Coach and Coordinator Podcast

Joining host Keith Grabowski on today’s podcast is Coach Justin Stovall, the Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Columbia University. Stovall has been in this role at Columbia for 6 seasons and helped the program to their first consecutive back to back winning seasons (2017-18) since 1961-62. Prior to his time at Columbia, Stovall spent time at Valparaiso, Lehigh, Villanova and Franklin and Marshall College. He comes on the podcast today to talk about his approach to special teams as well as some new technology that is helping him recruit. Show Notes: 1:58 Coach’s Journey 3:45 Influence other coaches had on Stovall 5:50 Approach to using all your resources over time 7:57 Foundational philosophy 12:15 Stovall’s approach to Special Teams 16:50 Evaluating players for roles on special teams 20:07 Determining how many units a player can play on 29:23 Coach’s use of the app Roster Spot 31:03 Basic use of the tool 32:09 Practical use of the app 34:36 Connect with Coach 35:52 Winning Edge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s podcast, host Keith Grabowski is joined by Nick Davis, Defensive Coordinator at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Davis has been on the staff at Rose-Hulman for 9 years and been the defensive coordinator for six of those years. Coach Davis has put together a unique system for scouting his opponents and has joined Coach and Coordinator to talk about that system. Show Notes: 2:58 How they approached this offseason 5:37 Simplifying his system 10:02 Sorting breakdowns by scheme 12:38 Helping players understanding concepts, by what your offense calls routes 17:23 Looking at the mesh of the quarterback 20:21 Breaking down pass rush efficiency 25:08 “Defensive Player Targeted” 31:35 How much time does this type of scouting add in a given week 33:37 Quick overview of Coach’s CoachTube course 35:57 Connect with Coach CoachTube Course: Stopping RPO with Multiple Coverage http://bit.ly/3rUUbpQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Coach and Coordinator, host Keith Grabowski welcomes Gary McGraw to the podcast. Mcgraw wears multiple hats at Sam Houston State including, Cornersback’s Coach, Special Teams Coordinator, Defensive Pass Game Coordinator and Defensive Recruiting Coordinator. Coach joins the podcast to talk about how he handles different defensive back techniques as well as how he maneuvers all his different coaching roles. Show Notes: 2:04 When McGraw decided he wanted to become a football coach 3:14 Obstacles he faced along his coaches journey 4:56 What McGraw did to hone his skills and how it helped him move up the coaching ranks 6:54 How Coach gets his position group and unit to buy in 9:06 How McGraw teaches press technique 11:57 Adjusting if the WR steps back and reading him 14:01 Technique for defending the back corner fade 16:44 How Coach Handles all his different job titles 20:44 What he looks at as the defensive pass game coordinator 25:35 What kinds of RPO’s coach has seen and how he defends them 28:12 How Coach defends against coaches trying to get him out of specific looks 31:05 Keys to not getting picked or rubbed on routes 32:37 Key Coaching points for teaching his players to tackle 35:24 Key situations he puts his players in during practice 37:09 Winning Edge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the Coach and Coordinator podcast, host Keith Grabowski is joined by Craig Roh, defensive line specialist. Roh has developed his own system for rushing the passer, which was detailed in his book The Pass Rush Bible. Roh talks with Grabowski about all things involving the pass rush, including how he developed his system and some of the key aspects that go into it. Show Notes: 1:21 Roh’s journey 3:38 What it was like playing at Michigan 5:33 How he developed his program for rushing the passer 8:11 How everything Roh looked at became his system 12:58 What goes into calculating the rush path 22:32 How situation plays into rush pass situation 26:17 How the system actually translate to players 28:20 What his book and program contains Pass Rush Bible on CoachTube: https://coachtube.com/course/football/the-pass-rush-bible-essentials-edition/12902505?ambassador=325306f59bb543b6883ff4baa Lauren's First and Goal Clinic: https://lfgf.coachesclinic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s podcast, host Keith Grabowski is joined by Army Assistant Coach, John Loose. Since 2004, Coach Loose has run Lauren’s First and Goal, a charity which donates money to brain tumor research as well as to families who have been impacted by cancer. So far, LFG has raised 2.6 million dollars to the fight against cancer and have shown no signs of slowing down. Loose, who hosts events every year for LFG, will go virtual this year via an online clinic on Coach Tube. (Link at bottom) In addition to discussing different aspects for the upcoming clinic, Loose and Grabowski talk about situational football and its impact in the game. Show Notes: 1:31 Lauren’s First and Goal upcoming Clinic 14:37 Current use of analytics in football as well as the importance of situational football 19:18 Prepping for all different situations 24:22 Use of codewords 27:11 Recommendations for coaches trying to improve their situational awareness https://lfgf.coachesclinic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s podcast, Host Keith Grabowski is joined by Appalachian State Outside Linebackers Coach, Cortney Braswell. Starting in the High School Ranks just a few years ago, Braswell has worked his way up to a Division 1 coaching job. Grabowski talks to him today about how he worked his way up as well as how he coaches his OLB’s and why they are true hybrid players. Show Notes 1:53 What inspired Braswell to be a football coach 3:46 How being a High School coach is helping him as a college coach 6:40 How he teaches all his different techniques to each player 10:28 Quarter vs 2x2 13:25 Coming up with drills to support what you do on on gameday 15:46 How he prepared to be a division one coach 18:14 How Braswell built relationships to work his way up from the High School ranks 20:06 Well done is better than well said 23:45 How he sees what he taught when he flips on the film 25:42 Advice for aspiring coaches 29:16 Winning Edge Lauren's First and Goal Clinic Signup: https://lfgf.coachesclinic.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former AAF and XFL assistant coach, Michael George, discusses his coaching journey, unique changes seen in different football leagues, networking benefits, and importance of relationships in the coaching industry on the Coach and Coordinator podcast.

Today’s Coach and Coordinator podcasts welcomes Arthur Ray, Offensive Line Coach at Northwood University. Coach Ray has a unique history of perseverance as he overcame a battle with cancer and went on to become an excellent college football player as well as getting a chance in the NFL. Ray joins Host Keith Grabowski to talk about his unique story as well as some of the techniques he uses in coaching his offensive lineman. Show Notes: 1:18 Coach’s battle with cancer 4:54 Coach’s football playing career post cancer 7:00 How his lessons from previous coaches led to his philosophy 10:47 Coaching the mental side of the game 14:22 Building confidence in players 17:57 Training and drills 21:00 How he trains eyes and why they are important to striking 23:24 How he teaches posture in pass protection 27:00 What run scheme he loves teaching the most 30:03 Coaching against a team that moves a lot 31:40 Arthur’s med balls drills that he features on Coach Tube 33:40 Winning Edge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s podcast, host Keith Grabowski welcomes the Head Football Coach at Medina High School, Larry Laird. Prior to his time at Medina, Coach won multiple state titles between his time as an assistant and coordinator at Kenton High School and Avon Lake. Laird is known for his unique empty offenses and he joins Grabowski today to walk about some of the intricacies in those offenses as well as his journey through coaching. Show Notes: 1:26 Coach’s Journey 2:30 Key lessons Coach has learned along the way 4:22 How Coach learned to think outside the box from previous coaches 6:24 How teams gameplanned against him 8:10 How his unique offense impacted the culture of his program and his numbers 10:16 How they deal with weather given their offensive system 12:24 How he helped mold Avon Lake’s offense 15:30 Key aspects to forming his culture 17:21 How to keep the positive momentum in a program moving from year to year 19:47 Challenges his program has faced this offseason 24:28 What Coach will be talking about at his upcoming clinic 25:56 How much tite front they see with their base empty sets 27:30 Technique for their unique snaps 28:13 Running plays for the QB and how it becomes it an advantage in their offense 30:00 What they see in coverage 31:55 Self scout and internal focus 34:01 Utilizing the R4 system 35:45 Using players from the other side of the ball when you have a 2 platoon team 38:22 Winning Edge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I first saw The Leadership Ladder during a clinic presentation by Gregg Brandon, then the head coach at Bowling Green State University. I really like how this simplifies the levels of leadership, and this has become a tool that I share with my seniors during the offseason. 00:42 Learning from Gregg Brandon HC at Colorado School of the Mines 01:12 A tool to share with players 01:31 Starting with a coach driven off season 01:55 Move the individual to being about others 02:37 Overview of the five levels 03:38 Lowest level – seniority 03:54 Selfish – not invested in the team 04:07 Unselfish producing some results but not necessarily for others 04:38 Self-sacrifice – committed to the team and making sacrifices 04:57 Investment in others and being influential presence 05:25 Off season starts with more of an individual focus and more coach driven 05:45 Coaches need to model positive leadership 06:21 Utilize the leadership ladder to have conversations with players 07:17 Positive individuals and how to deal with those not aligned 08:05 Transition to player driven by creating opportunities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices