"Scots Find A Way" — The Core Values Behind a Coaching Legend

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24 “Scots Find A Way” The Core Values Behind a Coaching Legend Photo credits Melissa Macatee

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25 Q. Coach Allen, please describe your offensive system and How/Why a good fit for your program. A. No huddle, Shotgun, Spread Offense. It was the offense I’ve run since 1995, so I was familiar with calling plays and implementing it at Highland Park in 1999. We tran sitioned the offense from a split back veer to the Shotgun no huddle. A big reason for our offensive success has been the development of QB’s and WR’s. We’ve had some outstanding QB’s, including Matthew Stafford, with the LA Rams. Players in high school love to play catch and 7 on 7. Once parents and young players saw the continuity and longevity of our program (this is my 26th year at Highland Park), they started running our offense in YMCA football grades 4-6. Once the players reached the 7th grade, our coaches in the Middle School could work with them. I met with Stephen Jones, Dallas Cowboys CEO, and gave his young Son’s 7 on 7 coach our playbook. John Stephen Jones led us to 2 consecutive State Championships as a junior and senior. Q. Tell us your in game goals for offense A. Ball Security, High % completions and few interceptions, No dropped balls, No Sacks, Score first, Win the middle 8 (4 minutes before halftime and 4 minutes after halftime, No missed assignments, and no foolish penalties. In game goals for defense – Be great tacklers, Create 2+Turnovers, No missed assign ments, Allow less than 4 Plays of 20 yards, Score or set up a score, 3 sacks or 6 hurries, 7 game tackles, Less than 325 yards of total offense, Win 4th quarter, Win 50% of 3rd downs, and no foolish penalties,

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26 In game goals for Special teams – Win the field position battle, catch all fieldable punts, No foolish penalties, No blocked punts, No blocked PAT/FG’s, No fumbles, KOC inside -30-yard line, Average +10 on punt returns, KOR past 30-yard line, 100% PAT’s. Q. Successful, key motivation tools…talks, events, actions, reward influencers? A. We have the team circle up after practice and I assign coaches to speak on a Character trait of a champion. We have a team meeting on Mondays when we give cer tificates and recognize Players of the Week on Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Scout team Offense/Defense, 12th man, Big hits, Great blocks, Trainer/Manager of the Week. These players are featured in the football program in the next game. I also go to the 8th grade football practice on Thursday and have two Varsity Football players talk to the team about character traits of a champion and I give out certificates to 7th and 8th grade football players for Players of the Week at Offensive Back, Offensive Line, Defensive Back, Defensive Line, and Special teams. Thursdays we have a team meeting when a coach is assigned the motto of the week to motivate the team and focus them on the importance of the game. After the coach speaks the Captains have a player only meeting to motivate and focus the team on the game. Friday is game day. We have a pep rally in the morning. We have the Highlander March when the parents and fans make a victory line from the indoor to the entrance of the stadium. The drum corps and bagpipers lead the team through a line of parents and fans who encourage our team as they go into the stadium for the entrance. Before we enter the field, the hype video of former players saying, “I am a link in the chain” is played on the video board. We then run through a banner led by the cheerleaders and between the drill team onto the field. This year we will have the stadium lights that colleges use that change colors and are synced with the fight song played by the band. The other thing I will do is dress up in a costume of the opponent’s mascot as the players come to prac tice on Thursday. When we were in the play-offs and we had an opponent that we were favored to beat before a big game the next week, I put mouse traps all around the dress ing room and talked to the team about this game being a trap game, one which we could overlook and take a chance of being upset. I also like the saying, earmuffs and blinders, for the team to repeat in the play-offs. This reminds them not to listen to the noise or newspapers and to keep their focus on the opponent we are playing and not look down the schedule at another game. Q. Strategy when creating game plan A. Offensively, we put our formations on a white board and coaches are assigned one of our formations to draw up each defense we have seen on video, what percentage our opponents run it, and what is the percent-

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27 age of blitz. We make scout cards with each defense drawn up and we have a coach who meets with the scout team on Monday morning to show video of our opponent so we can mimic their defense. We have our Offensive line coach go over our run game against all defenses we will see and give his top five runs for the game. We will also evaluate our opponent’s personnel to see if we have a mismatch between a receiver and defensive back, an Offensive lineman and a Defensive lineman, or a Running Back and Linebacker. I then take this information and put it in scripts for practices during the week and finally a game plan by down, distance and special plays. I will have some tempo plays the first 20 plays of the first half and first 10 plays of the second half on the game plan. Q. What/who most influenced your coaching practice/style? A. My high school Head coach, Merrill Green. Coach Green also hired me for my first coaching job coming out of college and helped me get my first head football coaching job. Photo credits Melissa Macatee

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28 Q. Where/how do I get new ideas? A. I visit college spring training of teams that run similar offenses. For example, I flew to West Virginia and stayed with an assistant coach, Todd Graham, and went to Spring train ing practice for a week to learn the no-huddle, spread offense that Rich Rodriquez was running in the 2001. I go to SMU spring training because Coach Lashlee allows me to watch video and practice at SMU which is a mile from Highland Park. Q. What are the biggest factors in my success? My faith in Jesus Christ and the calling I felt to be a coach. I believe a coach is called to coach like a preacher is called to preach. I think if you take care of your players, they will take care of you. Great assistant coaches who have my same philosophy about treating players. Continuity of the staff. Our offensive coordinator, Grayson Wells, has been with me for over 30 years. Community and administration that believe in the value of football and support our coach es. We have played football at Highland Park since 1923. We’ve averaged close to 9 wins a season since that time. We are the winningest team in the history of Texas High School football. The only team to win 900 games. Because of this great tradition we have sons and grandsons of former players who are playing for us. We sell out our season tickets every year. All this momentum is a great motivator for our team. Photo credits Melissa Macatee

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29 My wife is the biggest reason for my success. Carolyn is a great coach’s wife. She has written a book called “The Coach’s Wife” to help young wives understand the impact a coach can have on young men. She has been a great influence with our parents and grandpar ents by speaking each year to these groups. A coach needs committed play ers who love the game and are willing to work hard to reach their goals. The leadership of the senior Captains is so important for the team to reach it’s poten tial. I believe seniors must play their best football their senior year. I believe in the 6-way test – • You need players who believe in players. • You need players who believe in coaches. • You need coaches who believe in coaches. • You need coaches who believe in players. • You need parents who believe in players. • You need parents who believe in coaches. A great coach told me to be successful you need 3 things. • A loving wife, a loyal dog and a great QB. Not necessarily in that order. Q. Most important coaching tips/advice you can give others? Loyalty is the most important character trait of a coaching staff. Loyalty to your head Head coach, athletic director, principal, superintendent and School. Have core values and teach them to your team repeatedly until they begin to repeat them.

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30 Our 6 Core Values are: • Commitment – My word is my bond. I am dedicated and loyal. • Enthusiasm – I do things exactly right with 100% effort. • Mental and Physical toughness – When the going gets tough, I get going. Scots Find a Way. • Teamwork – Together Everyone Accomplishes More. I will put the team first. • Integrity – I will do what is honest and right. • Tradition – I will leave it better than I found it. Once a Scot, always a Scot. Q. Short range coaching goals – A. Have each position group come to my house for Monday night football and pizza during the season. Improve my coaching and to give our players the best chance to reach their potential. Be efficient with the time I spend with the coaching staff so they can have balance in their lives and spend time with their family. Q. Long range coaching goals – A. One of the blessings of having tenure of coaching is that I have the privilege of coach ing my son and grandsons. Win 500+ games in my career. This accomplishment, if attained, will serve as a wonderful tribute to my family, my friends, my coaches and players, and the special communities who have supported me during my coaching career. Continue to set the goal of being the winningest High School Football Program. Workout and remain fit so I can coach as long as possible.

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31 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. Including 4 State Championships. How does he do it? Coach Allen’s philosophy, leadership and dedication to his players and program combine to Deliver record-setting results. One of the greatest challenges to winning year-in and year-out is recogniz ing and committing to constantly evolving, studying, innovating and being open-minded in leading your football team, players and staff. Photo credits Melissa Macatee