The Football Coaching Podcast with Joe Daniel

Calling defensive plays on game night may be one of the most stressful jobs in football. You have a limited amount of time to assess the situation, identify what call you want to use, and get it signaled in before a much more regimented offensive system goes to work. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss exactly what it is that goes into a defensive play call, and ways to guide yourself into making better calls based on your skill level and what you see on game night.

It's week 7. You're down by 4 against your crosstown rival in the 3rd quarter. The wind is in your face, your starting Right Tackle is gimpy and not playing as well as usual. You've been a step ahead of the defense all night, but you're quickly running out of bullets. With the season and bragging rights on the line, what call do you signal to your QB? In this episode Joe and Daniel break down the important pieces that go into any given play call on Friday night; from why every call matters, to what weaknesses the defense is giving.

Not every high school takes the field on Friday night with the perfect kid in every position. Sometimes they have a SR Linebacker who never learned how to get downhill. Sometimes they have a freak speedster who doesn't have the confidence or ability to make a tackle. Coaches at many levels are usually trying to prevent one player from losing them the game and need to hide them in the scheme to eliminate them being exposed. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by Coach David Lane as they discuss what kind of player needs to be hidden, how to hide him on gameday, and what you should do to prepare your players for such a scenario.

Special teams can be both frustrating and time consuming. It's a part of the sport which can be so simple, but seems to be made complex by coaches trying to gain a competitive edge. In this episode, Joe and Daniel break down what changes make sense to make and how your game plan should be altered from week to week.

There's no worse feeling for a coordinator than to get to Friday night and our team can't match the opponent on the field. It doesn't matter what side of the ball you're coaching on, if you can't gain yards against their defense, or can't stop their offense, frustration and embarrassment will quickly set in. You need to have an answer as soon as possible. Hopefully, it's that night, if not at least being able to get right before the next opponent copy-cats and hits you with the same exact problem. On this episode, Joe and Daniel discuss what comes next after you've been exposed. It may be what your choices are on game-night to solve the problem and move on, or a plan for next week to ensure you never suffer that fate again… or at least because of the same problem.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of football that can truly derail your season if they happen to a key player. Maybe it's your QB. Maybe it's your 5th QB. Maybe it's your lead tackler, or the best Offensive Lineman your school has ever had. If you haven't been struck by the injury bug yet, keep doing what you're doing because that's likely helping. But, understand that it will happen at some point. In this episode, Joe and Daniel are joined by NFL Great Dominique Franks as they discuss what to do to salvage your season when you have a key injury, and how you can help yourself in the offseason before the injury ever happens.

The discussion focuses on the ASKA Principle and the art of making quick adjustments in football. Coaches share insights on refining strategies like inside zone blocking and how to navigate playoff dynamics. Emphasis is placed on simplifying communication with players for better results. The episode highlights the impact of small changes in alignment and stance on overall performance. Anecdotes reveal challenges in coaching youth football and the need for adaptability in various game conditions, making every lever count.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a position where change is necessary in our depth chart. Maybe the injury bug has hit your team, suspensions, grade troubles… The list is endless. Regardless of the reason, you need to be ready to move players around within your scheme. In this episode, Joe and Daniel are joined by Coach James Vint to discuss how to make changes to your lineup, when the foundation for a "We not me" team is best to be laid, and how to prevent backlash from players, families, and fans when making those changes.

The podcast discusses the value of self-scouting in football teams, using game footage to identify mistakes and make improvements. They also explore the importance of analyzing tendencies in offense and defense, and discuss the challenges and strategies of coaching offensive linemen.

"Football is a game of adjustments." I've probably said that phrase 25 times in the last 5 weeks. Some weeks we're better at it than others. If you're not make adjustments throughout the week, or on Friday nights, then you may find yourself playing less efficient football and in need of evolving what you're doing as a play caller. On this episode, Joe and Daniel discuss what it takes to identify the things you're doing right or wrong and how to begin altering the game plan you're using to put your kids in the best position to be successful.