The Football Coaching Podcast with Joe Daniel

Calling plays when the lights are brightest, things aren’t going your way, or the game is on the line can be a challenge. Especially for coaches who haven’t experienced it before, you can start to be too aggressive or pull too many punches. But, it’s something you can get better at. On this episode Joe Daniel and Daniel Chamberlain are discussing how to better your play calls in the biggest spots in football. They talk setting up a play call sheet, playing the game before the game, and using your play calls to attack weaknesses of the defense.  

We’ve unfortunately all been there… the 4th Quarter starts and our best 11 have their hands on their knees and are too exhausted to perform up to the standard. It’s cost many coaches a game or two, but there is a way to prevent it from ever happening again. On this episode Joe Daniel and Daniel Chamberlain discuss the more modern approaches to getting your players in shape for the season, how to condition in practice, keeping things from getting too tyrannical, and how to hold your player accountable so they’ll want to be in shape in the 4th.  

In a game of inches, giving up “busts” or Big Plays can quickly become a mistake too big to overcome. The other sideline earns a paycheck too, so you likely can’t stamp out big plays altogether, but you can get your team to limit them enough. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss how to limit big plays against your defense by simplifying your scheme, cutting out the wanted complexity, and getting your players to consistently be in a place to make a play.  

Undisciplined teams lose games. And sloppy habits in practice show up under the lights. In this episode, Joe and Daniel break down how to build discipline and efficiency into every rep. You’ll learn how to simulate high-stress situations in practice so your players stay sharp when it counts. They’ll show you how to tighten communication, dial in on the small details, and run drills that actually translate to game-day success.

Wasted time in practice leads to unprepared players on game day. And with limited hours on the field, every minute has to count. In this episode, Joe and Daniel dive into how to run efficient, high-energy practices that get your players ready—fast. They share how to build out practice plan shells, keep the tempo up with smooth transitions, and make sure your drills actually matter. You’ll also hear how to lean on veteran players, use film for faster corrections, and even streamline scouting with tools like wristbands.

A stagnant offense can stall an entire season — even with the right athletes on the field. But constantly adding new plays without structure usually leads to confusion, not results. On this episode of the Football Coaching Podcast, Daniel Chamberlain and Joe Daniel share how to build a dynamic offense the right way — starting with mastery of a base play and layering in variation through motions, shifts, unbalanced formations, and tags. They also introduce the containers principle — a smart way to install new ideas without overwhelming your players or your practice time.

The end of the game of football can be intense! The crowd, the officials, the clock… they all add extra pressure to an already high pressure game. If you keep finding yourself on the losing end of close games, it’s likely that you, your coaches, and your players don’t understand the situation(s) they are in during crunch time. On this episode, Joe and Daniel discuss the need to add situational football into your practice planning, what situations you should practice, and the need to mentally prepare your players.

An undisciplined defense can bring even the best program to its knees. But, as schemes become more and more complex to try to match the offenses running all over the field, the byproduct is often undisciplined chaos. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss fixing tackling and executing through ASKA, fixing alignments, and ensuring players are doing their job and not their neigbors’ jobs through the umbrella principles.

Special Teams, the Third Side of the Ball, can be a secret weapon or a glaring flaw for your team this year. If you keep chasing different schemes week after week, or year after year, you’ll never learn to problem solve within your own game. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss how to simplify your Special Teams, teaching each team one way for the whole season, getting rules put in to place so your players can use them to problem solve.

Getting buy in is the foundation of any system in football. Not just Xs and Os systems, but strength and conditioning, recruiting, culture, etc. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss the SCS System, coaching like you’re teaching a new prep for the first time, and what all goes into the Players’ Creed.