FNF Coaches 2019 "Coaches of the Year"

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A Community Rallies to Save a Player’s Life A Dying Coach’s Final Lesson for His Players

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The Magazine for High School Football Coaches

february 2019

milton High (georgia)

coach adam clack

college Q&A

WITH indiana Coach tom allen

PLAYBOOK

+ Rocket Toss in Triple Option + Attacking and Reading Coverages + Simplifying Formations for the Defense + Linebacker Zone Coverage in Quarters Milton High (georgia) coach Adam Clack with players Dylan Leonard (No. 2), Ricky Haviland (no. 22) and Jack Nickel (no. 86)

Offseason Goals: Bigger, Faster, Stronger Aaron Donald’s Strength Program + What’s Trending @FNFCoaches + Tech Corner + Legendary Strength Coach’s Program + 12 Tech Products for Strength Training

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The Magazine for High School Football Coaches

february 2019

CHAMPIONSHIP

CHArge

Community Wilcox High (Calif.)

Rallies coach Paul Rosa to Save Player’s Life A Dying Coach’s Final Lesson for His Players

college Q&A

WITH indiana Coach tom allen

PLAYBOOK

+ Rocket Toss in Triple Option + Attacking and Reading Coverages + Simplifying Formations for the Defense + Linebacker Zone Coverage in Quarters

Offseason Goals: Bigger, Faster, Stronger Aaron Donald’s Strength Program + What’s Trending @FNFCoaches + Tech Corner + Legendary Strength Coach’s Program + 12 Tech Products for Strength Training

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04. NEWS+NOTES 05. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 16. FNF COACHES FROG FITNESS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 18. GSC COACH-TO-PLAYER™ MAKES BIG IMPACT IN NFL 48. INSPIRATION

46

TECH CORNER PRESENTED

BY SIDELINE POWER

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR We are proud to present our second edition of 2019, which has a strength and conditioning theme. The start of the spring practice schedule offers the perfect time for a coach to take stock of his program and make sure he is making the most of the time he is requesting of his players.

Strength and conditioning programs have become so personal to high school football coaches, as many of the programs now complement the style a team plays during the season. Strength programs for up-tempo programs might focus on building fast-twitch muscles in the weight room and working on speed and agility on the track and practice field.

Other programs strive to develop big, physical teams that dominate both sides of the line of scrimmage through Olympic lifts and core development.

We will also recognize 50 coaches – one from each state – who stood out above the rest in 2018. As part of our GSC Coach-to-Player Coach of the Year section, we tell the stories of each of the state champion coaches and what made their seasons so special.

It’s worth taking the time in the offseason to make sure you are aware of all of the latest trends and educational opportunities so that if a parent asks for your advice, you will be armed with the information you need. 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 information you want in the coming months, 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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NEWS+NOTES

MIXED REVIEWS FOR THE DEBUT OF INSTANT REPLAY IN TEXAS

T

his was the first year that the University Interscho-

lastic League (Texas) used instant replay for high school football, and the early returns were not so favorable. Instant replay was used for the 12 state championship games from Class A to 6A that were played at the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Fox Sports Southwest or Fox Sports Southwest Plus provided 12 camera angles for instant replay.

Former FNF Coach of the Year Randy Allen of

Highland Park was not impressed with the system.

“I think it took way too long,” Allen said after Highland Park won its third consecutive state championship by beating Alvin Shadow Creek 27-17. “I didn’t like it, because we thought we scored and our receiver thought he scored and the official [on the field] thought he scored, but instant replay determined we didn’t score.”

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

ARKANSAS IS THE FIRST STATE TO LAUNCH A VIRTUAL REALITY PROGRAM TO CURB

concussions. The program is called “Crash Course” and it uses virtual reality to simulate and educate student-athletes on the dangers of concussions – including the signs, symptoms and long-term effects caused by these injuries. Crash Course includes four parts: An interactive film that puts the viewer on the field during a high school football game; a visual fly through the human brain; awareness training and a symptoms simulator. The concussion curriculum is free to every Arkansas high school and now available.

TRENDING TOPICS @FNFCOACHES Xenith is claiming the crown of “safest helmet” with its new Shadow. The helmet features a matrix of shock absorbers and internal suspension system that helps prevent the outer-shell transmitting to a player’s head.

The new helmet works to balance weight distribution, providing players a light headgear that fits well and lets them focus on the game. Its design enables the outer shell to twist independently of a player’s head, potentially filling a safety gap previously missing.

Your Call Football (YCF) will host a four-game play-calling series for coaches in February at the Dream Finders Homes Flex Field at Daily’s Place, adjacent to TIAA Bank Field – home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. YCF allows fans to influence the outcome of live games by calling plays in real-time via the YCF app—eliminating the need for the ‘Monday Morning Quarterback.’ YCF also offers a ‘live fantasy’ and gaming experience where fans compete against each other for bragging rights and more than $72,000 in cash prizes based on their play-calling score.

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Accountability begins when you realize that your choices affect more than just yourself! Miss a workout because you don’t feel like it? Not only are you weaker in your day to day life but you are now the weak link of the chain on the field.” @LINDAGARZA02 RECRUITs: While making a highlight film start with an information slide: ■■ First & Last Name ■■ Jersey # ■■ HT/WT ■■ 40 ■■ High School ■■ St ■■ GPA ■■ Test Score Don’t follow this up with 30+seconds of accolades! Show the highlights the FILM shows if you can PLAY.” @JR_SANDLIN RECRUITS: The recruiting process can become very stressful. At times you have to stop, take a deep breath and be thankful to have a chance.” @COACHJORDAN82 Kids learn more from teachers who smile. Greet your students with a smile and call them by name. Kids learn more from teachers who connect. Know your students and know what makes them unique. Kids learn more from teachers who encourage. Lift them up and notice their strengths.” @DAVIDGEURIN

New Jersey schools are dealing with a drop in participation numbers, which falls in line with the trend across the country. At Lenape Valley, Smolyn has instituted the use of Guardian Caps at practice. The cap is a soft-shell helmet cover engineered for impact reduction. According to its web site, Guardian Caps reduces impact up to 33 percent and the product is currently utilized by over 100 colleges and 1,000 high schools nationwide.

Smolyn saw their research and bought in immediately.

BYTECUBED HAS INVENTED EYEWEAR

with technology that uses holograms for sports training. The technology is currently being used by the Baltimore Ravens, who use the eyewear to simulate the opposing team on the field and react to real-time data. Microsoft’s “HoloLens” glasses allow users to play-back recent plays and simulations.

It’s difficult to predict if — or when — this technology will impact the high school game, but it seems like it could be a game-changer in terms of pre-game preparation. Instead of showing a player film to watch on his device, a coach could hand him hologram glasses and visualize it together.

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PORTA PHONE TD 900 SERIES WIRELESS HEADSETS With the introduction of the TD 900 Porta Phone has taken our time-honored “All in One” headset concept to the next level with rugged construction and the extra transmitting power that is allowable for wireless systems operating in the 900 MHz band.

These revolutionary headsets operate without a base station or beltpacks and allow coaches to talk simultaneously in a hands-free, open line pattern.

They utilize the 900 Mhz band, a frequency range free of “RF clutter”, where the allowable power output is more than double that of standard wireless systems. The TD 900 system delivers coaches both the superior punch-out power capable of penetrating thick pressbox glass and concrete while delivering high definition digital audio performance.

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05

■■ The jet sweep was a popular play at all levels of football in 2018.

The Best Excerpts from FNF Coaches Talk FNF Coaches Talk is a daily post on FNFCoaches.com that shares all of the top stories that coaches are talking about. We dig up creative play calls, explanations of how to out-scheme an opponent, articles from strength trainers on seasonal programs, tips from veteran coaches, funny videos, and more. Visit FNFCoaches.com daily or follow @FNFCoaches to keep up with the daily feed.

Most of the buzz on coaching chat boards in January revolved around the NFL Playoffs and College Football Bowl season. We shared stories about trends in scheme and play-calling on our daily Coaches Talk posts. Here are some of the more popular posts from January.

HOW DID THE JET SWEEP MAKE IT TO THE BIG LEAGUES? ■■ ESPN

The fly sweep pass has become all the rage this season in the NFL. NFL Divisional Round teams like the Chiefs, Rams, Patriots and Eagles all used it this season.

In concept, the fly sweep is simple: A receiver or running back goes in motion, a quarterback in the shotgun takes the snap and — almost like a touch pass in basketball — he lets the ball float in the air. It rarely travels more than a few inches. If all goes well, the receiver catches it on the run,

06

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just as he’s hitting top speed, and zooms around the end of the line. If it goes poorly, and the receiver drops the exchange, it’s an incomplete pass — not, crucially, a fumble.

■■ How do you defend the jet sweep?

a lot of real whole foods and eliminating cheat days. Healthy fats are vital for fighting inflammation.

■■ What do you stress to help your players recover faster between games?

HOW CHIEFS PLAYERS PREPARE BODIES FOR A GAME ON SHORT REST

THE TSUNAMI BAR, USED BY CLEMSON, POWERS THE TOP HIGH SCHOOLS

This article was published in December when

Gordon Brown developed a flexible barbell

the Chiefs were preparing for a Thursday night showdown on a short week.

Players’ workouts likely consist of lighter weight with more reps to get the blood flowing. Proper blood flow aids in recovery. He added the preparation for a week like this one starts in the off season.

Nutrition is also a key component to recovery for the Chiefs.

But it’s not all about foam rollers and compression sleeves, players diets can play a big role in their recovery. It starts with

that high school football players across the South, including those at Anderson’s T.L. Hanna High School (S.C.), have used on the way to deep playoff runs and even state championship victories.

Brown’s “Tsunami Bar” from a distance looks like any other barbell, but it’s made of a flexible fiberglass composite, not steel.

The bar bends when weights are added to each end, and through the power of physics, the resistance on an athlete’s muscles increases the faster the bar is moved.

■■ FOX 4 KC

■■ Independent Mail

T.L. Hanna’s football team started training with the Tsunami Bar in 2015 and now has 48 of them, said Daniel Rochester, the school’s strength and conditioning coach.

“It’s changed the way we train dramatically,” Rochester said in an August interview. “Instead of everybody just looking for brute strength all the time, now we can apply speed to our program.”

■■ What new product have you incorporated into your program’s strength training?

COACH GIVEN EIGHT MONTHS TO LIVE LEADS TEXAS TEAM TO STATE TITLE ■■ ESPN

This is an unbelievable story about a head coach who was given eight months to live at the start of the football season. Newton head coach W.T. Johnston shared the news with the players and warned them that he might not make it through the season. He told the players that his last lesson he’d teach them would be how to live before death.

■■ Coaches — What is the most important lessons you’ll teach your players?

NEW IU ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE COACHES MIX CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY WITH FAMILIAR LIFTS ■■ Indianapolis Star

This story inspired us to make Indiana coach Tom Allen our featured subject in our next College Coach Q&A. He is ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing new technology into a strength and conditioning program.

From cameras and laser technology to GPS monitoring, he has a handle on all of the technology that is changing the game at the college level.

Each weight rack has a camera behind it, and another seeing everything going on inside the rack specifically. A laser aimed toward the rack measures how far and how quickly a player moves the bar itself. Coupled with the weight on the bar, IU’s staff can quantify that peak power, one of the key numbers Ballou and Rhea will track.

The Indiana strength coaches estimate a 20- to 30-percent increase in power numbers per player since implementing the new technology.

When a player arrives at a rack, he taps an attached iPad that gives him his workout in weights and reps, already pre-programmed. Ballou managed similar programs at Notre Dame and IMG Academy in Florida. He bases players’ goals on what would constitute improvement for them and what would put them on par with elite college and NFL players.

■■ What piece of technology do you use in your strength program that produces results?

IOWA STRENGTH COACH CHRIS DOYLE: DON’T SLEEP ON SLEEP ■■ The Gazette

Iowa’s Chris Doyle is one of the highest paid strength and conditioning coaches in the country ($725,000 this season). When it comes to innovative ideas, he focuses on something all high school coaches can stress — getting enough sleep.

“They say the No. 1 performance improver is sleep, and I believe that,” Doyle said.

“Sleep, recovery, nutrition, these are things that add to the athletes’ ability to progress from week to week and year to year.”

In the last year, Iowa players have started wearing a wrist device from Fatigue Science. It monitors sleep and produces real-time and predictive fatigue analytics for athletes, which shape training and recovery decisions.

“What we’ve found was the guys who were sleeping well their heart rate variability numbers were consistently good,” Doyle said. “What we’ve come to realize is the biggest contributing factor for recovery is sleep.”

■■ How could you monitor your players’ sleep to make sure they’re maximizing their potential?

FOOTBALL’S ANALYTICS REVOLUTION HAS ARRIVED ■■ The Ringer

We know very few high school teams will have the budgets to keep up with NFL analytics departments. But we’ll share one of the findings that might help you as you game-plan next season.

NFL teams are running more plays to the side of the field farthest from its opponent’s bench. Why? It has figured out, using playertracking data, that a defensive lineman will sometimes run more throughout the course of a game by shuffling from the bench to the field during a substitution than he will during actual gameplay. Thus, running plays to the far side of the field can help tire out rotating defensive linemen.

■■ How much do you consider analytics as you call plays on game day?

BREAKING DOWN SEAN MCVAY’S TIMEOUT USAGE BY THE NUMBERS THERE IS A PRETTY UNCONVENTIONAL WAY IN WHICH RAMS COACH

Sean McVay uses timeouts. Instead of saving timeouts for the end of each half, he burns through them whenever he doesn’t like the look of the defense or when the play clock gets low.

McVay has had all three timeouts with five minutes left just 30.8 percent of the time this season. As the numbers show, when McVay does use a timeout, the Rams typically have a successful play out of the break. That’s either making a key stop on defense to get off the field, causing an incompletion or short run, or simply picking up a first down on offense. Having a success rate of 53.5 percent is good, especially considering 63 percent of McVay’s called timeouts have come on third or fourth down – meaning they’re crucial plays in the game. (RAMS WIRE)

07

COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER

EMBRACING ANALYTICS

A

Q&A with indiana head coach tom allen

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

T

om Allen has led the Indiana Hoosiers to a record of

10-15 in his two seasons as head coach. Prior to becoming the head coach in Dec. of 2016, he served as Indiana’s defensive coordinator for one season (2016), when he oversaw the largest singleseason improvement in defensive ranking in the country. Between 1992 and 2006, Allen also served as a high school head coach at Temple Heights High (Fla.) and Ben Davis (Ind.). Allen recently sat down for an interview with FNF Coaches.

How much has your strength and conditioning program changed since you were coaching high school football?

“I go around and visit places as a college coach now. The amount of strength coaches at the high school level has increased dramatically. I coached high school football in an area of Indiana that had strength coaches for years. We had Kevin Vanderbush at Ben Davis, and other strength coaches have copied what he’s done there. Now, kids are lifting during the school day. It’s become unusual when teams don’t. It’s really increased at the high school level, and it’s such a big part of the development of players.”

Have you encountered any new technology that helps your strength and conditioning program?

“From a technology perspective, we utilize EliteForm, which allows us to monitor reps with video and laser technology. It gauges bar speed to see how explosive the lifts are. That’s been instrumental here. It addresses and creates power numbers to quantify functional strength for players. It’s not just about developing a bigger,

08

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stronger athlete. The game has changed, and they have to make plays in space. With the spread and tempo, defensive players have to adapt. There’s more emphasis on speed and explosive power with a change of direction rather than having guys lay on their backs and bench press or squat.”

What made you decide to go with EliteForm?

“I know a lot of high schools in the area that have it. The technology allows video monitors at each station. It’s really been something that’s helped. It’s a new technology that we utilize.”

What is the primary objective for your staff in February?

“From a strength perspective, we’re trying to get as strong as possible this time of year. So, it’s heavier weights and heavier lifting. We’re running some, but not as much as the summer.

We want guys to get their strength numbers up.

That’s the objective.”

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a player who wants to get bigger in the offseason?

“Some guys get obsessed about gaining weight.

To me, you don’t have to do anything special. Just eat healthy. Don’t gain it just to gain it. You don’t want your waist line to change. Gain good weight by staying healthy. I wouldn’t endorse one thing.

Eat healthy. Get good rest. That’s one players don’t understand enough. Get rest, don’t play video games at night. You have to be consistent. There’s no magic potion to getting stronger. I highly encourage multi-sport participation. You have to find a way to strength the body so that you’re stronger late in the season.”

llen made his head coaching debut with Indiana at the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl after the team’s previous head coach, Kevin Wilson, resigned unexpectedly.

Allen immediately demonstrated his desire to embrace analytics by refusing to punt – and instead opting to go for it – when faced with several fourth-down situations.

“We utilized the analytics component, and it made me more aggressive,” Allen said.

“It’s all based on field position and time on the clock. The guys in the press box give me that information.”

Allen has streamlined the process over his two seasons as head coach, so it now runs like a welloiled machine.

“On second down, the guys in the press box will start to communicate with the offensive staff on the headsets,” Allen said.

“They might say, ‘If it’s 3 or less, it’s a go.’ Then, I know what we have to pick up on third down.

They compare your stats to the opponent’s stats, and the program spits out the probability.”

Allen has also switched from a 4-3 defense to a 4-2-5 to counter the added speed on offense due to more spread attacked.

“We went to the 4-2-5 by taking out the SAM and replacing him with a hybrid safety,” Allen said. “He gives us more flexibility to play other coverages. We try to be a back-end driven team.”

HIGH POWER for MAXIMUM RANGE

Have you found a training regimen that helps players play faster?

No Beltpack or Base Station!

“There’s no question the 40 is a big deal because the NFL makes a big deal out of it. It trickles down. The start is important, but that doesn’t translate in a huge way. Fast is fast when you’re watching film. Do guys catch your running back from behind? Does your wide receiver run away from people? The GPS systems we use now will replace the 40 when it comes to tracking speed and running at game speed.

That’s way more practical. NFL guys come in and ask about mph – not 40 times. That’s measured with GPS systems. We can even get times off of HUDL film. That’s the way we’ve transitioned here and the way we talk and think.”

What’s new in the college game that high school coaches should be aware of?

“The continued emphasis on being faster is everybody’s goal.

The best way to run faster is to run track. They’re forced to compete coming out of the blocks. They’re racing other guys and training their bodies to react. That simulates finding ways to accelerate out of breaks. We use bungee cords to train muscles to fire faster. It’s about turnover rate and transitioning faster by accelerating. Do it over and over again. We’ll have guys run down a decline, or do over-speed training on a treadmill. I believe in that. We find ways to increase a player’s ability to put his foot in the ground, change direction and accelerate.”

What do you recommend for coaches who are hoping to foster team chemistry this spring?

“More than anything, get guys from other position groups together.

They’re drawn together by position.

We have accountability teams with a mix of offense, defense and special teams. Have competitions together, do community service. Hold each other accountable for doing things right. Eliminate cliques and separate groups. Have them spend time together away from football.”

YOUR CONNECTION TO THE

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

COACHING COMMUNITY

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Villavicencio, (from left) Abraham center) poses withZachary Soto and Michael Donalaya.

Kurt Bryan (right Dace, Arroyo High coachjunior varsity head coach Mikel Jonathan Caling,

head (Minn.)n (center ), Grace Jay left) Totino-Jeff Ferguso a, nts (from coach y Lapant with assista on, Anthon Don Roney AndersLitecky and Brian

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09

USA FOOTBALL

■■ Tennesee coach Jeremy Pruitt will be a keynote speaker at the USA Football National Conference.

Learning and Advancing the Game at USA Football’s National Conference Coaches nationwide gather annually at USA Football’s National Conference.

T

he following speakers will be among dozens who share insight and advice:

■■ P.J. Fleck, Head Coach, University of Minnesota ■■ Jeremy Pruitt, Head Coach, University of Tennessee ■■ Herb Hand, Co-Offensive Coordinator, University of Texas ■■ Noel Mazzone, Offensive Coordinator, University of Arizona ■■ Bobby April, Retired NFL Special Teams Coordinator The list above doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. With the winningest active high school football coach in J.T. Curtis (John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, La.) and other successful, cuttingedge coaches like Steve Specht of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School, attendees will gain knowledge to give their program a winning edge.

Chalk talks also will take place throughout the conference and at USA Football’s booth with engaging speakers ready to answer your questions.

National Conference Goes Beyond a Clinic and Surface Level Xs and Os On USA Football’s Live Field at National Conference, you can dive deep into fundamentals and techniques to power your schemes.

Culture and leadership will be highlighted at this year’s National Conference with experts like Brian Kight, the CEO of Focus 3, and retired Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine.

Offseason conditioning and physical development will also be emphasized with Kurt Hester from Louisiana Tech and Darnell Clark from Charlotte Country Day School (N.C.) taking the reins.

10

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Technique Over Scheme: Skill-Focused Systems If you’re a fan of USA Football’s techniquebased systems, there are plenty of opportunities to engage with the individuals who created those systems and coaches who believe in them.

With on-the-field drills and classroom sessions, USA Football’s National Conference is the best way to sample something from every USA Football system.

Coaches who want to dive deep into the new Advanced Tackling System can also register for a private clinic and learn from both Andy Ryland and Richie Gray – the instructors behind the system and the 5 Fights progression that powers it.

Off-the-field Focused Sessions Football isn’t just about what happens in your locker room, on the field or even in the weight room. There are sessions focused on risk management and brand integrity to help coaches become better in a variety of other areas as well.

Additionally, there are sessions on returnto-play protocols, at-risk youth, social media, character and building a strong relationship between youth and high school programs.

Registering for the National Conference Coaches who want to join the conversation in Orlando from February 22-24 can register at usafootball.com/national-conference. Group rates are also available for coaching staffs that want to come together to improve their craft. If you only go to one national coaching conference, strongly consider making it this one.

At its most simple form, how football teams attack a season can be rather foundational. You train, condition and practice often employing very similar, but sometimes different, drills and strategies. But what makes that one team win every year?

WHY THAT ONE TEAM IS ALWAYS WINNING …

You know the one. Every year they reach sectionals, districts, regionals and even state. What are they doing differently?

The answer is easy, leadership. Program leadership and culture can be what makes or breaks your program no matter where it’s at in the season.

And when done properly, leadership can drive those champion level results you are working toward, here’s how …

1) Removes “flavor of the week” training programs and speeches that get ignored, resisted, and rejected.

2) Creates a culture that goes beyond you and empowers your coaching staff and players not only on the field, but off as well.

3) Allows your entire program to change its behavior and produce results through building a solid foundation of trust.

4) From trust and accountability to character and competence, by applying a systematic approach to leadership that focuses on building interacting behaviors, results will be immediate within your culture.

The stakes have never been higher to get leadership right and the cost has never been greater for getting it wrong.

USA Football and Focus 3 have partnered to offer football programs across the country access to the same leadership training used by top coaches in the high school, collegiate and professional levels.

Learn more about getting it for your program at usafootball.com/focus3.

EMERGENCY CARE

RESCUE TEAM HONORED THE SEVEN PEOPLE

■■ First responders (from left) Dr. Joe Reagan, Dr. Mike Picciano and CBA trainer Randy Kinn, were honored with the Syracuse Sports Corporation's Believe To Achieve Reed Hawke Excellence In Sportsmanship Award for saving the life of Christian Brothers Academy Syracuse sophomore football player Melvin Beard (second from left) in September.

Syracuse football community rallies to save a life When Christian Brothers Academy (N.Y.) sophomore Melvin Beard went into cardiac arrest during a game on Sept. 14, medical personnel, coaches and spectators took immediate action to prevent a tragedy. A medical emergency can strike a team at any time, so it’s important for schools to be prepared for the worst.

who came to Beard’s rescue were recently honored at the Believe to Achieve Awards ceremony with an Excellence in Sportsmanship Award, for their efforts to get Beard to the hospital alive so he could undergo open heart surgery.

“It’s a blessing, it’s truly a blessing,” said his mother, Undrea Beard.

Beard has continued to stay close to his teammates and hopes to return to the field – in some capacity – in the fall.

“Obviously I want to play again. Hopefully I get to play again,’’ he said. “If not, yeah, I could deal with it. I feel like I’ll still be involved with sports, though. I feel like I would try to be a team manager or something like that.

“I feel like when I look at (activities) now, I feel like I’ve got to do my all because I never know when it’s going to be the last.’’

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

C

BA had just scored a touchdown against

Elmira on Sept. 21 when Melvin Beard was walking off the field. In a way, he was lucky that he collapsed in that setting – in front of a stadium filled with spectators.

Seconds after he hit the ground, two members of the CBA coaching staff – defensive line coach Joe Reagan, a retired anesthesiologist; and video and replay assistant Mike Picciano, a family practitioner — rushed onto the field along with team trainer Randy Kinn.

They were soon joined by Ben Connor, a physician’s assistant, Upstate spinal surgeon Rich Tallarico, and EMT Amber Irby, who were all in the stands as spectators.

When that group gathered around Beard, he was initially sitting up and responsive.

“I remember them taking off my shoes, off my helmet, my shoulder pads.

The only thing I don’t remember is them

12

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taking off my game pants,’’ Beard said.

“I think I was just in shock. I was just really hot. I was just telling them take off all my stuff. I was just trying to focus on my breathing, stuff like that.’’

In the right place at the right time, the medics came together to save Melvin’s life. His heart stopped for 90 seconds as he suffered from an undetected birth defect called a left coronary artery anomaly.

“I know I’m blessed,” said Beard.

“I was fortunate as a trainer just to have the medical people around me,” said Kinn.

An automated external defibrillator (AED), which was stored nearby, had jolted Beard back to consciousness. By the time an ambulance came, Beard was able to climb onto the gurney himself.

Beard was hospitalized for a week in Syracuse. In a demonstration of how a football community can rally around a player or coach that has experienced tragedy, the Syracuse community lifted

Beard after the life-threatening situation. Coaches, friends and teammates paraded through his hospital room for the better part of a week.

Since Beard was located in the pediatric intensive care unit, there was a limit of four visitors at a time. Nurses complained often when 15 to 20 of Beard’s teammates arrived at once expecting to see their sophomore teammate.

“I think just their prayers, just being comforted by people. I never felt like I was lonely,’’ Beard said. “I always felt like somebody was praying for me or watching over me. So, I feel like that really helped in my recovery.’’

Beard underwent surgery to fix the heart problem at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. He has yet to receive medical clearance to exercise.

He’s getting a stress test in late January and an MRI in February with a goal to return to football in the fall.

COACHING LEGEND

■■ Newton High (Texas) coach W.T. Johnston was given eight months to live in March of 2018.

Texas state champion coach: ‘I’m at peace with dying’ Newton High (Texas) coach W.T. Johnston was given eight months to live prior to the start of the football season. The coach vowed that his final lesson to players would be to show them how to live before they die.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

W

.T. Johnston recognizes that he’s been

sentenced to death by doctors three times over by now.

“I’ve outlived every diagnosis the doctors have given me,” Johnston said.

“I don’t know if I’ll make it much longer, but I’m at peace with that.”

The Newton High (Texas) football coach was the first patient to survive a double lung transplant in 2015, but even after remarkably coming out of that procedure alive, he was given less than a year to live.

“The doctor told me that if my white blood count starts going down, it’s over,”

14

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Johnston said. “It started going down, and they said I’d last about 280 days.”

Johnston developed chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGHVD) following the lung transplant. In GvHD, the donated bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells view the body of the transplant recipient as foreign, and the donated cells/bone marrow attack the body.

After Johnston dropped from 220 pounds to 140, he made what he thought would be his final request before death.

“I told them I don’t want to die in a hospital,” Johnston said. “If I’m going to

die anyway, let me do what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

Johnston was discharged from the hospital, and that August, he returned to practice on a golf cart for preseason workouts. Johnston has since surpassed any expectations doctors had for him, serving as the head coach for four more seasons – the last two of which resulted in Class 3A Texas state championships for Newton.

“Being around kids has been the best medicine for me,” Johnston said. “They make me laugh. I haven’t always been

able to do a lot of coaching during that time, but I’ve been able to see how my life can affect people before I die.”

Newton’s last two state championship seasons have overlapped with a period in which Johnston’s health has again taken a turn for the worse. During Newton’s 2017 championship run, Johnston often found himself feeling sicker than usual and struggling to breathe. He was evaluated at St. Luke’s Hospital – only to find his body was going through chronic rejection.

In March of 2018, doctors told Johnston there was nothing left they could do. He was given four to eight months to live.

“I got my players together, and told them I’m probably not going to make it through the season,” Johnston said. “I’ll be here every day until I can’t be here. I don’t want this to be the reason we can’t win. Get used to the idea, and it’s not going to be a shock. We talked for an hour about what was going to happen.”

Johnston said his first goal was to survive until August, so that the school couldn’t hire another head coach to oversee a staff that had helped him build the program over the last eight years. Once he made it to the start of the season, he gathered his players to stress the importance of his final lesson to them.

“That’s when I told them this is going to be the last lesson I teach them,” Johnston said. “It’s how you live before you die, where to put your strength, where you put your faith, and who to lean on. I’m going through this life experience, and we’re all going to experience it at some point.

I’m going to show you how to handle it, whose feet to lay it on, and where to put your trust.

“I don’t want to die, but I’m at peace with it. I know where I’m going, and I’m not going to be sick anymore. Don’t worry about me.”

Johnston’s son, Drew, took over most of the head coaching duties at practice and on the sideline during games, while also being Newton’s

defensive coordinator. Newton got off to a great start to the season, posting a 4-0 record in August in September against a host of Class 4A foes.

At that point, Johnston set a goal to live until the team went to Dallas for the state championship game.

“We played the best teams in 4A, and we beat them all,” Johnston said. “The kids said, ‘Coach – You made it this far, you might as well make it to Dallas.’”

The doctors told Johnston in March that his death would be imminent once his lung function decreased to 10 percent of capacity. At midseason, his lung function readings dipped into the teens, and Johnston prepared for the worst.

“I had a hard time getting up and going some days,” Johnston said. “I thought, ‘I don’t know if I’ll make it much longer; I don’t think I have a lot of games left in me.’”

Just as he has numerous times over the last five years, Johnston staved off the inevitable and made it to Dallas for the state championship game. He sat on the sideline in a wheelchair during his team’s 21-16 victory over Canadian at AT&T Stadium.

“I got better because I wasn’t sitting around thinking, ‘Pitiful me,’” Johnston said. “I lay it at the Lord’s feet. This is Your will, not my will. I want to live, but if it’s Your will, it’s Your will. You can heal me any time You want, but it has to be Your will. I can’t go around it. I have to go through it.”

Following his team’s state championship victory, Johnston did a postgame interview with a local FOX affiliate that has since gone viral. He never anticipated that his final game as coach would become a national sensation, but he’s not shying away from it either.

“I’ve been given a great gift through all of this,” Johnston said. “People don’t understand that.

I’ve been able to see how my life can affect people before I die. Not everyone will have that experience. I’ve been able to see what I can do to enrich other people’s lives before I die. If I leave them with something from me, that’s a part of me that will never die.

“Coaches don’t realize the impact they can have.

I still remember things my coaches said to me 40 years ago. Do things the right way, and put things in the right perspective.”

The Coach Profile School: Newton High (Texas) Division: Class 3A Div. II Experience: Started coach-

ing in 1991, head coach at Newton since 2011

Career record as head coach: 97-15 State championships: 2017, 2018

Family: Wife, Debbie;

sons, Drew and Shaw; also raised Corey Jenkins In his words: “One of the mistakes I’ve seen too many coaches make is they give anything for the next win. That’s not what this profession is about.

It’s about the impact you make on young men and the lessons you leave them with. I’m dying, and my last lesson has nothing to do with scheme or X’s and O’s.

I can look back and see I probably spent too much time on that stuff earlier in my career. What I’m most proud of throughout my coaching career is the example I set for players and the leadership I provided off the field.

That’s what high school football is all about.”

15

FROG FITNESS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Georgia RB Willingham wins $2,500 scholarship through Frog Fitness FNF Coaches and Frog Fitness set out to honor the players that perform above and beyond expectations in 2018 through an online vote. The winner will receive a scholarship of $2,500 from Frog Fitness. Second prize will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

Third prize is a $1,000 scholarship.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

First Place Trion High (Ga.) senior Hagen Willingham received 30.08 percent of the fan vote among the 10 finalists to earn the $2,500 scholarship from Frog Fitness. Willingham, who maintains a 3.7 GPA, had 1,400 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards along with 21 touchdowns in 2018.

“Hagen is an exceptionally hard worker who poured his soul into the offseason and the football season,” Trion coach Justin Brown said. “He never comes off the field.

He produces week in and week out. It’s not just stats he produces. He provides leadership on and off the field.”

■■ Hagen Willingham was nominated by Trion coach Justin Brown (right). Willingham is a two-way starter who led Trion in rushing, receptions, total yards, as well as kick return and punt return yardage.

Second Place John Burroughs High (Calif.) senior Jonathan Factora received 25.38 percent of the fan vote among the 10 finalists to earn the $1,500 scholarship from Frog Fitness. Factora maintains a 4.0 GPA and is the senior class Vice President, a College Peer Mentor, and a three-time Scholar Athlete recipient. He was elected team captain this season. He tallied five receptions and one touchdown on the season. He also made 14 tackles.

“Johnny is not only a fantastic team player for us, but also a tremendous student for our school and citizen for our society,” said John Burroughs coach Rand Holdren.

■■ Jonathan Factora was nominated by John Burroughs coach Rand Holdren (right). “It was an absolute honor to coach this kid,” Holdren said.

Third Place Heath High (Ohio) junior Austin Morrow received 20.87 percent of the fan vote among the 10 finalists to earn the $1,000 scholarship from Frog Fitness. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Morrow played injured all year after getting banged up in a scrimmage against Columbus Academy. He maintains a 4.25 GPA. Morrow is a two-year captain in football as a junior.

“Austin is an exceptional athlete, student, and, above all, person,” said Heath High coach Timothy Ward. “He is a three-sport varsity athlete, having started in football, basketball and baseball as a sophomore in 2017-2018.”

■■ Austin Morrow was nominated by Heath High coach Timothy Ward. He switched to quarterback in 2018 after playing free safety and receiver in 2017. Austin was selected as a team captain for football as a sophomore in 2017 and again this year, as a junior. During the 2017 season, Austin played receiver and free safety.”

16

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THE NEW AND IMPROVED ‘BULLFROG’ THE ENGINEERS AT

Frog Fitness listened to feedback from coaches across the country and designed a new and improved BullFrog Pro Training System, which is reinforced and even stronger than the original system.

BullFrog Pro Training System 2.0 is the latest version of world’s first horizontal full body training device.

■■ Reinforced steel axles ■■ Enhanced clutch mechanism ■■ Enhanced pull pin ■■ Quick snap mechanism ■■ Improved bands ■■ And much more!

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a game of yards measured in inches

www.lazserdown.com

COACH-TO-PLAYER ™

■■ The GSC Coach-to-Player system was used by coaches at the East-West Shrine Game in Nebraska.

GSC Coach-to-Player™ makes big impact in nfl playoffs High school football coaches have to decide how to make the most of limited practice time – whether it’s maximizing reps for players or stopping practice to review coaching points. With GSC Coach-to-Player™, coaches can do both at the same time.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

G

SC’s Coach-to-Player™ is closing the book on its busiest time of

year – with the Super Bowl LIII on the horizon in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

GSC Coach-to-Player™ (C2P) provides coaches with an ability to speak to players directly in to their helmets during practice.

Through the C2P practice system, a coach speaks into a handheld transmitting device and his voice is audible through the speakers loaded in the helmets of the players of his choice. The technology provides additional coaching opportunities while also helping to maintain or expedite the tempo of practice.

GSC provides helmet communication for all 32 NFL teams, as well as stadium systems on game day for both the home team and visitors.

“We’re fully active on each of the weekends throughout the NFL season, especially during the Playoffs,” GSC Director of Operations Alex Shada. “We’re gearing up for the Super Bowl.”

GSC also is prepared to get more immersed in the college game, as is typically the case each spring when teams consider new technology for practice. NCAA rules prohibit the use of headset communication during games; but the GSC C2P system is fair game in spring practices.

“With teams gearing up for spring ball, we start to find out what teams need or want,” Shada said. “At the college level, it’s a practice

18

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The rewards of GSC C2P BELLEVUE WEST HIGH

(Neb.) coach Mike Huffman used the GSC Coach-toPlayer™ helmet system during his team’s 7-on-7 season for the first time last summer en route to the program’s first state championship.

Huffman was first exposed to the GSC C2P technology at the 2018 Nebraska Shrine Bowl, when he served as coach of the North.

“They gave it to both teams and let us use it in practice and the game,” Huffman said.

“Because of that experience, I remembered my mistake when it came time to coach 7-on-7 this summer. I kept it in my hand, and that helped us win the championship.”

Bellevue West continued to reap the rewards of the GSC C2P experience during the regular season last fall. Bellevue West’s starting quarterback got hurt midseason, but the backup was able to make a faster transition to a featured role thanks to his experience listening in on the coach-toquarterback communication during the 7-on-7 season.

tool. Coaches use it to develop players. Obviously, spring ball is 100 percent focused on the development of players and teams.”

GSC C2P is also expanding at the high school level – particularly for schools that participate in 7-on-7 leagues during the summer.

C2P allows for more focused instruction from coaches to players due to its ability to customize the communication. For instance, multiple position coaches can listen to a coordinator call a play, and then provide specific instruction to his particular position group before the snap.

“There’s a curiosity among high school coaches about how this can help them develop their teams,” Shada said. “There’s really no certain way a coach has to use it. They all tailor it to how it works for their practices.”

There is no regulation on headset communication for 7-on-7 summer leagues. In this setting, a coach can stand on the sideline and offer his quarterback advice as the player surveys the defense at the line of scrimmage.

“So many schools are on the cusp of moving forward with us, so it’s really exciting,” Shada said. “Coaches are seeing how beneficial it is to talk instantly with a player for the purposes of recognition and explaining coverages. It’s proving to be a huge advantage for teams in the offseason. It eliminates much of the typical learning curve.”

FNF COACHES: COACHES OF THE YEAR | SPONSORED BY

COACH-TO-PLAYER ™

Midwest ILLINOIS

Monticello Cullen Welter Monticello won its first state title in school history. Welter’s teams had lost in the semifinal six times in 10 years.

championship game in state history with 94 total points, winning its first state title since 2006.

MINNESOTA

Western Boone Justin Pelley

S

IOWA

electing one state champion coach in each

state proved to be a difficult task for our editorial staff with so many deserving coaches across the country.

Our criteria for consideration included all state champion coaches in 2018. We looked for coaches that led teams to championships for the first time in school history, coaches who led championship runs as underdogs, coaches who helped their players overcome adversity, and coaches who made tough decisions in the biggest moments to help their teams break through.

We couldn’t be more proud of our 2018 FNF Coaches of the Year. Congratulations to all who won and all other state champion coaches who were considered.

Northeast CONNECTICUT

Sussex Central was 0-4 in state title games — and was one of only two Henlopen Conference programs without a state championship.

MAINE

Thornton Academy Kevin Kezal Greenwich John Marinelli Marinelli beat his father, New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli, in the championship game.

It was the first state title for Greenwich since 2007.

DELAWARE

Sussex Central John Wells

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Thornton Academy had its first unbeaten season since 1986, and clinched the feat by beating a team that made the state finals three times in four years.

MARYLAND

Quince Orchard John Kelley Quince Orchard slayed the dragon that was Henry A.

football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

New London Mark McSorley New London won its first state title (8-player) in school history, and the school’s first IHSAA team title since outdoor track in 1959.

KANSAS

Derby Brandon Clark Derby exacted revenge on the team that beat them in the final last year.

MICHIGAN

New Lothrop Clint Galvas New Lothop played in the highest scoring state

Wise, the three-time defending Class 4A state champions, with a 31-6 victory in the semifinals to avenge losses in the 2012, 2016 and 2017 championship games.

MASSACHUSETTS

Stoneham Bob Almeida Stoneham had never won a state title and hadn’t played in a final since 1994.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Winnisquam Pat Riberdy Winnisquam beat rival Franklin (3 miles down the road) in the state championship game.

NORTH DAKOTA

LangdonEdmore-Munich Josh Krivarchka L-E-M made the state final last year and lost. This year, the co-op team completed the journey.

INDIANA

Western Boone captured its second football state title 30 years after its first.

won the first state title in school history.

OHIO

Lakeville North Brian Vossen

St. Edward Tom Lombardo

Lakeville North won its first state championship since splitting into two schools, beating the Goliath of 6A, Eden Prairie, in the state title game.

St. Edward became just the fourth team in Ohio high school football history to win a state championship after entering the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed.

MISSOURI

Trinity Catholic Terrence Curry First-year coach Curry led Trinity Catholic to its first state title in program history after being Class 2 runner-up in 2016 and district runner-up in 2017.

NEBRASKA

SOUTH DAKOTA

Bon Homme Byron Pudwill Bon Homme won its first state championship since 1995 and overcame a 20-0 deficit in the state final.

WISCONSIN

Centennial Evan Klaneck

Muskego Ken Krause

Centennial needed a fourthdown conversion on its first overtime possession to score, Klanecky went for 2, and they

Muskego ended Kimberly’s 5-year championship reign with its first state title in school history.

NEW JERSEY

Willingboro Steve Everette Willingboro won its sectional crown in 33 years. Everette’s style and charisma helped his team forget about its struggles in the past.

NEW YORK

Susquehanna Valley Mike Ford Susquehanna never advanced to a state final in school history before beating a fourtime state champ in the final.

PENNSYLVANIA

Aliquippa Mike Warfield

Aliquippa won its first state title since 2003. First-year coach Warfield put them over the top after a lot of near-misses.

RHODE ISLAND

Central Falls Jeff Lapierre Central Falls played all of its games on the road for the past two seasons due to contaminated soil at Macomber Stadium.

VERMONT

Mt. Mansfield Union Marty Richards This marked the first state title in Mt. Mansfield school history.

West ALASKA

CALIFORNIA

IDAHO

Wilcox Paul Rosa

Hillcrest Kevin Meyer

Wilcox posted two consecutive last-minute upsets in the semis and finals to win the first state title in program history.

Hillcrest went big in the state final, scoring the most points on Bishop Kelly since 1999. It was the second state title in school history.

MONTANA

COLORADO

Eielson David DeVaughn

Limon Mike O’Dwyer

With so many teams switching to the spread offense, DeVaughn, a USA Football coach, stuck to his guns and won with the Wing-T.

Limon won its first state title since 2005, a long drought for the school with 18 championships.

ARIZONA

Superior Ryan Palmer Superior won its first state title in 64 years. Palmer started as head coach 10 years ago at age 22 by knocking on doors to find players.

HAWAII

Waipahu Bryson Carvalho Waipahu knocked off the state champions after eeking out a 20-19 win in the semifinals for its first state title.

state title in program history by beating powerhouse Bishop Gorman in the state final.

NEW MEXICO

La Cueva Brandon Back La Cueva won for the first time since 2009 with the top defense in the state. The champs beat the top offense (Cleveland) in the state final.

OREGON

Thurston Justin Starck Billings West Rob Stanton Billings West won the state final on a goal-line stand as time expired for its first championship since 2005.

NEVADA

Bishop Manogue Ernie Howren Bishop Manogue won its first

WASHINGTON

The Colts’ first-ever title came only after they survived by blocking two attempts at a tying kick.

UTAH

Colville Randy Cornwell Four years ago, Colville came as close to winning a State 1A championship as possible without getting it done, losing by a point in overtime to Cascade Christian. This year, they won their first state title in a blowout win over Newport.

WYOMING

Lone Peak Bart Brockbank

Buffalo Rob Hammond

Lone Peak lost to eventual state final opponent American Fork 51-21 on Sept. 21.

Buffalo overcame a slew of injuries to win its first state title since 2005.

South ALABAMA

Flomaton Doug Vickery First state championship in Vickery’s 13 years, program was underachieving when he got there.

(1986, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2018).

GEORGIA

Milton Adam Clack

Bryant Buck James

It was the first state championship in school history for Milton (13-2), who pulled off the upset with a victory over Colquitt County.

Bryant took down defending Class 7A state champion North Little Rock 27-7 for its first state championship.

Beechwood Noel Rash

ARKANSAS

FLORIDA

MISSISSIPPI

KENTUCKY

Beechwood won its championship in dramatic fashion 21-20 thanks to a late-game interception in the end zone.

Eunice Paul Trosclair Lakeland Bill Castle Lakeland coach Bill Castle led his team to a state title in each of the last four decades

For the first time in 36 years, the Bobcats returned to southwest Louisiana with a high school state football championship.

TEXAS

Broken Arrow David Alexander

Longview John King

Broken Arrow won its first state title in school history.

The state final was delayed in the fourth quarter with Broken Arrow leading Jenks 28-20.

The game restarted at 11:45 p.m., and the Tigers held on.

Longview won its first state title since 1937.

VIRGINIA

SOUTH CAROLINA

Louisville M.C. Miller Louisville sent retiring coach M.C. Miller out on top by clinching his second state championship at the school.

NORTH CAROLINA

LOUISIANA

OKLAHOMA

Green Sea Floyds Donnie Kiefer Green Sea Floyds won the first state title for the school in any sport. The team is just two years removed from a winless season.

TENNESSEE

Weddington Andy Capone

Whitwell Randall Boldin

Capone led the school to its second state title in school history one year after leading his team to the highest GPA among football teams across the state.

Whitwell reached a state championship game for the first time in program history, rallied for a fourth-quarter score, then held off a desperation drive by Cornersville.

Highland Springs Tony Palmer Highland Springs posted its first state championship since 1995 with a Purdue-bound quarterback.

WEST VIRGINIA

Fairmont Nick Bartic Fairmont won its first football title since 1946 and first WVSSAC championship in any sport since 1947.

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Rosa returns Wilcox (Calif.) to glory It was nearly two decades since Wilcox, (Calif.) High won a California Central Coast Section championship and about 10 years since the school had even been to the title game of the CCS playoffs again. When Wilcox coach Paul Rosa took the job at the Santa Clara, Calif., school four years ago, he set forth on a mission to take the Chargers on more postseason trips into November and December like those of previous years.

BY DEREK SMITH

R

osa accomplished that goal in the fullest fashion by

leading Wilcox to the 2018 California Interscholastic Federation Division 3-A state championship in December after winning the CCS title game for the first time since 1997. It was also the first state championship in school history.

For this, Rosa, a Wilcox alumnus and 2018 CCS Coach of the Year, is an FNF Coach of the Year.

Compiling a record of 14-1, which included 12 straight victories, the Chargers beat three section champions en route to the state title and claimed the Northern California Division championship by knocking off previously unbeaten Capital Christian. A week later, Wilcox defeated Kaiser 41-27 for the CIF state title.

“Our team has put in a lot of work in order to earn this great achievement,” Rosa said, in an interview with the Santa Clara Unified School District. “We started lifting weights in January and just finished the season. That is a serious commitment by the 47 players and 10 coaches on staff. I am proud of how hard the team played and the level of execution they demonstrated.”

In 2008 and 2009, the Chargers reached the CCS finals in back-to-back years, but Wilcox couldn’t capture an elusive berth in CIF championship.

The prospect of making another deep postseason run seemed distant just a year ago when Wilcox was bounced from the 2017 CCS playoffs in the first round by a score of 48-7 to Valley Christian.

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After their perfect season slipped away on Nov. 30 in the CCS Open Division title game with a loss to Menlo-Atherton, a 2018 state championship two weeks later was far from certain.

“I mean, we definitely thought this was a year where we could make a move, but you never imagine that it is going to be 14-1 and a state champion move,” Rosa told the Silicon Valley Voice.

Rosa rallied his team following the MenloAtherton loss and the next week they edged Capital Christian 34-30 in the CCS finals.

And then, the magical season at Wilcox culminated on Dec. 15 with a celebratory CIF 3-A state championship win over Kaiser.

“They were so happy, and you could see all the work they put in turn to pure joy,” Rosa said, to the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s a great thing to see that. It doesn’t happen often.”

THE ROSA REPORT Paul Rosa (5th year at Wilcox) Led Chargers to CIF 3-A state title 2018: 14-1 RECORD AT WILCOX:

35-14

HONORS: 2015 California Coaches Association Rookie Coach of the Year for Northern California NOTABLE: Son, Paul M.

Rosa, named CCS junior of the year by high school sports website Prep2Prep

WILCOX CHARGERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH PAUL ROSA AND HIS ENTIRE STAFF FOR AN AMAZING SEASON. WILCOX'S FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CIF DIVISION 3A SECOND PLACE IN CCS OPEN DIVISION NOR CAL DIVISION 3A CHAMPS UNDEFEATED SCVAL CHAMPIONS.

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Milton High (Ga.) coach Clack quickly builds national program Adam Clack took a team that had won only nine games in its previous two seasons and won a championship in Georgia’s largest classification in his second year on the job.And in doing so, in just a short time, Clack has helped elevate Milton, (Ga.) High School into a nationally-known program.

BY DEREK SMITH

F

or leading the Eagles to their first state title in 67

years and implementing a plan to put Milton “on the map,” Clack has been named an FNF Coach of the Year.

Clack came to Milton after ten years at nearby West Forsyth, (Ga.) High School where he was offensive coordinator for three years before serving as head coach for three years.

He quickly changed the culture at Milton as the Eagles went 9-3 in his first year and barely missed advancing to the state quarterfinals.

This past season, Milton went 8-2 in the regular season, capturing only the school’s third region championship in team history.

The Eagles reeled off five straight wins in the playoffs including a 14-13 victory over No. 5 nationally-ranked Colquitt County in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Class 7A state title. “(That) achievement is the culmination of something that was very, very special,” Clack said. “Everybody could see that these kids had a unique belief in each other and their coaches.

It’s been something they worked hard for and earned. They didn’t luck themselves into it. They worked day in, day out. It was a beautiful thing.”

Milton’s stunning upset of the Packers represented the first time a team outside of Gwinnett County or Region 1 in south Georgia had won a championship in the state’s highest classification since 1995.

Part of Clack’s vision for Milton is to play a national schedule against the top programs in the country.

The Eagles met Florida’s Cardinal Gibbons in the inaugural Freedom Bowl, six games over

24

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Labor Day weekend in 2018 that featured traditional powers American Heritage from Florida, Madison, Al., and St. Joseph’s in New Jersey.

They’re tentatively scheduled to play in a 2019 bowl series in Los Angeles along with Mater Dei, John Bosco and JSerra, all from California, and hope to be selected for a bowl game in Ireland in 2020.

“He is certainly living up to his “visionary” nickname given to him by our principal (Brian Jones),” said assistant Steven Stromie. “He devotes himself to creating the best culture and environment for these players to experience and be a part of. I knew I wanted to be a part of it ten years ago when I first started coaching football with him.”

The school administration and athletic department eagerly supported Clack’s new plan for the future of the program when he was hired, said athletic director Gary Sylvestri.

“Coach Clack is building a program that has national recognition and more importantly building our players into leaders of men,” Sylvestri said. “His vision is unselfish and program driven. Football’s success has brought our community and Eagle nation together like I have never seen before.”

THE CLACK REPORT Adam Clack (3rd year, 6th overall) Led Milton to Class 7A state title 2018: 13-2 CAREER: 42-17 (71.19%) OFFENSE: Spread/RPO DEFENSE: 4-2-5 EXPERIENCE: Offensive

coordinator (3 years), head coach (3 years) at West Forsyth, (Ga.) EDUCATION: Wide receiver at WinderBarrow, (Ga.) High School; Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Georgia Southern University FAMILY: Wife, Ashley

ON STATE 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP: “It was

a beautiful thing.”

CONGRATULATIONS COACH CLACK AND THE MILTON FOOTBALL TEAM ON YOUR 2018 GEORGIA AAAAAAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND FIRST STATE TITLE IN PROGRAM HISTORY

2018 MILTON EAGLES FOOTBALL TEAM Corky Kell Classic Champions Inaugural Airo Freedom Bowl Champions Georgia State Champions

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New Jersey

Steve Everette Willingboro

S

teve Everette led his alma mater,

Willingboro, to its first sectional title since 1985.

Willingboro scored 22 unanswered points on the way to a 22-14 victory in the final of the NJSIAA/ Rothman Orthopaedics Central Jersey, Group 1 playoffs.

“Our schedule had us battle-tested,” Willingboro coach Steve Everette said. “We can go against anybody’s schedule in the state.

You open with a Cedar Creek and a Delsea, and you end up with Woodrow Wilson and Camden. So we were battle-tested.”

Everette is a 1988 graduate of Willingboro. Everett, who played running back at West Virginia Wesylan, guided Princeton High School to six consecutive .500 or better seasons between 2004 and 2009. He returned home to Willingboro in 2014 and led the team back to the playoffs in 2016 for the first time in four seasons.

Willingboro has gone 20-10 over the last three seasons.

“This means a lot,” coach Everette said. “I am a Willingboro guy. I came back home to make sure we could resurrect our program to let people know that Willingboro is a great place to live, a great place to raise your kids. We’ve got a great community. We have kind of put ourselves on the map again.”

Congratulations

to Coach everette & his entire coaching staff It has been over 3 decades since we have conquered a NJ Sectional Title. The Willingboro School District and Community are proud of the work you and your staff are doing for our young people. We look forward to the continued success of the football program.

North carolina

Andy Capone Weddington

I

n his first-year as Weddington head coach,

Andy Capone led Weddington to its highest win total in school history (15-1) and a NCHSAA 3AA state championship. Weddington defeated Southeast Guilford 27-14 to win the 3AA state championship.

“I couldn’t be happier for these young men with everything they’ve done and put into it,” Capone said. “It’s not about me, it’s about these players, it’s about the coaching staff that has to listen to me talk all the time, and everything that they’ve done for me, I can’t put it into words.”

Capone, 27, took over as head coach at Weddington after serving as an assistant on the staff since 2013. The Appalachian State University graduate was part of the state championship team in 2016 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2017.

In his first year as head coach, he was named 2018 Coach of the Year by the Enquirer Journal and All-Region Coach of the Year by the Charlotte Observer.

Capone flashed his aggressive play-calling style in the state championship game when he called a trick play that fooled the Southeast Guilford defense.

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Andy Capone

WEDDINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CONGRATULATIONS, COACH CAPONE, ON YOUR FNF COACHES MAGAZINE NORTH CAROLINA COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD! 2018 NCHSAA 3AA State Champions

Illinois

Cullen Welter Monticello

C

ullen Welter has been a coach for 26

years – 25 as a head coach. His teams have reached the playoffs 24 straight years. Welter installed a wide-open offense based on a pro formation style with multiple sets, and his teams have been a joy to watch. Cully has been successful at every location: Ridgeview, Aledo and Monticello with an overall record of 225-66 and four state championships.

His overall achievements at Aledo included three state titles, two second-place finishes, five conference championships, a 25-game winning streak and a 14-0 record in 2002. Since 2009 when he assumed the role at Monticello, he has won four conference championships. Cully has taken them to the playoffs 10 times, including a state championship in 2018. His record at Monticello is 89-26.

Volunteering to help football, he’s selected players for the ICA/Shrine All-Star Game. He’s coached a total of four times in the game, with one as the head coach. Coach Welter has been named the Coach of the Year three times by the Decatur Herald & Review and two times from the Champaign News-Gazette. Cully was also inducted into the IHSFCA Hall of Fame in April 2017.

Coach Cully Welter

Monticello High School 4x Conference Champions 2018 Illinois State Champions IHSFCA Hall of Fame Member

CONGRATULATIONS Coach Welter on your FNF Coaches Magazine Illinois Coach of the Year Award!

Michigan

Clint Galvas New Lothrop

C

lint Galvas, 36, led New Lothrop to its

first state championship since 2006. New Lothrop’s win over Madison Heights in the Division 7 championship game was the highest scoring state title game in state history (94 total points).

Galvas has led New Lothrop to a record of 106-14 in 10 seasons as coach. His teams from 2010 to 2016 posted the thirdhighest winning streak in state history with 61 consecutive regular-season wins.

He has led teams to four regional titles (2011, 2013, 2015, 2018), six district titles (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018) and nine conference championships. His teams were First Team All-Academic All-State selections in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Galvas was named Flint Area Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2011, Detroit Lions Coach of the Week in 2016, and Regional Coach of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018. He was the 2018 Detroit Free Press First Team Division 7-8 Coach of the Year as well as the 2018 MHSFCA Division 7 State Coach of the Year.

Galvas is married to Anna Galvas, and has two children, Jude, 9, and Gwenyth, 7. He is a physical education/health teacher at New Lothrop Middle/High School.

CONGRATULATIONS to Clint Galvas and the 2018 New Lothrop Hornets on capturing the Division 7 State Title

27

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Minnesota

Brian Vossen Lakeville North

V

ossen led Lakeville North to its first

state title since Lakeville split into two schools in 2005. To capture the prize he had been coveting since he took over as head coach of the team in 2010, Vossen had to go through the winningest Class 6A team in the state – Eden Prairie. Lakeville North did it with a 28-21 win in the championship game.

“Aside from my two kids being born and marrying my wife, I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced anything that’s more exciting than this,” Vossen said. “I’m so proud of these players.”

Lakeville North made its eighth straight state tournament appearance. That’s the type of consistent success Vossen has instilled in his players over the last nine seasons.

When Vossen first got the Panthers coaching job in 2010, he met with University of St. Thomas football coach Glenn Caruso, who told Vossen he had to coach his team like he’d raise his kids. With that in mind, Caruso had the three pillars of his program in place: “We never quit, we never whine, we don’t get embarrassed.”

The Panthers have eight principles that players sport on the backs of shirts: legacy, tenacity, relentlessness, resilience, character, loyalty, respect and desire.

Ohio

Tom Lombardo St. Edward

T

om Lombardo led St. Edward to the

Ohio Division 1 state championship with an 11-3 record. The Eagles were ranked 10th in the nation by MaxPreps and part of their Tour of Champions. St. Edward was also ranked 24th by USA Today.

Lombardo has been a head football coach for 15 years, compiling a 133-47 overall record. He coached Lake Catholic for three years (1999-2001), Highland for eight years (2007-2014), and is the current coach at St. Edward (2015-2018).

Lombardo has a 44-9 record at St. Edward. As Highland’s head coach, he compiled a record of 61-29, the most wins of any coach in Highland’s history. He led Highland to the Division II state semifinal in 2013 and was named the 2013 Division II AP Coach of the Year.

In 2001, Lombardo won the Division III state championship as the head coach at Lake Catholic High School, where he compiled a 28-9 overall record. Lombardo has the distinction of being the only football coach in OHSAA history to win a state title with two different schools. He won one at Lake Catholic and has two championships at St. Edward.

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Congratulations to Panthers Head Coach Brian Vossen Lakeville North High School (MN) Named a 2018 FNF Coaches Magazine “Coach of the Year” 2018 MN State 6A Champions #NorthorNone

Tom Lombardo St. Edward High School

Congratulations

Coach Lombardo and the St. Edward football team on their 2018 Division I State Championship

Colorado

Mike O’Dwyer Limon High School

M

ike O’Dwyer led Limon High to its

first state championship since 2005 this season with a victory over two-time defending state champion Strasburg in the Class 1A title game.

The state title celebration was a long time coming for a Limon program that has earned the most state championships of any school in Colorado. O’Dwyer, who graduated from Limon High in 1980, was a part of three state championship teams as a player.

He has done nothing to spoil the tradition as head coach at his alma mater, logging a record of 164-33 over the last 17 seasons.

“This never gets old,” Limon coach Mike O’Dwyer said. “It’s been a long time coming for us ... To get back here is very, very difficult. I’m just incredibly proud of our kids.”

Limon’s defense stepped up in the state championship game, spoiling Strasburg’s hopes of a three-peat with a 13-7 victory.

For O’Dwyer, it was a culmination of a storied career at Limon, one that has included stops as a player (1976-1979), junior high coach (1985-1987), high school assistant (1988-2001), and high school head coach (2002-present).

O’Dwyer and his wife, Trudy, have two daughters – Nicole and Ashley.

COACH MIKE O’DWYER Limon High School

CONGRATULATIONS

Coach O’Dwyer & your entire team on a great season

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Bigger, Faster, Stronger football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

The most common offseason goal for a player is to get bigger, faster and stronger. The time to do that is now when there’s time to break down the body and focus on nutrition and recovery.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

A

successful offseason program is

filled with energy and competition. The best strength and conditioning programs energize players with challenging lifts, innovative training ideas, and a healthy dose of motivation from coaches.

Coaches often make the mistake of relaxing their values during the offseason. In the offseason, the weight room offers a less structured, less intense environment than during the season. When athletes attend workouts without a purpose – or skip them altogether –that teams falls behind the eight ball heading into the summer.

Design an offseason program that challenges players to compete with each other. Make sure every scheduled team function has a purpose – whether it’s building strength, speed, agility or team chemistry.

While the athletes might not have the constant reminder of a scoreboard to measure their success, you can provide them with motivators such as offseason awards, point systems or leadership opportunities.

Spend time reviewing team values and goals. It’s the perfect time to eliminate bad habits and work to make weaknesses strengths.

High school athletes thrive on competition. Pit teammates, classmates, position groups and peers against each other, and stress the key to winning the offseason is winning each day.

■■ The Muskego High (Wisc.) football team parlayed its work in the weight room into a state championship.

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BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

THE PROGRAM

V

■■ Ben Davis (Ind.) strength coach Kevin Vanderbush has helped the football team go 336-97 with nine state championships since his hire.

anderbush’s players all do the same routine, regardless of position group.

Each day, they do five upper-body lifts and five lower-body lifts. He times each set and tells them to rotate to the next station when time has expired.

In each 12-week cycle, he’ll have the athletes do the following reps: ■■ 1 week of 3 sets of 12 ■■ 2 weeks of 3 sets of 10 ■■ 2 weeks of 3 sets of 8 ■■ 2 weeks of 3 sets of 6 ■■ 1 week of 3 sets of 6 ■■ 1 week of 3 sets of 4 ■■ 1 week of 3 sets of 2 ■■ Test

10 tips for building a strength program An offseason strength and conditioning program should be structured so that players become self-motivated. Ben Davis High (Ind.) strength coach Kevin Vanderbush can provide stats which show the more players who buy into his offseason program, the more games the team wins the next season.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Before Kevin Vanderbush was hired as the head strength and conditioning coach at Ben Davis High (Ind.) in 1984, the school had 11 winning seasons in 47 years. Since his hire, the team has gone 336-97 with nine state championships.

Vanderbush is co-founder of the National High School Strength Coaches Association. He helped design a 6,200 square foot weight facility at Ben Davis High. His program has been visited by athletic directors and coaches from more than 350 high schools. He offered 10 tips for building a strength program to FNF Coaches.

Schedule a weight training class for athletes. “It’s the most important thing. Go to the athletic director, principal or school board. For other areas of academics, we have classes for someone who shows an above-average interest. Why not physical education? If you can’t get an athletics class, at least get a fitness and agility class.”

Demand four days a week. “Don’t say, ‘Because the kids won’t do it, we won’t set the bar high.’ You get what you emphasize and you get what you tolerate.”

Plan athletic enhancement periods. “Simulate jumping rope and plyometric jumps. Teach them to land soft and react quickly. Have them do lunge walks. Work on ankle mobility, range of motion, repeat jumps, ladders for speed, medicine ball passing, lifts on one leg, or throws from a lunge position, and

1

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below parallel squats with medicine balls overhead.”

Educate players and parents. “When parents understand this will put their kids in a better position to perform and avoid injury, they’ll buy in.”

Keep it short. “Make it easy for the players to figure out the system for how to be accountable. Get in and out in a certain amount of time.”

Get assistant coaches to help. “It’s a matter of setting expectations high and holding kids accountable. Have the assistant coaches help you run down kids.”

Provide metrics for motivation. “We test every nine weeks. We have them bench, squat and clean their 1-rep max. Then we’ll do a no-step vertical jump, 10- and 40-yard dash. We’ll also take their body weight.”

Empower players. “If I can’t convince kids to keep lifting when they walk out of the weight room, I’m not doing my job. If I directed every set, they would only be doing it because I’m telling them to do it.”

Don’t overhaul the routine year-to-year. “I’m constantly tweaking instead of overhauling. For high school athletes, if you’re constantly changing lifts, you don’t always get the same results.”

Form clubs. “Our clubs are for guys who bench 300 pounds, squat 400 pounds, or clean 235 pounds. We also have a club for guys who can combine all three for 935 pounds.”

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BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

Aaron Donald’s offseason trainer shares his 45-minute workout Pittsburgh-based strength and speed coach Dewayne Brown drew national acclaim when he received credit from Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald for keeping the future Hall of Famer in shape during his offseason holdouts. Brown’s 45-minute workout helped Donald set an NFL record for defensive tackles with 20.5 sacks this season.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

THE BROWN-DONALD CONNECTION BROWN’S COUSIN ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL

with Donald’s father, Archie Donald. So Aaron Donald trained with Brown heading into his senior year at Penn Hills High (Pa.) and his freshman year at Pitt, despite initial skepticism that his workouts would benefit only skillposition players. Those sessions became infrequent over the next two years, but then Donald was given a fifth-round grade after his junior year and recommitted.

Donald spends his summers with Brown in Pittsburgh. They train three times a week, at an indoor facility that is part of the University of Pittsburgh’s Medical Center. Sessions last only 45 minutes, but they test Donald’s limits.

Brown meets Donald and his brother, Archie, a former linebacker at Toledo, at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. By then the two have already finished lifting weights in the gym.

Then they navigate through the grueling workout.

■■ Aaron Donald’s strength program helped him get 20.5 sacks in 2019.

D

ewayne Brown founded 2/10ths Speed &

Agility in 2005 to provide high-intensity training for athletes in high school, college and the pros. The bed of Brown’s 2013 Chevy Silverado is usually stuffed with enough medicine balls, recoil belts and resistance bands to train more than 150 people at a time.

Inside Aaron Donald’s Workouts 0:00 to 5:00: Dynamic warmup with a variety of high knees, lunges, squats, turns and other movement stretches that cover 10-15 yards each.

5:00 to 15:00: Three phases with resistance belts. Donald and his brother will each wear one and stay connected with a cord. With lateral resistors on their ankles, they’ll do A and B skips, high knees, butt kicks and other drills, including an intricate one called “Backwards Tapioca.” With his brother standing still, Donald will backpedal, come forward, dart right, come forward, dart left,

34

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then “Backwards Tapioca,” with a squat thrust. Four reps of all that. Phase 3 is explosion, which consists of 30 seconds of lunge jumps and one minute of squat jumps, with his brother standing on the cord for added resistance.

15:00 to 19:00: Core workout with a medicine ball, doing explosion exercises including rollback jump slams, push-ups and planks, each of them with unique twists. Usually four different sets.

19:00 to 24:00: Two resistance bands are tied in a knot, providing 200 pounds of resistance. Donald will explode into a 15- to 20-yard sprint, either while falling forward, or after lying on his stomach, or out of a three-point stance, or off a shuffle. His brother, strapped to the other loop, provides resistance.

24:00 to 29:00: Fatigue sets in here. An obstacle course is set up, taking up 25 yards and requiring Donald to perform a different footwork drill for each, with

one big jump between stations.

29:00 to 36:00: This stage requires a sled or a parachute. The sled, which Donald will load up with somewhere between 45 and 90 pounds, will be dragged 40-50 yards 10 times. With the parachute — used to take some of the stress off his body — Donald will run 20 yards and back, then 40 and back, then 60 and back, then 80 and back, then 100 and back.

36:00 to 41:00: Moving the giant tire, which weighs between 400 and 600 pounds. Three sets of some combination of jumping the tire and flipping it.

41:00 to 45:00: Tennis balls are used for the last drill. Donald will position himself in a three-point stance at the goal line and will retrieve the ball before it hits the ground a second time.

His brother will drop it from about the 5-yard line, then take a couple of steps back after each drop until he gets to about the 10.

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BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

12 Tech Products for Strength and Conditioning Schools are finding ways to maximize their players’ performance in the weight room by integrating new technology that can measure power output, velocity, acceleration and workload.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

New technology for strength and conditioning seems to slowly make its way from professional football to college to high school. These products are breaking into high school football.

1

EliteForm PowerTracker. Indiana University started using this technology in 2017, and now athletic performances coaches David Ballou and Matt Rhea swear by it. The EliteForm PowerTracker 3D camera technology monitors athletes as they lift to provide instant, objective feedback to athletes and coaches during workouts. EliteForm provides analytics to give coaches the tools to help players improve power output and identify weaknesses.

Rhea estimated IU’s strength staff is now gathering information on 25-30 variables per player, and building individual training plans accordingly.

Each weight rack has a camera behind it, and another seeing everything going on inside the rack specifically. A laser aimed toward the rack measures how far and how quickly a player moves the bar itself. eliteform.com Fatigue Science Team Solution. In the

2

last year, Iowa players have started wearing a wrist device from Fatigue Science. It monitors sleep and produces real-time and predictive fatigue analytics for athletes, which shape training and recovery decisions.

The Fatigue Science Team Solution helps staff and athletes make the connection between sleep and athletic

36

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performance. The wrist-worn Readiband is scientifically-validated at 92 percent accuracy compared to a clinical sleep lab. That data, passed through the SAFTE™ Fatigue Model, allows teams to see sleep’s effects on performance indicators like reaction time and judgment.

These real-time and predictive fatigue analytics for each athlete can inform training and recovery decisions.

fatiguescience.com Catapult OptimEye S5.

3

Through a GPS (global positioning system) chip placed at the middle of a players’ spine, coaches and trainers can download info and click and see if a player is hurting, working hard or if he’s ready to return to full-contact practice after an injury.

Most Division I college football teams are using accelerometer tech. Iowa started using Catapult GPSports in 2013. Many of the GPS tracking devices measure heart rate and acceleration.

The units also measure “metabolic load”. If the power output changes from one practice to the next, it shows up on a coach’s computer.

catapultsports.com TeamBuildr. Whether on tablets or on

4

paper, in a single facility or scattered across the country, teams can pull workouts wherever and whenever they need to with TeamBuildr. Like today’s generation of athletes, the TeamBuildr platform is mobile and accessible from any device.

TeamBuildr’s TV modules now serve three purposes: ■■ A live leaderboard: This module provides instant feedback on max lifts for each exercise.

■■ TV mode: This acts like a Facebook feed and is populated with personal bests, new max records, and highs for each exercise as soon as the information is entered into the TeamBuildr database.

■■ Weight room timer: This allows a coach to set a timer, and the TV module will alert athletes of which exercise to do, and when to do it.

teambuildr.com

5

Perch. Perch uses 3D depth cameras

and machine learning to quantify bar path and orientation in 3D space.

By analyzing bar path, we can extract useful information regarding velocity, power output, and movement quality.

Velocity based training (VBT) is a new training methodology that utilizes the velocity of every rep as an objective feedback measure. By programming with velocity instead of just weight, athletes and coaches can: control for fluctuations in daily energy, improve motivation, analyze longitudinal trends, enhance training specificity, and observe the quality of movement of every athlete regardless of coaching staff size.

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6

Volt Fueled By Gatorade. Volt Fueled

by Gatorade is the only researchbased, all-in-one sport performance and sports fueling system for coaches and teams. Used by over 100,000 coaches and athletes, Volt’s Intelligent Training System delivers sport-specific training that is optimized to your team, customizable to your needs, and personalized to each athlete.

voltathletics.com

7

Tsunami Bar. The Tsunami Bar is a flexible barbell that high school football players across the South, including those at Anderson’s T.L. Hanna High School, have used on the way to deep playoff runs and even state championship victories. The bar is also now being used at Clemson.

The barbell is made of a flexible fiberglass composite, not steel. The bar bends when weights are added to each end, and through the power of physics, the resistance on an athlete’s muscles increases the faster the bar is moved.

rejuvenates muscle tissue, and reduces tightness and soreness. In addition to these benefits, studies show that using NormaTec flushes out lactate, increases range of motion, and decreases inflammation, giving athletes a competitive edge. Invented by an MD, PhD and perfected by professional athletes, NormaTec recovery systems are the go-to equipment for the world’s best.

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11 9

Senaptec Sensory Station. Winning

athletes need faster reaction, quicker perception, and more accurate movement. How do your athletes stackup on their sensory skills? The Senaptec Sensory Station is a robust automated platform to quantify 10 sensory skills against a normative database of other athletes. The system shows strengths and where improvements are most important. The Senaptec Sensory Station then automatically generates a training program and gives athletes the ability to train on the station and on their personal tablets. After sensory training, athletes regularly report they feel “faster and more in control.”

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37

PLAYBOOK presented by Simplify formations for defensive linemen

DIAGRAM 1

BY MICHAEL GIANCOLA

T

oo many times I have stood in a room full of football

coaches where phrases were uttered such as: “The defensive line doesn’t need to worry about it. They aren’t smart enough to understand,” or, “D-linemen are normally the dumbest guys on the team.”

This is an ugly stereotype, and even if it was the case, it certainly does not need to be. For me, the more responsibility and onus the defensive line can shoulder, the better the defense becomes.

The first building block of deciphering an offense is understanding formations and the subsequent tendencies that exist within each.

Seventy percent of what it takes to win any given play occurs presnap, starting on defense with situational formation recognition. This dictates defensive alignment and technique. It also gives insight into offensive play-type tendency and selection as well as the elimination or proliferation of specific plays.

Ultimately, the goal is to create versatility and emphasize the specific skill sets of each defender.

Simplifying formations for the defensive line compartmentalizes the game in a way that directly empowers them as a group and as individuals. The focus here is to explain the ways to simplify formations for the defensive line, and the subsequent benefits that come with it for the position group and defense as a whole.

3-man surface

2-man surface

DIAGRAM 2

wide h-back

tight h-back

DIAGRAM 3

What matters to the defensive line Does it really matter to the defensive line if an offense is lined up in 2-by-2 or 3-by-1? Not really.

What is important though are a few different formational identifiers within the box that pertain to the line and their responsibilities: ■■ Offensive line surface ■■ Location of the back(s) ■■ Presence of slots or wings ■■ Offensive line surface Surface numbers are integral to the defensive line (diagram 1). The count starts with the guard and goes until there is a detached player. Just a guard and tackle is a two-man surface. Add in a tight end, and it becomes a three-man surface.

Surface identification is most important in identifying where the front should be set. However, it can also give the defensive ends what types of plays and blocks they can expect. The presence of a tight end on a three-man surface creates the extra gap that would allow him to be blocked down on or based. This is not possible to a two-man surface.

38

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wing (3-man surface)

slot (2-man surface)

DIAGRAM 4

nasty slot

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Location of the back Just like offensive line surfaces, the location of backs within the backfield can help align the front and give important clues as to what the defensive line can expect from a blocking and offensive play standpoint. Also, being able to relate the back to the declared strength is important for the defensive line to identify presnap.

The line needs to recognize whether or not the back is set to the declared strength, either front or passing strength. If there are multiple backs in the backfield, the location of both relative to one another also is vital. Overloaded or balanced backfields are created based on if the backs are together or not.

Game plan should dictate which back the defensive line needs to prioritize, but the width of the H-back compared to the offensive line should always be considered (within the tackle box or outside it). Certain plays and blocking schemes are tipped based on the location of the H-back (diagram 2).

Slot and wing identification The terms “slot” and “wing” mean different things to different coaches. We define a slot as an attached player to a tackle who is off the line of scrimmage whereas a wing is an attached player to a tight end off the line of scrimmage (diagram 3).

Wings and slots are crucial pieces of offensive formations because of how versatile those positions are from a gap, blocking and scheme stand point. Wing and slot positions have different angles on both the defensive line and second level defenders and are always a threat for motion.

Recognition of special formations The identification of surfaces, backs and wings or slots lays the foundation for the defensive line to recognize unique formations. There are many different formation variations that offenses will run, but the following are more frequently utilized: ■■ Four- and five-player surfaces: The presence of a wing in a formation creates yet another gap the defense needs to account for. Recently, offenses added yet another player to accompany the wing to create a five-player surface, forcing defenses to now account for an E gap while also having an outside edge setter. Accounting for these extra gaps can be handled in a number of different ways, but if it is done by the defensive line, they will need to shift a gap over to the side of the overloaded surface to balance the front.

■■ Tackle over: Not all three-player surfaces are created equal. Tackle over formations create surfaces with three offensive linemen, creating a stronger running surface. This will also affect the back end as the tight end is now to a

two-player surface. The defensive line needs to quickly realize the scenario and make sure it gets communicated to the rest of the defense.

■■ Tight bunch/nasty slots: Nasty slots are created when an offense places a player on the line of scrimmage in close proximity to a slot. The down blocking angles on a defensive end are very much in the offense’s favor depending on how he aligns.

Much like a wing, nasty slots create a four-player surface but in a different way.

Benefits of simplifying formations While coaching this is well and good, the important thing is there are tangible benefits to approaching the football this way for the defensive line. First and foremost, this approach empowers the defensive line to the point where they are able to set the front strength themselves.

That might not sound revolutionary, but it frees up the linebackers, and possibly others, to better manage their own responsibilities on each play.

Formation simplification also gives insight into offensive schemes, which helps the defensive line understand them better. A great example is the relationship between tailback and strength location. If the back is opposite a wing in the gun then the defensive end and tackle to the wing side should know that outside zone is a threat their way, especially if they can determine the depth of the back. On the other hand, the end and tackle to the side of the back need to be wary of plays like inside zone and read concepts.

As a result, the football IQ of the defensive line increases. Not that the line needs to be a group of Einsteins when it comes to football. However, increased intelligence up front comes along with its own special benefits.

For the defensive line, situational awareness is paramount. Down and distance, field zone, horizontal ball location, and offensive personnel are just a few of the situations that should dictate technique and approach for the defensive line. Pair all that with the ability to sift through formation identifiers and what gets created is a group of absolute monsters.

Most importantly, this methodology provides every lineman on the team the opportunity to exceed their potential. Average players become good, the good become great, and the great become guys that you win championships on the backs of.

■■ Mike Giancola is the defensive line coach at Bridgewater College in Virginia. Bridgewater’s defense led the ODAC in turnovers and was second in the conference in sacks in 2017.

Before Bridgewater, he coached at Chantilly (Va.) Westfield High School. As the Special teams coordinator/defensive line coach in 2015 and the defensive coordinator in 2016, Giancola helped Westfield win back-to-back Virginia championships in Class 6A. You can follow him on Twitter @CoachGiancola.

39

PLAYBOOK presented by Linebacker zone coverage in quarters

PROGRESSION READS

DIAGRAM 1 #3 H

BY BILL LUND

P

#2

ass coverage for linebackers becoming more and

more important now with the explosion of pass offenses and run-pass option reads.

Every coach has a distinctive style of zone coverage they prefer. Some believe in QB keying in zone coverage. Some prefer progression reads.

A few coaches may use a combination of the two.

This article will discuss the eye transition in a quarters or progression style of coverage.

#1 Z

F

#2

HOOK/CURL TECHNIQUE

DIAGRAM 2 #3

Progression read concept As linebackers, when we get a pass read, we must have an awareness of both QB and receiver threats in our zone. These threats are processed along a progression (diagram 1).

Each receiver from the outside in is numbered No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 (in most cases). Each linebacker will base his drop responsibility on his initial progression.

If you are keying No. 2 to No. 1, you can identify your potential threats presnap. Postsnap, you must process the releases of threats and transition your eyes appropriately.

Understand that as a threat moves out of your zone, another one is likely coming in.

H

#2 #1 Z

F

#2

Initiating the drop (pass read) ■■ Based on hash and coverage, drop the outside leg and open the hips to your responsibility (field).

On hash, pedal or slide drop.

40

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#1 X

Y W

S

HOOK TECHNIQUE

DIAGRAM 3 #3

General thoughts on zone coverage ■■ Know the aim point.

■■ Work from deep to shallow unless coverage rules dictate otherwise.

■■ Process your progression based on initial threats.

■■ Keep inside-out leverage on receivers in your zone.

■■ Know the depth of the QB on a dropback pass; set when he sets.

■■ Lean zones by QB elbow/roll or by push/ flood action.

■■ Play pass reaction (sprint to responsibility).

■■ Collision/carry vertical threats in your zone responsibility to appropriate depth.

■■ Know when the QB’s elbow is set to you or away from you to determine how you set up (directional key).

■■ See the QB’s front hand on the ball (delivery key).

■■ Break for the ball on the QB’s intentions; cover ground while the ball is in the air.

■■ Intercept the ball at its highest point.

#1 X

Y

H

#2 #1 Z

F

#2

#1 X

Y M

W

CURL/FLAT TECHNIQUE

DIAGRAM 4 #3 H

#2 #1 Z

F

#2

#1 X

Y

W

M

S

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■■ Keep eyes on QB until he clears three steps to rule out the draw threat.

■■ Once the QB clears three steps, snap your eyes toward the route progression threat, either No. 2 or No. 3.

HOLE TECHNIQUE

DIAGRAM 5 #3

Drop technique ■■ Transition eyes through your progression with discipline (QB/route progression).

■■ It is imperative that linebackers be aware of the QB for identifying where and when the ball will be thrown.

Break indicators ■■ Directional key. Know where the QB will throw ball based on where his front elbow is pointed. This is slightly different as some coaches may use the shoulder. I like the elbow because it serves as a good pointer for the direction of the throw but also allows for a clearer picture of the delivery key.

■■ Delivery key. Linebackers break on the thrown ball as the QB’s hand comes off the football. (QB intentions).

Break technique ■■ Ball thrown to the outside. Lead step with the outside foot while driving off inside leg. Run on a straight line. Do not get depth that may allow a receiver to come in front and catch the ball.

■■ Ball thrown to the inside. Drive off the outside foot, point inside foot in a straight line toward the threat and explode across the field.

Principles of zone coverage for inside linebackers ■■ The success of any zone lies in the player’s ability to leverage the receiver entering the defender’s zone.

■■ Reading the QB’s intentions. Key the front elbow of QB as to which zone he is intending to throw the ball.

Zone technique ■■ Hook curl. Linebacker read progression is No. 2 to No. 1 (diagram 2). Open to your threat working for depth and width based on field zone. Use either a zone drop or a pedal drop technique. Your drop zone is two yards outside the hash at a depth of 12 yards if there is no threat. If No. 2 is vertical, wall him, absorb and disrupt the route and settle in your curl. Protect the seam first. If No. 2 works out, spot up No. 1 on a potential in-breaking route and get underneath. If No. 2 works inside shallow, call “crosser” and eye No. 1 as you settle into your curl. Collision any vertical route over six yards of depth. On any three-step drop, drive immediately to your threat at a 90-degree angle.

■■ Hook. Linebacker read progression is No. 2 to No. 1 (diagram 3). Open to your threat working for depth (pedal). Your drop zone is one yard inside the

H

#2 #1 Z

F

#2

#1 X

Y

W

hash at a depth of 12 yards. If No. 2 is vertical, wall him, absorb and disrupt the route and settle in your hook. Protect the seam first. If No. 2 works out, spot up No. 1 on a potential in breaking route and get underneath. If No. 2 works inside shallow, call “crosser” and eye No. 1 as you settle to your curl. Collision any vertical route over six yards of depth. On any three-step drop, drive immediately to your threat at a 90-degree angle.

■■ Curl/flat. Linebacker read progression is No. 2 to No. 1. Versus vertical release, reroute No. 2 as you drive for width and depth. Versus a flat release, drive for width and depth while anticipating the curl by No. 1. You are the wheel player with 2 through the zone. Against an inside release, make a “crosser” call to Mike and look up new No. 1 in the flat. Against any three-step drop, drive underneath No. 1.

■■ Quick/flat. Used on a push or flood call by the middle linebacker (diagram 4). If No. 2 or No. 3 become No. 1 in the flat, match up. Maintain inside leverage on top of the receiver. Drive to his inside hip staying topside.

■■ Hole. Linebacker read progression is No. 3 to No. 2, open to No. 3 usually in the backfield and immediately key the inside No. 2 (many times a tight end) (diagram 5). Drop inside of No. 2 or No. 3, protecting the seam and inside. Your spot is the middle of the field at 12 yards deep. Against a tight end vertical, carry him deep to the safety. If the tight end drags, open back in the direction he is going and settle. Do not jump the shallow cross.

With a flat release by No. 3 call, push or flood (3-by-1), eye up No. 2 from the play side coming in.

Be alert from crosser calls backside.

M

■■ Bill Lund is the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Saginaw Valley State University. He previously held positions at Hope College, North Park University of Carleton College, St. Norbert College, University at Buffalo, Colby College and Columbia University. Follow him on Twitter @Lundsanity51.

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41

PLAYBOOK presented by Run the Rocket Toss in the Triple Option

ROCKET TOSS

DIAGRAM 1

BY TERRY DONOVAN

A

veer play as often as we can. Inside veer and midline, along with a couple of zone blocking give and follow plays account for 60 percent of our offense. We have averaged more than 300 yards rushing per game for four straight seasons.

This year, we averaged 6.8 yards per carry.

So, we do these things well, and everyone we play knows it. Teams will bring extra players in the box to counter our offense. So even with the proficiency we have running the ball, when we are forced outside, we have to be able to make teams pay on the perimeter. One of our best plays to do this is the Rocket Toss.

The Rocket Toss (diagram 1) is an outside play where we want our A backs (wing backs) to catch the ball at full speed one yard outside the tackle in order to leverage the defense, which is trying to take away the run game inside. This sounds simple, yet we need to rep this to get our A backs to trust the play and not want to cut the play up before gaining leverage.

We typically run this play when we can no longer get four yards on a give read to our fullback. During games, we have a coach who is watching the dive and pitch read. If the pitch read has his shoulders turning in every play, we will toss it outside of him.

The Rocket Toss is also our best way to beat the blitz. Any time we get the A and B gaps plugged, we feel we can run this.

Our rules are, starting from the outside: ■■ The playside wide receiver has the deep defender. The corner has to stay on him or we will throw the ball over his head. If the corner plays the run hard, the receiver and the A back could switch jobs, but someone has to pick up the corner and account for him.

■■ The playside A back runs the circle on the alley player. This means he will arc to a point just outside the overhang linebacker. If the overhang crosses his face, he blocks him. If not, he keeps going to safety, and the guard will block the overhang.

■■ The playside tackle takes an outside release on the 5 technique, placing him in the B gap and blocks the playside inside linebacker. Since we put the 5 technique in the B gap with the tackle releasing outside and tight, we do not block the defensive end in our spread formation.

■■ The playside guard pulls to the alley player.

42

S

s a triple option team, we set out to run our inside

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LB

C

C

LB

LB

LB 5

3

1

5 Y

X QB

Z

H

B

ROCKET TOSS DOUBLE TIGHT

DIAGRAM 2 S

C

LB

C

LB

LB

LB 5

1

3

5 Y

X QB

Z

H

B

ROCKET TOSS HEAVY

DIAGRAM 3 S

C

LB

C

LB

LB

LB 5

3

1

6

Y H

JT QB

H

B

■■ Terry Donovan is the Offensive Coordinator for Kasson Mantorville High School in Minnesota and a USA Football Master Trainer. He also is director of youth football and coaching development in Kasson, Minn. He has served as a U.S. National football team coach at numerous events and with a variety of ages.

X

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

He will read the A back’s block and block the overhang linebacker if he is still in the alley. If the linebacker drifts outside and the A back picks him up, the guard keeps going in the alley and gets the next run support player to show.

■■ The center, backside guard and backside tackle scoop and get vertical to pick up second level players.

■■ The backside wide receiver takes on a diagonal to cut off a defender.

■■ The backside A back leaves early in the count, drop steps, aims at the feet of the B back, then goes horizontal. While getting to full speed, he catches the pitch from the quarterback and continues outside at full speed with the landmarks of hash, numbers, sidelines.

■■ The B back goes opposite the call and fills for the backside scooping linemen.

■■ The quarterback reverses out and tosses a firm knuckleball to the A back, then boots out away from the play.

■■ This is the play out of the flexbone spread formation.

We like to be able to do the same plays out of different formations – just like many of you do. In Diagram 2, we look at it out of a double tight formation. This has been great for us as it tightens the defense up even more and allows us to get outside quickly.

For this formation, most of the assignments stay the same except: ■■ The playside receiver, who becomes the tight end, now blocks down on the C gap defender.

■■ The tackle now pulls around the down block but still has the Mike.

■■ The guard and playside A back have the same responsibilities as the do out of spread. A runs the circle on the overhang unless he crosses his face and the guard has the alley defender.

The other formation that we love this play is in heavy

(diagram 3). When we need an answer, we get into an unbalanced set.

Because we can still run to the nub side, some teams don’t completely adjust. When this happens and they are trying to stop our triple option, we will toss the ball and with the extra receiver we really gain a numbers advantage here.

The rocket toss is a great weapon to get the ball out on the perimeter and into your playmaker’s hands when the defense is not allowing to gain yards on the triple option. The key for this outside play is the A back must be a full speed when he catches the ball to get to the corner.

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PLAYBOOK presented by Attacking and reading coverages

BY BILL HEWITT

T

hroughout my coaching career, I found

one truism that really stood out: Any time spent working with quarterbacks on the field and through film work toward identifying and attacking coverages really pays off.

Every defensive look has certain visual giveaways. On top of that, defensive players have habits that I call “markers.”

Identifying these through film study makes it a lot easier to read movements during presnap.

When the offense presents a specific formation, the defense must respond and cover all eligible receivers. The defense will counter each situation with stunts, formations and schemes.

The offense must always stay one step ahead by reading what defense is doing.

This is actually a fast chess game played on a field with little time to think about adjustments, so smart, quick adjustments will win in most scenarios.

The offense has a major advantage over the defense. The offense always knows their mission and the play called.

The defense must react to movement and counter each move by the offense.

Every action creates a reaction.

That’s why a good coaching staff will make corrections after every series, trying to stay one step ahead of the defense.

This is why an intelligent, prepared quarterback is so important to the team.

Quarterbacks must make corrections and adjustments within presnap and

postsnap reads. Split-second judgments are the difference between success and failure. Extensive film work uncovers habits by the defense.

Here are a few keys every quarterback must know: ■■ Scan the field. Many Quarterbacks have tunnel vision. Take time to read left to right, right to left. This means the whole field. Sense the defensive line.

Is it an odd or even front? Then check Levels 2 and 3 for positioning.

■■ is there an uncovered receiver? If so, throw there right away upon the snap.

■■ Where are the safeties? Deep middle zone? Close to the line of scrimmage?

Use this information to identify a blitz or man coverage.

■■ Where is Sam linebacker? Check his depth. If he is creeping close, look for some type of blitz or pressure with man coverage behind.

■■ Where are the weakness? Find and attack them. Is anyone limping or out of position? You need to look every play.

■■ Is anyone “cheating”? What kind of movement or rotation is going on? Will this present a different coverage?

■■ Where is the safety? If the safety is outside or on the hash mark, he will probably stay home. lf the defender is inside the hash or moving, watch the rotation. If a defensive back is squatting, no rotation is coming.

■■ Cornerback press coverage. If the corner plays the receiver inside out, it is usually means man coverage. If the corner plays outside in, it’s usually zone coverage. If the corner turns his body before the snap, he could be bailing back to rotation to cover a deep half, third or

10 tips every quarterback can use

1 2

NEVER LOOK AT THE FOOTBALL WHEN THROWING. This will conflict with mechanics, brain and muscle memory.

NEVER THROW LATE OVER THE MIDDLE. Never throw across your body. Never throw back across the field. Never throw into a crowd. Only throw if single or sometimes double coverage exists

44

with leverage at the time of the throw.

Otherwise, bad things will happen.

FOCUS ON A VERY SMALL AREA WHEN THROWING A PASS. Always look small and miss small.

THROW TO THE AREA, NOT TO THE RECEIVERS. Sense the secondary with peripheral vision.

3 4

football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

5 6 7

quarter coverage.

■■ Check the box. Defensive alignment will determine a run or pass audible.

Determine how many defensive players are in the box during the presnap read.

A kill call or audible may be the correct move at that time.

■■ Left or right? How many defenders are on each side of the field? Attack the lighter side of the defense.

■■ Who are we blocking and why? Will the protections work? Change if necessary.

Can an unblocked player disrupt the play? What kind of blocking angles are presented to us? Leverage always wins.

■■ Man or zone? Or is it split coverage.

Motion may give us a early indication.

If a defensive back follows the motion receiver, look for man coverage.

■■ Remember the film work. This will uncover rotations and how the defense tends to cheat at Levels 2 and 3. This will also show out-o- position players and bad habits.

The pre-snap read The pre-snap read by the quarterback will help unveil what coverage the defense presents each play. In most cases, the defense will attempt to disguise their plans. The defense’s No. 1 mission is to confuse the Quarterback. If they succeed? Mission accomplished.

That is why a quarterback must be prepared for what the defense does both before and after the snap.

The post-snap read The way to beat defenses is to split what your receivers are doing. One side is working to defeat man coverage while the other side attacks expecting zone. Whatever the defensive shows on

THROW TO THE PLACE YOU ARE LOOKING. This will make you more accurate and will cut down on interceptions.

GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN. You must believe this. Focus on the positive. Your brain will want more and more.

FORGET THE BAD THINGS QUICKLY. Learn from your mistakes if your smart.

8 9 10

LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO THROW THE FOOTBALL. Never think or aim, just throw.

Trust your throws. As the old saying goes: Let it all hang out.

CHECK ALIGNMENTS DURING PRESNAP AND POSTSNAP READS. ALWAYS KEEP A LEVEL HEAD. You are the leader, and the team will follow.

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

attacking coverages

Q

uarterbacks must continue to work on mechanics and reading skills.

New concepts will unfold in the future, but the basics must be there.

Here are a few examples of coverages and how to attack them. Think about what plays in your system will work.

Man-to-man Cover 1 with a free safety Offenses can beat man coverages with: ■■ Crossing routes ■■ Motion ■■ Traditional run option ■■ Run-pass option ■■ Breaking routes, pick routes, play action passes, out routes Remember, there are many combinations of coverages (e.g. 1X, 1H, 1B).

Cover 2 zone with two deep safeties ■■ Attack the deep middle of level 3 with

fade area and strong side curl ■■ Leaves weak run support at off tackle

post-snap read determines the primary receivers. Use motion if it helps to see if it uncovers man coverage.

Defenses are getting very complicated. They adjust to the offensive play after the snap of the football now. Man coverage. Zone coverage. Man under zone coverage. Zone with man isolation.

These are just some of the coverages used today.

Putting it all together This is how I teach my quarterback to use visual keys in order to read defenses: ■■ After breaking the huddle, the quarterback looks to see what side of the defense has more players. Scan the field left to right. Right to left.

■■ Find the free safety and strong safety. What type of front are they in?

■■ How many players are in the box?

This dictates either run or pass by counting the numbers. The ability for a quarterback to audible is a must.

■■ The safety is key read if the offense is running an RPO. ■■ How many defensive backs are in Level 3? Is it two, three or four deep?

Cover 3 (man under) Again, attack the deep middle.

■■ Clear zones underneath and throw to open receivers or backs ■■ Cover 3 Zone, three-deep coverage ■■ Attack the flats and hook curl zones ■■ Flood routes, dig routes, square in, four verticals ■■ Run support away from the strong safety

Cover 0 (man-to-man) ■■ No underneath help ■■ Crossing routes, breaking routes, pick

routes, deep middle ■■ Look for an all-out blitz and get rid of

the ball quickly; a big play could develop

Quarters coverage ■■ Weakness is the flat area.

■■ Play action will confuse the safeties ■■ If they funnel or channel into double cov-

erage, this will leave a receiver uncovered A smart quarterback and coach will demand positive football knowledge.

Enjoy the game and have fun!

What are their depths and positioning?

This may give away man, zone, split coverage, press coverage and more.

■■ Where are the Sam and Will Linebacker? If they are close to Level 1, watch for the blitz or stunts.

Now it’s time to analyze all that data and determine if the play runs as called or gets changed.

■■ Attack the primary defender that covers the area or person we are throwing to. Leverage is a must for the receivers. If not, bad things will happen.

■■ Leverage will win every time. Focus on the situation. Is the play a go? Sense the secondary.

■■ Most quarterbacks don’t realize or look at the stance of the defenders or alignments. This is a real giveaway on what their next move may be after the snap.

■■ Decisions have to be made in a short period of time. Make an intelligent hypothesis.

■■ Bill Hewitt is a former college football coach, NFL scout and film grader for the Buffalo Bills.

He also is a retired physical education teacher.

Follow him on Twitter @HewittCoach.

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ary product is always a double-edged sword.

Innovative products have always been critical to growth in any industry. However, if a product advancement leaps too far beyond current technology, there is a tendency for people to be uncomfortable with the change and reject it.

With more than 30 years of experience as a football coach, Lazser Down Founder Mike Foster knew there was a better and faster way to get critical down information to a coaching staff. For over a decade, Foster has worked diligently, from concept to creation, to build technology that helps coaches make more informed in-game decisions.

Lazser Down is an innovative product in a market segment where not much has changed in the last several decades. What makes Lazser Down so unique is a patented system of LED down marker, combined with a paired LED distance marker.

The down marker, in and of itself, is a technological advancement. It has a fully waterproof housing for use in all weather conditions, five levels of brightness for visibility even in direct sunlight, a matte exterior finish to eliminate glare from high intensity light sources, and fully ambidextrous operation with easy-to-use one-touch buttons.

The biggest technological advancement Lazser Down offers is the optional Lazser Down Distance Marker. Using a paired and synchronized radio technology, the distance marker accurately

Matt Starr, Founder and CEO of Sideline Power 46

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measures and displays the distance between the line of scrimmage and the line to gain. Measured and displayed in yards, feet, and inches, the distance marker provides easy, efficient, and instantaneous feedback.

Both the down marker and distance marker incorporate a rechargeable battery that can run for over seven hours on a single charge.

While the investment in Lazser Down has been monumental for Foster, he has cultivated crucial connections with industry giants like Jim Egender, creator of Dial-A-Down, the industry standard for the NFL and colleges.

Egender now sits on the Advisory Board for Lazser Down and has been an instrumental part of the company’s success.

If you would like more information and insight on how Lazser Down can help your program this fall, be sure to visit www.sidelinepower.com.

We look forward to helping get your program #PoweredUp.

BIGFOOT LINE ARRAY DURABLE | WIRELESS | EASY TO USE

“We were looking for a system that was easy to use, easy to transport, and loud enough for our multiple practice areas. We found that with the Bigfoot portable sound system. We play music every day for practice and the simplicity of the Bigfoot has reduced the time and complexity of our set-up significantly. The sound quality is excellent, the simplicity is awesome, and best of all the coaches are happy! It’s the best new addition to our practice set-up.”

- Jordan Strickler, University of Texas at Austin

FEATURES: • • • • • •

Reach Crowds of 5,000+ 300W AC/DC 130 dB of clear sound Connect up to four wireless mics Built-in Bluetooth Six Year Warranty

Order Yours Today!

SIDELINE POWER 800.496.4290 x800 mstarr@sidelinepower.com

INSPIRATION

Many of the best football coaches and players provide inspiration to the people around them on a daily basis. We often present quotes from former players/coaches on Twitter @FNFCoaches. The following quotes received the most buzz from our followers.

Optimisim

The successful person is one who finds an opportunity in every problem. Unsuccessful people find a problem in every opportunity.” –lou holtz

Love of the Game I coach because it’s what I love to do, not because it’s what I have to do.” –Dabo Swinney

BE POSITIVE

On every team, there is a core group that sets the tone for everyone else. If the tone is positive, you have half the battle won. If it is negative, you are beaten before you ever walk on the field.” –Chuck Noll

Consistency

Flash doesn’t win games. Hype doesn’t win games.

Going out and executing and doing your job on a consistent basis is what wins.” –Clay Helton

CULTURE

On good teams coaches hold players accountable, on great teams players hold players accountable.” –Joe Dumars

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