Coach and Coordinator Podcast

On today’s episode, we begin with the first episode in our Passing Lab Series hosted by Josh Herring, Offensive Coordinator, Jones County High School (GA) Offensive Coordinator Josh is joined by Dan Gonzalez, former college and high school coach and current consultant. How do you stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of football strategy? Passing game expert Dan Gonzalez joins us to share his wealth of knowledge on the development of the passing game and the challenges coaches face in teaching the game effectively. We dive into the sophistication of modern football defenses and how this has transformed the way high school coaches approach teaching, requiring a more progressive and layered method to build toward success.We also explore the importance of teaching spatial recognition and understanding defenses at lower levels, opening up possibilities for effective passing strategies even at the youth level. Dan emphasizes the need for adaptability and continuous learning in order to stay on the cutting edge of football strategy, discussing the impact of visionary coaches and the influence of the West Coast offense on the game's evolution.Finally, we analyze the significant role coaching plays in the development of quarterbacks, using the example of Doug Peterson's coaching influence on Trevor Lawrence. This episode is packed with valuable insights and discussions that will surely benefit coaches.Show Notes: Passing Lab Series Begins Passing Game Evolution and Teaching Challenges Defense Evolution in High School Strategy and Visionary Coaches Passing Game Evolution and Coaching Impact Coach Gonzalez’s Verticals Winning Edge Related Episodes:Into the Passing Lab - Josh Herringhttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML2045813075.mp3?updated=1678203166Holistic Approach to Protecting the Passer - Dan Gonzalezhttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML6771257731.mp3?updated=1682102745Dan Gonzalez Resources:https://coachtube.com/users/dan_gonzalez16?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Josh Herring Resources:https://coachtube.com/users/joshherring?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are offense having their way with your defenders they put in conflict? At the 3rd Annual Lauren's First & Goal Clinic Shane Direking, DC at D3 National Champion North Central also the 2022 Football Scoop D3 Coordinator of the Year, shared his insight on gap manipulation & limiting explosive plays He covered everything from understanding the importance of a tight top-down defense to mastering the art of manipulating gaps.He includes a short discussion on their 30% rule and how this helps guide their planning week to week, as well as his reasoning for manipulating gaps and the four methods they use.In general, offenses love the RPO because of the way it can conflict with a defender and open up voids behind level two or potentially leave a gap open in the box. Either situation can lead to explosive plays.Explosive plays can be a game-changer in football. The chances of scoring in any single drive increase significantly with a single explosive play. Ensuring that the defense never gives up explosive plays, forces the offense to work harder and increases the chances of the defense creating havoc plays like TFLs, tackles, interceptions, and fumble recoveries.By making the offense earn every yard, the defense can increase the team’s win-loss percentage and maintain a strong defensive presence on the field.That’s what Coach Dierking shared in this segment from his clinic. The entire talk shows the different ways the Cardinals manipulate gaps with Coach Direking explaining with game film.  Show Notes: Defensive Structure and Philosophy Manipulating explosive plays Set-up to make the offense earn yards. Why manipulate gaps Gap manipulation in  Winning Edge The previous episode with Coach Dierking:An Obsession with Learning and Growing Plus Coaching the 4-2-5 https://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML5125248937.mp3?updated=1677533204Entire Clinic Talk - “Manipulating Gaps”https://coachtube.com/course/football/shane-dierking-manipulating-gaps/18885516?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Coach Dierking’s Clinic - “Defending Empty Formations”https://coachtube.com/course/football/shane-dierking-defending-empty-formations/13906706?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Be sure to go to coachandcoordinator.com for enhanced show notes with links to related episodes, resources, articles, and with our winning edge takeaways detailed in text. Also sign-up for our free weekly tip sheet which highlights the best ideas from the previous week, trending episodes, and featured resources.Follow me on Twitter @CoachKGrabowski Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of our Teachable Moments Series, Steve Hauser is joined by Illinois Special Teams Coordinator Robby Discher. They talk about his journey through the profession and the importance of staying true to oneself. Coach Discher shared valuable insights from his experiences at Toledo, Georgia, and now Illinois, offering advice on how to remain genuine and authentic in any situation. We also explored the impact of mentors like Willie Fritz on his career, as well as how he prepared for spring ball while relocating his family to Illinois.Show Notes: William Jewell lineage Learning from a mentor - Willie Fritz Sam Houston State experiences Oklahoma State influence The special teams coordinator can build relationships with full team “they didn’t sign a scholarship to cover kicks” Make the meetings enjoyable, get your message across We all have our own personalities, won’t work if its not who you are Learn more about TeachTapes: teachtapes.orgCoach Discher's previous episode on Coach and Coordinator:https://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML5365782430.mp3?updated=1669916432 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s podcast, we take a look at the framework used by expert poker players and discuss how that applies to football as well as how learning an expert system allows for an acceleration of decision-making as well as a more efficient workflow. Joining me to discuss this is Dub Maddox who is the offensive coordinator at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the creator of the R4 System. What he has developed within his system provides a coding for the game of football that allows him to build frameworks and models for play calling that provides for the use of analytics and data in a practical way in game planning that provides for better decision-making on game day. Be sure to check the show notes for links to our other episodes with Coach Moaddox. He never disappoints, and I am positive that you will find this episode fascinating. We share our Winning Edge takeaways and ideas for implementation following the episode.Show Notes: Studying outside of the game Why Poker players? Tacit knowledge Poker strategy Position and Range in Gaming Building a Range Position Map Applying poker to play calling Game day communication Efficiency In workflow Be sure to go to coachandcoordinator.com for enhanced show notes with links to related episodes, resources, articles, and with our winning edge takeaways detailed in text. Also sign-up for our free weekly tip sheet which highlights the best ideas from the previous week, trending episodes, and featured resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding the most efficient way to practice and effectively prepare players is something that coaches are always searching for. Western Illinois Defensive Coordinator Todd Drury created a way to get his players the reps they need with a focus on the mental side of the game. Coach Drury evolved his walkthrough into a period in which his players are able to get more reps while gaining an understanding of what the offense is trying to do in addition to their reaction and required decision-making within their defensive calls.In this episode from our archives, Coach Drury explains the setup and rationale behind the format for this practice segment. The result is that defensive players are seeing far more reps than they would if they were just scrimmaging, and getting more in terms of recognition and visual cues than if they were doing a walk-through.We share our winning edge takeaways and ideas for implementation following the interview.Show Notes: Creating the practice format Managing the reps Practice for focus Helping the defensive linemen Applying it to the offense Get the most out of it Winning Edge Thank you for listening to our podcast. Please share it with other coaches.  Go to coachandcoordinator.com for enhanced show notes with links to related episodes, resources, and articles, and with our winning edge takeaways detailed in text. When we post the enhanced show notes for this episode it will include a diagram of the set-up of Coach Drury’s practice segment as well as practice video.Sign-up for our free weekly tip sheet which highlights the best ideas from the previous week, trending episodes, and featured resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Coach and Coordinator, host Keith Grabowski is joined by Mike Giancola, defensive coordinator at Bridgewater College to discuss creating a system for multiplicity on defense. Bridgewater is able to do a lot in what they utilize with fronts and coverages, but it is built on a structure of simple language and the best teaching practices.The Bridgewater defense shined in the 2022 season as they led all divisions of the NCAA in turnovers as the team paced the nation in turnover margin for a majority of the year. Prior to Bridgewater, Coach Giancola was the defensive coordinator at Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va. in 2016, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to their second consecutive Virginia High School League 6-A state championship.In this episode, he shares how they’ve evolved their system as well as the tools and methods they use to teach it. There are plenty of takeaways in this one that apply to all phases of the game at every level, especially in the way that Coach and his staff teach their system. Be sure to listen to our Winning Edge Takeaways after the interview.Show Notes: Determining needs Changes during the pandemic Capitalize on what our guys do well Two important questions - Is this too much? Can our players handle it? Creating a structure that allows for more  Starting with a base 4-2-5 General concept to specifics Having an anchor and then building A system of answers Backward planning Technology that drives learning Checks for understanding Flipped classroom model, Transparency in what you do and why Thank you for listening to our podcast. Please share it with other coaches. Go to coachandcoordinator.com for enhanced show notes with links to related episodes, resources, and articles, and our winning edge takeaways detailed in text. Sign-up for our free weekly tip sheet which highlights the best ideas from the previous week, trending episodes, and featured resources.Twitter:@CoachGiancolaRelated:Scott Lemn - Flexibility and Creativity to Stay Ahead of the Defensehttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML9467758208.mp3?updated=1681296110Coach Giancola’s Course: 3x1 coverage Adjustments from 3 Safety Alignments:https://coachtube.com/course/football/3x1-coverage-adjustments-from-3-safety-alignments-mike-giancola/11813848 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of our Teachable Moments Series, host Steve Hauser sat down with Jordan Hogan to learn from his journey.During the pandemic, which was a shutdown of the Ivy League season, Coach Hogan was able to attain the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship, a program started by the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 to help increase diversity in the coaching ranks and provide more opportunity for experience on the NFL level.Recently named to FootballScoop's Minority Watch List, Hogan worked with the offensive staff and served as an assistant in the quarterback room during his time with the Cardinals. He helped with the creation of install tapes, game breakdowns, play drawings, and assisted with game and practice data input among other duties.Prior to his time in the NFL, Hogan spent three seasons at nearby Cornell. During his time with the Big Red, Hogan served as the wide receivers coach where he developed several record-setting players at that position.Along with his role with the Arizona Cardinals, Hogan has served in similar NFL capacities in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019, Indianapolis Colts in 2017, and the Buffalo Bills in 2016.Hogan has had previous wide receiver coaching stops at Division II Stonehill College (2017) and Division III Buffalo State College (2013-2017). He also served as the wide receivers coach for the US National Team development game in Canton, Ohio, in 2016.A standout wide receiver at Brockport, Hogan at the time of graduation ranked fifth in school history in career receiving yards (1,546) and eighth in catches (108). He earned All-League honors as a junior and was a preseason All-American as a senior captain.Show notes: Networking…shoot your shot, do it w/ the right intentions (get advice/get better) Everyone’s path different…what other D3 guys have made it? Have a tie in (area, alma mater, previous relationship) Best advice during NFL internship…“quick to listen, slow to speak” “make sure there is substance behind it” Double Mug Agap…Colt McCoy; can always tell which one coming LB looking at QB = dropper LB looking at ball = rusher Offense thru WR perspective Are you within the progression? How much time do you have to win? Football not the problem, Industry simply hard Never know when that break is going to come (2016 BuffSt -> Stonehill) Career swung upward from there Hogan relies on faith in difficult moments Eli Rasheed “No Testimony w/out a Test” Teachable Moments…one big one, how do you respond to adversity when the chips are down? CLE Browns draft interview = that was big question Winning Edge Related episodes:https://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML6814234290.mp3?updated=1675769187Coach Hogan's Course - Simple Drills for WR Indy:https://coachtube.com/course/football/jordan-hogan-simple-drills-for-wr-indy/11737836?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is a segment from Andrew Dresner, Offensive Coordinator at Stony Brook on “3rd Down Strategy.” In this segment the discusses the importance of understanding how many calls you need per game based on previous season data. This allows you to prepare the right amount of plays, and practice them enough so that they are executed well on game day and you keep the chains moving.What he discussed in this segment provides a template for 3rd down strategy. For Coach Dresner, the plan always starts with personnel, and that will certainly come through as he shares his thought process.Now is a good time to start thinking about how you will approach 3rd down in the upcoming season. Having a methodical approach allows you to really define what your players do best, how you will dress it up, exploit match-ups, and ultimately set your team up for success.The link to this entire talk as well as Coach Dresner’s previous Lauren’s First and Goal presentation on “Developing a Freshmen Quarterback” is in the show notes.If you are interested in a defensive approach to this, we linked an episode with Blake Harrell, Defensive Coordinator at East Carolina on “Winning the Money Down” in the show notes as well.Show Notes: Background Most important aspects of this down Understanding how many third down calls per game 3rd & 1-2 plan 3rd & 3-6 plan Best passes every week YAC plays 3rd & Long 7-9 3rd & 10 plus  Winning Edge Be sure to go to coachandcoordinator.com for enhanced show notes with links to related episodes, and resources like Coach Drewsner’s on 3rd Down Strategy. In addition, we have articles with our winning edge takeaways detailed in text. Also sign-up for our free weekly tip sheet which highlights the best ideas from the previous week, trending episodes, and featured resources.Related episode:Winning the Money Down - Blake Harrell, Defensive Coordinator, East Carolinahttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML8136009166.mp3?updated=1669916257Coach Dresner Resources:3rd Down StrategyDeveloping a Freshman Quarterbackhttps://coachtube.com/course/football/andrew-dresner-developing-a-freshman-quarterback/13704034?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode from our archives is with Matt Drinkall, currently Co-offensive Coordinator at Army and former head coach at Kansas Wesleyan University. Coach Drinkall was hired as the Head Coach at Kansas Wesleyan in 2014 to rebuild all aspects of the program. When he was hired, he was the second-youngest head coach in college football at the time. In just his second season, the Coyotes went 10-1.Over the last four seasons of his tenure, Kansas Wesleyan won 40 games which was the best four-year run in school history. Coach Drinkall left the program as the 2018 Coach of The Year while holding the fourth-highest win total for the University. In his final season as Head Coach, the 2018 Coyotes posted the best season in school and conference history. Kansas Wesleyan won its first Conference Championship since 2002, after posting a 10-0 overall record to advance to the semifinals of the national playoffs finishing the season at a 13-1 record, while shattering school, conference, and NAIA records in the process.In this episode, he shares how he built the culture at Kansas Wesleyan beginning with a focus on the experience for his staff. He took a unique ”less is more” approach, paying attention to the time the spent in the office and the efficiency with which all things in the program operated. From the way they set up their schemes, to game planning, to recruiting, Coach Drinkall and his staff were able to find the efficiency within their workflow and spend less time in the office while having a high-performance level on the field.Coach shares his thought process in developing this system. There are definitely takeaways and ideas to reflect on as we all continue to move forward in the ever-changing landscape of coaching our game. Show Notes: The culture Coach built at Kansas Wesleyan for Coaches How Coach’s staff was so efficient In season schedule How they divided their game plan film More on Culture Starbucks How Coach begins and develops his thought process Winning Edge Connect with Coach:Twitter: @DrinkallcoachBe sure to go to coachandcoordinator.com for enhanced show notes with links to related episodes, and resources like Drinkall’s presentations on his Power Spread offense which I highly recommend. In addition, we have articles with our winning edge takeaways detailed in text. Also sign-up for our free weekly tip sheet which highlights the best ideas from the previous week, trending episodes, and featured resources.Matt Drinkall Episodes:Defeating the Tite Fronthttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML9488421124.mp3?updated=1677251909Coaching Cues in the Classroom and on the Fieldhttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML7682123777.mp3?updated=1669916379Running Game and Tempohttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML1296072620.mp3?updated=1669916423Structuring Your Offensehttps://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML1654877450.mp3?updated=1676565867Matt Drinkall Power Spread Offense Clinics:https://coachtube.com/users/matthewdrinkall?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763The World of RPO’shttps://coachtube.com/course/football/matt-drinkall-rpos-explained-defined-packaging-implementation/13496876?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Sprint Out - Move the Pockethttps://coachtube.com/course/football/matt-drinkall-sprint-out-passing-move-the-pocket-for-success/16603216?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Instantly Improve Your Gap Runshttps://coachtube.com/course/football/matt-drinkall-instantly-improve-your-gap-runs/14233515?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Coach Grabowski’s Game Planning System - Be More Efficient and Effectivehttps://coachtube.com/course/football/game-planning-system-be-more-efficient-and-effective/12867157?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast, host Keith Grabowski talks with Tyler Walker, who when he first joined us on the podcast was defensive backs coach, special team coordinator, and recruiting coordinator at Muskingum University (Ohio). He is now the Tight Ends Coach for FCS powerhouse Montana State,Prior to arriving at Muskingum, Walker was an assistant coach at Catholic Central High School (Mich.), where he worked primarily with the receivers and helped lead the Shamrocks to a 14-0 overall record that was capped off by a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 4 state championship. On today’s podcast, Coach Walker shares his philosophy on playing the best 11, teaching and coaching multiple skill sets, developing an unselfish unit culture, and utilizing the hybrid tight end in all phases of the offense.Today’s game is becoming more and more about athleticism and players don’t necessarily fit perfectly into the profile of the position they play, and that can be a good thing if you know how to maximize the use of their athleticism and skills. That certainly comes through in our conversation with Coach Walker and his approach to finding their hybrids, teaching and coaching them, planning their development, and helping build the culture within the room.Show Notes: From D3 to the FCS Attributes of a hybrid tight end Playing the best 11 Advantages in RPO with the hybrid TE It starts with running the ball The meeting room Being good teachers How we teach makes us successful Organizing practice for the hybrid tight end The culture - earn your role Individual skills resource Winning Edge takeaways Coach Walker’s Hybrid Tight End Development Course:https://coachtube.com/course/football/the-hybrid-tight-end-technique-fundamentals-of-the-best-offensive-weapon/18608512?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Montana State Power Read Clinic:https://coachtube.com/course/football/brian-armstrong-montana-state-power-read/16643267?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Brent Vigen Presentation - Transitional Leadership:https://coachtube.com/course/football/brent-vigen-transitional-leadership/17572346?a=ddd391c93af2433281656b763Related Episode: Justin Hamilton - Creating More Roles for Players:https://chrt.fm/track/EFGCF3/traffic.megaphone.fm/CCML6347712229.mp3?updated=1669916365 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices