Football Intangibles: Coaching Character, Leadership & Mental Toughness
Talent and scheme are crucial, but championships are often won through qualities that don't always show up on a stat sheet or combine report. These are the vital Football Intangibles – the mental, emotional, and character traits that separate good players and teams from truly great ones. Understanding, identifying, and cultivating these qualities is a hallmark of elite coaching.
This page brings together American Football Monthly's articles dedicated to exploring these critical non-physical aspects of the game. Delve into the concepts and strategies coaches use to evaluate prospects and develop the intangible qualities within their own players and programs.
Discover insights and practical advice covering key intangible areas:
Shawn Liotta is the offensive coordinator at Clairton High School (PA), a team which averaged 59.9 points per game in 2014. Clairton also averaged 12.8 yards per play and 510 yards in total offense per game, even though the PIAA Mercy Rule was in effect in the second half of 12 of the 16 games his team played. His offense is aptly named the ‘No-Huddle, No Mercy’ offense.Along the way, Clairton’s quarterback, running back and wide receiver each set school records last fall. Li
Coaching the Blitzing Linebacker – Learning the proper progressions, techniques, and then drills for a blitzing linebacker will improve his performance on game day.
Attacking with linebackers and slanting the defensive linemen creates an opportunity to be unique and aggressive. Blitzing linebackers creates opportunities to change the defense into an over or under defense after the snap. When this is done with the 3-3-5 stack alignment, there is flexibility to match offensive numbers or be balanced at all times. What makes a linebacker effective in a swarm and strike defense?Recruiting linebackers to fit your defense takes great atte
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
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
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
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
Managing Your Program – Avoid a Quarterback Controversy – An Objective System for Grading Your Quarterbacks
In the spring and fall of 2010, we had a heated battle for the starting quarterback position. Our three-year starter was graduating and we had three freshmen battling to be in the number one spot at the beginning of their sophomore year. That year I used three criteria to help me objectively distinguish the starter from the back-ups. After doing that, I realized I could develop the criteria further to not only slot each quarterback in a position, but also give the posit
Southern Savior: Saban's 10 Keys to Success
Alabama’s Nick Saban has relied on his core philosophy to resurrect the Crimson Tide program and bring championships to Tuscaloosa.The decade between Alabama Head Coach Gene Stallings retirement in 1996 and David Shula’s dismissal as head coach in 2006 was perhaps the darkest era in Crimson Tide football history. Four losing seasons, NCAA probation, a coach fired before his first game and, worst of all, five losses in a row to Auburn led to despair in Tuscaloosa.“W
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
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
Quarterback Play: Finding Ways to Complete Passes in Critical Situations
Drop and throw, drop and throw, and again, drop and throw. There is no other position in sports that demands such commitment, discipline, and practice. Playing quarterback and more importantly, having the extraordinary opportunity to lead a football team into competition, requires an understanding of not only the position and its necessary skills, but a knowledge of each and every player on offense, and the entire team. How do we train the quarterback to reach a level of play that
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
Secrets of Central Florida’s Elite Kickoff Units
UCF had the best combined kickoff return and coverage statistics in the FBS.Central Florida’s elite kickoff units aren’t built exclusively with elite athletes. In fact, when building the coverage and return units, physical traits like speed, strength and size often take a backseat to effort, attitude and toughness. The formula works. Special teams coordinator Tim Salem’s kickoff return team finished No. 1 in the nation, averaging 27.78 yards per retur
Mississippi Masters – Head Coach Lance Pogue of South Panola High School led his Tigers to a 15-0 record and the number one prep ranking in America.
At South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi, they are not accustomed to losing. Since Head Coach Lance Pogue joined the school in 2007, the Tigers have an overall record of 58-2 and, prior to this year, had won two state championships in three years to add to their previous six titles. But this year South Panola set a new benchmark by not only winning another Mississippi 6A State Championship but by also capturing the mythical prep ‘National Champions
Stifle Your Opponent with a Bruising Defense – Coordinators of two top-ranked college defenses show you how.
What are the most important ingredients of a stifling defense? Beyond having a sound scheme, what should coaches look for in athletes in an effort to ensure domination of their opponents? To get the answers, AFM talked to the defensive coordinators of two of 2010’s most imposing defensive units – Mount Union of Division III and Boston College of the FBS. While certain defensive fundamentals are to be expected, both Vince Kehres of Mount Union and Bill McGovern of BC provided additional in
Getting Successful Quarterback Play
By Brian Hayes, Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach Anna Maria College There are a lot of different intangibles that make up successful quarterback play. I have seen all types of quarterbacks be successful and play well in many types of different systems. I believe that you fit your system to what your quarterback does best and work towards his strengths. There are five points that I really talk a lot about when coaching our quarterbacks. These five things that I wi
Guru of the Golden Arms
As a high school quarterback, Steve Clarkson led Wilson High in Los Angeles to a 39-1 record and three straight city championships in the late 70’s. That was followed by three years as the starting quarterback for San Jose State where he played for John Elway’s father, Jack Elway. Clarkson broke several passing records in the process at SJSU (1979-82) and was a two-year Academic All-American. He was destined to fulfill his dream of being drafted by an NFL team. It didn’t qui
HERO TO ZERO IN ONE PLAY: Drilling the Defensive Back for Confidence
While I am now coaching tight ends at Columbia University, I have spent many seasons as a defensive backs coach. If anyone has been a secondary coach or played the position before, you are intimately familiar with those times when, in the final seconds of a game, an intercepted pass can “seal the deal” for your team or where a deep bomb can spell misery. The positive end result of those times is a combination of competitiveness, but more importantly, reliance on solid fundamentals. I have
7-On-7’s: Tune Up Your Passing Game
While 7-on-7 competitions have been around for nearly 30 years, it’s only in the last seven or eight years that this concept has exploded. The growth of the 7-on-7 competition is a direct reflection of the growth of the spread offense. Today, more and more high schools and colleges are using the spread, and players and coaches see the value of 7-on-7 tournaments and competitions as ways to hone passing skills. The events match skilled players against each other. Usually played on
Letter from AFM
After the Boise State Broncos completed their season 14-0 with a win over previously-unbeaten TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, you might expect Chris Petersen to give credit to his arsenal of trick plays that almost always work or Kellen Moore’s incredible 2009 performance for the Bronco’s success. Instead Petersen, AFM’s 2009 FBS Coach of the Year, looked to something more intangible – team chemistry. That’s why we’ve titled this month’s cover story “Ch
Recruiting Confidential
ESPN’s Bruce Feldman shares his insight into the methodology of big-time college recruiting Since 1994, ESPN The Magazine’s senior writer Bruce Feldman (left) has been tracking college football at its highest level. He’s been in dozens of football war rooms and seen hundreds of player evaluations and highlight tapes. He has even ha
What’s the Best Way to Grade Your Players During the Course of the Season?
Gary Chilcoat, O-Line and Outside Linebackers Coach Deep Run High School, Glen Allen (VA) “I have used film grades in the past, but they are so time consuming that you really know how they played before you grade. What I have found most effective is grading them during practice. We tell our players they earn the right to play Monday through Thursday. Most people can give great effort on Friday’s, but it takes a true believer to work hard during the week. We expect sta
- More Solutions to Problem #5
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 5: Senior leadership issues among the team – upper classmen not taking accountability for THEIR program... how do you get your team back on the right track? We have instituted a leadership council and teaming concept this season to start developing
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
Stifling the Screen Pass
Why do offenses run the screen pass? Very simple – it’s a high risk, high reward play. It’s an easy completion percentage for the QB and if the timing is right and the play gels, it could be potentially devastating to the defense. The high percentage of the throw builds confidence for your QB and gets him through a tough set of downs. Plus, the screen play gets the ball into your playmakers’ best hands and gives them plenty of room to run. Just a few months back in the April issue of AFM
Building Team Unity with the Games Inside the Game
These days the game of football is broken down to a science. Sure, most coaches preach lip service about blocking and tackling but they are usually the same ones that spend a great deal of money and countless hours filing into clinic discussions trying to find the latest innovative offensive scheme or researching a bone-crushing defense. So instead of searching the ends of the earth for the newest scheme or end-all technicality, some coaches have turned towards the intangibles like developing t
AFM Subscribers Ask... with Tommy Bowden
The first thing that comes to mind when you look at Tommy Bowden’s record is consistency. In ten seasons as a head coach, all ten of his teams have been bowl eligible at the conclusion of the regular season. Each of his last seven teams have finished with a winning record. In his ten seasons as a head coach (two with Tulane and eight at Clemson) Bowden has an overall 78-41 record, a 65.5% winning percentage. A walk-on wide receiver at West Virginia, Bowden’s first coaching job was
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
Letter From the Editor: Intangibles: What Makes the Difference in your Quarterba
About a month ago, AFM caught up with new Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh as he was driving back home from campus in Palo Alto. Harbaugh led Michigan to three bowl games, played in the NFL for 15 seasons, and just completed an outstanding three year 29-6 run as head man for the University of San Diego, a Division I-AA college in the Pioneer League. The Toreros finished 11-1 in each of the last two seasons. “You look for accuracy, location, how a quarterback practices from his on the
Linebacker Play The Minnesota Way
Linebackers are usually the leaders of the defense. The good ones have poise, intelligence, leadership, mental and physical toughness, dependability, intensity and football instincts. They must have knowledge of the defense. They must be able to defeat offensive linemen weighing 320-plus bearing down at them. They must be able to react quickly and trust what they see and know. Finally, they must, must, must, be a
Sharks In The Water
We base out of our 3-3 Stack Defense. In Diagram 1 you will see that we have a Nose in a zero technique. Our Ends are in a tight 5 technique. The Mike linebacker is stacked behind the Nose and is responsible for running the track of the FB. The L and R are in 50 techniques and are responsible for B gaps. The Nitro and Diamond are 3 by 5 off the TE or a ghost TE. This is our pressure package and we want the offense to have to account for blo
The Staff Report
With the football season ending, you and the athletes you coach need to stay motivated in the off-season so your team can come out in spring practice running on all cylinders. In addition to staying motivated in the off-season, you do not have to wait until next season begins to start mental training. In fact, the off-season is a great time to work on your team’s mental skills. Most coaches will agree that talent alone is not enough for success and other inta
Motivating Athletes in Your Strength Program
Ask any strength and conditioning coach to name their primary objective, and almost all will say motivation. In my experience as a strength and conditioning coach, the true foundation for optimal strength and conditioning is effort. And the major factor contributing to effort is motivation. Effort is the key to attaining the goals and objectives you have set as a coach for your program. In order for a c
Letter From the Editor
This month AFM continues its tradition of selecting its choices for the 2003 Coordinator of the Year awards. Normally, the task of announcing a list is difficult because of the many outstanding programs – at all levels – around the country; what made this year’s selections more difficult was the research involved which indicated statistics were only one measure of success. While statistics were important, many i
Recruiting: More of an art than a science
While football recruiting over the years has become more scientific and sophisticated, the bottom line is that it is still an art in making a decision on a high school senior. No matter what the overall assessment concludes and no matter how many interviews are completed, there is no sure fire way of knowing if a player will perform up to both his abilities and/or the recruiters expectations. Like many things in
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-
The Last Rep
Although playing both ways is very rare in college and professional football, coaches are often forced by need to utilize two-way athletes to increase their team’s odds of success. American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top college position coaches in the nation that have experience in working with two-way athletes. How do you prepare a two-way a
Path To Victory
While there is no such thing as an easy head coaching job in football, some present as more challenging than others. In 1993, one of the more challenging jobs available was to be the next head coach of the Colorado State University Rams. The facilities were among the worst in the Western Athletic Conference (now the Mountain West Conference), with no signs of improvement
Player Hand-offs
Recruiting is an interestingly complex part of football that isn’t getting any easier on coaches at either the high school or college levels. It was never easy for college coaches to recruit players, traveling the country relying on tips and grainy videos and news accounts to try and form a college football roster. While the Internet has made it easier to find out information about
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
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
Success is Coming in Bunches at Wisconsin
According to the Acromania Index on the Ziff Davis website www.zdnet.com, Information Technology is defined Pronounced as separate letters, IT refers to the broad subject of managing and processing information. In contrast, Vince Lombardi noted, \"football is only two things - blocking and tackling.\" How can one reconcile the differences between the general study and application of data and this strict, physical discipline? Barry Alvarez and company at the University of Wisconsin have b
This page brings together American Football Monthly's articles dedicated to exploring these critical non-physical aspects of the game. Delve into the concepts and strategies coaches use to evaluate prospects and develop the intangible qualities within their own players and programs.
Discover insights and practical advice covering key intangible areas:
- Leadership: Identifying and fostering leaders on and off the field.
- Mental Toughness & Resilience: Developing focus, determination, and the ability to overcome adversity.
- Work Ethic & Discipline: Instilling dedication, commitment, and accountability.
- Coachability & Attitude: Recognizing players who are receptive to coaching and possess a positive mindset.
- Football IQ: Understanding player awareness, decision-making, and understanding of the game beyond physical execution.
- Teamwork & Communication: Building cohesion, trust, and effective communication within the team.
- Character & Integrity: Emphasizing sportsmanship, respect, and off-field conduct.
Intangibles Search Results
Subscribers Ask with Shawn Liotta part IIShawn Liotta is the offensive coordinator at Clairton High School (PA), a team which averaged 59.9 points per game in 2014. Clairton also averaged 12.8 yards per play and 510 yards in total offense per game, even though the PIAA Mercy Rule was in effect in the second half of 12 of the 16 games his team played. His offense is aptly named the ‘No-Huddle, No Mercy’ offense.Along the way, Clairton’s quarterback, running back and wide receiver each set school records last fall. Li
Coaching the Blitzing Linebacker – Learning the proper progressions, techniques, and then drills for a blitzing linebacker will improve his performance on game day.
Attacking with linebackers and slanting the defensive linemen creates an opportunity to be unique and aggressive. Blitzing linebackers creates opportunities to change the defense into an over or under defense after the snap. When this is done with the 3-3-5 stack alignment, there is flexibility to match offensive numbers or be balanced at all times. What makes a linebacker effective in a swarm and strike defense?Recruiting linebackers to fit your defense takes great atte
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
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
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
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
Managing Your Program – Avoid a Quarterback Controversy – An Objective System for Grading Your Quarterbacks
In the spring and fall of 2010, we had a heated battle for the starting quarterback position. Our three-year starter was graduating and we had three freshmen battling to be in the number one spot at the beginning of their sophomore year. That year I used three criteria to help me objectively distinguish the starter from the back-ups. After doing that, I realized I could develop the criteria further to not only slot each quarterback in a position, but also give the posit
Southern Savior: Saban's 10 Keys to Success
Alabama’s Nick Saban has relied on his core philosophy to resurrect the Crimson Tide program and bring championships to Tuscaloosa.The decade between Alabama Head Coach Gene Stallings retirement in 1996 and David Shula’s dismissal as head coach in 2006 was perhaps the darkest era in Crimson Tide football history. Four losing seasons, NCAA probation, a coach fired before his first game and, worst of all, five losses in a row to Auburn led to despair in Tuscaloosa.“W
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
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
Quarterback Play: Finding Ways to Complete Passes in Critical Situations
Drop and throw, drop and throw, and again, drop and throw. There is no other position in sports that demands such commitment, discipline, and practice. Playing quarterback and more importantly, having the extraordinary opportunity to lead a football team into competition, requires an understanding of not only the position and its necessary skills, but a knowledge of each and every player on offense, and the entire team. How do we train the quarterback to reach a level of play that
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
Secrets of Central Florida’s Elite Kickoff Units
UCF had the best combined kickoff return and coverage statistics in the FBS.Central Florida’s elite kickoff units aren’t built exclusively with elite athletes. In fact, when building the coverage and return units, physical traits like speed, strength and size often take a backseat to effort, attitude and toughness. The formula works. Special teams coordinator Tim Salem’s kickoff return team finished No. 1 in the nation, averaging 27.78 yards per retur
Mississippi Masters – Head Coach Lance Pogue of South Panola High School led his Tigers to a 15-0 record and the number one prep ranking in America.
At South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi, they are not accustomed to losing. Since Head Coach Lance Pogue joined the school in 2007, the Tigers have an overall record of 58-2 and, prior to this year, had won two state championships in three years to add to their previous six titles. But this year South Panola set a new benchmark by not only winning another Mississippi 6A State Championship but by also capturing the mythical prep ‘National Champions
Stifle Your Opponent with a Bruising Defense – Coordinators of two top-ranked college defenses show you how.
What are the most important ingredients of a stifling defense? Beyond having a sound scheme, what should coaches look for in athletes in an effort to ensure domination of their opponents? To get the answers, AFM talked to the defensive coordinators of two of 2010’s most imposing defensive units – Mount Union of Division III and Boston College of the FBS. While certain defensive fundamentals are to be expected, both Vince Kehres of Mount Union and Bill McGovern of BC provided additional in
Getting Successful Quarterback Play
By Brian Hayes, Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach Anna Maria College There are a lot of different intangibles that make up successful quarterback play. I have seen all types of quarterbacks be successful and play well in many types of different systems. I believe that you fit your system to what your quarterback does best and work towards his strengths. There are five points that I really talk a lot about when coaching our quarterbacks. These five things that I wi
Guru of the Golden Arms
As a high school quarterback, Steve Clarkson led Wilson High in Los Angeles to a 39-1 record and three straight city championships in the late 70’s. That was followed by three years as the starting quarterback for San Jose State where he played for John Elway’s father, Jack Elway. Clarkson broke several passing records in the process at SJSU (1979-82) and was a two-year Academic All-American. He was destined to fulfill his dream of being drafted by an NFL team. It didn’t qui
HERO TO ZERO IN ONE PLAY: Drilling the Defensive Back for Confidence
While I am now coaching tight ends at Columbia University, I have spent many seasons as a defensive backs coach. If anyone has been a secondary coach or played the position before, you are intimately familiar with those times when, in the final seconds of a game, an intercepted pass can “seal the deal” for your team or where a deep bomb can spell misery. The positive end result of those times is a combination of competitiveness, but more importantly, reliance on solid fundamentals. I have
7-On-7’s: Tune Up Your Passing Game
While 7-on-7 competitions have been around for nearly 30 years, it’s only in the last seven or eight years that this concept has exploded. The growth of the 7-on-7 competition is a direct reflection of the growth of the spread offense. Today, more and more high schools and colleges are using the spread, and players and coaches see the value of 7-on-7 tournaments and competitions as ways to hone passing skills. The events match skilled players against each other. Usually played on
Letter from AFM
After the Boise State Broncos completed their season 14-0 with a win over previously-unbeaten TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, you might expect Chris Petersen to give credit to his arsenal of trick plays that almost always work or Kellen Moore’s incredible 2009 performance for the Bronco’s success. Instead Petersen, AFM’s 2009 FBS Coach of the Year, looked to something more intangible – team chemistry. That’s why we’ve titled this month’s cover story “Ch
Recruiting Confidential
ESPN’s Bruce Feldman shares his insight into the methodology of big-time college recruiting Since 1994, ESPN The Magazine’s senior writer Bruce Feldman (left) has been tracking college football at its highest level. He’s been in dozens of football war rooms and seen hundreds of player evaluations and highlight tapes. He has even ha
What’s the Best Way to Grade Your Players During the Course of the Season?
Gary Chilcoat, O-Line and Outside Linebackers Coach Deep Run High School, Glen Allen (VA) “I have used film grades in the past, but they are so time consuming that you really know how they played before you grade. What I have found most effective is grading them during practice. We tell our players they earn the right to play Monday through Thursday. Most people can give great effort on Friday’s, but it takes a true believer to work hard during the week. We expect sta
- More Solutions to Problem #5
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 5: Senior leadership issues among the team – upper classmen not taking accountability for THEIR program... how do you get your team back on the right track? We have instituted a leadership council and teaming concept this season to start developing
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
Stifling the Screen Pass
Why do offenses run the screen pass? Very simple – it’s a high risk, high reward play. It’s an easy completion percentage for the QB and if the timing is right and the play gels, it could be potentially devastating to the defense. The high percentage of the throw builds confidence for your QB and gets him through a tough set of downs. Plus, the screen play gets the ball into your playmakers’ best hands and gives them plenty of room to run. Just a few months back in the April issue of AFM
Building Team Unity with the Games Inside the Game
These days the game of football is broken down to a science. Sure, most coaches preach lip service about blocking and tackling but they are usually the same ones that spend a great deal of money and countless hours filing into clinic discussions trying to find the latest innovative offensive scheme or researching a bone-crushing defense. So instead of searching the ends of the earth for the newest scheme or end-all technicality, some coaches have turned towards the intangibles like developing t
AFM Subscribers Ask... with Tommy Bowden
The first thing that comes to mind when you look at Tommy Bowden’s record is consistency. In ten seasons as a head coach, all ten of his teams have been bowl eligible at the conclusion of the regular season. Each of his last seven teams have finished with a winning record. In his ten seasons as a head coach (two with Tulane and eight at Clemson) Bowden has an overall 78-41 record, a 65.5% winning percentage. A walk-on wide receiver at West Virginia, Bowden’s first coaching job was
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
Letter From the Editor: Intangibles: What Makes the Difference in your Quarterba
About a month ago, AFM caught up with new Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh as he was driving back home from campus in Palo Alto. Harbaugh led Michigan to three bowl games, played in the NFL for 15 seasons, and just completed an outstanding three year 29-6 run as head man for the University of San Diego, a Division I-AA college in the Pioneer League. The Toreros finished 11-1 in each of the last two seasons. “You look for accuracy, location, how a quarterback practices from his on the
Linebacker Play The Minnesota Way
Linebackers are usually the leaders of the defense. The good ones have poise, intelligence, leadership, mental and physical toughness, dependability, intensity and football instincts. They must have knowledge of the defense. They must be able to defeat offensive linemen weighing 320-plus bearing down at them. They must be able to react quickly and trust what they see and know. Finally, they must, must, must, be a
Sharks In The Water
We base out of our 3-3 Stack Defense. In Diagram 1 you will see that we have a Nose in a zero technique. Our Ends are in a tight 5 technique. The Mike linebacker is stacked behind the Nose and is responsible for running the track of the FB. The L and R are in 50 techniques and are responsible for B gaps. The Nitro and Diamond are 3 by 5 off the TE or a ghost TE. This is our pressure package and we want the offense to have to account for blo
The Staff Report
With the football season ending, you and the athletes you coach need to stay motivated in the off-season so your team can come out in spring practice running on all cylinders. In addition to staying motivated in the off-season, you do not have to wait until next season begins to start mental training. In fact, the off-season is a great time to work on your team’s mental skills. Most coaches will agree that talent alone is not enough for success and other inta
Motivating Athletes in Your Strength Program
Ask any strength and conditioning coach to name their primary objective, and almost all will say motivation. In my experience as a strength and conditioning coach, the true foundation for optimal strength and conditioning is effort. And the major factor contributing to effort is motivation. Effort is the key to attaining the goals and objectives you have set as a coach for your program. In order for a c
Letter From the Editor
This month AFM continues its tradition of selecting its choices for the 2003 Coordinator of the Year awards. Normally, the task of announcing a list is difficult because of the many outstanding programs – at all levels – around the country; what made this year’s selections more difficult was the research involved which indicated statistics were only one measure of success. While statistics were important, many i
Recruiting: More of an art than a science
While football recruiting over the years has become more scientific and sophisticated, the bottom line is that it is still an art in making a decision on a high school senior. No matter what the overall assessment concludes and no matter how many interviews are completed, there is no sure fire way of knowing if a player will perform up to both his abilities and/or the recruiters expectations. Like many things in
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-
The Last Rep
Although playing both ways is very rare in college and professional football, coaches are often forced by need to utilize two-way athletes to increase their team’s odds of success. American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top college position coaches in the nation that have experience in working with two-way athletes. How do you prepare a two-way a
Path To Victory
While there is no such thing as an easy head coaching job in football, some present as more challenging than others. In 1993, one of the more challenging jobs available was to be the next head coach of the Colorado State University Rams. The facilities were among the worst in the Western Athletic Conference (now the Mountain West Conference), with no signs of improvement
Player Hand-offs
Recruiting is an interestingly complex part of football that isn’t getting any easier on coaches at either the high school or college levels. It was never easy for college coaches to recruit players, traveling the country relying on tips and grainy videos and news accounts to try and form a college football roster. While the Internet has made it easier to find out information about
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
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
Success is Coming in Bunches at Wisconsin
According to the Acromania Index on the Ziff Davis website www.zdnet.com, Information Technology is defined Pronounced as separate letters, IT refers to the broad subject of managing and processing information. In contrast, Vince Lombardi noted, \"football is only two things - blocking and tackling.\" How can one reconcile the differences between the general study and application of data and this strict, physical discipline? Barry Alvarez and company at the University of Wisconsin have b
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