FNF Coaches 2017 "Building Leaders" by A.E. Engine

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The Magazine for High School Football Coaches

dec 2017

innovative companies

HUDL + GATORADE + FROG FITNESS + CARBONTEK + RIDDELL + SNAP ATTACK

College Coach Q&A

washington & Jefferson coach mike sirianni

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playbook schemes & tactics

+ ATTACKING THE COVER 4 DEFENSE + DEFENDING DOUBLE TIGHT END RUNS + DEFENDING RPOS WITH A 3-3 STACK + DESIGNING EXPLOSIVE PLAYS Christian Brothers Academy coach Casey Brown poses with New York All-State quarterback SirVocea Dennis and All-State running back Stevie Scott. Photo courtesy of Roger Hagan

MOLDING

LEADERS

on and off the field

Teams in Florida, Texas Recover from Hurricanes Offseason Strength and Conditioning + Flexibility + Offseason Player Engagement + Nutrition + FNF Team Moms Contest

2018 FEATURED

Additional 2018 Speakers:

SPEAKER: Brian Kight, Focus3

ADVANCING FOOTBALL TOGETHER JANUARY 26-28, 2018 // ORLANDO, FL

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04. NEWS & NOTES 06. GEAR 36. OFFSEASON 37. NUTRITION 38. FUNDRAISING 40. INSPIRATION

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HIT BY A HURRICANE 08

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

e are proud to present our eighth and final edition of

2017, which has a theme of “Building Leadership.” The start of the offseason can be an important time for coaches to foster leadership within the program. Seniors are moving on to other sports and preparation for life after high school, leaving a void in leadership within the program. A coach can’t wait until August to anoint new leaders because the path to next year’s success starts now. Leaders need to emerge from within the program starting with the offseason strength and conditioning program. The offseason offers coaches an opportunity to step back and let the players lead each other. However, there are steps coaches can take to foster an environment in which leaders feel empowered. In this edition, we also share companies that may change the way high school football is played in the coming years. Companies like Hudl, Riddell, Gatorade, Sports Attack and CarbonTek have become a part of so many high school football programs across the country. What’s next for these companies? We find out and share it with you. Finally, we at FNF Coaches are proud to have achieved our goal of publishing eight editions in our first year. We hope we’ve been informative and provided information you wanted to learn more about. Our goal will always be to help coaches better understand how to succeed at the high school level. If you would like to learn more about any of the topics we cover in this edition, we’d like to hear from you at fnf@ae-engine.com. We want to continue to provide you with the information that helps you succeed as a coach, so we’d like to hear your suggestions for content. Engage with us on our website, FNFCoaches.com, and social media, @FNFCoaches, and tell us your suggestions for feature stories.

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■■ Christian Brothers Academy coach Casey Brown poses with New York All-State quarterback SirVocea Dennis and All-State running back Stevie Scott. Photo courtesy of Roger Hagan.

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NEWS & NOTES Russell to Cease Production of Athletic Uniforms

ruit of the Loom, the parent company to Russell Athletic &

Activewear, announced it was getting out of the team uniform business. This announcement could open the door for some smaller uniform suppliers to move into the market space. In a statement from Senior Vice-President for Brand Management with Russell Athletic & Activewear Scott Greene the immediate discontinuation of team uniform production was confirmed. While Russell has been a trusted name in apparel

for more than a century, it was the team uniform line production that fueled a meteoric rise from the 1970s through the mid-1990s. Most industry followers say Russell Athletic was at its peak in 1992 when it signed a five-year contract with Major League Baseball teams to be the exclusive provider of uniforms. In 1995, Russell rode those team ties to reach a record $1.25 billion in sales. The company had 18,000 employees worldwide at that time.

Friday Night Football (FNF) Magazine is looking for the 2018 Photographer of the Year. The FNF editorial staff will reward one high school football photographer by showcasing his or her photo in the print edition of 2018 FNF Magazine along with a short bio. Coaches and fans should nominate their favorite photographers from our publication states: Florida, Georgia and Ohio. Photographers should submit their best photos at FNFMagazine.com/POTY.

A poll by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette found that not only are high school football coaching staffs growing, but many teams have more than 10 coaches. A random sampling of some schools in the Pittsburgh area showed schools in every classification have staffs in double digits. Some of the coaches are paid by the schools and some volunteer. Some might get a small stipend from the booster club.

THROUGH USA FOOTBALL’S ADOPT A

League, school districts and youth football organizations may donate new or used equipment, including footballs, cones, tackling bags, shoulder pads, cleats, uniforms or non-football-related items such as hats or school supplies to help football programs and young athletes in need. Leagues impacted by natural disasters, such as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, may apply here for assistance from other football programs. These leagues are also encouraged to apply for a USA Football disaster relief grant. USA Football will facilitate the league adoption process by pairing organizations together.

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■■ 2017 winning photo in Florida

FOR THE FIRST TIME, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PROGRAMS SPANNING ALL 50 STATES

are enrolled in USA Football’s Heads Up Football program, including high schools in more than 60 of the largest U.S. school districts. New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago are among the country’s school districts pursuing coaching education and player safety protocols taught in Heads Up Football this season. The 2017 season marks the greatest number of high schools enrolled in Heads Up Football since the program was first offered to high schools in 2014. USA Football conducted more than 400 in-person trainings through the program this year.

NATIONAL FEDERATION

The JAMA Network recently did a study using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study among men graduating high school in Wisconsin in 1957, there was no statistically or clinically significant harmful association between playing football in high school and increased cognitive impairment or depression later in life, on average.

of State High School Associations (NFHS) Executive Director Bob Gardner recently spoke about the state of high school football, reporting that, while football participation has dipped at the high school level, participation data tells the game remains strong with more than one million participants. In addition, many other sports have seen a rise in participation, signaling that some high school football players are moving to different sports, not out of education-based athletics altogether. Despite the overall decrease in participation, there has been an increase in 8-player football programs as small, rural schools get smaller.

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GEAR Football players and coaches are always looking for the best equipment, nutrition and technology to help their team reach its full potential. Here are some products to consider this season.

S.A.F.E. CLIP S.A.F.E. Clip is a revolutionary new product that works by allowing the facemask to move slightly when impacted. Our cutting-edge design and materials allow the force to be absorbed and reduced, preventing that force from going to the wearer’s head and neck. Once the impact has been absorbed, S.A.F.E Clip then returns to it’s original or “ready” position to absorb the next impact.”

USA FOOTBALL RELEASES NEW VIDEOS DAILY

xplore key adjustments that can aid in a

successful 2018 season – USA Football’s Coach Performance Center offers a robust library of videos to help improve your program development. Topics include: ■■ Three positive chances that produced three undefeated seasons ■■ Managing at-risk students ■■ Team building ■■ Developing leaders within your team Get fresh ideas to improve your program. Start your trial today at usafootball.com/streaming.

PORTA PHONE GOLD SERIES WIRELESS HEADSETS PORTA PHONE GOLD SERIES

are a new breed of wireless that features a transceiver installed inside the headset ear cup. This compact design eliminates belt pack radios making the systems trouble free and affordable. Gold Series include breakthrough Spread Spectrum technology and automatically switch to the best frequency when necessary to avoid interference. Since there is no base station required all coaches are wireless and totally mobile. To learn more visit our website, or call Porta Phone at 1-800-233-1113 for a quote. MSRP (Complete 5-Coach Gold system): $2,995 portaphone.com

HONEY STINGER Organic Honey Stinger Waffles are the perfect half-time or pre-game football energy food! Honey is rich in carbohydrates, making it the ideal fuel for working muscles. Loaded with simple sugars and simple carbohydrates, these waffles digest light keeping the athletes quick on their feet. These tasty sports nutrition snacks are already widely used by many collegiate and pro teams. To learn how to purchase these waffles for your high school team at exclusive pricing, contact Mac at mkelly@honeystinger.com.

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2ND SKULL 2nd Skull products are scientifically engineered to reduce impact to the head. Every 2nd Skull comes with a thin layer of lightweight XRD, and extreme impact protection material made from special urethane molecules that are soft and flexible at rest, but can momentarily harder under sudden pressure. The protective beanie designed soften blows to the head has caught the attention of the NFL. 2nd Skull won $100,000 from the NFL through the league’s HeadHealth TECH Challenge. The money will help the 3-year-old company conduct more testing at the NFL’s lab at Duke University and improve the product, said Vaughan Blaxter, the company’s CEO. 2ndskull.com

Hit By a Hurricane

TEXAS, FLORIDA SCHOOLS LOSE GAMES

The hurricanes that passed through Florida and Texas in August interrupted the football season for dozens of teams. We share three stories from teams affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey.

■■ C.E. King High (Houston, Texas) experienced significant flood damage due to Hurricane Harvey.

A Houston Team Gets an Assist

Dolphins Players Fund Miami Central’s Lodging, Travel

Hurricane Harvey could have very well ended the C.E. King

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the Miami Dolphins

football team’s season. The school, based in northeast Houston, was pummeled by the storm, prompting days of anxious times for athletic director/head football coach Derek Fitzhenry, who tried to coordinate efforts by first responders to rescue his players and their families. As the students and their families cleaned up after the storm, ABC News’ Michael Strahan paid the C.E. King Panthers a visit. Coach Fitzhenry told Strahan that he was not surprised by the students’ willingness to come together. “[I’m] very inspired about what they’ve shown and ... what a great family we have here,” Fitzhenry said on “GMA”. “This is what we are about. We are about this school and we are about a family.” NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders even surprised Fitzhenry and his players with a special gift. Sanders announced, with help from Under Armour, the Panthers football program would receive new uniforms. “Kevin Plank [CEO] of Under Armour committed to ensuring that you have a wonderful season and you’re outfitted as well,” Sanders said.

helped a Miami high school football team get home from a game in Las Vegas against Bishop Gorman. Dolphins players helped pay for lodging and transportation for the 69 Miami Central players, coaches and administrators forced by Hurricane Irma to remain in Las Vegas after a 24-20 victory over defending three-time national champion Bishop Gorman High School. “They paid for lodging and our return to Miami,” said Miami Central Director of Athletics Harold Barnwell. “They helped us reach Miami. There were certain players from the Dolphins that contributed on our behalf.” The Dolphins had their season opener postponed with Irma bearing down. When players read about Central’s plight in the newspaper, they got involved. Members of the Rockets’ group left in parties of six to eight per flight. Dolphins players Kenny Stills, Ndamukong Suh, Reshad Jones, Lawrence Timmons and Jarvis Landry were among the first to kick in donations to help pay Central’s tab in Vegas. The Rockets also found compassion from the team they upset in a game shown on ESPN. Bishop Gorman, a Catholic school, offered to pay for the Rockets’ hotel and the Las Vegas Police Protective Association provided lunch.

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urricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey left many Florida and Texas schools with closings and cancellations during the opening weeks of the school year. Most Houston area schools canceled games on Friday, Sept. 1 due to the record flooding from the storm. Florida schools dealt with the effects of Irma a week later, and much of the Friday, Sept. 8 schedule was washed out. With a call for help coming from the schools and towns affected from the disaster, the Texas High School Coaches Association and the Texas High School Coaches Education Foundation accepted donations for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts. All teams participating in the fundraiser donated to the Texas Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. In both states, athletic directors were left scrambling to try to reschedule games that were postponed. Lehigh Senior High athletic director Nicholas Dysert chose to cancel a potential matchup with South Fort Myers. “We had one game postponed, and they decided they wouldn’t play us down the line,” Dysert said. “We had a bye week after Irma, which helped us out, so we didn’t have to worry about rescheduling that one. We never ended up making up the other game because we couldn’t find a date that worked for both teams.”

check out more in-depth coach content at usafootball.com/coaches-notes

LEARN FROM THE TOP COACHES USA FOOTBALL’S COACHES NOTES OFFERS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS HERE’S A SAMPLE:

Teaching the speed option in the spread offense DAVE CHRISTENSEN, ASSISTANT COACH ARIZONA STATE

e run the option game with our quarterback as an alternative to get on the perimeter. In fact, we probably run this play more than the stretch play. There are a number of different ways to block this play. We can load the scheme and block the defensive end or read him. Game planning and the alignment of the defense will make the decision. We like the option against an aggressive defensive end, using a man-blocking scheme. When we are fortunate to have fast athletic tackles, that gives us the opportunity to reach the defensive end and option the flat defender.

his spring, USA Football will launch Coaches’ Notes,

a daily deep-dive into schemes, drills and program development written by coaches for coaches. For $50 a year, coaches can gain full access to the service, including topics covering technical/tactical, staff development, coaching philosophy, physical development, motivation and health and safety. Whether you are looking to completely overhaul your system, find some tweaks to what you already have or improve critical off-the-field components, Coaches’ Notes will provide proven methods that your peers are already taking advantage of – and what’s coming next. Football is unlike any other sport. Coaches spend the entire offseason helping each other get better while raising their own games. With Coaches’ Notes, tap into that knowledge from your home, office or tablet.

By coaches, for coaches. USA Football works with top coaches across the nation at the high school, college and NFL levels to share what they know. From young up-and-comers to proven champions, it’s a coach’s buffet. More than words. Every article includes video, graphic illustrations, playbook pages and other ways to consume the information in order to drive home the message. Every day. A new note will post to USA Football’s Coaches’ Notes every day, bringing seven new ideas each week, 30 fresh topics every month and 365 ways to improve yourself and your team each year. Beyond the X’s and O’s. Sustained success doesn’t happen without solid organization behind it. Coaches not only share their best schemes, plays and teaching tools, they dig into how to build the strongest staff, offseason program and in-season plan to bring out the best in your athletes and staff.

SHOTGUN OPTION

FS C

C W

S E

To us, the option play is run from the shotgun. By running it from the shotgun, you have the built-in space between the quarterback and the defensive end. Some coaches say, “When you run option, you hold your breath every time the quarterback runs the ball,” but when he faces up the end rarely if ever does a big hit or injury occur. The quarterback secures the snap in the shotgun and gets his eyes on the defensive end. The quarterback has two hands on the ball and makes the defender make a decision – take the quarterback or cover the pitch. The pitch relationship must be good so the defensive end cannot force the quarterback to pitch and tackle the pitchman before he turns the corner.

COACHES’ NOTES ARE AVAILABLE AT: USAFOOTBALL.COM/COACHES-NOTES.

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COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER WHAT TO DO WHEN THE SEASON ENDS

Q&A

with Mike Sirianni head coach of Washington & Jefferson BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

ike Sirianni has made a case to be considered one of

college football’s most successful head coaches through 15 seasons at Washington & Jefferson College. A six-time Presidents’ Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and the 2012 D3football.com South Region Coach of the Year, Sirianni has led W&J to the postseason in 13 of his 15 seasons, including 10 NCAA playoff appearances. Sirianni’s squads have won at least nine games 11 times. Sirianni offered his thoughts in a recent interview with FNF Coaches.

What inspired you to start coaching football? “My dad [Fran] is a retired high school football coach. My youngest brother [Nick] is a receivers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. My middle brother is not coaching anymore, but he won two state championships [2008, 2009] in New York with Southwestern High. I grew up as the kid of a high school coach, and I love high school football. I find a game to watch every Friday night. I love watching it.”

What advice would you give high school coaches as they’re starting the offseason? “The day the season ends, I take a deep breath and relax. Honestly, some people are into the 365-days-a-year thing. Coaching football is fun.

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You have plenty of time to get ready. The day after you’re done, take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the success. Or take a deep breath and be glad that a tough year is over. Two or three days later, it’s time to move on.”

Do you also take time with your staff to self-scout at the end of a season? “We do that right off the bat. What I would tell high school coaches: Call and talk to people you trust. I have people I talk to and trust. I get ideas from them. We look at every aspect of the program. The last couple years, I didn’t fire anyone. I haven’t had to fire a coach, but I had a position open a few years ago. Instead of hiring a football coach, I went for a strength coach. I wanted my own strength coach, and I prayed he could also coach linebackers. Two years ago, I felt like we got pushed around a little bit. That’s the first thing I did – hired a strength coach. When you have an unsuccessful season – and we haven’t had a lot of them – you ask, ‘What can we do better?’ In terms of X’s and O’s, every year we’re tweaking it. Look at what other people do, and go with what fits your players. That doesn’t mean you do something new every year, but you can incorporate different ideas.”

Who do you trust to seek out advice after a season? “Fellow coaches. Every time I do an interview, it always comes back to the fact that I’m a Mount Union graduate. I coached there too. In my opinion, [Mount Union coach] Larry Kehres is the best coach ever at any level. I have friends at Toledo and Ohio State. We ran a two-point play that I stole from my brother with the Chargers. Being associated with a program like Mount

irianni isn’t afraid to take constructive criticism from players. In fact, he welcomes it. “I talk to returning players, and let them close the door. I say, ‘Look, it’s me and you. Talk to me about whatever you want to talk about. What do you think we did well? What can we improve on? I’m not going to get mad or yell.’ I get feedback from graduating players, but I really want to know what the returning players think. You can get a lot of knowledge from those kids.” Would Sirianni listen to a player who suggested a major overhaul in his coaching philosophy? “I’m not going to listen to a kid in terms of scheme or who should play more. To give you an example, last year we lost a game, and one of my players said I looked different that week. He said I was uptight and nervous, and we lost the game. I think it had something to do with it. A few years ago, we didn’t practice on a Friday because we were on a bus all day. We played really well the next day. The kids said their legs felt fresh on Saturday. Now, we have meetings and film on Friday.”

Union, I have a lot of people I can talk to and get different ideas. It doesn’t mean I use everything. But being a coach is about stealing ideas and pretending it’s your own. I’m not afraid to admit it.”

Did your new strength coach bring anything new to the program that you would be willing to share?

NEW

Cutting Edge Technology!

“I hired a young man with a $10,000 intern position. We’re a great Division 3 program, but we have budget constraints like many high school teams. We hired a man [Ian Hennessy] that played for me and I trusted. He interned at the University of Arizona, and he’s passionate about weight-training nutrition. I just wanted someone with them who was passionate about that and would sell out. Did we do anything different? I have a track background, so I ran track and coached track. We always work on explosiveness with plyometrics. I don’t think we concentrated on it any more. I just said, ‘It’s 4 percent of your day to make yourself a better football team and program.’ I think it was an attitude change, and they really got focused.”

What’s the best way for a coach to prioritize academics to ensure his players have success in the classroom? Washington & Jefferson is an elite academic institution. One thing I don’t do here is study tables. I can’t make you study. Now, with social media and electronics, the worst thing you can do is take their cell phone. I have a teenage daughter, I know what it’s like. We can’t have 20 tutors, so study tables are a waste of time because I don’t have resources for tutors. I make them fill out a time management sheet to see how much time they have to get their studies done, spend in the weight room, and enjoy being a college student. They might say they don’t have time to study, but the sheet shows them they do have enough time to study for two or three hours a day. So, we account for the time management and check on grades every three weeks.”

TE X A S

F LO RI DA

G EO RG IA

O H I O

|CAROLINAS

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LEADERSHIP

Molding Leaders On and Off the Field BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Let’s admit it: Coaches love control. From

Every coach has to rely on his team leaders to spread his message when he’s not around by establishing an offseason culture in which seniors help mentor younger players. That leads to wins during the fall.

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designing game plans, to calling the plays, to breaking down film, to overseeing a strength program, to organizing the pregame meals; it seems the head coach wants to play a part in all of it. But a coach can’t be everywhere at all times, so his ability to delegate is crucial to a team’s success. Assistant coaches should have a similar message as the head coach, and they can help provide support on the field, in the classroom, and in the weight room. However, sometimes players want to hear a different voice – one of a

peer or teammate. A coach should give his seniors input into the offseason structure so they take ownership when reinforcing the message to younger players. Leaders make their mark in every facet of the program. Sometimes, that involves a senior sitting down with a younger player in study hall and providing academic support. Other times, it might mean that same senior is correcting mistakes in the weight room or on the practice field. A coach can foster an environment in which leadership skills are developed within the program. We encourage coaches to make this a priority in 2018.

6 Ways to Establish a Culture of Leadership ACCOUNTABILITY AMONG SENIORS IS KEY

stablishing a culture of leadership requires more

than just naming captains. A coach can start developing leadership characteristics in his youngest players so that when they’re seniors, they’re ready to be mentors and role models. In just his second season as the Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.) head coach, Casey Brown led his team to the New York State Final Four and a Section III championship in 2016. Brown is bullish about establishing a culture – one that he feels translates to success on the field. He recently offered his six tips for establishing a culture of leadership.

Run Youth Camps. Youth camps have many ben-

efits – not the least of which is youth players getting the opportunity to lean techniques from the high school coaching staff. Another benefit is the way it can establish a culture. Brown brings back former players from college to work the camps, and the youth players get to learn how to lead from their childhood idols. Teach the Program’s History. “I always believe the current kids can’t understand where they are without learning from the past,” Brown said. The coach tries to engage the CBA alumni as much as possible so they can share their experiences with the current players. That includes talking about CBA’s mission of giving back in the classroom and community.

Develop Accountability. Brown feels that seniors

need to “have some skin in the game,” so he gives them opportunities to share their thought process with the coaches. If the seniors feel that they have contributed to the decision-making process, they are more likely to lead younger players down the right path. Organize Team-Building Activities. CBA has students from all over Central New York, so team bonding opportunities can be sporadic in the offseason. Brown will occasionally pull the team together on a weekend for some type of fun competition. “It might not even be footballrelated,” Brown said. “It could be dodgeball – just some game where they’re competing against each other and getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” Mandatory Study Halls. Leadership extends from athletics to academics, at least at CBA. Brown has mandatory in-season study halls with peer tutoring four days per week. Most of the CBA seniors take high-level AP courses, and can help younger players with academic support. Weight Training Partners. Very few freshmen enter high school with significant strength training experience, so Brown pairs up seniors with younger players. “The leaders are monitoring, mentoring and motivating throughout the offseason,” Brown said. “We’ll set up a system and make sure they’re all together in the same room.”

■■ Christian Brothers Academy coach Casey Brown

RECOGNIZE THE SENIORS

ne way to recognize seniors so they leave the program feeling good about their experience is to give out postseason awards. Brown makes a hard push for his players when it comes to all-league and all-district nominations. But he also doesn’t rely solely on other coaches to recognize his seniors. At his team banquet, he gives out awards that are named after alumni. The award could recognize a standout player at a certain position or just a player that embodies the qualities of the award’s namesake. “It could be names of former players or coaches,” Brown said. “It’s another way of stressing the values that matter to your team while keeping the alumni involved with the program.” Many underclassmen set goals to earn these awards after watching their mentors collect them at postseason banquets.

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THE MAGAZINE FOR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES

The Innovative Companies That Are Changing High School Football It’s easy to take for granted the companies and products that help coaches save time and keep players healthy. We share the stories of five of those companies along with future plans for each.

echnology is constantly changing the way high school football is played and coached. Some companies strive to

constantly stay ahead of the curve and break new ground in a changing environment. What technology are you implementing in your program that you might not even think about? Perhaps nothing is more valuable to coaches during the season than time. We share stories of companies that have created products and technology to allow coaches to work more efficiently in practice, while scouting, and on game day. We also dive into the stories of companies that help make the game safer – through hydration strategies, protective equipment, and concussion awareness. It’s important for all coaches to understand the technology that is out there, so they can take advantage of every opportunity to run a stronger, safer program. It’s equally important for coaches to understand where the game is going. The best coaches develop relationships with companies that are at the forefront of the industry. As you take stock of your program this offseason, consider the stories of these companies as you weigh your options in bringing new technology to your players. Download the FNF Coaches app from the Apple App Store and Google Play

INNOVATIVE COMPANIES The Frog: ‘A No-Brainer’ for High School Teams That Want to Win Frog Fitness, Inc. delivered The Frog to various schools across the country before the start of the 2017 season. Many of the schools that used the training device went on to make playoff runs. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

ewisville High (S.C.) coach William Mitch-

ell has discovered the remedy for his tired, bruised team as it prepares for a showdown in the third round of the South Carolina Class 1A Playoffs. Each player has to spend a portion of practice on The Frog. “As we get late in the year, guys are keeping their overall core strength through their routine on The Frog,” said Lewisville (S.C.) coach William Mitchell. “We’re staying healthy as we get to the end of a long season. We’re coming up on our 13th game, and guys are dinged up. This is something we do on a daily basis for strength-building, injury prevention and building the core.” The Frog is the result of years of relentless hard work, research and development, and scientific testing. The Frog is already being widely accepted throughout the NFL, the NBA, Pro Motocross, and MMA. Even America’s most respected warriors throughout the U.S. Military are training with The Frog, and most recently Olympic athletes began adding The Frog to their training regimens. Lewisville (9-3) is not the only playoff team across the country that implemented The Frog into its training this season. Cocoa High (Fla.) also added The Frog to its training program last offseason as it prepared to defend its Florida State Class 4A championship.

■■ The Abilene Cooper (Texas) football team received a shipment of 10 Frogs before the start of the 2017 season.

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■■ The Lewisville (S.C.) High football team’s training on The Frog sparked a run to the third round of the South Carolina Class 1A Playoffs. Photo by Rob Scott

Cocoa (9-1) will play its second-round playoff game in Region 3-4A. “We’ve been impressed with how versatile the machine is,” Cocoa coach John Wilkinson said. “I would definitely purchase them because it is a quick way to get a great workout or great stretch.” Abilene Cooper (Texas) coach Todd Moebes also added The Frog to his strength and conditioning program prior to the season. Abilene (7-3) is now preparing for the Class 5A Division II Playoffs, and Moebes has noticed an increased motivation level among his players while training with The Frog. “It is always great to see the player initiated competition that The Frog presents,” Moebes said. “Our players challenge each other on reps in all the different exercises The Frog provides. They have taken great ownership in how The Frog is developing their bodies

even in an in-season regiment. We have used The Frog in all of our in-season training as well as post-game recovery.” Miami Central (Fla.) coach Roland Smith agrees that The Frog is optimal for recovery, but also feels that his players have benefited from the way the training device works a wide range of muscles. “It works the whole core area – legs, thighs, quads, glutes, hamstrings, stomach,” Smith said. “It’s a total body workout, and it does a great job.” After just one season of working with The Frog, Moebes can’t imagine building a strength program without one. “The Frog is a no-brainer,” Moebes said. “The versatility of The Frog is second to none. Everyone is looking for a consistent resistant band-training regiment in their program. There is no other multi-use resistant band training equipment on the market that stands up to The Frog.”

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The Impact of HUDL Perhaps no company has changed the way coaches prepare for games in the last 10 years more than Hudl. The software has allowed coaches to watch and share game tape on devices.

INTRODUCING THE HUDL PRODUCTS

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

HUDL’S FUTURE

udl recently raised $30 million to bring cutting-edge sports analytics to teams around the world. Hudl’s team of investors included Accel, Jeff and Tricia Raikes, and Nelnet. Hudl plans to use the funds to pair innovations in machine learning and computer vision with its in-house group of professional analysts, providing teams around the world quicker access to the insights they need for training and game preparation. Effectively using sports analytics takes a lot of work – both to collect the necessary data and to analyze the information to gain meaningful insights. The analytics will empower teams at every level, from grassroots to the most elite professional organizations, with tools that allow them to gather insights as efficiently as possible. Helping teams learn from video and stats by combining the two for a more in-depth film study experience has always been integral to Hudl’s mission of capturing and bringing value to every moment in sports. “We see huge opportunities in the U.S. and abroad and will continue to grow our team globally to bring our products to new markets,” said Matt Mueller, COO of Hudl.

Created by three graduates of the University of Nebraska business school, Hudl is built around digital video playback: Coaches upload game films captured through the app or on a camera, and then Hudl makes the video available to anyone with viewing permissions, from training staff to players to scouts and recruiters. Coaches can flag sections of the video, inserting notes, scribbles, or audio commentary for their players. They can also use those clips to create digital playbooks for the team. Athletes can study plays, edit and share highlight reels, and send their coaches clips to analyze. Dirk Wedd, 65, has been a part of the coaching staff at Lawrence High (Kan.) for five state championship teams. He’s constantly trying to find ways to relate to younger players.

“I’m about as high-tech as the Pony Express,” Wedd said. “Kids today love seeing themselves – whether it’s pictures or video – immediately. That’s where they’re coming from.” Wedd purchased software from Hudl that allows his coaches and players to view video on the sidelines. “It was important for us to do whatever it took to get a bunch of young kids to develop at a faster rate,” Wedd said. If a whiteboard and erasable marker were the primary tools of the trade for previous generations of coaches, Hudl is fast becoming the 21st-century analogue. More than 100,000 sports outfits around the world currently rely on the software, paying annual subscription fees from $99 (for club teams) to as much as $50,000 (for pros).

udl Technique is a free stand-alone app based on Ubersense code. It lets athletes see the velocity of a quarterback’s pass or a kick returner’s speed in the open field. Coaches can also use it to correct the form of a tackle. Hudl Combine, an app that is the product of a new partnership with Nike, lets players upload stats from the 40-yard dash and other football combine events and share them with potential recruiters. Hudl Sideline provides a live-playback feature. Coaches can connect up to five devices to Sideline, and share and annotate clips in real time. You can call a time-out, bring up the relevant clip on your iPad, and point out the opening. The 2017 Football Trends Report is the product of a partnership between Hudl and X&O Labs. X&O Labs used Hudl to create detailed breakdowns based on formation type, play design, strategy and more. This report will look at the five most trending topics that X&O Labs uncovered during the 2016 season and how they will affect the game moving forward.

HUDL FACTS + FIGURES – 4 MILLION: NUMBER OF HUDL USERS WORLDWIDE – 165,000: NUMBER OF TEAMS USING HUDL – 30-PLUS: NUMBER OF SPORTS HUDL SERVES – 2,600: NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL AND DIVISION I TEAMS USING HUDL – 4.5 MILLION: NUMBER OF DOWNLOADS OF THE HUDL APP – HUDL.COM Download the FNF Coaches app from the Apple App Store and Google Play

INNOVATIVE COMPANIES How Gatorade Will Change High School Football Sidelines

THE GATORADE GX BOTTLE

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

atorade has revolutionized the way

football players fuel before, during and after games by providing nutrients in energy drinks that replace electrolytes. Gatorade’s future plans could change the way a player approaches a trip to the sideline, with personalized Gatorade bottles prepared for every break in the action. Imagine a world in which a tracking device monitors all of a football player’s movements throughout a game, and makes that information available to coaches on the sideline. Now imagine that the player also wears a sweat patch that monitors hydration levels and also makes that information available to coaches. Finally, imagine a world in which a player stands on a scale on the sideline every time he comes off the field. Gatorade believes you won’t have to imagine that world much longer because it’s coming faster than you think. And the goal for Gatorade will be to take all of the collected data mentioned above and provide each player with a personalized bottle with varying levels of carbohydrates and nutrients to drink in-game. The company is continuing to work on a smart cap for a personalized bottle with LED lighting that reminds players when they need to hydrate and shows how close they are to meeting their water intake goals for the day. Gatorade is also developing blends of its drinks that are tailored to a player’s specific needs, from calories to electrolytes to sodium.

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Corey Ungaro, a biochemist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), believes the personalized Gatorade Gx bottles will make their way onto high school sidelines as early as 2018. “I see the Gatorade bottle evolving into a personalized way to hydrate,” Ungaro said. “Players will step on scales every time they come off the field, and the coach will have a roster on an iPad that shows how much each player is drinking based on their bottle’s flow meter. You’ll start to see those soon; we’re working out a few bugs and we need it to be consumer-friendly.” The Gatorade Gx bottle is already being used by some NFL teams that have access to resources like Catapult tracking devices and sweat monitors. Ungaro said that the difficult part about providing the perfect Gatorade mix for each player is that outside factors that affect hydration – like stress or sleep – require monitoring well in advance of the game. Gatorade is also working on a sweat patch that will look like a Band-Aid and measure hydration levels. “We need to know where they’re at in terms of hydration before they get to the field,” Ungaro said. “It’s pretty simple to envision a color metric that will show if someone is a salty sweater. Then, we can supplement more electrolytes.” One other area Ungaro could see Gatorade exploring for football players is recovery drinks that help with sleep. The bedtime drinks might include melatonin, which is a hormone associated with sleep onset. “There’s going to be a lot of avenues to go,” Ungaro said. “For sleep, it would be nice to look at protein levels and come up with a drink or yogurt with melatonin. A lot of factors affect sleep, like nerves, the anxiety of competition, soreness, and academic balance. Gatorade might want to get into that recovery phase.”

ast year, Gatorade introduced Gx, a sports fuel customization platform. The Gx ecosystem combines science-backed products with newly designed equipment, and real-time biometric and tracking technologies to provide fueling recommendations specific to an individual athlete. The new innovations include: ■■ BOTTLE WITH FLIPCAP: Squeeze bottle (without tracking electronics) specifically designed for use with pods by including a water level marking, an integrated pod piercer and a flip cap for ease of operation. ■■ SMART CAP: In development as an upgrade to the basic flipcap, this component utilizes fluid intake tracking and provides visual feedback directly to the athlete to pace hydration. ■■ PODS: Accompanying the bottle will be a range of concentrated Gatorade formulas and flavors optimized for use with personalized hydration and fuel strategies. ■■ DIGITAL SWEAT PATCH: Provides ability for real-time hydration tracking (in conjunction with smart cap) to allow athlete to hydrate and re-fuel accordingly. ■■ FUTURE FOOD FORMS: Gatorade is creating new food forms with new ingredients that will help address athlete preferences and fuel them during more parts of their day, including proteinenriched yogurt.

The CarbonTek Gen 3 Is Unlike Any Other Shoulder Pad System

OS Technology Compression Vest

The inner compression vest is made of automotive grade foam which performs 20% better than standard EVA foam and can be used without the exoskeleton for non-contact days. The design holds the padding close to the body for maximum range of motion and is machine washable.

CarbonTek will launch the Gen 3 shoulder pad system in January of 2018 with a goal of making the highest performing pad on the market. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

High Performance Carbon Fiber Exoskeleton

The lightweight exoskeleton is now stronger, constructed with 10 layers of 100 percent Aerospace grade carbon fiber. When combined with the OST Vest, on average the force felt was reduced by 63 percent verse comparable pads.

Improved Protection and Range of Motion

The pad is 10 percent lighter than comparable pads, keeping the athlete fresher during the fourth quarter. CarbonTek is designed to protect the skill athletes as impact positions, and allow the impact athletes move like the skill positions. The OS Technology Compression Vest comes in +2, +4 and +6 inches extended length for full rib protection.

CarbonTek Brand Manager Blake Reid spent the last four years as the Associate Athletic Director for University of Cincinnati, so he understands that football players can be particular about their equipment. He believes the CarbonTek Gen 3 will fulfill each player’s desire to wear a light, durable, high-performance shoulder pad system that is comfortable – regardless of game conditions. “With the Gen 3, we didn’t want to stop and say, ‘We already have a great

pad,’” Reid said. “How can we make it better? The Gen 3 addresses our desire to continue providing a shoulder pad where performance and protection of the athlete is our main focus.” CarbonTek’s biggest selling point since the original shoulder pad system was created has always been the fact that it provides two parts – an OS Technology Compression Vest and a Carbon Fiber Exoskeleton. The Compression Vest molds to the body, so it becomes a part of the player

and reduces the force of impact. The Gen 3 was designed with an eye on making the Carbon Fiber Exoskeleton more flexible with increased range of motion. “It increases the dispersion of energy and force reduction,” Reid said. “CarbonTek created a new technology that three or four years down the road can be utilized in other types of products. We always have an eye on making the game safer and keeping the athletes on the field longer.”

“THE CARBONTEK™ SHOULDER PAD SYSTEM HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY WE PROTECT OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES AT AUBURN. THE UNDER PADDING STAYS IN PLACE AND MOVES WITH THE SHOULDER. IN THE EVENT OF INJURY, THE SYSTEM CAN BE LEFT IN PLACE AND X-RAYS OBTAINED ALLOWING GOOD ANATOMICAL VIEWING.” – Clark Pearson, Head Football Athletic Trainer at Auburn University

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INNOVATIVE COMPANIES Riddell Making Strides in Player Safety Riddell has consistently attempted to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to player safety. By 2020, the company plans to have position-specific helmets, and by 2022, instrumented fully personalized head gear. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

A HELMET BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE AND PROTECTION Riddell introduced its most innovative helmet to date in 2014, the Riddell SpeedFlex helmet. It was the first helmet designed with flexible shell technology. The goal of Riddell’s design team was to create a helmet with fully integrated components and innovations for peak athlete performance and state-of-the-art protection. The SpeedFlex was created with the wants and needs of players, coaches, equipment managers and athletic trainers in mind. Notably, the Flex System is engineered into the helmet’s shell, face mask and face mask attachment with hinge clips that help reduce the impact force transfer to the athlete. The TruCurve Liner System allows the helmet to conform to the contours of a player’s head, while the Composite Energy Management System absorbs

TRAIN TO IDENTIFY CONCUSSIONS NEW IN 2018, RIDDELL IS

offering a training tool for coaches who are looking for more information on identifying concussions. Riddell InSite Training Tool (ITT) uses a sabermetric approach to athlete protection. ITT is a webbased data center that is simple to use and rich with information the coach may use to identify opportunities to proactively influence player behavior through training techniques and practice plans and move their program and

impact energy. The All-Points Quick Release enables trainers to disengage the face mask with the simple press of a button. The Ratchet-Loc Retention System designs the chin strap to help players secure proper fit each time they strap up. “We collected data and used it to improve the way we make helmets,” said Thad Ide, Riddell’s Senior Vice President of Research and Product Development. “The SpeedFlex is a culmination of a lot of design work and features that take into account all of the constituents that would come into contact with a helmet – from the player and coach to parents, athletic trainers and medical staff.”

athletes forward. Incorporate your practice plan to gain a greater understanding of when your athletes may be subject to head impact exposure. InSite Training Tool is a web-based tool that can be accessed by sideline staff at home or on the road.

HOW INSITE ALERTING WORKS Impact: An impact occurs, and the

Player Unit five-zone sensor pad quantifies the impact. Analyze: The instrumented helmet evaluates whether the hit is above the threshold levels. Transmit: If an impact or sequence of impacts exceeds a predetermined threshold, an alert is transmitted

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wirelessly from the Player Unit to the Alert Monitor. Alert: The Alert Monitor notifies sideline staff of the impact by player name and number. Act: Utilize actionable information during practices and games.

A CUSTOMIZED HELMET FITTING PROCESS: RIDDELL PRECISION-FIT

iddell Precision-Fit is a process that utilizes 3D scanning techniques to build a completely custom-fitting helmet for the individual player. The technology has resulted in improved sight lines, personalized comfort, and contoured padding. By going through a detailed fitting process, Riddell strives to create a personal relationship between the player and helmet. The Precision-Fit process has seven steps: Step 1: The athlete chooses a Riddell helmet platform – either Riddell Speed or Riddell Speedflex. Step 2: Using a state-ofthe-art scanning process, Riddell captures the detailed size and surface of the athlete’s head. Step 3: 3D files are imported, analyzed, refined and precisely oriented to the athlete’s specifications by Riddell’s engineering team. Step 4: Player specific liners are generated. Step 5: The player’s helmet liner system is precision-crafted using the individual’s personalized molds, complete with player name and signature. Step 6: Once completed, the liner system is used to complete the player’s helmet – further customized with his choice of face mask, accessories and team decoration. Step 7: The complete helmet is certified and shipped to the athlete and is ready for competition.

The Snap Attack Football Machine Helps Maximize Practice Time The Snap Attack football training machine, designed by Sports Attack, can simulate punts, kicks, passes and snaps so that coaches can limit player fatigue and maximize practice reps. The Snap Attack can pivot instantly in any direction and provide accurate passes, punts and kickoffs to any location on the field. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

ecil Flowe spent the 1990s and 2000s building

Parkview High (Ga.) into the marquee football program in Georgia’s largest classification. Flowe went 197-67 over 21 seasons, capturing state championships in 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2002. He retired after the 2013 season and later accepted volunteer assistant positions at King’s Ridge Christian and North Forsyth. At each school, he had one request for the head coach. “I said we need to find a way to get a Snap Attack,” Flowe said. “We’d work to come up with the money, and we’d buy one as soon as we could. With this one machine, I can stand in the middle of a practice with 50 balls and gets 50 reps for punt return and kickoff and never have it miss a kick. That’s 50 reps, and I don’t wear out the kicker’s leg.” Sports Attack Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering Doug Boehner used his background as a football coach to create the football training machine in 2010. The machine has become the industry standard – surpassing the Jugs Machine – due to its ability to rotate passes and kicks in either direction. Now, every NFL team with the exception of the New York Giants uses the Snap Attack. Nearly every NCAA Division 1 team uses the Snap Attack, and some teams have as many as eight. “We’ve continued to add features over the years,” Boehner said. “The right- and left-handed spin was a popular one. We realize it’s important for teams to be able to practice receiving punts and kicks from left-handed kickers in the week before the game.” Flowe uses the Snap Attack in practice to simulate passes from the quarterback to receivers as well as every type of special teams play, including long snaps on punts and kicks. “I can shoot an 18-yard out route on time and not wear out the quarterback’s arm,” Flowe said. “I just keep feeding it. It’s not like I’m throwing the ball and waiting for it to get back to the quarterback.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR SNAP ATTACK?

oehner is in the process of designing a less expensive Snap Attack model for high school teams – with a goal of retailing the product for under $3,000 per machine. “It’s going to be the same machine and do all of the functions of the existing machine,” Boehner said. “We’re taking it down in power to take the cost down, and make it more attractive to high school teams that really have to make it count to fit it under the budget.” The decision to market the Snap Attack to high school teams is all in the name of time efficiency. “If you’re there running your kickoff coverage drills for an extra five minutes per practice, that adds up,” Boehner said. “Time is so critical in high school football, and anything that speeds up practice is priceless.”

“Another thing I like to do is set it on its legs and practice punt snaps. We go 7 yards to the holder on kicks and 14 yards for punters. They can practice receiving snaps while the center might be in other drills.” The Snap Attack Football Machine’s solid polyurethane throwing wheels firmly grip the ball for an accurate spin. The wheel guards protect arms from potential wheel burns as well as help to keep the wheels as dry as possible in inclement weather. Rapid fire and multiple ball drills are part of the Snap Attack’s repertoire. The two independently running electric motors create not only a near instantaneous recovery time, but furnish enough power to put the football anywhere on the field.

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PLAYBOOK presented by Attacking Cover 4 BY BILL MOUNTJOY

over 4 – or quarters – is a four-deep look with

the cornerbacks and safeties each playing one-fourth of the deep zone (DIAGRAMS 1 & 2). Defensive backs will play man coverage on vertical routes while linebackers play zone underneath. If there is no vertical threat, the defensive backs are free to help another defender. This coverage has two safeties deep but is distinguished from Cover 2 in that the safeties disregard the hashes and align on the H and Y. It is based upon safeties helping the corners on in-breaking routes by the receivers, which can be countered by having H or Y blow the top off the coverage by taking the safety vertical and deep, causing the defense to become a three-deep zone and allowing the WRs to run in breaking routes. Also, play-action passes directed at one of the safeties can make that safety vulnerable to throws to the receiver behind him. The corners will have no help on receiver routes to the outside, which is one of the areas we will exploit. Here are 11 questions you need to answer to successfully attack Cover 4: ■■ Can we read the coverage coming in our presnap look? You usually can. ■■ Do the corners take an inside or an outside alignment? Is this determined by the split of the receivers? ■■ How fast do the corners bail? Are they slow playing until the QB clears the three-step drop? ■■ Do the safeties play flat-footed or backpedal as they read H and Y (vertical, flat, cross)? ■■ If H or Y crosses underneath, does that safety go to deep middle and/or look for an in break by one of the WR’s? If so, which one? ■■ Is there a formation they may not play Cover 4 against? ■■ Will different forms of motion eliminate Cover 4? ■■ Which linebacker is the weakest in coverage? ■■ Does the Mike go to hook/curl to the side the running back goes? ■■ Do the outside linebackers go curl/flat off the release of H/Y? ■■ Do they play this coverage in a specific area of the field?

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COVER 4 VS. SPREAD

DIAGRAM 1

COVER 4 VS. TRIPS

DIAGRAM 2

VS. COVER 4 60 PASS

DIAGRAM 3

■■ Bill Mountjoy coached Virginia high school football for 33 years, most of it as a head coach at six different schools. His team won the 1971 VAAC Private School State Championship. He also coached five years on the college level, serving as an offensive assistant at NCAA Division III national champion Randolph-Macon College.

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VS. COVER 4 52 Y CORNER

DIAGRAM 4

VS. COVER 4 54 PASS

DIAGRAM 5

STAY IN THE GAME! PLAY SAFER – 2ND SKULL IT’S A NO-BRAINER! VS. COVER 4 52 Y STOP

DIAGRAM 6

VS. COVER 4 58 PASS

DIAGRAM 7 2NDSKULL CAP FOR HELMET SPORTS

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PLAYBOOK presented by Defending double-tight end run plays from a 3-3-5 BY THOMAS COUSINS

he players in a 3-3-5 defensive system must be

convinced that they are all playmakers on the field. The old saying, “bend but don’t break,” simply does not fit this defensive scheme, which is a big-play defense. Sacks, takeaways, tackles for losses and caused fumbles all lead to changes in momentum. The job of a 3-3-5 defense is to erode the offense’s confidence and make offensive players start second-guessing their scheme, game plan and coaches. When this doubt takes shape, the defense is dictating the tone of the game, and the offense is playing catch-up. No matter what happens during the course of a game, it is the defense that must dictate to the offense what plays can or cannot be run.

DIAGRAM 1

Redundancy One of the strengths of this defensive scheme is that it has redundancy built in for almost every situation. More than one person is usually assigned to do the same job. For example, if the primary force player, the Stud, falls down or is blocked during a play, the corner is assigned secondary force so that the defense still accomplishes what it set out to do. Examples of redundancy include the following: ■■ Having both outside linebackers and the corners assigned to force ■■ Having both outside linebackers and the corners assigned to pitch on the option ■■ Having refit reads for inside linebackers ■■ Having the free safety assigned to run the alley for secondary run support

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DIAGRAM 2

DIAGRAM 3

Personnel Two schools of thought exist when dealing with personnel and personnel groupings. Either flip sides with your defense, creating a strong side and a weak side, or have a right side and a left side that do not flip. For simplicity, this defense is designed to flip sides to keep players from having to learn multiple reads. In the 3-5-3 system, the outside linebackers are called Stud (strong) and Whip (weak). They are hybrids who cannot only defeat blocks from the tight end or fullback but also cover those positions man-to-man if needed. Most often, the Stud is more of a true linebacker and the Whip is more of a true defensive back. These two players line up four yards deep and four yards outside the offensive end player on

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the line of scrimmage, but they have total freedom of movement anywhere in their areas of play – unless dictated to adjust by formations. The inside linebackers are called Sam (strong) and Will (weak). They line up behind the tackles, three-and-a-half to four yards deep. They also have total freedom of movement anywhere in their areas of play. They need to move back and forth and side-to-side to confuse the offense about whether or not they are blitzing. They do not need to be overly big players, but they must be able to run. The Mike linebacker lines up behind the nose three-and-a-half to four yards deep, also with total freedom of movement anywhere in his area of play. He needs to move back and forth and side to side to confuse the offense about whether he is blitzing or not. This is

your toughest, most physical linebacker, but he can be a step slower than the other two inside linebackers. The two defensive tackles that typically align head up to the offensive tackles. Quickness, not strength, is most important. Defensive linemen are never asked to take on the player across from them man-to-man, so they can be smaller than in other systems. The nose guard lines up head up to the center. He needs to be the best defensive lineman on the field, and he must command a double team. The three defensive linemen will line up as close to the line of scrimmage as possible. It is paramount that the five offensive linemen are forced to account for the three defensive linemen. The free safety must be able to run the alley and also be effective in the passing game, willing to come up and

make a tackle. If you have a cornerback who is a good tackler but a step too slow to be an everydown cover guy, he may be just right for free safety in this scheme. The corners are simply the best athletes on the field. They are left on an island quite a bit, so they must be cover players with good instincts. In regards to the running game, the corners will be asked to provide secondary support and take the pitchback late on the option.

■■ Thomas Cousins is an assistant football coach at West Ashley (S.C.) High School, a position he assumed in 2006. Before joining the Wildcats’ staff, he coached at Avon Park (Fla.) High School for seven seasons (19992005), the last three as the Red Devils’ head coach. Involved with football for more than three decades as either a player or a coach, Cousins began his coaching career in 1991 as a defensive line coach at his alma mater, Newberry College.

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PLAYBOOK presented by Defending RPOs with the 3-3 stack

DIAGRAM 1

BY ZACH DAVIS

un-pass options (RPOs) are the newest strategy

offenses use to put defensive players in conflict. Offenses have been attempting to put defensive players in conflict since the creation of football, but the proliferation of the spread offense has forced defenses cover more grass, and most offenses on top of that run some version of read option as well as RPOs. The spread offense revolution has taken away the ability of defenses to get a plus-1 in the box versus most formations in traditional coverages. However, you can always use zero coverage to get a numbers advantage in the box. Zero coverage is risky, but you do not have to rush six all the time when you are in zero coverage. You can rush three to six players and keep the same coverage scheme for the secondary so you players can play fast. It is imperative that we keep the defense simple so our players can play without thinking. I have either been a defensive coordinator or head coach for the last seven seasons. I have a love for defense even though I was an offensive lineman my entire playing career. I started out being a 3-3 Cover 3 guy in 2011 who loved to blitz and play three deep, three under. That was a great defense because we played against a lot of wing-T teams, and we were able to keep the ball in front and use our front movements to disrupt their blocking schemes. These days, we only see wing-T twice a year, and even those teams run some elements of the spread. So, in order to combat the spread, we have adapted to more man to man coverage so our defenders are not in a run-pass conflict. There are some teams that use split field coverages with their 3-3, and they have great success with it. I have used versions of split field coverage in the past (palms and press quarters) with good success, but I found the teaching to be tedious, and my players were thinking too much during the snap. Defensive players who are thinking during the snap get blocked, bust assignments and do not fly to the football. Using man principles allows your players to play fast and aggressive. Alignment and assignment are key to any defense, and that is another reason I love man coverage. We number the receivers from the outside in, and we teach that to our players Day 1. We also teach our players that numbers 1 to 49 and 80 to 99 are eligible numbers. We will

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R S

DIAGRAM 2

R S

DIAGRAM 3

R S

DIAGRAM 4

R S F

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DIAGRAM 5

R S

Defending specific RPOs

DIAGRAM 6

R S

DIAGRAM 7

to the boundary or weak side of the formation. The Sam, Mike and Will all work off of the back for the coverage responsibility. The corners cover the No. 1 receivers, and the free safety will covers the No. 2 to the field or strength of the formation. I have used field/boundary and formation strength to determine alignment, and both work. I do prefer formation strength because formation to sideline has no effect on alignment and coverage responsibilities.

R S

cover the five eligible receivers on each play regardless of where they align. This keeps their rules simple and allows us to align to unique formations. Our base alignments in the 3-3 versus the spread are illustrated in DIAGRAMS 1-4.

Alignment rules The alignment rules are simple in this version of the 3-3 stack. ■■ The ends play in 5 techniques so they can slow play the quarterback versus zone read, spill all kickout blocks and be contain rushers on pass.

■■ The nose aligns in a 0 and is a two-gap player. ■■ The Sam and Will align at 5 yards stacked on the tackle, and the Mike aligns at 5 yards stacked on the center. ■■ The Raider aligns 4-by-4 from the tackle or in a 9 technique versus a tight end. ■■ The Bandit has the same alignment rules as the Raider. ■■ The Raider will cover the No. 3 receiver man to man to the field or to the strength of the formation, and the Bandit will cover the No. 2 receiver

The first RPO I want to talk about defending is inside zone coupled with the stick concept. The play and how we want to defend it are illustrated in DIAGRAM 5. ■■ The end to the back slow plays the quarterback and is ready to fall in on the hand-off. ■■ The end away from the quarterback is pinching because a good call versus trips is to blitz the Bandit to give you a four-player pass rush. ■■ The Will is unblocked, so if the end to the read side can force the ball carrier to keep it front side, the Will should be able to make the play. We are man to man in the secondary, so the offense will be forced to hand the ball off to our loaded box. The second RPO I want to talk about defending is outside zone coupled with slants. The play and how we want to defend it are illustrated in DIAGRAM 6. ■■ The end to the back shuffles square, and he is our BCR – boot, counter, reverse player. ■■ The end away from the back is fighting the reach block. ■■ The Sam, Mike and Will are fast flow to their gaps and mirroring the path of the ball-carrier. ■■ The Raider beats the crack block with speed. ■■ The corner and free safety crack replace because versus a loaded box, the offense will want to make the corner tackle. ■■ The Bandit and corner to the back play the slant routes man to man with inside leverage. The last RPO I want to talk about defending is power coupled with a vertical. The play and how we want to defend it are illustrated in DIAGRAM 7. ■■ The left end spills the kickout block to the Sam and the Raider. ■■ The nose holds the playside A gap. ■■ The end away from the back is our BCR player. ■■ The Mike gets over the top of the down block. ■■ The Will looks for the run through. ■■ The Bandit looks to fold for the cut back. ■■ The routes are covered with inside leverage by the corners and the free safety. ■■ Zach Davis is the head coach at Riverside High School in Belle, W.Va. Visit his website at zachdavis24.blogspot.com and download his podcast “Mind of a Football Coach” on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter @ZachDavis24.

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PLAYBOOK presented by Explosives: Screens, Draws, and Reverses

FLARE/FAST SCREEN

DIAGRAM 1

FLARE SCREEN & GO

DIAGRAM 2

BUBBLE

DIAGRAM 3

BY C. RAY GREGORY

hy use explosives plays? It is simple preparation

for you, adding and prepping plays for the week. It creates less time that opponents can spend working on your base plays. Adding work to opponents is always a good thing. It allows play callers to get the football to special players different ways. It adds dimension to your offense. It can be a momentum shifter, creating a big play. It can hurt fast defenses in pursuant to the ball quickly. The best time to call is when it catches everyone by surprise so mix it up and have fun with trick plays. Keys to successful explosive plays: ■■ They must compliment or be part of your package to be successful. ■■ They are part of every week’s game plan. ■■ K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) ■■ Finding the right time to call the play ■■ Must use in games to force defensive preparation ■■ Calling explosive plays allow for preparation meet opportunity – create your own luck Screen facts: ■■ Slows down the defense linemen’s rush and entire defense ■■ Hurt the blitz ■■ High percentage of pass play with big play potential

Types of screens Flare or fast screens: Throw to the widest receiver as quickly as possible. The quarterback gets the snap and throws immediately or almost immediately. This play happens fast and even moreso to the short side of the field (DIAGRAM 1). Flare screen and go: This is a double move. The offensive skill player fakes as if he or she is blocking, but really, the receiver is looking to sell the fast screen, often finding lots of open space because of to defensive breakdowns or the cover player sneaking a peak inside (DIAGRAM 2). Bubble: A safe, easy toss to the No. 2 receiver in doubles or the No. 3 receiver in trips. A back can also run the bubble (DIAGRAM 3). Run bubble anytime in trips that No. 3 is not covered. It is simple pass to complete. This screen allows teams to get down blocks on outside defenders and one on one against the corner out of trips set. Many teams use this as a run play as they get the ball out quickly in space. If the receiver can make one defender miss, cue up the band. An offshoot of this play is running it for an ineligible

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receiver on a backward pass. Bubble and go: Run from balanced spread, trips or quads, it includes any two-player combination route, such as verticals or comeback switch. The play slows the defense, allowing for deeper routes. Teams can use double moves such as out and up from the No. 1 and followed by the No. 2 receiver as a two-man vertical mini flood (DIAGRAM 4). Offenses in guns set can have a running back run across the quarterback’s face to give the defense a false read, and the

offensive line can block opposite as well. This slows down the linebackers and confuses the defenders in the box. Running back screen: These are great to slow down the rush as they help with the protection, sometimes as much as keeping your back in protection. The sales job starts with the offensive line, then it is up to the running back to get to his spot knowing when it is time to look back for the ball, this is a timing thing that will get worked out in practicing the play.

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BUBBLE & GO

DIAGRAM 4

TUNNEL SCREEN

DIAGRAM 5

TIGHT END SCREEN

DIAGRAM 6

Tunnel screen: Receivers run toward the football behind the line of scrimmage, allowing offensive linemen to get downfield with the football behind them. This is a slow developing play with the quarterback expected to draw the pass rush toward him (DIAGRAM 5). Tight end screen: A slow screen designed for the tight end to find a soft spot to catch the football and get upfield. The quarterback will look to draw the rush, allowing receivers to get deep fast (DIAGRAM 6).

Draw plays Draws from one-back sets tend to be a slower moving running play but they do allow the defense to rush upfield in order to help create running lanes. You also can run a quarterback draw with a lead blocker, establishing the lead draw (DIAGRAM 7). Empty is a great set for quarterback draw, especially if you catch the defense in man coverage.

Reverses Reversing the ball helps an offense do manythings (DIAGRAM 8):

PLAYBOOK presented by ■■ Slow down pursuit ■■ Take advantage of fast and aggressive defenses ■■ Big play potential The reverse works best against the better defense teams. The faster that they run to the football, the more likely that defenders will overpursue the action, leaving the reverse to be defended sometimes by one defender. Receivers love the reverse as it allows them to show off their skills without catching a pass. The key is getting the reverse player deep enough to get around the edge, so their aiming points should be two or three yards behind the deepest back in the backfield. The double reverse takes some time to develop and will take some work on install. Don’t overcoach it, and make it part of your package, even if only for a fun play to have in the package. The fake reverse also helps hold defenders and should be part of your plan. Additional explosives plays – including a shovel pass – can also be part of your package. This allows a receiver, often a running back, to slip under the defensive line, into an open area, receiving easy toss from the quarterback. Toss pass: A forward pass to a motion running teammate. It is a soft forward toss with some arc so the receiver can run under and catch it easily. It looks like jet sweep with an option to throw the ball at the receiver’s feet if the play does not develop appropriately (DIAGRAM 9).

QB DRAW

DIAGRAM 7

S F W

B E

REVERSE

DIAGRAM 8

TOSS PASS

DIAGRAM 9

Motion The basics of motion is within the play call. The call designates who will to be in motion and will designate what type of motion wanted, but the quarterback controls the final destination with the snap count. It is vital to the offense that the receivers and running backs have motions calls. Motion is the second part of how a team will align before you want the ball snapped. Use motion in your offense for specific, defined purposes, some of which include: ■■ To disguise our intentions/delay defensive recognition ■■ To gain a blocker at the point of attack ■■ To create personnel advantages ■■ To force pass coverage to declare man or zone ■■ To create coverage problems or checks ■■ To force the coverage to bump, changing personnel and alignment ■■ To help circumvent the jam

Uncovered receivers rule Sound defenses cover all receivers, but sometimes they make mistakes, especially when motion comes into play

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■■ Work to throw to any uncovered receiver created by alignment or motion ■■ If we fail to force the defense to cover-up our receivers it allows them to put an extra man in the box to defend the run and become an extra rusher vs. our passing game ■■ The quarterback and the uncovered will tap helmet to establish both on the same page and be waiting for the tap back to signal get the ball snap and to him quickly before the defensive can adjust.

Coaching points ■■ Screens help offset over-aggressive front sevens, and can be used as decoys after they appear on tape ■■ Add specials plays to group work ■■ It slows down the rush ■■ Low-risk, high-reward plays ■■ C. Ray Gregory has been the slot backs coach at Bethune-Cookman University since 2008. With more than two decades of experience, he also has coached at Southern Utah, Millsaps, Hines (Miss.), Georgia Southern, Hawaii, Itawamba and Buffalo. Three of his teams won NCAA rushing titles while running his renowned option offensive system.

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STRENGTH The 5/3/1 Method: Building Pure Strength BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

The 5/3/1 strength program is great for football players during the offseason because it produces results without going for a quick fix. Focusing on core lifts and taking it slow will help players avoid injury. EXPLAINING THE 5/3/1

im Wendler is the creator and

author of 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training Method for Raw Strength and Beyond 5/3/1: Simple Training for Extraordinary Results. He is a three-time letter winner at the University of Arizona (football) and has squatted 1,000 pounds in competition. Here are the principles of 5/3/1: ■■ Getting good at the core lifts will have a huge carryover into everything else. Start light, progress slowly, and leave out the ego in order to bust PRs. ■■ Train 3-4 days a week. Center each workout around one of the following: parallel squat, bench press, deadlift, or standing shoulder press.

■■ Use a specific percentage of your one-rep max to lift 5 reps, then 3 reps, then 1 rep. These percentages are based on 90 percent of your 1-rep max. ■■ Complement 5/3/1 training with complementary work to build muscle, prevent injury, and create a balanced physique. Options include chin-ups, dips, lunges, and back extensions. Each training cycle lasts four weeks, with these setrep goals for each major lift: ■■ Week 1: 3 x 5 ■■ Week 2: 3 x 3 ■■ Week 3: 3 x 5, 3, 1 ■■ Week 4: Deload Then you start the next cycle, using heavier weights on the core lifts.

4 TIPS FOR 5/3/1

Do Basic Multi-Joint Lifts. The bench press, parallel squat,

deadlift, and standing press have been the staples of any strong man’s repertoire. Those who ignore these lifts are generally the people who struggle with them. If you get good at those, you’ll get good at other stuff, as they have such a huge carryover. Start Light. While it may seem counterintuitive to take weight off the bar when the goal is to add weight to it, starting lighter allows you more room to progress forward. This is a very hard pill to swallow for most lifters. They want to start heavy and they want to start now. Progress Slowly. This ties in with starting light, and it keeps lifters who want to get big and strong yesterday from sabotaging their own progress. People want a program that will add 40 pounds to their bench in eight weeks. When I ask how much their bench went up in the last year, they hang their heads in shame. Break Personal Records. 5/3/1 is set up to allow you to break a variety of repetition records throughout the year. Notice that it’s “rep records” and not “one-rep max.”

4 ROOKIE MISTAKES TO AVOID

especially matters for 5/3/1. You must do the program the way it’s written. If you’re trying to mix and match between strength programs, you won’t see the results that are gained from rest and recovery. Take It Easy with the Complementary Exercises. Some people look for the magic combination of assistance exercises, and completely underrate the key lift. Do one or two exercises for five sets of 10, or maybe do a few more exercises for fewer sets. Start with Right Weights. This bears repeating. People blow away their PRs because they learn to train with some restraint and actually use weights that they can handle with good form. Progress Slowly. The longer your stride, the quicker you’ll tear a hamstring. No one seems to have the vision anymore to look beyond just what they’re doing today. Plan your training for a year. What do you want to accomplish 12 months from now? The game of lifting isn’t an eight-week pursuit. It doesn’t last as long as your latest program does. It’s a lifetime pursuit.

4 ■■ Jim Wendler, creator of the 5/3/1 Strength Program

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Don’t Customize. This applies to any program, but it

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CONDITIONING

■■ The Pro Agility Shuttle Drill is the most popular combine drill to measure agility.

10 Speed and Agility Drills Speed and agility training drills are designed to work a player’s leg and core muscles, as well as the tendons in his body. Adding these drills to a player’s offseason program will help increase performance and minimize injury. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

allas native Bob King has decades of

success training football players at every level – from former Super Bowl champions to high school freshmen. After a decorated career, King started his own strength and conditioning company, Kings Sports Training. King recently shared 10 speed and agility cone drills. X-Drill: The X-Drill works multiple sports postures: change of direction, change of footwork and change of angle. Set up five cones – four to make a square with one in the middle. Run to the center cone from each corner and rotate. 123 Back: This is a reaction drill that a player can do with a training partner or coach. The goal is to react with speed and sprint to the correct cone. You have to think and accelerate, and it’s a great way to simulate the defensive aspect of sports. 3 Cone/L-Drill: The 3 Cone or “L-Drill” is one of the most popular combine

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Cone Alley v. 2: Version 2 of drills used to measure cone alley adds a hip rotation speed and agility. This by cutting in and out of a cross drill requires multiple over. All three versions of changes of direction in a Cone Alley work great with small space. Pro Agility Shuttle: Also the OverSpeed Trainer 360 for known as the 5-10-5, added training. BOB KING this is the most popular Cone Alley v.3: Version 3 KING SPORTS TRAINING combine drill used to of cone alley adds a lateral measure quickness and shuffle to a spring and agility. This drill requires three cones, crossover run. This is a highly dynamic with a series of complete changes of drill for all sports. direction. Staggered Shuttle: The staggered shuttle Run-Shuffle-Run: The ability to is an abbreviated version of the pro transition in and out of a lateral shuffle agility shuttle. This is a quick change is very important in sports like baseball, of direction that forces you to get your tennis, basketball and football. This footwork set into a powerful position. drill works on getting in and out of this Run-Shuffle-Shuffle-Run: A shorter position with speed. version of Run-Shuffle-Run, you are Cone Alley v.1: There are three versions working on changing direction with a of cone alley, all with the same cone set up. lateral shuffle. This is a drill for defenThe first version works on getting in and sive players and has added effectiveness out of the back pedal with a slight angle. with the OverSpeed 360 Training Cable.

5 AT-HOME EXERCISES FOR STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY

■■ Increasing flexibility in the hip flexors can result in speed gains.

6 Stretches to Improve Flexibility STRETCH THE HIPS AND FLEXOR MUSCLES EVERY DAY

aintaining flexibility in the hips and flexor

muscles during the offseason can be as important for high school football players as making strength gains in the weight room. Players at every position need to move efficiently. Brett Fischer is the owner/founder of the Fischer Institute in Phoenix, Ariz. He is a licensed physical therapist, certified athletic trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, and has worked with the New York Jets. Fischer recommends six stretches to target the hip and flexor muscles. He recommends that high school players perform each strength for at least 30 seconds on both hips. Stretch 1: While on one knee, slowly bend your front knee as far as you can and then reach both arms overhead. You should feel the stretch in the front of your right hip (as pictured). Avoid arching your lower back but focus instead on letting the right hip move forward. Stretch 2: In this variation, allow your arm to reach over your head while sliding your hips out to the side. Feel the stretch in the “front/side pocket” area of your hip. Stretch 3: In the same starting position, rotate your arms across your body. This will allow for the rotational component of the hip flexors to be targeted. Stretch 4: While kneeling, place your other leg out to the side but keep your torso from rotating. Then place your left hand on the inside of your left

PUSH-UPS. This exercise is a great upper body and core strengthening exercise. Perform four to five sets of 15 reps. SIDELYE UP. Lie on one side and separate the legs from each other (about a foot). Then, lift the hip off the ground and rise up as high as possible. MATRIX MULTI-ANGLE LUNGES. First is a lunge to the front, then to the side and then lunge backwards as if you’re turning to chase someone. SINGLE-LEG SQUAT. Stand on one leg in front of a sturdy chair then slowly lower the hips down to the seat. Touch the chair with the hips and then return back to the starting standing position. TRICEP CHAIR DIPS. Start with your hands on the chair, knees bent and feet on the ground. Gradually lower the body down toward the floor while bending the elbows. Then, while pushing into the chair, return back to the starting position.

knee in order to prevent the knee from translating forward. Move your hips forward and back, this will require you to bend at your hip joints. Feel the stretch at the inside of your left leg. Stretch 5: In this version of the hip adductor muscle stretch, continue to hold the inside of the left knee while gliding your hips from side to side. You will feel the stretch on the lower part of your left thigh. Stretch 6: Setup as you did in the previous two stretches but in this stretch, rotate your pelvis in clockwise and counter-clockwise motions (small circles). Be sure to minimize your thigh movements as you hold the inside of your left knee.

4 5

■■ Fischer Institute founder Brett Fischer

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OFFSEASON DON’T CALL IT AN OFFSEASON

5 Steps to Keeping Players Engaged in the Offseason Every coach is faced with the offseason balancing act of monitoring players while also giving them space to explore other interests. A coach must empower players so they are accountable outside of football season. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

regory A. Cranmer, Ph. D., is the assistant professor

of sport communication at Clemson University. He offers five recommendations to coaches who are looking to keep their players engaged during the offseason. Set Expectations. “If you have an offseason program that you want the players to participate in, it has to be explicitly expressed. Maybe draft a contract. Have a meeting to go over those expectations.” Develop a Culture. “Develop the type of culture that will promote developmental season participation. It’s a culture that embraces process rather than outcome. It’s more about the effort they put in and refining skills rather than focusing on the final score.” Lead By Example. “If you expect a commitment and participation, you need to show the same commitment to their development as well. Check in with observations, but also have other players check in, so it’s not one person expressing interest over and over again.” Develop an Enriching Environment. “Athletes want to be challenged. Even though there are perceptions of entitlement, they want to refine their skills. The developmental season is a period of time when they expect it to occur and relish it.

4 36

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That’s the natural time to focus on individual task mastery. They want to develop more specified skill sets and hit individual goals.”

Inspire Players to Be Intrinsically Motivated.

“Realistically, it won’t happen for everyone. Some players are motivated by something in the environment like rewards. For those players, build in a reward system. It could be a point system for how many lifting sessions or developmental workouts they go to. Give them a tangible representation of the accomplishment. It can be an offseason award like a t-shirt or rubber bracelet with a team slogan or logo on it.”

■■ A coach should inspire players to be self-motivated in the offseason.

he word “offseason” may not give players an accurate impression when it comes to meeting a coach’s expectations. “Offseason” makes it sound like the players are free to take time off from football season, when in reality it can be one of the most important times of year for establishing a winning culture. Cranmer recommends coaches change the branding of the “offseason” by changing the name to the “developmental period” or “developmental season.” “The notion that it’s an offseason inherently communicates that it’s not a period for working,” Cranmer said. “I don’t know many coaches who subscribe to that mentality.” Using the word “developmental” to describe the type of training lets players know that it’s time to work on individual weaknesses so that each player is stronger going into next season. That could include work on the field, in the classroom, or in the gym.

NUTRITION 10 Tips for Eating During the Holiday Season

Don’t get into last-chance eating. “So many people think the plate of Christmas cookies is going to disappear until next Christmas. The truth BY DAN GUTTENPLAN is Grandma would probably love to make you Christmas cookies in other months. It’s not the last he holiday season presents countless opportunities for football players to overeat and chance you’ll ever get to eat them.” NANCY CLARK overindulge. Don’t let your players spoil all Eat desserts in moderation. “If you’re on your eighth MS, RD, CSSD of the gains they made throughout the season cookie, ask yourself if your body really needs it. by adding bad weight around the holidays. Two cookies eaten mindfully are tastier and more Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, is a sports nutrition counselor satisfying than two cookies devoured without even tasting and author of the book, “Sports Nutrition Guidebook.” She them. Savor the flavor.” understands that the holiday eating season can be a difficult Don’t deprive yourself. “You want a diet that’s 85 to 90 percent time of year for football players to navigate. She offers 10 tips. quality nutrient-rich food. The other 10 percent can be Ask yourself if you need to keep eating. “Before you eat, look at whatever you want. So some days, you might eat an apple; the food and ask if your body needs it. If you’re still hungry, go other days, it’s apple pie. You can have a meal and dessert. If ahead. If you’re eating mindlessly when you’re already full, stop.” you eat desserts with no meal, it’s a problem.” Don’t have eating competitions. “Some football players take pride Start a diet you can sustain. “You don’t have to have a perfect in having an identity as a ‘big eater.’ While this may be OK during diet to have an excellent diet. Moderation is important for the season, it’s not OK afterwards. Competitive eating can be a sustainability. You want to eat a quality food plan that you’re problem among athletes trying to determine who can eat more.” willing to maintain for the rest of your life.” Scale eating to exercise. “The more exercise you get, the Don’t confuse water for a meal. “If you’re thirsty, have a glass of hungrier you’ll be. The less exercise you get, the less you have water. But if your blood sugar is low and you feel hungry, that’s to eat. Your body can naturally regulate the food you eat if a signal that you want food. I’m not a big advocate of filling you’re mindful of how much you’re putting in.” yourself up on water to avoid eating.”

FUNDRAISING team moms win contests ‘Amazing’ Texas high school football moms support their teams and are rewarded with victories in FNF Team Moms Contests, sponsored by BUBBA burger.

ALLEN MOMS MAKE TEXAS’ BIGGEST SCHOOL FEEL LIKE FAMILY

ARGYLE (TEXAS) TEAM MOMS PARLAY POPULARITY INTO CONTEST WIN

he goal for the Allen High (Texas) Team Moms is to make the

football team seem like a family for a school with an enrollment of around 6,500 students. The Allen Team Moms appear to be succeeding in achieving that goal, as well as another one that they set in September. FNF Magazine recently recognized the Allen High Team Moms as the winners of the 2017 Friday Night Football Team Moms Contest, sponsored by BUBBA burger. This fall, FNF magazine set out to determine the school that boasted the best collection of football moms through an online vote at FNFMagazine.com/moms. The Allen moms received 1,892 votes on their way to winning the contest for large schools (an enrollment of 1,000 or more students). The group earned the winning prize of $1,000 in the form of a donation to the football program. The Allen Team Moms provide relentless support for a program that is recognized as one of the top outfits in the nation. The Allen Moms prepare team dinners and game-night meals, and solicit donations from local businesses for snacks and post-practice treats. They also make cards and deliver candy to injured players, host baby showers for coaches, and encourage players to volunteer in the community. “We basically try to make the team a family,” said Allen High Team Mom Tami Fee. “We let them know how important it is that they’re all there for each other. We want them to feel a part of the community that loves on them so much.” Fee read about the FNF Team Moms Contest in The Old Coach FNF Texas Magazine. The Old Coach produces a radio broadcast of Allen High football games, and does weekly interviews with Allen coach Terry Gambill. “Our Team Moms are the backbone of our program,” Gambill said. “Without the Team Moms, we wouldn’t have near the support we have in our program. They’re amazing.”

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he Argyle High (Texas) Football Team Moms are known around

Denton County for their spirit shakers, which they construct out of milk jugs and shake in the bleachers during games. Now the Argyle Team Moms will be known across the state of Texas for something else. FNF Magazine recently recognized the Argyle High Team Moms as the winners of the 2017 Friday Night Football Team Moms Contest, sponsored by BUBBA burger. This fall, FNF magazine set out to determine the school that boasted the best collection of football moms through an online vote at FNFMagazine.com/moms. The Argyle moms received 1,736 votes on their way to winning the contest for small schools (an enrollment of 1,000 or fewer students). The group earned the winning prize of $500 in the form of a donation to the football program. In addition to handing out spirit shakers at football games, the Argyle Team Moms make many significant contributions to the program. The Team Moms host a prayer group at the field house each Monday, and write inspirational messages to players and coaches. They also host traditional team dinners and provide meals for coaches each Thursday during the season. The Argyle Team Moms also formed a Sunshine Committee, which provides cards and visits to injured or sick team members. The Team Moms participate in pep rallies and awards assemblies. “We’re a spirited group,” said Argyle Team Mom Kelly Dunham. “We have a lot of fun working together. What I love about the group is we don’t ever have to beg. It’s a great group of moms, and each mom can participate in as many areas as she wants.” Argyle coach Todd Rodgers makes it a priority for his players to express their gratitude to the Team Moms. “They all love to contribute,” Rodgers said. “We have a very strong winning tradition. The moms enjoy having their boys be a part of something special like our football program. They love to be a fly on the wall and participate as much as they can. They’re amazing.”

FUELING ATHLETES EVERYWHERE

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INSPIRATION Come Up With a Team Slogan SET THE TONE FOR THE 2018 SEASON A team slogan can set the path for a team’s success by giving the coaches and players a rallying cry for the entire season. December is the perfect time to create your team’s slogan for 2018. FNF Coaches asked coaches to share their team slogans for the 2017 season. Here is a collection of the responses:

Anybody, Anytime, Anyplace

BAT: Be About Today CWCW: Chop Wood, Carry Water

Big Team, L’il Me, No Guts, No Glory

If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you

Accept the Grind Education, Discipline, and Family Resilience + Relentlessness = Redemption Grab An Axe

Sacrifice Required

PRIDE: Personal Responsibility In Daily Endeavors WE ALL SWEAT IN Neighborhood to Brotherhood THE SAME BUCKET They thought they buried us, but they didn’t know we were seeds Winning is not a

sometime thing

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