FNF Coaches 2019 "Reset Your Strategy" by A.E. Engine

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RESET YOUR STRATEGY

Install a new scheme this offseason building a program in four steps

college Q&A

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The Magazine for High School Football Coaches

march 2019

College Recruiter Offers Twitter Tips for Players Wall High (texas) coach Houston Guy with (front left) Nate Fedor, Colton Diebitsch, Kep Granzin, Stuart Bumann, (front right) Will Ferreira, Mason Fuchs, Kalani Celaya, Joe Walker

Nick Saban’s Consultant Talks Accountability Profile of a Legend | College Coordinators Talk Scheme | Program Building | Aggressive Game Management Excerpts from FNF Coaches Talk

STAND FOR SMART PLAY Accurate, real-time head impact data to help teams make the right call about player safety.

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REFINE YOUR STRATEGY

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04. NEWS+NOTES TWITTER TIPS FOR 05. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT YOUR PLAYERS 10. LASZER DOWN 18. PROGRAM BUILDING 20. GOING FOR IT 22. GSC COACH-TO-PLAYER™ 34. COLLEGE COACHES CORNER 38. BACK IN THE DAY 48. INSPIRATION

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MORE THAN COACHES

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR We are proud to present our third edition of 2019, which has a strategy theme. The start of the spring practice schedule offers coaches an opportunity to install new schemes that best fit their players’ skill sets. It’s important to take inventory at the end of each season to make sure your scheme takes advantage of your team strengths. Installing a new scheme takes time and attention to details. Coaches need to know how to share their vision with their coaches and players and have the maximum buy-in for the following season. That process includes tweaking the playbook, showing video evidence of the scheme working, getting mentorship from other coaches, and taking the product out to the field. We will also share stories of program building, technology, strength and conditioning, and family. Our FNF Coaches staff also attended the USA Football National Conference in February, so we are inspired to share those interactions with coaches across the country. 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

2018 HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR TAKES JOB AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

T ■■ Former St. Joe’s Prep (Pa.) coach Gabe Infante

he 2018 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year is no longer coaching high

school football. Reigning Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Gabe Infante, who helped St. Joe’s Prep (Pa.) win four of the last six state football titles, recently accepted a job as the new linebackers coach at Temple University. Infante led St. Joe’s Prep to the 2018 PIAA 6A title this past season. He was the head football coach at St. Joseph’s Prep since 2010, compiling a record of 91-23 (.798 winning percentage). In nine seasons at the Prep, his teams have played for five state titles. Infante was certainly a worthy recipient of the High School Coach of the Year Award, particularly for the way he gives back to the game as a USA Football Master Trainer and his charitable endeavors with St. Joseph’s Prep. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

TRENDING TOPICS @FNFCOACHES Here’s a collection of the latest buzz Rob Mendez, who was born with no arms or legs, waited 12 years for a head coaching opportunity that he started to fear would never come. This offseason, Mendez fulfilled a lifetime dream by becoming the head coach of the junior varsity team at Prospect High (Calif.). Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that prevents the formation of limbs during embryonic development. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. He is mobile thanks to the chair he controls with his head and neck. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible.

MULTIPLAYER TACKLE DRILLS LED TO THE

highest frequency of head impacts, according to findings recently published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics. “Interventions such as reducing the speed of players engaged in contact, correcting tackling technique, and then progressing to contact may reduce head impact exposure,” the study found. Most state associations have rules restricting full contact in the opening days of preseason workouts. If your state doesn’t, consider easing into the full-contact portion of your practice schedule, and give yourself time to teach the proper technique to players.

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we’re hearing on our Twitter feed.

CHARACTER

Players: Your athletic career is most likely temporary; your character lasts a lifetime. The person you are is far more important than the player you are. What are your habits? Are you grateful, humble, honest. Do you care for others? Be someone people respect on & off the court.” @COACHJONBECK Three major things that determine your success in life: 1. Your Attitude. 2. Your Self Discipline & Habits. 3. The relationships you build and the people you surround yourself with.” @DEFNSEUNIVRSITY

X&O Labs, owned by HUDL, gathered information from the 2018 season and is now releasing its report on playcalling trends. You will likely not be surprised to see that most defenses played man coverage against RPOs. These offensive concepts put run/pass defenders that are in zone coverages in the ultimate dilemma, asking them to play both the run and the pass while the quarterback reads them post-snap. It’s a lose-lose situation. The study found that 46 percent of defensive coordinators either use pure man coverage or a version of split field coverage (which essentially turns to man post-snap) to defend run/pass option concepts.

TRAINING

The mind is the most undertrained asset of any athlete, yet it’s the biggest factor separating the good from the great.” @ROBERTSHIPLEY2

CHANGE

Habits in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by sustained focus and energy. It’s simply a matter of behavioral physics. Many people struggle with change because they don’t sustain the focus and energy that change requires. Do the work!” @TIMOTHYKIGHT

THE OKLAHOMA SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Activities Association has adopted a 40-second clock rule, designed to create a more even pace on ball possessions. On most plays — barring the first plays of quarters, after timeouts or other clock stoppages, a 40-second clock will begin immediately at the end of a play. This change is meant to do away with disparity connected with the former 25-second clock, which didn’t begin until the officials set the ball for the next play. “There’s such a discrepancy between some crews,” explained Bartlesville High School head football coach Jason Sport.

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HOT READS NEWSLETTER IMPROVE YOUR CULTURE WITH FOCUS 3. The USA Football and Focus 3 partnership provides coaches with an exclusive training tool for growing their culture. Designed for any level, this program creates customized programs for those who want to build elite programs, win championships, and change lives. Focus 3 includes 2 elite programs, 5+ hours of content, 16 skill courses and 80 chapter lessons. What are you waiting for? Become the best coach you can be. Start the process today by visiting

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FNF COACHES TALK

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 February revolved around improvements to offensive and defensive schemes as well as tweaks to strength and conditioning programs. We shared those stories in our daily Coaches Talk posts. Here are some of the more popular posts from February.

■■ Former Belton High (Texas) quarterback Peyton Mansell

‘It’s a science now’: For college football’s elite, there’s no such thing as an inexperienced QB anymore ■■ Chicago Tribune

The education of quarterbacks is starting younger and younger, and as a result, they’re getting to the college game (and perhaps even high school) with a much broader base of knowledge. They know how to recognize defensive schemes, weaknesses and blitzes before the snap. “Quarterbacks know, right now [at very young ages], when they motion a guy, they’re doing it to see if they’re in zone,” said Robert Faleafine, the president of Jr. Sports Prep Hawaii, who has coached in it as well. “They’re doing it to see if they’re in

man. At this level. They’re watching that. So receivers are already being taught how to sit in zone, and to see whether the cornerback bails or if he sits. They learn these things already. At 11! At this level. It’s crazy!” Part of this can be attributed to better coaching. More youth league coaches

have experience playing the game. Also, high school coaches are doing a better job of establishing feeder programs with the youth teams running the same scheme as the high school team. Finally, 7-on-7 summer leagues have helped quarterbacks identify coverages. ■■ Coaches: How do you help your young quarterbacks see the game through your eyes?

The secret success of the flexbone offense ■■ GoSanAngelo.com

The flexbone offense can be seen at the college level at the service academies as well as Georgia Tech. It’s even more popular at the high school level, where more coaches are trying to overcome significant size advantages along the offensive and defensive lines. Why is the flexbone a good offense to counter a lack of size? The flexbone – with the quarterback under center, a fullback and two slotbacks who take the pitch on the third level of

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the triple option – is an offense designed to help teams that don’t have the size and athleticism of their opponents. The flexbone option doesn’t require blocking two defensive linemen – usually a tackle or interior lineman, plus an end. Instead, the quarterback reads those two defenders, and chooses to hand off the ball to the fullback up the middle, keep the ball and cut up field or pitch to a trailing back around the end. Similar to RPOs, the flexbone forces defensive linemen to make split-second decisions on which offensive player to pursue. With the flexbone quarterback under center and the fullback running toward the line of scrimmage, the unblocked interior defender must make a split-second decision to take the fullback or quarterback. This opposed to handoffs in the shotgun that occur 3 yards behind the line and require time to develop. Another flexbone advantage is that, because it’s a running offense, it keeps your defense off the field for longer periods. ■■ Coaches: How do you scheme to overcome a lack of size along the offensive and defensive lines?

Why has Penn State football changed its offseason workout routine? ■■ Penn Live

We hear a lot of stories about coaches scheduling summer workouts for 5 or 6 a.m. to build mental toughness in the players. While there may be some gain in that department, the early-morning schedule can result in some sacrifices in strength gains, according to Penn State coach James Franklin. In past years, alarms went off early and workouts took place before any class started inside any lecture hall at University Park. Now, the team gathers in the afternoon for their workouts. Why? “We moved those to the afternoon,

which is something I’ve never done before,” head coach James Franklin said last week. “But with our conversations with sport science, we spend all our time talking to our players about the importance of nutrition, hydration and sleep, but then as coaches we get them up at 5:00 in the morning — it just didn’t make a whole lot of sense.” ■■ Coaches: We understand high school student-athletes have jobs and other responsibilities that might demand early-morning schedules, but it’s just something to think about. Athletes typically have more energy in the afternoons. What factors do you take into account when crafting an offseason schedule for players?

The football playbook rule? ‘Keeping it simple’ is the way to go ■■ Morning Sentinel

Here’s something to think about if you’re adding to your playbook this offseason. Keep it simple. Don’t inundate the players with too much information. Whenever you add a play, be sure to subtract one as well. “It really comes down to what we think they can handle mentally, because you could have a limitless playbook,” Cony coach B.L. Lippert said. “You don’t want to overburden them with 400 plays, but you also want to be diverse enough where you can take advantage of a defensive weakness you’ve seen on film.” Of course, players are more likely to spend time in their playbooks now that they can access them digitally on their phones. Many Maine coaches share their playbooks this way. “It’s all digital, they can look at it on their phone,” White said. “(You) can pick out whatever game from last season or two years ago that you want to watch, bang.

BILL BELICHICK’S OLD-SCHOOL METHOD OF PADDING

■■ Yahoo! Sports

BILL BELICHICK PREFERS AN EXTREMELY DETAIL-

oriented method of scouting that takes hours — or even days — to chart a single game. Are there any other coaches out there who call it “padding”? Belichick uses the notes when designing a game plan, but perhaps more importantly, he uses the “padding” method to help develop assistant coaches so that they see the game the same way he does.

Playbook right there, you can just (read) right through it.” ■■ Coaches: How do you make sure your players are spending time studying their playbooks?

Five ideas for high school football coaches to get more player buy-in ■■ Max Preps

This is the time of year when coaches might struggle to engage players. We completely understand that it’s easier to motivate when you have rewards like playing time and wins and losses to hang over players’ heads. But how do you motivate when your next game isn’t for six months? This article on MaxPreps shares some keys to keeping players engaged throughout the offseason. We picked out two that we particularly like: ■■ Develop personal relationships The first key to getting more buy-in from your players is developing personal relationships. This is where it really starts. If you want your players to play hard, they have to know who you are, and you’ve got to know who they are. We hear that from coaches a lot, and it’s so important in the offseason when attendance is — let’s say, more flexible — than in-season. Another piece of advice we hear a lot: Appeal to a player’s competitive spirit. ■■ Create teams Create teams within your team to get more buy in from them during the off season. Divide all your kids. Divide them by five, six, eight different teams where they can compete for points. This will get them to buy into what you’re trying to do with your team. ■■ Coaches: How do you keep your players engaged during the offseason?

WHEN PADDING GAMES, ASSISTANTS ARE

required to watch tape of a given game and — on every single play — draw the offense and defense on a sheet of paper, and map out the movement and assignment of each player on the field. They’re also asked to note everything from receiver and offensive line splits to tendencies and protections.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Tips for Your Players Sam Houston State University coach Michael Singletary (@Singletary_28) posted Twitter tips for high school players who are being recruited. He gave FNF Coaches permission to share his post.

USE A PORTRAIT WITH YOUR HELMET OFF. Use a camp or combine photo so your face is not obscured. This helps recruiters recognize you at events.

Tweets

Following

4,536 Sam “Bulldog” Johnson @SamJohnsonLB2019

C/o 2019 | Pos: LB/RB | 6-3, 216 lbs. | West Springville HS | 7-on-7, Baseball, Swimming | 33123 | GPA: 3.2 | SAT: 750 | ESPN Rank/Score: No. 25 / 76 Miami, FL hudl.com/profile/756380/Sam-Johnson Joined February 2018 Born on September 04 Following 49 accounts you follow

151

Followers

732

Likes

3,128

Lists

Moments

USE YOUR REAL NAME. Be easy to find. The Coaches’ Journal @TheCoachJournal • 5h Words and actions. What are your words? And do they match your actions? Be accountable to your coachesPROFESSIONAL HANDLE: and your teammates.… Easy to find, easy to remember. 1

(Not “@xxGAMERxx163” or “@swag_NOiz54”.)

BIO SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: Class of (C/o), Position (both offense AND defense), high school (spelled Ken Buckingham @KenB10 6h out; there are dozens of “WSHS”), and So thankfulYOUR for the support of my community and classmates in the voting for the REAL other team affiliations or sports played. Player of the Year Contest. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. will be a CURRENT Optional (but helpful):This height/weight, big help towards my college education! LOCATION. ACT/SAT score, area code, ESPN/247/ Scout rank. 5 18 Sam “Bulldog” Johnson Retweeted

YOUR MOST RECENT HUDL LINK.

Incoming freshmen Pee Wee Sam “Bulldog” JohnsonorRetweeted players can use YouTube. Coach Tom Allen @CoachAllenIU • 9h IT IS HARD TO: - Get up early & work out - Push through the last rep - Touch every line in conditioning

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WHO YOU FOLLOW MATTERS. Recruiters will notice who influences you. Follow football accounts: Teams, coaches, trainers, recruiters, etc.

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TECH CORNER

DJI Mavic 2 Zoom allows coaches to see the entire field Sideline Power works to find and bring new technology to the industry in order to help coaches win. Sideline Power has partnered with FNF Coaches to create an educational article each month on different innovative products. It’s time to get #PoweredUP with this month’s featured product, the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

DRONE RULES AND REGULATIONS

For decades, End Zone Cameras have been the only option for providing and elevated perspective during scrimmages and games. Over the last several years, the game has changed as drones have become increasingly popular as the go-to platform for aerial videography of scrimmages. A lot of programs, however, still have questions on how and when drones are used. Why use a drone, and why, specifically, the Mavic 2 Zoom? Most programs use drones during practice as a mobile video platform. This allows the team to work across an entire field instead of being confined to a stationary camera’s field of view. With a 31-minute flight time and automated Return to Home feature, the Mavic 2 Zoom is a practical and safe method to record large sections of practice with minimal down-time for battery changes. Other automated features include ActiveTrack 2.0 and Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing. For the first time in DJI history, the Mavic 2 Zoom incorporates obstacle sensors on all sides of the aircraft for greater safety during flight. Active Track 2.0 takes the automatic subject tracking to a whole new level using precise recognition and trajectory prediction. When running Option Plays or even RPOs, the drone pilot can highlight a particular player to follow automatically through

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the entire progression. With active trajectory prediction, even if the subject is lost momentarily, the drone will predict his path and attempt to pick him up on the other side. One of the major concerns with drones is safety. Previous to the Mavic 2 Zoom, if you wanted to get a closer view of the action, the drone had to physically fly closer to the action. With the Mavic 2 Zoom, on the other hand, the 4x zoom (including 2x optical zoom) gives you a closer view of scrimmages while helping you maintain a safer distance from the players. The zoom feature is a huge innovation in drone technology and only available on the Mavic 2 Zoom. The Mavic 2 Zoom platform empowers you to capture video of scrimmages that once was out of reach. Before consumer drones were available AND affordable, the only way to obtain a bird’s eye view of a scrimmage was either a cable or pole-mounted camera system. With the advent of the affordable consumer grade drone, coaches have been getting video of gap spacing and veer steps that was virtually impossible to see before. If you would like more information and insight on how a DJI Mavic Zoom can help your program this fall, be sure to visit sidelinepower.com. We look forward to helping get your program #PoweredUp.

COACHES: Understand that a drone is considered an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and thus is subject to all rules and regulations set forth by the FAA. Don’t let that scare you, though. It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. Per FAA regulations, you can fly a drone as a hobbyist, without a pilot license, as long as you follow all of the parameters pertaining to the hobbyist classification. The biggest stipulation is that video can not be used for financial profit. Aside from that, there are a few regulations on airspace restrictions, but generally as long as you are flying under 400 feet and at least 5 miles away from an airport, you shouldn’t have any problems.

MATT STARR FOUNDER AND CEO, SIDELINE POWER

SPORTS PERFORMANCE

nick saban’s consultant: “I’m Strong If You’re Strong” BY DR. KEVIN ELKO

have been lucky enough to work with a number of suc-

cessful athletic teams that have made it as far as NCAA National Championships as well as Super Bowls, and for every team I work with, I teach one simple, effective concept — Internal Accountability. Internal Accountability is when players are aware of their actions and make deliberate choices in practice, on the field, and off of the field. The accountability is upheld by the players themselves as well as by other players within their units. To initiate this process, the concept of ownership has to be introduced, because it needs to be taught and repeated until it is ingrained in each player and the magic occurs. In order to instill this concept into players, I like to say, “The best year of your life will be the year you take ownership of every problem in your life.” A great example of how successful the concept of ownership is can be seen in the 2017-2018 Philadelphia Eagles. That year, every time Doug Pederson spoke to his team, he taught (and retaught) the concept of ownership. He had OWNERSHIP in red lights behind him as he spoke. This repetition reminded his players to stay on track, take accountability for their actions, and fix their mistakes. The next step in the process is to break the team into units — offensive line, defensive line, bullpen, guards, forwards, etc. Once the teams are broken into units, they are taught how to connect with each other, help each other, and (most importantly) hold each other accountable. The big challenge in breaking the teams into units is that units may get offended. Let’s be honest, most of us are frequently offended; however, many athletes hold their own in sports and life, because they are so frequently offended. This is why Internal Accountability is so important. It helps players and coaches work with each other rather than offend each other. Additionally, players are taught within their units that when a teammate or coach is giving them direction, they are accountable to each other in helping one another avoid getting offended. They can do this by learning that feedback is positive. For example, when I was doing mental testing for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, we analyzed how players understood feedback. There are two core responses to feedback. The first one is, “What I did was wrong.” This shows

that the athlete recognizes what went wrong, and use critical thinking skills and further coaching to become better. The second response to feedback is, “Who I am is wrong.” This can be immobilizing for anyone. Therefore, we try to teach all of the athletes to keep their teammates and unit members out of self-pity and feeling offended when they receive feedback. The third step in the process is demonstrating the difference between feelings and choices. For example, an athlete might say, “I feel hurt, but I’m going to choose not to pout.” You’d be amazed by how many 300-pound NFL players I know who lose the ability to focus on the game, because they’re mad that the coach looked at them funny, nobody passed them the ball, or they can’t run the ball. To stop this, I like to say, “Do the right thing. Your feelings will catch up with you.” However, the best way to get this through to the players is to have them teach one another to not get offended and stay out of self-pity. Additionally, they should always hold one another accountable — the ownership is turned over to the team, and TEAMS who follow this process win championships.

DR. KEVIN ELKO SPORTS PERFORMANCE CONSULTANT DR. KEVIN ELKO IS THE

sports performance consultant to many sports teams and coaches including Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, the Philadelphia Eagles, the University of Georgia, and more. He has 25 National Championship/Super Bowl rings.

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COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER

THE KING OF COVER 2 LOVIE SMITH IS KNOWN

Q&A with illinois head

coach lovie smith BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

ovie Smith has been the University of Illinois head

football coach since 2016, when he returned to college football after spending 19 years in the NFL. He was an NFL head coach for 11 seasons split between the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith and Tony Dungy became the first two African-American head coaches to coach in the Super Bowl when they faced off in Super Bowl XLI. Smith shared some thoughts on his coaching philosophy with FNF Coaches. It seems that high school is always a bit behind college when it comes to new technology due to budget constraints. What are some of the new trends for strength and conditioning programs that high school coaches should be aware of? “First off, when it comes to strength training, as much as things are constantly changing, they remain the same. Young athletes in high school want to know what they need to do to take the next step and evolve to be the best possible athlete. One thing is to get stronger. There’s always new technology. I have a new car, but one of my favorite cars is the 1967 Mustang. It doesn’t have a lot of new features, but it still gets the job done. Some of the basic principles never change. “I say the same with strength and conditioning. We are getting ready to move into a $90 million facility with all of the latest and greatest new weights. It still comes down to lifting weights and getting stronger.”

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High school players are constantly trying to get bigger, faster and stronger so that they can play in college. What would you recommend to athletes who are trying to achieve that goal? “There are things that haven’t changed. Start with nutrition. We have a full-time nutritionist. There are still some basic things that are in play. A balanced diet is important. What you put into your body is important. Nowadays, rest is just as important. Most young people take a nap every day. There’s a reason why. We put as much emphasis on rest as we do on strength and nutrition. The other thing we’ve put emphasis on is hydration. All of our guys carry a big jug with them. Hydration is a basic part of wellness.” I once read a story about you between your coaching stints with the Bears and Bucs. A reporter was shadowing you on a Sunday, and you weren’t really all that concerned with the NFL games. I’d read similar stories about guys like Bill Parcells or Greg Schiano, and they were obsessed with watching NFL games. How do you keep a healthy perspective outside of football? “First off, you need to be yourself. That’s who they are, the guys you mentioned. The best advice is to be who you are and be consistent with how you do things. I don’t think anybody should change to be like me or anyone else. I keep a healthy balance. When I watch games, I’m a fan. I don’t always want to be working. When I’m watching a game, I want to dissect the

for installing the Tampa 2 and Cover 2 defense wherever he goes. At Illinois, he’s running a one-gap system that features Cover 2, along with Cover 1, Cover 3, and a coverage referred to as Under 10. “Scheme-wise, our family of defense has the Cover 2 trademark,” Smith said. “But it’s so much more than that. We play some basic coverages that all high schools play. We’ll play two-deep or man coverage. We’ve kept those concepts throughout.” Smith believes the best coaches build their schemes around personnel. “We tweak how we play,” Smith said. “You have to look at who you’re playing with, look at the personnel and what they’re able to do. Scheme can only take you so far. The development of an athlete is more about grooming an attitude of defensive football, playing hard, and being relentless. Those are the trademarks.” Smith is also cautious not to confuse players by inundating them with various schemes and defensive formations. “It’s about knowing what you’re supposed to do,” Smith said. “We primarily play Cover 2 in passing situations because everyone will be on the same page. It doesn’t matter what level, it comes down to stopping the run. You have to do that. Now with spread offenses, it all starts with that.”

game in a different way. I’ll admit that coaching is about situational football. You can learn so much by watching, just like players can learn when they’re injured. How would I handle this situation if it comes up? From a young age, I’ve always loved watching football as much as I can.” Coaches at all levels dream of coaching in a Super Bowl. What memories stick out from that experience? “If you’re in high school, it’s all about the state championship. When you get there, you know everything you’ve gone through as a team. It takes years of training. Then, in college ball, it’s the national championship. To play in the last game that determines the champion, it gives you a moment to think of all of the experiences. I know how lucky we’ve been to get here. It’s a time to exhale. You never know if you’ll do it again, or when you’ll do it. A lot of people don’t get that chance. It’s a memory that will last forever.” In what ways do you think high school coaches could better prepare players for college football? “You have to develop the man first. It starts at that level. I keep hearing today’s athlete has changed. No, we’ve changed what we allow. We have to be strong with them early. My high school coach was in my life for all of my life. Even when I became a grandfather, he was in my life. That molded me for the rest of my life. I hope high school coaches realize what an impact they’re having. Before we get to scheme, there’s discipline and the responsibility of being a good teammate. There’s only so much you can teach about tackling and catching. Being trustworthy, that’s what’s important. You can’t skip ahead to scheme. Develop the man first, and then develop the player.” What team-building exercises work for you? “Spending time together works as well as anything. Whether it’s paintball or going to a movie, anything you do as a group will help team-building.”

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USA FOOTBALL

What the Contact System Brings to the Table In 2018, USA Football’s Contact System was released and offered coaches a progression for blocking and defeating blocks that taught proper use of the hands and hips to reduce helmet contact through better technique. The Contact System can be leveraged by virtually any player on the field using the same terminology. This helps small programs with coaches teaching both offense and defense to employ the same foundational techniques on either side of the ball. Large programs can ensure that high-quality coaching is delivered to every position group with clear, consistent communication. While there are some differences between blocking and defeating blocks, many of the core concepts and teachings are the same. Coaches who used the system during the past year have found success. Dan MacKay, head football coach at Burlington (Maine) High School, saw his program gain 1,200 more rushing yards and win five more games than it did in 2017. While there were many contributing factors, he pointed to the Contact System for a lot of that success. “The Contact System definitely played a key role in our success by providing us with a simple set of drills and terminology,” MacKay said. “Simple coaching points helped us help our players get a better understanding of leverage and techniques to use their hips in their blocks to really move people around. “Our receivers were a million times better at blocking this year because of these techniques. Granted they’re doing it in space, but the technique when they make contact is very similar to what our offensive line is doing.”

New Lessons and Videos to Enhance the System At USA Football National Conference this year, 15 lessons and 20 new videos were added to the online system, which is accessible at footballdevelopment. com/contact-system. This included additional content to the system’s existing C.U.F.F. progression, as well as new content for common types of blocks that players often execute. The C.U.F.F. progression allows

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coaches to help players from the initial stance all the way through the completion of contact. C.U.F.F. stands for: ■■ Coil: The initial two- or three-point stance and first steps ■■ Uncoil: The unlocking of the hips to generate force ■■ Fit: The initial strike of the opponent with the hands ■■ Finish: The ability to secure or winback control over the opponent Much of the new content is focused on execution of the progression. Several new lessons and videos address these types of specific blocks: ■■ Base Blocks ■■ Center Back Blocks

■■ Down Blocks ■■ Second Level Blocks As always, these new lessons will follow the core tenets of the USA Football System philosophy. This means that the lessons added to the Contact System also include several Troubleshooting videos. These in-depth explanations help coaches know how to diagnose and find solutions to common challenges when implementing these techniques and drills.

How to Preview the System Coaches can access three free lessons by registering for a free account on footballdevelopment.com, the home of USA Football’s 21st-century systems and progressions.

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COACHING LEGENDS

The Leonard Legacy: Father-son coaching duo is prolific in Illinois It’s tough to talk about high school football in Illinois without the legendary Leonard name coming up. Sacred Heart-Griffin High (Ill.) coach Ken Leonard became the state’s all-time leader in coaching victories last year. His team recorded the historic win against Rochester High – a team coached by his son, Ken. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Derek Leonard also has earned a place on the Mount Rushmore of Illinois high school football coaches during his career at Rochester, where he’s coached teams to seven state championships in the last nine years. The Leonards also happen to be the last two nominees of the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year for the state of Illinois. Derek was the 2017 nominee, and Ken earned the 2018 honor and the trip to the Pro Bowl in January. The father and son face off as coaches of their respective teams each year in what is dubbed locally as the “Leonard Bowl.” The Leonard father-son tandem attended the 2019 USA Football National Conference, and each coach had a session for high school coaches. Ken Leonard spoke to coaches about one of the most important goals of his program: character building. “We call it ‘The Other Side of the Game,’ and I think it’s the most important side,” Ken Leonard said. “We say it’s faith, family and football. We’ll get into our core beliefs.” Ken Leonard and the Sacred Heart-Griffin High assistant coaches spend 30 minutes each week leading a character development session for players. The goal each season is to teach the seniors to lead the sessions by the end of the season. “We have a mentoring program, and we ask all of our coaches to stay on top of the players and develop them from boys to men,” Ken Leonard said. “We want them to be good fathers and people.” The Sacred Heart-Griffin staff also asks players to write love letters to their mothers and fathers during their high school careers. Each player will read the letters to their parents in front of their classmates. “I love X’s and O’s and the spread offense, but this is what’s important,” Ken Leonard said. Derek Leonard led a session, “Gap Scheme RPO’s Through the Quarterback Position.”

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■■ Rochester coach Derek Leonard (left) shakes hands with his father, Sacred Heart-Griffin coach Ken Leonard.

Leonard’s teams have won seven of the last nine state championships running that scheme. “We’ve been running it for 12 or 13 years,” Leonard said. “We’ve always been ahead of it, ahead of defenses schematically. Now, we’re so far into it, we have a better feel than we’ve had the last few years.” Derek Leonard is the first to admit his team has experienced some growing pains by constantly trying to stay ahead of the curve in implementing the Gap Scheme RPO offense. “We share with other coaches what kind of experiences we’ve gone through as it relates to the quarterback position,” Ken Leonard said. “There’s been some good and some bad. I’m happy to share those challenges with coaches who are maybe are in the earlier stages of installing this stuff.”

THE LEONARD LEGACY COACH: Ken Leonard KEY ACCOMPLISHMENT:

The all-time career wins leader among Illinois high school football coaches.

HONOR: 2018 Chicago Bears High School Coach of the Year COACH: Derek Leonard KEY ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Led Rochester to state championships in seven of the last nine seasons.

HONOR: 2017 Chicago Bears High School Coach of the Year

PROGRAM BUILDING

state champion coach’s 4-step plan for program building It can take years of building – or even a decade – for a struggling program to contend with a perennial state championship contender. In the case of Muskego High (Wisc.), the process took 11 seasons. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Ken Krause had his work cut out for him when he became the Muskego High (Wisc.) head coach in 2008. Muskego had gone 2-7 over the previous season and was outscored by total of 254-63. Krause didn’t cut any corners in attempting to lead a proud Muskego program to its first state championship in school history. Krause led his team to the ultimate goal in November when the underdogs knocked off five-time reigning state champion Kimberly – a team that went 80-2 over the previous six seasons. Krause shared the four tenants to his championship coaching philosophy with FNF Coaches. Start at the youth level. Krause has four sons – a college freshman, a high school freshman, and two seventhgraders. All four played football at the youth level in town, so Krause was intimately involved in building up that program. Now, the high school program has 155 players across four grades. “We formed two teams at every grade level,” Krause said. “We required 20-22 starters per team. Every team practices and runs our system. We’ve had a great run over the last nine years, and I attribute that to the youth program.”

■■ Muskego High (Wisc.) coach Ken Krause

Organize a year-round strength program.

Muskego follows the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) basic manual. His team lifts four days a week with 12-week cycles. The program includes weight-lifting as well as speed and agility work. “The kids bond and develop unity,” Krause said. “Coaches volunteer; we averaged 3 to 5 coaches in the weight room daily. The attendance is off the charts. We closed out our state championship by taking a knee inside the opponent’s 5-yard-line. That was the result of our offseason preparation.” Form a leadership council. Krause has exposed his players to books written by Jon Gordon and Jeff Jansen – books about the power of positivity and leadership. Krause encourages sophomores through seniors to hang out together. “That starts in the summer and continues throughout the school year,” Krause said. “I want kids from all three grades to be friends. This year, particularly throughout the postseason, the older kids embraced the younger kids.”

Build an experienced coaching staff.

The majority of Krause’s staff is comprised of Muskego alumni.

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He has handpicked former players who demonstrated good leadership qualities as team members. “It’s a combination of players who believe in our system and guys who played in high school for me or before me. Their pride is off the charts. We have a loyal staff, and we’re fortunate to have them in the building. We try to connect with every kid in the program. At least one member of our staff is connected to each of the 155 players in our program.”

THE KEN KRAUSE PROFILE TEAM: Muskego High (Wisc.) EXPERIENCE: 22 seasons as head

coach, 11 at Muskego

CAREER RECORD: 73-46 CONF. CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2014, 2015, 2018 SECTIONAL/REGIONAL CHAMIONSHIPS:

2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2018 2018 PLAYOFF RUN: Muskego beat Southeast champion Franklin (12-1), Greater Metro champion Marquette (13-1) and five-time defending champion Kimberly (12-2).

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STRATEGY

Nebraska coach goes for 2 in OT, lifts team to first title A state championship game is a perfect opportunity for a coach to be bold and trust his players. Centennial High (Neb.) coach Evan Klanecky led his team to the first state title in program history by doing just that. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Evan Klanecky didn’t give it much thought when he was faced with the decision of whether to go for 2 and the win or an extra point to tie in overtime of the Nebraska Class-2 state championship game against top-seeded Norfolk Catholic. Klanecky went for the win and got it. His team’s 2-point conversion sealed a walk-off 29-28 state championship game win – the team’s first in program history. Klanecky shared the factors that went into his decision with FNF Coaches.

The strength of the opponent Centennial was a heavy underdog in the state championship team, facing off with a Norfolk Catholic squad that was going for its 11th state title. Norfolk Catholic had three players who had committed to Division 1 scholarships including a running back who has clocked a 10.5-second 100-meter dash. “They’re a powerhouse,” Klanecky said. “Going in, we knew we were going for broke. We changed a lot of stuff on defense and opened up our offense. We were going to stay aggressive.”

The overtime rules In Nebraska, overtime rules state that each team starts at the opponent’s 10-yard-line with four plays to score. If

THE EVAN KLANECKY REPORT TEAM: Centennial High (Neb.) EXPERIENCE AT CENTENNIAL:

Nine seasons as head coach PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Grad assistant

at Hastings College

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: 2018

In his words:

“You can go from hero to zero pretty quickly. If you don’t get it, it’s easy to be an armchair quarterback. If you do get it, everyone else would have made the same decision.”

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■■ The Centennial High (Neb.) coaching staff

the first team scores seven points, the other team has a chance to answer. If either team converts a 2-point conversion, the game is over. “They had great big creatures on their team, and we didn’t want to get in a battle from inside the 10,” Klanecky said. “They made it look easy on the first possession of overtime. They overpowered us. Not to sound arrogant, but the decision to go for 2 was a gut feeling out of the gates.”

to go for it, but his three offensive assistants voted him down through his headset. The Centennial punt sailed into the end zone, netting only 22 yards. “That weighed heavily on my mind,” Klanecky said. “I wanted to go because I didn’t want to give the ball back to their smash-mouth offense. Luckily, we hung in there and forced overtime.”

Injuries Centennial’s first-string kicker got hurt during preseason workouts and missed the entire season. His replacement, a senior, lost his job to a sophomore in Week 9. On the other side of the ball, Norfolk Catholic had one of the best kickers in the state. “The fact that we had a sophomore kicker who wasn’t used to the Class C atmosphere at Memorial Stadium … that weighed in my decision,” Klanecky said.

The flow of the game Klanecky vowed to be aggressive at the start of the game, and he was tempted to back up his words when he was faced with a fourth-and-11 from Norfolk Catholic’s 42-yard-line in a tie game with 3:55 remaining. He wanted

■■ Centennial High coach Evan Klanecky

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ON-FIELD TECH

Continued growth for GSC Coach-to-Player™ 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.

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

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

GSC’s Coach-to-Player™ is closing the book on its busiest time of year – after playing a role in 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

■■ Bellevue West High (Neb.) coach Mike Huffman

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Playoffs,” GSC Director of Operations Alex Shada. GSC also is prepared to become 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 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.”

THE CONTINUED REWARDS OF GSC C2P BELLEVUE WEST HIGH

(Neb.) coach Mike Huffman used the GSC Coach-to-Player™ 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-to-quarterback communication during the 7-on-7 season.

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PLAYBOOK presented by lb Pass distribution

TWIN Y-CORNER BASE QUARTERS

DIAGRAM 1

BY CODY ALEXANDER

Most defensive coaches understand the distribution of routes when it comes to the four secondary players. Whether running a single-high Cover 3 scheme or a two-high quarter scheme, there is simplicity in teaching the basic rules. In a Cover 3 scheme, each secondary player is responsible for the deep thirds with the fourth being an overhang and responsible for the seam (curl/flat or SCiF). This can be simply explained to players by dividing the field into thirds: boundary to hash, hash to hash and the other hash to boundary. Though Quarters adds a slight degree of difficulty – who’s over the top – Cover 2 vs. Cover 4 – it still is simple to teach the basic fundamentals to secondary players. Where many defensive coaches struggle is in pass distribution at the linebacker position. It is easy for defensive coaches to overemphasize the run and leave their linebackers to “just drop” in the pass, to a spot or an opponent. Though this simplifies the teaching, it leaves a huge void in the development of a young linebacker. This would be like teaching coverage to a defensive back but not teaching him how to tackle. Linebackers must constantly be communicating and identifying formations. Where is their key, and who do they need to relate to when the offense decides to pass? One basic rule of thumb: defenders should relate to a player and not to a spot on the field. One major mistake coaches make when teaching linebackers how to pass drop is to tell them to drop to a spot. The issue with spot dropping is that players are defending grass and opponents. Many times, a linebacker will bypass the nearest receiver and work to the spot while the receiver he just passed curls up inside of him to catch a pass. As the spread becomes the most dominant form of offense around the country, the passing concepts even seep into power football teams, it is important for defensive coaches to change their teaching of pass distributions. Most importantly, linebackers, or any defender who is dropping into coverage, should relate to a man, a concept known as match coverage. When developing pass distributions, it is important to understand the coverage first. In a Cover 3 scheme, the overhang defenders (the secondlevel defenders outside the box) must carry the seam and widen the path of the slot receiver, or the No. 2 receiver. The inside linebacker, usually the Mike, will always relate to the No. 3 receiver, and in most cases, this is the running back in a simple 2-by-2 formation. If a coach were to simply tell a player to drop 12 yards and work out at a 45-degree angle, the overhang might not even touch the slot, creating

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2W 2S

1W E S

“PUSH”

DS CS

TWIN Y-CROSS BASE QUARTERS

DIAGRAM 2 3

2W 2S

1W E S

“PUSH”

DS CS

TWIN Y-SHALLOW BASE QUARTERS

DIAGRAM 3 3

2W 2S

1W E S

“PUSH”

“UNDER”

TWIN MESH BASE QUARTERS

DIAGRAM 4 3

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■■ Cody Alexander is the secondary coach at Midlothan (Texas) High School. He also is the author of “Cautious Aggression: Defending Modern Football,” which is available at Amazon and other online bookstores. You can follow him on Twitter @The_Coach_A. Visit his website at matchquarters.com.

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an issue for the sinking corner. Even in Quarters coverage, the linebackers must be aware of their assigned player and match his movement. One simple way to teach this is the phrase, “Match, Carry, Deliver.” Verbiage and communication are as important as scheme. Teaching distribution comes down to the language a coach chooses to use. By using these three words, a coach can easily adjust the distribution when the coverage changes. ■■ Match: To relate and work to the near hip of the player responsible for and match his movement. ■■ Carry: To match the movement of an offensive player and carry him to the next defender. ■■ Deliver: To not leave your man until the player has been passed off to the next defender. Teaching match rules instead of spot dropping allows a defensive coach to cut down on the learning. In any basic match coverage, the outside linebackers will relate to No. 2 and the Mike or inside linebackers will relate to No. 3. Keeping it simple allows players to feel comfortable and adjust to any coverage the defensive coordinator might run. Eye discipline and the reading of keys coincide with a player’s responsibility versus the pass. Linebackers need to find the near hip of their responsibility. As they work to their opponents, they relate to that near hip, punching through it. If the receiver is going vertical, the linebacker will make him widen by relationship or “run the hump.” This technique elongates the route and throws off the timing of the offense. If the receiver comes on a crossing route, the linebacker will attempt to stretch the route by forcing the receiver to run over top of him or underneath. If the receiver chooses to go underneath, the linebacker will “beat him up.” One way modern offenses are taking advantage of a lack in linebacker pass distribution is in the utilization of crossing routes. Spread teams, especially the Air Raid offenses, push receivers vertically down the field to get the secondary to drop. One receiver will run a crossing route underneath the dropping secondary. If the linebackers don’t do their job in matching the underneath or crossing routes, the receiver can run across the field unabated.

This creates large chunks of space. Not only should a linebacker understand how to relate to his man but understand what to do if his man runs across the field. This is where communication and “hot” words come into play. When defending crossing routes, it is important to create “hot” words that communicate when receivers are crossing the field and when receivers are working the sideline. For instance, when a running back works from the backfield to the sideline, the Mike will need to work with the back (match No. 3). In many Spread schemes, someone is darting or working the inside (cross). One of the most popular Spread plays is Y-Corner or “Pick.” This route combination uses a triangle read to stress the defense. First, the outside receiver (No. 1) will run a pick route, or an angle hitch, while the inside receiver (No. 2) runs a corner route. Finally, the running back pushes to the flat. This crossing action can cause problems for a defense that does not communicate. One way to cut down on mistakes is for the Mike to give a “push” call when the running back works to the sideline (diagram 1). This call allows the outside linebacker to “push” outside the angle hitch. The Mike should work to his new No. 2 in the angle hitch and the outside linebacker zone over the back. The corner and safety both work to “cone” the corner route. With one simple “hot” word, the defense has adjusted, and everyone is on the same page. Another popular Air Raid concept is the Y cross. This concept uses the vertical push of the backside receiver to create a void for a crossing receiver from the field. By pushing the running back to the flat front side, the Mike is challenged to relate and can over-pursue (diagram 2). The key to defending the Y cross is not necessarily the backside safety robbing the crossing route, but the Mike and his drop. Establishing a push call allows the front side outside linebacker to leave the No. 2 receiver and push with the running back. The Mike’s eyes will shift from the back to his new No. 2, and in the case of Y cross, the slot receiver. As the Mike works to the near hip of the slot, he will begin to drop and match the depth of the receiver. This will help the

frontside safety who is on top of the route. Now, the route is sandwiched, and the QB must go elsewhere. This distribution also allows the backside safety to work under the single receiver. Many Air Raid teams will use a post route on the backside and read the leverage of the safety. If he takes the post, the QB throws the crossing route. With good distribution, the QB will not likely see the Mike underneath. When spread offenses begin to cross the No. 2 receivers utilizing under routes (underneath or at linebacker depth), there needs to be an “under” or “cross” call. Whether mesh or Y shallow, one receiver is going to run an under route around five yards deep. The key to defending the shallow and mesh pass concepts is to teach the linebacker on the crossing receiver’s side to give an “under” call and then sink getting his eyes to the middle of the field. Versus the shallow concept, the opposite slot will be running a 10- to 12-yard dig. By sinking, the linebacker will be in a better position to help the safety – much like Y cross. Versus a mesh concept, the linebacker to the under can catch the over route as it comes across. By communicating, the linebackers do not chase, and there is no void. The key to both of these combinations is the running back. By pushing the back to the flat, the offense is creating a window for the crossing routes. If the defense is using “hot” words such as “push” and “under,” the linebackers are more suited to adjust correctly and not chasing routes. See the distributions of Shallow and Mesh in diagram 3 and 4. The key to teaching linebacker distribution is to work it daily. Whether in a controlled 7-on-7 drill or utilizing a drill during individual time, pass distributions cannot be forgotten. The second level of any coverage is just as important as the top. If a defense is struggling to defend the pass, an easy adjustment that will show substantial improvement is to teach linebackers how to relate to their man in pass. Developing “hot” words and an understanding for pass combinations is an important aspect of improving pass defense. Linebackers must understand their role and how offenses take advantage of their position.

PLAYBOOK presented by Implement Cover 1 in a 3-3 or 3-4 defense

DIAGRAM 1

BY ZACH DAVIS

he longer I coach high school football, the more I

realize the need to be as simple as possible on the defensive side of the football. Most high school programs have a lot of twoway players who also play on multiple special teams. The offense will always be more complex than the defense because it takes more practice time. So, a high school defense must simple so your players can get a lot of reps at the correct alignment, assignment and techniques. This version of the 3-3 is the simplest version I have ever seen, and it is sound versus various formations and personnel groupings. There are two basic philosophies of defense: attacking and reading. I believe that you can win with either philosophy, but you have to make a decision each season about what style you want to play. I will always play some version of man coverage (Cover 1 or Cover 0) but how we play our front each year changes on the personnel. If we need extra people in the box, we will use a lot of Cover 0. If we believe we can hold up against the run with even numbers in the box, we will primarily use cover 1. I have worked for head coaches who wanted me to be aggressive and ones that wanted to make the offense drive the field. As an assistant coach, it is imperative that you use a style of defense that your head coach likes because it is his program. This version of the 3-3/3-4 adjusts easily to various formations. The ability to align to a multitude of formations is very important because in high school you can see spread, pro, wing-T, triple option, single wing, etc., all in the same season. Your alignment rules need to be really simple so your players can align and you are not changing your defense every week. I prefer to have a limited number of fronts, coverages and blitzes and be sound than have an exotic package that is changed every week based on the opponent. To the right are the alignments to different formations (diagrams 1-3).

■■ Zach Davis is the head coach at Riverside High School in Belle, W.Va. Visit his website at zachdavis24.blogspot.com and download his podcast Mind of a Football Coach on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter @ZachDavis24.

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N S

DIAGRAM 2

N S

DIAGRAM 3

C B

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Alignment and assignment are the most important aspects of any defense. This defense allows your players to align and identify their assignment quickly. ■■ The corners have No. 1 man to man ■■ The Raider has No. 2 to the strength/field ■■ The Bandit has No. 2 to the weak side/boundary ■■ The Sam has No. 3 to the strength/field ■■ The Mike will banjo the back or take No. 4 strong versus quads ■■ The Will covers No. 3 to the weak side/boundary or banjo the back with the Mike. ■■ The free safety is always free, and he is 10 two 12 yards from the ball. He can align over the center or on the goal post and that is based on game plan. If a removed receiver or wing goes in motion, you run with him. If a back goes in motion, we will bump the linebackers. The running play we see most often versus the spread is zone read out of various formations. Our No. 1 play on offense is zone read, so we teach our players their responsibilities from Day 1. Against zone read, the ends will play the quarterback to the cutback. The linebackers will track the path of the back and fit their gap versus zone read. The other players are in man to man which will take away the RPO elements of inside zone. We will rush three a lot in this defense and may rush a fourth based upon the release of the back. diagram 4 is how to defend zone read versus 2-by-2. diagram 5 is how to defend zone read versus 3-by-1.

DIAGRAM 4

N S

DIAGRAM 5

N M

E W

PLAYBOOK presented by Packaged running plays with quick passes

ZONE BUBBLE SCREEN

DIAGRAM 1

BY RICH HARGITT

any teams utilize some form of quick screen or

pass to protect their run plays. These concepts truly began to take shape when coaches realized that running zone read causes their quarterback to take on added contact from linebackers and strong safeties. What developed was screen plays onto the back side of inside zone runs and similar plays to avoid having the quarterback involved in carrying the ball too much. In theory – and sometimes in practice – an entire offense could be constructed with a quick screen or a quick pass attached to every run play in an offense’s arsenal. Let’s talk about how to do that, focusing on inside zone and counter trey as the two examples for run plays while a fast screen and bubble screen form the backbone of quick screen concepts. There are several possibilities for tagging quick passes onto running plays, such as a quick screen to a oneback power play. The number of concepts is almost endless. But for the purposes of this one article, let’s set our base with the two mentioned above.

H QB

ZONE FAST SCREEN

DIAGRAM 2

H QB

ZONE FAST SCREEN WITH CROSS BLOCK

DIAGRAM 3

Basic run plays packaged with the bubble and fast screen The simplest way to execute a run play packaged with a quick screen is to call the inside zone and package it with a bubble screen on the backside. You can do this easily out of a 2-by-2 or a 3-by-1 structure. For us, it has been most effective from a 3-by-1 set because that structure creates a better situation that the defense cover the receiver running the bubble screen too closely.

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Z H

Zone/bubble screen (diagram 1) Often, the defense will cover the outside receiver and have a defender split the difference between the two inside receivers, creating a void where the ball can be safely thrown with a lead blocker in front. When this is observed, the play caller can simply signal this in that the screen play is to be featured. In time, quarterbacks become so proficient at this sort of read that some coaches allow their quarterbacks to make this decision themselves. This is not a traditional zone read play, and sometimes the defensive end will be blocked by the tackle or bumped to slow him down. The quarterback, if he is allowed to read the play, must make his decisions presnap based upon numbers. If the defense covers the trips set with only two defenders within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, he should throw the ball out the back door to the bubble screen receiver. If the defense has all three receivers covered down closely, then the quarterback can just hand the ball off on the inside zone. If the quarterback’s judgment is

cloudy, coach him to just hand the ball off and live to play another down. Some defenses play the trips structure differently and allow more space over the outside receiver than they do the two inside receivers. This type of defensive structure necessitates a change in screen choices. When teams give a cushion or play at depth over the outside receiver, then the fast screen is a great package complement to the interior run play.

Zone/fast screen (diagram 2) This screen requires the quarterback to make a longer throw to the perimeter, but it has the added advantage that the ball is staying away from the majority of defenders. The receivers can execute a cross block or can block the defender straight ahead of them.

Zone/fast screen with cross block (diagram 3) The fast and bubble screens can be married to any interior play, but they work especially well with any sort of zone run concept or the counter trey run play. The ability of the offense to throw the ball outside at the final moment reduces defensive pursuit possibilities and forces the defense to respect the entire field. ■■ Rich Hargitt is the assistant head football coach and offensive coordinator at Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. He has served as a head football coach and offensive coordinator at the high school level in Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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Attacking Cover 4

60 PASS

DIAGRAM 1

BY BILL MOUNTJOY

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

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

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

C W

■■ Quarterback progresses from Z to Y

52 Y CORNER

DIAGRAM 2 SS

C W

■■ Quarterback looks for Y as the “object receiver”

54 PASS

DIAGRAM 3 SS

C W

■■ Quarterback progresses from Z to Y

52 Y STOP

DIAGRAM 4 SS

C W

■■ Quarterback looks for Z as the “object receiver”

58 PASS

DIAGRAM 5 SS

C W

■■ Progression depends on alignment of safety on Y

■■ Jake Plummer talks strategy with coaches at the 2019 USA Football National Conference.

Refine Your Strategy The spring is a great time to install a new scheme, update the playbook, and tweak your offensive and defensive philosophies to play to your players’ strengths. Make those updates now so players have plenty of time to learn. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

here’s nothing coaches love more than talking X’s and O’s and scheme. We all

steal and borrow from each other, and there’s no shame in that. If it works, why not use it in your program? The trends seem to change from year to year. Whether it’s the spread, RPOs, Air Raid or jet sweep on offense; or the 3-3-5, quarters, Cover 3, or zero blitz on defense, there’s always a new system to study and learn. Regardless of what scheme you call your own, it always comes down to execution. And for players to execute, they need to know the playbook like the back of their hands. As we all know, coaching is teaching. In the instance of implementing new strategies, coaching is teaching X’s and O’s – a part of the game we all love so much. We talked to coaches to find out how they are putting in new offensive or defensive systems, how they prepare for unfamiliar schemes, and any new technology that might be helping them teach their players. We all know high-schoolers are often on their phones these days. Don’t try to change them; work with them so that they can learn your strategy by meeting them where they are.

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3 Steps to Installing a New Offense TEXAS COACH SWITCHES TO FLEXBONE TO COUNTER SIZE DISADVANTAGE Coaches have to find ways to scheme around disadvantages in size or speed. Installing schemes that suit your players’ collective skill set is something every coach should do in the offseason. Install a system that puts your players in the best position to succeed – even if your players are less talented than their opponents. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

THE LEARNING CURVE IN 2010, THE HAWKS

■■ Wall High (Texas) head coach Houston Guy

Houston Guy was in the midst of his second straight losing season at the start of his tenure as the Wall High (Texas) coach in 2008. He spent a Saturday afternoon after a Friday night loss lying on the couch and watching a Notre Dame-Navy game. What he saw changed the course of his program for the next decade. Guy watched an undersized Navy team hang with Notre Dame for the entire game, giving the Fighting Irish fits with a flexbone triple-option scheme. The flexbone is an option-based offense that Guy determined is a much better fit for his undersized team than the offense he had been running: the wishbone. “We were 4-6, then 3-7, and I knew the wishbone wasn’t the offense we needed,” Guy said. “We needed something where we could read defensive players, and we didn’t have to block everybody. I wanted to play 11 on 9 instead of 11 on 11.” Guy has been running the flexbone for the last 10 years, and the returns have been exceptional. It took about a year for his team to master the new offense, but since 2010, the Hawks have gone 105-17. “We sold out for this offense, and it changed everything,” Guy said. “It wasn’t hard to convince the kids because what we had wasn’t working.” Guy explained the overhauled offense took shape in three steps.

Meet with coaches who have experience running the new system. After watching the Navy defense

shut down Notre Dame in 2008, Guy started placing calls to members of the Navy offensive staff. The sixth message he left was returned by the Navy offensive line coach. Guy picked the college coach’s brain to come up with ideas for his new offense. Start small. After the conversation with the Navy coach, Guy added one flexbone play – the outside veer – to the playbook for the next week’s game. The Hawks’ fullback ran for 200 yards, and Wall pulled off an upset over a district champion. “We installed the outside veer and ran it 42 times,” Guy said. “We thought we were option geniuses. We went into the next ballgame with the same play, and unfortunately the other team had an answer.” Commit fully to the new scheme. The biggest advantage of installing a unique scheme is that your team will practice it all season, and opponents will practice it for only one week. For that reason, it’s important to commit completely so that your players are getting as many reps as possible. “It’s an offense you have to sell out to,” Guy said. “Don’t dabble in it. You have to be triple-option and nothing else. We threw out our wishbone playbook.”

began a run of success with the flexbone unprecedented in school history – with an average of 12 wins per season. They advanced to their first state championship game in 2013, and also have appeared in the state semifinals twice, the state quarterfinals once and regional semifinals twice. Wall has become the dominant Class 3A team in the San Angelo area, and along with Brock, the perennial favorite in Region I-3A Division I. Guy is quick to note that it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes collaboration with coaches at the youth and junior high levels so that they can teach the scheme before the players reach high school. “We have parents that come up and learn the system so that they can teach it,” Guy said. “Then they start to implement it at the youth level. It’s a little more detailed at the junior high level. By high school, it becomes second nature to them.”

STRATEGY

Retiring Ohio coach: 5 advantages of the spread offense Steve Trivisonno became the Mentor High (Ohio) head coach in 1997 and began running the spread offense in 2000. He has led Mentor to a career record of 196-69 (.740) with state runnerup finishes in 2006, 2007, 2013 and 2017. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Trivisonno will begin his final season at Mentor in the fall. He announced to his players in February that he plans to retire after his 23rd season. “That’s been pretty cool,” Trivisonno said of coaching his alma mater. “We went from not being a very good program where kids were transferring out to probably one of the top programs in the state, if not the country. We’ve been as consistent as anyone, and I’m proud of that.” Here are Trivisonno’s five advantages to running the spread:

The spread allows a coach to take advantage of depth. Trivisonno started running the spread

around the turn of the century because the strength of the team was its depth rather than its collective size. By playing fast and rotating bodies, the offensive scheme allowed his team to keep the opposing defense on its heels. “We want to score as many points as we can, and we’ve done a pretty good job of that over the years,” Trivisonno said. Practice like you play. The key to the spread is creating mismatches in numbers and matching blockers with defensive players. Trivisonno can rep plays that will be run in games over and over

■■ Mentor High (Ohio) coach Steve Trivisonno

again, so that his team is better prepared to execute than the opposing defense. “Every objective that we give them is attainable,” Trivisonno said. The spread creates balance. The goal of the Mentor offense is to feature 4 to 6 ballcarriers and 5 to 7 receivers each game. This keeps players engaged and forces the defense to cover the entire field. Trivisonno acknowledges that every team is not blessed with the depth to feature up to 10 playmakers. “When we had Mitch Trubisky as our quarterback, we didn’t have a single ball-carrier, so we threw it around the field, and Mitch became our ball-carrier.” The beauty of the spread is its simplicity. Trivisonno admits that he doesn’t need to run more than a few different plays — albeit with several variations to each formation. The key for the offense is to react to what the defense is doing. The quarterback must have the ability to pass from multiple launch points (quick game, drop back, roll out, play action, in and out of the pocket).

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SCHOOL: Mentor High

(Ohio)

EXPERIENCE: 23 seasons

as head coach

(.740)

MOST RECENT: Mentor is coming off a 2018 season in which the Cardinals went 11-2, shared the Greater Cleveland Conference title with Euclid and Solon, and advanced to the Division I, Region I championship game.

The spread keeps the quarterback in rhythm.

Trivisonno emphasized that one first down puts the defense on its heels. A second first down makes his offense virtually impossible to stop. Once a quarterback is reading a defense on its heels, he has multiple options in his route tree to beat man and zone coverage. “We tell him to get it out quick, and go with it,” Trivisonno said. “A 5-yard gain is a good play for us.”

The Trivisonno Report CAREER RECORD: 196-69

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: State runner-up finishes in 2006, 2007, 2013 and 2017

6 Keys to Executing a Scheme on Game Day Installing the right scheme for your personnel is a challenge in and of itself. It takes weeks – or even years – of practice and repetitions to make sure everyone is on the same page. Executing that scheme on game day is an entirely different challenge, and one that requires preparation and composure. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Eric Davis is in his second stint as the head coach at Mankato East (Minn.). In between stints at Mankato East, he was an offensive assistant in the college ranks at Minnesota State. After returning to Mankato East, he installed an RPO style offense. He offered six tips to FNF Coaches for executing on game day.

Make sure your best players are on the field. “You want

to look at the formations you line up in. Some coaches get caught up worrying about their formations – two tight ends, three receivers, etc. – and they don’t get their best players involved enough. Start with the players you want on the field, and then decide on a formation rather than vice versa.”

■■ The Mankato East coaches make sure their best personnel is on the field.

Find the routes your players run best. “In any passing game, regardless of whether you’re running RPOs, you need to know the routes your kids can run. Don’t send a running back on a wheel route if he can’t catch the pass. It doesn’t matter how open he gets. Make the players look good, not just the coaches.” Find your best run plays. “Know the strength of your offensive line. Know the strength of the defense. Match your best run plays with your best passes. Ideally, you can execute those players out of the same formation to keep the defense guessing. Try to call plays that pick up 4-plus yards on first down, half the needed yardage on second down, and a conversion on third down.” Take advantage of mismatches on the back side. “If you can find a way to run your best plays on the back side, then you don’t have to call two separate plays. Our best play is the Buck Sweep,

and we never get called for a guy downfield. Some of the zone stuff now is getting more attention from officials.” Don’t run it in a game until you practice it. “What can you get practiced and called? Everyone goes through a phase in their career when they see a play on Saturday or Sunday, and they want to run it on Friday night. It doesn’t work because they didn’t practice it. Maybe it looks good on Saturday or Sunday because it’s an answer to something that team has seen on film.”

Don’t be afraid to call the same plays over and over again. “There’s a process to adding something

to your playbook. You can’t try to do too many things or else you won’t do anything well. Early in your career, you go through that stage. As you get more experience, you can see where a new play might fit, and you add it. But you’re not adding plays just because they look cool on TV.”

The Davis File COACH: Eric Davis TEAM: Mankato East (Minn.) HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE: 11 years SCHEME: RPO FAVORITE PLAY:

Buck Sweep

OTHER COACHING EXPERIENCE: Spent

three seasons as an offensive assistant at Minnesota State

RECENT: Mankato East

finished 3-5 in 2018 with a relatively young team.

COLLEGE COORDINATORS CORNER

Talking offense with Arizona OC Noel Mazzone and Texas OC Herb Hand

n addition to excelling in his role assuming play-calling

duties as an offensive coordinator coordinator, Noel Mazzone has a proven track record of developing quarterbacks for the next level. In 2018, three of Mazzone’s pupils started games in the NFL: Philip Rivers, Brock Osweiler and Josh Rosen. “They all have one common denominator,” Mazzone said. “They all have different throwing motions, different heights and weights. The one common denominator is their passion for the game.” Mazzone’s offense includes several RPO concepts with one-word play-calls. “The genius of the offense is in its simplicity,” Mazzone said. “Is it more difficult for high school quarterbacks? No. Do I think it’s better for them? Yes. It’s all based on repetition, and I think it creates confusion – but not for yourself.” Mazzone said the one-word play calls give his quarterback time to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage. “We don’t like to tag it – ‘This is super-fast tempo, this is tempo, this is slow-down scheme’,” Mazzone said. “You get that effect. But you don’t get that by how you communicate. You might slow down based on the amount of time it takes if you’re asking the quarterback to make checks. Other times, it gets snapped quick.”

■■ Texas co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand

Herb Hand is a three-time finalist for Offensive Line Coach of the Year by Football Scoop (2008, 2016-17). He says the key to offensive line play is being able to take the execution of drills to games. “We focus on drills particularly geared toward drop-back pass protection,” Hand said. “I want our drills to show up when we watch game film. We have coaching points for the drills, what we’re trying to accomplish with each drill, and how those drills are then transferred into game action.” Hand believes players must understand the purpose of each drill; otherwise, the time is wasted. “My thing with drills is that if you can’t explain to a player why or how it fits into game scenarios, you shouldn’t be doing the drill,” Hand said. Once the players understand the drill, Hand has them practice it over and over until muscle memory takes over. “Repetition is the mother of all learning,” Hand said. “When you’re on the field, it’s reps, and then follow it up on film. Then, correct from the film. As a coach, you say, ‘Here’s what we still need to work on.’ If you’re teaching technique or fundamentals, show them how it’s applicable in the games.”

HERB HAND, A VETER-

an offensive line coach who has helped coordinate numerous dynamic offenses, spent his first season as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Texas in 2018. Over his 27-year coaching career, Hand has worked with programs that have produced six conference championships in addition to three division championships. Offenses Hand has coached on have produced all-time leading rushers at three different schools: West Virginia, Tulsa and Vanderbilt.

NOEL MAZZONE JOINED THE ARIZONA COACHING STAFF IN 2018. HE ARRIVED

■■ Arizona offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone

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in Tucson following two years as offensive coordinator for Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M. Prior to Texas A&M, Mazzone directed UCLA’s offense for four seasons, and his impressive coaching resume includes time as an assistant coach in the NFL and as an offensive coordinator in the ACC (NC State), the Big Ten (Minnesota), SEC (Ole Miss and Auburn) and Pac-12 (UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon State).

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Your School on the cover of FNF Coaches

More Than Coaches

Chicago school turning players into men

D’Angelo Dereef and his coaching staff at Al Raby high school on the city’s West Side are more than coaches. Their players say their leadership means everything to their chances of educational and life success. The program’s impact has resulted in scholar athletes going to college and top talent drafted into the NFL. BY CHRIS CADEAU

■■ Al Raby High (Ill.) head coach D’Angelo Dereef instructs a player.

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Al Raby High coach D’Angelo Dereef knows violent gangs offer his West Side players a pass as they trek through bullet-riddled cityscape hauling their football pads to and from practice, while they dream of a life outside of Chicago. “Some kids don’t even have a choice,” said senior cornerback Romel Goston. “For most, we’re the man of the house at 16 [years old]. We don’t have a father figure or role model at home. So, we come here for three to four hours [a day], and this is the only time we get grown men telling us, ‘Do this right. Do that right. No backtalk.’ Teaching us respect.” Dereef, coach at Al Raby since 2004, believes if his program builds successful young men first, the product on the field will take care of itself. It’s a mentality he’s built on since his playing days at Charleston Southern, where he still holds school records in rushing and special teams since 1994. “I want them to see that they can be different,” Dereef said. “They don’t have to [stay in Chicago]. They don’t have to be on the block. They can get a degree.” In 2018, Al Raby’s staff watched proudly as one of their own not only played for and graduated from the University of Indiana, but also was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. “That’s where it all started for me, and I don’t know where I’d be without Al Raby,” said Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chris Covington. “They were like brothers, fathers – everything they could be to me – and I appreciate every man that’s at Al Raby because they’ve impacted me in such a positive way.” In 2017, Dereef marched his program to a 12-2 record and to its first state semifinal appearance. More impressive though, 68 college recruiters came to visit Al Raby players that year, the coach said, and seven out of 11 seniors signed college intent letters to play football. As many as 11 of 17 of Al Raby seniors this past 2018 season will go to college to play football on some level, with two commitments to Division I programs already despite a down year at 5-6, said Dereef. What makes this even more impressive is that less than 400 students are enrolled at Al Raby, and the team only fields an average of 24 to 30 players each season. The average Chicago Public Schools high school has an enrollment of almost 900 students, according to the CPS website. This scholastic and athletic feat is accomplished with “unwavering discipline,” players explained. Not just the hard stuff, either, but discipline coupled with love, acceptance and consistency according to Dereef. Each player is expected to achieve a point total derived from off-season program participation like weights, team meetings and academic

requirements. Failure to do so means a player does not dress in the fall. The team can’t afford to go to spring and summer camps, so the coaches bring the experience to them. Every training camp starts with the “lock-in.” The team spends a week sealed inside the school, living in the gymnasium, bonding together and earning the final points needed to make the team. “The lock-in is where we become family,” Goston said. “It’s here we share all our life struggles and bond, become brothers.” Dereef also has a special eye on academics to help ensure his team is achieving his expectations. “[Players] know I’m also the dean of students, so they can’t get away with trouble,” Dereef said. “I push grades and attendance. I check every Sunday. So if [they] follow that little blue print and [they’re] a halfway decent athlete, [they’re] going to school.” Part of the success is also attributed to the partnership and consistent presence of its coaching staff, especially from one former Wheaton College football player who adds experience coupled with ministry, said Dereef. Students described their community as less fortunate and overlooked, but assure their situation gives them hope. “It’s not just this narrative, it’s the truth,” said senior defensive back Dontay Givens. “When you put a bunch of people in a community with lack of education, lack of economics and no jobs, what do you expect to happen? You’re going to create the ‘have’ and ‘have-not’s’ You’re either going to use drugs, sell drugs or [make] music to ease the pain – and us that turn to sports, we get this gateway.” Dereef and his staff are proud to be paving that road to success and breaking down misconceptions. “They said it couldn’t be done on the West Side,” Dereef said. “You just have to make them believe. My number one goal is that these kids have an opportunity to get out of Chicago and see something different.”

MORE THAN FOOTBALL JORDAN DORNBUSH,

defensive coordinator and the West Side’s representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is in his fourth season volunteering at Al Raby. His dedication is enormous for a student population who expect men to come and go in their lives, according to Dereef. “As you start to get close to these kids, you start hearing what they go through on a daily basis,” said Dornbush. “Most of them don’t have any male figure in their life that’s doing right. So, we’re coaches, teachers and mentors to them in school, and then like father figures after [school] to teach them things like how to cook and change a tire. Things they’d never learn from anybody else.” The consistent presence of male role models inside the football program, to include some of its players, can be unusual for the area in which it operates, according to Dereef. “I try to talk to them about stuff they don’t see everyday – happily married, not cheating on the wife, fearing God and putting people of different races into their lives,” Dereef said.

BACK IN THE DAY

Strength Training in the 1970s ‘STRAPPIN’ METAL AROUND YOUR JOINTS’ “When you lift weights, it’s like strappin’ metal around your joints!” That rant played over and over in my head. During the summer of 1974’s two-a-days, our new head coach had corralled us in the gymnasium, with that declaration being one of his major talking points. BY JOHN SCANLAN

As if it wasn’t obvious enough that Mr. Perry Griffith was an advocate of lifting weights for football preparation, the short sleeves of his Polo shirt strained to contain his biceps and his whistle hung in a valley between well-defined pecs. Now it was the spring of 1975 at Logan Elm High near Circleville, Ohio. I had heard Mr. Griffith’s outbursts on lifting weights over and over, because he also had been my wrestling coach over the winter. But what was I to do? Logan Elm’s weight room was a tiny cracker box located off the corner of the basketball court. Inside was a rinky-dink, universal weight machine possessing only five stations. There were no barbells or dumbbells or free weights or anything like that. Due to rust, lost pins, and the cables being constantly broken, no athletes ever lifted on that universal. And Mr. Griffith hated weight machines.

■■ Coach Perry Griffith

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But later that spring, Mr. Griffith pulled off a major coup. Somehow — and I emphasize somehow — he talked the Board of Education into a two-pronged plan: 1. Buy thousands of dollars’ worth of bars, dumbbells, and free weights; and 2. Turn the typing classroom into a weight room. Mr. Perry Griffith had died and gone to heaven. Now, with Logan Elm possessing a brand, spankin’ new weight room, came the hard part—getting the football players to use it. Yeah, city-boy Perry Griffith ran headlong into his pet peeve. All he ever heard was the same lame excuses — and erroneous misconceptions — that were commonly espoused by country-boys who played high school football: “I don’t need to lift weights. I work on our farm.” “I don’t need to lift weights. I handle bags of feed all day.” “I don’t need to lift weights. I spend all summer baling hay.” JOHN SCANLAN Mr. Griffith abhorred such paltry FNF COACHES CONTRIBUTOR justifications. Somehow, he had to devise a plan to motivate his football players to lift weights. And he was no idiot. He understood the competitive ego belonging to teenage boys. So he employed the one tactic that guaranteed football players would flock to his weight room: the possibility of humiliation in front of your peers. So on the wall of the new weight room, Mr. Griffith placed a huge, white, placard. Down the left side, he wrote the names of every potential football player for the 1975 fall season. Then across the top, he divided the placard into three columns depicting the three basic power lifting exercises: the bench press, squat, and dead lift. Then each of those three columns was further sub-divided down into two more columns labeled with dates: Thursday, May 25 — the last day of school — and Friday, August 1 — the first day of football practice. Mr. Griffith required every name on that placard to report to his gym on May 29 and perform an inventory maximum repetition in those three lifts. After which, that player’s efforts were recorded on the placard. Then those same players would have to do those same lifts on August first. Thus, on a placard that was visible to all his peers, every player could see the improvement — or lack thereof — that each boy had obtained over June and July. It was brilliant! The new weight room was constantly packed with pubescent boys trying to achieve bragging rights on August 1. Mr. Perry Griffith was as happy as a pig in poop. There are certainly more factors that contribute to a successful football campaign than off-season weight training, but I’m sure that Mr. Griffith’s foresight was a major reason in the Logan Elm Braves finishing the 1975 season as Mid-State League co-champions with an 8-2 record. More importantly, there were no serious joint injuries.

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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.

Perseverance

You find out about yourself when you have a little bit of adversity. Sometimes setbacks can be setups for comebacks.” –Sean McVay

Attention

Take care of the tiniest detail, because the little details add up until they represent significant differences. Let nothing slip through the cracks.” –Bill Belichick

TEAMWORK

You can’t win together if you don’t work together.” –Nick Saban

Preparation

Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things.” –Bear Bryant

PURSUIT

Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.” –Vince Lombardi

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FOOTBALL REIMAGINED USA Football believes in creating better athletes.

Our focus is to deliver smarter football, by nourishing and propelling the whole person beyond what we can see and feel between the sidelines.

Creating better athletes means developing more entry points and game options to ensure each child that wants to play can. Together we are creating the future of football.

Join us at usafootball.com/fdm.