There is almost nothing that compares to returning the opening kickoff of the season for a 95-yard touchdown against your school’s historic rival. The capacity crowd who had not yet made it to their seats for our 2010 opening game missed one of the most exciting moments of the year, a moment that made a statement to our opponent that we had come to
Playoff Prep – Good strategy during the season can increase your chances of success in the post-season.
How do you prepare now to for maximize your playoff run in November and December? There are many reasons why some teams are strong playoff performers and some are not. Some of those reasons are controllable, and others obviously are beyond the coach’s control. Some teams experience regular season success, but those accomplishments don’t continue through the playoffs. For others, advancing week-after-week is a tradition. What are the critical elements – physical, psychological and strate
The Power Run Game and the Spread Offense – Can They Co-Exist?
Since the popularization of the numerous forms of the spread offense in the late 1990’s and now into the new millennium, many coaches have seen a drastic change in the way they attack today’s defensive structures and coverage shells. As a coach who has always favored the power and lead-back run plays and series, I am constantly researching methods of running the Isolation Play (See Diagram 1), the Blast Play (Diagram 2) and the Power Off-Tackle Play with a gap down, pull, kick-out blockin
Father Figure – In his celebrated career, Houston’s Ray Seals became much more than a coach to many of his players.
Twenty-three years ago, Ray Seals decided to change his coaching legacy. It wasn’t going to just be about football anymore.Seals arrived at Madison High School (TX) in 1988 to find a program full of kids from low-income families. Some came to practice with no clothes; some hadn’t eaten. His players were foul-mouthed and disrespectful. They weren’t college material. “I said right then that when I became head coach, that wasn’t going to happen to my kids,” said Seals.
AFM Subs Ask – with Ron Erhardt Former NFL Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator
Ron Erhardt was the head coach of the New England Patriots (1978-1981), the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants for a decade (1982-1991), and the OC of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1992-1996). While with the Giants, his teams won two Super Bowls with two different quarterbacks, Phil Simms and Jeff Hostetler. He was also a very successful college coach, having an overall record of 61-7-1 in seven seasons as the head coach at North Dakota State. Erhardt’s offensive philosophy
Drills Report – Building Pocket Awareness
We believe that pocket awareness is one of the most important quarterback skills to develop. I did say develop. We don’t believe that most people are born with the ability to stand in the pocket and wait for people to run into them. We spend fifteen minutes a week during the season working on pocket awareness. On Monday, we spend five minutes re-enacting the pocket awareness situations that the quarterback should have handled more efficiently from the previous game. On Tuesday, w
Letter from AFM - Award Winner
There may be a coaching award that Ray Seals hasn’t won, but we’re not aware of it. Seals, who is the subject of this issue’s cover feature, retired from coaching prior to the start of this season, which would have been his 24th at Madison High School in Houston and 47th overall. Ten times he was named Coach of the Year for the Houston school district. He was awarded Coach of the Year honors from the Houston Touchdown Club in 1997 and Houston Texans in 2001. In 2008, he was n
Developing a Fire 2 Zone “Cheat” Blitz Package
Simplifying terminology and guidelines can produce effective blitz packages against different fronts.We have developed a form of Cover 2 Zone Blitz coverage that can be an effective tool in any defense’s package. We will explore the history, benefits, how to develop the coverage, and how to implement it for multiple looks and packages. The History My father once told me, “If you get information from just one person, that’s stealing. If you
Promoting Small College Football
by Dawn L. Harmon Editor’s note: Jason Dannelly isn’t a football coach. He isn’t a football player either– at least not since college. He is, however, a football fan and it is from this passion that his current venture stems. As founder and owner of Victory Sports Network, Dannelly has touched thousands of lives through relentlessly writing about, promoting, and analyzing NAIA college football. At almost
Coaching In Poland
Compared to other European countries, organized American football in Poland is in its infancy, but growing. What once began at a grass roots level has now turned into three separate divisions - 1st Division, 2nd Division and an eight-man football league. The Polish American Football League or (PLFA) was started in 2006 with four teams. With the popularity of American football growing, the PLFA split into two divisions in 2008 - PLFA I (8 teams) and
Education: A New Pillar for Modern Sports
by J ThompsonAmerican Public University offers online degrees in sports management and sports and health sciences.The legend of Knute Rockne was forged on the gridiron. Many know his contributions as a football tactician – introducing the Notre Dame Shift and perfecting the passing attack. But it’s his off-the-field contributions that add to his legacy, which the College Football Hall of Fame describes as “American football’s
Method To His Madness - Letter from the Publisher
You could describe LSU Head Coach Les Miles in many different ways. Just don’t call him conventional. He has been known to eat a bit of grass from the football field for good luck. He has over 34,000 Twitter followers, which is more than any other FBS coach. Last month, he tweeted “I hear Wimbledon champ likes eating grass too. Hope he enjoyed it. Nothing beats Tiger Stadium grass though.” He is a press favorite, having provided many memorable sound bites. There
Leadership in Football
What do the names Lombardi, Landry, Walsh, and Dungy all have in common? They are the names of football coaches who were innovative in implementing and teaching new strategies and tactics but they were also great team leaders. What was it about their attention to the details of the game that required hard work, dedication and focus that led them to some of the best winning percentages in the history of the National Football League? In their own way, each one of these coaches truly cared about
Great Expectations – How do coaches like Bob Stoops manage high expectations or overcome low ones?
“Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their players and motivate.”– Vince LombardiEvery season starts with expectations, some higher than others. How a coach handles those expectations can be the difference between failing to meet them and exceeding them. But what is the secret to dealing with expectations in this era of pre-season rankings, blogs and media pundits that put pressure on teams before fall practice even
Graduate Course How does a high school coach fulfill a dream of advancing to the college ranks?
In every profession, it’s natural to want to advance to the next level. Greater prestige, higher compensation and job security are all potential rewards of a promotion within an organization or a change of employers. In football, you would naturally assume that many successful high school coaches would aspire to become college coaches, and that may indeed be the case. But even the best high school head coaches have struggled to succeed as head coaches in college football, at leas
Letter From The Publisher
Moving up the Coaching Ladder Part of the fun of being with an organization that has chronicled the successes of football coaches for over 15 years is following the careers of coaches that we featured in AFM years ago. It’s great to see a coach like Gary Patterson, for example, who we put on our “Hot List” of up-and-coming coaches in 2004, achieve such great success at TCU and become AFM’s FBS Coach of the Year in 2011. While we’ve worked
Trojan Force – Head Coach Allan Trimble has built the Jenks High School program into a perennial power in Oklahoma and overcome adversity along the way
Allan Trimble, the Head Coach at Jenks High School (OK), authored the book ‘Coaching Football Successfully’ in 2001. In it, Trimble wrote that success should not be measured solely in terms of wins and losses. “Success comes in many shapes and sizes,” said Trimble. “It could be mentoring an athlete who is facing adversity, having your team show improvement as the season progresses, or having both a loyal and supportive coaching staff.” • Trimble clearly
Tiger Training – Missouri’s 10 Key Defensive Line Drills and Techniques – How you can fortify your pass rush.
The key to any defensive pass rush is putting pressure on the quarterback. Missouri conducts drills daily to accomplish just that. At the University of Missouri, I have been very fortunate and blessed with defensive linemen who have and are embracing this attitude. In my time here, we have increased our sack total each year. We have had many players go on to All-Conference honors. We have had players lead the Big 12 in sacks and in tackles-for-loss. We have had a defensive lineman
Steuerwald’s Rules – A coaching legend shares his guidelines for designing and implementing an effective pre-season practice schedule.
In sixty days or less, your 2011 team will be assembled for pre-season practice. They’ll be pushing themselves to achieve peak physical condition, battling each other for higher spots on the depth chart and, in most places around the country, struggling to get through practices in oppressive heat and humidity.
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Winning Football
In his new book Winning Football, Bill Ramseyer provides a blueprint for coaching success. Based on lessons he’s learned from his decades in coaching, the book is a complete handbook that examines all parts of the game. Here is an excerpt from his opening chapter.Elements of Success Success can be measured in many ways. If you are a coach, perhaps you measure success by the positive influence you have on the lives of the players you coach – the attitudes
Education: A New Pillar for Modern Sports
By J. ThompsonAmerican Public University offers online degrees in sports management and sports and health sciences.The legend of Knute Rockne was forged on the gridiron. Many know his contributions as a football tactician – introducing the Notre Dame Shift and perfecting the passing attack. But it’s his off-the-field contributions that add to his legacy, which the College Football Hall of Fame describes as “American football’s most-renowned coac
From The Coaches Bookshelf – Eddie Robinson The Martin Luther King of Football
Covering six decades, Eddie Robinson’s coaching career paralleled the Jim Crow era of segregation in the Deep South and every major event of the Civil Rights Movement. His tenure spanned 11 U.S. Presidencies and four wars involving American troops – 57 years at the same university: Grambling. His football teams won 408 games and nine black national championships. Robinson opened the NFL to players from historically black colleges and sent more than 200 players into pro football. In Eddie
Tackle Safe – Bobby Hosea’s pioneering tackling technique protects players from devastating head injuries.
As a coach, what are you doing right now to make the game safer for your current and future players? Could you be doing more to ensure head-to-head hits are eliminated from the game? Bobby Hosea can help you answer those questions. Hosea, a former UCLA cornerback who played professionally in Canada and in the USFL, has emerged as a passionate and authoritative voice in the movement to change the violent tackling culture in football. He enlightens coaches, parents
Master Motivator – Brett Steuerwald has used effective communication and motivational techniques to become one of America’s most successful coaches.
Texas, Florida, California and other Sunbelt states are almost universally recognized as the premier regions for high school football. But, if you look beyond the states that seem to get all of the national attention, you can find coaches that have established dominant programs over many years, have had major impact in their communities and have had a positive influence over thousands of young athletes. Brent Steuerwald is
Making the Game Safer
If you watch television or go to the movies, you’ve seen Bobby Hosea. You just might not realize it. In an acting career that has spanned more than 25 years, Hosea has appeared in dozens of television shows and movies including 24, CSI, Heroes, Cold Case, Xena: Warrior Princess, Independence Day – the list goes on and on. He’s portrayed military officers, police detectives, doctors – even OJ Simpson. But, in football ci
Feeding the Ducks
Sports nutritionist James Harris makes sure that University of Oregon athletes are properly fueled and ready to compete at the highest level.For many years, football coaches have recognized that effective strength and conditioning programs are essential ways to help athletes achieve peak performance. Increasing numbers of programs now also understand that proper nutritional practices are just as important if you want to maximize an athlete’s effectiveness on the field. &nb
RivalsHigh.com – Smith Steps Down at Aquinas
Legendary coach had a career 361-66 record.It is a season of change for national power Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. Barely over a month removed from its sixth state title and subsequent No. 2 national finish in the RivalsHigh 100 and just two weeks after officially being realigned into District 15 of the newly-formed Class 7A, the Raiders have announced the team will enter the 2011 football season with a new head coach. At a press conference that was
Samson’s Strength & Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2010
NFLRusty JonesChicago Bears In 2006, Chicago Bears Strength and Conditioning Coach Rusty Jones received the National Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year award. What made the award so special was that all 32 NFL strength and conditioning coaches voted on the award. “Because it was from my peers, it really meant something special,” said Jones. Jones just completed his sixth full season with the Chicago Bears, the last three
Coach to Coach: Football Clinics – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
If you are like me, your email has been full of invitations and promotions to the many football coaching clinics being held across the country. As a coach with 19 seasons under my belt, I have attended many clinics, have had the opportunity to speak at many clinics, and I host the Shotgun Zone Fly Summit. Clinics provide us with a great opportunity to learn from some of the most successful people in the business. They are also a great excuse to get a “hall pass” for a w
Coach to Coach: The Art of Effective Motivation
I was watching the Baltimore Ravens dominate the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of a playoff game this weekend with my dad. I was surprised at the lack of energy and focus that Pittsburgh team had displayed for the entire first half. On the first possession of the second half, sure-handed Baltimore running back Ray Rice fumbled and the Steelers recovered. The home fans were filled with a rush of excitement and the Pittsburgh players, despite a two touchdown deficit, displayed a renewed
Letter From The Publisher
Gary Patterson’s first season as head coach of TCU in 2001 was a challenge. The Horned Frogs had lost 28 seniors to graduation, including LaDanian Tomlinson, and had to play a full slate of games against unfamiliar opponents, having moved from the WAC to Conference USA that year. After a 4-5 start, Patterson was on the hot seat. But a strong finish that year and 10-2 and 11-2 records the following two seasons put his career on the fast track. He even land
Speed Report: Confusing Conditioning for Football Speed Development
Conditioning is, in reality, a performance trait useful during the season. It can consume your periodization schedule in the off-season when, in reality, it’s not relative. You may not agree with my thoughts on how you should address conditioning. You should focus your training on speed and power and not conditioning. The word ‘Conditioning Coach’ in the collegiate world has begun to change - now it’s become a ‘Performance Coach.’ A coach in the
Sizing Up Your Team – Post-Season Evaluation Can Be a Positive Exercise for Coaching Staffs and Players
The 2010 high school football season has ended, but that does not mean that head coaches downshift into neutral and coast for the next few months. In reality, the 2011 season already has begun. What is accomplished in the off-season is often key to how successful next season will be. In many ways, the off-season is as busy, if not busier, than the actual fall season for head coaches. Equipment needs to be reconditioned and inspected
John McKissick: 7 Keys to Long-Term Success
McKissick, 84, entered his 59th season at Summerville in September with a record 576 wins. He’s accomplished the astonishing feat with a plethora of offenses, from the wing-T to the wishbone to his current spread attack. His defense also has changed with the times, transforming from a wide-tackle 6 and 50 look used to defend the tight ground attacks of the past to a multiple scheme designed to stop the modern spread offenses. “You’ve got to change with the material y
Fundamentals of Wide Receiver Play and Reading Coverages
By PJ Fleck, Wide Receivers Coach Rutgers University PURPOSEFUL “TEACHING” I was always told that I was the “King of the TOO’s” (too small, too slow, too short). I heard all the time, “GET OUT OF THE BREAK, DROP YOUR WEIGHT, CATCH THE BALL, GET OFF THE PRESS.” “Cat
Give Your O-Line a Bull’s-Eye
As a young coach in the late ‘80’s, I was introduced to the article “The Eyes Lead the Body” by Blanton Collier. Little did I realize then how significant that article is for offensive line success. Later in my coaching career at Centre College in Danville, KY where, like most Division III schools, coaches often wear many hats. I served as a strength and conditioning coach in addition to offensive coordinator. In that role, I found I was often coaching posture in order
0-12: How To Deal With Losing
We embrace winners. It’s in our DNA. But the other side of winning is losing, and it can be a painful pill to digest when it happens so often. Perhaps that is no more evident than in coaching. But, inevitably, every coach will experience that pain at some point in his career. How a coach deals with the negative aspects that accompany losing is a matter of perspective and having faith in what he is doing will reap rewards in the face of adversity. Bob Davie, the former coach at No
Letter from AFM
Our mission at AFM is to help coaches to be more successful on and off the field. Naturally, for most coaches, success means winning more games. So our focus has always been to provide the tools to win, whether they’re innovative offensive systems, position drills, defensive techniques or special teams strategy. But virtually every coach, at some point in his career, has endured a season where the losses have outnumbered the wins. After all, for every team that puts together a win
John Robinson, Assistant Coach
By Jeff Fedotin • RivalsHigh.com At 75, John Robinson’s coaching career has come full circle – from USC to the NFL to now, the sidelines of San Marcos High School as an assistant coach Connor Kuehnle’s parents did not believe their son when he told them the identity of his new defensive coordinator. “There’s no way it’s John Robinson from USC and the Rams,” Kathy and Kenzie Kuehnle said. “There’s no way this guy’s gonna come an
7 Concepts in Developing a Winning Mentality
As a seasoned coach and life-long sports fan, I am always intrigued by teams, players and coaches who never reach their full potential and also those who do. I am intrigued by overachievers and curiously puzzled by those who consistently settle for less. Is it simply DNA? Do some possess genes that demand a lifelong pursuit of excellence while others inherit traits that have them looking for the paths of least resistance? In a competitive environment where everyone professes a desire to win,
GEORGE BLANDA “It’s Never Too Late”
By T. J. Troup Coach, Teacher, and Pro Football Historian Future Hall of Fame Quarterback Bobby Layne was sold to the New York Bulldogs before the 1949 season by “Papa Bear” George Halas. To fill the roster spot, Halas used the Bears 12th pick in the draft to take quarterback George Blanda of Kentucky. During his last three years at Kentucky, playing under the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant, the Wildcats won 20 of 31 games and played in the
The Prep Report
With Jamie DeMoney First and Ten - A look at 10 of the nation’s top coaches under 40. Josh Niblett, Hoover (AL): The 38-year-old is 27-3 with a state title in two years at this national power in suburban Birmingham. He was a scout-team quarterback for Alabama’s 1992 national championship team. Josh Floyd, Shiloh Christian (AR): Floyd, 30, already led his alma mater to three state titles and a 70-12 record in six seasons. Charlie Ra
Small Schools, Big Time Programs
For years, Smith Center, Kansas’ (population 1,700) claim to fame was that it’s located in the geographic center of the United States. Now, high school football has put the town on the map. The Smith Center Redmen gained national attention in 2007 when, in the middle of an eventual 79-game winning streak, they had an 11-game run where they outscored their opponents a combined 706-0. In one memorable game, they scored 72 points – in the first quarter. Wh
Speed Report: Combining In-Season Conditioning with In-Season Speed Training
The answer is usually not well-received. My reply is that we need to understand how the game is played physiologically. If you run athletes hard and often with short recovery time between efforts, your athletes are being exposed to overtraining. Consequently, you’re training the wrong metabolic system and will not be tapping the proper system that is required. Limited recovery with constant brutal sprinting is going to keep the heart rate at maximum levels. The heart rate should have a
Developing Key Reads for Your Defensive Backs
As the secondary coach at Lehigh University, I usually get 20-25 minutes of individual time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in season. My goal each week is to optimize my time. In doing so, I spend about ten minutes a day on footwork and ball drills. I then spend another five minutes per day on some aspect of tackling or block escape. I then split the group for the last 5-10 minutes. Both groups will work on the finer points of the same coverage for the remainder of the time. For example, if
Legendary Leader - George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas
George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas shares principles that have helped him become one of the nation’s winningest coaches His heroes are old-school coaches like Paul “Bear” Bryant, Woody Hayes and Don Shula, and his disciplinarian style in many ways reflects an old-school coaching philosophy. But George Smith is not afraid to try something new if it will help give his football team an edge. That’s what Smith, the head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas
Letter from AFM
Before St. Thomas Aquinas’ trip to Ohio to play in the annual Kirk Herbstreit event last season, Head Coach George Smith wanted to be prepared. So he flew to Columbus and walked through his team’s itinerary – from the moment they would land right through game time – and checked out everything from bus arrangements to the pregame menu. His preparation paid off as Aquinas routed Upper Arlington, 52-7. Smith is planning another scouting mission prior to the Raiders’
Hammer Strength Player of the Year
Hammer Strength is honored to present John David Bruce as the 2009 Hammer Strength Player of the Year. The award honors student-athletes who demonstrate consistent dedication in four key areas: work ethic, effort, leadership and academics Player of the Year: John David Bruce GPA: 3.98 Positions: Tight End/Quarterback School: Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga, TN Nominated by:
Your Take Too Much, Too Soon
I talked to Rich Rodriguez and Brian Kelly this off-season at two different times in two different settings. They were the ones who brought up the subject independently. Entitlement. The attitude that makes certain people act like they are owed something. “I sense a bit of entitlement that needs to be rectified,” Kelly said, shortly after taking the Notre Dame job. “I think the challenges are within.” “We cannot have a sense of entitlement,” Rodriguez sa
Thirty-two Major College Coaches Began at the Divisional Level
By Tex NoelBobby Bowden. John Heisman. Woody Hayes. Lou Holtz. Amos Alonzo Stagg.And Jim Tressel. They are among 32 of the winningest major college head coaches that began a career at a non-FBS college football team.Coaches with at least 150 all-time career victories were eligible to be includedin this listing which includes a pair of coaches with over 300 all-time victories.Bowden’s teams won a total of 377 games during his outstandingcareer. Of thi
Your Take: Dealing With Bad Calls
Anyone who has ever played, coached or even watched an athletic contest has experienced the phenomenon I’ll call “Referee Induced Mental Hysteria.” We have all been there: some official, referee, umpire or judge makes a call that brings the crowd to its feet, causes a coach to rip his headphones off, or leave the dugout. What happens next can cost the team the game. Not necessarily the ‘bad call’ and its penalty, but the coach’s reaction to the call and the effect that reaction ha
Uniform Front
Is your program updating your team’s jerseys? Here’s the lineup for 2010 – and several things to consider. While coaches love Xs and Os, the heat of the battle, and developing players, one task most coaches generally don’t like is the process of finding and buying uniforms. But uniforms have to be replaced – sometimes due to wear, sometimes due to necessity and sometimes due to directional changes in your program. Some new coaches change the tea
Linebacker Play-Reading Windows To Stop The Run
Stopping the run is always the number one concern of any defense. At O’Fallon Township High School, we have developed a scheme that allows linebackers to make an initial read and attack the ball carrier. We utilize good pursuit angles and have an understanding of the opponent’s blocking scheme that is simple to learn for the players and allows the coach to use the offense’s blocking scheme against them. At OTHS, we are a single gap, block react defense. We are counting on the f
Samson’s Strength & Conditioning Coaches of the Year
From the NFL to High School, Strength & Conditioning Coaches are trusted to maximize their team’s potential when they step onto the field. Here, Samson Equipment recognizes those coaches who made a big impact in 2009... NFL Dan Dalrymple New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Dalrymple learned a valuable lesson when he had a free agent tryout with the Seattle Seahawks in 1987. Dalrymple had been a four-
From The Coach’s Bookshelf Jim Lefebvre’s ‘Loyal Sons
The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame may be the most famous backfield in college football history. But, incredibly, until recently their story had never been explored in book-length form. Author and football historian Jim Lefebvre tells it in great detail in Loyal Sons: The Story of The Four Horsemen and Notre Dame Football’s 1924 Champions. The national award-winning book gives us insight into the coaching greatness of Knute Rockne as he guides his Irish to an undefeated season, Rose Bowl victo
Dramatic Turnaround: Going From 0-11 to 12-1 In One Year
After Luke Salmons was hired to be the head coach at struggling Lawrence County High School (KY) in 2008, he did what every new coach would do. He put his plan in place and hoped for the best. Salmons inherited a program that did not have a winning record since 2003. “They’d had a period of five or six years where they didn’t win many games, and so I got the job,” said Salmons. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, and you never really know whe
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Greg Toal, Head Coach of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ, was having success a few years ago with a program that continually ranked among the top high school teams in the state. They were beginning to surpass perennial powers St. Joe’s Regional, Bergen Catholic, and St. Peter’s Prep as the best team in the New Jersey. But he wanted to take DBP to another level. Toal knew the Ironmen could compete with the best teams in New Jersey but he wanted to see how they would fare on
AFM’s FBS Coach of the Year: Boise State’s Chris Petersen
Chemistry is so much more than just a cliché at Boise State. In fact, according to head coach Chris Petersen, chemistry is “as important as anything we do here.” “I think we have all been on those teams where we’ve had a lot of talent, but haven’t done well for one reason or another,” said Petersen, American Football Monthly’s FBS Coach of the Year. “We’ve also all probably had the opportunity to be on a team that didn’t have a lot of talent, but did very well to
Preparing for a Pro Career…Part II
(The following is the diary of former University of San Diego running back J.T. Rogan as he prepares for both the NFL Combine and his individual pro day…this is part II of a series) My training has been met with some resistance as multiple events have obstructed my focus and attention: I visited Indianapolis for the AFC Championship game (in which I was hoping the Chargers would be participants, not unlike the couple that could be seen sporting their LaDainian Tomli
Was It a Loss?
It was a heartbreaking loss yesterday. With less than two minutes left in the game, and a chance to score and win, they fell short by a foot. The last few moments were hard to endure as their opponent took control of the ball and let time run out. I was there, on the sidelines, trying to capture images to illustrate the values of the school’s football program -teamwork, commitment, sacrifice, determination, discipline, courage. But I put my camera away. Over the last two y
From the Coach's Bookshelf - Brett Perkins' Frantic Francis
Despite having a career record of 158-57-11 and being a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Francis Schmidt is one of the most underappreciated college football coaches in the game’s history. An incredible offensive mind, Schmidt brought success to Tulsa, Arkansas, TCU and Ohio State during the 20’s and 30’s. He believed in a wild, wide-open, daring style of offense and created a playbook of more than 200 plays – unheard of at the time. His coaching lineage can be traced ove
Q & A With Larry Porter: Challenges for a New Coach
One of the challenges facing the University of Memphis when they fired Tommy West as their football coach was finding a replacement who could take Memphis to the next level. West made strides, taking the Tigers to fi ve bowl games in his nine years as head coach, but this past season was a disappointment as Memphis finished 2-10. An obstacle Memphis has always faced is that the college is in the heart of SEC territory. Memphis was an independent for years and for the last 15 seasons has been
An Offense For the Undersized: The Double Wing
In 1999, Ygnacio Valley High School, under the direction of head coach Tim Murphy, set the all-time large-school record in Northern and Central California by rushing for 5,019 yards. The Warriors’ offensive line that season averaged 208 pounds. In 2003, Murphy led Clovis East High School to the California Interscholastic Federation title and finished ranked in the Top 25 in the nation. The T-Wolves’ offensive line averaged 198 pounds. In 2007, Clovis East rushed for just
Letter from AFM
Boise State’s Chris Petersen has publicly stated that the Broncos don’t deserve a share of college football’s National Championship. That’s taking the high road, especially considering that his team finished 14-0 and many observers feel that the Broncos would give Alabama a good game. Petersen’s feeling is that the BCS rules are rules and that things have a way of working themselves out – no doubt thinking ahead to next season and a probable top-5 preseason
Preparing For A Pro Career
(The following is the diary of J.T. Rogan, an outstanding running back from the University of San Diego, as he prepares for February’s pro football combine and individual pro day. The article will be continued through early March. Rogan includes his background as an athlete, his philosophy on training and his actual routine in preparation for the event). After my redshirt Junior season in 2007 where I eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season, an
How To Slow Down the ‘Tempo’ Wing-T
During my first year as a Defensive Coordinator in 2006, we were very fortunate to have an excellent team at Merced High School. Making it to the sectional final and nearly pulling off a last-minute win was an exciting way to begin my career as a DC. However, that year was tempered with several doses of humility, mainly at the hands of the wing-t offense (specifically the tempo wing-t). In our second game of the year vs. Madera H.S., coached by wing-t guru Randy Blankenship, and later in the
Ditching Your Huddle – With so many teams going to the no-huddle offense, should you?
Until recently, the only time most teams would dare to run plays without taking the time to huddle up to get the play call and the snap count from the quarterback was during the two-minute offense, when saving precious seconds was critical. Not any more. Today, dozens of pro and college teams have instituted full-time no-huddle offenses with the simple goal of gaining an advantage over the defense by keeping them off-guard. High school teams are even beginning to follow suit. The no-
Gator Powerhouse
Head Coach Urban Meyer has called him perhaps the most valuable member of his staff. After just over four years with the Florida Gators, he’s widely recognized as one of the best, if not the very best, strength and conditioning coach in America. And now, with two BCS National Championship titles in the last three seasons, he’s at the very pinnacle of college football. He’s University of Florida Director of Strength and Conditioning Mickey Marotti and he’s prepping the Gators
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Brian Billick’s More Than a Game
During his tenure as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Brian Billick experienced the pinnacle of NFL coaching success when the Ravens crushed the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. He also suffered through perhaps the lowest point of his career when he was dismissed after posting a 5-11 record in 2007. Throughout his nine seasons at the Ravens’ helm, though, one thing remained consistent – the grind. In his new book, More Than A Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL
The Strength Report - How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels
Strength Report Staying Power
What’s the best way to protect your program’s major investment in strength equipment? Make sure it’s built to last. Only the best strength training equipment can hold up year after year under the stress of hundreds of powerful athletes and literally millions of pounds of weights. It takes well-built equipment that uses the best materials available to withstand that kind of punishment. Longevity is also the sign of successful business relationships. Companies that retain their c
Positive Point of View
For 20 years, U.S. Sports Video has provided football programs nationwide with technology that gives coaches better ways to analyze their teams. Mike Bokulich was reflective as he looked over the shipping boxes that contained 125 new EagleCam SkyHawk elevated camera systems ready to be shipped to customers from coast to coast. “There was a time,” he said, “when we weren’t sure we could sell a single system, let alone hundreds.” That time was t
How to slow down the “Tempo”Wing-T
During my first year as a Defensive Coordinator, in 2006, we were very fortunate to have an excellent team at Merced High School. Making it to the sectional final and nearly pulling off a last-minute win was an exciting way to begin my career as DC. However, that year was tempered with several doses of humility, mainly at the hands of the wing-t offense (specifically the tempo wing-t). In our second game of the year vs. Madera H.S., coached by wing-t guru Randy Blankenship, and later in the s
How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels w
Appreciating the constants in the now transitory coaching profession
Guess how many head coaching changes were made in major college football this year? Not five, not ten, not 20… but 22. Yes, 22 out of the 119 FBS programs are undergoing a new reign. For those that aren’t math majors, that’s nearly 20 percent. What’s even more interesting is that a dozen of those 22 coaches that either left on their own accord or fired were on the job five or less years. There’s a reason why the Paternos, the Bowdens and the Beamers o
How To Pick A Winning Offense
One of the most difficult decisions a coach has to make is what offense they will run. For a new coach this task could seem daunting if not impossible. Other youth coaches will watch a football game on television and say “Wow, I love Florida’s Spread Option offense! That scheme is unstoppable and I will be too!” Here is the dirty secret to that offense. It runs a lot better with you have Tim Tebow at QB and the rest of the superb athletes that the University of Florida has. Unle
FROM POP WARNER TO PREP SUPERIORITY
How Bill Powers, a former Pop Warner coach, has turned a small Christian high school into a powerhouse in the football hotbed of Florida Can’t blame Bill Powers much for pinching himself once in awhile to make sure this is all real. After all, how else would you explain a former Pop Warner coach with no prior high school coaching experience turning a doormat of a football program into Florida’s winningest prep team in the last four years? “I really don&
Starting from Scratch
When Old Dominion re-started their football program after a 68-year hiatus, they turned to Rogers Athletic for their practice equipment needs. The last time Old Dominion University played an intercollegiate football game, Franklin Roosevelt was president. Helmets were made of leather, and they didn’t have facemasks. Minnesota went 8-0 and was voted the national champion. The year was 1940. So, when it was announced that the program would be reinstated for the 2009 season, the un
Schutt - FBS Coach of the Year Finalists
Nick Saban University of Alabama Nick Saban has won plenty of hardware in his illustrious career, and he’ll add more to his mantle this year. The Associated Press and SEC Coach of the Year has single-handedly restored the pride back in Alabama football. After struggling through a 7-6 record in 2007, Saban and his staff rolled the Tide to a 12-1 mark and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. At one point during the season, Alabama was the number one team in the countr
Schutt - College Coaches of the Year
Mike London University of Richmond Creating Competition in Practice – Making Players Perform Under Pressure After seven games into the 2008 season with a record of 4-3, nobody believed Richmond could win it all, except Mike London himself, who saw something special in his guys. “I knew that our losses could have gone either way early on,” said London, who was the defensive coordinator at Virginia before taking the job at his alm
Schutt - High School Coaches of the Year Regional
Midwest Region Chuck Kyle • St. Ignatius High School (OH) Ohio is high school football and Chuck Kyle at St. Ignatius is Ohio football at its best. Kyle, the longtime legend at the parochial school in Cleveland, is known for racking up state championships, and he capped this season off by winning his tenth in his 26 years as the head coach of his alma mater. Just don\'t ask him if this one was most memorable. “It likes comparing children,” says Kyle.
Schutt - National High School Coach of the Year
Coaching Smart A Florida football legend, George Smith, is the Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year George Smith’s coaching career could have ended before it ever really got started. As a 27-year-old first-year head coach, Smith was getting his staff together after his first full season, a 6-4 campaign in 1975. “I was going around asking my staff in a post-season meeting who was going to come back for next year,” Smith recalls. “They al
Middle Cross Kickoff Return
Developing and repping a solid kickoff return team can be an explosive offensive weapon for your football team. With the kickoff team, you are generally looking to avoid negative momentum. However, with the kickoff return team, you can gain a huge momentum swing with a great return. At the very least, you want to give your offense the ball outside of the 30-yard line. The kickoff return team is important, because you can give your offense the ball in good field position, and could possibly ev
Developmental Aspects of Implementing the Front and Back Squat in a Training Program
The College Perspective: By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football University of Louisville Utilizing a squat movement is highly recommended for any athletic-based program. The combination of hip and knee extension that this movement develops is a key component in an athlete’s overall physical development. At one time, the traditional barbell back squat was the primary squat utilized in our program. Now, we use a variety of
Season Ending Evaluations of Players/Program
Jeff Shutter • Head Coach • Eastern York High School (PA) I always give the players a survey first to have them self evaluate their play, to evaluate their teammates, and to make suggestions for next season. I hold a meeting and distribute our lifting and conditioning calendar for the off season. I meet with the captains to have them write a brief note to help next year’s captains. The staff evaluates each game in hindsight and also evaluates returning players
Leadership Lessons for the Winning Coach
I have spent most of my adult life learning and practicing the art of leadership. I feel lucky to have attended the most famous leadership school in the world—West Point. This base coupled with a 20-year career as a military officer and coaching high school sports in Wisconsin, Washington and Texas has allowed me to develop some leadership principles that helped me achieve winning a state championship in football. I hope by sharing some ideas with you, it may help you achieve your goals.
An Adjustment No One Wants to Make
Funny how we always tell our players that football is like life. We have our ups and downs and we learn how to juggle both of them without compromising our integrity or losing our dignity. About a month ago, our starting senior middle linebacker and one of the nicest kids, went down with a severe knee injury. But it wasn’t during practice, it was in the minutes leading up to it. As he was taking his introductory lap before our stretch he had the bright idea (we know they don’t always use
The Drills Report: Auburn’s Running Back Drills
We practice a number of drills for running backs on a daily basis. These include ball leverage drills; movement and bag drills; decision-making drills; pass blocking drills; and pass catching drills. For this article, we’ll include our five ball leverage drills: A. Strip Drill-Side: This is protecting the ball from defenders trying to strip the ball in a crowd – usually linemen and linebackers – (See Diagram 1).
Q & A With New Northern Illinois Head Coach Jerry Kill
Coach Kill is in his first season at NIU after turning the program around at Southern Illinois Q1-As you began your coaching career, who was your mentor(s) as a young coach? Coach Dennis Franchione and Coach Chuck Broyles at Pittsburg State Q2-Looking back on your coaching career, is there one lesson you learned early on that has stayed with you? Probably the organization of practice. That\'s where you win is the organizat
Why The Spread? 11 Questions For A Coach To Consider
One of the greatest joys for me as a football coach is having guys that I have coached get involved in coaching after they graduate. I have been fortunate to have more than one decide to take this career path in the 14 years that I have coached. The most recent addition to this list is Jay Osborne who was recently hired as the wide receiver coach at McMurry University. Jay played in a spread offense for me a few years ago and I as a coach got to watch him grow in his knowledge of the spread o
.COM
1 - *Why The Spread? 11 Questions For A Coach To Consider” Here are three: *‘What is the most critical element to running a successful Spread offense?’ *‘Can the Spread be successful with players of different abilities and sizes?’ *‘What defense gives the spread offense the most trouble?’ Go to www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Preparing for the Dangerous Return Man
At 6:50 in the third quarter on Sunday, February 10th 2008, in Hawaii, Rob Bironas kicks off for the AFC. Devin Hester takes the ball on the 4-yard line, and heads up field. At the 18-yard line he suddenly stops and throws back across the field to Cowboy tight end Jason Witten who advances the ball 35 yards into AFC territory. When special teams coach Mike Stock of the NFC asked Hester ‘Why?’ Devin\'s response was, \"I saw him waving.’ In the last two years Devin Hester had advanced
5 Misunderstood Contractual Issues
Through my experience as an attorney for the NFL Coaches Association and as an agent with Coaches Inc., I have examined a myriad of coaching contracts over the last nine years. Due to the harsh, unpredictable reality of this profession, your contract is your only protection for you and your family when the stars fall out of alignment and you end up fired. Unfortunately, coaches tend to overlook the contracts they sign because they are happy to have a job and do not want to be considered ungr
Maximize Your Football Coaching Video
College coaches will admit that watching video accounts for 2-3 times more of their in-season workload than actual on the field preparation. Football game video is a necessary evaluation tool for coaches and players, yet many coaches struggle through each season with untrained videographers producing ineffective results. A decade of coordinating video for high school, NAIA, and NCAA-FBS football has taught me that finding the right personnel to handle your team\'s football video is
- More Solutions to Problem #2
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 2: Your running back has ball control issues... if he’s prone to fumbling, how do you improve his ball security? Ball security by all players is priority #1 in our offense and great care is given to ball security. We have a series of drills where th
Building Better Bruins
Head Athletic Performance Coach Mike Linn of UCLA has come home. Raised in Southern California, Linn was a two-year starter for the Bruins on the offensive line and stayed with the program after graduation, eventually becoming UCLA’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach from 1999 to 2002. For the last several years, he’s been training individual athletes and supervising training programs nationwide for Velocity Sports Performance, a leading provider of individual performance training program
AFM Subscribers Ask...with David Cutcliffe
After only 22 wins over the last 13 seasons, Duke turned their fortunes to new head coach David Cutcliffe last December. Coach Cutcliffe comes to Durham after serving the previous two seasons as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee. His coaching experience includes a six-year stint at Ole Miss where the Rebels had a 44-29 record and went to four bowl games. Cutcliffe was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record. He has participated
Mental Training For Performance Enhancement and Injury Management
This is the first in a series of articles exclusively for www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com by Dr. Raymond Petras, a sports performance and injury management specialist. The Objective The objective of coaching is to enhance performance. We all attempt to do this through practice, strength training and conditioning. I wish to pass on to those of you who are interested, concepts that will aid your coaching. Performance Enhancement Early one sp
Interviewing for a High School Coaching Job – The Key to the Right Fit
As anyone that has stayed in the coaching profession for long can tell you there are jobs that will be desired and there are jobs that look good but by taking them it could be the beginning of the end of your coaching career. How do you run the gauntlet of the interview process and find out the true story of what is going on at the interviewing school for the good of your professional opportunity and family considerations? A job interview is actually two interviews; the school offic
The 10 Commandments of Coaching Leadership
Coaching and leadership have always been intertwined. So much so that Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski says “I don\'t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.” If leadership is, as Yuki suggests, “the application of intentional influence in order to achieve a desired result,” then coaching is actually leadership in practice. However, before we move forward on what actions coaches should and should not take, it’s import
Single Source
There’s no question that advances in technology have had a positive impact on football programs in recent decades. Digital editing systems have given coaching staffs play-analyzing capabilities that were unheard of just a few years ago. Wireless headset communication systems have become more powerful and more reliable and have freed coaches from the cumbersome wires of systems in the past. A long list of video accessory products such as duplicators have made tasks like sharing game footage wit
10 Mistakes You\'re Bound to Make at Pre-Season Practices
So the summer is winding down and you’ve put a stamp on your off-season conditioning; wrapped up the local seven on seven tournaments; and made all the necessary arrangements to have an intense and productive camp in preparation for another eventful season. But as the lazy days of July morph into the intensely crammed early days of August, there are some major concerns that need to be addressed before heading into summer camp. Sure, every good coach has a plan, but there are some major decisi
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lance Leipold
Taking over for his former college coach Bob Berezowitz last fall, Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold led the Warhawks to their first Division III National Championship. After losing to Mount Union in the title game in both 2005 and 2006, UW-W proved the third time is the charm as they upset Mount Union in their third straight meeting, 31-21. In the process, Leipold became only the second first-year coach to ever win a D-III National Championship. Leipold’s coaching career also began at
Building a Championship Team: What Does it Take?
This marks AFM’s fifth annual State Champions survey. The results of the first four surveys indicated some clear-cut trends on the following topics: the consistent use of ‘feeder’ programs; a constant in the number of returning starters combining offense and defense; similar numbers of both juniors and seniors on varsity teams; the popularity of the four-man defensive front; and the consistency of overall football budgets. The latest survey – for 2007 State Champions – indicates simila
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Mark Banker
Last fall Oregon State finished first among all 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing defense, surrendering only 70.6 yards per game. The Beavers also finished fourth in quarterback sacks (3.4 per game); sixth in tackles-for-loss (8.2); and eighth in total defense (306.2 ypg). In 2006 the OSU defense led the nation in tackles-for-loss yardage (528). The lynchpin of this defense is Mark Banker, Oregon State’s Defensive Coordinator. Banker has spent 12 of the last 13 seasons with Head C
Fire, Football and Families
(The following article was written by John Torres, a 25-year veteran of coaching youth football. The feature describes the effect of last October\'s fires throughout the San Diego area and how it affected Coach Torres and his team). Saturday October 20th, 2007 The SC Wildcats as an organization go 7-3 today. My squad, the J1 Navy team, brings home a win after playing a tough squad from Simi. A birthday is celebrated at local eatery and none of us are ready f
The Strength Report: University of South Florida - Total Body Movements
Like anything else, it’s a strength and power game you get from resistance training. That’s why most athletes do both total body movements and Olympic lifts. The other reason it’s important is to ensure multiple joint action and full extension. More specifically, triple extension of the ankle, knee, and hip. We incorporate that into our lifting strategy as well as work with injury prone areas with all the players. We also train multiple muscle groups and attempt to be as time eff
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Ron Zook
Illinois Head Coach Ron Zook and his staff and players recorded one of the greatest turnarounds in the last decade with the team’s performance last fall. The Illini, 2-10 in 2006, finished the season with a 9-3 record, a major upset win over Ohio State in Columbus and a berth in the Rose Bowl. That turnaround (+7) was tops among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Known as a tireless worker and recruiter, Zook’s first two campaigns resulted in an overall 4-19 record. But his recruiting p
The Similarities Between Coaching Football and Investing
Stability As many of you know from your experiences, there is tremendous job insecurity in the football coaching ranks. Due to losing records, popular demand, compensation, school administration or financial reasons, among many other, there is tremendous turnover in the coaching profession. The financial markets also have much uncertainty. Whether it be rising oil prices, inflation, a sub-prime credit crisis or a real estate bubble, to name just a few, the stock, bon
Practice Planning For All Levels of Play
\"Winning is never an accident, it is the result of high intentions, determination and skilled executions\" When was the last time you or any coach you know complained of having too much practice time? As a coach with nearly 25 years of experience at the youth leagues, I have never heard a coach complain of this. I doubt sincerely that high school or colleges complain of this as well. One thing I have found out though, in the research I have done of successful coaches at all leve
Schutt Sports High School Coaches of the Year
EAST Jim Morgans, Parkland HS (Allentown, Pa.) After losing to the Parkland Trojans, opposing coaches invariably remarked on their relentless defense. Parkland’s defensive pursuit was no accident. The Trojans, who recorded seven straight shutouts en route to a 14-1 season, practice a different pursuit drill every day. One is the rabbit drill. “We toss the ball to a rabbit – he’s a kid who will run down the sideline,” coach Jim Morgans explain
Where Tradition Begins
Coach Laycock recently completed his 28th season at the helm of Tribe Football and is the program’s winningest coach with a career record of 178-127-2. Starting in 1980, his coaching career at W&M has included 18 winning ledgers and postseason games in nine seasons. To honor and build upon this proud tradition, W&M dedicated the new Jimmye Laycock Football Complex in the fall of 2007. This 30,000-square-foot building features a locker room, athletic training room and offices for coac
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Troy Calhoun
Under first year coach Troy Calhoun, the Air Force Academy finished the 2007 regular season with a 9-3 record. The Falcons had a five-game turnaround from 2006 (4-8) and it was the second largest in nearly fifty years. Air Force had entered 2007 coming off three straight losing seasons. Calhoun was hired from the Houston Texans where he was their Offensive Coordinator. A 1989 AFA graduate, Calhoun led the Falcons to the most wins ever by a first year head coach. After his military co
The Truth About Recruiting
There is no doubting Ed Orgeron\'s passion for recruiting.. Just ask his former boss, Pete Carroll. But, unfortunately for Orgeron, his recruiting abilities didn\'t translate into victories during his three-year tenure at Ole Miss. He was fired Nov. 25, just a few months after Bruce Feldman\'s book \"Meat Market\" was published and shortly after this article was written. Plenty can still be learned from Orgeron\'s relentless recruiting efforts, which Feldman reveals i
What’s Your Motivation?
At times it can be difficult to motivate students to do the things they are supposed to do to ensure success. As coaches we are the potter and the students are the clay. We have a challenging opportunity to mold that clay into productive, responsible, accountable students. There are number of things that we can do to help motivate our students. I will discuss some things in this article that I have seen to be beneficial. In order to motivate effectively we must make a conscious effort t
What Do You Mean You Guys Don\'t Bench? Not At All?
\"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect\"—Mark Twain I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to answer the title of this article in the past four years—from all factions: fans, players, parents and even other coaches. As you well know, in our profession anytime we go against the norm there is some inherent risk. There is safety in conformity. “If the league champ is running the spread, then we will too. So
Techniques and Drills for Pass Protection
At Upper Iowa, our offensive linemen go out before practice and then stay after to work on proper pass protection techniques. If these drills are instilled on a daily basis, the players can work on their own technique and know what results to expect. When I was hired in January of 2006, my first priority was to have our offensive linemen dedicate themselves to fundamentals and techniques. Last year our offensive line averaged 270 pounds and two of our starters had never played O-Line in their re
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Auburn's Off Season Tra
Conditioning should be at the forefront of a football strength and conditioning program. This does not diminish the importance of the weight room but there always needs to be a certain level of fitness for each player. You can't overemphasize the importance of conditioning, especially in this day and age. No matter how great the player is in the weight room, if he can't run, he can't play. This not only applies to straight-ahead running but the ability to move athletically, to change direction a
Arena Advantage
In the fast-paced world of the Arena Football League, where teams are pressured to score on virtually every possession, players seek to gain an advantage every time they touch the ball. That includes having the best jerseys available – ones that can’t be grabbed by would-be tacklers trying to prevent a touchdown. Dallas Desperados quarterback Clint Dolezel, the AFL’s all-time leader with 865 career touchdown passes, knows more about getting the ball into the end
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Defensive Backs
The philosophy on training high level football athletes is a basic one with simple principles. Each individual athlete, for the two to five years of their athletic career, will establish specific goals and objectives for themselves. As a commitment to ‘training’ as a high level or elite competitor, what can reliably be improved upon to develop a better skilled player or defensive back? Within the terms of training, for the game of football long term, is the length of the athlete
The Spin Offense: The Weakside Attack
Six years ago, I was the offensive coordinator at St. Andrews Episcopal High School in Ridgeland, MS. I was at a point in my career where I wanted to design an offense that would not only be different but would also help a team with average talent to compete against much stronger and more talented teams. With 23 years of coaching experience under my belt, I had run just about every kind of offense you could imagine. It was at that time I created the \'Spin Offense.\' By combining some
The Defensive End: Up or Down?
Chuck Martin is quite familiar with success. Martin will begin his third year as head football coach at Grand Valley State University, the winningest Division II football program in the country. He has led the Lakers to 23 wins, a D-II National Championship, a 13-game winning streak and a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) title. The Lakers’ success begins and ends with defense. Eleven of GVSU’s 13 opponents were held to 17 points or less and seven scored 10 points or fe
Evaluation: The One Constant
As coaches, we\'ve all heard these terms... Coachability Ability to Learn Willingness to Learn Ability to Trust Willingness to Trust Leadership / Good Teammate Team before Self Responsibility Help Others Competitive Play their best Seek Challenge Instinctive Ability Toughness Athleticism Explosiveness
6 Steps to D-Line Get Off
My first National Football League coaching experience was in 1980 with the Los Angeles Rams. It was a spring research visit. I was introduced to Bud Carson, the famed Pittsburgh Steelers’ Defensive Coordinator. I was awed by this encounter. Bud was highlighted in a 1979 Sports Illustrated article titled “NFL Assistant Coaches: Better Than Working For A Living.” In my 29 years of coaching, although the article’s title was unusual, I have found it to be truthful. My career has been bless
Comebacks
Games can be-and often are-won at halftime. Last year in Division I-A, there were 129 comeback victories by teams that trailed at halftime. Houston’s Art Briles authored five second-half comeback victories in 2006, most in Division I-A. Having a high-powered, quick-strike offense helps, says Briles, but making sure the team believes it can get back into the game is equally as important. San Jose State’s Dick Tomey led the Spartans to four second-half comebacks en route to
Setting Up the Pass with the Run in the Veer Option
When you think of running the option, you think of dominant programs that have run that offense: Navy under Paul Johnson, the Air Force Academy under Fisher DeBerry, and Georgia Southern under three different offensive option gurus: Erk Russell, Johnson, and most recently, Mike Sewak. Having been mentored by both Russell and Johnson, Sewak was OC under Johnson and then head coach at GSU for four years. Since leaving Georgia Southern in 2005, Sewak has served as an option consultant –
The Pistol Offense
For the past twenty-five years, I have coordinated the offense at Blue Valley High School. In all that time we have been either an ‘I’ offense or a single back offense. Making the transition from the single back/I offense under center to the Pistol offense in the shotgun has been much easier than we ever could have predicted. All the plays we ran in the I, we can run out of a Pistol alignment. Everything we ran in the single back look, we now do out of the Shotgun-Pistol. The greatest advant
Winning the War in the Trenches
The first thing LSU D-Line Coach Earl Lane impresses on his guardians of the trenches in pre-season is that their contributions are just as vital to the Tigers success as the guys who change the scoreboard. “What I emphasize to my players right at the outset,” Lane says, “is the importance of the positions they play. When most people use the term ‘skill players’ they’re talking about quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. I want my guys to know we’re skill players as well. Foot
Headset Heaven
Imagine the following situation: you’re setting up your headset system for a road game against a big rival. One hour before game time, you and your staff run a test of the system and it seems to be working fine. All five coaches on the sideline and four in the booth have good, clear signals. As the head coach, you know that effective game day communication between coaches is an essential part of winning. No coaching staff can expect to succeed without a well thought out sideline comm
A New Way to Communicate
Amos Alonzo Stagg used a megaphone to convey instructions to players during practices in the early days of the game. Countless coaches have barked orders into bullhorns so they’d be heard by players 20, 30 or 40 yards away on the practice field. Many coaches, however, still rely on yelling, which can be an ineffective way to teach or motivate individual players. Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith have each demonstrated that a calmer, more educational approach to coaching can motivate players
Implementing the Sweep Series Package
Growing up the son of a high school football coach, I was exposed to a brand of offensive football that utilizes a series of complementary plays off the same or similar formations, backfield actions, and blocking schemes. The Drive Series or Split- T offense that my father used in our high school combined full flow base runs with the misdirection of counter plays and play action passes. All fit neatly into a system that allowed the offense to keep the defense off balance by countering defensive
DETECT: Diagnosing Concussion Immediately
Soon you won’t need to flip fingers in front of a dazed DB asking “How many fingers?” or ask your starting QB to count backwards by 7’s from 100. There’s a new device in the validation stage that can detect concussions on the sidelines or in the locker room – in five to seven minutes. This instrument, called DETECT (Display Enhanced Testing for Cognitive Impairment and Traumatic Brain Injury), is being developed by David Wright MD of Emory University in Atlanta and Mi
Does Current Research Support The Use of Dynamic Stretch During Warm-up
Traditionally, preparation for football practices or games includes warm-up and static stretching, with no particular preference for what order they are performed in. Dynamic stretch is becoming more and more popular; however, it has yet to have a major presence in football. This article reviews research on dynamic stretch to see if it is appropriate as part of the warm-up for football. On almost every football field in America at some point before practices and games, the
Running Backs: Speed Skills Can be Taught - Part II
As previously discussed in part one of our article on running back speed, natural gifts are what we would all like to have at our fingertips. The reality is the resource per school doesn’t always match the desire for golden talent. When rubber meets the road, year to year we must be able to develop certain athletes who can perform at a consistant level coming out of the backfield. I am a huge believer that when working with youth you can develop the talent level with any program. The problem w
Strong Beliefs: A Key Ingredient in the Success of a Strength & Conditioning Pro
D I-AA: Kyle Speer • Sam Houston State Kyle Speer has been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Sam Houston State University for three years. He has one assistant coach, Brian Wiseman, working with him, and together the two are responsible for 16 sports with more than 350 athletes. In 2005 and 2006, Sam Houston State won the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Award, which is a performance-based award for the best overall athletic program in the Southland Conference. Sp
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Kurt VanValkenburgh, Florida Atlantic University’s Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach. Coach VanValkenburgh brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to the FAU Owls’ program. Coach VanValkenburgh has been an intricate part of the development of the football program at Florida Atlantic and his efforts helped launch the Owls during their inaugural season in 2001. During their third season, the Owls made it all the way to the
Building a Foundation
Despite having played in the nation’s first college football game on Nov. 6, 1869, Rutgers’ transformation from perennial loser to winner did not begin until Greg Schiano took over as the Scarlet Knights’ head coach on Dec. 1, 2000. Even then, success didn’t come immediately. Over a six-year period, the program and the coaching staff’s strategies and philosophies have undergone a series of adjustments and adaptations. “Being a defensive coach I’ve always believe
On Solid Ground: Conditioning Your Athlete
When it comes to creating an athlete who can withstand the rigors of competing, there is an awful lot that goes into it. While being in the business since 1990 I have come to identify what I consider to be the 4 most important steps in getting this done. When done properly, the results can not be denied. The Event (Step 1) When conditioning for an event, many factors must be considered. The requirements can vary dramatically from sport to sport. Some of
The Mental Aspect of Winning in the Trenches
All defensive line coaches have been embedded to believe that games are won and lost in the trenches. We would love to have that 6’ 8”, 290 lb. defensive end who runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and benches 500 lb. But for most of us that is not reality. As the old saying goes, “The game of football is 90% mental and 10% physical.” All coaches believe that the team that is most prepared will win the ball game. Here at Florida A&M University, we are fortunate to have a head coach, Rubin Carter, an
The Strength Report
Our philosophy and strategy at the University of San Diego is to develop players that are willing to persistently work towards achieving their goals and dreams, that believe if they dedicate themselves to their preparation they will deserve to be confident and expect to be successful. We teach players to perform with the fundamental habits that will enable them to be successful in their football career and life: by implementing a comprehensive program that teaches players to pay atten
The Speed Report: Developing Reaction Speed for DBs
When developing a defensive back for speed we must consider the multitude of athletic speed requirements they must perform: • Linear burst speed for short distances. • Linear speed for lengthly distances. • Backpedal speed at varying velocities and angles. • Change of direction speed at high velocity, sudden angle changes. • Multi-movement combinations, backpedal to lateral to spri
Staff Report: Landing the Interview
Your dream job comes open and you are in a time in your career that your experience and skills fit the qualifications for the position. How you proceed over the next days/or weeks will determine whether or not you will be interviewed by the search committee. Creating a Buzz Your gaol is to create a \'buzz\' about yourself with the athletic director and committee members. You want to create as much momentum as possible to have the committee excited to learn more about you. h
AFM Subscribers Ask
Now in his 20th season as head coach at Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer has established the Hokies as a consistent top ten Division I-A power. Beamer ranks third among all active D I-A coaches in wins and last fall led the Hokies to an 11-2 record and their 13th straight bowl game. Year-in, year-out, Virginia Tech has a reputation of being one of the finest colleges in special teams play: the Hokies led all I-A schools in blocked punts in the 90’s.
Pursuit, Tackling, and Takeaways
As coaches, we have many formative years. We learn to scheme, we learn organization, we learn player relations, how to recruit, how to present, how to teach, motivate, package, adapt. There are certain things that have changed over time and there are some constants. Tackling and pursuit have always been trademarks of great defenses. More recently, takeaways has been a great indicator of team success. The goal of this article is to
Becoming a Complete Back: Teaching Your RBs to Protect Your QB
During my career I have had the privilege to coach some outstanding running backs in high school and college. I have been fortunate to coach backs who have given me their undivided attention and were excited about reaching their potential as complete running backs. Several of the backs I have had the opportunity to coach went on and played in the NFL. Tony Smith, Chris Buckhalter and Harold Shaw all had successful careers. All of
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Coach Jason Phillips, Receivers Coach at the University of Houston. Coach Phillips brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Cougars football program as not only a coach but also a former player. Coach Phillips coaching career began with the Spring Football League’s Houston Marshals in 1999 with stops at the Minnesota Vikings (2001), Atlanta Falcons (2002) and Southwest Texas State (2002). While
Secondary Play - Kent State\'s Cover 2 Package
Part of our defensive package at Kent State is focused on defending on-back offensive sets from a 2-deep concept, particularly in pass down situations. When we feel we don’t have to match a lead back or pulling threat with one of our safeties, we like to play with rolled up corners and challenge the release of the receivers. In doing so, we hope to change the rhythm of the offensive play and give the offense something much different than our base Cover 4 look. In Cover
The Strength Report: Linebackers
My general philosophy of preparing players for competition in the game of football is that the game is played with the hips. Football is played on your feet – running, blocking, and hitting. You have a triple extension of your ankles, knees and hips. You need to be extended into your opponent or toward the ball, when you’re trying to catch it for example. When a receiver explodes off the line, he’s using his hips. When a defensive end exten
The Drills Report - West Virginia\'s Defensive Secondary Footwork Drills
This month’s drill was submitted by Coach Tony Gibson, the Defensive Backs Coach at West Virginia University. Coach Gibson is entering his sixth year as a member of Coach Rich Rodriquez’s staff. Coach Gibson has also made stops along his coaching career at West Virginia Tech University, Cumberland University, Glenville State College and Gilmer County High School. While at West Virginia University, Coach Gibson has been part of three Big East
Simplifying Offensive Play Calling In the Spread Offense
Looking back throughout my coaching career, I am often amazed at how complicated and wordy the offensive systems I have coached in have been. Even as I read new articles on offensive football strategies, I am dumbfounded at how wordy these plays can become. Therefore, when I earned my first offensive coordinator position, I wanted a simplistic way to get across as much information to my players with as little wording as possible. As I started to design the new offensive system, I wanted e
In the Heart of Special Teams: Your Best Opportunity to Gain a Competitive Advan
At the University of Cincinnati, we believe that special teams is one area of the game where you can gain a significant advantage over your opponent simply through the commitment of your best players and the commitment of your entire coaching staff. In this article I will share ideas on how we attempt to get our players to buy into special teams and how we attempt to “out coach” our opponents. Whether you coach high school, college or in the pros, each one of us sells
The Strength Report
I’ve been in the business of coaching athletes for over 20 years. I started at the high school level, moved to the junior college level and finally into the D-I College level. Prior to my coaching career I was part of the offensive and defensive line for my entire youth / high school / college football career. So in short I’ve always been interested in how to develop explosiveness and speed in all athletes. Throughout all o
\'Do Right...\'
As William \"Billy\" Joe sat in his hotel room in Tallahassee on that January afternoon in 1994, awaiting his job interview with Florida A&M University officials, hardly anybody in Florida\'s capital city knew who he was or why he was there. Nearly all of the city\'s residents were caught up in a parade through the downtown streets for Florida State as the city celebrated the Seminoles\' first national title. Little did the football-crazed fans realize that Joe was formulat
The Diary of a New Coach - Part I
Norman, Okla., is 17 miles south of Oklahoma City and perhaps most famous for being home of the Oklahoma Sooners. Football has deep roots in Norman. Norman High School, a Class 6A school with a strong football tradition itself, has nine state championships. NHS runs out of the offset I-formation and our base plays are either 42/43 Crunch (an iso on the playside backer) with a complimentary 26/27 Counter, or an option attack, depending on our personnel. Most of our passing is from a three-step
News & Notes
Former NFL Europe head coach Dick Curl joins the Chiefs Dick Curl, who joined NFLE in 1991 as Barcelona Dragons offensive coordinator and spent the last three seasons with the Frankfurt Galaxy as their head coach, has been named pro personnel assistant with the NFL\'s Kansas City Chiefs. In each of his first two seasons in Frankfurt, Curl was named NFLE Coach of the Year after leading the Galaxy to a berth in World Bowl. The Galaxy lost to the Rhein Fire in 1998, but beat Barce
News & Notes
Mountain West \'in the room\' on BCS talksMountain West Conference schools have gone from outsiders in the Bowl Championshp Series to non-voting members, thanks to a recent development in the BCS. The MWC, which is made up of eight former Western Athletic Conference schools such as Utah, Wyoming and UNLV, will participate in BCS meetings and discussions over the next six years. Only Conference USA and the Mountain West are non-voting members on the BCS panel. \"We\'re in the
Mike Leach Q & A
Q: You didn\'t reach the Division I-A level until 1997 at Kentucky. Before that, you had coached in Division II and the NAIA. What did you learn from your experiences at small colleges and how did you reach your current level?A: When you work at small colleges, you have to know a little bit about everything involved in a football program. A lot of things at major college that are done by someone else, I\'ve actually done myself. I\'ve actually been an equipment guy while coachi
Coaches of the Year
Division I-AA Coach of the Year:L.C. COLE, TENNESSEE STATEBefore leaving the city of Nashville to take on the role of Alabama State University\'s new head coach, L.C. Cole left his mark at Tennessee State, leading the Tigers into the elite ranks of Division I-AA. Cole leaves in his wake at TSU a regular-season winning streak of 19 games - the longest active streak in Division I-AA. The 1999 season, in which the Tigers were 11-1 and finished the regular season ranked No. 1,
AFM Subscribers Ask... Texas Tech
Premiering with this issue American Football Monthly begins ‘AFM Subscribers Ask…’, an in-depth Q & A session with a different coach each month. Subscribers are asked to send in their inquiries with specific questions for the coach featured that month. Our first coach to answer your responses is Texas Tech’s Mike Leach. One of the top offensive minds in the game today, Leach begins his seventh season in Lubbock thi
Point-Counterpoint: The Two Minute Offense
Defending the Two-Minute Offense Baylor vs. Edinboro
LRSSports Hot Coaches 2006
Division I-A Mike Haywood, Offensive Coordinator, Notre Dame: The Notre Dame alumnus (Class of ’86) had an impressive performance last year, his first in the job. The Irish offense averaged 36.7 points a game, which put them at No. 8 in the nation. The team had a particularly potent passing attack, averaging 330 yards per game, fourt
Exclusive: Inside Mickey Andrews\' Florida State Defense
Great college football teams are designed to STOP great college football teams. And when you play the kind of brutal and challenging schedule Florida State University lines up against each fall, you better be prepared to STOP great college football teams. Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who has been at the school for 22 years, is the architect behind the strategy, philosophy, instruction, motivation and guidance of one of the game’s stingiest defenses. Throughout his
Turnaround: How do you Turn an Ailing Program Around?
When you inherit an ailing program, one coming off a series of poor recruiting classes, one that’s subsisting on a steady diet of one or two wins a year, what’s a coach to do? Prospective recruits don’t want to play for a loser, especially if your campus lacks glamour. Alumni and community businesses don’t want to show financial support. It’s harder to find talented assistants, and the administration and the student body will be hard to placate. What often happens
The Prep Report
Quick Takes: Voices & views from the top prep coaches across America “Nobody in Indiana has ever won four state championships in a row, so it might as well be us. We’re going to embrace it.” – Steve Tutsie, head coach at Warren Central (Indianapolis), on the upcoming season. Tutsie, the Warriors’ defensive coordinator the last five seasons, was elevated after Kevin Wright became head coach at Tulsa (Okla.) Union. The
How to Climb the Coaching Ladder of Success
American Football Monthly asked me about climbing the coaching ladder of success. I had to go to Webster’s Dictionary to define what success is. Some words I found are “to do well, achieve, or gain satisfaction from your accomplishments.” Some people believe it is to lead your team to win the Super Bowl, to be#1 in Division I football, to be Coach of the Year. These are all satisfying accomplishments but I believe it is satisfying just to coach this great game of
2006 High School State Champions Survey
In our third annual survey of high school state football champions, a total of 340 questionnaires were mailed to those head coaches in the 50 states. When compared to surveys conducted in 2003 and 2004, certain trends seem to stick out: more head coaches have masters degrees, the pro style/spread offense is clearly gaining in popularity and feeder systems are becoming more and more common. Here is a complete summary of the 2005 State Champions survey:
The Secrets of Urban Meyer\'s Spread Option Offense
The legend lives on: From the flat lands of northern Ohio to the depths of Salt Lake City to the swamps of Florida, Urban Meyer, at the young age of 41, has already earned the moniker of legend. He has been called a football genius, an offensive innovator and is considered the architect behind an offense that even the best minds in college football can’t harness, let alone stop. His spread option offense helped change the game and in turn brought respectability to Bowling
The Drills Reports: Louisiana Tech\'s Defensive Tackle Circuit Drills
This month’s feature drill is from Randy Bates, Defensive Coordinator for Louisiana Tech University. Under the leadership of Coach Bates last fall, the La Tech bulldog defense ranked third in the Western Athletic Conference. Also, the 2005 defensive WAC statistics ranked the Bulldogs first in overall turnover margin (+13), second in rushing defense, and third in both passing and scoring defense. Coach Bates began his career 24 years ago at Muskingum College as an offens
Prep Report
PREP FACT Last fall’s game between Louisville Catholic school rivals Trinity and St. Xavier drew 38,500 to the University of Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium Monthly Roundup Terry Eidson dropped athletic director from his list of duties at De La Salle (Concord, Calif.). The long-time Bob Ladouceur assistant (profiled in April Prep Report) will continue as defensive coordinato
Preparing your Defensive Game Plan
Every football coach, at one time or other during the season thinks “If only there were more time to prepare for this game, we could…”. DC’s are under great pressure each week to develop and implement a scheme that puts their players in the best possible position to make plays. This type of defensive game planning requires many hours of preparation – first breaking down game tape and determining an offense’s tendencies, and then selecting fronts, stunts and blitzes from the De
Prep Report
Monthly Roundup Valdosta (GA), the nation’s all-time winningest program, hired its 14th head coach. Rick Tomberlin, who compiled a 157-31 record with three state championships in 14 seasons at Washington County (Sandersville, GA). He was hired following a national search that reportedly drew more than 80 applicants. Tomberlin replaced Rick Darlington, who resigned after leading the Wildcats to records of 11-4, 8-5 and 7-5 with one state championship game appearan
A Record to Remember
Risk and reward. Maybe it’s no accident those two words appear so often together. It was the risk taken by Dan Devine, leaving his job as a Michigan high school football coach for a lower-paying job as a graduate assistant under Coach Duffy Daugherty at Michigan State that led to a long, highly successful coaching career, including a national championship as coach of Notre Dame. Devine didn’t remain a graduate assistant for long. He soon became a full-time coach and, i
The Problem with Legends? Replacing Them.
On the day he was officially announced as Florida’s new head football coach, Ron Zook made his point loud and clear. In fact, he made his point repeatedly. Eleven times, to be exact, but then whose paying attention? If you’re Zook, only everybody. “I am not Coach Spurrier. I am not going to be Coach Spurrier,” Zook said. Get the point? Ron Zook isn’t Steve Spurrier. He isn’t the most successful head coach in the history of Gator football. He didn’t
Effective Grading Strategies
Grading players should be easy, effortless and not take hours to do. Our system will utilize a check box numbering system that allows coaches to rate players easily and effectively. We will use three major criteria for determining a player’s ability at each play: Alignment, Assignment and Hustle. Once a player has been graded a more complete picture will aid the coach in determining what a player needs to work on. For example: A player might consistently be in a poor alignment y
Third & Shorts
Prairie View names new head coach By Bob Speights N.E.T. Sports Gazette HALLSVILLE, Texas –– Prairie View A&M announced Friday, Jan. 10, that it had selected 1973 Prairie View graduate, C.L. Whittington, as its new head coach of the Prairie View football program. Coach Whittington brings to Prairie View a vast wealth of experience as a player, coach, administrator and educator. Whittington has spent four years of high school football, four years of college fo
Samson\'s NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Seattle\'s Mike Clark
Take a look around your living room. If you are an average adult in your 30s, 40s or 50s, chances are a young person is taking up space in your house, sleeping in a bed you provide, eating your food and wearing clothes that you have bought. That young person is likely to be on the couch watching TV or playing video games. The thought of why this young person is inside on a beautiful day giving his opposable thumbs a workout on toggle switches a
Texas Sized Strength
Speed kills. Just ask most of the Texas Longhorns’ opponents during the 2005-06 season. That can be attributed largely to the players that head coach Mack Brown and his staff recruit. As big of a factor in the team’s success, however, is the strength and conditioning program the Longhorn players endure. Sure, endure. “Oh, I’ve been known as a guy that works them and works them hard,” laughed Jeff Madden, the University of Texas as
Lakeland’s Right Hand Man
Lakeland (FL) again did a lot of winning in 2005. In fact, head coach Bill Castle’s Dreadnaughts were downright dominant, outscoring opponents by a combined 580-93 while capturing their second consecutive Class 5A state championship and 30th straight win. The dream season was punctuated with Lakeland’s best-ever finish in the national rankings (No. 2 National Prep Poll and No. 1 USA Today). As expected, Castle picked up his share of personal
Third & Shorts
College Football Transactions: Head Coaches: UNLV Head Coach John Robinson announced his retirement at the end of the 2004 season. Robinson, former mentor of both USC and the Los Angeles Rams, led the Rebels for six seasons... Becker announced David Dunn as head coach... The program is to begin varsity competition in 2005. Football Assistants: Newberry chose Mac Bryan as offensive line coach... Mansfield named Scott Milanovich
The Prep Report
Flying Under the Radar Bud Wright and Sons: a Family Business For Larry “Bud” Wright of Sheridan (Ind.) and his sons, coaching is a family business. So is winning. Earlier this season Wright, 64, became the fifth Indiana coach to win 300 games. Among the great players Wright has coached: Chicago Bears punter Brad Maynard and former Indiana University running back Brett Law, whose 55 touchdowns in 1988 set a national record. The 300-win milestone is the culmination
Third and Shorts
Since 1996, the Frank Broyles Award has gone to the nation’s top assistant football coach. The award is named in honor of longtime Arkansas athletic director and former Razorbacks coach Frank Broyles. During his coaching career Broyles developed a reputation for producing outstanding assistants with more than 25 becoming head coaches at the college or professional level. Among the former Broyles’ assistants were Joe Gibbs, Hayden Fry, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill, and Barry
The Top 25 Public and Private High Schools of 2005
PRIVATE SCHOOLS TOP 25 1. St. Xavier (Cincinnati) Record: 15-0 Coach: Steve Specht The Bombers became the fourth consecutive Cincinnati school to win Ohio’s big-school title. St. X’s defense allowed only one opponent to score more than 17 points, and the offense was sparked by super talented sophomore RB Darius Ashley (5-9, 170). 2. St. Bonaventure (Ventura, CA) Record: 14-0 Coach: Jon Mack The Seraphs finished as the highest ranked team in Cal
Heart of a Lion: Joe Paterno
Football is a funny business. It is a war-like game in which the biggest, strongest and toughest will often come out on top. Throw in the elements of brains and intelligence and it can either amplify the preceding characteristic or eliminate it. The teams on the sidelines – on a given autumn afternoon or evening – want to humiliate, eliminate and defeat their opposite numbers. It is the most competitive of all sports. Yet there is a fraternity among its players and coac
Correcting Mistakes: Effective halftime defensive adjustments
Fifteen minutes. A short amount of time, especially when you’re trying to sum up how your defense performed during the first 30 minutes and determining how to approach the next 30. Despite the short amount of time, halftime strategies vary from coach to coach. But Mickey Andrews, the long-time defensive coordinator at Florida State, looks at it another way. “Each football game is like a test in the classroom,” he said, “but there you don’t get to go in, take 30 minutes on
Swinging Momentum With Int’s
Few plays in a game are more significant than an ill-timed interception. Offensive coaches can argue that there’s never a good time for one but no play seems to have more of a psychological impact than the interception. Last fall some of the leaders in passes intercepted included Troy, Boise State, USC, Coastal Carolina, Cal Poly, Shippensburg and Carthage. Coincidentally, all those colleges had outstanding seasons. “The interception—more than just about any other play – swings
Celebrating 10 Years of schutt sports coaches of the year
Terry Hoeppner, Indiana He won the Schutt Sports Division I-A Coach of the Year Award in 2003 as head coach of the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks and that did not go unnoticed. How could it? QB Ben Roethlisberger went on to become a first-round draft choice for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004 and was thrust into the starting lineup when No. 1 QB Tommy Maddox went down with a knee injury. All Roethlisberger did was lead the Steelers to 14 straight regular-season wins and a berth in the AFC cha
Open Door Policy
Last spring Sports Illustrated published probably the most selective ranking in all of sports. Of the more than 38,000 high schools in the U.S., fewer than one in a thousand made their listing of the nation’s top 25 athletic programs. Criteria emphasized all-around excellence during the last ten years and included both state titles won and college athletes produced. Ranked #6 on the list was Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA. Having a tradition of outstanding football teams, Mat
Attacking Defenses With The Veer
Over the past 22 years we have been running the split backfield veer at Bridgewater State College. We have had only one losing season during this period and our teams have been consistently ranked in the top 30 in rushing offense among all Division III programs. When we first put in the veer, we ran up against mostly 5-2 monster defenses. Our basic formation was a two tight end alignment (See Diagram l).
Legends of the Hall - Darrell Royal
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. National Football Foundation programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/
Open Door Policy
In his 13th season as head coach of the Portland State Vikings, Tim Walsh has the distinction of being the longest tenured and winningest football coach in the program’s history. After taking over for legendary Vikings coach Pokey Allen, Walsh helped lead Portland State to three straight NCAA playoff appearances. In 1996, the Portland State athletics program made the move to Division I-AA (from Division II) in football. That placed Walsh in the position of having to build an under-fu
The Prep Report
PREP FACT Only 3 active coaches have over 50 years as a head coach: Summerville’s John McKissick (SC), St. Edmond’s Dick Tighe (IA) and Bethpage’s Howie Vogts (NY) FLYING UNDER THE RADAR Camden County (GA): 20 Shutouts in 34 Games Before you can find a way to beat the Camden County (Kingsland, Ga.) Wildcats, you better first figure out a way to score on them. Putting up a single point has been a
It Starts in the Trenches
Juan Castillo has coached offensive linemen at the high school and Division II level. He’s also spent the past 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout this career, the daily principles he brings to his job have remained the same. “To me it’s still the same – it’s all about fundamentals,” Castillo said. “When I was at Texas A&I, I was fortunate to learn a lot of my drills from NFL coaches and major college coaches, but I still break it down the way I did at the s
The Prep Report
Flying Under the Radar The Triple Option is Alive and Well The triple option – it was college football’s offense de jour in the 1960s and 70s, highlighted by the ultra successful wishbone systems at Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama. Now, only a handful of Division I-A programs such as Rice and Air Force employ an option system. But the triple option is still very much alive and well on high school football fields across the nation. Especially at Warren Cent
Stopping the Wing-T
It is one of the most confounding offenses found in either high school or college football. Mention the Wing-T at any meeting of coaches and the majority – if being honest – will admit that it is one of their worst nightmares. It is an offense that is as unpredictable as any in the game and the team that is unprepared for it will be placed in peril and will most likely be embarrassed. Few coaches will put their team at that disadvantage. Through scouting and film study, most coache
How to Stop the Option
Snap to the Q. He sprints to the right, instantaneously scans the defense as he is hit. At virtually the same time he pitches to the fullback. Quick cut to the left, he darts through the hole and rips off 55 yards. How often have you seen it? How many times has it left you pacing the sidelines, shaking your head and clipboard? It’s the ageless option pitch/run. How do you stop it? What options does a coach have? AFM contacted a number of high school and college coaches and
No Fly Zone: Containing the Air Raid Offense
Let’s say you’re going up against a team with a potent air raid offense – a team like Texas Tech, or Boise State or Louisville. How do you stop these pass-happy attacks? We asked five coaches of college and high school teams around the country with outstanding pass defenses. The coaches have a wide variety of suggestions — from constantly changing your formations to physically intimidating the opposition. They offered strategies of how to pressure the quarterback; details of pr
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. National Football Foundation programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/
Back in Black
Jerry Glanville will be the first to insist he’s not re-inventing the wheel in his return to college football. “I’m not bringing anything back to the game people aren’t already using,” said Glanville, who hasn’t coached in the college ranks since 1973. “Whether I’m coaching defense or the kicking game the way I coach is to try and take opponents totally out of their comfort zone, that there’s no play where they can feel like we aren’t coming after them, like we’re sitting t
A Part of the Master Plan
The voice on the phone said it was Linda Knowles, Bear Bryant’s secretary, but Al Miller knew better. Growing up just 40 miles from Bryant, Miller, a coach himself, had fallen for the ‘Bear Bryant’s on the phone’ gag before. “OK, yeah, sure,” he sarcastically replied to the imposter secretary.
Top Of Their Class
Bruce Harbach Head Football Coach and Strength Coach, Lancaster Catholic High School Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Wilson High School • Lancaster, PA Bruce Harbach is a coach and a teacher. Problem is, it’s at two different schools. Harbach is the hea
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Most of you have experienced plenty of Monday morning quarterbacking from fans, media and even parents. You don’t need more of the same old thing. You need someone on your side, someone who believes in you and your profession. That’s why this column is called Tuesday Morning Quarterback. While the out
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Fo
The Wing T Shotgun Offense
We have over the last three years taken our traditional zone and wing-t running game and adapted it to the shotgun formation. We have had very athletic quarterbacks that have allowed us to show off their running abilities as well as their passing skills in the shotgun set. We firmly believe that the QB can best be featured as a runner from the shotgun formation. It truly enables the QB to be a two-way threat. Our base o
The Wing-T: An Offense for the Ages
Jim Roth taught the Delaware Wing-T in a week. Granted, it was a very basic version. It was for an all-star game at the end of last season, and Roth already had one running back from his own team in the backfield. Two other running backs already had experience using a two-point stance, so the Wing-T wasn’t that different. The offensive system itself, based on timing, deception and athletic blocking schemes, worked. Roth’s team won, 29-7. “I had a lot of coaches s
The Art of Play Calling
A good play is easy to spot on game day. It’s the decision to go for it on fourth-and-one that yields a fresh set of downs, a blitz-beating touchdown toss, or even a basic trap play, executed perfectly a handful of times, that marches your offense down the field. But while these plays unfold in the moment, it’s the weeks and even months of preparation that ultimately make them work. Good play calling is the result of repetition and trial and error without the glare of the lights or th
Gorilla Warfare
Chuck Broyles doesn’t pretend to hold the “secrets” for winning. But through an aggressive style of play, a loyal staff and players, and an offense that works to stay one step ahead of defenses, Broyles and his staff have turned Pittsburg State (Kan.) into a perennial power in NCAA Division II. During the last 15 seasons, under Broyles, Pittsburg State is 154-30-2. The Gorillas have won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) championships nine times, missed the
Open Door Policy
AFM:What was the feeling like when you were named head coach and in charge of the Southlake Carroll program? TD: I’ve competed against Southlake Carroll over the years and I was truly honored to be named head coach. Like the University of Texas, there is tremendous tradition here and I was honored and humbled about the job. At the first spring booster club event I attended I remember the slogan: ‘Protect the Tradition.’ It meant a lot. AFM: Tell me how your office
Legends of the Hall • Frank Broyles
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coaching Acade
4,733 Wins, 5 Coaches, 1 Question
Glenn Robinson Men’s College Basketball Coach • Franklin & Marshall Franklin & Marshall head coach Glenn Robinson is the most successful basketball coach in Division III history with 697 wins. He has been coaching for 37 years and what he learned at the very beginning helped set him on his course for success. “One of the first things I got to do when I became a coach was meet Dean Smith,” Robinson said. “He was very successful and had that great staff
LRSSports presents 80 Hot coaches for 2005
Many coaches – from the NFL to high school – are ready for a break-out season. But will it be a sizzle or fizzle? So often expectations don’t match performance. This year American Football Monthly again looks at the falls ‘hot’ coaches. This year’s listing includes those primed for success like James Madison’s head man Mickey Matthews (left). Division I-A Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green: When Urban Meyer made his college head coaching debut at
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coaching Acade
Open Door Policy
There are football ‘turnarounds’ and then there are incredible turnarounds. Andy Lambert and his staff at Sterling College inherited a team that had lost 20 consecutive games starting the 2004 season. Last fall, in his first season at the NAIA college, the Sterling Warriors lost their first four contests-making it 24 straight losses-but then won five of their last six games to finish with a remarkable 5-5 record. Lambert came ‘home’ to Sterling from Trinity International Unive
Program Architects
Shortly after Jerry Kill took over the football program at Southern Illinois in 2001, he went to the Missouri Valley Conference basketball tournament to watch the Salukis. Call it school spirit. A chance to root for his new school. It also was a chance for his Kill’s wife, Rebecca, who was still living in Emporia, KS and getting the family’s former home ready to sell, to see her husband for the first time since he became the SIU coach. Kill
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Have another bowl of big ice cream. Make it a big one. Pour on some of that chocolate syrup, too. Have another fast-food cheeseburger. Make it a double cheeseburger, with extra cheese. And fries. Or better yet, onion rings. How about some fried chicken? How about more caffeine? Choose your poison: coffee or cola. How about a few too many beers? Maybe a few too many mixed drinks? Or perhaps a big dip of smokeless tobacco? Or a cigaret
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF
Open Door Policy
Tradition is the operative word when Joliet Catholic Academy and football are discussed. Since the start of a formalized high school playoff system throughout Illinois in 1974, the Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers have won the most state championships (12) of all the high schools throughout the state. The first four titles came under the direction of legendary coach Gordie Gillespie (1975 through 1978) and continued under the direction of Jim Boyter (1986) and Don S
Heartbreak in the Heartland
Not unlike like millions of fans, players, coaches, alumni and followers associated with what became known as the Big Red Machine, Frank Solich had no idea what a profound effect Tom Osborne would have on his life. In 1962 Solich was a fullback for Bob Devaney's Huskers, and a young assistant football coach named Tom Osborne was teaching classes on the side to help supplement his meager coaching stipend. Solich was enrolled in an educational psychology. Osborne was his i
What’s the Make-up of a State Champion?
The average won-loss record for last fall’s high school state champions was 11 wins and one loss. Of respondents to American Football Monthly’s second annual state champions survey, the best record was 15-0 and the worst was 8-3. Over 360 detailed surveys were distributed to state champions in all 50 states. The results: an informative and intimate look at the makings of successful programs. Factors such as age, experience, education, team mak
3 High School Programs - 3 Different Strategies for Success
They seem to be there every year. Like a leaf changing color in the fall or students grumbling about going back to class, the high school football elite return each season to reclaim their dominance. These high school powerhouses didn’t earn their reputations overnight. But how did these teams reach this unique place? What road takes a football program to the pinnacle and then keeps it there for season after season after season? Players change. Even coac
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coac
The Multiple Screen Passing Game
Various screen passes have been an important part of our multiple offensive attack at Iona College and all the other schools I have coached at (St. Joseph’s College, Morehead State University, Lehigh University and Fordham University) throughout my career. We have always emphasized the use of multiple formations, multiple personnel groupings, and a multi-dimensional offense that attacks the whole field and attempts to keep the defe
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
When coaches approached the AFM booth at the recent AFCA Convention in Louisville, we tried to make a habit of asking the coaches what they wanted to see in the magazine. Some wanted more Xs and Os. Some wanted more technology information. Others wanted career and financial planning. However, many coaches wanted help balancing their jobs with marriage and family. Meanwhile at a nearby hotel, the wives who attended the convention attended semina
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield C
Redefining Murphy\'s Law
Harvard coach Tim Murphy is enjoying rare success despite dealing with handicaps many Division I coaches might bristle at facing. He works at the nation’s oldest college, one of the world’s elite educational institutions, so Murphy and his teams must live up to traditions nearly as old as America itself. He must also recruit student-athletes who can handle academic standards that might appear impossibly high. In addition, Murphy has zero athletic scholar
Open Door Policy
A perennial pre-season top ten team among high schools, Jenks (Oklahoma) is the model of consistency. Under head coach Allan Trimble, the Trojans have won seven state championships in nine years. His record at the school is 112-11 with a number of players receiving scholarships to I-A college programs yearly. Jenks plays in Oklahoma’s largest classification, 6A. Between 1996 and 200l, Trimble’s record was 79-4 and he was named the
Third and Shorts
Head Coaches - Tulane awarded head coach Chris Scelfo a contract extension through 2009. Scelfo has guided the Green Wave for six seasons... Greg Robinson was hired as head coach at Syracuse... Aurora tabbed Rich Duncan as head coach... Arne Ferguson was named as interim head coach at Western Oregon to succeed Duke Iverson, who will continue as an assistant with the program at least through the end of the academic year...
Open Door Policy
One of the nicknames for basketball hall of fame player Larry Bird is ‘Larry Legend.’ In Alliance, Ohio, there is another \'Larry Legend\': Mt. Union College’s Head Coach Larry Kehres. Quite simply in his 19 years at the helm of the Purple Raider football fortunes, he has built one of the most successful programs in college fo
2004 AFM Pro Coaches of the Year
NFL: Marty Schottenheimer San Diego Chargers The National Football League is filled with outstanding coaches. There’s Bill Belichick in New England, Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh. All three of them could easily be named as this year’s AFM NFL Coach of the Year. But to do that would be to ignore the coach who has done the most with the least, the coach who many prognosticators believed would
Evaluating Your Next Job
There are a Number of Considerations Before Commiting to That Next Positon AFM talks exclusively with Urban Meyer, John L. Smith, Mike Stoops, Chris Hatcher, Brian Kelly and Al Borges It’s that time of year when the coaching business is buzzing with changes and rumors, with coaches preparing resumes and working the telephones to promote, save or launch a career.
A Part of Every Season
The end of every football regular season generally means a number of inevitable happenings: coaching hiring and firings and a multitude of awards. While all of us have seen and read what seems like an incredible number of coaching changes – at all levels – there are probably more to come. In a somewhat ironic sense, it also seems like there are more and more post-season awards to players at just about every position. While most high
Schutt Sports College Coaches of the Year
Tim Murphy Harvard Triumph – thy color is Crimson Tim Murphy choreographed every step of the way for Harvard, and he led his team to a 10-0 record – the first time since 1906 the team had recorded a double-digit victory total. Since replacing the well-respected Joe Restic in 1994, Murphy has led Harvard to four Ivy League titles in nine seasons, including two unbeaten and untied seasons.
Letter From the Editor
The end of every football regular season generally means a number of inevitable happenings: coaching hiring and firings and a multitude of awards. While all of us have seen and read what seems like an incredible number of coaching changes – at all levels – there are probably more to come. In a somewhat ironic sense, it also seems like there are more and more post-sea
Red Blaik
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield
A Look Inside Coaches Office: Troy Morrell
AFM: What was it like the first time you stepped into your office knowing that you’re in charge of Auburn football? TT: When I first stepped into the office I was amazed at how large it was... it’s probably bigger than all the offices I’ve had as an assistant coach combined. It was built by Coach (Pat) Dye and the complex itself houses everything. With all the windows,
Spotlight
Bob Casciola President, National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Inc. (Retired) Why You Should Know Him: In the world of college football, there isn’t much that Bob Casciola hasn\'t done. An All-Ivy tackle for Princeton University, Casciola spent 20 years in the college coaching ranks as an assistant coach at Princ
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College
Strength in Numbers
Tommy Knotts Quarterbacks Coach, Duke Former Head Coach, Independence High School Charlotte, N.C. 2003 football team: Class 4A State Champions Whether it be a rigorous strength and conditioning program or an abundance of talented players such as Florida quarterback Chris Leak – most likely the two feed off each other – Tommy Knotts has mastered high school football in
Discipline & Confidence
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their f
Maximum Focus Maximum Results
Directly after Super Bowl XXXVIII, six parked buses sat out in front of the locker room area outside Reliant Stadium. Three for New England, three for Carolina. The Patriots had just won their second Super Bowl in three years. Adam Vinaterri’s 41-yard game-winning field goal capped off an exhausting fourth quarter that saw 37 points scored, 18 in the last three minutes. Carolina strength and condi
2003 Pro Coaches of the Year
NFL Europe Doug Graber, Frankfurt Galaxy Frankfurt head coach Doug Graber led the Galaxy to a league-best 6-4 record and its third World Bowl championship in 2003 with a 35-16 win over the Rhein Fire. Along the way, the Galaxy also set a record with its fifth appearance in the NFL Europe championship game. Graber, a former defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Schutt Sports Regional High School Coaches of the Year
West Regional Tom Joseph Mountain View HS (Mesa, Az.) 2003: 13-1, 5A East Valley Regional Finalist Record at school: 27-1, 2 years Career record: 94-40 Tom Joseph’s Mountain View High School football program has established an incredible tradition. In the 25-year history of the school, Mountain View has won eight state ch
Leading the Charge
Every college football head coaching job is tough in its own way. Every job presents its own trials, its own pressures. For Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner, some of the most unique and heavy challenges in the history of college football surround him and try to stare him down every day. Every college football head coach has an office, too. None of them are like Hoeppner’s office complex. His place of work is
NFL Coach of the Year - Foxworthy
The NFC Championship Game in 2001 featured a classic match up of the Minnesota Vikings’ high-powered offense, led by first-year starting quarterback Dante Culepepper and wide receivers Chris Carter and Randy Moss, versus the stingy Giants defense, led by sack master Michael Strahan. The Vikings came into the game confident and favored, hot off an impressive 31-16 win over New Orleans. Minnesota had been lighting up the sco
Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year
Pictures Perfect
To find out something about Kelly Donohoe, the coach, all one needs to do is examine his record the past four years at Blue Springs High School. Under Donohoe’s direction, the Wildcats have gone 45-5 with two perfect seasons and a pair of Class 6 state championships. To find out about Kelly Donohoe, the man, spend an afternoon at his fashionable Eastern Jackson County home and watch him interact with his wife Jennifer, his high school sweethea
Schutt Sports I-A Coach of the Year Finalists
PETE CARROLL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA When Pete Carroll arrived at USC in 2001 with a 33-31 career in four years as a head coach with the New York Jets and New England Patriots, Trojan fans were understandably skeptical. Over the past three years, Carroll has offered plenty of proof, with a 29-9 record that includes a 12-1 record in 2003 and the national championship fro
NFL Finalists
Bill Parcells: Give him some time to bring ‘his players’ in and then watch out. Scratch that. Give Bill Parcells a team coming off three consecutive 5-11 seasons and go ahead and make reservations for the playoffs, somewhere Parcells has been to with four different teams. He’s the only coach ever to accomplish that feat. In his first year at Dallas
Rodeo Circuit
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Finishing Strong
We’ve reached the midpoint of the season. You spent your spring and much of the summer training your players, evaluating up and coming talent, and refining your game plan – adding a few wrinkles that you picked up from the pages of American Football Monthly and coaching clinics you might have attended. The end of summer marked the beginning of the football season with the introduction
Job Search
For most observers, the process colleges use to find a head coach appears swathed in mystery. You hear reports, rumors and innuendo in the mass media, and sometimes surprise candidates are selected, not the obvious or “smart-money” choices.But this is the glamour job at most high schools and colleges. How do schoolssearch for the right candidate? Well, many high-profile programs go to smallfirms that specialize in suggesting lists of coaches and
West Coast Offense
I have always been a proponent of the controlled passing game, mainly because my career has been highlighted with examples of its effectiveness. One instance in particular sticks out in my memory during my time as Head Coach of the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The WLAF (now known as NFL Europe) was in the process of kicking off its inaugural year. Unlike many new leagues, teams in this leagu
A Look Inside A Coach\'s Office: Bob Stoops
Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops, now entering his sixth campaign in Norman, is approaching the near legendary status of some of his predecessors – namely Bennie Owen, Bud Wilkinson, and Barry Switzer. With a National Championship, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, and a 55-11 overall record entering the fall, the Sooner tradition is clearly continuing. We spoke with Coach Stoops about the Okl
Spotlight
THE NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW John Bankert, Chuck Neinas, Mike Van Diest John Bankert President, Pro Football Hall of Fame Why You Should Know Him: John Bankert began working at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in the film library and theatre as a
Building a Championship Team
What Does it Take?
More than a decade ago, Dr. Stephen Covey revolutionized the business industry with his best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In October of 1997, Forbes magazine declared the book one of the top 10 most influential management books ever. Since its publication, companies at all levels have changed their philosophy and approach to both their employees and business
A Coach\'s Perspective: How to Deal with Kids
You can make a significant mark if you put 40-plus years in the coaching business. And Pat Collins certainly hasn’t been cheated during a career that began in 1963. Collins’ experiences have been many and varied – he has coached in high school, college and the pros. He was an assistant at Louisiana Tech when a sophomore named Terry Bradshaw was tearing up the college ranks. Collins won a Division I-AA championship as head coach at Northeast Lou
Letter From the Publisher
One of the least things known about American Football Monthly is a tradition that started when the magazine moved to South Florida in the summer of 1997. Every year South Florida welcomes hundreds of college coaches vying for the most talented athletes the area has to offer and for the last six years AFM has played host to many of these coaches traveling to our back yard. Over the years we have had lunch and di
Making the Jump
You ask Tommy Knotts why he decided to leave his job as head coach of one of the most dominant high school programs in America for an assistant’s job at a college football program. You wonder how he could leave Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C., where his teams have won 62-straight games, the second-best mark in the country. You assume it’s because of some major life-changing event. Was
The Way It Used To Be
American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – coaches provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes, but perhaps
Spotlight
Kevin Weiberg, Pete Richardson, Tony Moss Kevin Weiberg Commissioner, Big 12 Conference Why You Should Know Him: Under the leadership of Commissioner Kevin Weiberg, the Big 12 is regarded as one of the nation’s top conferences and has made progress in the
Stepping Out of the Shadows
When George Lumpkin was a young assistant coach at Hawaii, he worked alongside an assistant with big hopes and dreams for his career. That assistant started at Kent State, moved to Hawaii, made stops at San Jose State, Cal, Tennessee and Ohio State before finally moving on to an extended pro football career. Lumpkin and his friend kept in touch and he even visited him professionally over the years, tapping into his friend’s
Letter From the Publisher
Quick. Pick a legendary head coach that you most respect from football’s past or present – it could be Rockne, Bryant, Osborne, Paterno, Bowden, Gagliardi, Robinson, McKissick – anyone. Now guess the one thing that you have in common with your choice. Wins? Probably not. Championships? Keep working at it. Longevity? Let’s give it a few more years. How about this – aside from the passion for the game and profession of football, they wer
Crunch Time
Diagram 1. Diagram 2.
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their f
Maximizing Player Performance
It’s the summer of 2003, and the Oklahoma Sooners football team doesn’t have much to complain about. The squad is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Preseason Poll, and the Sooners are enjoying the return to national prominence brought upon by coach Bob Stoops and his dominating defense. The team is preparing for a season that would see it lose the National Championsh
The Next Level
There’s nothing obvious about Gary Patterson’s background that would suggest he could be one of the nation’s hottest college football coaches. There’s nothing that stands out on a life resume that starts with growing up in a small Kansas town, playing Juco ball on an academic scholarship, walking on and playing special teams for a perennial college football loser, coaching at places most college foo
Keeping Drives Alive: Effective Third Down Game Planning
At Western Michigan University, we utilize a multi-faceted approach when it comes time to game plan third down. It is a cooperative effort, involving all of the members of the offensive staff and the head coach. Before any meaningful discussion on third downs takes place, you must develop the down and distance parameters that will guide you through your game planning. We have two general categories, run situatio
Fired Up?
As the new football season arrives, coaches around the nation are preparing for the tasks and challenges they will soon face when the 2004-2005 football season gets into full swing. However, nothing ever goes just as planned or scripted in any coach’s playbook and that’s why coaches, just as the athletes I work with on the mental game, need to develop strategies to deal with the myriad of responsibiliti
2004 Hot Coaches
DIVISION I-A RANDY SHANNON, MIAMI: Defensive Coordinator of the ‘Canes, Shannon is our top selection and a head-coach-in-waiting. A member of this listing last year and the feature of an AFM cover story in April, he has all the tools and experience as well as an organizational plan to get to the top-whether it be Miami
The Art of Punting: What is Needed to Coach Punting Properly
You must set a punting and kicking training program that has an emphasis on technique development. Regardless of the level of performance your punter has accomplished, a period of technique evaluation, film evaluation and drill development is needed. Too many punters that just kick for their training will be their downfall. The player can develop bad habits if a proper training
The Way It Used To Be
American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest personalities for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – football insiders provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes,
Attention! Forward March!
No one is more excited about the upcoming season than Bobby Ross. And, yes, he knows all about his new team’s recent struggles. “I still have the energy so I might as well use it,” says the 67-year-old head coach, who received the nation’s longest losing streak as a welcome back gift. Ross became the 34th head football coach at the United States Military Academy in December. He returns to the sidelines
From High School to Division I - Football Programs to Work for
Presented by LRSSports Software When football hounds gather to talk about schools with a fine tradition of producing coaches, talk usually begins and ends with
Letter From the Publisher
Arguably the single best career advice we’ve ever heard time-tested, successful coaches give is to outline one’s professional goals and to develop a plan-of-action to achieve those goals. More specifically, it is important to identify where you want to be at the pinnacle of your career – whether that is a specific coaching position, playing level, school or conference. The idea is that by knowing the exact dire
Open Door Policy
With this issue, American Football Monthly begins a new section of the magazine entitled Open Door Policy... it’s an inside look at the office of a head football coach. But not just the inner-workings of a day in the life of a coach, but what goes on behind the scenes; that is, the good, the bad, and the unusual. It’s an intimate look inside a coach’s den.... Our first Open Door
Spotlight
Troy Morrell, Richard Scott, Brandon Misener Troy Morrell Head Coach, Butler Co. Comm. College Why You Should Know Him: Troy Morrell, in just about a decade, has gone full circle. As a two-time high school all-state offensive lineman from B
Trojan Pride
It’s clear to me that I want to put together a program that can win on a consistent basis and compete for championships year in and year out. This is a grand opportunity here,” a proud Pete Carroll said early this summer during a break at his football camp on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles. “USC has all the elements you need for a championship program.” Coach Ca
What Next?
Jim Emery remembers many things during his career: a college football player at Ohio Wesleyan University, a graduate assistant, recruiting coordinator, college coach, mentor of many varied club football teams in Italy, and now, COO of Digital Scout, one of the software companies that helps football coaches at all levels prepare for their next opponent. “I coached in Italy for a good part of 18 years and saw a r
Leaps and Bounds
Marshall’s Brad Helton refers to him as “The Godfather of Video Coordinators.” But like most of his colleagues, UCLA’s Ken Norris is a cipher unless you are intimately familiar with his work. Over the years, Norris has worked with and for a number of football giants – men such as George Allen, Terry Donahue, John Robinson and Norv Turner. Norris has been a big help to the coaches for whom he has worked. But like all good video c
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship se
Spotlight
Pat Coleman, KC Keeler, Steve Pohl Pat Coleman Publisher & Editor, D3Football.com Why You Should Know Him: Pat Coleman has been following Division III football since the early 90s, ever since the likes of Duquesne, Iona and Georgetown played D-III. He is a 1994 g
Identity
Out of all the special teams units at Southern Illinois University the kickoff team may be one of the most important units to our football program. We strongly believe the kickoff team creates the identity and establishes the attitude of our football team. This unit must set the tone for the game. It is critical that this team send a message to the opponent that
The Use of Formations to Gain an Advantage
Garrison High School has a long tradition of a winning football program. We have been in the playoffs 28 times and won 22 district championships. This was the first time in my coaching career that I had taken over a program that had a winning tradition and the opportunity was there to make a good program great instead of trying to turn an unsuccessful program into a winning program. I was hired in July of 1999 an
Learning Curve
Mark Hudspeth has not wasted any time traveling down his career path. Yet, at each stop along the way – some more rocky than others – he has made sure to slow down, take his time and learn. “I think it’s very important to focus on the job at hand,” says Hudspeth, now in his third year as head coach at Division II North Alabama. “Concentrate on where you are at and where you are working. Sometimes guys are too busy looking for t
From Gloom To Glory
Here’s a warning: like every season, this story starts with a test. You thought you were done with those when you finished college, huh? Well at least it’s a multiple choice test, so you can always make an educated guess. Question 1: When your team slips in September and loses a game or two (or three), you: 1. Call all your coaching connections and start looking for another
Letter From the Publisher
What is black and gold, weighs in at a hefty 5lbs and is getting the attention of some of the top recruits in the country? The University of Missouri’s 2004 Media and Recruiting Guide. Careful. This thing is big. It’s big in size and it’s bigger in potential on the national recruiting scene and it is currently landing on the kitchen table of some of the nation’s top recruits with a resounding ‘thud’ – opening their eyes to Mizzou Football.
Sunshine State of Mind
The state of Florida produces over 80 percent of the United States’ supply of citrus. Every year, the Sunshine State sells roughly $4 billion worth of oranges, tangerines, pineapples and other goods grown within its borders. About $3.5 billion worth of orange juice is exported from Florida to the rest of the country – and world – every year. As dominant as the citrus business is in the state of Florida, th
Spotlight
THE NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW SPOTLIGHT John Bankert, Chuck Neinas, Mike Van Diest John Bankert President, Pro Football Hall of Fame Why You Should Know Him: John Bankert began working at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in the film library
Mean Green
As much as any other coach in the country, Darrell Dickey, the persevering and successful head football coach at the University of North Texas, lives with the reality of college athletics, where aspiring football programs like his, are locked on a collision course with 21st century fiscal reality. “We have an athletic department that’s really struggling for money, so we have to play a very demanding sch
Family Values
“My door is open. 24-7,” says the University of Arizona’s new 42-year old football coach Mike Stoops. It’s the first policy Stoops instituted when he became the 28th coach in the 104 year history of football on the Tucson campus last November 29th. Stoops’ declaration signaled the start of give-and-take between players and coaches, a family-like feeling at a place crying for it. It’s a rare concept in the big business-like atmo
Letter From the Publisher
Pop quiz. Name as many coaches as you can from your coaching network that you could call in the next five minutes and talk X’s & O’s. Times up. How many names do you have? Fifteen? Ten? Five? If you were able to quickly open your address book or recall from memory the contact information for coaches that you’ve developed a relationship with to talk X’s & O’s, it will certainly bode well for your future. It’s no secret. Being
An Alabama Legend
If you seek success akin to that of Hoover (Ala.) High School’s Rush Propst, there’s a simple formula you can follow: • Start from the bottom and work your way up – paying attention to detail not salary. • Make plenty of friends in the business, and stay in touch – frequently. • Understand your limitations. • Al
The Way It Used To Be
American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – coaches provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes, but perhaps
Bridging the Generation Gap
77, 77, 68, 74, 67, hut? No, it’s not some ill-fated snap count devoted to offensive linemen. Instead, those are the ages of some of the most respected coaches in the business. Men like John Gagliardi of St. John’s (Minn.) University, Dick Vermeil of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Paterno of Penn State, Bobby Bowden of Florida State and Lou Holtz of South Carolina. There’s no doubt about the track record of these men as all are championship-level coache
An Eagle Among Us
At what point do the perceptions disappear and give way to reality? At what point do people in the football business, as well as the media and the fans, stop looking at the outside, at the skin color, at the last name, at the perception that his place in the world must be the result of a handout, a favor or a quota? What would it take to change the assumptions and move on to the facts? Would a man have
Evaluating Your Next Job
It’s that time of year when the coaching business is buzzing with changes and rumors, with coaches preparing resumes and working the telephones to promote, save or launch a career. Coaches are renewing old contacts, making new ones and mining every source they can find to help them make the next move. “There are two types of coaches: those who are sought after, which I’ve been, and those who are not,
Getting the Most Out of a Football Clinic
It’s been a good but not great season. A 6-4 record was good enough to finish in second place in the division, but not good enough to earn a spot in the postseason playoffs. The year has been strangely similar to last year and the year before. It seems that a rut has developed and your team is stuck in it. That’s not all bad since there has been a lot of winning - but not en
Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
There are several key points that can be helpful in developing your Defensive Backs. Many coaches have used these ideas and techniques over the years. It is my hope that you will gain something that will help you in some way 1. Stance - Specific Points for Stance: • Head and eyes should be up • Outside foot up with a heel/toe relationship on the inside
Fighting Adversity
Ask Todd Berry about the coaches who’ve influenced him in his 20-plus years in the business and he’ll rattle off insights obtained from names like John Cooper, Johnny Majors, Steve Logan and even his old high school coach, L.D. Bains. But the one lesson that stood out from all the X’s and O’s and motivational techniques came from his late father, Rueben, a former head coach in the Canadian Football
Spotlight
John Bankert, Chuck Neinas, Mike Van Diest John Bankert President, Pro Football Hall of Fame Why You Should Know Him: John Bankert began working at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in the film library and theatre as a part-time employee in August of 1964. Over a 40 year period he became an Administrative Assistant, Busi
The Spread Shot-Wing Offense
For years, we were a basic Delaware Wing T football team. We had great success with it, using the 3 basic series (buck sweep/trap; belly/down and power) and mixing in a good dose of play action and 3 step drop-back passes to keep defenses honest. But four years ago we started a 15 year old freshman at quarterback whom we knew was going to be somebody special as far as throwing the football before he g
Inside The Hornet\'s Nest
As coaches we are always looking for a new idea or concept that agrees with our own personal offensive or defensive philosophy. When it comes to seeking out new information, I am no exception. An article that captured my attention was featured under AFM’s old name, American Football Quarterly, entitled, “High-flying Hornets” (Volume 4, 1st Quarter). The article focused on current Texas State University-San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas
Does Anyone Really Know Norm Chow?
How can a coach that has produced six of the NCAA’s top 12 career passing efficiency leaders in the history of college football go virtually unnoticed for the majority of his 34-year coaching career? How can a coach who has taught two Heisman Trophy winners and a slew of NFL quarterbacks fly under the radar for nearly four decades? How can a coach involved with squads that hold 11 of the top 30 single sea
A Whole New Ball Game
Warren Moon carved out a pro football career in the Canadian Football League before the National Football League finally came calling and gave him the chance to be one of pro football’s all-time most productive passer. Kurt Warner found success in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe before becoming one of the NFL’s best passers and a Super Bowl winner with the St. Louis Rams. Brad Johnson laid the foundation for an NFL car
Miles Apart
Respect: What does it take to get a little? Last season, playing in arguably one of the toughest divisions in all of sports – the Big 12 South – the Oklahoma State Cowboys posted W’s in six of their last seven, including a pair of wins large enough to end the careers of two sets of goal posts at Lewis Field in Stillwater, Okla. But despite beating Nebraska for the first time in 41-years; and despite e
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching college football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of college football. From their first job to their last, the
Cover Story Norm Chow: Does Anyone Really Know Norm? Searching for the identity of college football\'s most intriguing and mysterious offensive coordinator By Aaron S. Lee September 2003
A Clear Picture
Potatoes? Can we just forget about the potato jokes for a little bit? This story isn’t about spuds. It’s about football. Football in Idaho. Boise to be exact. It’s about a winning football program. It’s about winning tradition, high expectations and making the most of what you’ve got with players who want to be there. It’s about blue artificial turf and quality of life. It’s about a head footb
High School Hardware
1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) The coach: Bob Ladouceur (274-14-1, 24 years) 2002: CIF-NCS Class 4A champion, 13-0 The record: The word “record” is now synonymous with the Spartans. The Bay Area barons have won an all-time best 138 straight games and have been National Prep Poll titlist a best-ever f
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching college football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of college football. From their first
Where There\'s Smoke There\'s Fire
Every year certain coaches separate from the pack … and this year will be no exception. Whether they are relative newcomers or wily veterans, these coaches are the future of high school, college and professional football. With the help of some of the top sports writers and football experts in the nation, American Football Monthly has compiled a list of coaches that it believes will make such an impact in
Making a Point
Over midway through the 2003 season in which he has a team potentially bound for Florida state championship hardware again, there probably aren’t many prep coaches who wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of Palm Bay’s Dan Burke, who considers himself one of the luckiest in the business. Burke, with his team on the radar of the USA Today top 10 all season long and a nationally televised game on The Football Network, has buil
Hired! Now What?
Last month, American Football Monthly gathered a panel of experts to give you the tools you need to get your next job in part one of a two-part series focused on career management. AFM discussed everything from networking, resumes, interview skills, salary negotiations, coaching agents and dealing with the media. This month, AFM pulls out all the stops in part two as we show
Letter From the Editor
With a 29-26 come-from-behind victory over then-No. 10 Bethel College (Minn.), John Gagliardi of St. John’s University (Minn.) surpassed Eddie Robinson to become college football’s all-time winningest coach with 409 wins. The 77-year-old Gagliardi, who has coached at St. John’s (Minn.) for 51 seasons, has averaged eight wins a year in his 55 years as a head coach. Grambling State’s Eddie Robinson averaged seven wins
The Last Rep
With each snap of the ball, football players are at constant risk for career-ending concussions. American Football Monthly has gathered seven of the industry’s top experts to discuss this epidemic in a Last Rep two-part series. AFM encourages coaches to use this platform as a first step in their continuing education on player safety. Please contact medical experts and gear manufacturers to
Vilanova\'s 5-man Protection Series
Over the past six seasons, Villanova University has thrown for over 20,000 yards. One aspect we stress is constantly attempting to stretch the defenses that we see both vertically and horizontally. We will try to force the opposition to cover the entire field. We will do this by incorporating multiple formations and personnel groupings. We will also attempt to stress the defense by having the ability to get
Stepping Into Retirement
Forget about Bob Stoops, Jim Tressell and Larry Coker. The best college football coaches in America are the former coaches who show up when they want to at home football games, sit in their suites or club level seats surrounded by family and friends and thank the football gods that they no longer have to sweat the outcome. There’s nothing like retirement to make a head coach the second most popular guy in tow
Spotlight
Dr. Thom Park Nancy Cubit Larry Haylor Dr. Thom Park President, Thom Park & Associates, Inc. WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW HIM: Dr. Thom Park, president of Thom Park & Associates, Inc., located in Tallahassee, Fla., provides the career coach and their family a comprehensive, intellectual,
Cover Story CEO: Fisher DeBerry Leads Coaching into the New Era By Aaron S. Lee December 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Steppin\' Out
Former coach and forever Grambling State legend Eddie Robinson doesn’t come on campus as much these days. Maybe it’s because, at 84-years wise, Coach Robinson’s sideline agility isn’t what it used to be. Winning 408 football games will do that to you. Or maybe it’s because he’s satisfied, knowing that a budding superstar has filled his giant shoes, which were left behind upon college football’s all-time winning
Should a Coach Employ an Agent?
Networking: Make the Most of Every Opportunity
The Last Rep
With each snap of the ball, football players are at constant risk for career-ending concussions. American Football Monthly has gathered seven of the industry’s top experts to discuss this epidemic in a Last Rep two-part series. AFM encourages coaches to use this platform as a first step in their continuing education on player safety. Please contact medical experts and gear manufacturers to
Resume Tips
Networking: Make the Most of Every Opportunity
How to Handle Coaching Salary Negotiations
Networking: Make the Most of Every Opportunity
Robber Coverage Out of an 8-man Front
On behalf of Frank Solich and the entire University of Nebraska Football family, I would like to say that it is an honor and privilege to be asked to write an article for American Football Monthly. As a firm believer in trying to gain knowledge from any source available, I have found American Football Monthly to be a valuable asset. Throughout my career I have had the fortune to
One Step Back ... Two Steps Forward
Bryan Collins never wanted to leave C.W. Post in the first place. He enjoyed his job as an assistant coach and felt like he could grow and succeed at Post. But with a wife and a child on the way, the idea of a part-time coaching job was enough to convince him it was time to leave Post for another opportunity. “I had been a part-time coach for three years,” Collins says. “I did enjoy my time here but with only two full-ti
Going For Two
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Resurrection
What They’re Saying ... “ Starting a new program is an enormous challenge. The fear of knowing that you have to bring a football team
Tiger Attack
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Etched In Stone
Perhaps Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden, of Tampa Bay, said it best when describing the profession of coaching when he told American Football Monthly, “Coaches are like offensive linemen, you don’t hear much about them unless they are in the transactions section changing jobs.” Unfortunately that is sometimes the case, but the fact remains that coaching is still one of the most rewarding
Sunshine State of Mind
With a 48-21 victory over his former team, the Oakland Raiders, in Super Bowl XXXVII, Jon Gruden, 39, became the youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as he guided Tampa Bay to its first world title in franchise history. Gruden was also the first non-rookie head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first season with a new team. In fact, Gruden has accomplished a lot for a man that is keepin
Letter From the Editor
You know, believe it or not, I have not always had the greatest job in the world. I was once a struggling freelance writer in New Orleans not so terribly long ago. I was always looking for the next big story or the next big break. I was always looking into the future at the possibility of writing for a national paper or magazine, writing a column and even becoming a published author. However, I could
Goin\' Up
It would be so easy to say it’s all the head coach. Take a look at his success, his overall record, his impact on the program and the fact that seven of his assistant coaches have left the program in the past three years and moved on to higher levels of college football and the program hasn’t skipped a beat, and it’s easy to say the head coach must be the reason. But what about the university? The tradition
Cover Story Resurrection - Hal Mumme and Woody Widenhofer return to football to revive Southeastern Louisiana football and their careers. Read the complete article >>> April 2003 Staff Meeting
Training Mr. Everything
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Scorching the Competition
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Making \"Quality\" a Priority
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Maximizing Player Performance
Presented by Gatorade Sports Science Institute By their very nature, football coaches are always looking for the latest drills to teach championship-winning techniques, for the best strategy for goal-
Letter From the Editor
Every great coach is only as good as the cast that surrounds him ... the supporters, the players, the staff. After all, it’s that surrounding cast that can often make the difference between success and failure. The same can be said of American Football Monthly. This magazine’s sole purpose is for the further enhancement of your coaching career, and that is something that we take very seri
The Life of Riley - When Dan Riley joined the Houston Texans as their first strength and conditioning coach, many asked why? Hear Coach Riley’s answer and find out why he is among the most respected coaches in his industry.Read the complete article >>> March 2003
Using The Inside Screen as a Weapon
It is an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of what I feel is the best football publication in the world. I have had the chance to read American Football Monthly religiously in my collegiate coaching career. I will be a first-year offensive coordinator at Marietta College. I came from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where I began coaching tight ends as a graduate assistant and eventually became an offensive line coach. I have
Full Circle
Coaching didn’t appear to be in the cards for Sam Wyche when he took his bonus money from playing in Super Bowl VII with the Washington Redskins and invested in a sporting goods business. Legendary NFL coach and owner Paul Brown had already told Wyche, a career backup quarterback, that he would be a coach someday, but Wyche’s original investment took off and soon grew to 13 retail and wholesale stores in North and South Carolina.
The Punt: The Most Important Play in Football?
I would like to first say thank you to American Football Monthly for allowing me the opportunity to write this article for my peers. Additionally, I thank our head coach Don Hill for giving me the chance to control such a big part of the team’s success. It has been a great experience to be part of such a big turnaround. Under his guidance, we were able to take a team with a 23-year losing streak and go
Nice Guys Finish First
Former Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher was often quoted as saying that “Nice guys finish last.” But perhaps in the case of Garden City Community College (Kan.) head football coach Bob Larson, that isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, trying to find someone with something negative to say about Coach Larson is like trying to find a proponent of the Bowl Championship Series at a mid-major. The fans love him, the ath
Cover Story Throwback Georgia Military College’s Bert Williams uses bulldog tenacity to take a bite out of the JUCO elite. By David Purdum October 2003
Balance: Walking the Fine Line Between Career & Family ...
I think the mentality of some football coaches today is this: To be successful, you have to eat, sleep, and coach football 24-7. Both players and coaches alike spend a major portion of their lives training, preparing for, playing in, and reviewing football games during the football season. Success in football for some coaches is a priority, which can lead to an unbalanced life. One purpose of mine is
LSU\'s Offensive Line Drills
First of all I would like to say it is an honor to be able to represent head coach Nick Saban and the LSU football staff in American Football Monthly. As coaches we know the game is always changing, but some things never change. You must know fundamentals, you must be able to block and tackle. There are many ways to skin a cat but these are some of the basic fundamentals that we “hang our hat”
The Right Way
Unlike the NFL, where free agency allows a team to upgrade its roster yearly, rebuilding a struggling college team can be a long, grueling process, usually filled with defeat and frustration. However, a successful resurrection can be one of the most gratifying, fullilling and respected accomplishments of a coach’s career. Before Bill Snyder took over at Kansas
The Home Team
8 Tips In an effort to keep football coaches on good terms with their significant others, AFM has compiled these eight tips to help you maintain balance between career and family: 1) Pick Up the Phone - That’s right, call. Your wife understands the demands of your job, but at least pick
Cover Story Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime... Three coaches, Three schools, One Philosophy... A look inside college football\'s most underrated football programs...By Aaron S. Lee July 2003
Focus the man behind the camera
Nearly nine years after the fact, Brad Helton can finally admit it. When he became Marshall’s video coordinator in 1995, Helton re-wired his entire office area. “That way the coaches couldn’t even come in here and make a tape,” Helton says, laughing. “At the time, I didn’t know how many programs even had video coordinators or how many people were doing it or what they were doing it with, so I did it for job security. I figured
Technology Game Plan
The arrival of spring means that spring football has begun at many college campuses across the country. Springtime also provides coaches the opportunity to visit other coaching staffs and observe their practice routines. In Texas, high school coaches especially like to take this opportunity to visit with area college staffs. Its during these times that visiting high school coaches ask me to offer my thoughts on
Cover Story Focus - The man behind the camera. Take a close look at what video coordinator Brad Helton is doing for Marshall’s football team both on and off the field . By Richard Scott Cover Photo by Jim Robinette Cov
Releasing is the Key
Through the course of coaching receivers at four different colleges, one thing has stood by itself as being the task that has frustrated both players at that position and some coaches on those staffs. Invariably, the release (a clean release without sacrificing vertical speed) is what we are all striving for on pass plays. But that has become a bigger issue to deal with as offenses have attempted to
Schutt Sports 2002 Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Southwest Regional J.T. Curtis John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.) 2002: 14-1, Class 4A state champs Record at school: 393-43-6, 27 years Career record: 393-43-6 J.T. Curtis began his head coaching responsibilities at John Curtis
The Staff Report
Career: 8 Guidlines for the High School Assistant Coach So you dream of becoming the head coach someday? Well, there are a few things you need to know and do that will help you earn that dream job you’ve been looking for. Anyone who wants to be a successful assistant coach and eventually a successful head coach must have certain qualities that set them
Everybody\'s All-American
Coker\'s 24-Game Winning Streak 2001 (12-0) Miami 33, Penn State 7 Miami 61, Rutgers 0 Miami 43, Pittsburgh 21 Miami 38, Troy State 7
Northwestern\'s Academic Game Plan
High School Coaches The foundation for successful college football student-athletes is laid by the high school coach. Whether the player goes on to play college bal
Schutt Sports College Coaches of the Year
DIVISION I-AA WINNER Dave Clawson Fordham Dave Clawson did not rest on his laurels after guiding his squad to a 7-4 record and being named Co-Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2001. No, Clawson joins former Holy Cross mentor Mark Duffner (1986-87) a
Cover Story Schutt Sports 2002 Division I-A Coach of the Year: Larry Coker - Miami\'s Larry Coker entered the 2003 Fiesta Bowl with a 24-0 record as head coach, a national championship ring on one finger and an opportunity to win one for another finger. Rockne, Warner, Wilkinson, Bryant, Robinson... none of them did that in their first two years as a head coach.
Choosing the Right Football for your Program
Sponsored by Rawlings Great coaches everywhere have one thing in common. A thirst for knowledge, particularly
Gold Rush
In 1969, a 22-year-old college student, nine credit hours shy of graduating, accepted an offer to become the head football coach at John Curtis Christian High School – the school his father, John Curtis Sr., had founded eight years earlier in River Ridge, La. It was a dream come true for the young coach, and he eagerly arrived that summer to meet with players and organize a weight program. The summer wound down, and on the first day of pract
The History of the Wing-T
It is an honor to have the opportunity to write this article and especially since the article deals with a topic as dear to my heart as the wing-t. In my 33 years of coaching I have seen many different cycles of football but the wing-t has remained a fixture since the time before I played and throughout my time as a player and a coach. I am sure that it will continue to be a very popular system long
Elevation
Jenks or jinx, nothing could stop Bill Blankenship’s Tulsa Union team from running the table in 2002 for the school’s elusive first state championship in 11 seasons under his leadership. A 52-3 thrashing of Broken Arrow stifled any chuckles about Blankenship and his veteran staff not being able to win the big one and validates what has been one of high school football’s better-kept secrets outside of the Sooner State.
Letter From the Editor
You know, I have been fortunate to meet some of the best people that the football industry has to offer, establish some longlasting relationships and have the opportunity to hear some pretty fantastic stories along the way. One of my new favorite stories, which – depending on who asks me and when – changes daily, was a story told to me by Tommy Condell, the offensive coordinator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
How to Lose a Game
Every coach has that call he’d like to have back. It might be that defensive set on that goal-line stand that gave up the go-ahead score on third-and-goal from the five. Or that time he passed three times from inside his own 10 leading with less than two minutes left in game. If he’s lucky, maybe it’s one or two a season. Tulsa Union coach Bill Blankenship knows his share about losing, even though he hasn’t done that much of i
Quarterback High
Without a doubt, during their short 13-year existence, Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, La., has left a permanent mark on the landscape of high school football. With seven state titles over the past 13 years and one national championship, the Eagles have etched their dominance in the Louisiana record books from 1A-5A and everywhere in between. But perhaps the only thing that st
Urban Development
The record book said Bowling Green was in trouble when Urban Meyer went to interview for the university’s head coaching position in December 2000. The record book said the Falcons hadn’t had a winning season since 1994. The record book said the university had replaced coach Gary Blackney in mid-season that year after nine years on the job and two conference championships. Meyer loo
The Adventures of John L. Smith
He is a man who believes in the basic lessons of life – strength, discipline, love and respect – but don’t think for a second that Louisville head coach John L. Smith is willing to go through life being satisfied with the routine and mundane. “The teams in the power conferences (the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, Pac-10)
Preps in Paradise
Duffy Daugherty had his own little Polynesian Pipeline back in the day, ages before people began to abuse the phrase, “back in the day.” He knew all about the high school football talent waiting to be discovered in Hawaii during the 1960s. That is why he brought Charlie Wedemeyer, Bob Apisa and Dick Kenney all the way to East Lansing from Oahu.
The Staff Report
Within the game of Football the difference in many athletes performance stems from flexibility of the hips. Whether your need is to engage a man on the line of scrimmage or to come in and out of your cuts faster, your results will depend on this. An interior lineman will be able to drive through the more forcefully and the skill position athlete will be able break down faster and more efficiently. Throughout
Running with the Bulls...
EDITOR\'S NOTE: On Dec. 12, 2002, Jim Leavitt signed a new five-year contract with a total base salary worth $2.4 million. The salary escalates from $407,173 in 2003 to $596,143 in 2007, the final year of the contract. Leavitt had been under contract through 2005. In addition to base salary, the new contract includes a $25,000 annual annuity and television/radio money that escalates from $40,000 to $50,000 over the course of the five years.
The Way It Used to Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching college football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of college football. From their firs
Focus on Critical Information to Place Your Players in Position to be Successful
FOR LAST YEAR’S TECHNOLOGY ISSUE, American Football Monthly asked me to share some insight on the organization of game planning staff and resources.* This year, Travis Davis has asked me to again address the subject of game planning, this time regarding an often asked question: In light of the finite time we coaches have available each week for strategic planning, how can we find and use the best from th
Technology Crossroads
Bobby April had reached a crossroads in his career and his life. When the New Orleans Saints fired Mike Ditka’s staff after the 1999 season, April – the special teams coach – found himself without a job. April also found himself with a year left on his contract, and decisions to make. “I had a daughter who was going to be a senior in high school, and I wasn’t going to
2001 Coordinators of the Year
DEFENSE - BUD FOSTER, Virginia Tech OFFENSE - MIKE BORICH, BYU After more than two decades as one of college football’s most prolific passing and scoring teams under former coach LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young fans thought they had seen it all. Then Gary Crowton an
High School News & Notes
With fall drills just a few months away, AFM begins its preview of the 2002 high school season. Here is our first look at some teams across the nation that figure to be contenders for national rankings during the upcoming season. 10 Teams to Watch (Please note: This list is not at all final nor comprehensive and the teams are listed in alphabetical order.) De La Salle (Concord, C
Letter From the Editor
It’s time for American Football Monthly’s annual look at new technologies in the game of football. We began this annual series in May 2000 because when it comes to technology, coaching is similar to many other jobs. Innovators and entrepreneurs are looking at ways to develop technology to make your job easier and to make you more efficient. For all that technology can do, it can’t add to the number o
A Legend Says Farewell
“Nothing lasts forever, and so it is with me.” With those simple words, coaching legend Harold R. “Tubby” Raymond announced his retirement after 36 years as head coach at the University of Delaware. While with the Blue Hens, the 75-year-old Raymond became only the ninth college coach to win 300 games and only the fourth to win them all at the same school. In an era when pressu
May 2002 Cover Story Information Age Bobby April of the St. Louis Rams uses technology to gain a coaching and career edge. Technology Crossroads - St. Louis Rams special teams coach Bobby April is one of a growing
Georgia Military College’s Devastating 3-5 Defense
Following the 2000 season, our staff met to discuss what we needed to do to give our team a chance to play for something special in 2001. We had just finished the season 7-3 with the #2 ranked defense in the NJCAA, but we knew we had the talent returning to do better in 2001. One of the things we decided to do was to revamp our defense and change to a 3-5 scheme. While some may question the sanity of rebuilding
Back to School
Chan Gailey File: 1974-75 University of Florida - graduate assistant 1976-78 Troy State University - defensive backs coach 1979-80 Air Force Academy - defensive assistant 1981-82 Air Force Academy - defensive coordinator 1983-84 Troy State University - head coach 1985 Denver Br
No Excuses, No Apologies, Just Football
The Morriss File 1988-89 New England Patriots - Offensive Line 1991 Mansfield, Tex., HS - Offensive Coordinator 1992 Washington (PSFL) - Head Coach 1992-93 Valdosta State - Offensive Line 1994 Arizona Cardinals - Offensive Line 1995 San Antonio (CFL) - Offensive Line
Who Is Jock Sutherland?
Full games would go by and not a single pass would be thrown at the University of Pittsburgh. That is, when Jock Sutherland was the head coach. That is the brand of football he sold. As a well-known critic of the passing game, he instituted a single wing offense that perfectly matched his personality. His teams won their battles in a cloud of dust, pounding opponents into the ground with the runnin
A Rare Breed
For a head coach of a professional or college team the bottom line is always the same – it’s all about winning. But it’s the road traveled that makes the man. A coach needs to put a game plan together, teach his players how to perform and find a way to inspire them. It is the motivational aspect of the job that often gives a coach his opportunity to show his individuality.
Letter From the Editor
Granted, I am not a coach – never have been, never will be. To make matters worse, I don’t even play one on TV. But then again, I don’t have to be a coach to fully understand what American Football Monthly brings to the coaching profession. Coaches have often been a misunderstood sort – always receiving a bit too much credit when things go well and way too much when
Words From a Legend: Lou Holtz
Granted, University of South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz has never looked much like a stereotypical football coach, but then again he has never acted like one either. The 65-year-old coaching icon, who coached the NFL’s New York Jets in 1976, has enjoyed a successful career which includes stints as the head coach of William and Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas and
NFL Coach of the Year Runners-up
BUTCH DAVIS When the Cleveland Browns hired Butch Davis as the second head coach in the three-year history of the new Browns franchise, Davis was told to beef up the defense and the running game and field a team that resembled the aggressive, hard-nosed kind of football Browns fans have been accustomed to back in the old days. More important, he was instructed to take the core of a
NFL Coach of the Year - Bill Belichick
You thought you knew him from his days in Cleveland. You saw the images on television. The grim, stern, face, void of emotion, ratcheted with intensity. You saw the newspaper stories. The humorless, dogmatic responses. A personality as cold and brittle as the wind blowing in from Lake Erie, pummeling Cleveland. You thought you knew him, but did you? Did you really? Did the people feeding those
Words of Wisdom
Think of Hank Stram and you can’t help but recall NFL films classic-footage of Super Bowl IV. A championship coach was wired for sound for the first time, and there was Stram, cackling and bragging to his “boys” that the “coach pumped it in there” after the Chiefs scored an important touchdown en route to their upset of the Minnesota Vikings, the AFL’s second Super Bowl victory. It’s har
Class of 2002
They are a pair of the most significant shoes in all of the college football coaching world. When you step in at Florida for Steve Spurrier, there is no hope of warming or going through a learning experience. Make no mistake about it. The heat will be on from Game One for Ron Zook. The Gators were one of the most consistent and powerful teams in the country under Spurrier. When Spurrie
Third & Short
University of Colorado co-defensive coordinator Tom McMahon has died of cancer at the age of 53. McMahon was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in the spring of 2000 and given a 10 percent chance to survive. He continued to fight, likening it to the fight against an opposing offense. He also continued at Colorado for as long as he could. He joined Gary Barnett’s staff prior to t
Cover Story Path To Victory Under Sonny Lubick's guidance, Colorado State is now a consistant winner The Look of a Winner - Anyone who thinks there are some programs that will never turn aroun
Getting Hooked On Marshall\'s Passing Game
Coach Bob Pruett has a .862 winning percentage in his six years as the head football coach at Marshall University. Of all the head coaches in Division I football, Coach Pruett has the best winning record percentage in the NCAA for the first four years. Check it out! I firmly believe that what has led to his success is his philosophy towards running a football program. Coach Pruett keeps his philosophy
The Science Of Recruiting Letters Part 1
What if you could have an in-home visit with any football recruit in the nation at any time during the NCAA’s mandated recruiting period? What if your in-home visit could take advantage of every possible opportunity to share your program’s tradition, goals and intentions with a potential game-breaking superstar that could help make the difference between a 5-6 also-ran and a 6-5 bowl run?
Rocky Mountain High
Dave Logan sits comfortably in his hotel room at Kansas City’s posh Crown Center talking football with me while stealing looks at the Oakland Raiders-San Diego Chargers game on the TV. As we talk, his cell phone rings. It’s his teenage daughter, Cassidy, back home in Colorado checking in for the evening. Near the end of the interview, the room phone rings. This time it’s Logan’s broadcast partner,
High School Coaches of the Year
SOUTHEAST Cecil Flowe Parkview High School (Lilburn, Ga.) 2001: 15-0, Class AAAAA champs, Record at school: 103-18, 9 years If Cecil Flowe were not guiding a high school football team to victory after victory, he’d probably make a good CEO. Attention to detail, hard work, planning - all qualities Flowe possesses, but the 45-year-old Parkview High Sc
Press Box or Sideline?
Let’s face it: whether you’re coaching in the NFL or the local youth league, the sideline can be a dangerous neighborhood. No one is safe as aggressive athletes, wearing suits of armor and running full speed, hurtle toward their destinations with violent intent. Usually they knock the spit out of each other, but every once in a while, they end up plowing into the innocent crowd on the sideline, scatter
Division I-AA, II, III, NAIA and Junior College Coaches of the Year.
DIVISION I-AA WINNER JACK C0SGROVE MAINE It’s never fun to lose in the quarterfinals of a tournament, but for a Maine football program that experienced its most memorable season ever, just reaching the NCAA Division I-A quarterfinals gave the Bears cause to celebrate and look forward to bigger, better things in the future. In
Strong, Fast, Agile
The job of the strength coach is not a complicated one. It is to build stronger players and to do it with efficiency and organization. If you help develop stronger players, your program has a better chance of playing winning football. And it\'s not just about building stronger players – it\'s about developing faster and quicker players. Give strong, fast and ag
Who’s Hot?
DAN HAWKINS, HC, BOISE STATE After serving as Dirk Koetter\'s assistant head coach, special teams and tight ends coach and overseeing Boise State’s highly successful community service and public involvement program, Hawkins moved up to the head coach’s job when Koetter took over at Arizona State following the 2000 season. During his time as an assistant at Boise State, t
Red Hot
RANDY SANDERS Most first-time college football coordinators get their new jobs in the offseason, with plenty of time to prepare for spring practice, more time to teach in the spring and then even more time to work toward the coming season. If they’re really fortunate, they’ll open the season against East Bugtussle State Teachers College
Are Football Coaches Overpaid?
Washington Redskins Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier is probably the highest paid football coach in the world today. Coach Spurrier is reportedly contracted to earn $25,000,000.00 over a five year term, a deal valued at $5 million dollars annually. Despite that he may also be one of the best coaches, he has little need to worry about 3% inflation. After all, Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne was highly compensated too at
Paths to Success
On first glance, the high school football programs at Artesia (N.M.) High School and Carol City (Fla.) Senior High School look considerably different. Artesia head coach Cooper Henderson’s club works out in state of the art, modern facilities built with the help of bond issues passed by its citizens, while Carol City coach Walt Frazier’s main source of support is the fans and paren
High School Coaches You Should Know
You don’t see them on the headsets on TV each week. With the exception of an occasional piece in American Football Monthly, you seldom read about them in the national press. Unlike their NFL and college football brethren, people in their hometowns usually call them by their first names. They are high school football coaches, and they form the very backbone of the sport. They are the
Personal Decision
The questions hang around the high school stadium whenever a veteran coach with some championships and a reputation for excellence stalks the sidelines. If this guy is so good, why didn’t he get a coaching job at the college or professional level? Why is he still coaching high school football? Frank Lenti has heard those questions before. As one of the na
A Coach of Life
Texas high school coaching legend Gordon Wood wasn’t interested in talking about the 396 wins, the most by a football coach at any level in history. “No one with a good record thinks about it,” Wood says when asked about a career that spanned 43 years and resulted in nine state championships in Texas. Wood began his coaching career at Rule High School in 1940, working his way thr
What Football Taught Me that the Classroom Rarely Did
From the day I was born, football has been important in my life. My father, Joe, has coached more than forty years in Texas and my brother, Chad, has been in the profession for a decade. Most of my formative years were spent at the field house. I helped my father cut the grass on the fields and lay the boundary lines. By the time I was ten, I roamed the sidelines helping him chart plays. Thinking back, I cannot believe that there was a better childhood. Because my father was a coach and a fo
Climbing to the Summit
He\'s coached at the high school level, at the small college level, and the major college level for the past 24 seasons. Along the way, he\'s been an assistant head coach, an offensive coordinator, a running backs coach and a receivers\' coach. Someday, Woody McCorvey would like to be a head coach on the college level.That\'s why McCorvey is a position coach at the University of Tennessee. He knows being a coordinator or an assistant head coach might be the most obvious path to a head coachin
High School Notes
1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) , Coach: Bob LadouceurOctober schedule includes a date with No. 3 LB Poly as the Spartans look to extend the streak. 2. Jenks (Okla.) , Coach: Allen TrimbleThe Trojans have a nasty defense led by DE Bryan Pickryl, DB Jason Carter and transfer LB Lawrence Pinson. 3. Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) , Coach: Raul LaraCan the Jackrabbits, with their speed and talent, defeat De La Salle? We\'ll see on Oct. 6. 4. Lincoln (Tall
News & Notes
Veteran NFL assistant coach and New England quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein died during training camp. The 45-year-old Rehbein died of heart failure at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The Patriots said Rehbein, who had heart disease, checked himself into the hospital complaining of discomfort. Rehbein joined the Patriots in February 2000. Rehbein, who had an internal pacemaker because of cardiomyopathy, suffered an apparent heart attack and extensive resuscitation efforts failed.
Letter From the Publisher
Protecting your assets... In the business world, there are a few axioms that are universally applied by all successful companies. For example, some of these management philosophies are: focus on those things with the greatest opportunity for success; make certain you do whatever is necessary to keep your best employees; and protect your company\'s most valuable assets. However, in the football world, I fear teams sometimes ignore sound, proven and winning business strategies th
Longevity
Frank Broyles, who has been with the Razor-backs for 44 years, is now in his 28th year as athletic director, and the accolades continue to pour in. Recent awards include the Bobby Jones Award by the Atlanta Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the John L. Toner Award, given annually by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame to the athletics director who has demonstrated superior administrative abilities and shown outstanding dedication to college athletics a
Words of Wisdom
With innovations such as the pocket pass, loose-leaf playbooks, year-round coaching staffs, classroom teaching and tests, advanced scouting, grading player performance from film review, and sending in plays from the sideline, some say Paul Brown was the greatest coach who ever lived. Add to that coaching legendary high school teams at Massilon, Ohio, a national championships at Ohio State, all four AAFC champions, and three NFL championships, it\'s hard to get much argument to that claim. Brown
Little on Size Big on Protection
Mouthpieces are one of the required and fundamental pieces of equipment of football. Yet, many coaches do not realize that there are more options than just \"boil and bite\". Despite this requirement, a study of Arizona High School coaches states that 53% of coaches polled believes that not all of their players wore mouthguards. This same study shows that 33% of these same coaches believe they have the greatest influence over compliance of their athletes. Yet, many coaches do not realize that th
News & Notes
Trojan and Buccaneer legend McKay Passes Away John McKay, the legendary coach of USC and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, known as much for his memorable sense of humor as he was for his tremendous success as a coach, passed away on June 10 from complications associated with his diabetes. McKay, who won four national titles at USC and was later the coach of the expansion Tampa Bucs, was 77. \"John McKay never bit his tongue,\" said former Bucs quarterback and current Grambl
Cover Story Sports Medicine July 2001 The Protector... - As head athletic trainer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Toriscelli
Lion Heart
Coaching requires the commitment to teach, to inspire athletes to set and achieve team and/or personal goals, while simultaneously developing the all-important necessary strategies to win! At no time should a coach ever forget or choose to ignore a most basic fundamental and unwritten code: coaching involves people not just schemes or strategies. Regardless of the level or the sport chosen to coach, this code can never be forgotten or the meaning lessened: that coaches, first and foremost, are i
Buried Treasure
It\'s so easy to be wrong about what you see on the surface. So easy to dismiss the dirt on the surface and ignore the treasure below. Sometimes it takes a little more time and effort to dig for what really matters, for something precious, for the truth.When it comes to UAB head coach Watson Brown, it\'s easy to see the record and miss the point. It\'s easy to see his .378 winning percentage and draw knee-jerk conclusions. It\'s easy to see those 112 losses, compare them to 68 wins and
NEVER A DOUBT
An upset? Don\'t call Oklahoma\'s national championship or its Orange Bowl victory over Florida State an upset. An upset is when a team that shouldn\'t win beats a team that should win, and that wasn\'t the case when the Sooners completed their undefeated season by beating the Seminoles 13-2. So what if Florida State was favored to win by nearly two touchdowns? So what if the Seminoles were playing for the national championship for the third time in four years? So what if the Sooners w
The Right Place at the Right Time
Pete Carroll has done the coaching tour. His life has been in football for more than three decades and he has done it all. From graduate assistant to NFL head coach with many stops in between. And now he begins the one job that hadn\'t appeared previously on his resume - college football head coach.Carroll has taken the reins at one of college football\'s traditional powerhouses - USC. The problem is the Trojans haven\'t been in national title contention for years. They haven\'t
Leading By Example
Just four short months after assuming the reigns of the University of Oklahoma athletic department, Sooner athletic director Joe Castiglione made a decision that would shake the OU football program out of its recent doldrums and head it toward a sudden and glorious future. He hired Bob Stoops as head football coach.Prior to his arrival in Norman, Castiglione - a former football walk-on at the University of Maryland - spent 18 years rebuilding the pride and solidifying the infrastructur
Letter from the Publisher
Having grown up in the heart of Dixie and the middle of the Bible belt in Alabama, I have heard more than my share of sermons about the unmitigated power of prayer. Now, it is important to know that I am firmly convinced that through prayer many miracles can happen. I need look no further than the faces of my children to understand that prayers are indeed answered each and every day. But, I have always tried to balance my belief in prayer with a strong sense of feeling that God will help
News & Notes
Fiesta Bowl changing to an afternoon game and will host 2003 title game The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is switching to an afternoon kickoff on New Year\'s Day 2002 rather than the night schedule of recent years. Officials announced that the game will match the Pac-10 and Big 12 champions if those teams aren\'t playing in the Rose Bowl. If those teams aren\'t available for the Fiesta Bowl, its officials will turn to a pool of at-large teams that includes the champions of the Big Ten,
June 2001 Cover Story Buried Treasure... UAB's Watson Brown - Sometimes numbers can be deceiving, and in the case of Watson Brown, his career cannot be measured by wins and losses. Acclaimed by all who know him a
Equipment Room
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Class of 2001
When Ralph Friedgen met the press during hype week at Super Bowl XXIX in January of 1995, he faced an important question. \"Wouldn\'t you like to be a head coach some day?\" the media asked.At the time, Friedgen was the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. His team was getting ready to battle the 49ers in a contest that would become one of the most devastating offensive performances in Super Bowl history. The Chargers would be on the wrong end of those offensive fireworks.Frie
NFL Hot College Coaches 2001
What does it take to get to the throne of an NFL franchise? It is not a secret formula. The men making the decisions on who will lead a NFL team are not by nature risk-takers. They want the safe choice, either a proven winner or a hot assistant on the rise.For the proven winners like Dick Vermeil or Marty Schottenheimer, their records are clear and unambiguous. Owners can look at what they have done and choose to seek their leadership for their floundering franchises. However, the choice
Special Delivery: Pete Rodriguez
Pete Rodriguez has a motto to match his moxie. Here it goes: No matter how nervous he might get sometimes as the special teams coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, the blood, sweat and tears of his work are the last thing you\'ll see on his sleeve, skin or collar.\"Don\'t ever let them see you sweat,\'\' Rodriguez said. \"I try to believe in that commercial. You need to have control, and however you handle it, reflects your own personality. Some guys are real vocal and holler and scream. I
High School News & Notes
(This list based upon an equal combination of high school achievement and recruiting potential.) WR Rhema McKnight 6-3, 195, 4.51 JFK (La Palma, Calif.) Extremely explosive and productive last season, with 2,341 all-purpose yards and five punt returns for touchdowns. Head coach is Mitch Olsen. WR Wali Lundy 6-1, 195, 4.5 Holy Cross (Riverside, N.J.) A true double-threat last season for the Lancers, surpassing 1,000 yards receiving and 700 yard
On A Mission
It\'s 8:30 on a humid Friday morning in June, and Ralph Friedgen looks frazzled, as if he\'s already worked his standard 18-hour day. Sweat sits on the face of the 54-year-old, who appears out of breath when arriving at his University of Maryland office.For the Terps new football coach, the morning has been about three hours old - and hectic at that. Friedgen chased down three of his freshmen to get them to their academic tutor on time and coordinated details for Maryland\'s ongoing high scho
Words of Wisdom
To the people of he state of Minnesota, Bud Grant is an icon. To many in the NFL during the 1970s and 80s, he was iconoclastic. His belief in treating his players like men, as opposed to dogs, was more than unique; it was rebellious. His shortened training camps and less than arduous emphasis on hitting made Grant a coach who might have been run out of the good ol\' boy club were it not for the fact he won at an amazing rate. What kind of coach was Grant? Just like Sergeant Joe Friday used to
Capitol Will...
A year ago at this time, the Washington Redskins were the most hyped team in NFL history - Super Bowl expectations, $100 million payroll, marquee free agent signings. These days, the volume in Redskins land is at a monotone. One person took it upon himself to bring the franchise down to earth: Marty Schottenheimer.After a two-year stint as an ESPN analyst, the NFL\'s 12th all-time winningest coach is back on familiar turf. Since becoming the Redskins head coach and taking charge of the tea
News & Notes
Tragedy strikes Florida as freshman FB, Autin diesEvery coach and parent\'s nightmare happened in Gainesville, when incoming Florida freshman Eraste Autin died of complications related to heat stroke, six days after collapsing and falling into a coma following a workout with teammates. Autin fell unconscious just outside Florida Field in late July while jogging back to the locker room after one of the football team\'s voluntary summer conditioning sessions. Although no autopsy wa
High School News & Notes
When Loveland (Colo.) High School opened the postseason in defense of its Class 4A state championship, it did so without the services of head coach John Poovey. That½s because Poovey was suspended for the remainder of the 2001 season after it was discovered that some Loveland players had applied non-stick cooking spray (Pam) to their jerseys during a 21-12 win over Greeley Central on Oct. 26. The us
Words of Wisdom
From 1964 to 1988, the name Dooley was synonymous with Georgia football. Despite flirtations with other schools, most notably his alma mater Auburn in the 70\'s, Dooley remained top Dawg for 25 seasons and led UGA to 201 victories. In 1980, with Herschel Walker running through, over and around the SEC, Georgia won the national championship by defeating Notre Dame 17 to 10 in the Sugar Bowl. During his career, he won 6 conference titles and numerous coach of the year awards. Along with his brothe
Spurrier Q&A
Florida head coach Steve Spurrier is a hands-on boss who coaches his own quarterback, coordinates his own offense and calls his own plays, and does it as well, if not better, than anyone in football. In many ways, his coaching style is an extension of his playing career, when he played quarterback for the University of Florida and three NFL teams during a 10-year pro career.During the week before a recent open date, Spurrier took the time to talk with American Football Monthly\'s Richard Scot
Jon & Jay: The Gruden Brothers
He has become one of the best coaches in the NFL. Jon Gruden may be small of stature, but his commanding presence on the sidelines has been one of the main reasons the Raiders have become one of the elite teams in professional football after a long stay in mediocrity. Gruden speaks volumes with every grimace and every gesture. But coaching for Gruden is more than just an emotional display. In the m
The Big 10
Every year thousands of coaches try to take the next step up the ladder of success thatleads to the land of head coaching. Most of these men fully believe they have \"what it takes\" and all they need is a chance. Yet, many of these same men will tell me they feel totally disenfranchised and do not know how to \"get in the loop\" or make it to the next level. So many coaches seem to feel if they wor
Scout\'s Honor
WORKING IN THE NFL ISN\'T ALWAYS ABOUT THE GLORY. Despite working in the richest and most successful league in all of professional sports, there are still a great number of key employees who aren\'t household names. Yet without them, head coaches, star players and backups couldn\'t have the degree of preparation that is seen on a weekly basis. Scouts are generally in the game for the love of it. O
Equipment Room
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The Mouse That Roared
He is talking football, as usual, as he veers his black 1991 Mercedes 300 SE into the parking lot of the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.There are other interests in his life, but nothing quite captures Mouse Davis\' fancy like throwing the football.\"Visiting with Mouse is like talking to Mr. Football, and it is not an artificial enthusiasm,\" says another man with a passing interest in the game, Dick Vermeil.Davis is discussing how to attack the latest defensive phenomeno
The Old Dog Has Some New Tricks
He\'s 64 years old, he\'s been a head coach for 29 years, he\'s won 223 games, taken six different teams to a combined total of 22 bowls, and won a national championship at one of the nation\'s most prestigious programs.He\'s the first to admit he\'s stubborn, sometimes to a fault. He didn\'t have to change his coaching methods. He didn\'t have to change his offense or his defense or his staff management style. He didn\'t have to try anything new. He didn\'t even have to take this job
News & Notes
Schottenheimer heads back to the field Marty Schottenheimer is leaving the broadcast booth and returning to the football field, this time as head coach and director of football operations for the beleaguered Washington Redskins. At a press conference in early January, Schottenheimer said that while he loved the two years he spent as an NFL analyst for ESPN, he just couldn\'t pass up the opportunity to return to coaching. \"It\'s in my blood,\" the 11th winningest coach in NFL histor
Cover Story Lou Holtz February 2001 Division 1-A Coach of the Year Lou Holtz - It was enough that the Notre Dame coaching lege
Coach of the Year Runners-up
Bob StoopsUniversity of OklahomaRecord: 13-0Won National ChampionshipWhen Bob Stoops was hired at Oklahoma two years ago, school officials had high hopes. How high? How about No. 1 in the nation? In two years, the former defensive coordinator at the University of Florida took the powerhouse team out of the pits and turned it back into the premier team in the nation. This year\'s 12-0 regular season record not only earned the Sooners their first consecutive bowl
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Hot College Coaches 2001
In the year 2000, a plague swept across the land of college football. At 25 cities, in various corners of the country, the disease of fan impatience and athletic director intolerance dealt death blows to good men. ADs were forced to pull the plug on coaches who were left on life-support by too few wins or too many losses versus the wrong opponent. Unfortunately there is no cure for the malady that has invaded the system known as college football and it has reached epidemic proportions.With t
Two Hot to Stop
According to the old cliche, defense wins championships and offense sells tickets, so if the rising number of offensive-related hires in recent years tells us anything, it\'s that college presidents, athletic directors and major boosters doing the hiring must be more interested in selling tickets than winning championships.But what factor sells tickets more than winning championships? Just ask the folks at Oklahoma, where coach Bob Stoops and the Sooners are the hottest ticket West of the Mis
Minority Opinion
There are 117 Division I-A football programs and five (5) are led by minority coaches. Is this acceptable? Absolutely not. Can this situation be corrected? Absolutely.Take this test- write down the names of all five I-A football coaches; its not that difficult (Tyrone Willingham, Stanford; Jerry Baldwin, Louisiana-Lafayette; Fitz Hill, San Jose State; Bobby Williams, Michigan State; and Tony Samuels, New Mexico State). Now, use that same piece of paper and list all minority D-IA head basketb
Words of Wisdom
Even at age 71, with two national championships, 17 bowl wins, and a record that makes him one of the winningest coaches of all time, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden has no plans to retire. But, he does have a plan of how he will know when it\'s time to step down. \"I plan to coach until I have a lean year and then give myself one year to get it back under control,\" he told reporters last year. \"If I lose that second year, I\'m done.\"Such a statement is typ
The Power Behind The Thrown
They\'re the Rodney Dangerfields of the football world. They\'re overworked, underpaid, overlooked and under-appreciated. If they do their jobs well and their teams win, they get little, if any, glory. But, if they put a squad on the field that can\'t go the distance and collapses in the fourth quarter, there\'s hell to pay.In short, with rare exception, strength and conditioning coaches just don\'t get no respect.\"The unofficial rule when dealing with the football staff
News and Notes
Waiting for the XFL to call If Rich Brooks has his way, he\'ll be coaching in the XFL next year. Brooks in January abruptly resigned his three-year post as defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, sold his house in Atlanta and moved back to Eugene, Ore. to wait for a call from the upstart league. \"I guess my time has passed in this league,\" he said, refering to the NFL, as he announced his resignation from the Falcons. Last fall the 59-year-old turned down a job
Cover Story The Godfather March 2001 Big Man on Campus - Nebraska's Boyd Eply didn't set out to change the game of football
Cover Too
It may come as a surprise to some that computers have been helping high school and college coaches build game plans for nearly 20 years. Starting with the early Apple II and IBM personal computers, technology that had previously been available only to larger colleges and professional teams began working its way into the high school and small college ranks. Innovative coaches, facing many obstacles, began to integrate computers into their game planning processes during the mid-1980s. C
High School Notes
Privates may vie for championships in TexasThe days of public and private schools competing for separate state championships in Texas might be coming to an end. A bill approved in March by the Texas state Senate would allow private schools with enrollments of over 500 to compete with University Interscholastic League (public) schools for state championships. Texas is currently one of three states that do not allow private and public schools to compete with each other for distr
Achieving Maximum Benefit from Your Use of Technology in Game Planning
ALL STAFFS INVEST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF time and effort in game planning. Strategic preparation for an opponent is a big part of what we do as coaches. It\'s a major element of the intellectual challenge of coaching which attracts us to the profession, and it forms the basis for the way in which we as coaches compete on game day. Play calling success is dependent upon a knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses and tendencies of both your own team and of your opponent. We all know that ot
From Athlete to Administrator
When Arizona State University appointed Gene Smith as the school\'s 18th director of athletics on July 27, 2001, the Pac-10 school gained both an experienced and accomplished leader. Before arriving in Tempe, Smith served as athletic director at Iowa State University (1993-2000) and at Eastern Michigan University (1986-93). At Iowa State, he coordinated the financial and physical transformation of the Cyclone athletic department, including the construction of a $6.1 million three-story football
News & Notes
Sooners visit the White House President Bush honored Bob Stoops and his University of Oklahoma national championship football team at the White House March 5, 2001 in a special ceremony held in the Rose garden. The team was recognized along with the women\'s softball team, which beat UCLA 3-1 for its first national championship at the Women\'s College World Series in Oklahoma City last spring. The teams also toured the U.S. Capitol and were recognized on the Senate floo
Evaluating Offensive Linemen
Assessing the abilities and skills of an interior lineman is one of the most coach\'s job. Many coaches do not realize the true capabilities of their players. Countless times determinations and selections are made solely on the candidate\'s height, weight, speed and potential as a football player, without much, if any, regard for the player\'s ability as a performer on the field to actually \"get it done.\" There are all types of offensive linemen. Some are short and stout. Others are simply
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Ten Coaches You Should Know
Bobby Bowden. Joe Paterno. Steve Spurrier. Phillip Fulmer. Even the casual college football fan knows those names, and they\'ve earned their fame and fortune through time, experience and victory. But what about those head coaches who don\'t make the headlines, but still do a great job? The NCAA record book is filled with the names of outstanding coaches who never coached a game in the so-called \"big time,\" but there\'s no doubt that men such as Amoz Alonzo Stagg, Ron Schipper, Frosty Weste
High School News & Notes
The Streak lives! The Game of the Century. A high school football contest finally took a turn at carrying that all too often used adjective when California powers Concord De La Salle and Long Beach Poly met before 17,321 fans at Long Beach Veterans Stadium on Oct. 6. Prep football historians say the matchup was the first ever between two t
A Wizard in the Land of Oz
When Tony DeMeo left the tight confines of the East Coast for the wide-open plains of Topeka, Kan., and Washburn University in December 1993, what he found was pretty alarming. The school, though getting ready to begin its 103rd year playing the game, was one of the barren wastelands of college football. Five years had passed since the Ichabods last posted a winning record and the program was languishing through a 12-game losing streak. Even worse, DeMeo found only 29 players on the ro
Breaking Bonds
It had been one of the most embarrassing nights of Marty Schottenheimer\'s career. After a two-year absence from the head-coaching ranks, Schottenheimer decided to get back into the business when Redskins owner Daniel Snyder came calling. While that decision may have been questionable considering Schottenheimer\'s criticism of the Redskin owner, he ultimately decided to take the job because he thought he could get the Redskins back to the playoffs and into the Super Bowl. Schottenheimer is o
News & Notes
Notre Dame gets a new sponsor In a deal announced in September, Notre Dame has signed Chevrolet as a major sponsor of its athletic programs. The automaker will now be one of five corporate sponsors with an ongoing presence at university athletic events. The deal was set to commence with the Irish football home opener against Michigan State on Sept. 22. Terms of the one-year deal were not revealed by either the university or Chevrolet. Notre Dame\'s ot
Leader of the Pack
The door was open for Marvin Lewis last winter - at least for a few days. Shortly after the Ravens demolished the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, Lewis had the chance to interview for the Buffalo Bills head coaching job. Blow their doors off and he\'d get the opportunity to run his own franchise. Sure, there was the matter of competition from Tennessee defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and N.Y. Giant defensive coordinator John Fox, but it was Lewis who was thought to be in the driver\'s seat.
The Saints Go Marching In
Some people in the NFL and the media thought Jim Haslett was so desperate to be a head coach that he\'d simply taken the first offer he got. After all, he\'d interviewed for openings in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore and come up empty. Others thought the New Orleans Saints were the desperate ones that they had no idea what they were doing when they hired Haslett last year. After all, this is the same franchise that had never, ever won an NFL playoff game, one of the most
Letter from the Publisher
To those who subscribe to the theory of \"primacy and recency,\" it is what you do either first or last that matters the most. This hotly-debated field of behavioral study focuses on which areas of persuasion influence people more than others. I certainly do not have a Ph.D., but after publishing this magazine for over eight years, I know that with coaches it is what they do last that matters most. Clearly, this is no different than society as whole and its \"what have you done for me la
In Praise of the Three Technique
Early in my career I was influenced by three very good defensive line coaches. They are: Bob Karmelowicz of the Kansas City Chiefs, who I spent time with during the spring of 1999, John Pease of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who I had the opportunity to work with in the Jaguars Minority Fellowship Coaching Internship Program, and Cliff Yoshida, who recruited me and was my position coach while I played defensive tackle at East Carolina University. I practice a style of coaching that has been influenc
The Computer is Up
I don\'t necessarily like all the things that go along with (coaching) ... all I want to do is coach the team and that\'s it.\" Perhaps you would agree with Tampa Bay\'s Tony Dungy who spoke these words back in 1998 when he was named this magazine\'s NFL Coach of the Year. No matter what level you coach, you undoubtedly have tasks, obligations or perhaps people whom you\'d rather not have to deal with. But whether it\'s recruiting new players, scouting next week\'s opponent, or teaching
What Reporters Really Want
I have a soft spot for football coaches. I respect them. I admire them. I still look at my favorite coaches with true appreciation for their time, commitment, energy, intensity and passion for the game, and the life lessons that came with being part of it. I empathize with the challenges they face, the hours they work, the fragile nature of their job security and the expectations they face from outsiders who understand very little about what they do. And I am a member of the media.S
The Best of Both Worlds
As a youngster, Kathy Schniedwind was fascinated with medicine. \"When I was in fourth grade I told people I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up,\" she says.But in addition to her interest in dissection kits, anatomy books and games like Operation, she was also drawn to the athletic field. An avid athlete, she played lacrosse, softball, field hockey, basketball and ran track in high school and college.So when it came time to pick a career, she knew she had to alter her fourth-grade
Keeping the Gators on top
University of Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley sits atop an athletic program that has consistently ranked among the nation\'s 10 best. Since 1992, when he assumed the reins of the Gator athletic department, continuing that legacy of excellence has been one of his top goals.Named an honorary alumnus by the Florida Alumni Association in October, Foley, 47, started his career at UF as an intern in the Gator ticket office in 1976. Since then he has worked in nearly every aspect of th
News & Notes
Fassel gets giant raise While Jim Fassel didn\'t win the Super Bowl, he won the respect of the New York Giant\'s brass. Exactly a month after the Giants lost to the Baltimore 34-7 in Tampa, team officials announced that they had signed Fassel to another four-year contract even though he had another year left on the contract extension he signed after the 1999 season. While the terms weren\'t available, Fassel will reportedly earn $11 million over the four years - more than doublin
Paradise Found
June Jones would be lying if he said he expected this. The same is true of his coaches, his players and friends in the coaching profession. That\'s because it\'s not supposed to happen. Teams don\'t go 19 games without winning, then turn around and win eight regular-season games, capture a share of the conference championship, earn a bowl bid and then win the bowl game. It\'s not supposed to happen, especially to a team that faces the unique geographic obstacles that are part of Uni
Letter from the Editor
I always liked Tom Landry. I liked everything he stood for in life: character, calmness in the face of turmoil, confidence and a steely determination to win. In reading the many accounts of his life and career since his death on Feb. 12, I understood that much of what I do not like about many current coaches is because of what I did like about Landry. I have never liked the type of coach who screams at officials, throws his headset and completely loses his cool during a game or at half
Air Attack
There are more than a few Division I-A offenses around the nation that can keep a defensive coach\'s eyes wide open in the week leading to that Saturday\'s encounter. The trouble with Joe Tiller\'s record-setting air show at Purdue, however, is that the sleepless nights don\'t always end when the final gun sounds. Just ask Penn State defensive backfield coach Tom Bradley. His Nittany Lions actually survived their late-October showdown with the Boilermakers (31-25) at
News & Notes
Osborne: The Distinguished Gentleman from Nebraska? After weeks of speculation that he might make his next career in politics, former Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne announced in January that he is running for Congress. Osborne, who led the Huskers to three national titles before retiring in 1997, threw his hat into the ring in his hometown of Hastings on the campus of his alma mater, Hastings College. The 62-year-old Osborne, a Republican, said he had been contemplating whether t
The Look
Every Friday in the fall of 1998, John Parchman would watch a big offensive lineman walk through his office and a ritual would beginParchman, a growing West Texas coaching legend, would look up from his desk at Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, give Rex Richards his famous look and ask the kid his famous question.\"Rex,\" Parchman would say, \"you ain\'t scared, are you?\"\"No sir,\" Richards would inevitably answer.\"Good,\" Parchman would continue. \"I guess we\'re going
High School Notes
Late-season top performancesQuarterback Mike Pfisterer of North County (Glen Burnie) became the all-time passing leader in Maryland on Nov. 3. Pfisterer threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-26 loss to Annapolis, and finished his career with 6,351 yards and a state-record-tying 67 touchdowns. Hawaiian powerhouse St. Louis (Honolulu) exploded for 77 first-half points in an 84-0 rout of Damien on Oct. 28. The Crusaders scored 42 in the first quarter alone, which
Hiring the Enemy
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN CARL TORBUSH AND MIKE O\'Cain were enemies. At least that\'s the way fans and media painted their relationship. Coaches at rival schools are supposed to hate each other, right? They\'re supposed to spread evil rumors about each other, undercut each other at every opportunity and wish the worst for each other, aren\'t they? And they would never, ever profess to respect each other or, heaven forbid, actually like each other.In truth, even though they coached at r
News & Notes
San Jose player loses part of his leg For the second time in a year, a Northern California college football player lost part of his leg after being injured in a game. Doctors were forced to amputate the foot and ankle of Neil Parry, 20, a San Jose State sophomore, nine days after he sustained a compound fracture during an October game against the University of Texas-El Paso. Parry, who was injured on a kickoff return, developed a severe bacterial infection. Unable to stop th
The Survivor
Here he was, scaling a fence in a driving thunderstorm, with a blank videocassette under his rain jacket. The coaching staff desperately needed video of its next opponent, but a lack of sufficient technology at the team\'s training facility prevented the team from finding the game on television. That did not, however, prevent the team\'s head coach from finding another solution. So with the rain pouring down and thunder rumbling overhead, he found himself climbing the fence betwe
Traveling Man
Somewhere on the road between 19 cities in 11 states, Mike Leach found a way to climb the rope from the small time to the big time. Call it the back-road plan for future coaching success. Leach, the new head coach at Texas Tech, never played college football, never coached at the Division I level until 1997 and never even really knew he wanted to be a football coach until after he earned his law degree from Pepperdine in 1986. After law school, his path was filled with job after j
News & Notes
AF2 kicks-off season The arenaleague2 opened its inaugural season the week of April 8th. The league, which was introduced to bring Arena Football to small to mid-sized communities, features teams in cities such as Augusta, Ga; Birmingham, Ala.; Charleston, S.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Greenville, S.C. and Huntsville, AL. Nine other cites make up the league with the addition of three new teams planned for the 2001 season. After opening the season with league highs in total attendan
Back with the Pack
For eight consecutive years, football schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference have been looking up to Florida State in the league standings. Nobody has hit upon a formula to unseat the Seminoles as one of the most dominant programs in NCAA history. So North Carolina State decided to take a new approach in its search for a football coach. Instead of hiring a big-name head coach like Georgia\'s Jim Donnan or Stanford\'s Tyrone Willingham, both of whom were considered, the Wolfpack decid
Hot NFL Coaches
The path to the top of the NFL coaching ranks is somewhat well-defined: serve an apprenticeship as a position coach; become a coordinator for a successful playoff or Super Bowl team; then teams seeking to reverse their woebegone fortunes come calling like school boys looking for a prom date. Although 2000 was an aberration with two new head coaches not serving as coordinators in 1999, Al Groh was the LB coach for the Jets before his promotion, and Dave Wannstedt was the assistant head coa
Best of Best...The Top Coaching Staffs in Football
Taking into account all of the factors that go into the composition of what makes a great coaching staff, the following is our second annual look at the best coaching staffs in football. Just as last year, it is extremely difficult to choose one staff over another. It is somewhat analogous to trying to decide which dessert you want in a buffet. But, what makes a great staff? Is it the number of championships won collectively? How about longevity at the institution? C
AIR RAID Running Back Techniques and Drills
The most productive running backs in the SEC over the last three seasons combined have been from the University of Kentucky. Anthony White and Derek Homer have combined for more yards (rushing and receiving totals) than any other two-back combination. White had three straight 1,000-yard seasons from rushing and receiving yards combined, and Homer combined with White in 1997-98 to put the pair over 4,000 yards combined for those two seasons. White also became the third player in NCAA h
The Evolution of Technology in Football
CLICK...CLACK...CLICK...CLACK.... the only sound emanating from the darkened room droned endlessly. For decades, it was the sound of technology in football. For generations of players and coaches, the first technological skill to be mastered was how to thread film in the 16mm projector. It was film, passing back and forth through the projector\'s gate, which was the sound of technology in the game. An endless ribbon of film ran through the game and connected generations of coaches and pla
High Schools That Went High Tech
When Rob Scheidt took over the program at Merced (Calif.) H.S. in the spring of 1996, he faced a rebuilding job. The historically strong MHS program, which won a state championship just five years before, had spiraled downward into a two-year playoff draught and was stinging from a 1-9 record the previous season. Scheidt, who became head varsity coach at Merced while he was still in his mid-20s, saw a couple of problems that needed to be addressed right off the bat. First, the school
Reaching the Top
With its groundbreaking use of computers, video cameras and advances in research in human kinetics (just to name a few), the University of Nebraska has become known as \"the birthplace for strength and conditioning in collegiate athletics.\" The person most responsible for the inception of not only Nebraska\'s strength and conditioning program, but also programs throughout the country, is Director of Performance Boyd Epley. Epley began his career with Nebraska in 1969 when he became th
High School Notes
Based in South Florida, Mark D. Steiner has been covering high school football for 24 years and is one of the nation\'s top experts on underclassmen football prospects. Steiner can be reached by calling (954) 726-2919. QB Travis Jackson 6-4 215 4.5 South (Olathe, Kan.)Has a great arm and can throw on the run; threw for 17 TDs and ran for five more as a junior. QB Ingle Martin 6-3 190 4.7 Montgomery Bell (Nashville, Tenn.)A strong and elusiv
News & Notes
McKittrick Loses Battle with Cancer After a 14-month battle with cancer, San Francisco 49ers' OL coach Bobb McKittrick died on March 15. He was 64. McKittrick, who worked with five Super Bowl winning teams in 21 years, courageously continued working on the 49ers' staff while fighting bile duct cancer. A former Marine Corps officer, McKittrick was known for his toughness, hard work and dedication to the game and to his players. His on-field coaching duties were assumed by Pat Mo
USFL—The $1 League
They were supposed to be the rot and refuse, a bunch of has-beens, never-weres and never-will-bes. Their value? One dollar. One lousy buck. But for three action-packed spring seasons - 1983-85 - they were the United States Football League - the USFL - the latest failed attempt to wrestle the monopoly on professional football away from the NFL. During its three years on the field, the USFL sported four Heisman Trophy winners: Herschel Walker, Mike Rozier, Doug Flutie and two-time winne
Words of Wisdom: Don Shula
Thirty-three years as an NFL head coach. Thirty seasons as head coach or vice-chairman of the Miami Dolphins. These numbers embody unparalleled longevity. All-time NFL-coaching bests of 347 total wins and 328 regular-season wins. A career winning percentage of .676. Six Super Bowl head coaching appearances, with two championships. Only two losing seasons in 33 seasons as a head coach. And, still untouched by history, an immortal 17-0 season in 1972. These figures exemplify unrivaled succe
Rolling to Victory
The 1999 season was very successful for the players, coaches and staff of City College of San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to complete our season with a perfect 12-0 record and win the 1999 J.C. Gridwire National Championship and California state championship. We also achieved this same feat in 1994 after completing the season 11-0. In the 90s, we won our conference nine times in 10 years (1990, 1992-1999) and we are three-time defending Northern California champions. In all, we ended the
The Anatomy of a Coach\'s Deal
Reading the transactions column in the daily sports page, studying the waiver wire and reviewing the latest sports deal on the Internet have become habits of mine. To the uninitiated, what a good head football coach should be awarded in his contract might translate only into dollar compensation. Let me suggest, rather, that the deal\'s design and structure, the performance incentives, roll-over provisions, outside income, retirement benefits, split-dollar collateral assignment cash-va
NFL Coach of the Year Runners-up
Jeff FisherTennessee Titans13-3 regular season record AFM ChampionsWhen the boxes were finally unpacked, and Jeff Fisher had settled into his new office at the Titans\' new Adelphia Coliseum complex, he knew he and his team were finally home. No longer were the Titans the vagabonds of the NFL, moving from Houston to Memphis to the campus of Vanderbilt University during the course of three consecutive 8-8 seasons. Rid of the distractions of sharing gameday lockers and facil
The Man Of Steel
Back then, Gary Darnell couldn\'t help but feel like Superman. Darnell, then Kansas State\' defensive coordinator, had just helped fly K-State to a new plateau in football success. Darnell\'s the current coach of the Western Michigan University Broncos, who in just three seasons at WMU has put together three-straight winning seasons, compiled a 22-12 record and guided the Broncos to a Western Division title in the Mid-American Conference and the MAC championship game. He\'s seen atten
Red Hot
Every year around the time families begin to think of gathering for Thanksgiving, some unfortunate athletic directors begin to ponder a much less joyous occasion ... hiring a new football coach. Needless to say this is very seldom a time for celebration. It does not happen often where the replacement of a coach is a pleasant and easy transition. As opposed to an anointment, it more often resembles a coup d\'etat. The AD will be beset by hundreds of calls, some wanted and most unwanted, f
Sudden Impact
All coaches preach turnovers as a deciding factor in victory. What impact does the interception return really have on the outcome of a game? From 1946-99, there have been 25,001 interceptions in AFL/NFL history, with 16,409 (65.63 percent of those) accounting for victories. The percentage of victory by interceptions during this 54-year span has never been lower than 57.67 percent (1962 season), and never higher than 69.92 percent (1977). Thus, year after year, there is little fluctuati
Brain Damage
A minor knock on the head can have big consequences In the past decade, researchers HAVE concluded head injuries, which seem relatively minor and insignificant, could cause permanent brain damage. Due to the potentially serious consequences, even minor head injuries should be a concern to coaches, trainers, and players.The reasons are obvious: Football players are prone to head injuries. Surveys have shown that roughly 10 percent of all college football players will sustain
News & Notes
Utah rewards McBride with an extension 60-year old Ron McBride has agreed to a contract that will keep at the the University of Utah team for four years and presumably allow him to finish his career with the Utes. Under the terms of the deal, McBride will earn a total of $310,000 a year, including incentives based on the team\'s performance in the classroom and on the field. Offering a bit of levity to the announcing of the extension, McBride said, \"Little does the univers
Schutt Sports High School Coaches of the Year
SOUTHJohn Parchman,Hoboken HS, Hoboken, NJRobert E. Lee HS, Midland, Texas 1999: 15-0, Class 5A, Div. I state champsRecord at school: 57-8-1, 5 yearsWhen you win a football state title in Texas, you\'ve done something. When you do it two years in a row, that\'s really special. And special is a very accurate way to describe coach John Parchman\'s Midland Lee Rebels. In the last two seasons, Lee High School has claimed back-to-back Class 5A Texas Bowl
Nothing teaches like an example...
You could call it Jeff Tedford\'s School for Quarterbacks. Graduates include NFL first-round draft choices Trent Dilfer, now with the Baltimore Ravens, and Akili Smith of the Cincinnati Bengals. The professor\'s preferred prerequisites for admission are toughness, intelligence, competitiveness, athletic ability and arm strength. In that order. Required supplies are pencils, paper, a VCR and a football. Oh, yes, and a set of checkers. Class is in session virtually all year at the Unive
Speed Training for Combines
Whether a player attends the NFL combine in Indianapolis, or one of the ten NFL-sanctioned Scout Camp regional football combines, he will be tested in a variety of areas. But when the combine is over and all the data has been collected, there is typically only one question that gets asked about a player: How fast is he? Because this is the reality of the situation, all combine participants should be well-prepared to face the \"holy trinity\" of combine tests: the 40- yard dash, the short shu
Joe Cool
For the record, the song was called, \"In Heaven, There is No Beer.\" And the first time he heard it being belted out by a senior citizens band from the local Kiwanis club on that late summer day in 1989, Joe Glenn began to realize just how much work he had ahead of him. It was his first game as head football coach at the University ofNorthern Colorado, and although the afternoon would end in a narrow victory over Idaho State, it was a truly humbling experience. It had been seven years
High School Notes
Columbine football team brings home state title Seven months after the school lived through the worst high school massacre in U.S. history, Columbine (Colo.) High School had something to cheer about again. The Rebels capped an improbable state-title run with a 21-14 victory over traditional power Cherry Creek for the 5A state championship. Chants of \"We are Columbine\" echoed during the game from an estimated 8,000 Columbine students and fans filling the stands. The chant
Q And A: Larry Kehres
Q.You graduated from Mount Union with a major in business administration. If you hadn\'t gotten into coaching, what do you think you\'d be doing now?A.I suppose I\'d be doing something in the business world. But to tell the truth, right now I can\'t picture myself doing anything but coaching.Q: a head coach for 14 years, are you still learning?A:Yes, of course. That\'s part of the changes a coach needs to make. Anticipating problems is how I\'d put it. When s
Words of Wisdom - Eddie Robinson
In the world of sports, there are certain numbers that stand alone, needing no words to aid in the description of their meaning. In baseball, that number might be 56, signifying the amazing hitting streak compiled by Joe DiMaggio. In basketball, that mystical number might be 100 - the number of points scored by Wilt Chamberlain one night in Hershey, Pa. And in football, a pretty good number to remember would be 408. That\'s the number of wins the immortal Eddie Robinson accumulated ove
Husker Power
Looking back, it\'s hard to believe it. But just 30 years ago, coaches at the University of Nebraska were actually discouraging athletes from lifting weights for fear it would make them muscle bound and slower. My, have times changed in Lincoln. I first came to Nebraska in 1968, competing as a pole valuter on the track and field team. A back injury halted my valuting career in the spring of my junior year. To rehab my back, I went to the weight room every day where a few injured Husker foo
The Winning Business
The work ethic that has steered Larry Kehres to some amazing heights in college football coaching began to take shape a long time ago. The man who has earned four AFMA Coach of the Year awards at Mount Union College in Ohio, Kehres as a youth performed tasks before and after school and had his first job when he was just 10 years old. \"We didn\'t feed chickens every day or anything like that,\'\' says Kehres, who grew up in rural Palmyra township near Alliance. \"But when I was t
February 2000 Would you like to read a past article from American Football Monthly Magazine? Or are you looking for an article on a specific subject not in this month's issue? Try back issues. Staff Meeting
Equipment Room
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Class of 2000
BACK TO THE FUTURE For many newly-hired college head coaches, it\'s a new job in an old place Chuck Amato waited more than 20 years to return home to North Carolina State. And, so far this season, it appears the wait was worth it for both Amato and Wolfpack fans. Amato, who toiled as an assistant coach under Florida State\'s venerable Bobby Bowden for 18 years, isn\'t the only member of the Division I head coaching class of 2000 that is returning to his roots.Like Amato,
High School Notes
Mid-Season Top Performances Quarterback David Koral of Palisades (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) set a new national single-game record by passing for 764 yards during a 48-30 win over Grant (Van Nuys) on Sept. 22. The old record of 672 yards was set by Rhett Lashlee of Shiloh Christian (Springdale, Ark.), according to the Student Sports national record book. Tyler Ebell of Ventura (Calif,) rushed for over 300 yards in five straight games - including one 400-yard perform
News & Notes
St. Cloud coach reprimanded for prank St. Cloud State officials didn\'t think it was funny when head coach Randy Hedberg asked a player to pick up a non-existent Australian player from the airport. School officials reprimanded Hedberg and ordered him to seek counseling to improve his interpersonal skills in the wake of the prank. Hedberg asked running back Scott Schmitz to pick up an Australian football player from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when h
Why They Return
George Seifert had what seemed like the perfect life. He did what he wanted when he wanted to do it, a leisurely existence that he earned as a retired football coach with the highest winning percentage in NFL history. Following the 1996 season, he left his beloved San Francisco 49ers — the team that once played home games at Kezar Stadium where he served as an usher in high school — after 17 years and embarked on a lifestyle that qualified him for a Robin Leach prof
Follow the Leaders
Contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. Leaders are made; and they are made by effort and hard work." —Vince Lombardi Providing leadership is one of a football coaching staff's fundamental responsibilities. Coaches are expected to dictate the direction, set the standard and mold the attitude and character of their team. One of the outcomes of effective leadership is the development and empowerment of other leaders. Are you devel
Letter to the Editor
These are the best of times; these are the worst of times. Paraphrasing from Charles Dickens may seem trite, but it sums up the current situation of one of the best offensive coaches I know, and how the winds of fortune affecting the coaching profession can blow a coach off-course. Peter Vaas is currently an offensive assistant with the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe. How he arrived is an interesting story. Vass finds himself at a career crossroads. He makes "good" money worki
High School Notes
Three of preseason top five teams loseThe 1999 season has taken its toll on some early national contenders in the ranks of high school football. Preseason top 5 picks—as rated in AFM's High School Power Rankings—No. 3 McKinley (Canton, Ohio), No. 4 Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) and No. 5 Jenks (Okla.) have all dropped games during the first half of the season. Behind the record-setting passing of super QB prospect Brock Berlin, No. 1 Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport,
Darrell Royal
A legendary homespun wit and an innovative mind have made former Texas boss Darrell Royal a coaching icon. UT football teams amassed 167 victories (including 30 straight), won three national championships and played in 16 bowl games during the 20 years Royal patrolled the sidelines in Austin. The Longhorns flat-out dominated the Southwest Conference during the Royal era, with 11 league titles (including a record six straight) and 77 players named all-SWC from 1957-76. Royal's overall 23-year
News
Prognosis for Beth Holtz termed 'excellent'The wife of South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz had successful surgery in October to remove her adrenal gland and a cyst on her ovary. The procedure on Beth Holtz was performed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. In a statement after the surgery, Holtz said that the operation went extremely well and his wife's prognosis is excellent. He said she will recover at the family's home in Orlando, Fla. Holtz left his team fo
Frank Lenti Q & A
Q.Is "pride" a word you would use to describe how you feel when you see a former player like Donovan McNabb or Simeon Rice selected in the first round of the NFL draft?A.I guess pride is an acceptable term. More than pride, I'm probably just happy for them. There's a saying, "When the sun shines on one, it shines on all of us,"...at Mount Carmel, we helped develop their value system, their work ethic and we helped develop their athleticism. We spent a great deal of time not just
Innovations
When Ron Dayne broke the Division I-A record for career rushing yards, we couldn't help but measure him against history. If we have any affinity for college football, we can't help ourselves. We plead for perspective. We beg for a sense of where the current era fits in the historical landscape of college football. Is Dayne better than Ricky Williams? Herschel Walker? Tony Dorsett? Archie Griffin? O.J. Simpson? Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch? Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis? Jim Thorpe?
Walking the Sidelines
Every week during college football season, fans routinely cast their eyes on somebody's Top 25 poll - Associated Press, ESPN/USA Todayand several lesser-known ranking systems now incorporated into the Bowl Championship Series formula - to see where their respective schools might stack up with the rest of the nation. These polls are anything but perfect. They spur controversy, often drawing the ire of people in places like Blacksburg, Lincoln, Knoxville, Manhattan and State College
High School Notes
Top 5 RankingsEvangel Christian (Shreveport, La.) continues to march toward a fourth straight state title - and possibly a national title - behind the record-setting arm of quarterback Brock Berlin. Berlin, an early verbal commitment to Coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators, had passed for nearly 14,000 yards and 150 touchdowns for his career through Evangel's 34-14 playoff win over John Ehret (New Orleans) Nov. 26. With up to two games remaining, the total left Berlin only about 5
Beating the Clock
Walk down the halls of the Minnesota Vikings' picturesque Eden Prairie compound, and you'll come to the end of a hallway where there's a familiar name on the door: Bud Grant. Whether you will find him there or not is anybody's guess. His role as consultant to the franchise doesn't demand the 100-hour work weeks "required" in coaching. But then, Grant was never the type who believed you needed to put in a 100-hour week just to win a ballgame. To find Grant, you'd better get dressed up and h
Q&A With Bud Grant
Q: What is your philosophy on staff management?A: Philosophy is something you are asked about a lot, but I am not so sure everybody has a philosophy or that I have a philosophy. Your coaching staff is vitally important; there is no successful team that doesn't have a good staff. As much as coaching might be overrated, your assistant coaches certainly can't be or shouldn't be. They are really the backbone of the team, because they do most of the work. I think it is important for
New Equipment
Aqua-BreezeFrom J.E. Adams Industries800-553-8861Looking to keep your team cool this season? J.E. Adams Industries of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, introduces the Aqua Breeze Mobile Cooling System. This unique and totally-integrated mobile cooling system utilizes flash evaporation cooling. Flash cooling uses the ultra-fine atomization of water droplets by forcing water through high-impact nozzles to lower the ambient temperature of an area. The unique flash evaporation u
The Bulldogs Bark
Ten years ago, Corky Rogers found himself at a crossroad for the first time in his illustrious coaching career. He faced a decision that would ultimately have implications on two of Jacksonville's most storied high school football programs. And there was no way he could please everybody. Rogers, then 45, was wrestling whether to leave his alma mater, Lee High School, after 17 successful seasons and take a job at The Bolles School. What made the decision so difficult was Rogers spen
Letters to AFM
Dear AFM: Thank you for your selection of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch to your 1998 NCAA Division I-A All- American team. Tim had a great season leading the Wildcats to their first New Year's Day Bowl appearance in 47 years. Thanks, too, for listing Tim's high school coach, Joe Beder, and his UK position coach, Chris Hatcher, along with head coach Hal Mumme. Your magazine is for "all football coaches", and AFQ (AFM) does a great job of recognizing the contributions of all coaches inv
News & Notes
Jayhawks and Irish set to open the 1999 season in the Robinson Classic Notre Dame will open the 1999 season by playing host to Kansas in the second Eddie Robinson Classic on Aug. 28. It will be the first time the Irish and Jayhawks have met since 1938, and the Aug. 28 season opener is the earliest in Notre Dame history. The classic benefits the Eddie Robinson Foundation and honors the former Grambling coach who retired after 55 years following the 1997 season. He was inducted into
Family First
For Houston Nutt, his coaching philosophy is crystal clear. It's all about family. Sounds simple enough, but when he arrived at the University of Arkansas, the plan didn't look so easy. He was dealing with 15 seniors who had one season left in a football program that certainly had seen better days in the Southeastern Conference. The players went to him and said, "Coach, we want to win, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to do it." Nutt could have slid into a pessimistic fra
NFL Coach of the Year: Picking Up the Trash and Raking the Leaves
It was gut check time for the Atlanta Falcons. At halftime of an NFC playoff game against San Francisco 49ers, the Falcons sat in their locker room of the Georgia Dome, reeling from a series that of odd calamities that turned a potential 21-0 halftime lead into a tenuous 14-10 edge. "The mood wasn't good. It was like, 'oh man, what's happening?'" recalled Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis. "Then Dan came into the room." Just one month after undergoing quadruple-bypass heart surge
Q&A with Dan Reeves
Q: Would you say that your experiences as a successful player in college (South Carolina) and the NFL (Dallas) have helped you as a coach?A: I think it has helped me a great deal. I first got involved in coaching as a player-coach for the Cowboys. Coaching was not something I had thought about. I was not one of those people that always knew I wanted to become a coach after my playing days were over. It wasn't until I hurt my knee and Coach Landry asked me if I would be intere
Letter to the Editor
Four years ago, in a one room office, in the middle of Kansas, our magazine American Football Quarterly was born. As with most ideas, initially it was a "labor of love" for the few involved in the project. But the love affair that was shared by just a few grew to an overwhelming outpouring of devotion throughout the country. As soon as coaches heard about what quickly became known as AFQ, they had to have it. Thousands sent in their subscription cards and thousands more called the
Letters to AFC
Dear AFM: I am currently the offensive coordinator at the University of Loughborough in the UK, where we have won the Northern Conference championship for the past two seasons. Football is very popular over here and I want to do all that I can increase the quality of the game. The reason for my letter is to solicit your help in finding a program (high school or college) in the US that would have a position where I could serve as a graduate assistant or volunteer coach. I realize
News and Notes
Judge sends message to the NCAA: "No more SAT!" 302 NCAA Division I programs were cast adrift in a boat without a rudder or sail by a decision that sent shock waves throughout all of college football. U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Buckwalter ruled that the NCAA and its institutions may not use a minimum test score as a basis for eligibility. However, on March 31, an appeals court issued a temporary stay order to halt the imposition of the judge's ruling which would have completely disa
The AFM System for ranking active college coaches in Division I-A
This system has been designed to provide a quantitative method to examine the careers of current coaches. While it is impossible to factor in every variable, such as strength of opponents, conferences, budgets, etc., this is a way to look at all current coaches under the same microscope. The AFM Index analyzes coaches' careers in the same manner batting averages in baseball are determined (i.e. merely a reflection of the total number of hits versus at bats, the quality of pitchers faced,
Fulmer's Way
In Knoxville, Phillip Fulmer Way intersects with Peyton Manning Pass right in front of the main entrance to Neyland Stadium. But, no one really needs directions to the famed shrine of college football that has seen Phil Fulmer emerge as one of the nation's top collegiate coaches. Tennessee appreciates their favorite son. His face graces the covers of books and magazines and now the street that leads loyal Volunteer fans to the football stadium has been renamed in his honor. The 19
The Communicator
He is everywhere in Baltimore. The slender face with the receding hairline and jutting jaw is on several Baltimore-area billboards or in team advertisements in national sports magazines. He has been active in the community, not selling just the Ravens, but himself. One day could include several motivational speeches that might have stops at the Baltimore Teachers Association or a high school football clinic with 200 coaches. Brian Billick has enamored fans in Baltimore. He quote
Bo
Glenn E. "Bo" Schembechler retired after the 1989 season as the winningest coach in the illustrious history of Michigan football (194-48-5). Schooled as an assistant under the legendary Woody Hayes, Bo's name became synonymous with toughness, winning, Wolverine football, and dominance in the 1970's as his teams won more regular season games than any other school (96-10-3). During his 21-year tenure at the Big House, Michigan won or tied for 13 Big 10 championships, and he guided 17 teams to bow
Brian Billick Q & A
Q.In your decision to take the job, how important was the philosophical commitment from the top management at Baltimore for the development of a winning franchise in your overall analysis of the situation?A. Without the proper commitment and support from the overall organization, winning on the field is virtually impossible. This means having the same passion and commitment for the game as the players and coaches. I have experienced many times, particularly at the college level,
News & Notes
It was the surprise of the off-season. Washington AD Barbara Hedges lured then-Colorado head coach Rick Neuheisel to the University of Washington for big money. In August the two made it an official marriage as coach Neuheisel signed a contract for nearly $1 million a year. Neuheisel was named head coach Jan. 9. He was hired away from Colorado after former Husky coach Jim Lambright was fired following Washington's 6-6 season. The new Husky head man's total compensation is $997,000 a year
October 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher Words of Wisdom from legendary Bo Schembechler News and Notes Neuheisel finally gets his deal d
Offensive Minded
When University of Kentucky athletic director C.M. Newton was searching for a football coach after the 1996 season and called Florida's Steve Spurrier for suggestions, the Gator boss didn't throw out any names. Just a formula. "I told him to go after an offensive-minded guy because that's how you move the ball up and down the field, win games, win championships and put fans in the seats," said Spurrier. In other words, somebody like, well, himself. Newton took Spurrie
Win-Win Situation
If it had been a marriage last January - so sudden, so shockingly surprising - the town gossips would have had a field day. Dashing Dennis Erickson, the coach who won two national football championships at Miami, and Oregon State, the ungainly spinster of college football? No way. It can't last, the gossips would have said. Oregon State just got him on the rebound from that nasty mess in Seattle. Gosh, he can't be the desperate, can he? After all the bright lights, and the fame
Letters to AFM
We want your input! Letters to AFM should include the name, address and telephone number of the writer. Mail to: AFM, P.O. Box 13079, North Palm Beach, FL, 33408. Or, you can e-mail your letter to us at letters@americanfootballmonthly.com or reach us via fax at (561) 627-5275. Visit AFM online at www.americanfootballmonthly.com. Dear AFM: I am writing to you because I would like to plug our football program
Bobby and the Boys
Unlike many colleagues in their nomadic profession, they remain anchored to a cozy town in northwest Florida. They have kept the moving vans at bay, instead preferring to work for the same boss while turning down more lucrative job opportunities elsewhere. Coaches at other Division I-A schools would likely jump at thechances that have presented themselves to Florida State's staff over the years. Jim Gladden, the 58-year-old defensive ends coach, reinforced his status as a Seminole
News & Notes
Ravens loaned $65 million from NFL lender The NFL has arranged a $65 million, short-term loan for the Baltimore Ravens, backed by the eventual sale of part of the franchise to a new investor, according to The Baltimore Sun. Team owners voted overwhelmingly to approve the bailout for Ravens controlling partner Art Modell, one of the league's longest-standing owners. His financial problems have prompted several NFL actions in recent years, including the 1996 vote to all
It's Not About the Plays . . . It's About the Players.
Twice a year, after the college football season and again after spring drills, University of Oregon coach Mike Bellotti arms himself with a yellow legal pad, and a supply of pens, and spends most of several consecutive days in his office. He isn't, on those occasions, scribbling Xs and Os. He isn't tinkering with the sophisticated offense that has placed Oregon in the top 20 in the nation in passing in five of the last six seasons. He isn't refining the strategies that
Main Attraction
It's not like Mack Brown didn't have enough to worry about in his first year at the helm of the University of Texas football program. There was picking up the pieces from a dreadful 4-7 season and the enormous expectations of the "Hook 'em, 'Horns" faithful. Not to mention the separate controversies that precipitated his arrival in the Lone Star State. One being the firing of his predecessor, John Mackovic, and the other the bitter feelings that lingered in North Carolina when B
Bellotti Q&A
Q: What is your approach to disciplining players? You have a three-strikes policy. Please explain.A: We ask for commitment from our players. Generally, we ask them to be accountable and responsible. They know right from wrong. We tell them to 'do right.' It's pretty simplistic in its approach. We have a commitment time (requiring an early morning wake-up) and if they screw up initially, they're remanded to that. If there's something more serious, where there's an outright br
News & Notes
Notre Dame may have more problems with the NCAANotre Dame has hired a law firm which specializes in assisting colleges under investigation by the NCAA to help the school in the continuing saga of a booster who gave improper gifts to Irish football players. It appears the program may be in more trouble with the NCAA than originally thought concerning the case of imprisoned booster Kim Dunbar. "Notre Dame wanted us to accept this case as a secondary infraction investig
Hot Coaches
His phone is ringing off the hook. A university president or an athletic director is calling, wondering if he's interested in making a big career move. The media is calling, asking if he's had any official contact or offers. Potential assistant coaches are calling, looking for a job. He's the coach at the top of the "hot" list. He's the one on everybody's list and lips. He's the media magnet, the answer to somebody's prayers, the savior in waiting, the guy who can come to your school a
Star's Trek...
Just as James T. Kirk passed the baton to Jean-Luc Picard, Bob Stoops, Brian Billick and Chris Palmer have now ascended to the heights of the coaching world and the time has come for the next wave of "hot" superstars on the rise. The following is our look at the 25 coaches who are sure to be on the list of every athletic director or general manager looking for a savior for his or her program. These men will inspire confidence in the faithful and rally the troops because they are the next
Issues | August 1999 All In the FamilyGene FrenetteFlorida Times-UnionOn December 1, 1998, Bob Stoops broke from family tradition and finally reached an inevitable position that many viewed as practically his birthright: he became a head football coach. Not at your run-of-the-mill program, but at Oklahoma, a school where fans have grown accustomed to their coaches becomin
News & Notes
Colorado vs. Colorado State will continue to play in DenverThe rivalry between Colorado and Colorado State will be played at Denver's Mile High Stadium for two more years. The two in-state rivals, who played their first 69 meetings in either Boulder or Fort Collins, met last season at Mile High Stadium for the first time. School officials signed a contract to continue the Invesco Rocky Mountain Showdown in the final two years of Mile High Stadium's existence. Mile High will be replace
August 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher Reader Feedback News and Notes Colorado
Q&A with Bill Snyder
The problem with miracles is you never know where to look for one. Here's a clue. Take I-70 west, approximately two and one-half hours from Kansas City, turn right on exit 313 and head eight miles north to find home to one of the real miracles in the history of college football . . . Manhattan, Kansas. The stories of the turnaround have been told over and over again, but to put it plain and simple, Bill Snyder -- the quiet, professorial, unassuming and non-self-promoting head coa
Volume 5, 1st Quarter www.americanfootballmonthly.com Last May, American Football Monthly debuted its website at www. americanfootballmonthly.com. Since that time, AFM's online presence has grown to over one hundred new visitors a day with many of its online population coming back again and again. The main purpose of www.americanfootballmonthly.com is to be an online resource for you, the football professional. We are continually adding
Letters to AFM
Last issue, we asked for your letters stating your feelings about why football is the game America loves. We'll continue featuring selected letters here, as we did the following two. Keep them coming, we want to hear from you!Dear AFM: I just read AFQ publisher Barry Terranova's letter in the newest issue and I thought I would give you a response to add to your survey. Before I do that however, let me first tell you how aprreciative I am of your magazine. I consider AFQ the "Bible" for
Jeff Bower: My Coach of the Year, this, next, and every year
Jeff Bower is the successful (43-35-1) coach of the University of Southen Mississippi Golden Eagles; the school where he was a record-setting quarterback from 1973 to 1975. As a coach, he has known a great deal of success (coaching Brett Favre, leading his team to two consecutive Conference USA titles and two bowl trips) and, also, has suffered his fair share of setbacks. Both success and discouragement have forged the foundation of the man that has been high on the list of potential
High-Flying Hornets
Emporia State University, an NCAA Division II school in the prestigious MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) Conference, featured the most balanced, yet explosive offensive attack in all of college football. Utilizing an attack with four receivers, no tight ends or fullback, the Hornets established 42 ESU, 30 MIAA, and nine NCAA records. No tight end and no fullback. Wait a minute, is this the run-and-shoot? Hardly. To say that the Hornets have achieved these acco
Letters to the Publisher
Dear Publisher: First, let me congratulate you and AFM on your article outlining minority coaching issues (The Dilemma of Black Coaches, Vol. 3, 3rd Quarter). The article's fair and objective presentation of the issues dealing with minority hiring presented the problems well. Yet, as we now sit in the midst of another hiring season, there is an even greater reason for concern. On the heels of a dismal hiring record in '97, we must ask: Are we off to greater disappoitment in 1998? T
When Tragedy Strikes
When the home telephone of a college football coach rings late at night, it's often the kind of news he'd rather not hear. Usually, it means a player has been arrested, violated a rule or done something to anger someone. Such thoughts ran through the head of Mississippi State Coach Jackie Sherrill when he picked up the telephone at his home on the evening of August 5. The news was, indeed, bad. But this time, it was so bad it made an arrest or a rule violation seem small and insignific
Closed Head Injuries in Football
When his eight concussions in nine NFL seasons forced New York Jets wide receiver Al Toon to retire on November 27, 1992, the event was overshadowed by another, arguably more serious injury. Two days later, in a contest between the Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, teammate and defensive end Dennis Byrd suffered a fractured vertebra when he collided violently with teammate Scott Mersereau, leaving Byrd partially paralyzed and requiring surgery to stabilize his spine. The lack of natio
1997 AFM Coordinators of the Year
OffenseAL BORGESUCLAChico State '81What a difference a year makes when shaping the identity of a program. Take, for example, the Bruins of UCLA and offensive coordinator Al Borges, who recently participated in year two of Bob Toledo's tenure. From the moans and groans of an inaugural 5-6 campaign came the hope for progress in 1997. A young, learning quarterback. Five starters on the offensive line. Experience on both sides of the ball. "We wanted to
Q&A With Tony Dungy
Q: It seems to me you believe coaches and players have a responsibility to the kids that look up to them. How do you feel about the role of an athlete in the community?A: Whether you want to be or not, you have to face the facts that you are a role model and that's part of the job. I don't necessarily like all the things that go along with it, like dealing with the media and doing interviews. I'd much rather just sit here--all I want to do is coach the team and that's it. But it is part
Ole Miss' Tommy Tuberville Rebel With A Cause
Legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant used to say that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. With his quick climb up the college coaching ladder, Tommy Tuberville might seem like a lucky guy, but he's really just living proof of Bryant's coaching axiom. From his days as a high school in Arkansas to his current job as the head football coach at Ole Miss, Tuberville has met every opportunity with commitment, enthusiasm, planning and a broad vision for both the big picture and
Wisdom in a Multitude of Counselors
The NFL Draft covered so colorfully this April by an array of ESPN expert commentators has once again captivated the American football psyche with an over-analysis of this "game within the game." The annual reloading of America's major college and professional football teams through the recruiting and drafting process challenges to exceed the game itself in importance. Any wise coach knows having the right names on the backs of the jerseys can overcome any number of coaching shortfa
Letter From the Publisher
Bud Grant, the Hall of Fame coach of the Minnesota Vikings (18 years, 158-96-5, 12 playoff teams and four Super Bowl appearances, all after a successful Hall of Fame career as a CFL coach with Winnipeg: 10 years, 102-56-2, and four Grey Cup championships), was an innovator in the "self-scouting" concept. He was a great believer in "coaching people" and getting to know what made them tick. Grant was known for creating rules during training camp simply to test his players. He wanted to know fo
The Eyes of Texas are Upon Brown
The youthful looking forty-something coach had told everyone who would listen he wasn't going anywhere. His team, the media, the fans. North Carolina had become home, and he was just dandy there, thank you. Kids in school. Roots. A wife with a lucrative land development business. Perhaps more compelling, Mack Brown had a top ten program two-years running, a program he had nutured from the brink of abandonment 10 years before. Those close to Brown, personally and professionally
Letters to the Publisher
Dear AFM: Thank you for your great magazine. My interest is in locating previously published coaching information (books, magazines, film, videos, etc.) that can be used to coach youth football. Mixing the schemes and techniques taught of years ago while still coaching the recent changes in the rules to allow more use of hands and never dropping the head, for example, make for a good combination in coaching youth coaches. Information about how to use the defenses and offenses of
This page brings together American Football Monthly's expert articles focused specifically on Football Coaching Career Management. Here, you'll find a curated collection of resources designed to help you tackle the off-field challenges and opportunities inherent in a coaching career.
Explore valuable insights and practical advice covering key areas such as:
- Job Searching & Interview Strategies: Tips for finding openings, crafting resumes, and nailing coaching interviews.
- Networking & Relationship Building: Techniques for connecting with mentors, peers, and decision-makers.
- Contract Negotiation: Understanding key terms and strategies for securing favorable agreements.
- Career Progression & Advancement: Guidance on moving up the coaching ladder, from assistant roles to head coaching positions.
- Professional Development: Strategies for continuous learning and skill enhancement.
- Work-Life Balance: Managing the demanding schedule and pressures of the coaching profession.
- Leadership & Personal Branding: Building your reputation and leading effectively off the field.
Browse the comprehensive list of career management articles below, drawn from the trusted archives of American Football Monthly. Find the strategies and perspectives you need to build, manage, and advance your football coaching career.
Career Management Search Results
"Scots Find A Way" The Core Values Behind a Coaching LegendRandy Allen is one of the greatest football coaches in high school football history.Leading Highland Park High School, in Texas, Coach Allen has amassed 460 victories in his 44-year career.
Your Take: I Hate Banquets (Part I)
I hate banquets. I hate awards. I hate all-conference voting. I hate newspaper articles. I hate stats.Maybe it’s just this time of year as sports are winding down and people are starting to get recognized (or not recognized) for their on-field achievements. Or, maybe I have just reached my yearly tipping point, where I get so fed up with the modern culture surrounding high school athletics that I truly comprehend doing something else for a living.I think I am like most
Leadership Strategies: How to Develop a Steady Stream of ‘Championship Level QBs in Your Program, Part I
There is not much argument in any level of football that to win consistently and compete for championships you need strong quarterback play. So what defines ‘strong quarterback play’ and how do you develop that consistently within an organization? This series of articles will lay out a clear path that can easily be followed in any program given the proper attention. Let’s first discuss what goes into the makings of a great quarterback. From there, you’ll be in a better posi
Effective Strategies for Dealing with Man - Coverage Beaters: Stacks, Bunches and Mesh
ULM’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme is known for its aggressive style of play predicated on five and six-man pressure. To effectively utilize this type of defense, the pass coverage system must be proficient in man-to-man coverage. The ability to play cover 1 and cover 0 allows the defensive line and linebackers a great deal of freedom to find numerous ways to pressure the quarterback and stop the run by outnumbering the offense at or near the line of scrimmage. Of course, no defensive scheme is w
Post- Season Priorities - Wrapping up one season and transitioning to the next are critical times for successful programs
When your season ends, do you kick back, relax and get away from the game for a couple months? Of course not. Whether it’s formulating and implementing an off-season strength and conditioning program, ushering in a new group of players and preparing them for the following season or putting together motivational exercises, every successful coach knows that winter presents an opportunity for physical and mental team building.To find out how the best coaches approach the post season
Every Program Needs a Speed System Like the One at Southeastern Louisiana
For the past 20 years it has become understood that football speed training is beneficial. However, what’s often missing in speed programs is the lack of a technically sound system. According to the definition of the word ‘system’ it’s “a group of related parts that move or work together.” This is the very essence of what makes a speed program viable. Many organizations throughout the country address the issue of speed training but may not be aware they could be missing the most i
A Quick, Simple, High Rep Progression for Defeating Blocks
Repetitions with four different ways to defeat blocks – the rip, punch, slip and cut techniques – will help improve your overall defense.One of the many great things about being at Butler University is being centrally located and having so many terrific football programs very close to use as professional development resources. Let’s be clear, no one is inventing a new defense. However, there are many different schemes, philosophies, fits, terminology, etc. This is where I think a
Why Coach? Being Compassionate, Optimistic, Attentive, Confident and Humanistic are Some of the Qualities a Coach Should Possess
When I was invited to submit an article to AFM, I figured I would simply put some drills together, share some concepts, propose a few diagrams and maybe even talk about the transition of players from high school football to college competition. After all, that’s what we, as coaches, would need for personal or professional development, right? I shared my ideas with colleagues in the office and even surveyed some young coaches who were helping with our sum
Ways to Turn a Season Around – Four Coaches Have Proven Ways to Help Turn a Season Around After a Struggling Start
Dan Rohn Grand Rapids West Catholic High School (MI) In 2013, Coach Dan Rohn’s Grand Rapids West Catholic team started the season 1-4 – and went on to win the Michigan state championship. In 2012, West Catholic started 1-3 – and reached the state championship game. In Rohn’s first eight seasons, West Catholic won its season opener only three times. It’s all part of the plan. “We gear everything toward being the best football team in
Leadership Strategies: Prima Donna Athletes – Transformational Leadership vs. Servant Leadership
Narcissus, a beautiful youth, glanced into a pool of water. Rejecting the nymph Echo, he fell in love with his own reflection. – Greek mythologyTying Greek mythology to football isn’t really a stretch, given the fact high school coaches are continually faced with one or more players who believe the team is there to serve them and not vice versa. Many coaches label these players as ‘cancers’. Unless, of course, they are clocked in the 40-yard dash under 4.5 or are of behemoth si
Drills Report: Route Running – Improving Your Technique and Speed
There are a number of priorities a receiver should focus on when running proper routes. They include:• Being precise.• Reaching for the toes.• Have the head and eyes up.• Stem – win the leverage battle.• Speed in, burst out of the cut.• Hit your depth.• Arm action.• Footwork – pressure step/foot fire. Included are three different drills – the Clock Drill, Diamond
A Special Coach of the Year
There are a number of coaching awards each year but one that stands out is the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award. The award is intended to “honor exemplary high school football coaches who display the integrity, achievement and leadership demonstrated by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula.”Two years ago, Steve Specht, the head coach at St. Xavier in Cincinnati, won the award and last year the winner was Mike Grant from Eden Prairie High School in Min
Having a Dominant Defense at the Point of Attack – URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.
URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.Coaching a defensive line to be dominant is based on consistency in coaching. The players standard of performance begins and ends with their coach. We believe if players don’t understand their assignments, we need to change the way they are taught. Consequently, if drills aren’t showing up on tape, the drill needs to be adjusted. There is no such thing as “dumb players”, ju
Texas Legend Phil Danaher
Phil Danaher has been the head coach at Calallen High School (Corpus Christi, Texas) since 1984. He is one of two coaches in the history of Texas high school football that has amassed over 400 wins. Danaher has a chance in 2016 to surpass the all-time leader – G. A. Moore – who won 426 games over a 44-year career. Danaher’s career record is 407-103-4.Danaher’s teams have made the playoffs every year since he arrived at Calallen. Before he took over the program, Calallen had
An In-Season Strength and Conditioning Strategy
After completing a successful summer off-season program, I began to look at our in-season training and evaluating what we wanted to accomplish. The typical goals for an in-season program are to keep the players healthy and maintain what we achieved during the summer training. Not only did I want to accomplish this, but I also wanted our players to feel energetic, explosive, and powerful come Saturday. Since the beginning of my career in strength and conditioning, it has been common for footba
We Are The Champions
Earning the state champion title means different things to different coaches.After the Gatorade is dumped, after the trophies are raised, after the last party is over, the coaches of the 300-plus high school state champions have time to reflect on their seasons and what winning the state title meant to them, their players, their schools and their communities.To some, becoming a state champion is the culmination of their coaching career. For others, it’s the continuation of
Letter from AFM – The Best of the Best
A state championship is the culmination of a year-round program that includes an extensive off-season strength and conditioning program as well as a detailed summer training program. We asked the state champion head coaches questions about their 2014 campaign. What were their priorities going into the season? What made last fall memorable? What were the keys to the championship season? Did adversity play a part of the season? And, has your coaching philosophy changed – if at all – over th
Interview with Dr. Jared Wood and Jeff Heath, Dallas Cowboys Safety and Special Teams Starter
This past off-season I had the opportunity to interview Jeff Heath, a safety and special teams starter for the Dallas Cowboys. I love getting to interview guys like Jeff because they weren't superstars coming out of high school or college, and yet they are
Why We Do What We Do - A Look Inside Clemson's Strength and Conditioning Program.
The foundation of any successful collegiate football program is an understanding and commitment by all who work with the student-athletes to shape them into the vision the head coach has for the team. Head Coach Dabo Swinney has a vision of greatness for our program, which in the past four years, has driven us to two ACC Atlantic Division Championships, one conference championship, a 4-year span of 10+-win seasons, three straight bowl wins over ranked opponents, three straight Top 15 finishes
Improve Your Pass Defense by Stealing the QB's Time - Defensive backs can adjust their coverage with pre-snap quarterback reads.
The no-huddle spread offense as it is played today has certainly revolutionized the game. Creating mismatches, getting the ball into the hands of your playmakers, spreading the field and forcing the defense to play in space are three of the primary goals associated with this offensive scheme. Proper execution coupled with accurate quarterback reads is one way for a spread offense to gain a schematic twelfth man advantage in the passing game. Taking the snap from the shotgun position has been
Letter from AFM - Hat's Off to You, Coach
The next time you go into our online archive of back issues at AmericanFootballMonthly.com, scroll all the way down to June 2004 and open up our cover story on John McKissick. At the time we published this profile, McKissick was the all-time winningest coach at any level of football with 510 victories in 52 years as head coach at Summerville High School in South Carolina. In the feature, he shared some of his secrets of success and longevity with our readers. He summed up his belie
Maximizing Your Defensive Circuit Drills – Turnover, tackling, and block destruction drills can improve your defensive play.
Every year we try to create themes for our team that we can use throughout the year to refocus our players no matter how our team is performing. We are also always looking for ways to maximize reps and be more efficient in practice time. One of the ways we do this is our SU Defensive Circuit (See Diagram).
Winning the Key Ground with Kickoff Coverage - Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment ...Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment along with a kicker who must be skilled in directional kicking.This is a game of field position and we talk a lot about “Winning the Key Ground.” Below is our philosophy and goals for our kickoff cover unit.Philosophy 1. Cover two-thirds of the field with directional kicks.2. Inside and in front coverage – not lane.3. &nb
Building a Program From the Ground Up - South Alabama Head Coach Joey Jones
South Alabama Head Coach Joey JonesUniversity of South Alabama Coach Joey Jones is no stranger to rekindling programs or starting them from scratch. The former Alabama WR was the head coach for a decade at Mountain Brook High School (AL) where he went 101-27. He inherited a program that had nine consecutive losing seasons and took them to the state championship game in his first year as coach. In the 10-year period in which Jones was head coach (1996-2005), Mountain Br
Samson Equipment's Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2014
NFL: Garrett Giemont Pittsburgh SteelersBACKGROUND Garrett Giemont’s first job in the NFL was with the Los Angeles Rams in 1978. With over 30 years of experience in the NFL, Giemont was also the strength and conditioning coach for both the Oakland Raiders (1995-2002) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003-2005). Head Coach Mike Tomlin brought Giemont to Pittsburgh in 2007 and he enters his 9th season with the Steelers this fall. Coach Giemont also worked as the D
Speed Report: Visual Cues Deliver Exceptional Speed
Football players must rely heavily on having good field vision in order to play fast and move effectively. It’s a huge benefit having good visual skills which enhances “transition speed”. More specifically, angle and velocity changes executed with maximum velocity. Many athletes are naturally gifted with good visual skills. Unfortunately, many athletes also struggle with this skill. The good news is that you can develop this ability by using designed drills correctly and specific cues a
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – The New QB Gurus
Most coaches would agree that quarterback is the most critical position in the sport. This past decade has seen the boom of the specialized private quarterback-coach business, transforming the position and the game. Former Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer is one of this new breed, running the prestigious Elite 11 camp and starting his own training method. In this excerpt from The QB – The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, veteran sports writer and bestselling author Bruce Feldman gi
Training the Offensive Lineman
Your offensive line is the life-blood of your football team. A strong, quick OL can change the complexion of any football game. Many of our players that went on to NFL careers took a strong interest in the weight room and the benefits it brought them. In this age of fast-paced offensive football, there still comes a time where your OL is going to be asked to put the game away. To accomplish our goal of developing offensive linemen to handle the pressure of a fourth quarter wi
Get Organized - Having an efficient and effective play calling system can help maximize your offensive potential.
As the offensive coordinator, there are many ways to organize your play calls. After six years as an offensive coordinator, I have experimented with several formats to find what works for me. What I have settled on is a format that is flexible in games and helpful in game planning on the weekends.When structuring my call sheet, the first thing I did was to create landmark calls. We broke the field down by zones, similar to what air raid teams do. But we decided to get more specific
Rawlings Football 2014 College and High School Coaches of the Year
Urban MeyerOhio StateIt was supposed to be a relatively straightforward formula. Any team with designs on winning a national championship should flex its muscles early in the season, stay relatively healthy, especially at the skill positions, and play its football in the Southeastern Conference. Somehow, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes did not come close to following that formula, yet the team pulled off
Strength Report: Indiana’s Off-Season Training PhilosophyCollege football seasons are becoming longer and more physical than ever before. With many college football teams seasons lasting from 14 to 20 weeks, it is critical to use the off-season training weeks as a time to rebuild and retrain in a proper way. In order to start the year off with a proper foundation for the upcoming year, off season training programs can last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks consecutively, depending on a number of factors - spring practice start dates
From the Coach’s Bookshelf: Linebacker Lessons
Coach Lou Tepper brings more than 45 years of experience as a college football coach to Complete Linebacking. In this excerpt, Coach Tepper details the many intangibles a linebacker must possess to maximize his success.Linebackers are the glue of a defensive unit, physically and emotionally. Physically, they fill the open seams between defensive linemen inside and patrol the perimeter in conjunction with the secondary. In zone coverage lineback
The Dupe Run-Pass Combo
The Dupe concept is the name of the pass concept that is tagged with the run call and can only be run out of the 3 x 1 formation. It is one of our 12 run/pass combos that gives the quarterback the opportunity to make an easy hitch or slant throw.We always run the dupe offense out of either a static 3 x 1 formation or motioning into a 3 x 1 formation. Dupe communicates to our receivers the pass routes. The single receiver away from the formation call will always run a 6-yard hitch r
Maximize Practice Time with Special Team DrillsWe pride ourselves on having a special team’s identity. It’s consists of pressure, field position, and points. These identities help create tempo and energy throughout practice and games. Our philosophy consists of: Pressure:• We make every effort in every way to apply pressure to our opponent. Field Position:• We either want to flip or win field position whenever possible. Points:• With every special teams unit, we e
Running Ahead of Speed – Technical Foundation, the Heart of the Matter (Part III)
What’s important for enhancing team speed for football? Too often, coaches don’t understand what skills help effectively produce football acceleration, change velocities and deliver burst capability. The essential skills are just that – essential. To produce these skills, you must realize that the bottom line is dependent on a sound foundational movement premise. Foundation simply refers to one fact that overrides all other factors; that is, technical application. Technique must always
Aggie Upgrade - With the help of their friends and neighbors at Samson Equipment, New Mexico State completed a major renovation to their strength and conditioning facility.
One would be hard pressed to find a strength and conditioning coach with more experience than Don Decker. One of only 140 individuals worldwide to have been named a master level strength coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Association, Decker’s 24-year collegiate career includes 15 seasons at Arkansas and four at Ole Miss, working with some of the most prominent coaches in the sport. Now, as Director of Strength and Conditioning at New Mexico State University, Decker supervise
Managing Your Program: Evaluating Staff - Creating an Environment For Success
As the season ends, equipment is collected, banquets are planned, and goals are set with the returning players. It’s important to not lose sight of one very important component in your program – the coaching staff. The team’s success is very closely tied to the coaches who create the environment that nurtures that success, yet often, the staff is the last component attended to in the transition from one season to the next. Years ago, former Navy Commander and aut
Speed Report: Running Ahead of Speed - Stimulus for Training Incentives (Part II)
In our last article on running ahead of speed, we focused on in season concepts that aide the transition of off season development. In part two, here are suggestions and methods that can help stimulate your athlete to strive for higher production. Working year-around can sometimes be mundane, which will disrupt the concentrated and continuous focus needed. Their sense of purpose is significant for sustaining collective desire for reaching objective goals and benchmarks. Speed train
Fueling Champions
Sophisticated nutritional and recovery practices and new NCAA food guidelines help Florida State’s Katy Meassick keep Seminole athletes fully fueled and ready for competition.To build a championship program in the ultra-competitive FBS, every aspect of athletes’ training, on and off the field, must be carefully addressed. That includes making sure that proper nutritional and workout recovery practices are being followed. At Florida State, that job falls to Sports Registered Die
Options Galore - To be successful running a multiple option offense from the gun and pistol, every player must identify the read key and the option key.
Option football has changed over the years. My experience with the option has included under center wishbone as a high school coach in the mid ‘80s, followed by under center flex-bone as a college coach in the late ‘90s, and flex-bone shotgun in the 2000s. After becoming the head coach at Augustana College in 2011, I wanted to return to option football but with a more updated approach. So, in 2012, we began running a unique, multiple option system from the shotgun and pistol th
Lasting Legacy - At 70, Corky Rogers is still going strong as a member of the exclusive 400 win club.
It was a misty, cool, December night in Florida. Things looked bleak for coach Corky Rogers and his Bolles School team from Jacksonville. The Bulldogs were trailing a powerhouse Santa Fe team 17-6 with less than a minute to play in a semifinal playoff game. Santa Fe was loaded with future NFL players. “We were just getting it taken to us,” Rogers said. “We were trying everything you could try, because nothing was working.”In that final minute, Rogers made an adjustment and
Five on the Line - The 5-man defensive front is making a comeback – especially against traditional run-first offenses.
Before the advent of today’s high-powered spread offenses, it was common for defenses to employ a 5-man front with a nose guard, two tackles and two ends. While many teams have gone away from 5-man fronts, AFM found a surprising number of 2013 state champions that use the front either exclusively or part time.Here, coaches from four championship programs share their insight and strategies for making the 5-man front effective, especially against the run. They are Matt Crossman, de
Speed Report: Running Ahead of Speed - Making it Doable and Challenging During the Season
Making it Doable and Challenging During the SeasonThis is part I of a four-part series entitled, “Running Ahead of Speed.” The objective is to help you build a truly consistent results-oriented football speed and movement program. Like any endeavor that’s year -to-year, it must rely on certain required elements in order to truly maximize training success.We’re all busy, and this can often determine what is done and how it’s done. Just running isn’t speed work. Ru
Best of the Best
The team representing the Miami Dolphins captured the title at the NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament presented by the National Guard.As more and more coaches and skill-position players have recognized the value of off-season competition as a way to fine-tune their passing attacks, 7-on-7 events have flourished. There are dozens of tournaments across the country in the summer months, with some featuring hundreds of teams competing for local and regional supre
Taking the No-Huddle Offense to the West Coast – Combining the West Coast offense with an up-tempo, no-huddle system can result in a powerful running and passing attack.
Football is a sport that runs in cycles. Offenses and defenses are constantly inventing and re-inventing themselves to match and overtake what the other side of the ball is doing. Systems and styles come and go and then are cycled back again. The constant on either side of the ball, no matter the generation or system, is the importance of a running game. Every defensive coordinator’s first job in preparing for a game is to figure out how to contain the running game. Every offensive coordina
A Complete In-Season Training Program
Our mission as a strength and conditioning department is to develop strong minds within strong bodies and prepare each athlete for the rigors and demands of college athletics. We have three goals we use to summarize the mission:1. Reduce the occurrence of injury2. Improve athletic performance3. Optimize team successWith our football program, I view the in-season as our most important training stage of the entire year. This is the time when the
Coach to Coach: The Mental Fundamentals – Motor Programming
The ball is in the air. It’s a perfect spiral flying straight into a pair of hands. He drops it! It’s like his hands exploded from the speed of the ball. The coach yells “catch the ball, you gotta make that catch” or something similar, as if the player didn’t want to catch the ball in the first place. Why waste your breath on stating the obvious? What kind of receiver doesn’t want to make the catch? Chances are, the reason he missed the catch is because he hasn’t done
The Kettlebell Alternative
Ten years ago I made a decision that would change the course of my training practice and instruction forever. On the recommendation of a mentor of mine, I took a considerable leap of faith, jumped on a plane to St. Paul, MN, and with virtually no experience whatsoever, dove into a kettlebell certification weekend that nearly killed me. It was the RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certification) by Dragon Door and I had no earthly understanding what I was getting into. It was like a football training ca
Speed Assistance and Resistance - Good or Bad for Football?
Since speed and movement and movement control are the most sought-after athletic qualities, coaches and trainers are always looking for ways to help athletes improve in these areas. Let’s look at the topic of loading and assisting and try to sort out the good from the not so good. Coaches constantly ask me about load speed work and assisted speed work. For football, it’s a controversial subject. First, coaches place too much value on it and, in most cases, use it improperly. Of
Letter From AFM: Kickoff 2014
It’s that great time of year on the football calendar when pre-season camp is winding down and you’re putting the final touches on plans for the opening game, which will happen in a matter of weeks. You and your players have spent many hours preparing physically, mentally and strategically for the season and anticipation of a great year is high. It’s true what they say about August – every team is undefeated.Like everyone involved in the game, our anticipation of the upcomi
A Question of CHARACTER
The NFL High School Player Development Program presented by the National Guard helps thousands of high school athletes develop strong character.From an athletic standpoint, the hundreds of camps of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard help thousands of high school student-athletes refine their football skills using drills developed by a collegiate coaching staff. From a competitive standpoint, HSPD organizes the nation’s largest 7-on-7 tourna
Play Keep-Away: Each time your team punts, the goal is to kick it 40 yards and out of bounds.
It’s that time of year when coaches are in clinic research, upgrading playbooks and pushing the weight room as hard as possible. One area that is overlooked in a lot of playbooks is special teams evaluation. In most cases, special teams is the difference between two evenly-matched teams. Often overlooked and under-practiced, special teams play effects the overall efficiency of your program.In high school, we all face that very special player in the kicking game that can score any
Big D: Defensive Line Philosophy and Daily Drills for an Aggressive Front
One key to a strong defense is that each position group develops the fundamental skills required to consistently execute their individual assignments. Here is our defensive line philosophy and an outline of the daily drills we utilize to help our players compete at a high level. Defensive Line PhilosophyWe pride ourselves on being a fast, aggressive front that plays with exceptional fundamentals and discipline. We prepare, practice, and compete with tremendous energy and
AFM’s Annual State Champions Roundup
State Champ Coaches’ Profile Average Age = 48 Average Years as a Head Coach = 13 (22% have 20 or more years experience) 80% are coaches and teachersWhat are some of the reasons for your success? (multiple answers)100% said Coaching Staff98% said Players72% said Parents Support69% said Strength and Conditioning57% sai
Coaching American Football Overseas
By John Trana, American Football Coach in Russia and Croatia American football’s popularity is growing quickly all around the world. It is opening up new avenues for players and coaches to continue their football careers. There are over 700 teams in Europe alone playing American football. The quality of football can vary drastically with the top teams playing at a low college level. As the NFL continues to expand overseas, so will the popularity of American foo
Your Take: Expanding Your Coaching Network
We all have a stack of business cards, or an inbox full of messages from other coaches throughout our network. When was the last time you reached out to one of those coaches to discuss a concept or to share a scheme? Have you applied or inquired about a job at a school where you did not know anyone on the current staff? Is there a chance that one of those contacts in your file has a connection to use?The concept of increasing value and depth to your network is one that should not b
Put the Block On – Block circuit drills and one-on-one punt rush drills can increase your chances of blocking a punt.
Blocking punts takes not only personal belief and courage, but training and a good scheme to get the right player free to the punter. We teach the techniques necessary to properly block punts. We also practice different drills to train players to use those techniques plus a few scheme adjustments to try to get players free to the punter. I always tell the players that I want volunteers, not mercenaries. Mercenaries are people you hire to do a job; volunteers do it because they love it. Pu
Summer Priorities – What should be your priorities heading into the summer months?
The summer months bring about a number of challenges for every football coach. Staying in contact with players and parents without school every day can be difficult. Similarly, coordinating staff meetings and giving players and coaches the needed time off before the grind of a new season begins can also be taxing.What should be your priorities heading into summer? What are the most effective ways to communicate with players and coaches? How important are strength and conditioning p
A Lifetime in the Game – Troy Vincent has transitioned from collegiate All-American to All-Pro to player’s association president to top NFL executive
If you’re a Wisconsin Badger fan, you likely remember him as the 1990 Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year as a defensive back who doubled as an electric, record-setting return man under Barry Alvarez. You probably also recall with pride his selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 1992 NFL Draft as the 7th overall pick.If you’re a Philadelphia Eagles follower, you saw him at the peak of his 15-year NFL career. His eight years with the team as one of the leagues most dependable co
Speed Report: Football Movement Training – Complete Before the Season
Many sports require a variety of movement and speed changes. However, football has a greater challenge performance-wise than other sports due to the immense contact that is a part of the game. Other sports don’t endure the physicality like football.Good movement control is the backbone of football speed. What marks outstanding skill performance is not solely the level of an athlete’s talent but the level of movement skill ability that accompanies the athlete’s natural ability
Drills Report: The Wall Return Drill
One of the most exciting plays in football is when a punt returner is able to sprint around the edge and make use of the “wall” on an outside return. At Illinois, we rely on a drill installed on day one of our fall practices for our punt return team.An important phase of the return is having initial landmarks for the wall blockers (Diagram 1). When the ball is on a hash and a wall return is called to the wide side of the field, the wall blockers use the far hash as a landmark.
Mixing Business and Pleasure
You’re probably familiar with the famous Harvey Mackay quote about the best advice to give a young person deciding on a new career – “Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”.While not everyone can find a job that they truly love and still pay their bills, we’re confident that most coaches feel fortunate to be able to combine something that they love with their profession. Whether you’re a full time coach or a coach as well as a
Major Undertaking
Behind the scenes at a successful football skills and character development camp of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.As you would expect, managing the largest football skills and character development camp program in the world is a massive organizational challenge. With nearly two hundred camps across the country involving thousands of high school athletes, the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Gua
SERVE and PROTECT
Legendary New England Coach John Papas teams up with Xenith to provide future collegiate athletes with added protection, better fit and strong performance.If you’ve coached at the high school and collegiate levels for over 35 years, chances are you’ve developed strong opinions about football equipment. You know which products are best for your players from performance and safety standpoints and you know which companies are best to work with. Coach John Papas has seen
BE SPECIAL By committing to better special team practice organization, your units will create more explosive plays.
Special teams are an important part of any football game. They are the first play of every game, and many times the last and decisive play in a game. During every special teams play, one of these situations occurs – a large field position exchange, a change of possession, or a scoring opportunity. Frequently, two of these situations take place on the same special teams play. By their very nature, special teams plays are “special” and have a big impact on the outcome of the game.
The 35 Defensive Package Cover 3, Cover 4, and Blitz Packages Part II
In blitz packages, it is critical for the defensive ends to draw blocks to free the blitzing linebackers or defensive backs.In the last issue of AFM, we discussed our base alignment, gap responsibilities, our gap numbering system, and the receivers’ numbering system. We included diagrams that explained our numbering system vs. the spread, an open twins formation and a pro formation. Secondary coverage vs. these three formations concluded part I. In this issue, our robber coverage and
Athletic Body Control The Movement Training Correlation to Football Speed
Before we move to the details of movement training, let’s clarify what is football speed – the velocity and control by which variable movement patterns are executed efficiently without velocity loss. Most of the time it’s far easier said than done. My term for this activity is “Transition Speed.”The second area to clarify is Athletic Body Control (ABC). The term “Athletic” means athletes and the exercises practiced by them in a sport that requires physical skill or st
Lessons from Leaders
At every NFL PREP 100 Series event, representatives of the National Guard present a program based on leadership development to all participating student-athletes. It gives players a chance to learn leadership skills and hear directly from an individual who is in a leadership position. It also provides the National Guard with an opportunity to educate athletes who may not pursue careers in football about the benefits of military service.At a recent PREP100 Series event in Balt
The Business of Coaching - Joe Moglia is a prime example of how success in business and coaching go hand-in-hand.
If you pay attention to the great coaching stories in college football, then you already know about Joe Moglia.You may recognize him as the former CEO of financial services company TD Ameritrade, where he oversaw the firm’s meteoric growth during his seven years at the helm. Or, you may know him as the current head coach at Coastal Carolina, where, in his first season in 2012, he led the Chanticleers to eight wins en route to being named the Big South Coach of the Year. He follow
SPECIFICITY TRAINING The Key Factor for Optimizing Football Speed
Football speed training is too often confused between what should be correctly conceived versus what is incorrectly believed. This is relevant to you if you have a desire to make changes that will benefit the quality of each player’s speed capability. Change that will maximize results drastically. The majority of football coaches use training applications that are not processing their athletes’ football speed by the rule of specificity. That is, specific applications that offer pure value
Systematic Innovation: The No-Huddle, Power Pistol Offense
For Head Coach Robbie Owens of Grand Junction High School (CO), the system’s the thing. He believes offensive innovation is important, but without a system that is simple, adjustable and easy to install and teach, the value of innovation can be diminished.Owens’ system has proved itself over multiple seasons of high-octane offense. By combining the pistol formation with a punishing running attack and an up-tempo, no-huddle pace, Owens’ Grand Junction teams have produced proli
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
NFL: Luke Richesson Denver BroncosBackground - Luke Richesson began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Kansas, in 1997 after a four-year career playing safety for the Jayhawks. After one season as a strength and conditioning intern, he spent the next season at the University of Wyoming and the following two at Arizona State University as a graduate assistant before becoming the performance team direc
Coach to Coach: Thanks for the Memories
In 2010, I wrote my first article for American Football Monthly. In that article I told the story of how Hall of Fame Coach George Allen returned to coaching at the age of 72 to coach my college football team at Long Beach State University. The experience of writing that article and the positive response that I received from coaches around the country far exceeded any expectations I may have had about the joy of writing and sharing my ideas. What was supposed to be one article has turne
Strength Report – The Art of Strength and Conditioning Coaching: Beyond the Sets and Reps (Part II)
A program’s success is equally impacted by a coach’s ability to manage, motivate and lead athletes by training methodology. This philosophy, which has served as the foundation of my coaching career, aligns with wisdom shared as by a legendary strength and conditioning coach:“It is usually not whether the program works or not, but whether the player works or not, that determines success.”- Buddy Morris(College and NFL strength and conditioning coach now at the Universit
Speed Report: Can You Improve Your Quarterback’s Speed?
My goal each month is to deliver information useful for all aspects of football. This month, Cree Morris, a long time quarterback training specialist, discusses the topic of improving a quarterback’s speed. What is the difference between football speed and football quarterback speed? Better technical applications produce more efficient movement, which creates effective speed. That is usually the requirement it takes for the QB to avoid a sack or make a play. I will give some spec
Letter from AFM – Coach, Writer, Friend
When we first met Bryon Hamilton in 2007, he was an up-and-coming high school head coach in Northern California. His innovative offensive system, the Shotgun Zone Fly, was the cover story subject in our December issue. The SZF was putting up record numbers with its potent inside-outside running attack, which was a precursor of the misdirection run game employed by Gus Malzahn at Auburn in last season’s run to the championship game. The feature proved to be very popular with AFM readers and
Shining Stars
Top NFL and college players honed their football skills and grew as individuals through the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.When high school football players attend the free camps conducted by the NFL’s High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard, they improve their football skills and also learn valuable life lessons in character development sessions. All participating athletes gain from their HSPD experie
Rawlings Football College and High School Coaches of the Year
It was a summer evening in the mid-1980’s. Volunteer workouts were revving up for the Salem University football team. Salem Quarterbacks Coach Terry Bowden pointed at his quarterback’s cleats and laughed. “His football shoes were covered in cow manure and hay,” Bowden recalled with a chuckle.Thirty years later, that quarterback with the stinky shoes is a national champion and Rawlings Football Coach of the Year, Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher.“Althou
Speed Report: The Virtues of Off-Season Conditioning - Is It Good for Football Speed?
To every football coach, the word conditioning means getting fit to play or producing stamina for performance situations. Conditioning is, in reality, a performance trait, most useful during the season. It can cut into your periodization schedule in the off-season, when in reality, it’s not relative to development for that time frame.You should center your off-season training on speed and power, not on conditioning. Your skills, speed, flexibility, and athletic movement speed and
Getting Defensive – Cocoa High School’s base 3-3-5 defense shuts down nearly every opponent they face.
When you ask Cocoa High School Head Coach John Wilkinson about his personal philosophy, it’s very obvious what motivates him. “I want winners because I want to win,” he said. “I want to do whatever it takes to win. It may sound simple but, to me, there is something very different between competing and winning.”And win he has. In his nine-year career at Cocoa, Wilkinson has a record of 100-19 which includes three Florida 4A state championships, a 38-game winning streak, a
Strength Report: Develop Complete Athletes – Liberty Universitys Unique Strength Program
Building true strength and power on the football field has less to do with fine tuning minor details and more to do with building more horsepower in the “engine” of an athlete. From there, details can be modified to turn the advanced athlete into an elite athlete. The process of creating more horsepower in the athlete is more methodical than most think and we use methods that are not practiced on a large scale. Last year, we had over 82 football players clean at least 300 pound
Speed Report: Is Your Speed Training the Real Deal?
Have you analyzed why you use the methods and teaching applications for football speed training? Have you just borrowed available concepts and plugged them into your program? Are you just covering bases or do you really feel you’ve reached a high level of knowledge and are satisfied with your results? Where did you get what you use today and is it working? Why did you choose to incorporate it into your program? Did you get your material from a friend, a colleague, a relative
Confuse the Quarterback (Part I)
To stop the zone read, it is critical to present a number of different coverages to the opposing quarterback including a two-deep safety look.The zone read spread offense has had a major impact on all levels of football in recent years. Defensive coordinators have had to make adjustments to their base defensive calls in order to defend the basic running plays, play assignment football against the option, and defend the pass. Many years ago at a coaching clinic I heard a coach say that
Speed Report: The Off-Season - Preparing for Advanced Level Training
When you begin the off-season with speed training, one of your major challenges will be organizing and periodizing your product. Obviously your periodization scheme stretches over many months. Your design is critical to the success of the progression you expect to gain during the year. One area that can be a little tricky and can have a distinct affect on your development for team speed is working with large numbers of players who are at two different levels of ability. My experien
Game Planning Your Coaching Career (Part II)
The Third Quarter After the first half (introduction and growth phase) and making adjustments at half-time, the third quarter becomes the maturity phase of the coaching career. This does not mean that, as coaches, we do not continue to grow or learn. It means that we become more stabilized in our “giftings” as a coach. I admire the confidence of the FBS assistant who maintains a positive attitude that he will land a job in a better environment, after
Circuit Drills Emphasize Repetition, Range of Motion and Reaction to Improve Your Special Teams Play.
Our staff at Central Washington University understands the importance and value of the kicking game in each contest. We treat each special team’s preparation with the same enthusiasm, intensity, and creativity as our offense and defense. To do it right, we must train our special teams players in the same way. Preparing players for their special team roles, however, presents some unique challenges. Consider the following:1. Getting Enough RepetitionsAlmost all of our playe
Two Minute Crunch Time: 'Go-To' Plays and a Clock-Killing Strategy
With the increased use of the up-tempo offense at all levels of the game, some teams seem as though they’re running a two-minute drill the entire game. No huddles, keeping the defense off balance, quick scores. But a true two-minute offense, of course, has the added pressure of clock management. When you must have a score with limited time left, it’s critical that your offense remains calm under this pressure – advancing on every play, stopping the clock whenever possib
Speed Report: Combining In-Season Conditioning with In-Season Speed Training
Combining the two – in-season conditioning and speed training – is a subject that often comes up for discussion when I’m doing clinics and workshops across the country at various high schools and colleges. We always discuss the physiological energy mechanisms and how they function when we train. The same question seems to arise each time: What’s the best way to condition during the season?The answer is usually not well-received. My reply is that we need to understand how the ga
Game Planning Your Coaching Career (Part I)
(This article is written to discuss career planning in the coaching profession and this is by no means the only way to pattern your pathway. The experience of one coach, while addressing many issues, does not include all scenarios. However, the organization of the material is well-known to all coaches as it is structured just as all of us would game plan against an unfamiliar opponent. It is hoped that this discussion would have us in the coaching profession talk about
The Mean Green Way: North Texas' Multi-Year System of Training
“As to methods there may be a million and thensome, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson This quote hangs in my office as a daily reminder of the dichotomy of our profession. Truly, there are countless methods to improve athlete performance. Ask 125 FBS football strength and conditioning coaches how best to train an ath
Developmental Tackling Part II: Hashmark-to-Boundary Drills and Pursuit Drills to improve overall tackling
The safety considerations and progressive skills emphasized in part I of Developmental Tackling must be maintained and re-taught as you move from individual skill areas to group skills and game preparation. Nothing can impact your season more than great defensive play exemplified by great tackling skills, team pursuit and rallies to the ball. In film review, we always count the players who swarm to the ball carrier and address the responsibility of cutback and backside pursuit. ON
Speed Report: Fast Twitch for Football Speed - Can it be Produced?
Muscle fibers are made up of two different types of fiber composition, slow twitch fibers and fast twitch fibers. Skeletal muscles are made up of numerous individual muscle fibers called myocytes. Each myocyte contains many myofibrils, which are strands of proteins that can grab on to each other and pull. This shortens the muscle and causes muscle contraction. Of course, contraction can be very fast and dynamic or slower with endurance capabilities. When we think about football speed we natur
Urban Legend
In 2001, his first year as a head coach, Urban Meyer led Bowling Green to a 8-3 record – a tremendous improvement over their 2-9 season the year before. In quarterback Josh Harris, Meyer had a versatile run/pass signal caller that his new spread option offense could be built around.In what was perhaps the first time that the spread was utilized to its fullest potential, Harris led the Falcons to a 9-3 season in 2002 while throwing for 2,425 yards and 19 TDs and adding another 20
Unqualified Success
The Leadership Program of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard has set new standards for grooming the leaders of tomorrow.When the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard introduced its new Leadership Program, the goal was simple – to develop leadership qualities of high school football players who have already demonstrated leadership potential in the classroom and on the field. Combining an advanced cha
New Weapon – More and more offenses are adding a read-option scheme to incorporate the QB into the running game.
In this new age of football, teams are using athletic quarterbacks to add an additional dimension to their offense. I believe the pro-style attack offenses will mirror this trend, whether it’s a specific package or a main part of their offense. We began this transformation this past year.Last fall, we had a very athletic quarterback that we wanted to utilize in our run game. After implementing this, we ended the season ranked 12th nationally within FCS i
Developmental Tackling, Part I – Effectively using the shimmy technique can help ensure the safety of all defensive players.
Without question, teaching safe tackling skills and drills is one of the most demanding tasks every coach in the country must master. In my 54 years of coaching varsity football, nothing gave me more concern than the idea of a collision with a player’s head down, chin on chest, and the resulting straight line spinal column hit with the top of the helmet. That is almost always the primary cause of paraplegic injury. That is why so much emphasis is placed on converting the speed run of pursui
On Top of the World – AFM’s Annual State Champions Survey and Profiles
State champion coaches share their secrets to winning it all. The results may surprise you.Most high school coaches would agree that their ultimate goal is winning their state championship. Taking home the trophy after the punishing regular season and pressure-filled playoffs is the pinnacle for the 300+ teams that annually achieve that goal.But do coaches agree on the best methods to use to reach that mountaintop? What offensive, defensive and special teams strategies give
Speed Report – Dynamic Relaxation – The Misunderstood Nugget for Speed and Quickness
When we think of the word relaxation it doesn’t suggest a very aggressive picture in our mind. Whenever I mention the term “Dynamic Relaxation” to coaches, they’re momentarily puzzled. They are searching their thoughts for where this picture fits football, a sport that delivers aggressive action every play.Football movement is not naturally linked to relaxation when the game is all about contact. Having a consistent forceful mindset week to week is what every coach desires.
RE-STARTING A COACHING CAREER
I had the good fortune of leading one of the most successful public school programs in the state of Virginia for 22 years. At Western Branch High School in Chesapeake, winning became synonymous with Bruins football. From 1997 to the 2006 season when I retired, our winning percentage was over .800. We won numerous District titles and had three undefeated regular seasons. It
Coach to Coach – College Coach or High School Coach: Comparing the Two
As I wrote in May, I recently resigned from my decade long head coaching position at Foothill High School and accepted the associate head coach and offense coordinator job at Shasta College in nearby Redding. The transition from high school head coach to college assistant coach has actually been easier than expected. It certainly helps that I am familiar with both the college assistant role and the Shasta College program as I previously spent six seasons (1997-2002) as an assistant coach ther
Speed Report - Football Speed Information: Good News or Old News?
I have been writing AFM’s Speed Report for 6½ years and have traveled the country for 30 years engaging with coaches who want to learn “thorough and complete football speed training”. Not second-hand information that isn’t football speed specific. More specifically, lineal track techniques. Coaches should understand that these particular techniques don’t provide movement skills needed for football speed and/or transition speed that’s required to play fast and stay in control.
Drills Report – Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part II
Last month’s drills for wide receivers included five different drills intended to make players concentrate on catching the ball and improve their route running. The six drills included this month are more detailed with an emphasis on proper technique (In each drill, ‘C’ refers to coach and ‘R’ for receiver).Chute DRILL (Diagram 1)
Strength Report – A Complete Strength and Conditioning Report for Offensive Linemen, Part I
It is my belief that all strength and conditioning programs grow from a very specific set of needs and circumstances that differ from team to team. Every situation is different, so a program influenced by principles rather than copied verbatim is needed.From years spent playing offensive line then beginning my coaching career coaching it and finally working as a football strength coach for the past 25 years, I have gained perspective into the needs of offensive linemen. The princip
Letter from AFM
Top HonorThere is no shortage of coaching awards. Every year, league, state and national coaches of the year honors are awarded to deserving coaches everywhere. It seems that every media organization, including this one, gives out annual accolades to coaches who have led their teams to great success on the field.But there is one honor for high school coaches that, in our opinion, stands above all others – the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year. A
Making the Grade – Spring evaluation is essential for maximizing each player’s contribution to the team
Spring evaluation is essential for maximizing each player’s contribution to the team.While coaches understand that player evaluation is a year-round necessity, spring is a particularly important time for returning player evaluations as your team heads into the summer pre-season lull. It’s the perfect time to size up the strengths and weaknesses of each athlete and set personal and team goals. What is the best way to evaluate a returning player? American Football Monthly asked seven
Coach to Coach – Change of Season
Last year, I wrote an article describing the ever-expanding coaching carousel that all of us in this profession encounter. The article described some of the challenges of change within the coaching profession. I received a lot of emails regarding this article. It seems that all of us in coaching are presented with change or the opportunity for change on a continual basis. Some of this change is welcomed and, unfortunately, some of it is not. Deciding to change jobs is often one of the most di
Speed Report - Off-Season Speed Development: A Dilemma for Small Schools
As I write this column each month, I receive more and more replies from coaches at smaller schools. It’s become apparent that most of them have something in common – that the off-season presents a challenge for speed and lifting development. The problem is that athletes at these schools need to be multi-sport athletes. The bulk of the football team plays two to three sports in a small school, so it’s almost impossible to fill the rosters on other sports if they were only playing footbal
Developing an Efficient Kickoff Team – Following a detailed teaching progression for your kickoff team will maximize their potential.
There are many factors that contribute to a successful season on special teams. The most important factor is the strong support and focus of the head coach to ensure that players and coaches are committed to this phase of the game. We always begin our practices with special teams and then break to offense and defense. That goes for installation meetings, film review and practice. We start with 20 minutes of special teams and end practice with a field goal or punt. The importance of special te
From the Coaches Bookshelf – Earn the Right To Win – By Tom Coughlin with David Fisher
Like most coaches, New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin has had moments when he’s lost his temper on the sidelines. In his new book, Earn the Right to Win, he shares his best advice on managing your anger and dozens of other topics about leadership, communication and preparation. His lessons are illustrated with previously untold stories about players like Eli Manning, Doug Flutie and Michael Strahan. Probably the most difficult thing for me t
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2012
NFL: Chris CarlisleSeattle SeahawksBackground – Chris Carlisle began his coaching career at Dodge High School (NE) in 1985. After continuing to coach on the high school level and then as an assistant at the University of Arkansas, Carlisle joined the staff at Tennessee in 1998 under John Stucky. He then became USC’s head strength and conditioning coach in 2001 when Pete Carroll called Stucky and asked for a recommendation.
Safety First – Contact In Practice – Is It Worth It?
Football is changing. With the game under great scrutiny from a player safety perspective, those in and out of football are questioning long-held practices that may put players at greater risk of injury.One of those is full contact in practice. The old belief that contact drills and hitting are necessary in practice is giving way to a more restrained approach that limits or even eliminates contact in the interest of player safety. Rockhurst High School (MO) Head Coach To
Speed Report – Weight Training for Speed in a High School Environment
Football has become a game of speed. High school football strength and conditioning coaches across the country are constantly searching for ways to improve the speed and explosiveness of their team in order to produce maximum results. Training for speed in the weight room is paramount for coaches and teams to reach their desired results. Focusing on Olympic movements in the weight room can be very beneficial in increasing a player’s speed.Why Use Olympic Movements?The reason
Leaders-in-Training
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard expands their Leadership Program into more markets this year to impact more of tomorrow’s leaders.What makes a good leader? Is it having confidence in one’s abilities and then building confidence in others? Is it the skills to connect with individuals in a caring, empathetic way? Is it mental and physical competence and the ability to solve probl
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Gary Joseph Katy High School Joseph led the Tigers to one of the most dominating seasons in Texas football history. A last-minute playoff loss ended the Katy Tigers’ 2011 season. It marked the second straight season the Tigers had been close, but were unable to finish. Head coach Gary Joseph was determined not to let that happen in 2012. “We had been competitive, but hadn’t finished. This year, we were going to become a more physical football team that w
AFM’s College Coaches of the Year for 2012
AFM’s FBS Coach of the YearBrian Kelly Notre DameAfter decades of frustration, Kelly led the Fighting Irish back to national prominence.It was not a pleasant environment, but Brian Kelly had been there before. He knew what to say.In 2001, Kelly led Grand Valley State to an undefeated season and its first appearance in the Division II championship game. It was also Kelly’s first national championship game as a head coach, and it would end in heartbreak.
Coach to Coach – Four Strategies in Preparing Your Quarterback for Success
At the start of the 2012 season, there were a lot of questions from coaches, players, fans and the local sportswriters regarding the state of our quarterback position. We had graduated a MVP quarterback in 2011 and the heir apparent was an undersized junior without any varsity experience. The questions regarding the position were legitimate and I knew that in order for our team to make another championship run, it was imperative that we continue to have great play at the quarterback position.
Safety First – Training for Safety
Vince Lombardi once said, “Football is not a contact sport. Football is a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.” This, coupled with the fact that every year, athletes at all levels are getting bigger, stronger, and faster, means that there is a very real threat to see a dramatic increase in football injuries. These run the gamut from minor injuries with no time lost to more severe injuries that could be season or career ending.Keeping a football te
Student of the Game: Using Academic Resources To Enhance Your Program
Volume 3: The 10,000 Hour Rule, Athlete-Controlled Feedback and Inside-Out Circuits by Jack Byrne, Defensive Coordinator, Windham High School (NH)
Giving Back
Two Regional Directors of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard discuss how coaches everywhere can give back to the game.Most successful coaches recognize that they are fortunate to have made a career out of football. That’s what motivates so many to give something back to the game by participating in activities that can make a difference – using football to be a positive influence with youth in their communities.Hundreds of coach
From the Coaches Bookshelf - Dream Chaser – 4th and Goal by Monte Burke
For some, coaching football is simply in their blood. In his new book, 4th & Goal, author Monte Burke tells the amazing story of Joe Moglia, who left coaching to pursue what would become a monumentally successful career in financial services. Moglia has since returned to the sidelines and fulfilled his life-long dream of becoming a college head coach. Here is an excerpt.Now sixty-two, Joe Moglia is standing on the sidelines of a football field in Nebraska, wearing a headset and a w
One Team – Two Offenses
By Jeff Hancock • Offensive Coordinator • Siena Heights Universityand Jason Mensing • Head Coach, Whitehall High School (MI)Two years ago the Board of Trustees voted to start football at Siena Heights University and we were fortunate enough to be a part of the very first staff. Among the overwhelming number of things that go into starting a new program was this question because of our limited senior leadership – how were we going to recruit enough players
Legendary Leader – John Gagliardi retires after 64 years, 489 wins and countless changed lives.
Amos Alonzo Stagg coached college football for 57 years in the first half of the 20th century, winning a then-record 314 games. Bobby Bowden tallied 377 wins in his 44-year coaching career at Samford, West Virginia and Florida State. Eddie Robinson coached Grambling for 55 years and won 408 games.John Gagliardi bettered them all. In a coaching career that spanned 60 seasons at the helm of Division III St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and four prior sea
Speed Report – Is Your Off-Season Football Speed Training on Track?
If you have been reading my articles over the last six years, you know that I try to point coaches in the right direction for true football speed development. My hope is that you will apply useful teaching methods that are currently not available. The first step is having an open mind for learning new concepts. Whatever you have chosen to use as a method for speed development requires time to install. Time is the greatest commodity in life. We only have so much time to utiliz
Record Setters
It’s natural in all sports to measure success by counting the number of wins a team or a coach achieves, and football is no different. With the possible exception of championship rings, total wins is recognized as the yardstick we use to rate coaches and judge their careers.In this issue of AFM, we celebrate the career of not only one of football’s greatest winners, but one of its greatest gentlemen as well – proving that the two are not mutually exclusive. Last month, John G
LINEBACKER TACKLING DRILLS AND TECHNIQUES
One of our defensive coaching guidelines is that we will get what we demand or allow. If we do not emphasize what we think is important to our defense or if we do not hold our players accountable for what our expectations are, then we are held responsible for the lack of production on the field. This definitely applies to tackling. We demand to be 90% efficient in all tackling opportunities and we do not want to allow poor practice habits or a lack of emphasis on the right things to adversely
Banner Year
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard achieved record-setting participation in 2012 and concluded the year with its largest National 7-on-7 Tournament ever.However you measure it, the 2012 NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard was a resounding success. The HSPD camps experienced dramatic growth in bo
Secure the Future by Playing it Safe
By the time you read this article, your 2012 football season will most likely be over. I hope that it was a success for you and your team. Some of you are enjoying the holiday season with the satisfaction of winning a championship while others are already charting a course of action that will result in more success in 2013. Regardless of how the 2012 season finished, the winter months will provide all of us the opportunity for some much needed rest and a time to reflect on a
Quickness Drills - Essential for Quickness Development
Every coach wants players to play fast and quick. Can quickness be developed or is it just left to those who are genetically blessed. When I started speed training in 1979, every coach said you can’t teach speed. Today we’re talking about quickness, which is an aspect of speed. What if moving with electric transitions and ballistic quickness on the football field could be trained? I can’t say that every athlete on your team will be quick just because you trained them. I
FADE OUT - The fade route is a potent offensive weapon that can be incorporated into any offense.
There is not a bad time to throw the fade route. It’s a relatively high-completion (55-60%), low-risk, and big-reward play.The fade does a number of positive things for an offense. The vertical stretch of the fade usually forces safeties and corners to play deeper. This can give the run game and the quick passing game more room to operate. The run game is also enhanced by the fade since defensive linemen are constantly trying to get pressure on the quarterback, usually without su
The Pirate Returns - Mike Leach brings his high-powered but surprisingly simple passing offense to Washington State
Mike Leach is complex. Contrary to popular belief, his coaching philosophy is not. Dating back to his early days as an innovative offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan and Valdosta State, Leach has always experimented with unique plays and unusual ideas. Yet, two decades later, his first offense at Washington State has just 14 pass plays.
Drills Report Bonus - Improving Your Offensive Production
In our offense that we call the “truck and chuck”, we borrow academy-style option principles, implement them from a normal five-yard depth in the shotgun, and then throw as much play-action as we can into it. Like any offense, there are countless ways to practice and prepare our players to execute our style of play. However, when we think about drills and teaching methods for our offense, we stick to a few basic principles:#1 Big/Little/Big - Give the players the big picture (the
Coach to Coach Dealing with Discipline
I was having dinner on a Saturday night with my family when the doorbell rang. Upon opening the door, I was a little shocked to see a former player that I had not seen in almost ten years standing in front of me. Having past members of my teams stop by to say hello is not an uncommon occurrence but this was different. This young man, who was a part of my first varsity team at Foothill High School, had the distinctive “honor” of being the first player that I had ever dismissed from m
Get More Out of Your Film By Having Better Film
In today’s coaching world, film is a major tool for success. Yet, sometimes we get film that just isn’t up to par. When you get opponents’ film, you are left at the mercy of their filmer. Often it’s a young manager, injured player, young coach, or possibly a volunteer. Your own filmer can sometimes be very green with the camera, have tripod issues or even miss entire plays. People can forget equipment, and then you’re stranded without film. We’ve all had it h
Defending the Wing-T Offense
The Wing-T is a great offensive system that challenges defenses at both the high school and collegiate levels. Many of today’s one-back and spread offenses can trace their roots back to the Wing-T.We defend the Wing-T by being as simple as possible. We try to play one front and one coverage the entire game vs. Wing-T sets. We take an “Over” front concept and slide the front to the TE/Wing. We want to take away or limit the Wing-T’s ability to run to the TE surface (Diagrams 1
Managing Your Managers
Most coaches have a good handle on their responsibilities and those of their players. In many programs, these responsibilities are very detailed and almost always put in writing.But often overlooked are the roles and responsibilities of team managers. That’s unfortunate, since having solid, detail-oriented team managers can be a blessing to a coaching staff – giving them more time to focus on helping their players be successful on the field.In my coaching career, I p
Slowing Down the Spread
What do defenses do to slow down the spread and how do offenses counter? AFM asked spread offense coaches, “What defenses give you the most trouble?”Sparky Woods • Head Coach • Virginia Military InstituteSparky Woods has been the head coach at VMI for the past four seasons. Previously, he was head coach at Appalachian State and South Carolina and the OC/QBs Coach at Memphis. Woods was also a position coach at Alabama, Virginia, and Mississippi State. He has b
Strategies to Overcome a Poor Start
Football season is finally here.By the time you read this column, your team might have already played several games. Hopefully, the start of your season has been successful and is full of promise. The reality is, however, that each week 50% of all teams, coaches and fans suffer through a defeat. In my 20 plus years of coaching football, I have been a part of teams that started great and I have been part of teams that have struggled mightily out of the gate. Both situations can pres
EXTENSION PLANTS The Key to Football Speed Transition
All movement requires force application but transition speed is what makes plays happen fast. The key to playing the game fast is due in part to the ability to plant well when directionally displacing momentum. Pure speed lineally is useful in smaller dimensions than we think when evaluating speed traits. The forty-yard dash as a measurement that forecasts speed is the wrong tool. Playing speed should not rely on the forty as a pure indication for playing fast. The game is played on your feet
Boot Camp Day for High School Football
Last April, during Ohio’s North / South All-Star Football Game at Ohio Stadium, I had the good fortune to be standing on the sidelines with members of the Ohio Army National Guard. As we were talking, they shared with me how they did a number of “Boot Camps” with high school football teams in Southern Ohio. I let them know that I would love to do something like that with my team. Fortunately, a member of their unit was transferred to recr
Master Clinic – 5 Elements of Success in Coaching Football
The quest to identify and analyze the elements of successful coaching in football is challenging and varies much depending on perspective and who is conducting the analysis. The definition of success is also very much dependent on expectations and can be quite relative to the current status of a program and its history. There are, however, consistent elements I believe are inherent in most football programs which are perceived as successful for sustained periods of time.1. Depth
That Championship Season – AFM’s 2011 Survey of 334 State Champions
Winning a state championship is the pinnacle for most high school teams. Learning from the experience of championship coaches can help in your quest to hoist the trophy.Hard work. Dedication. Leadership. Commitment. Focus. Team chemistry. These are the common themes that emerge when you talk to high school coaches that won their state championships in 2011.But there is also great diversity among the 334 teams that raised the state championship trophy last season. There are t
Drills Report – 13 Advanced Punting Ideas and Drills
Punting is one of the most difficult and least acknowledged skills in the game. Coaches expect punters to punt well every time, but one bad punt or a botched snap can result in a serious conversation from a coach or, even worse, a loss of a game. Punting can be a big momentum changing play for you or the other team. Here’s a list of coaching points and drills that can help with this position and make it a more positive part of your program.1. Punter Stretches• Make ea
Tournament Time
This month, hundreds of young athletes representing all 32 NFL teams will converge in Indianapolis for the NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament presented by the National Guard.7-on-7. The name evokes highly-skilled athletes, pinpoint passing attacks, and non-stop action.In the last decade, there has been an explosion of high school 7-on-7 events during the summer months. Most of these competitions feature elite skill position players honing their gam
Powerful Partnership
The National Guard’s Citizen Soldiers contribute to the success of the NFL High School Player Development program on many levels.What does it mean to serve in the National Guard? It means that you’re part of the oldest established branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, dating back to 1636. It means that you can be called upon to provide relief to those that have suffered from natural disasters in your home state. It also means that you could serve overseas, if needed, as part of America
Reloading at Rockhurst – Tony Severino, the head coach at Rockhurst High School for 29 years, believes in keeping his players busy in all aspects of their lives – not just on the field.
It was near the end of an hour-long interview when Tony Severino was asked a question that he has fielded numerous times in recent years. “How much longer do you think you’ll coach?”His answer is the same every time.“I get asked that every day. You’re the second one today that’s asked me,” said Severino, who will turn 64 in September. “I’ve been saying, ‘five years’ for the last 10 years. I have such a good time doing what I do. When I don’t, I’
Speed Report – Execution in Football and In Football Speed
In football, execution is a key component to winning, performing consistently, confidence, attitude, focus enhancement, skill development, and a commitment to excellence.As Vince Lombardi said, “The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field or endeavor”. Lombardi believed in the premise of having pride in execution to the maximum degree. His premise in the world of football speed is absolutely paramou
Coach to Coach – Summer Session
Using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods.Being a head football coach is a job that requires a multitude of skills. The coach that is successful over a long period of time has learned to master the art of the “tions” – motivation, delegation, innovation, articulation, dedication – all the while maintaining the most important element – passion. In order to become efficient in all of these areas, a head coach must know and be able
Louisiana Legend
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Eyes Up – Quarterbacks Coach Terry Shea has devoted more than 40 years of his coaching life to the development of the position including the training of elite players like Robert Griffin III.
Terry Shea knows quarterbacks. In addition to quarterback coaching stints in the CFL, college, and the NFL, Shea has helped prepare future NFL quarterbacks for their professional careers. Among others, he has tutored Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, and most recently, Robert Griffin III. When elite quarterbacks want the best in personalized instruction, they call Shea.The compilation of his 40 years as an expert in coaching quarterbacks is now in his recently published book, Eyes Up
The Fix Is In – Adjusting your defense at halftime and during the game can pay big dividends.
All coaches know that tweaking a defensive scheme during a game or at halftime can often make the difference between winning and losing. But how do some of the game’s best defensive minds approach in-game defensive adjustments? Is it better to completely revamp a defensive game plan or is it better to make minor adjustments based on what you’ve seen from an offense? AFM asked three prominent defensive coordinators about their approaches to in-game defensive adjustments and found some spec
Speed Report – Multi-Dimensional Movement Speed Before the Season Begins
The essence of football speed is velocity with control. Many sports require movement changes. However, football is more challenging than other team sports due to the amount of contact during practice and games that other team sports don’t have.Football has multiple requirements. Add the speed and movement factors involved and movement becomes challenging. Good movement positioning and control is the backbone of performance. What makes for an outstanding performance is not solely
Coach to Coach – Underestimating the Underdog
Months would pass before I would log my first meaningful memory of Joey. I remember the howling wind and unseasonably cold weather that made it almost impossible to communicate that night as I stood outside of the visitor’s locker room in Dixon, California. Players were starting to make their way towards the field as I reviewed my play call sheet minutes before we would kickoff the 2010 season. Joey, looking more like a manager than a player, nervously approached me with tears in his eyes a
Open Opportunities - Get your tight end involved in the option pass game.
We enjoyed a phenomenal year as an offense this past fall, averaging 490 yards per game with a 73 percent completion rate and a pass efficiency rating of 190.3. Our quarterback threw for 46 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. Our tight end had 33 catches this season and one route concept that proved to be particularly successful for us was the “Option” portion of our passing game. We throw the “Option” from multiple sets and personnel groupings but most often from either
Making the Most of the Hurry-Up, No-Huddle Offense - Calling plays at the line can let you double your offensive snaps.
His team had just been walloped 56-7 in its spring game last May and Palm Beach Gardens (FL) head coach Chris Davis knew he had to make some adjustments or face another mediocre .500 season. He just wasn’t sure what he was going to change in his system. His teams had been 4-5 and 5-5 in 2009 and 2010.A few weeks later, Davis was attending a coaches clinic where he heard Gus Malzahn, then the offensive coordinator at Auburn, speak on the advantages of a no-huddle, hurry-up offense
Advanced Secondary Drills
Over my coaching career, I’ve accumulated a number of effective secondary drills that can be used at any level. They include drills to improve hip rotation, change of acceleration, and leverage angles with receivers. I’ve included both points of emphasis and what is the projected result of each drill.
Love the Grind: Summer Football Strength and Conditioning Program
At Fruitland High School, we refer to our football program as the “Biggest Small School Football Program in the State of Idaho.”Our athletes pride themselves on their off-season work ethic or what we like to refer to as “The Grind”. For our program, we run six-week strength and conditioning classes Monday-Friday leading up to the start of our double day practices. Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are lift days; Tuesdays and Thursdays are agility and conditioning days.
Your Take – Get the Head Out of Football
At every level of football, greater awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the role that helmet-to-helmet contact often plays in them has led to rule modifications and, in many cases, a greater effort by coaches to minimize the risk of head injuries by incorporating blocking and tackling techniques that take the helmet out of the game. It is critical that this continue to help ensure safety of players and protect the future of the game.Since being taught the proper blocking
6 Rules for Beating Press Coverage – Are your receivers getting stuffed by the press? Here’s how to get them freed up.
One of the most difficult things for my players to do is beat press coverage. Since we run a double wing offense at John Carroll, defenses will often pack the box with defenders and lock down on the outside. By playing press man, defenses try to disrupt the timing of pass routes by jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. If successful, the defense has a greater opportunity to sack the quarterback since teams often blitz when playing man coverage. However, when a receiver beats press cover
Samson’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
NFLMark UyeyamaSan Francisco 49ers If the San Francisco 49ers weren’t the most physical team in the NFL, they were high on the list.Mark Uyeyama is the main behind that physicality, although the 49ers strength and conditioning coach is way too humble to admit it.“Take a look at Justin Smith or Ray McDonald, really look at those guys, now,” said Uyeyama, Samson Equipment’s NFL Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year. “That’s not me, man.
The Challenges of Teaching Football Speed
The first step toward teaching football speed is dealing with velocity and angles that change rapidly. Secondly, you must provide a progressive training system that is relative to speed and movement physically, mentally, and technically. The nature of the game provides various challenges to movement speed, angle changes, frequency changes, and rapid acceleration. Your teaching must fit these practicums because, unlike track sprinting, the technical application for football speed is not all li
Moving Up, Moving On or Moving Out: Life on the Coaching Carousel
Years ago I sat in a clinic presentation given by a prominent NFL head football coach who stated “Most high school coaches want to be college coaches, most college coaches want to be NFL coaches and most NFL coaches would like to be high school coaches.” Most coaches possess an unquenchable desire to advance their careers to the next level. Most of us are eager to face new challenges and conquer the next occupational mountain.The world of football coaching is fill
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Hal Wasson Southlake CarrollWhile celebrating on the field after his Carroll High School team, known to most around the country as Southlake Carroll, completed a 16-0 season with a 36-29 victory over Fort Bend Hightower in the Texas Class 5A- Division I state championship game, Hal Wasson thought about a fateful decision he made back in 2002.After over 20 years as a successful head coach at multiple high scho
AFM’s College Coaches of the Year
Mike Gundy Oklahoma StateGundy led the Cowboys to the greatest year in their history, netting him AFM’s top coaching awardThe visitors’ locker room at Texas A&M is located right next to the entrance that takes you onto the field. Every time the doors open, the visiting locker room is treated to the sounds of Kyle Field, featuring rowdy fans, bands and entertainment. It’s not the most peaceful environment to settle a team down, especially one trailing 20-3 at the ha
Letter from AFM- Home on the Range
This year, over 20% of FBS schools will enter the 2012 season with new head coaches. That’s nothing new. Every year, more and more coaches find themselves on the coaching carousel as the pressure to win, win often and win consistently becomes more relentless. Sometimes, a change at the top is just what a program needs to get on track. Witness Brady Hoke, who led a Michigan team that had underachieved for years to 11 wins, including a victory over Ohio State for the first ti
Muddle Hd” The New Age Muddle Huddle Two-Point Formation
Like all coaches, I look forward to the off-season to attend as many coaching clinics as I can that are held throughout the United States. Some coaches attend clinics looking to have a good time and use the weekend as an “outing” away from the wives and kids to unwind and enjoy themselves with their staff. When I go to clinics, I aim to attend as many sessions as possible to learn and gain knowledge from some of the most successful and innovative minds in football today. I set out to lear
AFM Subs Ask - with former NFL special teams coach Mike Sweatman
Mike Sweatman coached for 23 years in the NFL, primarily with special teams. He began his NFL career with the Vikings and later coached with the Bears, Patriots and Jets and had two stints with the New York Giants. Sweatman coached under Bill Parcells when the Giants won the Super Bowl in 1990 and later, Coach Tom Coughlin hired him as Special Teams Coordinator in 2004. His career included three Super Bowl appearances and two championships. He answers your questions about special teams
Texas Titans – Lake Travis High School has built a winning tradition from the ground up.
The Lake Travis (TX) High School athletic program is blessed with a huge enrollment, college-caliber facilities and an abundance of next-level talent, especially at the quarterback position. With those types of advantages, the Cavaliers are expected to have success.But, with four straight 4A state titles and a shot at an unprecedented fifth, Lake Travis football has exceeded even the highest expectations and stands out as a prime example of an administration and coaching staff that
Coach to Coach – Off-Season Priorities
“The Future is Now!” was a phrase I heard often during the 1991 football season at Long Beach State. It was one of the many catch phrases that George Allen coined and is famous for. As we enter the heart of the 2012 off-season, it’s sometimes difficult to envision that the future of next football season is now. When it comes to developing a successful plan for the 2012 season, the future is indeed now. Over the past year and half, I have shared many of my ideas as they relate to the pri
Speed Report – The Off-Season is Back – Time for Foundation Speed Drills
If you’re not moving forward each year, you’re standing still. If you wish to grow, you need to review what you’ve been doing and challenge yourself to do more. I’ve spent 32 years adding something that improves my program to better levels than they were the year before. Sometimes it’s a new system or just tweaking the old one a certain way. Whatever your situation might be, it can always be better, especially when it comes to speed. I will give you a few thoug
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Madden - Larger Than Life
In Madden, longtime sports columnist Bryan Burwell has written the first comprehensive biography of this living legend. From his days as a star athlete in Daly City, California, Madden was driven to succeed, a trait that helped him persevere during his tumultuous years with the Raiders under Al Davis and compelled him to try his hand at broadcasting after his coaching career was over.John Madden is arguably one of the two or three most unique men in the history of American professional
Zone Blitzing the Spread Offense – Use this aggressive approach to disrupt routes and timing of the spread.
Head Coach Danny Hale just completed his 19th season at Bloomsburg and has seen over those years a trend in our opponent’s offense, a change from the traditional 2-back attack to more of a spread attack. Defensively, we have had to adapt to the ever changing schemes and, along with Secondary Coach Chet Henicle and Defensive Line Coach Bill Perkins, we have developed a scheme that is both effective and easy to understand and one that employs the most basic but also most important aspect of d
Drills Report – Expanded – Advanced Defensive Line Play Techniques and Drills
At Kutztown University, we believe in an aggressive, attacking style of play from our defensive line. Here are seven coaching points and seven drills to help your defensive line improve every day. Coaching Point #1 – We use this acronym every day.SACKERS - Stance (balanced and coiled)A - Alignment (See foot and shoulder)C - Concentration (What are you looking at?)K - Keys (mirror feet)E - Evaluate (what do you see?)R - Res
Strength Report – Density Training for the High School Athlete
Many programs can help make high school athletes stronger, more muscular and even faster. However, if your goal is to train your high school athletes to improve athleticism, flexibility, balance, strength, power and speed, density training is the way to go. Density training is a philosophy of training based on strength coach Charles Staley’s program, “Escalating Density Training”. Since the program was introduced, strength coaches all over the country have been putting together their ow
RECRUITING AT A SMALL SCHOOL WHEN YOU HAVE NOT HAD RECENT SUCCESS
By Derek Schlieve Head Coach Mayville State University Taking over a program that has not been successful has many challenges. We are facing those challenges here at Mayville State University right now. Here are some of the ways we are meeting that challenge. Be Honest:
Making an Impact with Your Kickoff Return
For a successful kickoff return, it is critical for all 11 players – including the deep returners – to think about making their block.There is almost nothing that compares to returning the opening kickoff of the season for a 95-yard touchdown against your school’s historic rival. The capacity crowd who had not yet made it to their seats for our 2010 opening game missed one of the most exciting moments of the year, a moment that made a statement to our opponent that we had come to
Playoff Prep – Good strategy during the season can increase your chances of success in the post-season.
How do you prepare now to for maximize your playoff run in November and December? There are many reasons why some teams are strong playoff performers and some are not. Some of those reasons are controllable, and others obviously are beyond the coach’s control. Some teams experience regular season success, but those accomplishments don’t continue through the playoffs. For others, advancing week-after-week is a tradition. What are the critical elements – physical, psychological and strate
The Power Run Game and the Spread Offense – Can They Co-Exist?
Since the popularization of the numerous forms of the spread offense in the late 1990’s and now into the new millennium, many coaches have seen a drastic change in the way they attack today’s defensive structures and coverage shells. As a coach who has always favored the power and lead-back run plays and series, I am constantly researching methods of running the Isolation Play (See Diagram 1), the Blast Play (Diagram 2) and the Power Off-Tackle Play with a gap down, pull, kick-out blockin
Father Figure – In his celebrated career, Houston’s Ray Seals became much more than a coach to many of his players.
Twenty-three years ago, Ray Seals decided to change his coaching legacy. It wasn’t going to just be about football anymore.Seals arrived at Madison High School (TX) in 1988 to find a program full of kids from low-income families. Some came to practice with no clothes; some hadn’t eaten. His players were foul-mouthed and disrespectful. They weren’t college material. “I said right then that when I became head coach, that wasn’t going to happen to my kids,” said Seals.
AFM Subs Ask – with Ron Erhardt Former NFL Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator
Ron Erhardt was the head coach of the New England Patriots (1978-1981), the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants for a decade (1982-1991), and the OC of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1992-1996). While with the Giants, his teams won two Super Bowls with two different quarterbacks, Phil Simms and Jeff Hostetler. He was also a very successful college coach, having an overall record of 61-7-1 in seven seasons as the head coach at North Dakota State. Erhardt’s offensive philosophy
Drills Report – Building Pocket Awareness
We believe that pocket awareness is one of the most important quarterback skills to develop. I did say develop. We don’t believe that most people are born with the ability to stand in the pocket and wait for people to run into them. We spend fifteen minutes a week during the season working on pocket awareness. On Monday, we spend five minutes re-enacting the pocket awareness situations that the quarterback should have handled more efficiently from the previous game. On Tuesday, w
Letter from AFM - Award Winner
There may be a coaching award that Ray Seals hasn’t won, but we’re not aware of it. Seals, who is the subject of this issue’s cover feature, retired from coaching prior to the start of this season, which would have been his 24th at Madison High School in Houston and 47th overall. Ten times he was named Coach of the Year for the Houston school district. He was awarded Coach of the Year honors from the Houston Touchdown Club in 1997 and Houston Texans in 2001. In 2008, he was n
Developing a Fire 2 Zone “Cheat” Blitz Package
Simplifying terminology and guidelines can produce effective blitz packages against different fronts.We have developed a form of Cover 2 Zone Blitz coverage that can be an effective tool in any defense’s package. We will explore the history, benefits, how to develop the coverage, and how to implement it for multiple looks and packages. The History My father once told me, “If you get information from just one person, that’s stealing. If you
Promoting Small College Football
by Dawn L. Harmon Editor’s note: Jason Dannelly isn’t a football coach. He isn’t a football player either– at least not since college. He is, however, a football fan and it is from this passion that his current venture stems. As founder and owner of Victory Sports Network, Dannelly has touched thousands of lives through relentlessly writing about, promoting, and analyzing NAIA college football. At almost
Coaching In Poland
Compared to other European countries, organized American football in Poland is in its infancy, but growing. What once began at a grass roots level has now turned into three separate divisions - 1st Division, 2nd Division and an eight-man football league. The Polish American Football League or (PLFA) was started in 2006 with four teams. With the popularity of American football growing, the PLFA split into two divisions in 2008 - PLFA I (8 teams) and
Education: A New Pillar for Modern Sports
by J ThompsonAmerican Public University offers online degrees in sports management and sports and health sciences.The legend of Knute Rockne was forged on the gridiron. Many know his contributions as a football tactician – introducing the Notre Dame Shift and perfecting the passing attack. But it’s his off-the-field contributions that add to his legacy, which the College Football Hall of Fame describes as “American football’s
Method To His Madness - Letter from the Publisher
You could describe LSU Head Coach Les Miles in many different ways. Just don’t call him conventional. He has been known to eat a bit of grass from the football field for good luck. He has over 34,000 Twitter followers, which is more than any other FBS coach. Last month, he tweeted “I hear Wimbledon champ likes eating grass too. Hope he enjoyed it. Nothing beats Tiger Stadium grass though.” He is a press favorite, having provided many memorable sound bites. There
Leadership in Football
What do the names Lombardi, Landry, Walsh, and Dungy all have in common? They are the names of football coaches who were innovative in implementing and teaching new strategies and tactics but they were also great team leaders. What was it about their attention to the details of the game that required hard work, dedication and focus that led them to some of the best winning percentages in the history of the National Football League? In their own way, each one of these coaches truly cared about
Great Expectations – How do coaches like Bob Stoops manage high expectations or overcome low ones?
“Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their players and motivate.”– Vince LombardiEvery season starts with expectations, some higher than others. How a coach handles those expectations can be the difference between failing to meet them and exceeding them. But what is the secret to dealing with expectations in this era of pre-season rankings, blogs and media pundits that put pressure on teams before fall practice even
Graduate Course How does a high school coach fulfill a dream of advancing to the college ranks?
In every profession, it’s natural to want to advance to the next level. Greater prestige, higher compensation and job security are all potential rewards of a promotion within an organization or a change of employers. In football, you would naturally assume that many successful high school coaches would aspire to become college coaches, and that may indeed be the case. But even the best high school head coaches have struggled to succeed as head coaches in college football, at leas
Letter From The Publisher
Moving up the Coaching Ladder Part of the fun of being with an organization that has chronicled the successes of football coaches for over 15 years is following the careers of coaches that we featured in AFM years ago. It’s great to see a coach like Gary Patterson, for example, who we put on our “Hot List” of up-and-coming coaches in 2004, achieve such great success at TCU and become AFM’s FBS Coach of the Year in 2011. While we’ve worked
Trojan Force – Head Coach Allan Trimble has built the Jenks High School program into a perennial power in Oklahoma and overcome adversity along the way
Allan Trimble, the Head Coach at Jenks High School (OK), authored the book ‘Coaching Football Successfully’ in 2001. In it, Trimble wrote that success should not be measured solely in terms of wins and losses. “Success comes in many shapes and sizes,” said Trimble. “It could be mentoring an athlete who is facing adversity, having your team show improvement as the season progresses, or having both a loyal and supportive coaching staff.” • Trimble clearly
Tiger Training – Missouri’s 10 Key Defensive Line Drills and Techniques – How you can fortify your pass rush.
The key to any defensive pass rush is putting pressure on the quarterback. Missouri conducts drills daily to accomplish just that. At the University of Missouri, I have been very fortunate and blessed with defensive linemen who have and are embracing this attitude. In my time here, we have increased our sack total each year. We have had many players go on to All-Conference honors. We have had players lead the Big 12 in sacks and in tackles-for-loss. We have had a defensive lineman
Steuerwald’s Rules – A coaching legend shares his guidelines for designing and implementing an effective pre-season practice schedule.
In sixty days or less, your 2011 team will be assembled for pre-season practice. They’ll be pushing themselves to achieve peak physical condition, battling each other for higher spots on the depth chart and, in most places around the country, struggling to get through practices in oppressive heat and humidity.
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Winning Football
In his new book Winning Football, Bill Ramseyer provides a blueprint for coaching success. Based on lessons he’s learned from his decades in coaching, the book is a complete handbook that examines all parts of the game. Here is an excerpt from his opening chapter.Elements of Success Success can be measured in many ways. If you are a coach, perhaps you measure success by the positive influence you have on the lives of the players you coach – the attitudes
Education: A New Pillar for Modern Sports
By J. ThompsonAmerican Public University offers online degrees in sports management and sports and health sciences.The legend of Knute Rockne was forged on the gridiron. Many know his contributions as a football tactician – introducing the Notre Dame Shift and perfecting the passing attack. But it’s his off-the-field contributions that add to his legacy, which the College Football Hall of Fame describes as “American football’s most-renowned coac
From The Coaches Bookshelf – Eddie Robinson The Martin Luther King of Football
Covering six decades, Eddie Robinson’s coaching career paralleled the Jim Crow era of segregation in the Deep South and every major event of the Civil Rights Movement. His tenure spanned 11 U.S. Presidencies and four wars involving American troops – 57 years at the same university: Grambling. His football teams won 408 games and nine black national championships. Robinson opened the NFL to players from historically black colleges and sent more than 200 players into pro football. In Eddie
Tackle Safe – Bobby Hosea’s pioneering tackling technique protects players from devastating head injuries.
As a coach, what are you doing right now to make the game safer for your current and future players? Could you be doing more to ensure head-to-head hits are eliminated from the game? Bobby Hosea can help you answer those questions. Hosea, a former UCLA cornerback who played professionally in Canada and in the USFL, has emerged as a passionate and authoritative voice in the movement to change the violent tackling culture in football. He enlightens coaches, parents
Master Motivator – Brett Steuerwald has used effective communication and motivational techniques to become one of America’s most successful coaches.
Texas, Florida, California and other Sunbelt states are almost universally recognized as the premier regions for high school football. But, if you look beyond the states that seem to get all of the national attention, you can find coaches that have established dominant programs over many years, have had major impact in their communities and have had a positive influence over thousands of young athletes. Brent Steuerwald is
Making the Game Safer
If you watch television or go to the movies, you’ve seen Bobby Hosea. You just might not realize it. In an acting career that has spanned more than 25 years, Hosea has appeared in dozens of television shows and movies including 24, CSI, Heroes, Cold Case, Xena: Warrior Princess, Independence Day – the list goes on and on. He’s portrayed military officers, police detectives, doctors – even OJ Simpson. But, in football ci
Feeding the Ducks
Sports nutritionist James Harris makes sure that University of Oregon athletes are properly fueled and ready to compete at the highest level.For many years, football coaches have recognized that effective strength and conditioning programs are essential ways to help athletes achieve peak performance. Increasing numbers of programs now also understand that proper nutritional practices are just as important if you want to maximize an athlete’s effectiveness on the field. &nb
RivalsHigh.com – Smith Steps Down at Aquinas
Legendary coach had a career 361-66 record.It is a season of change for national power Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. Barely over a month removed from its sixth state title and subsequent No. 2 national finish in the RivalsHigh 100 and just two weeks after officially being realigned into District 15 of the newly-formed Class 7A, the Raiders have announced the team will enter the 2011 football season with a new head coach. At a press conference that was
Samson’s Strength & Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2010
NFLRusty JonesChicago Bears In 2006, Chicago Bears Strength and Conditioning Coach Rusty Jones received the National Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year award. What made the award so special was that all 32 NFL strength and conditioning coaches voted on the award. “Because it was from my peers, it really meant something special,” said Jones. Jones just completed his sixth full season with the Chicago Bears, the last three
Coach to Coach: Football Clinics – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
If you are like me, your email has been full of invitations and promotions to the many football coaching clinics being held across the country. As a coach with 19 seasons under my belt, I have attended many clinics, have had the opportunity to speak at many clinics, and I host the Shotgun Zone Fly Summit. Clinics provide us with a great opportunity to learn from some of the most successful people in the business. They are also a great excuse to get a “hall pass” for a w
Coach to Coach: The Art of Effective Motivation
I was watching the Baltimore Ravens dominate the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of a playoff game this weekend with my dad. I was surprised at the lack of energy and focus that Pittsburgh team had displayed for the entire first half. On the first possession of the second half, sure-handed Baltimore running back Ray Rice fumbled and the Steelers recovered. The home fans were filled with a rush of excitement and the Pittsburgh players, despite a two touchdown deficit, displayed a renewed
Letter From The Publisher
Gary Patterson’s first season as head coach of TCU in 2001 was a challenge. The Horned Frogs had lost 28 seniors to graduation, including LaDanian Tomlinson, and had to play a full slate of games against unfamiliar opponents, having moved from the WAC to Conference USA that year. After a 4-5 start, Patterson was on the hot seat. But a strong finish that year and 10-2 and 11-2 records the following two seasons put his career on the fast track. He even land
Speed Report: Confusing Conditioning for Football Speed Development
Conditioning is, in reality, a performance trait useful during the season. It can consume your periodization schedule in the off-season when, in reality, it’s not relative. You may not agree with my thoughts on how you should address conditioning. You should focus your training on speed and power and not conditioning. The word ‘Conditioning Coach’ in the collegiate world has begun to change - now it’s become a ‘Performance Coach.’ A coach in the
Sizing Up Your Team – Post-Season Evaluation Can Be a Positive Exercise for Coaching Staffs and Players
The 2010 high school football season has ended, but that does not mean that head coaches downshift into neutral and coast for the next few months. In reality, the 2011 season already has begun. What is accomplished in the off-season is often key to how successful next season will be. In many ways, the off-season is as busy, if not busier, than the actual fall season for head coaches. Equipment needs to be reconditioned and inspected
John McKissick: 7 Keys to Long-Term Success
McKissick, 84, entered his 59th season at Summerville in September with a record 576 wins. He’s accomplished the astonishing feat with a plethora of offenses, from the wing-T to the wishbone to his current spread attack. His defense also has changed with the times, transforming from a wide-tackle 6 and 50 look used to defend the tight ground attacks of the past to a multiple scheme designed to stop the modern spread offenses. “You’ve got to change with the material y
Fundamentals of Wide Receiver Play and Reading Coverages
By PJ Fleck, Wide Receivers Coach Rutgers University PURPOSEFUL “TEACHING” I was always told that I was the “King of the TOO’s” (too small, too slow, too short). I heard all the time, “GET OUT OF THE BREAK, DROP YOUR WEIGHT, CATCH THE BALL, GET OFF THE PRESS.” “Cat
Give Your O-Line a Bull’s-Eye
As a young coach in the late ‘80’s, I was introduced to the article “The Eyes Lead the Body” by Blanton Collier. Little did I realize then how significant that article is for offensive line success. Later in my coaching career at Centre College in Danville, KY where, like most Division III schools, coaches often wear many hats. I served as a strength and conditioning coach in addition to offensive coordinator. In that role, I found I was often coaching posture in order
0-12: How To Deal With Losing
We embrace winners. It’s in our DNA. But the other side of winning is losing, and it can be a painful pill to digest when it happens so often. Perhaps that is no more evident than in coaching. But, inevitably, every coach will experience that pain at some point in his career. How a coach deals with the negative aspects that accompany losing is a matter of perspective and having faith in what he is doing will reap rewards in the face of adversity. Bob Davie, the former coach at No
Letter from AFM
Our mission at AFM is to help coaches to be more successful on and off the field. Naturally, for most coaches, success means winning more games. So our focus has always been to provide the tools to win, whether they’re innovative offensive systems, position drills, defensive techniques or special teams strategy. But virtually every coach, at some point in his career, has endured a season where the losses have outnumbered the wins. After all, for every team that puts together a win
John Robinson, Assistant Coach
By Jeff Fedotin • RivalsHigh.com At 75, John Robinson’s coaching career has come full circle – from USC to the NFL to now, the sidelines of San Marcos High School as an assistant coach Connor Kuehnle’s parents did not believe their son when he told them the identity of his new defensive coordinator. “There’s no way it’s John Robinson from USC and the Rams,” Kathy and Kenzie Kuehnle said. “There’s no way this guy’s gonna come an
7 Concepts in Developing a Winning Mentality
As a seasoned coach and life-long sports fan, I am always intrigued by teams, players and coaches who never reach their full potential and also those who do. I am intrigued by overachievers and curiously puzzled by those who consistently settle for less. Is it simply DNA? Do some possess genes that demand a lifelong pursuit of excellence while others inherit traits that have them looking for the paths of least resistance? In a competitive environment where everyone professes a desire to win,
GEORGE BLANDA “It’s Never Too Late”
By T. J. Troup Coach, Teacher, and Pro Football Historian Future Hall of Fame Quarterback Bobby Layne was sold to the New York Bulldogs before the 1949 season by “Papa Bear” George Halas. To fill the roster spot, Halas used the Bears 12th pick in the draft to take quarterback George Blanda of Kentucky. During his last three years at Kentucky, playing under the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant, the Wildcats won 20 of 31 games and played in the
The Prep Report
With Jamie DeMoney First and Ten - A look at 10 of the nation’s top coaches under 40. Josh Niblett, Hoover (AL): The 38-year-old is 27-3 with a state title in two years at this national power in suburban Birmingham. He was a scout-team quarterback for Alabama’s 1992 national championship team. Josh Floyd, Shiloh Christian (AR): Floyd, 30, already led his alma mater to three state titles and a 70-12 record in six seasons. Charlie Ra
Small Schools, Big Time Programs
For years, Smith Center, Kansas’ (population 1,700) claim to fame was that it’s located in the geographic center of the United States. Now, high school football has put the town on the map. The Smith Center Redmen gained national attention in 2007 when, in the middle of an eventual 79-game winning streak, they had an 11-game run where they outscored their opponents a combined 706-0. In one memorable game, they scored 72 points – in the first quarter. Wh
Speed Report: Combining In-Season Conditioning with In-Season Speed Training
The answer is usually not well-received. My reply is that we need to understand how the game is played physiologically. If you run athletes hard and often with short recovery time between efforts, your athletes are being exposed to overtraining. Consequently, you’re training the wrong metabolic system and will not be tapping the proper system that is required. Limited recovery with constant brutal sprinting is going to keep the heart rate at maximum levels. The heart rate should have a
Developing Key Reads for Your Defensive Backs
As the secondary coach at Lehigh University, I usually get 20-25 minutes of individual time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in season. My goal each week is to optimize my time. In doing so, I spend about ten minutes a day on footwork and ball drills. I then spend another five minutes per day on some aspect of tackling or block escape. I then split the group for the last 5-10 minutes. Both groups will work on the finer points of the same coverage for the remainder of the time. For example, if
Legendary Leader - George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas
George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas shares principles that have helped him become one of the nation’s winningest coaches His heroes are old-school coaches like Paul “Bear” Bryant, Woody Hayes and Don Shula, and his disciplinarian style in many ways reflects an old-school coaching philosophy. But George Smith is not afraid to try something new if it will help give his football team an edge. That’s what Smith, the head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas
Letter from AFM
Before St. Thomas Aquinas’ trip to Ohio to play in the annual Kirk Herbstreit event last season, Head Coach George Smith wanted to be prepared. So he flew to Columbus and walked through his team’s itinerary – from the moment they would land right through game time – and checked out everything from bus arrangements to the pregame menu. His preparation paid off as Aquinas routed Upper Arlington, 52-7. Smith is planning another scouting mission prior to the Raiders’
Hammer Strength Player of the Year
Hammer Strength is honored to present John David Bruce as the 2009 Hammer Strength Player of the Year. The award honors student-athletes who demonstrate consistent dedication in four key areas: work ethic, effort, leadership and academics Player of the Year: John David Bruce GPA: 3.98 Positions: Tight End/Quarterback School: Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga, TN Nominated by:
Your Take Too Much, Too Soon
I talked to Rich Rodriguez and Brian Kelly this off-season at two different times in two different settings. They were the ones who brought up the subject independently. Entitlement. The attitude that makes certain people act like they are owed something. “I sense a bit of entitlement that needs to be rectified,” Kelly said, shortly after taking the Notre Dame job. “I think the challenges are within.” “We cannot have a sense of entitlement,” Rodriguez sa
Thirty-two Major College Coaches Began at the Divisional Level
By Tex NoelBobby Bowden. John Heisman. Woody Hayes. Lou Holtz. Amos Alonzo Stagg.And Jim Tressel. They are among 32 of the winningest major college head coaches that began a career at a non-FBS college football team.Coaches with at least 150 all-time career victories were eligible to be includedin this listing which includes a pair of coaches with over 300 all-time victories.Bowden’s teams won a total of 377 games during his outstandingcareer. Of thi
Your Take: Dealing With Bad Calls
Anyone who has ever played, coached or even watched an athletic contest has experienced the phenomenon I’ll call “Referee Induced Mental Hysteria.” We have all been there: some official, referee, umpire or judge makes a call that brings the crowd to its feet, causes a coach to rip his headphones off, or leave the dugout. What happens next can cost the team the game. Not necessarily the ‘bad call’ and its penalty, but the coach’s reaction to the call and the effect that reaction ha
Uniform Front
Is your program updating your team’s jerseys? Here’s the lineup for 2010 – and several things to consider. While coaches love Xs and Os, the heat of the battle, and developing players, one task most coaches generally don’t like is the process of finding and buying uniforms. But uniforms have to be replaced – sometimes due to wear, sometimes due to necessity and sometimes due to directional changes in your program. Some new coaches change the tea
Linebacker Play-Reading Windows To Stop The Run
Stopping the run is always the number one concern of any defense. At O’Fallon Township High School, we have developed a scheme that allows linebackers to make an initial read and attack the ball carrier. We utilize good pursuit angles and have an understanding of the opponent’s blocking scheme that is simple to learn for the players and allows the coach to use the offense’s blocking scheme against them. At OTHS, we are a single gap, block react defense. We are counting on the f
Samson’s Strength & Conditioning Coaches of the Year
From the NFL to High School, Strength & Conditioning Coaches are trusted to maximize their team’s potential when they step onto the field. Here, Samson Equipment recognizes those coaches who made a big impact in 2009... NFL Dan Dalrymple New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Dalrymple learned a valuable lesson when he had a free agent tryout with the Seattle Seahawks in 1987. Dalrymple had been a four-
From The Coach’s Bookshelf Jim Lefebvre’s ‘Loyal Sons
The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame may be the most famous backfield in college football history. But, incredibly, until recently their story had never been explored in book-length form. Author and football historian Jim Lefebvre tells it in great detail in Loyal Sons: The Story of The Four Horsemen and Notre Dame Football’s 1924 Champions. The national award-winning book gives us insight into the coaching greatness of Knute Rockne as he guides his Irish to an undefeated season, Rose Bowl victo
Dramatic Turnaround: Going From 0-11 to 12-1 In One Year
After Luke Salmons was hired to be the head coach at struggling Lawrence County High School (KY) in 2008, he did what every new coach would do. He put his plan in place and hoped for the best. Salmons inherited a program that did not have a winning record since 2003. “They’d had a period of five or six years where they didn’t win many games, and so I got the job,” said Salmons. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, and you never really know whe
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Greg Toal, Head Coach of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ, was having success a few years ago with a program that continually ranked among the top high school teams in the state. They were beginning to surpass perennial powers St. Joe’s Regional, Bergen Catholic, and St. Peter’s Prep as the best team in the New Jersey. But he wanted to take DBP to another level. Toal knew the Ironmen could compete with the best teams in New Jersey but he wanted to see how they would fare on
AFM’s FBS Coach of the Year: Boise State’s Chris Petersen
Chemistry is so much more than just a cliché at Boise State. In fact, according to head coach Chris Petersen, chemistry is “as important as anything we do here.” “I think we have all been on those teams where we’ve had a lot of talent, but haven’t done well for one reason or another,” said Petersen, American Football Monthly’s FBS Coach of the Year. “We’ve also all probably had the opportunity to be on a team that didn’t have a lot of talent, but did very well to
Preparing for a Pro Career…Part II
(The following is the diary of former University of San Diego running back J.T. Rogan as he prepares for both the NFL Combine and his individual pro day…this is part II of a series) My training has been met with some resistance as multiple events have obstructed my focus and attention: I visited Indianapolis for the AFC Championship game (in which I was hoping the Chargers would be participants, not unlike the couple that could be seen sporting their LaDainian Tomli
Was It a Loss?
It was a heartbreaking loss yesterday. With less than two minutes left in the game, and a chance to score and win, they fell short by a foot. The last few moments were hard to endure as their opponent took control of the ball and let time run out. I was there, on the sidelines, trying to capture images to illustrate the values of the school’s football program -teamwork, commitment, sacrifice, determination, discipline, courage. But I put my camera away. Over the last two y
From the Coach's Bookshelf - Brett Perkins' Frantic Francis
Despite having a career record of 158-57-11 and being a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Francis Schmidt is one of the most underappreciated college football coaches in the game’s history. An incredible offensive mind, Schmidt brought success to Tulsa, Arkansas, TCU and Ohio State during the 20’s and 30’s. He believed in a wild, wide-open, daring style of offense and created a playbook of more than 200 plays – unheard of at the time. His coaching lineage can be traced ove
Q & A With Larry Porter: Challenges for a New Coach
One of the challenges facing the University of Memphis when they fired Tommy West as their football coach was finding a replacement who could take Memphis to the next level. West made strides, taking the Tigers to fi ve bowl games in his nine years as head coach, but this past season was a disappointment as Memphis finished 2-10. An obstacle Memphis has always faced is that the college is in the heart of SEC territory. Memphis was an independent for years and for the last 15 seasons has been
An Offense For the Undersized: The Double Wing
In 1999, Ygnacio Valley High School, under the direction of head coach Tim Murphy, set the all-time large-school record in Northern and Central California by rushing for 5,019 yards. The Warriors’ offensive line that season averaged 208 pounds. In 2003, Murphy led Clovis East High School to the California Interscholastic Federation title and finished ranked in the Top 25 in the nation. The T-Wolves’ offensive line averaged 198 pounds. In 2007, Clovis East rushed for just
Letter from AFM
Boise State’s Chris Petersen has publicly stated that the Broncos don’t deserve a share of college football’s National Championship. That’s taking the high road, especially considering that his team finished 14-0 and many observers feel that the Broncos would give Alabama a good game. Petersen’s feeling is that the BCS rules are rules and that things have a way of working themselves out – no doubt thinking ahead to next season and a probable top-5 preseason
Preparing For A Pro Career
(The following is the diary of J.T. Rogan, an outstanding running back from the University of San Diego, as he prepares for February’s pro football combine and individual pro day. The article will be continued through early March. Rogan includes his background as an athlete, his philosophy on training and his actual routine in preparation for the event). After my redshirt Junior season in 2007 where I eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season, an
How To Slow Down the ‘Tempo’ Wing-T
During my first year as a Defensive Coordinator in 2006, we were very fortunate to have an excellent team at Merced High School. Making it to the sectional final and nearly pulling off a last-minute win was an exciting way to begin my career as a DC. However, that year was tempered with several doses of humility, mainly at the hands of the wing-t offense (specifically the tempo wing-t). In our second game of the year vs. Madera H.S., coached by wing-t guru Randy Blankenship, and later in the
Ditching Your Huddle – With so many teams going to the no-huddle offense, should you?
Until recently, the only time most teams would dare to run plays without taking the time to huddle up to get the play call and the snap count from the quarterback was during the two-minute offense, when saving precious seconds was critical. Not any more. Today, dozens of pro and college teams have instituted full-time no-huddle offenses with the simple goal of gaining an advantage over the defense by keeping them off-guard. High school teams are even beginning to follow suit. The no-
Gator Powerhouse
Head Coach Urban Meyer has called him perhaps the most valuable member of his staff. After just over four years with the Florida Gators, he’s widely recognized as one of the best, if not the very best, strength and conditioning coach in America. And now, with two BCS National Championship titles in the last three seasons, he’s at the very pinnacle of college football. He’s University of Florida Director of Strength and Conditioning Mickey Marotti and he’s prepping the Gators
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Brian Billick’s More Than a Game
During his tenure as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Brian Billick experienced the pinnacle of NFL coaching success when the Ravens crushed the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. He also suffered through perhaps the lowest point of his career when he was dismissed after posting a 5-11 record in 2007. Throughout his nine seasons at the Ravens’ helm, though, one thing remained consistent – the grind. In his new book, More Than A Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL
The Strength Report - How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels
Strength Report Staying Power
What’s the best way to protect your program’s major investment in strength equipment? Make sure it’s built to last. Only the best strength training equipment can hold up year after year under the stress of hundreds of powerful athletes and literally millions of pounds of weights. It takes well-built equipment that uses the best materials available to withstand that kind of punishment. Longevity is also the sign of successful business relationships. Companies that retain their c
Positive Point of View
For 20 years, U.S. Sports Video has provided football programs nationwide with technology that gives coaches better ways to analyze their teams. Mike Bokulich was reflective as he looked over the shipping boxes that contained 125 new EagleCam SkyHawk elevated camera systems ready to be shipped to customers from coast to coast. “There was a time,” he said, “when we weren’t sure we could sell a single system, let alone hundreds.” That time was t
How to slow down the “Tempo”Wing-T
During my first year as a Defensive Coordinator, in 2006, we were very fortunate to have an excellent team at Merced High School. Making it to the sectional final and nearly pulling off a last-minute win was an exciting way to begin my career as DC. However, that year was tempered with several doses of humility, mainly at the hands of the wing-t offense (specifically the tempo wing-t). In our second game of the year vs. Madera H.S., coached by wing-t guru Randy Blankenship, and later in the s
How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels w
Appreciating the constants in the now transitory coaching profession
Guess how many head coaching changes were made in major college football this year? Not five, not ten, not 20… but 22. Yes, 22 out of the 119 FBS programs are undergoing a new reign. For those that aren’t math majors, that’s nearly 20 percent. What’s even more interesting is that a dozen of those 22 coaches that either left on their own accord or fired were on the job five or less years. There’s a reason why the Paternos, the Bowdens and the Beamers o
How To Pick A Winning Offense
One of the most difficult decisions a coach has to make is what offense they will run. For a new coach this task could seem daunting if not impossible. Other youth coaches will watch a football game on television and say “Wow, I love Florida’s Spread Option offense! That scheme is unstoppable and I will be too!” Here is the dirty secret to that offense. It runs a lot better with you have Tim Tebow at QB and the rest of the superb athletes that the University of Florida has. Unle
FROM POP WARNER TO PREP SUPERIORITY
How Bill Powers, a former Pop Warner coach, has turned a small Christian high school into a powerhouse in the football hotbed of Florida Can’t blame Bill Powers much for pinching himself once in awhile to make sure this is all real. After all, how else would you explain a former Pop Warner coach with no prior high school coaching experience turning a doormat of a football program into Florida’s winningest prep team in the last four years? “I really don&
Starting from Scratch
When Old Dominion re-started their football program after a 68-year hiatus, they turned to Rogers Athletic for their practice equipment needs. The last time Old Dominion University played an intercollegiate football game, Franklin Roosevelt was president. Helmets were made of leather, and they didn’t have facemasks. Minnesota went 8-0 and was voted the national champion. The year was 1940. So, when it was announced that the program would be reinstated for the 2009 season, the un
Schutt - FBS Coach of the Year Finalists
Nick Saban University of Alabama Nick Saban has won plenty of hardware in his illustrious career, and he’ll add more to his mantle this year. The Associated Press and SEC Coach of the Year has single-handedly restored the pride back in Alabama football. After struggling through a 7-6 record in 2007, Saban and his staff rolled the Tide to a 12-1 mark and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. At one point during the season, Alabama was the number one team in the countr
Schutt - College Coaches of the Year
Mike London University of Richmond Creating Competition in Practice – Making Players Perform Under Pressure After seven games into the 2008 season with a record of 4-3, nobody believed Richmond could win it all, except Mike London himself, who saw something special in his guys. “I knew that our losses could have gone either way early on,” said London, who was the defensive coordinator at Virginia before taking the job at his alm
Schutt - High School Coaches of the Year Regional
Midwest Region Chuck Kyle • St. Ignatius High School (OH) Ohio is high school football and Chuck Kyle at St. Ignatius is Ohio football at its best. Kyle, the longtime legend at the parochial school in Cleveland, is known for racking up state championships, and he capped this season off by winning his tenth in his 26 years as the head coach of his alma mater. Just don\'t ask him if this one was most memorable. “It likes comparing children,” says Kyle.
Schutt - National High School Coach of the Year
Coaching Smart A Florida football legend, George Smith, is the Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year George Smith’s coaching career could have ended before it ever really got started. As a 27-year-old first-year head coach, Smith was getting his staff together after his first full season, a 6-4 campaign in 1975. “I was going around asking my staff in a post-season meeting who was going to come back for next year,” Smith recalls. “They al
Middle Cross Kickoff Return
Developing and repping a solid kickoff return team can be an explosive offensive weapon for your football team. With the kickoff team, you are generally looking to avoid negative momentum. However, with the kickoff return team, you can gain a huge momentum swing with a great return. At the very least, you want to give your offense the ball outside of the 30-yard line. The kickoff return team is important, because you can give your offense the ball in good field position, and could possibly ev
Developmental Aspects of Implementing the Front and Back Squat in a Training Program
The College Perspective: By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football University of Louisville Utilizing a squat movement is highly recommended for any athletic-based program. The combination of hip and knee extension that this movement develops is a key component in an athlete’s overall physical development. At one time, the traditional barbell back squat was the primary squat utilized in our program. Now, we use a variety of
Season Ending Evaluations of Players/Program
Jeff Shutter • Head Coach • Eastern York High School (PA) I always give the players a survey first to have them self evaluate their play, to evaluate their teammates, and to make suggestions for next season. I hold a meeting and distribute our lifting and conditioning calendar for the off season. I meet with the captains to have them write a brief note to help next year’s captains. The staff evaluates each game in hindsight and also evaluates returning players
Leadership Lessons for the Winning Coach
I have spent most of my adult life learning and practicing the art of leadership. I feel lucky to have attended the most famous leadership school in the world—West Point. This base coupled with a 20-year career as a military officer and coaching high school sports in Wisconsin, Washington and Texas has allowed me to develop some leadership principles that helped me achieve winning a state championship in football. I hope by sharing some ideas with you, it may help you achieve your goals.
An Adjustment No One Wants to Make
Funny how we always tell our players that football is like life. We have our ups and downs and we learn how to juggle both of them without compromising our integrity or losing our dignity. About a month ago, our starting senior middle linebacker and one of the nicest kids, went down with a severe knee injury. But it wasn’t during practice, it was in the minutes leading up to it. As he was taking his introductory lap before our stretch he had the bright idea (we know they don’t always use
The Drills Report: Auburn’s Running Back Drills
We practice a number of drills for running backs on a daily basis. These include ball leverage drills; movement and bag drills; decision-making drills; pass blocking drills; and pass catching drills. For this article, we’ll include our five ball leverage drills: A. Strip Drill-Side: This is protecting the ball from defenders trying to strip the ball in a crowd – usually linemen and linebackers – (See Diagram 1).
Q & A With New Northern Illinois Head Coach Jerry Kill
Coach Kill is in his first season at NIU after turning the program around at Southern Illinois Q1-As you began your coaching career, who was your mentor(s) as a young coach? Coach Dennis Franchione and Coach Chuck Broyles at Pittsburg State Q2-Looking back on your coaching career, is there one lesson you learned early on that has stayed with you? Probably the organization of practice. That\'s where you win is the organizat
Why The Spread? 11 Questions For A Coach To Consider
One of the greatest joys for me as a football coach is having guys that I have coached get involved in coaching after they graduate. I have been fortunate to have more than one decide to take this career path in the 14 years that I have coached. The most recent addition to this list is Jay Osborne who was recently hired as the wide receiver coach at McMurry University. Jay played in a spread offense for me a few years ago and I as a coach got to watch him grow in his knowledge of the spread o
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1 - *Why The Spread? 11 Questions For A Coach To Consider” Here are three: *‘What is the most critical element to running a successful Spread offense?’ *‘Can the Spread be successful with players of different abilities and sizes?’ *‘What defense gives the spread offense the most trouble?’ Go to www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Preparing for the Dangerous Return Man
At 6:50 in the third quarter on Sunday, February 10th 2008, in Hawaii, Rob Bironas kicks off for the AFC. Devin Hester takes the ball on the 4-yard line, and heads up field. At the 18-yard line he suddenly stops and throws back across the field to Cowboy tight end Jason Witten who advances the ball 35 yards into AFC territory. When special teams coach Mike Stock of the NFC asked Hester ‘Why?’ Devin\'s response was, \"I saw him waving.’ In the last two years Devin Hester had advanced
5 Misunderstood Contractual Issues
Through my experience as an attorney for the NFL Coaches Association and as an agent with Coaches Inc., I have examined a myriad of coaching contracts over the last nine years. Due to the harsh, unpredictable reality of this profession, your contract is your only protection for you and your family when the stars fall out of alignment and you end up fired. Unfortunately, coaches tend to overlook the contracts they sign because they are happy to have a job and do not want to be considered ungr
Maximize Your Football Coaching Video
College coaches will admit that watching video accounts for 2-3 times more of their in-season workload than actual on the field preparation. Football game video is a necessary evaluation tool for coaches and players, yet many coaches struggle through each season with untrained videographers producing ineffective results. A decade of coordinating video for high school, NAIA, and NCAA-FBS football has taught me that finding the right personnel to handle your team\'s football video is
- More Solutions to Problem #2
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 2: Your running back has ball control issues... if he’s prone to fumbling, how do you improve his ball security? Ball security by all players is priority #1 in our offense and great care is given to ball security. We have a series of drills where th
Building Better Bruins
Head Athletic Performance Coach Mike Linn of UCLA has come home. Raised in Southern California, Linn was a two-year starter for the Bruins on the offensive line and stayed with the program after graduation, eventually becoming UCLA’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach from 1999 to 2002. For the last several years, he’s been training individual athletes and supervising training programs nationwide for Velocity Sports Performance, a leading provider of individual performance training program
AFM Subscribers Ask...with David Cutcliffe
After only 22 wins over the last 13 seasons, Duke turned their fortunes to new head coach David Cutcliffe last December. Coach Cutcliffe comes to Durham after serving the previous two seasons as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee. His coaching experience includes a six-year stint at Ole Miss where the Rebels had a 44-29 record and went to four bowl games. Cutcliffe was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record. He has participated
Mental Training For Performance Enhancement and Injury Management
This is the first in a series of articles exclusively for www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com by Dr. Raymond Petras, a sports performance and injury management specialist. The Objective The objective of coaching is to enhance performance. We all attempt to do this through practice, strength training and conditioning. I wish to pass on to those of you who are interested, concepts that will aid your coaching. Performance Enhancement Early one sp
Interviewing for a High School Coaching Job – The Key to the Right Fit
As anyone that has stayed in the coaching profession for long can tell you there are jobs that will be desired and there are jobs that look good but by taking them it could be the beginning of the end of your coaching career. How do you run the gauntlet of the interview process and find out the true story of what is going on at the interviewing school for the good of your professional opportunity and family considerations? A job interview is actually two interviews; the school offic
The 10 Commandments of Coaching Leadership
Coaching and leadership have always been intertwined. So much so that Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski says “I don\'t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.” If leadership is, as Yuki suggests, “the application of intentional influence in order to achieve a desired result,” then coaching is actually leadership in practice. However, before we move forward on what actions coaches should and should not take, it’s import
Single Source
There’s no question that advances in technology have had a positive impact on football programs in recent decades. Digital editing systems have given coaching staffs play-analyzing capabilities that were unheard of just a few years ago. Wireless headset communication systems have become more powerful and more reliable and have freed coaches from the cumbersome wires of systems in the past. A long list of video accessory products such as duplicators have made tasks like sharing game footage wit
10 Mistakes You\'re Bound to Make at Pre-Season Practices
So the summer is winding down and you’ve put a stamp on your off-season conditioning; wrapped up the local seven on seven tournaments; and made all the necessary arrangements to have an intense and productive camp in preparation for another eventful season. But as the lazy days of July morph into the intensely crammed early days of August, there are some major concerns that need to be addressed before heading into summer camp. Sure, every good coach has a plan, but there are some major decisi
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lance Leipold
Taking over for his former college coach Bob Berezowitz last fall, Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold led the Warhawks to their first Division III National Championship. After losing to Mount Union in the title game in both 2005 and 2006, UW-W proved the third time is the charm as they upset Mount Union in their third straight meeting, 31-21. In the process, Leipold became only the second first-year coach to ever win a D-III National Championship. Leipold’s coaching career also began at
Building a Championship Team: What Does it Take?
This marks AFM’s fifth annual State Champions survey. The results of the first four surveys indicated some clear-cut trends on the following topics: the consistent use of ‘feeder’ programs; a constant in the number of returning starters combining offense and defense; similar numbers of both juniors and seniors on varsity teams; the popularity of the four-man defensive front; and the consistency of overall football budgets. The latest survey – for 2007 State Champions – indicates simila
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Mark Banker
Last fall Oregon State finished first among all 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing defense, surrendering only 70.6 yards per game. The Beavers also finished fourth in quarterback sacks (3.4 per game); sixth in tackles-for-loss (8.2); and eighth in total defense (306.2 ypg). In 2006 the OSU defense led the nation in tackles-for-loss yardage (528). The lynchpin of this defense is Mark Banker, Oregon State’s Defensive Coordinator. Banker has spent 12 of the last 13 seasons with Head C
Fire, Football and Families
(The following article was written by John Torres, a 25-year veteran of coaching youth football. The feature describes the effect of last October\'s fires throughout the San Diego area and how it affected Coach Torres and his team). Saturday October 20th, 2007 The SC Wildcats as an organization go 7-3 today. My squad, the J1 Navy team, brings home a win after playing a tough squad from Simi. A birthday is celebrated at local eatery and none of us are ready f
The Strength Report: University of South Florida - Total Body Movements
Like anything else, it’s a strength and power game you get from resistance training. That’s why most athletes do both total body movements and Olympic lifts. The other reason it’s important is to ensure multiple joint action and full extension. More specifically, triple extension of the ankle, knee, and hip. We incorporate that into our lifting strategy as well as work with injury prone areas with all the players. We also train multiple muscle groups and attempt to be as time eff
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Ron Zook
Illinois Head Coach Ron Zook and his staff and players recorded one of the greatest turnarounds in the last decade with the team’s performance last fall. The Illini, 2-10 in 2006, finished the season with a 9-3 record, a major upset win over Ohio State in Columbus and a berth in the Rose Bowl. That turnaround (+7) was tops among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Known as a tireless worker and recruiter, Zook’s first two campaigns resulted in an overall 4-19 record. But his recruiting p
The Similarities Between Coaching Football and Investing
Stability As many of you know from your experiences, there is tremendous job insecurity in the football coaching ranks. Due to losing records, popular demand, compensation, school administration or financial reasons, among many other, there is tremendous turnover in the coaching profession. The financial markets also have much uncertainty. Whether it be rising oil prices, inflation, a sub-prime credit crisis or a real estate bubble, to name just a few, the stock, bon
Practice Planning For All Levels of Play
\"Winning is never an accident, it is the result of high intentions, determination and skilled executions\" When was the last time you or any coach you know complained of having too much practice time? As a coach with nearly 25 years of experience at the youth leagues, I have never heard a coach complain of this. I doubt sincerely that high school or colleges complain of this as well. One thing I have found out though, in the research I have done of successful coaches at all leve
Schutt Sports High School Coaches of the Year
EAST Jim Morgans, Parkland HS (Allentown, Pa.) After losing to the Parkland Trojans, opposing coaches invariably remarked on their relentless defense. Parkland’s defensive pursuit was no accident. The Trojans, who recorded seven straight shutouts en route to a 14-1 season, practice a different pursuit drill every day. One is the rabbit drill. “We toss the ball to a rabbit – he’s a kid who will run down the sideline,” coach Jim Morgans explain
Where Tradition Begins
Coach Laycock recently completed his 28th season at the helm of Tribe Football and is the program’s winningest coach with a career record of 178-127-2. Starting in 1980, his coaching career at W&M has included 18 winning ledgers and postseason games in nine seasons. To honor and build upon this proud tradition, W&M dedicated the new Jimmye Laycock Football Complex in the fall of 2007. This 30,000-square-foot building features a locker room, athletic training room and offices for coac
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Troy Calhoun
Under first year coach Troy Calhoun, the Air Force Academy finished the 2007 regular season with a 9-3 record. The Falcons had a five-game turnaround from 2006 (4-8) and it was the second largest in nearly fifty years. Air Force had entered 2007 coming off three straight losing seasons. Calhoun was hired from the Houston Texans where he was their Offensive Coordinator. A 1989 AFA graduate, Calhoun led the Falcons to the most wins ever by a first year head coach. After his military co
The Truth About Recruiting
There is no doubting Ed Orgeron\'s passion for recruiting.. Just ask his former boss, Pete Carroll. But, unfortunately for Orgeron, his recruiting abilities didn\'t translate into victories during his three-year tenure at Ole Miss. He was fired Nov. 25, just a few months after Bruce Feldman\'s book \"Meat Market\" was published and shortly after this article was written. Plenty can still be learned from Orgeron\'s relentless recruiting efforts, which Feldman reveals i
What’s Your Motivation?
At times it can be difficult to motivate students to do the things they are supposed to do to ensure success. As coaches we are the potter and the students are the clay. We have a challenging opportunity to mold that clay into productive, responsible, accountable students. There are number of things that we can do to help motivate our students. I will discuss some things in this article that I have seen to be beneficial. In order to motivate effectively we must make a conscious effort t
What Do You Mean You Guys Don\'t Bench? Not At All?
\"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect\"—Mark Twain I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to answer the title of this article in the past four years—from all factions: fans, players, parents and even other coaches. As you well know, in our profession anytime we go against the norm there is some inherent risk. There is safety in conformity. “If the league champ is running the spread, then we will too. So
Techniques and Drills for Pass Protection
At Upper Iowa, our offensive linemen go out before practice and then stay after to work on proper pass protection techniques. If these drills are instilled on a daily basis, the players can work on their own technique and know what results to expect. When I was hired in January of 2006, my first priority was to have our offensive linemen dedicate themselves to fundamentals and techniques. Last year our offensive line averaged 270 pounds and two of our starters had never played O-Line in their re
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Auburn's Off Season Tra
Conditioning should be at the forefront of a football strength and conditioning program. This does not diminish the importance of the weight room but there always needs to be a certain level of fitness for each player. You can't overemphasize the importance of conditioning, especially in this day and age. No matter how great the player is in the weight room, if he can't run, he can't play. This not only applies to straight-ahead running but the ability to move athletically, to change direction a
Arena Advantage
In the fast-paced world of the Arena Football League, where teams are pressured to score on virtually every possession, players seek to gain an advantage every time they touch the ball. That includes having the best jerseys available – ones that can’t be grabbed by would-be tacklers trying to prevent a touchdown. Dallas Desperados quarterback Clint Dolezel, the AFL’s all-time leader with 865 career touchdown passes, knows more about getting the ball into the end
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Defensive Backs
The philosophy on training high level football athletes is a basic one with simple principles. Each individual athlete, for the two to five years of their athletic career, will establish specific goals and objectives for themselves. As a commitment to ‘training’ as a high level or elite competitor, what can reliably be improved upon to develop a better skilled player or defensive back? Within the terms of training, for the game of football long term, is the length of the athlete
The Spin Offense: The Weakside Attack
Six years ago, I was the offensive coordinator at St. Andrews Episcopal High School in Ridgeland, MS. I was at a point in my career where I wanted to design an offense that would not only be different but would also help a team with average talent to compete against much stronger and more talented teams. With 23 years of coaching experience under my belt, I had run just about every kind of offense you could imagine. It was at that time I created the \'Spin Offense.\' By combining some
The Defensive End: Up or Down?
Chuck Martin is quite familiar with success. Martin will begin his third year as head football coach at Grand Valley State University, the winningest Division II football program in the country. He has led the Lakers to 23 wins, a D-II National Championship, a 13-game winning streak and a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) title. The Lakers’ success begins and ends with defense. Eleven of GVSU’s 13 opponents were held to 17 points or less and seven scored 10 points or fe
Evaluation: The One Constant
As coaches, we\'ve all heard these terms... Coachability Ability to Learn Willingness to Learn Ability to Trust Willingness to Trust Leadership / Good Teammate Team before Self Responsibility Help Others Competitive Play their best Seek Challenge Instinctive Ability Toughness Athleticism Explosiveness
6 Steps to D-Line Get Off
My first National Football League coaching experience was in 1980 with the Los Angeles Rams. It was a spring research visit. I was introduced to Bud Carson, the famed Pittsburgh Steelers’ Defensive Coordinator. I was awed by this encounter. Bud was highlighted in a 1979 Sports Illustrated article titled “NFL Assistant Coaches: Better Than Working For A Living.” In my 29 years of coaching, although the article’s title was unusual, I have found it to be truthful. My career has been bless
Comebacks
Games can be-and often are-won at halftime. Last year in Division I-A, there were 129 comeback victories by teams that trailed at halftime. Houston’s Art Briles authored five second-half comeback victories in 2006, most in Division I-A. Having a high-powered, quick-strike offense helps, says Briles, but making sure the team believes it can get back into the game is equally as important. San Jose State’s Dick Tomey led the Spartans to four second-half comebacks en route to
Setting Up the Pass with the Run in the Veer Option
When you think of running the option, you think of dominant programs that have run that offense: Navy under Paul Johnson, the Air Force Academy under Fisher DeBerry, and Georgia Southern under three different offensive option gurus: Erk Russell, Johnson, and most recently, Mike Sewak. Having been mentored by both Russell and Johnson, Sewak was OC under Johnson and then head coach at GSU for four years. Since leaving Georgia Southern in 2005, Sewak has served as an option consultant –
The Pistol Offense
For the past twenty-five years, I have coordinated the offense at Blue Valley High School. In all that time we have been either an ‘I’ offense or a single back offense. Making the transition from the single back/I offense under center to the Pistol offense in the shotgun has been much easier than we ever could have predicted. All the plays we ran in the I, we can run out of a Pistol alignment. Everything we ran in the single back look, we now do out of the Shotgun-Pistol. The greatest advant
Winning the War in the Trenches
The first thing LSU D-Line Coach Earl Lane impresses on his guardians of the trenches in pre-season is that their contributions are just as vital to the Tigers success as the guys who change the scoreboard. “What I emphasize to my players right at the outset,” Lane says, “is the importance of the positions they play. When most people use the term ‘skill players’ they’re talking about quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. I want my guys to know we’re skill players as well. Foot
Headset Heaven
Imagine the following situation: you’re setting up your headset system for a road game against a big rival. One hour before game time, you and your staff run a test of the system and it seems to be working fine. All five coaches on the sideline and four in the booth have good, clear signals. As the head coach, you know that effective game day communication between coaches is an essential part of winning. No coaching staff can expect to succeed without a well thought out sideline comm
A New Way to Communicate
Amos Alonzo Stagg used a megaphone to convey instructions to players during practices in the early days of the game. Countless coaches have barked orders into bullhorns so they’d be heard by players 20, 30 or 40 yards away on the practice field. Many coaches, however, still rely on yelling, which can be an ineffective way to teach or motivate individual players. Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith have each demonstrated that a calmer, more educational approach to coaching can motivate players
Implementing the Sweep Series Package
Growing up the son of a high school football coach, I was exposed to a brand of offensive football that utilizes a series of complementary plays off the same or similar formations, backfield actions, and blocking schemes. The Drive Series or Split- T offense that my father used in our high school combined full flow base runs with the misdirection of counter plays and play action passes. All fit neatly into a system that allowed the offense to keep the defense off balance by countering defensive
DETECT: Diagnosing Concussion Immediately
Soon you won’t need to flip fingers in front of a dazed DB asking “How many fingers?” or ask your starting QB to count backwards by 7’s from 100. There’s a new device in the validation stage that can detect concussions on the sidelines or in the locker room – in five to seven minutes. This instrument, called DETECT (Display Enhanced Testing for Cognitive Impairment and Traumatic Brain Injury), is being developed by David Wright MD of Emory University in Atlanta and Mi
Does Current Research Support The Use of Dynamic Stretch During Warm-up
Traditionally, preparation for football practices or games includes warm-up and static stretching, with no particular preference for what order they are performed in. Dynamic stretch is becoming more and more popular; however, it has yet to have a major presence in football. This article reviews research on dynamic stretch to see if it is appropriate as part of the warm-up for football. On almost every football field in America at some point before practices and games, the
Running Backs: Speed Skills Can be Taught - Part II
As previously discussed in part one of our article on running back speed, natural gifts are what we would all like to have at our fingertips. The reality is the resource per school doesn’t always match the desire for golden talent. When rubber meets the road, year to year we must be able to develop certain athletes who can perform at a consistant level coming out of the backfield. I am a huge believer that when working with youth you can develop the talent level with any program. The problem w
Strong Beliefs: A Key Ingredient in the Success of a Strength & Conditioning Pro
D I-AA: Kyle Speer • Sam Houston State Kyle Speer has been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Sam Houston State University for three years. He has one assistant coach, Brian Wiseman, working with him, and together the two are responsible for 16 sports with more than 350 athletes. In 2005 and 2006, Sam Houston State won the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Award, which is a performance-based award for the best overall athletic program in the Southland Conference. Sp
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Kurt VanValkenburgh, Florida Atlantic University’s Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach. Coach VanValkenburgh brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to the FAU Owls’ program. Coach VanValkenburgh has been an intricate part of the development of the football program at Florida Atlantic and his efforts helped launch the Owls during their inaugural season in 2001. During their third season, the Owls made it all the way to the
Building a Foundation
Despite having played in the nation’s first college football game on Nov. 6, 1869, Rutgers’ transformation from perennial loser to winner did not begin until Greg Schiano took over as the Scarlet Knights’ head coach on Dec. 1, 2000. Even then, success didn’t come immediately. Over a six-year period, the program and the coaching staff’s strategies and philosophies have undergone a series of adjustments and adaptations. “Being a defensive coach I’ve always believe
On Solid Ground: Conditioning Your Athlete
When it comes to creating an athlete who can withstand the rigors of competing, there is an awful lot that goes into it. While being in the business since 1990 I have come to identify what I consider to be the 4 most important steps in getting this done. When done properly, the results can not be denied. The Event (Step 1) When conditioning for an event, many factors must be considered. The requirements can vary dramatically from sport to sport. Some of
The Mental Aspect of Winning in the Trenches
All defensive line coaches have been embedded to believe that games are won and lost in the trenches. We would love to have that 6’ 8”, 290 lb. defensive end who runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and benches 500 lb. But for most of us that is not reality. As the old saying goes, “The game of football is 90% mental and 10% physical.” All coaches believe that the team that is most prepared will win the ball game. Here at Florida A&M University, we are fortunate to have a head coach, Rubin Carter, an
The Strength Report
Our philosophy and strategy at the University of San Diego is to develop players that are willing to persistently work towards achieving their goals and dreams, that believe if they dedicate themselves to their preparation they will deserve to be confident and expect to be successful. We teach players to perform with the fundamental habits that will enable them to be successful in their football career and life: by implementing a comprehensive program that teaches players to pay atten
The Speed Report: Developing Reaction Speed for DBs
When developing a defensive back for speed we must consider the multitude of athletic speed requirements they must perform: • Linear burst speed for short distances. • Linear speed for lengthly distances. • Backpedal speed at varying velocities and angles. • Change of direction speed at high velocity, sudden angle changes. • Multi-movement combinations, backpedal to lateral to spri
Staff Report: Landing the Interview
Your dream job comes open and you are in a time in your career that your experience and skills fit the qualifications for the position. How you proceed over the next days/or weeks will determine whether or not you will be interviewed by the search committee. Creating a Buzz Your gaol is to create a \'buzz\' about yourself with the athletic director and committee members. You want to create as much momentum as possible to have the committee excited to learn more about you. h
AFM Subscribers Ask
Now in his 20th season as head coach at Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer has established the Hokies as a consistent top ten Division I-A power. Beamer ranks third among all active D I-A coaches in wins and last fall led the Hokies to an 11-2 record and their 13th straight bowl game. Year-in, year-out, Virginia Tech has a reputation of being one of the finest colleges in special teams play: the Hokies led all I-A schools in blocked punts in the 90’s.
Pursuit, Tackling, and Takeaways
As coaches, we have many formative years. We learn to scheme, we learn organization, we learn player relations, how to recruit, how to present, how to teach, motivate, package, adapt. There are certain things that have changed over time and there are some constants. Tackling and pursuit have always been trademarks of great defenses. More recently, takeaways has been a great indicator of team success. The goal of this article is to
Becoming a Complete Back: Teaching Your RBs to Protect Your QB
During my career I have had the privilege to coach some outstanding running backs in high school and college. I have been fortunate to coach backs who have given me their undivided attention and were excited about reaching their potential as complete running backs. Several of the backs I have had the opportunity to coach went on and played in the NFL. Tony Smith, Chris Buckhalter and Harold Shaw all had successful careers. All of
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Coach Jason Phillips, Receivers Coach at the University of Houston. Coach Phillips brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Cougars football program as not only a coach but also a former player. Coach Phillips coaching career began with the Spring Football League’s Houston Marshals in 1999 with stops at the Minnesota Vikings (2001), Atlanta Falcons (2002) and Southwest Texas State (2002). While
Secondary Play - Kent State\'s Cover 2 Package
Part of our defensive package at Kent State is focused on defending on-back offensive sets from a 2-deep concept, particularly in pass down situations. When we feel we don’t have to match a lead back or pulling threat with one of our safeties, we like to play with rolled up corners and challenge the release of the receivers. In doing so, we hope to change the rhythm of the offensive play and give the offense something much different than our base Cover 4 look. In Cover
The Strength Report: Linebackers
My general philosophy of preparing players for competition in the game of football is that the game is played with the hips. Football is played on your feet – running, blocking, and hitting. You have a triple extension of your ankles, knees and hips. You need to be extended into your opponent or toward the ball, when you’re trying to catch it for example. When a receiver explodes off the line, he’s using his hips. When a defensive end exten
The Drills Report - West Virginia\'s Defensive Secondary Footwork Drills
This month’s drill was submitted by Coach Tony Gibson, the Defensive Backs Coach at West Virginia University. Coach Gibson is entering his sixth year as a member of Coach Rich Rodriquez’s staff. Coach Gibson has also made stops along his coaching career at West Virginia Tech University, Cumberland University, Glenville State College and Gilmer County High School. While at West Virginia University, Coach Gibson has been part of three Big East
Simplifying Offensive Play Calling In the Spread Offense
Looking back throughout my coaching career, I am often amazed at how complicated and wordy the offensive systems I have coached in have been. Even as I read new articles on offensive football strategies, I am dumbfounded at how wordy these plays can become. Therefore, when I earned my first offensive coordinator position, I wanted a simplistic way to get across as much information to my players with as little wording as possible. As I started to design the new offensive system, I wanted e
In the Heart of Special Teams: Your Best Opportunity to Gain a Competitive Advan
At the University of Cincinnati, we believe that special teams is one area of the game where you can gain a significant advantage over your opponent simply through the commitment of your best players and the commitment of your entire coaching staff. In this article I will share ideas on how we attempt to get our players to buy into special teams and how we attempt to “out coach” our opponents. Whether you coach high school, college or in the pros, each one of us sells
The Strength Report
I’ve been in the business of coaching athletes for over 20 years. I started at the high school level, moved to the junior college level and finally into the D-I College level. Prior to my coaching career I was part of the offensive and defensive line for my entire youth / high school / college football career. So in short I’ve always been interested in how to develop explosiveness and speed in all athletes. Throughout all o
\'Do Right...\'
As William \"Billy\" Joe sat in his hotel room in Tallahassee on that January afternoon in 1994, awaiting his job interview with Florida A&M University officials, hardly anybody in Florida\'s capital city knew who he was or why he was there. Nearly all of the city\'s residents were caught up in a parade through the downtown streets for Florida State as the city celebrated the Seminoles\' first national title. Little did the football-crazed fans realize that Joe was formulat
The Diary of a New Coach - Part I
Norman, Okla., is 17 miles south of Oklahoma City and perhaps most famous for being home of the Oklahoma Sooners. Football has deep roots in Norman. Norman High School, a Class 6A school with a strong football tradition itself, has nine state championships. NHS runs out of the offset I-formation and our base plays are either 42/43 Crunch (an iso on the playside backer) with a complimentary 26/27 Counter, or an option attack, depending on our personnel. Most of our passing is from a three-step
News & Notes
Former NFL Europe head coach Dick Curl joins the Chiefs Dick Curl, who joined NFLE in 1991 as Barcelona Dragons offensive coordinator and spent the last three seasons with the Frankfurt Galaxy as their head coach, has been named pro personnel assistant with the NFL\'s Kansas City Chiefs. In each of his first two seasons in Frankfurt, Curl was named NFLE Coach of the Year after leading the Galaxy to a berth in World Bowl. The Galaxy lost to the Rhein Fire in 1998, but beat Barce
News & Notes
Mountain West \'in the room\' on BCS talksMountain West Conference schools have gone from outsiders in the Bowl Championshp Series to non-voting members, thanks to a recent development in the BCS. The MWC, which is made up of eight former Western Athletic Conference schools such as Utah, Wyoming and UNLV, will participate in BCS meetings and discussions over the next six years. Only Conference USA and the Mountain West are non-voting members on the BCS panel. \"We\'re in the
Mike Leach Q & A
Q: You didn\'t reach the Division I-A level until 1997 at Kentucky. Before that, you had coached in Division II and the NAIA. What did you learn from your experiences at small colleges and how did you reach your current level?A: When you work at small colleges, you have to know a little bit about everything involved in a football program. A lot of things at major college that are done by someone else, I\'ve actually done myself. I\'ve actually been an equipment guy while coachi
Coaches of the Year
Division I-AA Coach of the Year:L.C. COLE, TENNESSEE STATEBefore leaving the city of Nashville to take on the role of Alabama State University\'s new head coach, L.C. Cole left his mark at Tennessee State, leading the Tigers into the elite ranks of Division I-AA. Cole leaves in his wake at TSU a regular-season winning streak of 19 games - the longest active streak in Division I-AA. The 1999 season, in which the Tigers were 11-1 and finished the regular season ranked No. 1,
AFM Subscribers Ask... Texas Tech
Premiering with this issue American Football Monthly begins ‘AFM Subscribers Ask…’, an in-depth Q & A session with a different coach each month. Subscribers are asked to send in their inquiries with specific questions for the coach featured that month. Our first coach to answer your responses is Texas Tech’s Mike Leach. One of the top offensive minds in the game today, Leach begins his seventh season in Lubbock thi
Point-Counterpoint: The Two Minute Offense
Defending the Two-Minute Offense Baylor vs. Edinboro
LRSSports Hot Coaches 2006
Division I-A Mike Haywood, Offensive Coordinator, Notre Dame: The Notre Dame alumnus (Class of ’86) had an impressive performance last year, his first in the job. The Irish offense averaged 36.7 points a game, which put them at No. 8 in the nation. The team had a particularly potent passing attack, averaging 330 yards per game, fourt
Exclusive: Inside Mickey Andrews\' Florida State Defense
Great college football teams are designed to STOP great college football teams. And when you play the kind of brutal and challenging schedule Florida State University lines up against each fall, you better be prepared to STOP great college football teams. Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who has been at the school for 22 years, is the architect behind the strategy, philosophy, instruction, motivation and guidance of one of the game’s stingiest defenses. Throughout his
Turnaround: How do you Turn an Ailing Program Around?
When you inherit an ailing program, one coming off a series of poor recruiting classes, one that’s subsisting on a steady diet of one or two wins a year, what’s a coach to do? Prospective recruits don’t want to play for a loser, especially if your campus lacks glamour. Alumni and community businesses don’t want to show financial support. It’s harder to find talented assistants, and the administration and the student body will be hard to placate. What often happens
The Prep Report
Quick Takes: Voices & views from the top prep coaches across America “Nobody in Indiana has ever won four state championships in a row, so it might as well be us. We’re going to embrace it.” – Steve Tutsie, head coach at Warren Central (Indianapolis), on the upcoming season. Tutsie, the Warriors’ defensive coordinator the last five seasons, was elevated after Kevin Wright became head coach at Tulsa (Okla.) Union. The
How to Climb the Coaching Ladder of Success
American Football Monthly asked me about climbing the coaching ladder of success. I had to go to Webster’s Dictionary to define what success is. Some words I found are “to do well, achieve, or gain satisfaction from your accomplishments.” Some people believe it is to lead your team to win the Super Bowl, to be#1 in Division I football, to be Coach of the Year. These are all satisfying accomplishments but I believe it is satisfying just to coach this great game of
2006 High School State Champions Survey
In our third annual survey of high school state football champions, a total of 340 questionnaires were mailed to those head coaches in the 50 states. When compared to surveys conducted in 2003 and 2004, certain trends seem to stick out: more head coaches have masters degrees, the pro style/spread offense is clearly gaining in popularity and feeder systems are becoming more and more common. Here is a complete summary of the 2005 State Champions survey:
The Secrets of Urban Meyer\'s Spread Option Offense
The legend lives on: From the flat lands of northern Ohio to the depths of Salt Lake City to the swamps of Florida, Urban Meyer, at the young age of 41, has already earned the moniker of legend. He has been called a football genius, an offensive innovator and is considered the architect behind an offense that even the best minds in college football can’t harness, let alone stop. His spread option offense helped change the game and in turn brought respectability to Bowling
The Drills Reports: Louisiana Tech\'s Defensive Tackle Circuit Drills
This month’s feature drill is from Randy Bates, Defensive Coordinator for Louisiana Tech University. Under the leadership of Coach Bates last fall, the La Tech bulldog defense ranked third in the Western Athletic Conference. Also, the 2005 defensive WAC statistics ranked the Bulldogs first in overall turnover margin (+13), second in rushing defense, and third in both passing and scoring defense. Coach Bates began his career 24 years ago at Muskingum College as an offens
Prep Report
PREP FACT Last fall’s game between Louisville Catholic school rivals Trinity and St. Xavier drew 38,500 to the University of Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium Monthly Roundup Terry Eidson dropped athletic director from his list of duties at De La Salle (Concord, Calif.). The long-time Bob Ladouceur assistant (profiled in April Prep Report) will continue as defensive coordinato
Preparing your Defensive Game Plan
Every football coach, at one time or other during the season thinks “If only there were more time to prepare for this game, we could…”. DC’s are under great pressure each week to develop and implement a scheme that puts their players in the best possible position to make plays. This type of defensive game planning requires many hours of preparation – first breaking down game tape and determining an offense’s tendencies, and then selecting fronts, stunts and blitzes from the De
Prep Report
Monthly Roundup Valdosta (GA), the nation’s all-time winningest program, hired its 14th head coach. Rick Tomberlin, who compiled a 157-31 record with three state championships in 14 seasons at Washington County (Sandersville, GA). He was hired following a national search that reportedly drew more than 80 applicants. Tomberlin replaced Rick Darlington, who resigned after leading the Wildcats to records of 11-4, 8-5 and 7-5 with one state championship game appearan
A Record to Remember
Risk and reward. Maybe it’s no accident those two words appear so often together. It was the risk taken by Dan Devine, leaving his job as a Michigan high school football coach for a lower-paying job as a graduate assistant under Coach Duffy Daugherty at Michigan State that led to a long, highly successful coaching career, including a national championship as coach of Notre Dame. Devine didn’t remain a graduate assistant for long. He soon became a full-time coach and, i
The Problem with Legends? Replacing Them.
On the day he was officially announced as Florida’s new head football coach, Ron Zook made his point loud and clear. In fact, he made his point repeatedly. Eleven times, to be exact, but then whose paying attention? If you’re Zook, only everybody. “I am not Coach Spurrier. I am not going to be Coach Spurrier,” Zook said. Get the point? Ron Zook isn’t Steve Spurrier. He isn’t the most successful head coach in the history of Gator football. He didn’t
Effective Grading Strategies
Grading players should be easy, effortless and not take hours to do. Our system will utilize a check box numbering system that allows coaches to rate players easily and effectively. We will use three major criteria for determining a player’s ability at each play: Alignment, Assignment and Hustle. Once a player has been graded a more complete picture will aid the coach in determining what a player needs to work on. For example: A player might consistently be in a poor alignment y
Third & Shorts
Prairie View names new head coach By Bob Speights N.E.T. Sports Gazette HALLSVILLE, Texas –– Prairie View A&M announced Friday, Jan. 10, that it had selected 1973 Prairie View graduate, C.L. Whittington, as its new head coach of the Prairie View football program. Coach Whittington brings to Prairie View a vast wealth of experience as a player, coach, administrator and educator. Whittington has spent four years of high school football, four years of college fo
Samson\'s NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Seattle\'s Mike Clark
Take a look around your living room. If you are an average adult in your 30s, 40s or 50s, chances are a young person is taking up space in your house, sleeping in a bed you provide, eating your food and wearing clothes that you have bought. That young person is likely to be on the couch watching TV or playing video games. The thought of why this young person is inside on a beautiful day giving his opposable thumbs a workout on toggle switches a
Texas Sized Strength
Speed kills. Just ask most of the Texas Longhorns’ opponents during the 2005-06 season. That can be attributed largely to the players that head coach Mack Brown and his staff recruit. As big of a factor in the team’s success, however, is the strength and conditioning program the Longhorn players endure. Sure, endure. “Oh, I’ve been known as a guy that works them and works them hard,” laughed Jeff Madden, the University of Texas as
Lakeland’s Right Hand Man
Lakeland (FL) again did a lot of winning in 2005. In fact, head coach Bill Castle’s Dreadnaughts were downright dominant, outscoring opponents by a combined 580-93 while capturing their second consecutive Class 5A state championship and 30th straight win. The dream season was punctuated with Lakeland’s best-ever finish in the national rankings (No. 2 National Prep Poll and No. 1 USA Today). As expected, Castle picked up his share of personal
Third & Shorts
College Football Transactions: Head Coaches: UNLV Head Coach John Robinson announced his retirement at the end of the 2004 season. Robinson, former mentor of both USC and the Los Angeles Rams, led the Rebels for six seasons... Becker announced David Dunn as head coach... The program is to begin varsity competition in 2005. Football Assistants: Newberry chose Mac Bryan as offensive line coach... Mansfield named Scott Milanovich
The Prep Report
Flying Under the Radar Bud Wright and Sons: a Family Business For Larry “Bud” Wright of Sheridan (Ind.) and his sons, coaching is a family business. So is winning. Earlier this season Wright, 64, became the fifth Indiana coach to win 300 games. Among the great players Wright has coached: Chicago Bears punter Brad Maynard and former Indiana University running back Brett Law, whose 55 touchdowns in 1988 set a national record. The 300-win milestone is the culmination
Third and Shorts
Since 1996, the Frank Broyles Award has gone to the nation’s top assistant football coach. The award is named in honor of longtime Arkansas athletic director and former Razorbacks coach Frank Broyles. During his coaching career Broyles developed a reputation for producing outstanding assistants with more than 25 becoming head coaches at the college or professional level. Among the former Broyles’ assistants were Joe Gibbs, Hayden Fry, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill, and Barry
The Top 25 Public and Private High Schools of 2005
PRIVATE SCHOOLS TOP 25 1. St. Xavier (Cincinnati) Record: 15-0 Coach: Steve Specht The Bombers became the fourth consecutive Cincinnati school to win Ohio’s big-school title. St. X’s defense allowed only one opponent to score more than 17 points, and the offense was sparked by super talented sophomore RB Darius Ashley (5-9, 170). 2. St. Bonaventure (Ventura, CA) Record: 14-0 Coach: Jon Mack The Seraphs finished as the highest ranked team in Cal
Heart of a Lion: Joe Paterno
Football is a funny business. It is a war-like game in which the biggest, strongest and toughest will often come out on top. Throw in the elements of brains and intelligence and it can either amplify the preceding characteristic or eliminate it. The teams on the sidelines – on a given autumn afternoon or evening – want to humiliate, eliminate and defeat their opposite numbers. It is the most competitive of all sports. Yet there is a fraternity among its players and coac
Correcting Mistakes: Effective halftime defensive adjustments
Fifteen minutes. A short amount of time, especially when you’re trying to sum up how your defense performed during the first 30 minutes and determining how to approach the next 30. Despite the short amount of time, halftime strategies vary from coach to coach. But Mickey Andrews, the long-time defensive coordinator at Florida State, looks at it another way. “Each football game is like a test in the classroom,” he said, “but there you don’t get to go in, take 30 minutes on
Swinging Momentum With Int’s
Few plays in a game are more significant than an ill-timed interception. Offensive coaches can argue that there’s never a good time for one but no play seems to have more of a psychological impact than the interception. Last fall some of the leaders in passes intercepted included Troy, Boise State, USC, Coastal Carolina, Cal Poly, Shippensburg and Carthage. Coincidentally, all those colleges had outstanding seasons. “The interception—more than just about any other play – swings
Celebrating 10 Years of schutt sports coaches of the year
Terry Hoeppner, Indiana He won the Schutt Sports Division I-A Coach of the Year Award in 2003 as head coach of the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks and that did not go unnoticed. How could it? QB Ben Roethlisberger went on to become a first-round draft choice for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004 and was thrust into the starting lineup when No. 1 QB Tommy Maddox went down with a knee injury. All Roethlisberger did was lead the Steelers to 14 straight regular-season wins and a berth in the AFC cha
Open Door Policy
Last spring Sports Illustrated published probably the most selective ranking in all of sports. Of the more than 38,000 high schools in the U.S., fewer than one in a thousand made their listing of the nation’s top 25 athletic programs. Criteria emphasized all-around excellence during the last ten years and included both state titles won and college athletes produced. Ranked #6 on the list was Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA. Having a tradition of outstanding football teams, Mat
Attacking Defenses With The Veer
Over the past 22 years we have been running the split backfield veer at Bridgewater State College. We have had only one losing season during this period and our teams have been consistently ranked in the top 30 in rushing offense among all Division III programs. When we first put in the veer, we ran up against mostly 5-2 monster defenses. Our basic formation was a two tight end alignment (See Diagram l).
Legends of the Hall - Darrell Royal
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. National Football Foundation programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/
Open Door Policy
In his 13th season as head coach of the Portland State Vikings, Tim Walsh has the distinction of being the longest tenured and winningest football coach in the program’s history. After taking over for legendary Vikings coach Pokey Allen, Walsh helped lead Portland State to three straight NCAA playoff appearances. In 1996, the Portland State athletics program made the move to Division I-AA (from Division II) in football. That placed Walsh in the position of having to build an under-fu
The Prep Report
PREP FACT Only 3 active coaches have over 50 years as a head coach: Summerville’s John McKissick (SC), St. Edmond’s Dick Tighe (IA) and Bethpage’s Howie Vogts (NY) FLYING UNDER THE RADAR Camden County (GA): 20 Shutouts in 34 Games Before you can find a way to beat the Camden County (Kingsland, Ga.) Wildcats, you better first figure out a way to score on them. Putting up a single point has been a
It Starts in the Trenches
Juan Castillo has coached offensive linemen at the high school and Division II level. He’s also spent the past 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout this career, the daily principles he brings to his job have remained the same. “To me it’s still the same – it’s all about fundamentals,” Castillo said. “When I was at Texas A&I, I was fortunate to learn a lot of my drills from NFL coaches and major college coaches, but I still break it down the way I did at the s
The Prep Report
Flying Under the Radar The Triple Option is Alive and Well The triple option – it was college football’s offense de jour in the 1960s and 70s, highlighted by the ultra successful wishbone systems at Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama. Now, only a handful of Division I-A programs such as Rice and Air Force employ an option system. But the triple option is still very much alive and well on high school football fields across the nation. Especially at Warren Cent
Stopping the Wing-T
It is one of the most confounding offenses found in either high school or college football. Mention the Wing-T at any meeting of coaches and the majority – if being honest – will admit that it is one of their worst nightmares. It is an offense that is as unpredictable as any in the game and the team that is unprepared for it will be placed in peril and will most likely be embarrassed. Few coaches will put their team at that disadvantage. Through scouting and film study, most coache
How to Stop the Option
Snap to the Q. He sprints to the right, instantaneously scans the defense as he is hit. At virtually the same time he pitches to the fullback. Quick cut to the left, he darts through the hole and rips off 55 yards. How often have you seen it? How many times has it left you pacing the sidelines, shaking your head and clipboard? It’s the ageless option pitch/run. How do you stop it? What options does a coach have? AFM contacted a number of high school and college coaches and
No Fly Zone: Containing the Air Raid Offense
Let’s say you’re going up against a team with a potent air raid offense – a team like Texas Tech, or Boise State or Louisville. How do you stop these pass-happy attacks? We asked five coaches of college and high school teams around the country with outstanding pass defenses. The coaches have a wide variety of suggestions — from constantly changing your formations to physically intimidating the opposition. They offered strategies of how to pressure the quarterback; details of pr
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. National Football Foundation programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/
Back in Black
Jerry Glanville will be the first to insist he’s not re-inventing the wheel in his return to college football. “I’m not bringing anything back to the game people aren’t already using,” said Glanville, who hasn’t coached in the college ranks since 1973. “Whether I’m coaching defense or the kicking game the way I coach is to try and take opponents totally out of their comfort zone, that there’s no play where they can feel like we aren’t coming after them, like we’re sitting t
A Part of the Master Plan
The voice on the phone said it was Linda Knowles, Bear Bryant’s secretary, but Al Miller knew better. Growing up just 40 miles from Bryant, Miller, a coach himself, had fallen for the ‘Bear Bryant’s on the phone’ gag before. “OK, yeah, sure,” he sarcastically replied to the imposter secretary.
Top Of Their Class
Bruce Harbach Head Football Coach and Strength Coach, Lancaster Catholic High School Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Wilson High School • Lancaster, PA Bruce Harbach is a coach and a teacher. Problem is, it’s at two different schools. Harbach is the hea
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Most of you have experienced plenty of Monday morning quarterbacking from fans, media and even parents. You don’t need more of the same old thing. You need someone on your side, someone who believes in you and your profession. That’s why this column is called Tuesday Morning Quarterback. While the out
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Fo
The Wing T Shotgun Offense
We have over the last three years taken our traditional zone and wing-t running game and adapted it to the shotgun formation. We have had very athletic quarterbacks that have allowed us to show off their running abilities as well as their passing skills in the shotgun set. We firmly believe that the QB can best be featured as a runner from the shotgun formation. It truly enables the QB to be a two-way threat. Our base o
The Wing-T: An Offense for the Ages
Jim Roth taught the Delaware Wing-T in a week. Granted, it was a very basic version. It was for an all-star game at the end of last season, and Roth already had one running back from his own team in the backfield. Two other running backs already had experience using a two-point stance, so the Wing-T wasn’t that different. The offensive system itself, based on timing, deception and athletic blocking schemes, worked. Roth’s team won, 29-7. “I had a lot of coaches s
The Art of Play Calling
A good play is easy to spot on game day. It’s the decision to go for it on fourth-and-one that yields a fresh set of downs, a blitz-beating touchdown toss, or even a basic trap play, executed perfectly a handful of times, that marches your offense down the field. But while these plays unfold in the moment, it’s the weeks and even months of preparation that ultimately make them work. Good play calling is the result of repetition and trial and error without the glare of the lights or th
Gorilla Warfare
Chuck Broyles doesn’t pretend to hold the “secrets” for winning. But through an aggressive style of play, a loyal staff and players, and an offense that works to stay one step ahead of defenses, Broyles and his staff have turned Pittsburg State (Kan.) into a perennial power in NCAA Division II. During the last 15 seasons, under Broyles, Pittsburg State is 154-30-2. The Gorillas have won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) championships nine times, missed the
Open Door Policy
AFM:What was the feeling like when you were named head coach and in charge of the Southlake Carroll program? TD: I’ve competed against Southlake Carroll over the years and I was truly honored to be named head coach. Like the University of Texas, there is tremendous tradition here and I was honored and humbled about the job. At the first spring booster club event I attended I remember the slogan: ‘Protect the Tradition.’ It meant a lot. AFM: Tell me how your office
Legends of the Hall • Frank Broyles
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coaching Acade
4,733 Wins, 5 Coaches, 1 Question
Glenn Robinson Men’s College Basketball Coach • Franklin & Marshall Franklin & Marshall head coach Glenn Robinson is the most successful basketball coach in Division III history with 697 wins. He has been coaching for 37 years and what he learned at the very beginning helped set him on his course for success. “One of the first things I got to do when I became a coach was meet Dean Smith,” Robinson said. “He was very successful and had that great staff
LRSSports presents 80 Hot coaches for 2005
Many coaches – from the NFL to high school – are ready for a break-out season. But will it be a sizzle or fizzle? So often expectations don’t match performance. This year American Football Monthly again looks at the falls ‘hot’ coaches. This year’s listing includes those primed for success like James Madison’s head man Mickey Matthews (left). Division I-A Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green: When Urban Meyer made his college head coaching debut at
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coaching Acade
Open Door Policy
There are football ‘turnarounds’ and then there are incredible turnarounds. Andy Lambert and his staff at Sterling College inherited a team that had lost 20 consecutive games starting the 2004 season. Last fall, in his first season at the NAIA college, the Sterling Warriors lost their first four contests-making it 24 straight losses-but then won five of their last six games to finish with a remarkable 5-5 record. Lambert came ‘home’ to Sterling from Trinity International Unive
Program Architects
Shortly after Jerry Kill took over the football program at Southern Illinois in 2001, he went to the Missouri Valley Conference basketball tournament to watch the Salukis. Call it school spirit. A chance to root for his new school. It also was a chance for his Kill’s wife, Rebecca, who was still living in Emporia, KS and getting the family’s former home ready to sell, to see her husband for the first time since he became the SIU coach. Kill
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Have another bowl of big ice cream. Make it a big one. Pour on some of that chocolate syrup, too. Have another fast-food cheeseburger. Make it a double cheeseburger, with extra cheese. And fries. Or better yet, onion rings. How about some fried chicken? How about more caffeine? Choose your poison: coffee or cola. How about a few too many beers? Maybe a few too many mixed drinks? Or perhaps a big dip of smokeless tobacco? Or a cigaret
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF
Open Door Policy
Tradition is the operative word when Joliet Catholic Academy and football are discussed. Since the start of a formalized high school playoff system throughout Illinois in 1974, the Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers have won the most state championships (12) of all the high schools throughout the state. The first four titles came under the direction of legendary coach Gordie Gillespie (1975 through 1978) and continued under the direction of Jim Boyter (1986) and Don S
Heartbreak in the Heartland
Not unlike like millions of fans, players, coaches, alumni and followers associated with what became known as the Big Red Machine, Frank Solich had no idea what a profound effect Tom Osborne would have on his life. In 1962 Solich was a fullback for Bob Devaney's Huskers, and a young assistant football coach named Tom Osborne was teaching classes on the side to help supplement his meager coaching stipend. Solich was enrolled in an educational psychology. Osborne was his i
What’s the Make-up of a State Champion?
The average won-loss record for last fall’s high school state champions was 11 wins and one loss. Of respondents to American Football Monthly’s second annual state champions survey, the best record was 15-0 and the worst was 8-3. Over 360 detailed surveys were distributed to state champions in all 50 states. The results: an informative and intimate look at the makings of successful programs. Factors such as age, experience, education, team mak
3 High School Programs - 3 Different Strategies for Success
They seem to be there every year. Like a leaf changing color in the fall or students grumbling about going back to class, the high school football elite return each season to reclaim their dominance. These high school powerhouses didn’t earn their reputations overnight. But how did these teams reach this unique place? What road takes a football program to the pinnacle and then keeps it there for season after season after season? Players change. Even coac
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coac
The Multiple Screen Passing Game
Various screen passes have been an important part of our multiple offensive attack at Iona College and all the other schools I have coached at (St. Joseph’s College, Morehead State University, Lehigh University and Fordham University) throughout my career. We have always emphasized the use of multiple formations, multiple personnel groupings, and a multi-dimensional offense that attacks the whole field and attempts to keep the defe
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
When coaches approached the AFM booth at the recent AFCA Convention in Louisville, we tried to make a habit of asking the coaches what they wanted to see in the magazine. Some wanted more Xs and Os. Some wanted more technology information. Others wanted career and financial planning. However, many coaches wanted help balancing their jobs with marriage and family. Meanwhile at a nearby hotel, the wives who attended the convention attended semina
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield C
Redefining Murphy\'s Law
Harvard coach Tim Murphy is enjoying rare success despite dealing with handicaps many Division I coaches might bristle at facing. He works at the nation’s oldest college, one of the world’s elite educational institutions, so Murphy and his teams must live up to traditions nearly as old as America itself. He must also recruit student-athletes who can handle academic standards that might appear impossibly high. In addition, Murphy has zero athletic scholar
Open Door Policy
A perennial pre-season top ten team among high schools, Jenks (Oklahoma) is the model of consistency. Under head coach Allan Trimble, the Trojans have won seven state championships in nine years. His record at the school is 112-11 with a number of players receiving scholarships to I-A college programs yearly. Jenks plays in Oklahoma’s largest classification, 6A. Between 1996 and 200l, Trimble’s record was 79-4 and he was named the
Third and Shorts
Head Coaches - Tulane awarded head coach Chris Scelfo a contract extension through 2009. Scelfo has guided the Green Wave for six seasons... Greg Robinson was hired as head coach at Syracuse... Aurora tabbed Rich Duncan as head coach... Arne Ferguson was named as interim head coach at Western Oregon to succeed Duke Iverson, who will continue as an assistant with the program at least through the end of the academic year...
Open Door Policy
One of the nicknames for basketball hall of fame player Larry Bird is ‘Larry Legend.’ In Alliance, Ohio, there is another \'Larry Legend\': Mt. Union College’s Head Coach Larry Kehres. Quite simply in his 19 years at the helm of the Purple Raider football fortunes, he has built one of the most successful programs in college fo
2004 AFM Pro Coaches of the Year
NFL: Marty Schottenheimer San Diego Chargers The National Football League is filled with outstanding coaches. There’s Bill Belichick in New England, Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh. All three of them could easily be named as this year’s AFM NFL Coach of the Year. But to do that would be to ignore the coach who has done the most with the least, the coach who many prognosticators believed would
Evaluating Your Next Job
There are a Number of Considerations Before Commiting to That Next Positon AFM talks exclusively with Urban Meyer, John L. Smith, Mike Stoops, Chris Hatcher, Brian Kelly and Al Borges It’s that time of year when the coaching business is buzzing with changes and rumors, with coaches preparing resumes and working the telephones to promote, save or launch a career.
A Part of Every Season
The end of every football regular season generally means a number of inevitable happenings: coaching hiring and firings and a multitude of awards. While all of us have seen and read what seems like an incredible number of coaching changes – at all levels – there are probably more to come. In a somewhat ironic sense, it also seems like there are more and more post-season awards to players at just about every position. While most high
Schutt Sports College Coaches of the Year
Tim Murphy Harvard Triumph – thy color is Crimson Tim Murphy choreographed every step of the way for Harvard, and he led his team to a 10-0 record – the first time since 1906 the team had recorded a double-digit victory total. Since replacing the well-respected Joe Restic in 1994, Murphy has led Harvard to four Ivy League titles in nine seasons, including two unbeaten and untied seasons.
Letter From the Editor
The end of every football regular season generally means a number of inevitable happenings: coaching hiring and firings and a multitude of awards. While all of us have seen and read what seems like an incredible number of coaching changes – at all levels – there are probably more to come. In a somewhat ironic sense, it also seems like there are more and more post-sea
Red Blaik
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield
A Look Inside Coaches Office: Troy Morrell
AFM: What was it like the first time you stepped into your office knowing that you’re in charge of Auburn football? TT: When I first stepped into the office I was amazed at how large it was... it’s probably bigger than all the offices I’ve had as an assistant coach combined. It was built by Coach (Pat) Dye and the complex itself houses everything. With all the windows,
Spotlight
Bob Casciola President, National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Inc. (Retired) Why You Should Know Him: In the world of college football, there isn’t much that Bob Casciola hasn\'t done. An All-Ivy tackle for Princeton University, Casciola spent 20 years in the college coaching ranks as an assistant coach at Princ
Legends of the Hall
With 119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College
Strength in Numbers
Tommy Knotts Quarterbacks Coach, Duke Former Head Coach, Independence High School Charlotte, N.C. 2003 football team: Class 4A State Champions Whether it be a rigorous strength and conditioning program or an abundance of talented players such as Florida quarterback Chris Leak – most likely the two feed off each other – Tommy Knotts has mastered high school football in
Discipline & Confidence
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their f
Maximum Focus Maximum Results
Directly after Super Bowl XXXVIII, six parked buses sat out in front of the locker room area outside Reliant Stadium. Three for New England, three for Carolina. The Patriots had just won their second Super Bowl in three years. Adam Vinaterri’s 41-yard game-winning field goal capped off an exhausting fourth quarter that saw 37 points scored, 18 in the last three minutes. Carolina strength and condi
2003 Pro Coaches of the Year
NFL Europe Doug Graber, Frankfurt Galaxy Frankfurt head coach Doug Graber led the Galaxy to a league-best 6-4 record and its third World Bowl championship in 2003 with a 35-16 win over the Rhein Fire. Along the way, the Galaxy also set a record with its fifth appearance in the NFL Europe championship game. Graber, a former defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Schutt Sports Regional High School Coaches of the Year
West Regional Tom Joseph Mountain View HS (Mesa, Az.) 2003: 13-1, 5A East Valley Regional Finalist Record at school: 27-1, 2 years Career record: 94-40 Tom Joseph’s Mountain View High School football program has established an incredible tradition. In the 25-year history of the school, Mountain View has won eight state ch
Leading the Charge
Every college football head coaching job is tough in its own way. Every job presents its own trials, its own pressures. For Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner, some of the most unique and heavy challenges in the history of college football surround him and try to stare him down every day. Every college football head coach has an office, too. None of them are like Hoeppner’s office complex. His place of work is
NFL Coach of the Year - Foxworthy
The NFC Championship Game in 2001 featured a classic match up of the Minnesota Vikings’ high-powered offense, led by first-year starting quarterback Dante Culepepper and wide receivers Chris Carter and Randy Moss, versus the stingy Giants defense, led by sack master Michael Strahan. The Vikings came into the game confident and favored, hot off an impressive 31-16 win over New Orleans. Minnesota had been lighting up the sco
Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year
Pictures Perfect
To find out something about Kelly Donohoe, the coach, all one needs to do is examine his record the past four years at Blue Springs High School. Under Donohoe’s direction, the Wildcats have gone 45-5 with two perfect seasons and a pair of Class 6 state championships. To find out about Kelly Donohoe, the man, spend an afternoon at his fashionable Eastern Jackson County home and watch him interact with his wife Jennifer, his high school sweethea
Schutt Sports I-A Coach of the Year Finalists
PETE CARROLL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA When Pete Carroll arrived at USC in 2001 with a 33-31 career in four years as a head coach with the New York Jets and New England Patriots, Trojan fans were understandably skeptical. Over the past three years, Carroll has offered plenty of proof, with a 29-9 record that includes a 12-1 record in 2003 and the national championship fro
NFL Finalists
Bill Parcells: Give him some time to bring ‘his players’ in and then watch out. Scratch that. Give Bill Parcells a team coming off three consecutive 5-11 seasons and go ahead and make reservations for the playoffs, somewhere Parcells has been to with four different teams. He’s the only coach ever to accomplish that feat. In his first year at Dallas
Rodeo Circuit
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Finishing Strong
We’ve reached the midpoint of the season. You spent your spring and much of the summer training your players, evaluating up and coming talent, and refining your game plan – adding a few wrinkles that you picked up from the pages of American Football Monthly and coaching clinics you might have attended. The end of summer marked the beginning of the football season with the introduction
Job Search
For most observers, the process colleges use to find a head coach appears swathed in mystery. You hear reports, rumors and innuendo in the mass media, and sometimes surprise candidates are selected, not the obvious or “smart-money” choices.But this is the glamour job at most high schools and colleges. How do schoolssearch for the right candidate? Well, many high-profile programs go to smallfirms that specialize in suggesting lists of coaches and
West Coast Offense
I have always been a proponent of the controlled passing game, mainly because my career has been highlighted with examples of its effectiveness. One instance in particular sticks out in my memory during my time as Head Coach of the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The WLAF (now known as NFL Europe) was in the process of kicking off its inaugural year. Unlike many new leagues, teams in this leagu
A Look Inside A Coach\'s Office: Bob Stoops
Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops, now entering his sixth campaign in Norman, is approaching the near legendary status of some of his predecessors – namely Bennie Owen, Bud Wilkinson, and Barry Switzer. With a National Championship, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, and a 55-11 overall record entering the fall, the Sooner tradition is clearly continuing. We spoke with Coach Stoops about the Okl
Spotlight
THE NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW John Bankert, Chuck Neinas, Mike Van Diest John Bankert President, Pro Football Hall of Fame Why You Should Know Him: John Bankert began working at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in the film library and theatre as a
Building a Championship Team
What Does it Take?
More than a decade ago, Dr. Stephen Covey revolutionized the business industry with his best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In October of 1997, Forbes magazine declared the book one of the top 10 most influential management books ever. Since its publication, companies at all levels have changed their philosophy and approach to both their employees and business
A Coach\'s Perspective: How to Deal with Kids
You can make a significant mark if you put 40-plus years in the coaching business. And Pat Collins certainly hasn’t been cheated during a career that began in 1963. Collins’ experiences have been many and varied – he has coached in high school, college and the pros. He was an assistant at Louisiana Tech when a sophomore named Terry Bradshaw was tearing up the college ranks. Collins won a Division I-AA championship as head coach at Northeast Lou
Letter From the Publisher
One of the least things known about American Football Monthly is a tradition that started when the magazine moved to South Florida in the summer of 1997. Every year South Florida welcomes hundreds of college coaches vying for the most talented athletes the area has to offer and for the last six years AFM has played host to many of these coaches traveling to our back yard. Over the years we have had lunch and di
Making the Jump
You ask Tommy Knotts why he decided to leave his job as head coach of one of the most dominant high school programs in America for an assistant’s job at a college football program. You wonder how he could leave Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C., where his teams have won 62-straight games, the second-best mark in the country. You assume it’s because of some major life-changing event. Was
The Way It Used To Be
American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – coaches provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes, but perhaps
Spotlight
Kevin Weiberg, Pete Richardson, Tony Moss Kevin Weiberg Commissioner, Big 12 Conference Why You Should Know Him: Under the leadership of Commissioner Kevin Weiberg, the Big 12 is regarded as one of the nation’s top conferences and has made progress in the
Stepping Out of the Shadows
When George Lumpkin was a young assistant coach at Hawaii, he worked alongside an assistant with big hopes and dreams for his career. That assistant started at Kent State, moved to Hawaii, made stops at San Jose State, Cal, Tennessee and Ohio State before finally moving on to an extended pro football career. Lumpkin and his friend kept in touch and he even visited him professionally over the years, tapping into his friend’s
Letter From the Publisher
Quick. Pick a legendary head coach that you most respect from football’s past or present – it could be Rockne, Bryant, Osborne, Paterno, Bowden, Gagliardi, Robinson, McKissick – anyone. Now guess the one thing that you have in common with your choice. Wins? Probably not. Championships? Keep working at it. Longevity? Let’s give it a few more years. How about this – aside from the passion for the game and profession of football, they wer
Crunch Time
Diagram 1. Diagram 2.
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their f
Maximizing Player Performance
It’s the summer of 2003, and the Oklahoma Sooners football team doesn’t have much to complain about. The squad is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Preseason Poll, and the Sooners are enjoying the return to national prominence brought upon by coach Bob Stoops and his dominating defense. The team is preparing for a season that would see it lose the National Championsh
The Next Level
There’s nothing obvious about Gary Patterson’s background that would suggest he could be one of the nation’s hottest college football coaches. There’s nothing that stands out on a life resume that starts with growing up in a small Kansas town, playing Juco ball on an academic scholarship, walking on and playing special teams for a perennial college football loser, coaching at places most college foo
Keeping Drives Alive: Effective Third Down Game Planning
At Western Michigan University, we utilize a multi-faceted approach when it comes time to game plan third down. It is a cooperative effort, involving all of the members of the offensive staff and the head coach. Before any meaningful discussion on third downs takes place, you must develop the down and distance parameters that will guide you through your game planning. We have two general categories, run situatio
Fired Up?
As the new football season arrives, coaches around the nation are preparing for the tasks and challenges they will soon face when the 2004-2005 football season gets into full swing. However, nothing ever goes just as planned or scripted in any coach’s playbook and that’s why coaches, just as the athletes I work with on the mental game, need to develop strategies to deal with the myriad of responsibiliti
2004 Hot Coaches
DIVISION I-A RANDY SHANNON, MIAMI: Defensive Coordinator of the ‘Canes, Shannon is our top selection and a head-coach-in-waiting. A member of this listing last year and the feature of an AFM cover story in April, he has all the tools and experience as well as an organizational plan to get to the top-whether it be Miami
The Art of Punting: What is Needed to Coach Punting Properly
You must set a punting and kicking training program that has an emphasis on technique development. Regardless of the level of performance your punter has accomplished, a period of technique evaluation, film evaluation and drill development is needed. Too many punters that just kick for their training will be their downfall. The player can develop bad habits if a proper training
The Way It Used To Be
American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest personalities for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – football insiders provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes,
Attention! Forward March!
No one is more excited about the upcoming season than Bobby Ross. And, yes, he knows all about his new team’s recent struggles. “I still have the energy so I might as well use it,” says the 67-year-old head coach, who received the nation’s longest losing streak as a welcome back gift. Ross became the 34th head football coach at the United States Military Academy in December. He returns to the sidelines
From High School to Division I - Football Programs to Work for
Presented by LRSSports Software When football hounds gather to talk about schools with a fine tradition of producing coaches, talk usually begins and ends with
Letter From the Publisher
Arguably the single best career advice we’ve ever heard time-tested, successful coaches give is to outline one’s professional goals and to develop a plan-of-action to achieve those goals. More specifically, it is important to identify where you want to be at the pinnacle of your career – whether that is a specific coaching position, playing level, school or conference. The idea is that by knowing the exact dire
Open Door Policy
With this issue, American Football Monthly begins a new section of the magazine entitled Open Door Policy... it’s an inside look at the office of a head football coach. But not just the inner-workings of a day in the life of a coach, but what goes on behind the scenes; that is, the good, the bad, and the unusual. It’s an intimate look inside a coach’s den.... Our first Open Door
Spotlight
Troy Morrell, Richard Scott, Brandon Misener Troy Morrell Head Coach, Butler Co. Comm. College Why You Should Know Him: Troy Morrell, in just about a decade, has gone full circle. As a two-time high school all-state offensive lineman from B
Trojan Pride
It’s clear to me that I want to put together a program that can win on a consistent basis and compete for championships year in and year out. This is a grand opportunity here,” a proud Pete Carroll said early this summer during a break at his football camp on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles. “USC has all the elements you need for a championship program.” Coach Ca
What Next?
Jim Emery remembers many things during his career: a college football player at Ohio Wesleyan University, a graduate assistant, recruiting coordinator, college coach, mentor of many varied club football teams in Italy, and now, COO of Digital Scout, one of the software companies that helps football coaches at all levels prepare for their next opponent. “I coached in Italy for a good part of 18 years and saw a r
Leaps and Bounds
Marshall’s Brad Helton refers to him as “The Godfather of Video Coordinators.” But like most of his colleagues, UCLA’s Ken Norris is a cipher unless you are intimately familiar with his work. Over the years, Norris has worked with and for a number of football giants – men such as George Allen, Terry Donahue, John Robinson and Norv Turner. Norris has been a big help to the coaches for whom he has worked. But like all good video c
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship se
Spotlight
Pat Coleman, KC Keeler, Steve Pohl Pat Coleman Publisher & Editor, D3Football.com Why You Should Know Him: Pat Coleman has been following Division III football since the early 90s, ever since the likes of Duquesne, Iona and Georgetown played D-III. He is a 1994 g
Identity
Out of all the special teams units at Southern Illinois University the kickoff team may be one of the most important units to our football program. We strongly believe the kickoff team creates the identity and establishes the attitude of our football team. This unit must set the tone for the game. It is critical that this team send a message to the opponent that
The Use of Formations to Gain an Advantage
Garrison High School has a long tradition of a winning football program. We have been in the playoffs 28 times and won 22 district championships. This was the first time in my coaching career that I had taken over a program that had a winning tradition and the opportunity was there to make a good program great instead of trying to turn an unsuccessful program into a winning program. I was hired in July of 1999 an
Learning Curve
Mark Hudspeth has not wasted any time traveling down his career path. Yet, at each stop along the way – some more rocky than others – he has made sure to slow down, take his time and learn. “I think it’s very important to focus on the job at hand,” says Hudspeth, now in his third year as head coach at Division II North Alabama. “Concentrate on where you are at and where you are working. Sometimes guys are too busy looking for t
From Gloom To Glory
Here’s a warning: like every season, this story starts with a test. You thought you were done with those when you finished college, huh? Well at least it’s a multiple choice test, so you can always make an educated guess. Question 1: When your team slips in September and loses a game or two (or three), you: 1. Call all your coaching connections and start looking for another
Letter From the Publisher
What is black and gold, weighs in at a hefty 5lbs and is getting the attention of some of the top recruits in the country? The University of Missouri’s 2004 Media and Recruiting Guide. Careful. This thing is big. It’s big in size and it’s bigger in potential on the national recruiting scene and it is currently landing on the kitchen table of some of the nation’s top recruits with a resounding ‘thud’ – opening their eyes to Mizzou Football.
Sunshine State of Mind
The state of Florida produces over 80 percent of the United States’ supply of citrus. Every year, the Sunshine State sells roughly $4 billion worth of oranges, tangerines, pineapples and other goods grown within its borders. About $3.5 billion worth of orange juice is exported from Florida to the rest of the country – and world – every year. As dominant as the citrus business is in the state of Florida, th
Spotlight
THE NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW SPOTLIGHT John Bankert, Chuck Neinas, Mike Van Diest John Bankert President, Pro Football Hall of Fame Why You Should Know Him: John Bankert began working at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in the film library
Mean Green
As much as any other coach in the country, Darrell Dickey, the persevering and successful head football coach at the University of North Texas, lives with the reality of college athletics, where aspiring football programs like his, are locked on a collision course with 21st century fiscal reality. “We have an athletic department that’s really struggling for money, so we have to play a very demanding sch
Family Values
“My door is open. 24-7,” says the University of Arizona’s new 42-year old football coach Mike Stoops. It’s the first policy Stoops instituted when he became the 28th coach in the 104 year history of football on the Tucson campus last November 29th. Stoops’ declaration signaled the start of give-and-take between players and coaches, a family-like feeling at a place crying for it. It’s a rare concept in the big business-like atmo
Letter From the Publisher
Pop quiz. Name as many coaches as you can from your coaching network that you could call in the next five minutes and talk X’s & O’s. Times up. How many names do you have? Fifteen? Ten? Five? If you were able to quickly open your address book or recall from memory the contact information for coaches that you’ve developed a relationship with to talk X’s & O’s, it will certainly bode well for your future. It’s no secret. Being
An Alabama Legend
If you seek success akin to that of Hoover (Ala.) High School’s Rush Propst, there’s a simple formula you can follow: • Start from the bottom and work your way up – paying attention to detail not salary. • Make plenty of friends in the business, and stay in touch – frequently. • Understand your limitations. • Al
The Way It Used To Be
American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of football. From their first job to their last, their first championship season to their first losing season, AFM has captured it all – coaches provide AFM with an exclusive journey down memory lane. Maybe you can’t walk in their shoes, but perhaps
Bridging the Generation Gap
77, 77, 68, 74, 67, hut? No, it’s not some ill-fated snap count devoted to offensive linemen. Instead, those are the ages of some of the most respected coaches in the business. Men like John Gagliardi of St. John’s (Minn.) University, Dick Vermeil of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Paterno of Penn State, Bobby Bowden of Florida State and Lou Holtz of South Carolina. There’s no doubt about the track record of these men as all are championship-level coache
An Eagle Among Us
At what point do the perceptions disappear and give way to reality? At what point do people in the football business, as well as the media and the fans, stop looking at the outside, at the skin color, at the last name, at the perception that his place in the world must be the result of a handout, a favor or a quota? What would it take to change the assumptions and move on to the facts? Would a man have
Evaluating Your Next Job
It’s that time of year when the coaching business is buzzing with changes and rumors, with coaches preparing resumes and working the telephones to promote, save or launch a career. Coaches are renewing old contacts, making new ones and mining every source they can find to help them make the next move. “There are two types of coaches: those who are sought after, which I’ve been, and those who are not,
Getting the Most Out of a Football Clinic
It’s been a good but not great season. A 6-4 record was good enough to finish in second place in the division, but not good enough to earn a spot in the postseason playoffs. The year has been strangely similar to last year and the year before. It seems that a rut has developed and your team is stuck in it. That’s not all bad since there has been a lot of winning - but not en
Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
There are several key points that can be helpful in developing your Defensive Backs. Many coaches have used these ideas and techniques over the years. It is my hope that you will gain something that will help you in some way 1. Stance - Specific Points for Stance: • Head and eyes should be up • Outside foot up with a heel/toe relationship on the inside
Fighting Adversity
Ask Todd Berry about the coaches who’ve influenced him in his 20-plus years in the business and he’ll rattle off insights obtained from names like John Cooper, Johnny Majors, Steve Logan and even his old high school coach, L.D. Bains. But the one lesson that stood out from all the X’s and O’s and motivational techniques came from his late father, Rueben, a former head coach in the Canadian Football
Spotlight
John Bankert, Chuck Neinas, Mike Van Diest John Bankert President, Pro Football Hall of Fame Why You Should Know Him: John Bankert began working at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in the film library and theatre as a part-time employee in August of 1964. Over a 40 year period he became an Administrative Assistant, Busi
The Spread Shot-Wing Offense
For years, we were a basic Delaware Wing T football team. We had great success with it, using the 3 basic series (buck sweep/trap; belly/down and power) and mixing in a good dose of play action and 3 step drop-back passes to keep defenses honest. But four years ago we started a 15 year old freshman at quarterback whom we knew was going to be somebody special as far as throwing the football before he g
Inside The Hornet\'s Nest
As coaches we are always looking for a new idea or concept that agrees with our own personal offensive or defensive philosophy. When it comes to seeking out new information, I am no exception. An article that captured my attention was featured under AFM’s old name, American Football Quarterly, entitled, “High-flying Hornets” (Volume 4, 1st Quarter). The article focused on current Texas State University-San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas
Does Anyone Really Know Norm Chow?
How can a coach that has produced six of the NCAA’s top 12 career passing efficiency leaders in the history of college football go virtually unnoticed for the majority of his 34-year coaching career? How can a coach who has taught two Heisman Trophy winners and a slew of NFL quarterbacks fly under the radar for nearly four decades? How can a coach involved with squads that hold 11 of the top 30 single sea
A Whole New Ball Game
Warren Moon carved out a pro football career in the Canadian Football League before the National Football League finally came calling and gave him the chance to be one of pro football’s all-time most productive passer. Kurt Warner found success in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe before becoming one of the NFL’s best passers and a Super Bowl winner with the St. Louis Rams. Brad Johnson laid the foundation for an NFL car
Miles Apart
Respect: What does it take to get a little? Last season, playing in arguably one of the toughest divisions in all of sports – the Big 12 South – the Oklahoma State Cowboys posted W’s in six of their last seven, including a pair of wins large enough to end the careers of two sets of goal posts at Lewis Field in Stillwater, Okla. But despite beating Nebraska for the first time in 41-years; and despite e
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching college football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of college football. From their first job to their last, the
Cover Story Norm Chow: Does Anyone Really Know Norm? Searching for the identity of college football\'s most intriguing and mysterious offensive coordinator By Aaron S. Lee September 2003
A Clear Picture
Potatoes? Can we just forget about the potato jokes for a little bit? This story isn’t about spuds. It’s about football. Football in Idaho. Boise to be exact. It’s about a winning football program. It’s about winning tradition, high expectations and making the most of what you’ve got with players who want to be there. It’s about blue artificial turf and quality of life. It’s about a head footb
High School Hardware
1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) The coach: Bob Ladouceur (274-14-1, 24 years) 2002: CIF-NCS Class 4A champion, 13-0 The record: The word “record” is now synonymous with the Spartans. The Bay Area barons have won an all-time best 138 straight games and have been National Prep Poll titlist a best-ever f
The Way It Used To Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching college football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of college football. From their first
Where There\'s Smoke There\'s Fire
Every year certain coaches separate from the pack … and this year will be no exception. Whether they are relative newcomers or wily veterans, these coaches are the future of high school, college and professional football. With the help of some of the top sports writers and football experts in the nation, American Football Monthly has compiled a list of coaches that it believes will make such an impact in
Making a Point
Over midway through the 2003 season in which he has a team potentially bound for Florida state championship hardware again, there probably aren’t many prep coaches who wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of Palm Bay’s Dan Burke, who considers himself one of the luckiest in the business. Burke, with his team on the radar of the USA Today top 10 all season long and a nationally televised game on The Football Network, has buil
Hired! Now What?
Last month, American Football Monthly gathered a panel of experts to give you the tools you need to get your next job in part one of a two-part series focused on career management. AFM discussed everything from networking, resumes, interview skills, salary negotiations, coaching agents and dealing with the media. This month, AFM pulls out all the stops in part two as we show
Letter From the Editor
With a 29-26 come-from-behind victory over then-No. 10 Bethel College (Minn.), John Gagliardi of St. John’s University (Minn.) surpassed Eddie Robinson to become college football’s all-time winningest coach with 409 wins. The 77-year-old Gagliardi, who has coached at St. John’s (Minn.) for 51 seasons, has averaged eight wins a year in his 55 years as a head coach. Grambling State’s Eddie Robinson averaged seven wins
The Last Rep
With each snap of the ball, football players are at constant risk for career-ending concussions. American Football Monthly has gathered seven of the industry’s top experts to discuss this epidemic in a Last Rep two-part series. AFM encourages coaches to use this platform as a first step in their continuing education on player safety. Please contact medical experts and gear manufacturers to
Vilanova\'s 5-man Protection Series
Over the past six seasons, Villanova University has thrown for over 20,000 yards. One aspect we stress is constantly attempting to stretch the defenses that we see both vertically and horizontally. We will try to force the opposition to cover the entire field. We will do this by incorporating multiple formations and personnel groupings. We will also attempt to stress the defense by having the ability to get
Stepping Into Retirement
Forget about Bob Stoops, Jim Tressell and Larry Coker. The best college football coaches in America are the former coaches who show up when they want to at home football games, sit in their suites or club level seats surrounded by family and friends and thank the football gods that they no longer have to sweat the outcome. There’s nothing like retirement to make a head coach the second most popular guy in tow
Spotlight
Dr. Thom Park Nancy Cubit Larry Haylor Dr. Thom Park President, Thom Park & Associates, Inc. WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW HIM: Dr. Thom Park, president of Thom Park & Associates, Inc., located in Tallahassee, Fla., provides the career coach and their family a comprehensive, intellectual,
Cover Story CEO: Fisher DeBerry Leads Coaching into the New Era By Aaron S. Lee December 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Steppin\' Out
Former coach and forever Grambling State legend Eddie Robinson doesn’t come on campus as much these days. Maybe it’s because, at 84-years wise, Coach Robinson’s sideline agility isn’t what it used to be. Winning 408 football games will do that to you. Or maybe it’s because he’s satisfied, knowing that a budding superstar has filled his giant shoes, which were left behind upon college football’s all-time winning
Should a Coach Employ an Agent?
Networking: Make the Most of Every Opportunity
The Last Rep
With each snap of the ball, football players are at constant risk for career-ending concussions. American Football Monthly has gathered seven of the industry’s top experts to discuss this epidemic in a Last Rep two-part series. AFM encourages coaches to use this platform as a first step in their continuing education on player safety. Please contact medical experts and gear manufacturers to
Resume Tips
Networking: Make the Most of Every Opportunity
How to Handle Coaching Salary Negotiations
Networking: Make the Most of Every Opportunity
Robber Coverage Out of an 8-man Front
On behalf of Frank Solich and the entire University of Nebraska Football family, I would like to say that it is an honor and privilege to be asked to write an article for American Football Monthly. As a firm believer in trying to gain knowledge from any source available, I have found American Football Monthly to be a valuable asset. Throughout my career I have had the fortune to
One Step Back ... Two Steps Forward
Bryan Collins never wanted to leave C.W. Post in the first place. He enjoyed his job as an assistant coach and felt like he could grow and succeed at Post. But with a wife and a child on the way, the idea of a part-time coaching job was enough to convince him it was time to leave Post for another opportunity. “I had been a part-time coach for three years,” Collins says. “I did enjoy my time here but with only two full-ti
Going For Two
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Resurrection
What They’re Saying ... “ Starting a new program is an enormous challenge. The fear of knowing that you have to bring a football team
Tiger Attack
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Etched In Stone
Perhaps Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden, of Tampa Bay, said it best when describing the profession of coaching when he told American Football Monthly, “Coaches are like offensive linemen, you don’t hear much about them unless they are in the transactions section changing jobs.” Unfortunately that is sometimes the case, but the fact remains that coaching is still one of the most rewarding
Sunshine State of Mind
With a 48-21 victory over his former team, the Oakland Raiders, in Super Bowl XXXVII, Jon Gruden, 39, became the youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as he guided Tampa Bay to its first world title in franchise history. Gruden was also the first non-rookie head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first season with a new team. In fact, Gruden has accomplished a lot for a man that is keepin
Letter From the Editor
You know, believe it or not, I have not always had the greatest job in the world. I was once a struggling freelance writer in New Orleans not so terribly long ago. I was always looking for the next big story or the next big break. I was always looking into the future at the possibility of writing for a national paper or magazine, writing a column and even becoming a published author. However, I could
Goin\' Up
It would be so easy to say it’s all the head coach. Take a look at his success, his overall record, his impact on the program and the fact that seven of his assistant coaches have left the program in the past three years and moved on to higher levels of college football and the program hasn’t skipped a beat, and it’s easy to say the head coach must be the reason. But what about the university? The tradition
Cover Story Resurrection - Hal Mumme and Woody Widenhofer return to football to revive Southeastern Louisiana football and their careers. Read the complete article >>> April 2003 Staff Meeting
Training Mr. Everything
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Scorching the Competition
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Making \"Quality\" a Priority
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Maximizing Player Performance
Presented by Gatorade Sports Science Institute By their very nature, football coaches are always looking for the latest drills to teach championship-winning techniques, for the best strategy for goal-
Letter From the Editor
Every great coach is only as good as the cast that surrounds him ... the supporters, the players, the staff. After all, it’s that surrounding cast that can often make the difference between success and failure. The same can be said of American Football Monthly. This magazine’s sole purpose is for the further enhancement of your coaching career, and that is something that we take very seri
The Life of Riley - When Dan Riley joined the Houston Texans as their first strength and conditioning coach, many asked why? Hear Coach Riley’s answer and find out why he is among the most respected coaches in his industry.Read the complete article >>> March 2003
Using The Inside Screen as a Weapon
It is an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of what I feel is the best football publication in the world. I have had the chance to read American Football Monthly religiously in my collegiate coaching career. I will be a first-year offensive coordinator at Marietta College. I came from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where I began coaching tight ends as a graduate assistant and eventually became an offensive line coach. I have
Full Circle
Coaching didn’t appear to be in the cards for Sam Wyche when he took his bonus money from playing in Super Bowl VII with the Washington Redskins and invested in a sporting goods business. Legendary NFL coach and owner Paul Brown had already told Wyche, a career backup quarterback, that he would be a coach someday, but Wyche’s original investment took off and soon grew to 13 retail and wholesale stores in North and South Carolina.
The Punt: The Most Important Play in Football?
I would like to first say thank you to American Football Monthly for allowing me the opportunity to write this article for my peers. Additionally, I thank our head coach Don Hill for giving me the chance to control such a big part of the team’s success. It has been a great experience to be part of such a big turnaround. Under his guidance, we were able to take a team with a 23-year losing streak and go
Nice Guys Finish First
Former Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher was often quoted as saying that “Nice guys finish last.” But perhaps in the case of Garden City Community College (Kan.) head football coach Bob Larson, that isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, trying to find someone with something negative to say about Coach Larson is like trying to find a proponent of the Bowl Championship Series at a mid-major. The fans love him, the ath
Cover Story Throwback Georgia Military College’s Bert Williams uses bulldog tenacity to take a bite out of the JUCO elite. By David Purdum October 2003
Balance: Walking the Fine Line Between Career & Family ...
I think the mentality of some football coaches today is this: To be successful, you have to eat, sleep, and coach football 24-7. Both players and coaches alike spend a major portion of their lives training, preparing for, playing in, and reviewing football games during the football season. Success in football for some coaches is a priority, which can lead to an unbalanced life. One purpose of mine is
LSU\'s Offensive Line Drills
First of all I would like to say it is an honor to be able to represent head coach Nick Saban and the LSU football staff in American Football Monthly. As coaches we know the game is always changing, but some things never change. You must know fundamentals, you must be able to block and tackle. There are many ways to skin a cat but these are some of the basic fundamentals that we “hang our hat”
The Right Way
Unlike the NFL, where free agency allows a team to upgrade its roster yearly, rebuilding a struggling college team can be a long, grueling process, usually filled with defeat and frustration. However, a successful resurrection can be one of the most gratifying, fullilling and respected accomplishments of a coach’s career. Before Bill Snyder took over at Kansas
The Home Team
8 Tips In an effort to keep football coaches on good terms with their significant others, AFM has compiled these eight tips to help you maintain balance between career and family: 1) Pick Up the Phone - That’s right, call. Your wife understands the demands of your job, but at least pick
Cover Story Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime... Three coaches, Three schools, One Philosophy... A look inside college football\'s most underrated football programs...By Aaron S. Lee July 2003
Focus the man behind the camera
Nearly nine years after the fact, Brad Helton can finally admit it. When he became Marshall’s video coordinator in 1995, Helton re-wired his entire office area. “That way the coaches couldn’t even come in here and make a tape,” Helton says, laughing. “At the time, I didn’t know how many programs even had video coordinators or how many people were doing it or what they were doing it with, so I did it for job security. I figured
Technology Game Plan
The arrival of spring means that spring football has begun at many college campuses across the country. Springtime also provides coaches the opportunity to visit other coaching staffs and observe their practice routines. In Texas, high school coaches especially like to take this opportunity to visit with area college staffs. Its during these times that visiting high school coaches ask me to offer my thoughts on
Cover Story Focus - The man behind the camera. Take a close look at what video coordinator Brad Helton is doing for Marshall’s football team both on and off the field . By Richard Scott Cover Photo by Jim Robinette Cov
Releasing is the Key
Through the course of coaching receivers at four different colleges, one thing has stood by itself as being the task that has frustrated both players at that position and some coaches on those staffs. Invariably, the release (a clean release without sacrificing vertical speed) is what we are all striving for on pass plays. But that has become a bigger issue to deal with as offenses have attempted to
Schutt Sports 2002 Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Southwest Regional J.T. Curtis John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.) 2002: 14-1, Class 4A state champs Record at school: 393-43-6, 27 years Career record: 393-43-6 J.T. Curtis began his head coaching responsibilities at John Curtis
The Staff Report
Career: 8 Guidlines for the High School Assistant Coach So you dream of becoming the head coach someday? Well, there are a few things you need to know and do that will help you earn that dream job you’ve been looking for. Anyone who wants to be a successful assistant coach and eventually a successful head coach must have certain qualities that set them
Everybody\'s All-American
Coker\'s 24-Game Winning Streak 2001 (12-0) Miami 33, Penn State 7 Miami 61, Rutgers 0 Miami 43, Pittsburgh 21 Miami 38, Troy State 7
Northwestern\'s Academic Game Plan
High School Coaches The foundation for successful college football student-athletes is laid by the high school coach. Whether the player goes on to play college bal
Schutt Sports College Coaches of the Year
DIVISION I-AA WINNER Dave Clawson Fordham Dave Clawson did not rest on his laurels after guiding his squad to a 7-4 record and being named Co-Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2001. No, Clawson joins former Holy Cross mentor Mark Duffner (1986-87) a
Cover Story Schutt Sports 2002 Division I-A Coach of the Year: Larry Coker - Miami\'s Larry Coker entered the 2003 Fiesta Bowl with a 24-0 record as head coach, a national championship ring on one finger and an opportunity to win one for another finger. Rockne, Warner, Wilkinson, Bryant, Robinson... none of them did that in their first two years as a head coach.
Choosing the Right Football for your Program
Sponsored by Rawlings Great coaches everywhere have one thing in common. A thirst for knowledge, particularly
Gold Rush
In 1969, a 22-year-old college student, nine credit hours shy of graduating, accepted an offer to become the head football coach at John Curtis Christian High School – the school his father, John Curtis Sr., had founded eight years earlier in River Ridge, La. It was a dream come true for the young coach, and he eagerly arrived that summer to meet with players and organize a weight program. The summer wound down, and on the first day of pract
The History of the Wing-T
It is an honor to have the opportunity to write this article and especially since the article deals with a topic as dear to my heart as the wing-t. In my 33 years of coaching I have seen many different cycles of football but the wing-t has remained a fixture since the time before I played and throughout my time as a player and a coach. I am sure that it will continue to be a very popular system long
Elevation
Jenks or jinx, nothing could stop Bill Blankenship’s Tulsa Union team from running the table in 2002 for the school’s elusive first state championship in 11 seasons under his leadership. A 52-3 thrashing of Broken Arrow stifled any chuckles about Blankenship and his veteran staff not being able to win the big one and validates what has been one of high school football’s better-kept secrets outside of the Sooner State.
Letter From the Editor
You know, I have been fortunate to meet some of the best people that the football industry has to offer, establish some longlasting relationships and have the opportunity to hear some pretty fantastic stories along the way. One of my new favorite stories, which – depending on who asks me and when – changes daily, was a story told to me by Tommy Condell, the offensive coordinator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
How to Lose a Game
Every coach has that call he’d like to have back. It might be that defensive set on that goal-line stand that gave up the go-ahead score on third-and-goal from the five. Or that time he passed three times from inside his own 10 leading with less than two minutes left in game. If he’s lucky, maybe it’s one or two a season. Tulsa Union coach Bill Blankenship knows his share about losing, even though he hasn’t done that much of i
Quarterback High
Without a doubt, during their short 13-year existence, Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, La., has left a permanent mark on the landscape of high school football. With seven state titles over the past 13 years and one national championship, the Eagles have etched their dominance in the Louisiana record books from 1A-5A and everywhere in between. But perhaps the only thing that st
Urban Development
The record book said Bowling Green was in trouble when Urban Meyer went to interview for the university’s head coaching position in December 2000. The record book said the Falcons hadn’t had a winning season since 1994. The record book said the university had replaced coach Gary Blackney in mid-season that year after nine years on the job and two conference championships. Meyer loo
The Adventures of John L. Smith
He is a man who believes in the basic lessons of life – strength, discipline, love and respect – but don’t think for a second that Louisville head coach John L. Smith is willing to go through life being satisfied with the routine and mundane. “The teams in the power conferences (the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, Pac-10)
Preps in Paradise
Duffy Daugherty had his own little Polynesian Pipeline back in the day, ages before people began to abuse the phrase, “back in the day.” He knew all about the high school football talent waiting to be discovered in Hawaii during the 1960s. That is why he brought Charlie Wedemeyer, Bob Apisa and Dick Kenney all the way to East Lansing from Oahu.
The Staff Report
Within the game of Football the difference in many athletes performance stems from flexibility of the hips. Whether your need is to engage a man on the line of scrimmage or to come in and out of your cuts faster, your results will depend on this. An interior lineman will be able to drive through the more forcefully and the skill position athlete will be able break down faster and more efficiently. Throughout
Running with the Bulls...
EDITOR\'S NOTE: On Dec. 12, 2002, Jim Leavitt signed a new five-year contract with a total base salary worth $2.4 million. The salary escalates from $407,173 in 2003 to $596,143 in 2007, the final year of the contract. Leavitt had been under contract through 2005. In addition to base salary, the new contract includes a $25,000 annual annuity and television/radio money that escalates from $40,000 to $50,000 over the course of the five years.
The Way It Used to Be
If there is one constant, it is that there are no constants. Over time, everything changes and nothing remains quite the same. Never is this more evident than in the profession of coaching college football. American Football Monthly recently sat down with a few of the game’s greatest coaches for a peek inside the ever-changing world of college football. From their firs
Focus on Critical Information to Place Your Players in Position to be Successful
FOR LAST YEAR’S TECHNOLOGY ISSUE, American Football Monthly asked me to share some insight on the organization of game planning staff and resources.* This year, Travis Davis has asked me to again address the subject of game planning, this time regarding an often asked question: In light of the finite time we coaches have available each week for strategic planning, how can we find and use the best from th
Technology Crossroads
Bobby April had reached a crossroads in his career and his life. When the New Orleans Saints fired Mike Ditka’s staff after the 1999 season, April – the special teams coach – found himself without a job. April also found himself with a year left on his contract, and decisions to make. “I had a daughter who was going to be a senior in high school, and I wasn’t going to
2001 Coordinators of the Year
DEFENSE - BUD FOSTER, Virginia Tech OFFENSE - MIKE BORICH, BYU After more than two decades as one of college football’s most prolific passing and scoring teams under former coach LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young fans thought they had seen it all. Then Gary Crowton an
High School News & Notes
With fall drills just a few months away, AFM begins its preview of the 2002 high school season. Here is our first look at some teams across the nation that figure to be contenders for national rankings during the upcoming season. 10 Teams to Watch (Please note: This list is not at all final nor comprehensive and the teams are listed in alphabetical order.) De La Salle (Concord, C
Letter From the Editor
It’s time for American Football Monthly’s annual look at new technologies in the game of football. We began this annual series in May 2000 because when it comes to technology, coaching is similar to many other jobs. Innovators and entrepreneurs are looking at ways to develop technology to make your job easier and to make you more efficient. For all that technology can do, it can’t add to the number o
A Legend Says Farewell
“Nothing lasts forever, and so it is with me.” With those simple words, coaching legend Harold R. “Tubby” Raymond announced his retirement after 36 years as head coach at the University of Delaware. While with the Blue Hens, the 75-year-old Raymond became only the ninth college coach to win 300 games and only the fourth to win them all at the same school. In an era when pressu
May 2002 Cover Story Information Age Bobby April of the St. Louis Rams uses technology to gain a coaching and career edge. Technology Crossroads - St. Louis Rams special teams coach Bobby April is one of a growing
Georgia Military College’s Devastating 3-5 Defense
Following the 2000 season, our staff met to discuss what we needed to do to give our team a chance to play for something special in 2001. We had just finished the season 7-3 with the #2 ranked defense in the NJCAA, but we knew we had the talent returning to do better in 2001. One of the things we decided to do was to revamp our defense and change to a 3-5 scheme. While some may question the sanity of rebuilding
Back to School
Chan Gailey File: 1974-75 University of Florida - graduate assistant 1976-78 Troy State University - defensive backs coach 1979-80 Air Force Academy - defensive assistant 1981-82 Air Force Academy - defensive coordinator 1983-84 Troy State University - head coach 1985 Denver Br
No Excuses, No Apologies, Just Football
The Morriss File 1988-89 New England Patriots - Offensive Line 1991 Mansfield, Tex., HS - Offensive Coordinator 1992 Washington (PSFL) - Head Coach 1992-93 Valdosta State - Offensive Line 1994 Arizona Cardinals - Offensive Line 1995 San Antonio (CFL) - Offensive Line
Who Is Jock Sutherland?
Full games would go by and not a single pass would be thrown at the University of Pittsburgh. That is, when Jock Sutherland was the head coach. That is the brand of football he sold. As a well-known critic of the passing game, he instituted a single wing offense that perfectly matched his personality. His teams won their battles in a cloud of dust, pounding opponents into the ground with the runnin
A Rare Breed
For a head coach of a professional or college team the bottom line is always the same – it’s all about winning. But it’s the road traveled that makes the man. A coach needs to put a game plan together, teach his players how to perform and find a way to inspire them. It is the motivational aspect of the job that often gives a coach his opportunity to show his individuality.
Letter From the Editor
Granted, I am not a coach – never have been, never will be. To make matters worse, I don’t even play one on TV. But then again, I don’t have to be a coach to fully understand what American Football Monthly brings to the coaching profession. Coaches have often been a misunderstood sort – always receiving a bit too much credit when things go well and way too much when
Words From a Legend: Lou Holtz
Granted, University of South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz has never looked much like a stereotypical football coach, but then again he has never acted like one either. The 65-year-old coaching icon, who coached the NFL’s New York Jets in 1976, has enjoyed a successful career which includes stints as the head coach of William and Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas and
NFL Coach of the Year Runners-up
BUTCH DAVIS When the Cleveland Browns hired Butch Davis as the second head coach in the three-year history of the new Browns franchise, Davis was told to beef up the defense and the running game and field a team that resembled the aggressive, hard-nosed kind of football Browns fans have been accustomed to back in the old days. More important, he was instructed to take the core of a
NFL Coach of the Year - Bill Belichick
You thought you knew him from his days in Cleveland. You saw the images on television. The grim, stern, face, void of emotion, ratcheted with intensity. You saw the newspaper stories. The humorless, dogmatic responses. A personality as cold and brittle as the wind blowing in from Lake Erie, pummeling Cleveland. You thought you knew him, but did you? Did you really? Did the people feeding those
Words of Wisdom
Think of Hank Stram and you can’t help but recall NFL films classic-footage of Super Bowl IV. A championship coach was wired for sound for the first time, and there was Stram, cackling and bragging to his “boys” that the “coach pumped it in there” after the Chiefs scored an important touchdown en route to their upset of the Minnesota Vikings, the AFL’s second Super Bowl victory. It’s har
Class of 2002
They are a pair of the most significant shoes in all of the college football coaching world. When you step in at Florida for Steve Spurrier, there is no hope of warming or going through a learning experience. Make no mistake about it. The heat will be on from Game One for Ron Zook. The Gators were one of the most consistent and powerful teams in the country under Spurrier. When Spurrie
Third & Short
University of Colorado co-defensive coordinator Tom McMahon has died of cancer at the age of 53. McMahon was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in the spring of 2000 and given a 10 percent chance to survive. He continued to fight, likening it to the fight against an opposing offense. He also continued at Colorado for as long as he could. He joined Gary Barnett’s staff prior to t
Cover Story Path To Victory Under Sonny Lubick's guidance, Colorado State is now a consistant winner The Look of a Winner - Anyone who thinks there are some programs that will never turn aroun
Getting Hooked On Marshall\'s Passing Game
Coach Bob Pruett has a .862 winning percentage in his six years as the head football coach at Marshall University. Of all the head coaches in Division I football, Coach Pruett has the best winning record percentage in the NCAA for the first four years. Check it out! I firmly believe that what has led to his success is his philosophy towards running a football program. Coach Pruett keeps his philosophy
The Science Of Recruiting Letters Part 1
What if you could have an in-home visit with any football recruit in the nation at any time during the NCAA’s mandated recruiting period? What if your in-home visit could take advantage of every possible opportunity to share your program’s tradition, goals and intentions with a potential game-breaking superstar that could help make the difference between a 5-6 also-ran and a 6-5 bowl run?
Rocky Mountain High
Dave Logan sits comfortably in his hotel room at Kansas City’s posh Crown Center talking football with me while stealing looks at the Oakland Raiders-San Diego Chargers game on the TV. As we talk, his cell phone rings. It’s his teenage daughter, Cassidy, back home in Colorado checking in for the evening. Near the end of the interview, the room phone rings. This time it’s Logan’s broadcast partner,
High School Coaches of the Year
SOUTHEAST Cecil Flowe Parkview High School (Lilburn, Ga.) 2001: 15-0, Class AAAAA champs, Record at school: 103-18, 9 years If Cecil Flowe were not guiding a high school football team to victory after victory, he’d probably make a good CEO. Attention to detail, hard work, planning - all qualities Flowe possesses, but the 45-year-old Parkview High Sc
Press Box or Sideline?
Let’s face it: whether you’re coaching in the NFL or the local youth league, the sideline can be a dangerous neighborhood. No one is safe as aggressive athletes, wearing suits of armor and running full speed, hurtle toward their destinations with violent intent. Usually they knock the spit out of each other, but every once in a while, they end up plowing into the innocent crowd on the sideline, scatter
Division I-AA, II, III, NAIA and Junior College Coaches of the Year.
DIVISION I-AA WINNER JACK C0SGROVE MAINE It’s never fun to lose in the quarterfinals of a tournament, but for a Maine football program that experienced its most memorable season ever, just reaching the NCAA Division I-A quarterfinals gave the Bears cause to celebrate and look forward to bigger, better things in the future. In
Strong, Fast, Agile
The job of the strength coach is not a complicated one. It is to build stronger players and to do it with efficiency and organization. If you help develop stronger players, your program has a better chance of playing winning football. And it\'s not just about building stronger players – it\'s about developing faster and quicker players. Give strong, fast and ag
Who’s Hot?
DAN HAWKINS, HC, BOISE STATE After serving as Dirk Koetter\'s assistant head coach, special teams and tight ends coach and overseeing Boise State’s highly successful community service and public involvement program, Hawkins moved up to the head coach’s job when Koetter took over at Arizona State following the 2000 season. During his time as an assistant at Boise State, t
Red Hot
RANDY SANDERS Most first-time college football coordinators get their new jobs in the offseason, with plenty of time to prepare for spring practice, more time to teach in the spring and then even more time to work toward the coming season. If they’re really fortunate, they’ll open the season against East Bugtussle State Teachers College
Are Football Coaches Overpaid?
Washington Redskins Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier is probably the highest paid football coach in the world today. Coach Spurrier is reportedly contracted to earn $25,000,000.00 over a five year term, a deal valued at $5 million dollars annually. Despite that he may also be one of the best coaches, he has little need to worry about 3% inflation. After all, Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne was highly compensated too at
Paths to Success
On first glance, the high school football programs at Artesia (N.M.) High School and Carol City (Fla.) Senior High School look considerably different. Artesia head coach Cooper Henderson’s club works out in state of the art, modern facilities built with the help of bond issues passed by its citizens, while Carol City coach Walt Frazier’s main source of support is the fans and paren
High School Coaches You Should Know
You don’t see them on the headsets on TV each week. With the exception of an occasional piece in American Football Monthly, you seldom read about them in the national press. Unlike their NFL and college football brethren, people in their hometowns usually call them by their first names. They are high school football coaches, and they form the very backbone of the sport. They are the
Personal Decision
The questions hang around the high school stadium whenever a veteran coach with some championships and a reputation for excellence stalks the sidelines. If this guy is so good, why didn’t he get a coaching job at the college or professional level? Why is he still coaching high school football? Frank Lenti has heard those questions before. As one of the na
A Coach of Life
Texas high school coaching legend Gordon Wood wasn’t interested in talking about the 396 wins, the most by a football coach at any level in history. “No one with a good record thinks about it,” Wood says when asked about a career that spanned 43 years and resulted in nine state championships in Texas. Wood began his coaching career at Rule High School in 1940, working his way thr
What Football Taught Me that the Classroom Rarely Did
From the day I was born, football has been important in my life. My father, Joe, has coached more than forty years in Texas and my brother, Chad, has been in the profession for a decade. Most of my formative years were spent at the field house. I helped my father cut the grass on the fields and lay the boundary lines. By the time I was ten, I roamed the sidelines helping him chart plays. Thinking back, I cannot believe that there was a better childhood. Because my father was a coach and a fo
Climbing to the Summit
He\'s coached at the high school level, at the small college level, and the major college level for the past 24 seasons. Along the way, he\'s been an assistant head coach, an offensive coordinator, a running backs coach and a receivers\' coach. Someday, Woody McCorvey would like to be a head coach on the college level.That\'s why McCorvey is a position coach at the University of Tennessee. He knows being a coordinator or an assistant head coach might be the most obvious path to a head coachin
High School Notes
1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) , Coach: Bob LadouceurOctober schedule includes a date with No. 3 LB Poly as the Spartans look to extend the streak. 2. Jenks (Okla.) , Coach: Allen TrimbleThe Trojans have a nasty defense led by DE Bryan Pickryl, DB Jason Carter and transfer LB Lawrence Pinson. 3. Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) , Coach: Raul LaraCan the Jackrabbits, with their speed and talent, defeat De La Salle? We\'ll see on Oct. 6. 4. Lincoln (Tall
News & Notes
Veteran NFL assistant coach and New England quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein died during training camp. The 45-year-old Rehbein died of heart failure at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The Patriots said Rehbein, who had heart disease, checked himself into the hospital complaining of discomfort. Rehbein joined the Patriots in February 2000. Rehbein, who had an internal pacemaker because of cardiomyopathy, suffered an apparent heart attack and extensive resuscitation efforts failed.
Letter From the Publisher
Protecting your assets... In the business world, there are a few axioms that are universally applied by all successful companies. For example, some of these management philosophies are: focus on those things with the greatest opportunity for success; make certain you do whatever is necessary to keep your best employees; and protect your company\'s most valuable assets. However, in the football world, I fear teams sometimes ignore sound, proven and winning business strategies th
Longevity
Frank Broyles, who has been with the Razor-backs for 44 years, is now in his 28th year as athletic director, and the accolades continue to pour in. Recent awards include the Bobby Jones Award by the Atlanta Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the John L. Toner Award, given annually by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame to the athletics director who has demonstrated superior administrative abilities and shown outstanding dedication to college athletics a
Words of Wisdom
With innovations such as the pocket pass, loose-leaf playbooks, year-round coaching staffs, classroom teaching and tests, advanced scouting, grading player performance from film review, and sending in plays from the sideline, some say Paul Brown was the greatest coach who ever lived. Add to that coaching legendary high school teams at Massilon, Ohio, a national championships at Ohio State, all four AAFC champions, and three NFL championships, it\'s hard to get much argument to that claim. Brown
Little on Size Big on Protection
Mouthpieces are one of the required and fundamental pieces of equipment of football. Yet, many coaches do not realize that there are more options than just \"boil and bite\". Despite this requirement, a study of Arizona High School coaches states that 53% of coaches polled believes that not all of their players wore mouthguards. This same study shows that 33% of these same coaches believe they have the greatest influence over compliance of their athletes. Yet, many coaches do not realize that th
News & Notes
Trojan and Buccaneer legend McKay Passes Away John McKay, the legendary coach of USC and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, known as much for his memorable sense of humor as he was for his tremendous success as a coach, passed away on June 10 from complications associated with his diabetes. McKay, who won four national titles at USC and was later the coach of the expansion Tampa Bucs, was 77. \"John McKay never bit his tongue,\" said former Bucs quarterback and current Grambl
Cover Story Sports Medicine July 2001 The Protector... - As head athletic trainer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Toriscelli
Lion Heart
Coaching requires the commitment to teach, to inspire athletes to set and achieve team and/or personal goals, while simultaneously developing the all-important necessary strategies to win! At no time should a coach ever forget or choose to ignore a most basic fundamental and unwritten code: coaching involves people not just schemes or strategies. Regardless of the level or the sport chosen to coach, this code can never be forgotten or the meaning lessened: that coaches, first and foremost, are i
Buried Treasure
It\'s so easy to be wrong about what you see on the surface. So easy to dismiss the dirt on the surface and ignore the treasure below. Sometimes it takes a little more time and effort to dig for what really matters, for something precious, for the truth.When it comes to UAB head coach Watson Brown, it\'s easy to see the record and miss the point. It\'s easy to see his .378 winning percentage and draw knee-jerk conclusions. It\'s easy to see those 112 losses, compare them to 68 wins and
NEVER A DOUBT
An upset? Don\'t call Oklahoma\'s national championship or its Orange Bowl victory over Florida State an upset. An upset is when a team that shouldn\'t win beats a team that should win, and that wasn\'t the case when the Sooners completed their undefeated season by beating the Seminoles 13-2. So what if Florida State was favored to win by nearly two touchdowns? So what if the Seminoles were playing for the national championship for the third time in four years? So what if the Sooners w
The Right Place at the Right Time
Pete Carroll has done the coaching tour. His life has been in football for more than three decades and he has done it all. From graduate assistant to NFL head coach with many stops in between. And now he begins the one job that hadn\'t appeared previously on his resume - college football head coach.Carroll has taken the reins at one of college football\'s traditional powerhouses - USC. The problem is the Trojans haven\'t been in national title contention for years. They haven\'t
Leading By Example
Just four short months after assuming the reigns of the University of Oklahoma athletic department, Sooner athletic director Joe Castiglione made a decision that would shake the OU football program out of its recent doldrums and head it toward a sudden and glorious future. He hired Bob Stoops as head football coach.Prior to his arrival in Norman, Castiglione - a former football walk-on at the University of Maryland - spent 18 years rebuilding the pride and solidifying the infrastructur
Letter from the Publisher
Having grown up in the heart of Dixie and the middle of the Bible belt in Alabama, I have heard more than my share of sermons about the unmitigated power of prayer. Now, it is important to know that I am firmly convinced that through prayer many miracles can happen. I need look no further than the faces of my children to understand that prayers are indeed answered each and every day. But, I have always tried to balance my belief in prayer with a strong sense of feeling that God will help
News & Notes
Fiesta Bowl changing to an afternoon game and will host 2003 title game The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is switching to an afternoon kickoff on New Year\'s Day 2002 rather than the night schedule of recent years. Officials announced that the game will match the Pac-10 and Big 12 champions if those teams aren\'t playing in the Rose Bowl. If those teams aren\'t available for the Fiesta Bowl, its officials will turn to a pool of at-large teams that includes the champions of the Big Ten,
June 2001 Cover Story Buried Treasure... UAB's Watson Brown - Sometimes numbers can be deceiving, and in the case of Watson Brown, his career cannot be measured by wins and losses. Acclaimed by all who know him a
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Class of 2001
When Ralph Friedgen met the press during hype week at Super Bowl XXIX in January of 1995, he faced an important question. \"Wouldn\'t you like to be a head coach some day?\" the media asked.At the time, Friedgen was the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. His team was getting ready to battle the 49ers in a contest that would become one of the most devastating offensive performances in Super Bowl history. The Chargers would be on the wrong end of those offensive fireworks.Frie
NFL Hot College Coaches 2001
What does it take to get to the throne of an NFL franchise? It is not a secret formula. The men making the decisions on who will lead a NFL team are not by nature risk-takers. They want the safe choice, either a proven winner or a hot assistant on the rise.For the proven winners like Dick Vermeil or Marty Schottenheimer, their records are clear and unambiguous. Owners can look at what they have done and choose to seek their leadership for their floundering franchises. However, the choice
Special Delivery: Pete Rodriguez
Pete Rodriguez has a motto to match his moxie. Here it goes: No matter how nervous he might get sometimes as the special teams coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, the blood, sweat and tears of his work are the last thing you\'ll see on his sleeve, skin or collar.\"Don\'t ever let them see you sweat,\'\' Rodriguez said. \"I try to believe in that commercial. You need to have control, and however you handle it, reflects your own personality. Some guys are real vocal and holler and scream. I
High School News & Notes
(This list based upon an equal combination of high school achievement and recruiting potential.) WR Rhema McKnight 6-3, 195, 4.51 JFK (La Palma, Calif.) Extremely explosive and productive last season, with 2,341 all-purpose yards and five punt returns for touchdowns. Head coach is Mitch Olsen. WR Wali Lundy 6-1, 195, 4.5 Holy Cross (Riverside, N.J.) A true double-threat last season for the Lancers, surpassing 1,000 yards receiving and 700 yard
On A Mission
It\'s 8:30 on a humid Friday morning in June, and Ralph Friedgen looks frazzled, as if he\'s already worked his standard 18-hour day. Sweat sits on the face of the 54-year-old, who appears out of breath when arriving at his University of Maryland office.For the Terps new football coach, the morning has been about three hours old - and hectic at that. Friedgen chased down three of his freshmen to get them to their academic tutor on time and coordinated details for Maryland\'s ongoing high scho
Words of Wisdom
To the people of he state of Minnesota, Bud Grant is an icon. To many in the NFL during the 1970s and 80s, he was iconoclastic. His belief in treating his players like men, as opposed to dogs, was more than unique; it was rebellious. His shortened training camps and less than arduous emphasis on hitting made Grant a coach who might have been run out of the good ol\' boy club were it not for the fact he won at an amazing rate. What kind of coach was Grant? Just like Sergeant Joe Friday used to
Capitol Will...
A year ago at this time, the Washington Redskins were the most hyped team in NFL history - Super Bowl expectations, $100 million payroll, marquee free agent signings. These days, the volume in Redskins land is at a monotone. One person took it upon himself to bring the franchise down to earth: Marty Schottenheimer.After a two-year stint as an ESPN analyst, the NFL\'s 12th all-time winningest coach is back on familiar turf. Since becoming the Redskins head coach and taking charge of the tea
News & Notes
Tragedy strikes Florida as freshman FB, Autin diesEvery coach and parent\'s nightmare happened in Gainesville, when incoming Florida freshman Eraste Autin died of complications related to heat stroke, six days after collapsing and falling into a coma following a workout with teammates. Autin fell unconscious just outside Florida Field in late July while jogging back to the locker room after one of the football team\'s voluntary summer conditioning sessions. Although no autopsy wa
High School News & Notes
When Loveland (Colo.) High School opened the postseason in defense of its Class 4A state championship, it did so without the services of head coach John Poovey. That½s because Poovey was suspended for the remainder of the 2001 season after it was discovered that some Loveland players had applied non-stick cooking spray (Pam) to their jerseys during a 21-12 win over Greeley Central on Oct. 26. The us
Words of Wisdom
From 1964 to 1988, the name Dooley was synonymous with Georgia football. Despite flirtations with other schools, most notably his alma mater Auburn in the 70\'s, Dooley remained top Dawg for 25 seasons and led UGA to 201 victories. In 1980, with Herschel Walker running through, over and around the SEC, Georgia won the national championship by defeating Notre Dame 17 to 10 in the Sugar Bowl. During his career, he won 6 conference titles and numerous coach of the year awards. Along with his brothe
Spurrier Q&A
Florida head coach Steve Spurrier is a hands-on boss who coaches his own quarterback, coordinates his own offense and calls his own plays, and does it as well, if not better, than anyone in football. In many ways, his coaching style is an extension of his playing career, when he played quarterback for the University of Florida and three NFL teams during a 10-year pro career.During the week before a recent open date, Spurrier took the time to talk with American Football Monthly\'s Richard Scot
Jon & Jay: The Gruden Brothers
He has become one of the best coaches in the NFL. Jon Gruden may be small of stature, but his commanding presence on the sidelines has been one of the main reasons the Raiders have become one of the elite teams in professional football after a long stay in mediocrity. Gruden speaks volumes with every grimace and every gesture. But coaching for Gruden is more than just an emotional display. In the m
The Big 10
Every year thousands of coaches try to take the next step up the ladder of success thatleads to the land of head coaching. Most of these men fully believe they have \"what it takes\" and all they need is a chance. Yet, many of these same men will tell me they feel totally disenfranchised and do not know how to \"get in the loop\" or make it to the next level. So many coaches seem to feel if they wor
Scout\'s Honor
WORKING IN THE NFL ISN\'T ALWAYS ABOUT THE GLORY. Despite working in the richest and most successful league in all of professional sports, there are still a great number of key employees who aren\'t household names. Yet without them, head coaches, star players and backups couldn\'t have the degree of preparation that is seen on a weekly basis. Scouts are generally in the game for the love of it. O
Equipment Room
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The Mouse That Roared
He is talking football, as usual, as he veers his black 1991 Mercedes 300 SE into the parking lot of the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.There are other interests in his life, but nothing quite captures Mouse Davis\' fancy like throwing the football.\"Visiting with Mouse is like talking to Mr. Football, and it is not an artificial enthusiasm,\" says another man with a passing interest in the game, Dick Vermeil.Davis is discussing how to attack the latest defensive phenomeno
The Old Dog Has Some New Tricks
He\'s 64 years old, he\'s been a head coach for 29 years, he\'s won 223 games, taken six different teams to a combined total of 22 bowls, and won a national championship at one of the nation\'s most prestigious programs.He\'s the first to admit he\'s stubborn, sometimes to a fault. He didn\'t have to change his coaching methods. He didn\'t have to change his offense or his defense or his staff management style. He didn\'t have to try anything new. He didn\'t even have to take this job
News & Notes
Schottenheimer heads back to the field Marty Schottenheimer is leaving the broadcast booth and returning to the football field, this time as head coach and director of football operations for the beleaguered Washington Redskins. At a press conference in early January, Schottenheimer said that while he loved the two years he spent as an NFL analyst for ESPN, he just couldn\'t pass up the opportunity to return to coaching. \"It\'s in my blood,\" the 11th winningest coach in NFL histor
Cover Story Lou Holtz February 2001 Division 1-A Coach of the Year Lou Holtz - It was enough that the Notre Dame coaching lege
Coach of the Year Runners-up
Bob StoopsUniversity of OklahomaRecord: 13-0Won National ChampionshipWhen Bob Stoops was hired at Oklahoma two years ago, school officials had high hopes. How high? How about No. 1 in the nation? In two years, the former defensive coordinator at the University of Florida took the powerhouse team out of the pits and turned it back into the premier team in the nation. This year\'s 12-0 regular season record not only earned the Sooners their first consecutive bowl
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Hot College Coaches 2001
In the year 2000, a plague swept across the land of college football. At 25 cities, in various corners of the country, the disease of fan impatience and athletic director intolerance dealt death blows to good men. ADs were forced to pull the plug on coaches who were left on life-support by too few wins or too many losses versus the wrong opponent. Unfortunately there is no cure for the malady that has invaded the system known as college football and it has reached epidemic proportions.With t
Two Hot to Stop
According to the old cliche, defense wins championships and offense sells tickets, so if the rising number of offensive-related hires in recent years tells us anything, it\'s that college presidents, athletic directors and major boosters doing the hiring must be more interested in selling tickets than winning championships.But what factor sells tickets more than winning championships? Just ask the folks at Oklahoma, where coach Bob Stoops and the Sooners are the hottest ticket West of the Mis
Minority Opinion
There are 117 Division I-A football programs and five (5) are led by minority coaches. Is this acceptable? Absolutely not. Can this situation be corrected? Absolutely.Take this test- write down the names of all five I-A football coaches; its not that difficult (Tyrone Willingham, Stanford; Jerry Baldwin, Louisiana-Lafayette; Fitz Hill, San Jose State; Bobby Williams, Michigan State; and Tony Samuels, New Mexico State). Now, use that same piece of paper and list all minority D-IA head basketb
Words of Wisdom
Even at age 71, with two national championships, 17 bowl wins, and a record that makes him one of the winningest coaches of all time, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden has no plans to retire. But, he does have a plan of how he will know when it\'s time to step down. \"I plan to coach until I have a lean year and then give myself one year to get it back under control,\" he told reporters last year. \"If I lose that second year, I\'m done.\"Such a statement is typ
The Power Behind The Thrown
They\'re the Rodney Dangerfields of the football world. They\'re overworked, underpaid, overlooked and under-appreciated. If they do their jobs well and their teams win, they get little, if any, glory. But, if they put a squad on the field that can\'t go the distance and collapses in the fourth quarter, there\'s hell to pay.In short, with rare exception, strength and conditioning coaches just don\'t get no respect.\"The unofficial rule when dealing with the football staff
News and Notes
Waiting for the XFL to call If Rich Brooks has his way, he\'ll be coaching in the XFL next year. Brooks in January abruptly resigned his three-year post as defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, sold his house in Atlanta and moved back to Eugene, Ore. to wait for a call from the upstart league. \"I guess my time has passed in this league,\" he said, refering to the NFL, as he announced his resignation from the Falcons. Last fall the 59-year-old turned down a job
Cover Story The Godfather March 2001 Big Man on Campus - Nebraska's Boyd Eply didn't set out to change the game of football
Cover Too
It may come as a surprise to some that computers have been helping high school and college coaches build game plans for nearly 20 years. Starting with the early Apple II and IBM personal computers, technology that had previously been available only to larger colleges and professional teams began working its way into the high school and small college ranks. Innovative coaches, facing many obstacles, began to integrate computers into their game planning processes during the mid-1980s. C
High School Notes
Privates may vie for championships in TexasThe days of public and private schools competing for separate state championships in Texas might be coming to an end. A bill approved in March by the Texas state Senate would allow private schools with enrollments of over 500 to compete with University Interscholastic League (public) schools for state championships. Texas is currently one of three states that do not allow private and public schools to compete with each other for distr
Achieving Maximum Benefit from Your Use of Technology in Game Planning
ALL STAFFS INVEST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF time and effort in game planning. Strategic preparation for an opponent is a big part of what we do as coaches. It\'s a major element of the intellectual challenge of coaching which attracts us to the profession, and it forms the basis for the way in which we as coaches compete on game day. Play calling success is dependent upon a knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses and tendencies of both your own team and of your opponent. We all know that ot
From Athlete to Administrator
When Arizona State University appointed Gene Smith as the school\'s 18th director of athletics on July 27, 2001, the Pac-10 school gained both an experienced and accomplished leader. Before arriving in Tempe, Smith served as athletic director at Iowa State University (1993-2000) and at Eastern Michigan University (1986-93). At Iowa State, he coordinated the financial and physical transformation of the Cyclone athletic department, including the construction of a $6.1 million three-story football
News & Notes
Sooners visit the White House President Bush honored Bob Stoops and his University of Oklahoma national championship football team at the White House March 5, 2001 in a special ceremony held in the Rose garden. The team was recognized along with the women\'s softball team, which beat UCLA 3-1 for its first national championship at the Women\'s College World Series in Oklahoma City last spring. The teams also toured the U.S. Capitol and were recognized on the Senate floo
Evaluating Offensive Linemen
Assessing the abilities and skills of an interior lineman is one of the most coach\'s job. Many coaches do not realize the true capabilities of their players. Countless times determinations and selections are made solely on the candidate\'s height, weight, speed and potential as a football player, without much, if any, regard for the player\'s ability as a performer on the field to actually \"get it done.\" There are all types of offensive linemen. Some are short and stout. Others are simply
Equipment Room
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Ten Coaches You Should Know
Bobby Bowden. Joe Paterno. Steve Spurrier. Phillip Fulmer. Even the casual college football fan knows those names, and they\'ve earned their fame and fortune through time, experience and victory. But what about those head coaches who don\'t make the headlines, but still do a great job? The NCAA record book is filled with the names of outstanding coaches who never coached a game in the so-called \"big time,\" but there\'s no doubt that men such as Amoz Alonzo Stagg, Ron Schipper, Frosty Weste
High School News & Notes
The Streak lives! The Game of the Century. A high school football contest finally took a turn at carrying that all too often used adjective when California powers Concord De La Salle and Long Beach Poly met before 17,321 fans at Long Beach Veterans Stadium on Oct. 6. Prep football historians say the matchup was the first ever between two t
A Wizard in the Land of Oz
When Tony DeMeo left the tight confines of the East Coast for the wide-open plains of Topeka, Kan., and Washburn University in December 1993, what he found was pretty alarming. The school, though getting ready to begin its 103rd year playing the game, was one of the barren wastelands of college football. Five years had passed since the Ichabods last posted a winning record and the program was languishing through a 12-game losing streak. Even worse, DeMeo found only 29 players on the ro
Breaking Bonds
It had been one of the most embarrassing nights of Marty Schottenheimer\'s career. After a two-year absence from the head-coaching ranks, Schottenheimer decided to get back into the business when Redskins owner Daniel Snyder came calling. While that decision may have been questionable considering Schottenheimer\'s criticism of the Redskin owner, he ultimately decided to take the job because he thought he could get the Redskins back to the playoffs and into the Super Bowl. Schottenheimer is o
News & Notes
Notre Dame gets a new sponsor In a deal announced in September, Notre Dame has signed Chevrolet as a major sponsor of its athletic programs. The automaker will now be one of five corporate sponsors with an ongoing presence at university athletic events. The deal was set to commence with the Irish football home opener against Michigan State on Sept. 22. Terms of the one-year deal were not revealed by either the university or Chevrolet. Notre Dame\'s ot
Leader of the Pack
The door was open for Marvin Lewis last winter - at least for a few days. Shortly after the Ravens demolished the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, Lewis had the chance to interview for the Buffalo Bills head coaching job. Blow their doors off and he\'d get the opportunity to run his own franchise. Sure, there was the matter of competition from Tennessee defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and N.Y. Giant defensive coordinator John Fox, but it was Lewis who was thought to be in the driver\'s seat.
The Saints Go Marching In
Some people in the NFL and the media thought Jim Haslett was so desperate to be a head coach that he\'d simply taken the first offer he got. After all, he\'d interviewed for openings in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore and come up empty. Others thought the New Orleans Saints were the desperate ones that they had no idea what they were doing when they hired Haslett last year. After all, this is the same franchise that had never, ever won an NFL playoff game, one of the most
Letter from the Publisher
To those who subscribe to the theory of \"primacy and recency,\" it is what you do either first or last that matters the most. This hotly-debated field of behavioral study focuses on which areas of persuasion influence people more than others. I certainly do not have a Ph.D., but after publishing this magazine for over eight years, I know that with coaches it is what they do last that matters most. Clearly, this is no different than society as whole and its \"what have you done for me la
In Praise of the Three Technique
Early in my career I was influenced by three very good defensive line coaches. They are: Bob Karmelowicz of the Kansas City Chiefs, who I spent time with during the spring of 1999, John Pease of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who I had the opportunity to work with in the Jaguars Minority Fellowship Coaching Internship Program, and Cliff Yoshida, who recruited me and was my position coach while I played defensive tackle at East Carolina University. I practice a style of coaching that has been influenc
The Computer is Up
I don\'t necessarily like all the things that go along with (coaching) ... all I want to do is coach the team and that\'s it.\" Perhaps you would agree with Tampa Bay\'s Tony Dungy who spoke these words back in 1998 when he was named this magazine\'s NFL Coach of the Year. No matter what level you coach, you undoubtedly have tasks, obligations or perhaps people whom you\'d rather not have to deal with. But whether it\'s recruiting new players, scouting next week\'s opponent, or teaching
What Reporters Really Want
I have a soft spot for football coaches. I respect them. I admire them. I still look at my favorite coaches with true appreciation for their time, commitment, energy, intensity and passion for the game, and the life lessons that came with being part of it. I empathize with the challenges they face, the hours they work, the fragile nature of their job security and the expectations they face from outsiders who understand very little about what they do. And I am a member of the media.S
The Best of Both Worlds
As a youngster, Kathy Schniedwind was fascinated with medicine. \"When I was in fourth grade I told people I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up,\" she says.But in addition to her interest in dissection kits, anatomy books and games like Operation, she was also drawn to the athletic field. An avid athlete, she played lacrosse, softball, field hockey, basketball and ran track in high school and college.So when it came time to pick a career, she knew she had to alter her fourth-grade
Keeping the Gators on top
University of Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley sits atop an athletic program that has consistently ranked among the nation\'s 10 best. Since 1992, when he assumed the reins of the Gator athletic department, continuing that legacy of excellence has been one of his top goals.Named an honorary alumnus by the Florida Alumni Association in October, Foley, 47, started his career at UF as an intern in the Gator ticket office in 1976. Since then he has worked in nearly every aspect of th
News & Notes
Fassel gets giant raise While Jim Fassel didn\'t win the Super Bowl, he won the respect of the New York Giant\'s brass. Exactly a month after the Giants lost to the Baltimore 34-7 in Tampa, team officials announced that they had signed Fassel to another four-year contract even though he had another year left on the contract extension he signed after the 1999 season. While the terms weren\'t available, Fassel will reportedly earn $11 million over the four years - more than doublin
Paradise Found
June Jones would be lying if he said he expected this. The same is true of his coaches, his players and friends in the coaching profession. That\'s because it\'s not supposed to happen. Teams don\'t go 19 games without winning, then turn around and win eight regular-season games, capture a share of the conference championship, earn a bowl bid and then win the bowl game. It\'s not supposed to happen, especially to a team that faces the unique geographic obstacles that are part of Uni
Letter from the Editor
I always liked Tom Landry. I liked everything he stood for in life: character, calmness in the face of turmoil, confidence and a steely determination to win. In reading the many accounts of his life and career since his death on Feb. 12, I understood that much of what I do not like about many current coaches is because of what I did like about Landry. I have never liked the type of coach who screams at officials, throws his headset and completely loses his cool during a game or at half
Air Attack
There are more than a few Division I-A offenses around the nation that can keep a defensive coach\'s eyes wide open in the week leading to that Saturday\'s encounter. The trouble with Joe Tiller\'s record-setting air show at Purdue, however, is that the sleepless nights don\'t always end when the final gun sounds. Just ask Penn State defensive backfield coach Tom Bradley. His Nittany Lions actually survived their late-October showdown with the Boilermakers (31-25) at
News & Notes
Osborne: The Distinguished Gentleman from Nebraska? After weeks of speculation that he might make his next career in politics, former Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne announced in January that he is running for Congress. Osborne, who led the Huskers to three national titles before retiring in 1997, threw his hat into the ring in his hometown of Hastings on the campus of his alma mater, Hastings College. The 62-year-old Osborne, a Republican, said he had been contemplating whether t
The Look
Every Friday in the fall of 1998, John Parchman would watch a big offensive lineman walk through his office and a ritual would beginParchman, a growing West Texas coaching legend, would look up from his desk at Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, give Rex Richards his famous look and ask the kid his famous question.\"Rex,\" Parchman would say, \"you ain\'t scared, are you?\"\"No sir,\" Richards would inevitably answer.\"Good,\" Parchman would continue. \"I guess we\'re going
High School Notes
Late-season top performancesQuarterback Mike Pfisterer of North County (Glen Burnie) became the all-time passing leader in Maryland on Nov. 3. Pfisterer threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-26 loss to Annapolis, and finished his career with 6,351 yards and a state-record-tying 67 touchdowns. Hawaiian powerhouse St. Louis (Honolulu) exploded for 77 first-half points in an 84-0 rout of Damien on Oct. 28. The Crusaders scored 42 in the first quarter alone, which
Hiring the Enemy
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN CARL TORBUSH AND MIKE O\'Cain were enemies. At least that\'s the way fans and media painted their relationship. Coaches at rival schools are supposed to hate each other, right? They\'re supposed to spread evil rumors about each other, undercut each other at every opportunity and wish the worst for each other, aren\'t they? And they would never, ever profess to respect each other or, heaven forbid, actually like each other.In truth, even though they coached at r
News & Notes
San Jose player loses part of his leg For the second time in a year, a Northern California college football player lost part of his leg after being injured in a game. Doctors were forced to amputate the foot and ankle of Neil Parry, 20, a San Jose State sophomore, nine days after he sustained a compound fracture during an October game against the University of Texas-El Paso. Parry, who was injured on a kickoff return, developed a severe bacterial infection. Unable to stop th
The Survivor
Here he was, scaling a fence in a driving thunderstorm, with a blank videocassette under his rain jacket. The coaching staff desperately needed video of its next opponent, but a lack of sufficient technology at the team\'s training facility prevented the team from finding the game on television. That did not, however, prevent the team\'s head coach from finding another solution. So with the rain pouring down and thunder rumbling overhead, he found himself climbing the fence betwe
Traveling Man
Somewhere on the road between 19 cities in 11 states, Mike Leach found a way to climb the rope from the small time to the big time. Call it the back-road plan for future coaching success. Leach, the new head coach at Texas Tech, never played college football, never coached at the Division I level until 1997 and never even really knew he wanted to be a football coach until after he earned his law degree from Pepperdine in 1986. After law school, his path was filled with job after j
News & Notes
AF2 kicks-off season The arenaleague2 opened its inaugural season the week of April 8th. The league, which was introduced to bring Arena Football to small to mid-sized communities, features teams in cities such as Augusta, Ga; Birmingham, Ala.; Charleston, S.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Greenville, S.C. and Huntsville, AL. Nine other cites make up the league with the addition of three new teams planned for the 2001 season. After opening the season with league highs in total attendan
Back with the Pack
For eight consecutive years, football schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference have been looking up to Florida State in the league standings. Nobody has hit upon a formula to unseat the Seminoles as one of the most dominant programs in NCAA history. So North Carolina State decided to take a new approach in its search for a football coach. Instead of hiring a big-name head coach like Georgia\'s Jim Donnan or Stanford\'s Tyrone Willingham, both of whom were considered, the Wolfpack decid
Hot NFL Coaches
The path to the top of the NFL coaching ranks is somewhat well-defined: serve an apprenticeship as a position coach; become a coordinator for a successful playoff or Super Bowl team; then teams seeking to reverse their woebegone fortunes come calling like school boys looking for a prom date. Although 2000 was an aberration with two new head coaches not serving as coordinators in 1999, Al Groh was the LB coach for the Jets before his promotion, and Dave Wannstedt was the assistant head coa
Best of Best...The Top Coaching Staffs in Football
Taking into account all of the factors that go into the composition of what makes a great coaching staff, the following is our second annual look at the best coaching staffs in football. Just as last year, it is extremely difficult to choose one staff over another. It is somewhat analogous to trying to decide which dessert you want in a buffet. But, what makes a great staff? Is it the number of championships won collectively? How about longevity at the institution? C
AIR RAID Running Back Techniques and Drills
The most productive running backs in the SEC over the last three seasons combined have been from the University of Kentucky. Anthony White and Derek Homer have combined for more yards (rushing and receiving totals) than any other two-back combination. White had three straight 1,000-yard seasons from rushing and receiving yards combined, and Homer combined with White in 1997-98 to put the pair over 4,000 yards combined for those two seasons. White also became the third player in NCAA h
The Evolution of Technology in Football
CLICK...CLACK...CLICK...CLACK.... the only sound emanating from the darkened room droned endlessly. For decades, it was the sound of technology in football. For generations of players and coaches, the first technological skill to be mastered was how to thread film in the 16mm projector. It was film, passing back and forth through the projector\'s gate, which was the sound of technology in the game. An endless ribbon of film ran through the game and connected generations of coaches and pla
High Schools That Went High Tech
When Rob Scheidt took over the program at Merced (Calif.) H.S. in the spring of 1996, he faced a rebuilding job. The historically strong MHS program, which won a state championship just five years before, had spiraled downward into a two-year playoff draught and was stinging from a 1-9 record the previous season. Scheidt, who became head varsity coach at Merced while he was still in his mid-20s, saw a couple of problems that needed to be addressed right off the bat. First, the school
Reaching the Top
With its groundbreaking use of computers, video cameras and advances in research in human kinetics (just to name a few), the University of Nebraska has become known as \"the birthplace for strength and conditioning in collegiate athletics.\" The person most responsible for the inception of not only Nebraska\'s strength and conditioning program, but also programs throughout the country, is Director of Performance Boyd Epley. Epley began his career with Nebraska in 1969 when he became th
High School Notes
Based in South Florida, Mark D. Steiner has been covering high school football for 24 years and is one of the nation\'s top experts on underclassmen football prospects. Steiner can be reached by calling (954) 726-2919. QB Travis Jackson 6-4 215 4.5 South (Olathe, Kan.)Has a great arm and can throw on the run; threw for 17 TDs and ran for five more as a junior. QB Ingle Martin 6-3 190 4.7 Montgomery Bell (Nashville, Tenn.)A strong and elusiv
News & Notes
McKittrick Loses Battle with Cancer After a 14-month battle with cancer, San Francisco 49ers' OL coach Bobb McKittrick died on March 15. He was 64. McKittrick, who worked with five Super Bowl winning teams in 21 years, courageously continued working on the 49ers' staff while fighting bile duct cancer. A former Marine Corps officer, McKittrick was known for his toughness, hard work and dedication to the game and to his players. His on-field coaching duties were assumed by Pat Mo
USFL—The $1 League
They were supposed to be the rot and refuse, a bunch of has-beens, never-weres and never-will-bes. Their value? One dollar. One lousy buck. But for three action-packed spring seasons - 1983-85 - they were the United States Football League - the USFL - the latest failed attempt to wrestle the monopoly on professional football away from the NFL. During its three years on the field, the USFL sported four Heisman Trophy winners: Herschel Walker, Mike Rozier, Doug Flutie and two-time winne
Words of Wisdom: Don Shula
Thirty-three years as an NFL head coach. Thirty seasons as head coach or vice-chairman of the Miami Dolphins. These numbers embody unparalleled longevity. All-time NFL-coaching bests of 347 total wins and 328 regular-season wins. A career winning percentage of .676. Six Super Bowl head coaching appearances, with two championships. Only two losing seasons in 33 seasons as a head coach. And, still untouched by history, an immortal 17-0 season in 1972. These figures exemplify unrivaled succe
Rolling to Victory
The 1999 season was very successful for the players, coaches and staff of City College of San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to complete our season with a perfect 12-0 record and win the 1999 J.C. Gridwire National Championship and California state championship. We also achieved this same feat in 1994 after completing the season 11-0. In the 90s, we won our conference nine times in 10 years (1990, 1992-1999) and we are three-time defending Northern California champions. In all, we ended the
The Anatomy of a Coach\'s Deal
Reading the transactions column in the daily sports page, studying the waiver wire and reviewing the latest sports deal on the Internet have become habits of mine. To the uninitiated, what a good head football coach should be awarded in his contract might translate only into dollar compensation. Let me suggest, rather, that the deal\'s design and structure, the performance incentives, roll-over provisions, outside income, retirement benefits, split-dollar collateral assignment cash-va
NFL Coach of the Year Runners-up
Jeff FisherTennessee Titans13-3 regular season record AFM ChampionsWhen the boxes were finally unpacked, and Jeff Fisher had settled into his new office at the Titans\' new Adelphia Coliseum complex, he knew he and his team were finally home. No longer were the Titans the vagabonds of the NFL, moving from Houston to Memphis to the campus of Vanderbilt University during the course of three consecutive 8-8 seasons. Rid of the distractions of sharing gameday lockers and facil
The Man Of Steel
Back then, Gary Darnell couldn\'t help but feel like Superman. Darnell, then Kansas State\' defensive coordinator, had just helped fly K-State to a new plateau in football success. Darnell\'s the current coach of the Western Michigan University Broncos, who in just three seasons at WMU has put together three-straight winning seasons, compiled a 22-12 record and guided the Broncos to a Western Division title in the Mid-American Conference and the MAC championship game. He\'s seen atten
Red Hot
Every year around the time families begin to think of gathering for Thanksgiving, some unfortunate athletic directors begin to ponder a much less joyous occasion ... hiring a new football coach. Needless to say this is very seldom a time for celebration. It does not happen often where the replacement of a coach is a pleasant and easy transition. As opposed to an anointment, it more often resembles a coup d\'etat. The AD will be beset by hundreds of calls, some wanted and most unwanted, f
Sudden Impact
All coaches preach turnovers as a deciding factor in victory. What impact does the interception return really have on the outcome of a game? From 1946-99, there have been 25,001 interceptions in AFL/NFL history, with 16,409 (65.63 percent of those) accounting for victories. The percentage of victory by interceptions during this 54-year span has never been lower than 57.67 percent (1962 season), and never higher than 69.92 percent (1977). Thus, year after year, there is little fluctuati
Brain Damage
A minor knock on the head can have big consequences In the past decade, researchers HAVE concluded head injuries, which seem relatively minor and insignificant, could cause permanent brain damage. Due to the potentially serious consequences, even minor head injuries should be a concern to coaches, trainers, and players.The reasons are obvious: Football players are prone to head injuries. Surveys have shown that roughly 10 percent of all college football players will sustain
News & Notes
Utah rewards McBride with an extension 60-year old Ron McBride has agreed to a contract that will keep at the the University of Utah team for four years and presumably allow him to finish his career with the Utes. Under the terms of the deal, McBride will earn a total of $310,000 a year, including incentives based on the team\'s performance in the classroom and on the field. Offering a bit of levity to the announcing of the extension, McBride said, \"Little does the univers
Schutt Sports High School Coaches of the Year
SOUTHJohn Parchman,Hoboken HS, Hoboken, NJRobert E. Lee HS, Midland, Texas 1999: 15-0, Class 5A, Div. I state champsRecord at school: 57-8-1, 5 yearsWhen you win a football state title in Texas, you\'ve done something. When you do it two years in a row, that\'s really special. And special is a very accurate way to describe coach John Parchman\'s Midland Lee Rebels. In the last two seasons, Lee High School has claimed back-to-back Class 5A Texas Bowl
Nothing teaches like an example...
You could call it Jeff Tedford\'s School for Quarterbacks. Graduates include NFL first-round draft choices Trent Dilfer, now with the Baltimore Ravens, and Akili Smith of the Cincinnati Bengals. The professor\'s preferred prerequisites for admission are toughness, intelligence, competitiveness, athletic ability and arm strength. In that order. Required supplies are pencils, paper, a VCR and a football. Oh, yes, and a set of checkers. Class is in session virtually all year at the Unive
Speed Training for Combines
Whether a player attends the NFL combine in Indianapolis, or one of the ten NFL-sanctioned Scout Camp regional football combines, he will be tested in a variety of areas. But when the combine is over and all the data has been collected, there is typically only one question that gets asked about a player: How fast is he? Because this is the reality of the situation, all combine participants should be well-prepared to face the \"holy trinity\" of combine tests: the 40- yard dash, the short shu
Joe Cool
For the record, the song was called, \"In Heaven, There is No Beer.\" And the first time he heard it being belted out by a senior citizens band from the local Kiwanis club on that late summer day in 1989, Joe Glenn began to realize just how much work he had ahead of him. It was his first game as head football coach at the University ofNorthern Colorado, and although the afternoon would end in a narrow victory over Idaho State, it was a truly humbling experience. It had been seven years
High School Notes
Columbine football team brings home state title Seven months after the school lived through the worst high school massacre in U.S. history, Columbine (Colo.) High School had something to cheer about again. The Rebels capped an improbable state-title run with a 21-14 victory over traditional power Cherry Creek for the 5A state championship. Chants of \"We are Columbine\" echoed during the game from an estimated 8,000 Columbine students and fans filling the stands. The chant
Q And A: Larry Kehres
Q.You graduated from Mount Union with a major in business administration. If you hadn\'t gotten into coaching, what do you think you\'d be doing now?A.I suppose I\'d be doing something in the business world. But to tell the truth, right now I can\'t picture myself doing anything but coaching.Q: a head coach for 14 years, are you still learning?A:Yes, of course. That\'s part of the changes a coach needs to make. Anticipating problems is how I\'d put it. When s
Words of Wisdom - Eddie Robinson
In the world of sports, there are certain numbers that stand alone, needing no words to aid in the description of their meaning. In baseball, that number might be 56, signifying the amazing hitting streak compiled by Joe DiMaggio. In basketball, that mystical number might be 100 - the number of points scored by Wilt Chamberlain one night in Hershey, Pa. And in football, a pretty good number to remember would be 408. That\'s the number of wins the immortal Eddie Robinson accumulated ove
Husker Power
Looking back, it\'s hard to believe it. But just 30 years ago, coaches at the University of Nebraska were actually discouraging athletes from lifting weights for fear it would make them muscle bound and slower. My, have times changed in Lincoln. I first came to Nebraska in 1968, competing as a pole valuter on the track and field team. A back injury halted my valuting career in the spring of my junior year. To rehab my back, I went to the weight room every day where a few injured Husker foo
The Winning Business
The work ethic that has steered Larry Kehres to some amazing heights in college football coaching began to take shape a long time ago. The man who has earned four AFMA Coach of the Year awards at Mount Union College in Ohio, Kehres as a youth performed tasks before and after school and had his first job when he was just 10 years old. \"We didn\'t feed chickens every day or anything like that,\'\' says Kehres, who grew up in rural Palmyra township near Alliance. \"But when I was t
February 2000 Would you like to read a past article from American Football Monthly Magazine? Or are you looking for an article on a specific subject not in this month's issue? Try back issues. Staff Meeting
Equipment Room
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Class of 2000
BACK TO THE FUTURE For many newly-hired college head coaches, it\'s a new job in an old place Chuck Amato waited more than 20 years to return home to North Carolina State. And, so far this season, it appears the wait was worth it for both Amato and Wolfpack fans. Amato, who toiled as an assistant coach under Florida State\'s venerable Bobby Bowden for 18 years, isn\'t the only member of the Division I head coaching class of 2000 that is returning to his roots.Like Amato,
High School Notes
Mid-Season Top Performances Quarterback David Koral of Palisades (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) set a new national single-game record by passing for 764 yards during a 48-30 win over Grant (Van Nuys) on Sept. 22. The old record of 672 yards was set by Rhett Lashlee of Shiloh Christian (Springdale, Ark.), according to the Student Sports national record book. Tyler Ebell of Ventura (Calif,) rushed for over 300 yards in five straight games - including one 400-yard perform
News & Notes
St. Cloud coach reprimanded for prank St. Cloud State officials didn\'t think it was funny when head coach Randy Hedberg asked a player to pick up a non-existent Australian player from the airport. School officials reprimanded Hedberg and ordered him to seek counseling to improve his interpersonal skills in the wake of the prank. Hedberg asked running back Scott Schmitz to pick up an Australian football player from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when h
Why They Return
George Seifert had what seemed like the perfect life. He did what he wanted when he wanted to do it, a leisurely existence that he earned as a retired football coach with the highest winning percentage in NFL history. Following the 1996 season, he left his beloved San Francisco 49ers — the team that once played home games at Kezar Stadium where he served as an usher in high school — after 17 years and embarked on a lifestyle that qualified him for a Robin Leach prof
Follow the Leaders
Contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. Leaders are made; and they are made by effort and hard work." —Vince Lombardi Providing leadership is one of a football coaching staff's fundamental responsibilities. Coaches are expected to dictate the direction, set the standard and mold the attitude and character of their team. One of the outcomes of effective leadership is the development and empowerment of other leaders. Are you devel
Letter to the Editor
These are the best of times; these are the worst of times. Paraphrasing from Charles Dickens may seem trite, but it sums up the current situation of one of the best offensive coaches I know, and how the winds of fortune affecting the coaching profession can blow a coach off-course. Peter Vaas is currently an offensive assistant with the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe. How he arrived is an interesting story. Vass finds himself at a career crossroads. He makes "good" money worki
High School Notes
Three of preseason top five teams loseThe 1999 season has taken its toll on some early national contenders in the ranks of high school football. Preseason top 5 picks—as rated in AFM's High School Power Rankings—No. 3 McKinley (Canton, Ohio), No. 4 Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) and No. 5 Jenks (Okla.) have all dropped games during the first half of the season. Behind the record-setting passing of super QB prospect Brock Berlin, No. 1 Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport,
Darrell Royal
A legendary homespun wit and an innovative mind have made former Texas boss Darrell Royal a coaching icon. UT football teams amassed 167 victories (including 30 straight), won three national championships and played in 16 bowl games during the 20 years Royal patrolled the sidelines in Austin. The Longhorns flat-out dominated the Southwest Conference during the Royal era, with 11 league titles (including a record six straight) and 77 players named all-SWC from 1957-76. Royal's overall 23-year
News
Prognosis for Beth Holtz termed 'excellent'The wife of South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz had successful surgery in October to remove her adrenal gland and a cyst on her ovary. The procedure on Beth Holtz was performed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. In a statement after the surgery, Holtz said that the operation went extremely well and his wife's prognosis is excellent. He said she will recover at the family's home in Orlando, Fla. Holtz left his team fo
Frank Lenti Q & A
Q.Is "pride" a word you would use to describe how you feel when you see a former player like Donovan McNabb or Simeon Rice selected in the first round of the NFL draft?A.I guess pride is an acceptable term. More than pride, I'm probably just happy for them. There's a saying, "When the sun shines on one, it shines on all of us,"...at Mount Carmel, we helped develop their value system, their work ethic and we helped develop their athleticism. We spent a great deal of time not just
Innovations
When Ron Dayne broke the Division I-A record for career rushing yards, we couldn't help but measure him against history. If we have any affinity for college football, we can't help ourselves. We plead for perspective. We beg for a sense of where the current era fits in the historical landscape of college football. Is Dayne better than Ricky Williams? Herschel Walker? Tony Dorsett? Archie Griffin? O.J. Simpson? Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch? Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis? Jim Thorpe?
Walking the Sidelines
Every week during college football season, fans routinely cast their eyes on somebody's Top 25 poll - Associated Press, ESPN/USA Todayand several lesser-known ranking systems now incorporated into the Bowl Championship Series formula - to see where their respective schools might stack up with the rest of the nation. These polls are anything but perfect. They spur controversy, often drawing the ire of people in places like Blacksburg, Lincoln, Knoxville, Manhattan and State College
High School Notes
Top 5 RankingsEvangel Christian (Shreveport, La.) continues to march toward a fourth straight state title - and possibly a national title - behind the record-setting arm of quarterback Brock Berlin. Berlin, an early verbal commitment to Coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators, had passed for nearly 14,000 yards and 150 touchdowns for his career through Evangel's 34-14 playoff win over John Ehret (New Orleans) Nov. 26. With up to two games remaining, the total left Berlin only about 5
Beating the Clock
Walk down the halls of the Minnesota Vikings' picturesque Eden Prairie compound, and you'll come to the end of a hallway where there's a familiar name on the door: Bud Grant. Whether you will find him there or not is anybody's guess. His role as consultant to the franchise doesn't demand the 100-hour work weeks "required" in coaching. But then, Grant was never the type who believed you needed to put in a 100-hour week just to win a ballgame. To find Grant, you'd better get dressed up and h
Q&A With Bud Grant
Q: What is your philosophy on staff management?A: Philosophy is something you are asked about a lot, but I am not so sure everybody has a philosophy or that I have a philosophy. Your coaching staff is vitally important; there is no successful team that doesn't have a good staff. As much as coaching might be overrated, your assistant coaches certainly can't be or shouldn't be. They are really the backbone of the team, because they do most of the work. I think it is important for
New Equipment
Aqua-BreezeFrom J.E. Adams Industries800-553-8861Looking to keep your team cool this season? J.E. Adams Industries of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, introduces the Aqua Breeze Mobile Cooling System. This unique and totally-integrated mobile cooling system utilizes flash evaporation cooling. Flash cooling uses the ultra-fine atomization of water droplets by forcing water through high-impact nozzles to lower the ambient temperature of an area. The unique flash evaporation u
The Bulldogs Bark
Ten years ago, Corky Rogers found himself at a crossroad for the first time in his illustrious coaching career. He faced a decision that would ultimately have implications on two of Jacksonville's most storied high school football programs. And there was no way he could please everybody. Rogers, then 45, was wrestling whether to leave his alma mater, Lee High School, after 17 successful seasons and take a job at The Bolles School. What made the decision so difficult was Rogers spen
Letters to AFM
Dear AFM: Thank you for your selection of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch to your 1998 NCAA Division I-A All- American team. Tim had a great season leading the Wildcats to their first New Year's Day Bowl appearance in 47 years. Thanks, too, for listing Tim's high school coach, Joe Beder, and his UK position coach, Chris Hatcher, along with head coach Hal Mumme. Your magazine is for "all football coaches", and AFQ (AFM) does a great job of recognizing the contributions of all coaches inv
News & Notes
Jayhawks and Irish set to open the 1999 season in the Robinson Classic Notre Dame will open the 1999 season by playing host to Kansas in the second Eddie Robinson Classic on Aug. 28. It will be the first time the Irish and Jayhawks have met since 1938, and the Aug. 28 season opener is the earliest in Notre Dame history. The classic benefits the Eddie Robinson Foundation and honors the former Grambling coach who retired after 55 years following the 1997 season. He was inducted into
Family First
For Houston Nutt, his coaching philosophy is crystal clear. It's all about family. Sounds simple enough, but when he arrived at the University of Arkansas, the plan didn't look so easy. He was dealing with 15 seniors who had one season left in a football program that certainly had seen better days in the Southeastern Conference. The players went to him and said, "Coach, we want to win, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to do it." Nutt could have slid into a pessimistic fra
NFL Coach of the Year: Picking Up the Trash and Raking the Leaves
It was gut check time for the Atlanta Falcons. At halftime of an NFC playoff game against San Francisco 49ers, the Falcons sat in their locker room of the Georgia Dome, reeling from a series that of odd calamities that turned a potential 21-0 halftime lead into a tenuous 14-10 edge. "The mood wasn't good. It was like, 'oh man, what's happening?'" recalled Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis. "Then Dan came into the room." Just one month after undergoing quadruple-bypass heart surge
Q&A with Dan Reeves
Q: Would you say that your experiences as a successful player in college (South Carolina) and the NFL (Dallas) have helped you as a coach?A: I think it has helped me a great deal. I first got involved in coaching as a player-coach for the Cowboys. Coaching was not something I had thought about. I was not one of those people that always knew I wanted to become a coach after my playing days were over. It wasn't until I hurt my knee and Coach Landry asked me if I would be intere
Letter to the Editor
Four years ago, in a one room office, in the middle of Kansas, our magazine American Football Quarterly was born. As with most ideas, initially it was a "labor of love" for the few involved in the project. But the love affair that was shared by just a few grew to an overwhelming outpouring of devotion throughout the country. As soon as coaches heard about what quickly became known as AFQ, they had to have it. Thousands sent in their subscription cards and thousands more called the
Letters to AFC
Dear AFM: I am currently the offensive coordinator at the University of Loughborough in the UK, where we have won the Northern Conference championship for the past two seasons. Football is very popular over here and I want to do all that I can increase the quality of the game. The reason for my letter is to solicit your help in finding a program (high school or college) in the US that would have a position where I could serve as a graduate assistant or volunteer coach. I realize
News and Notes
Judge sends message to the NCAA: "No more SAT!" 302 NCAA Division I programs were cast adrift in a boat without a rudder or sail by a decision that sent shock waves throughout all of college football. U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Buckwalter ruled that the NCAA and its institutions may not use a minimum test score as a basis for eligibility. However, on March 31, an appeals court issued a temporary stay order to halt the imposition of the judge's ruling which would have completely disa
The AFM System for ranking active college coaches in Division I-A
This system has been designed to provide a quantitative method to examine the careers of current coaches. While it is impossible to factor in every variable, such as strength of opponents, conferences, budgets, etc., this is a way to look at all current coaches under the same microscope. The AFM Index analyzes coaches' careers in the same manner batting averages in baseball are determined (i.e. merely a reflection of the total number of hits versus at bats, the quality of pitchers faced,
Fulmer's Way
In Knoxville, Phillip Fulmer Way intersects with Peyton Manning Pass right in front of the main entrance to Neyland Stadium. But, no one really needs directions to the famed shrine of college football that has seen Phil Fulmer emerge as one of the nation's top collegiate coaches. Tennessee appreciates their favorite son. His face graces the covers of books and magazines and now the street that leads loyal Volunteer fans to the football stadium has been renamed in his honor. The 19
The Communicator
He is everywhere in Baltimore. The slender face with the receding hairline and jutting jaw is on several Baltimore-area billboards or in team advertisements in national sports magazines. He has been active in the community, not selling just the Ravens, but himself. One day could include several motivational speeches that might have stops at the Baltimore Teachers Association or a high school football clinic with 200 coaches. Brian Billick has enamored fans in Baltimore. He quote
Bo
Glenn E. "Bo" Schembechler retired after the 1989 season as the winningest coach in the illustrious history of Michigan football (194-48-5). Schooled as an assistant under the legendary Woody Hayes, Bo's name became synonymous with toughness, winning, Wolverine football, and dominance in the 1970's as his teams won more regular season games than any other school (96-10-3). During his 21-year tenure at the Big House, Michigan won or tied for 13 Big 10 championships, and he guided 17 teams to bow
Brian Billick Q & A
Q.In your decision to take the job, how important was the philosophical commitment from the top management at Baltimore for the development of a winning franchise in your overall analysis of the situation?A. Without the proper commitment and support from the overall organization, winning on the field is virtually impossible. This means having the same passion and commitment for the game as the players and coaches. I have experienced many times, particularly at the college level,
News & Notes
It was the surprise of the off-season. Washington AD Barbara Hedges lured then-Colorado head coach Rick Neuheisel to the University of Washington for big money. In August the two made it an official marriage as coach Neuheisel signed a contract for nearly $1 million a year. Neuheisel was named head coach Jan. 9. He was hired away from Colorado after former Husky coach Jim Lambright was fired following Washington's 6-6 season. The new Husky head man's total compensation is $997,000 a year
October 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher Words of Wisdom from legendary Bo Schembechler News and Notes Neuheisel finally gets his deal d
Offensive Minded
When University of Kentucky athletic director C.M. Newton was searching for a football coach after the 1996 season and called Florida's Steve Spurrier for suggestions, the Gator boss didn't throw out any names. Just a formula. "I told him to go after an offensive-minded guy because that's how you move the ball up and down the field, win games, win championships and put fans in the seats," said Spurrier. In other words, somebody like, well, himself. Newton took Spurrie
Win-Win Situation
If it had been a marriage last January - so sudden, so shockingly surprising - the town gossips would have had a field day. Dashing Dennis Erickson, the coach who won two national football championships at Miami, and Oregon State, the ungainly spinster of college football? No way. It can't last, the gossips would have said. Oregon State just got him on the rebound from that nasty mess in Seattle. Gosh, he can't be the desperate, can he? After all the bright lights, and the fame
Letters to AFM
We want your input! Letters to AFM should include the name, address and telephone number of the writer. Mail to: AFM, P.O. Box 13079, North Palm Beach, FL, 33408. Or, you can e-mail your letter to us at letters@americanfootballmonthly.com or reach us via fax at (561) 627-5275. Visit AFM online at www.americanfootballmonthly.com. Dear AFM: I am writing to you because I would like to plug our football program
Bobby and the Boys
Unlike many colleagues in their nomadic profession, they remain anchored to a cozy town in northwest Florida. They have kept the moving vans at bay, instead preferring to work for the same boss while turning down more lucrative job opportunities elsewhere. Coaches at other Division I-A schools would likely jump at thechances that have presented themselves to Florida State's staff over the years. Jim Gladden, the 58-year-old defensive ends coach, reinforced his status as a Seminole
News & Notes
Ravens loaned $65 million from NFL lender The NFL has arranged a $65 million, short-term loan for the Baltimore Ravens, backed by the eventual sale of part of the franchise to a new investor, according to The Baltimore Sun. Team owners voted overwhelmingly to approve the bailout for Ravens controlling partner Art Modell, one of the league's longest-standing owners. His financial problems have prompted several NFL actions in recent years, including the 1996 vote to all
It's Not About the Plays . . . It's About the Players.
Twice a year, after the college football season and again after spring drills, University of Oregon coach Mike Bellotti arms himself with a yellow legal pad, and a supply of pens, and spends most of several consecutive days in his office. He isn't, on those occasions, scribbling Xs and Os. He isn't tinkering with the sophisticated offense that has placed Oregon in the top 20 in the nation in passing in five of the last six seasons. He isn't refining the strategies that
Main Attraction
It's not like Mack Brown didn't have enough to worry about in his first year at the helm of the University of Texas football program. There was picking up the pieces from a dreadful 4-7 season and the enormous expectations of the "Hook 'em, 'Horns" faithful. Not to mention the separate controversies that precipitated his arrival in the Lone Star State. One being the firing of his predecessor, John Mackovic, and the other the bitter feelings that lingered in North Carolina when B
Bellotti Q&A
Q: What is your approach to disciplining players? You have a three-strikes policy. Please explain.A: We ask for commitment from our players. Generally, we ask them to be accountable and responsible. They know right from wrong. We tell them to 'do right.' It's pretty simplistic in its approach. We have a commitment time (requiring an early morning wake-up) and if they screw up initially, they're remanded to that. If there's something more serious, where there's an outright br
News & Notes
Notre Dame may have more problems with the NCAANotre Dame has hired a law firm which specializes in assisting colleges under investigation by the NCAA to help the school in the continuing saga of a booster who gave improper gifts to Irish football players. It appears the program may be in more trouble with the NCAA than originally thought concerning the case of imprisoned booster Kim Dunbar. "Notre Dame wanted us to accept this case as a secondary infraction investig
Hot Coaches
His phone is ringing off the hook. A university president or an athletic director is calling, wondering if he's interested in making a big career move. The media is calling, asking if he's had any official contact or offers. Potential assistant coaches are calling, looking for a job. He's the coach at the top of the "hot" list. He's the one on everybody's list and lips. He's the media magnet, the answer to somebody's prayers, the savior in waiting, the guy who can come to your school a
Star's Trek...
Just as James T. Kirk passed the baton to Jean-Luc Picard, Bob Stoops, Brian Billick and Chris Palmer have now ascended to the heights of the coaching world and the time has come for the next wave of "hot" superstars on the rise. The following is our look at the 25 coaches who are sure to be on the list of every athletic director or general manager looking for a savior for his or her program. These men will inspire confidence in the faithful and rally the troops because they are the next
Issues | August 1999 All In the FamilyGene FrenetteFlorida Times-UnionOn December 1, 1998, Bob Stoops broke from family tradition and finally reached an inevitable position that many viewed as practically his birthright: he became a head football coach. Not at your run-of-the-mill program, but at Oklahoma, a school where fans have grown accustomed to their coaches becomin
News & Notes
Colorado vs. Colorado State will continue to play in DenverThe rivalry between Colorado and Colorado State will be played at Denver's Mile High Stadium for two more years. The two in-state rivals, who played their first 69 meetings in either Boulder or Fort Collins, met last season at Mile High Stadium for the first time. School officials signed a contract to continue the Invesco Rocky Mountain Showdown in the final two years of Mile High Stadium's existence. Mile High will be replace
August 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher Reader Feedback News and Notes Colorado
Q&A with Bill Snyder
The problem with miracles is you never know where to look for one. Here's a clue. Take I-70 west, approximately two and one-half hours from Kansas City, turn right on exit 313 and head eight miles north to find home to one of the real miracles in the history of college football . . . Manhattan, Kansas. The stories of the turnaround have been told over and over again, but to put it plain and simple, Bill Snyder -- the quiet, professorial, unassuming and non-self-promoting head coa
Volume 5, 1st Quarter www.americanfootballmonthly.com Last May, American Football Monthly debuted its website at www. americanfootballmonthly.com. Since that time, AFM's online presence has grown to over one hundred new visitors a day with many of its online population coming back again and again. The main purpose of www.americanfootballmonthly.com is to be an online resource for you, the football professional. We are continually adding
Letters to AFM
Last issue, we asked for your letters stating your feelings about why football is the game America loves. We'll continue featuring selected letters here, as we did the following two. Keep them coming, we want to hear from you!Dear AFM: I just read AFQ publisher Barry Terranova's letter in the newest issue and I thought I would give you a response to add to your survey. Before I do that however, let me first tell you how aprreciative I am of your magazine. I consider AFQ the "Bible" for
Jeff Bower: My Coach of the Year, this, next, and every year
Jeff Bower is the successful (43-35-1) coach of the University of Southen Mississippi Golden Eagles; the school where he was a record-setting quarterback from 1973 to 1975. As a coach, he has known a great deal of success (coaching Brett Favre, leading his team to two consecutive Conference USA titles and two bowl trips) and, also, has suffered his fair share of setbacks. Both success and discouragement have forged the foundation of the man that has been high on the list of potential
High-Flying Hornets
Emporia State University, an NCAA Division II school in the prestigious MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) Conference, featured the most balanced, yet explosive offensive attack in all of college football. Utilizing an attack with four receivers, no tight ends or fullback, the Hornets established 42 ESU, 30 MIAA, and nine NCAA records. No tight end and no fullback. Wait a minute, is this the run-and-shoot? Hardly. To say that the Hornets have achieved these acco
Letters to the Publisher
Dear Publisher: First, let me congratulate you and AFM on your article outlining minority coaching issues (The Dilemma of Black Coaches, Vol. 3, 3rd Quarter). The article's fair and objective presentation of the issues dealing with minority hiring presented the problems well. Yet, as we now sit in the midst of another hiring season, there is an even greater reason for concern. On the heels of a dismal hiring record in '97, we must ask: Are we off to greater disappoitment in 1998? T
When Tragedy Strikes
When the home telephone of a college football coach rings late at night, it's often the kind of news he'd rather not hear. Usually, it means a player has been arrested, violated a rule or done something to anger someone. Such thoughts ran through the head of Mississippi State Coach Jackie Sherrill when he picked up the telephone at his home on the evening of August 5. The news was, indeed, bad. But this time, it was so bad it made an arrest or a rule violation seem small and insignific
Closed Head Injuries in Football
When his eight concussions in nine NFL seasons forced New York Jets wide receiver Al Toon to retire on November 27, 1992, the event was overshadowed by another, arguably more serious injury. Two days later, in a contest between the Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, teammate and defensive end Dennis Byrd suffered a fractured vertebra when he collided violently with teammate Scott Mersereau, leaving Byrd partially paralyzed and requiring surgery to stabilize his spine. The lack of natio
1997 AFM Coordinators of the Year
OffenseAL BORGESUCLAChico State '81What a difference a year makes when shaping the identity of a program. Take, for example, the Bruins of UCLA and offensive coordinator Al Borges, who recently participated in year two of Bob Toledo's tenure. From the moans and groans of an inaugural 5-6 campaign came the hope for progress in 1997. A young, learning quarterback. Five starters on the offensive line. Experience on both sides of the ball. "We wanted to
Q&A With Tony Dungy
Q: It seems to me you believe coaches and players have a responsibility to the kids that look up to them. How do you feel about the role of an athlete in the community?A: Whether you want to be or not, you have to face the facts that you are a role model and that's part of the job. I don't necessarily like all the things that go along with it, like dealing with the media and doing interviews. I'd much rather just sit here--all I want to do is coach the team and that's it. But it is part
Ole Miss' Tommy Tuberville Rebel With A Cause
Legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant used to say that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. With his quick climb up the college coaching ladder, Tommy Tuberville might seem like a lucky guy, but he's really just living proof of Bryant's coaching axiom. From his days as a high school in Arkansas to his current job as the head football coach at Ole Miss, Tuberville has met every opportunity with commitment, enthusiasm, planning and a broad vision for both the big picture and
Wisdom in a Multitude of Counselors
The NFL Draft covered so colorfully this April by an array of ESPN expert commentators has once again captivated the American football psyche with an over-analysis of this "game within the game." The annual reloading of America's major college and professional football teams through the recruiting and drafting process challenges to exceed the game itself in importance. Any wise coach knows having the right names on the backs of the jerseys can overcome any number of coaching shortfa
Letter From the Publisher
Bud Grant, the Hall of Fame coach of the Minnesota Vikings (18 years, 158-96-5, 12 playoff teams and four Super Bowl appearances, all after a successful Hall of Fame career as a CFL coach with Winnipeg: 10 years, 102-56-2, and four Grey Cup championships), was an innovator in the "self-scouting" concept. He was a great believer in "coaching people" and getting to know what made them tick. Grant was known for creating rules during training camp simply to test his players. He wanted to know fo
The Eyes of Texas are Upon Brown
The youthful looking forty-something coach had told everyone who would listen he wasn't going anywhere. His team, the media, the fans. North Carolina had become home, and he was just dandy there, thank you. Kids in school. Roots. A wife with a lucrative land development business. Perhaps more compelling, Mack Brown had a top ten program two-years running, a program he had nutured from the brink of abandonment 10 years before. Those close to Brown, personally and professionally
Letters to the Publisher
Dear AFM: Thank you for your great magazine. My interest is in locating previously published coaching information (books, magazines, film, videos, etc.) that can be used to coach youth football. Mixing the schemes and techniques taught of years ago while still coaching the recent changes in the rules to allow more use of hands and never dropping the head, for example, make for a good combination in coaching youth coaches. Information about how to use the defenses and offenses of
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