The Football Coaching Podcast with Joe Daniel

A hybrid position on defense can bring something different to the game of football that other positions simply can’t, flexibility. These positions, and the players that fill them, have begun to pop up on both sides of the football and for some of the same reasons. A “jack of all trades” is more versatile in your defensive scheme than a “master of one”. Coaches have quit prioritizing size in an effort to get the best 11 players on the field, and letting their athletes play more positions and techniques. On this episode, Joe, Daniel, and guest HC Kahn Chace talk about using hybrid defenders in their defensive schemes to better equip them to face the ever changing offenses in High School football.

Regardless of your offensive scheme, the person who touches the ball nearly every play is the Quarterback. Regardless of his skill level, you have to build your offensive scheme around him. Your overall system should include plays and packages to make any QB successful, once you identify what he can do, and what he can’t. On this episode Joe, Daniel, and our guest Patrick Taylor discuss the reasons you have to build around your QB, ways to accommodate your QB, and how to change your play calling mindset depending on who your QB is.

Having absolute studs on your football team sounds like a dream come true. But, the truth is, even having absolute raw talent in the huddle comes with its own problems. Maybe your best players are pulling an Allen Iverson, “Practice? We talkin’ about practice man.” Or perhaps they’ve begun shutting it down with a scholarship already in hand and those around them telling them they’re better than they may be. On this episode we’re joined by former Texas HS Coach Randy Jackson to discuss ways to motivate your star athlete throughout the season and beyond. We tackle some of the major concerns associated with coaching extremely talented players and a few solutions to getting over those hurdles.

We’ve all had that one player who just HAS to test the limits. We know it’s only natural, but it can definitely test us as coaches. Whether it’s your star running back showing up late consistently or a youth player whose parents just can’t seem to get them to practice on time, we all have to have a plan in place to ensure the discipline of the team doesn’t falter due to our “problem child”. In this episode Joe, Daniel, and guests Antoine Smith and Bill Weiss share years of combined wisdom on dealing with the situations above and many more that you may have had already or need to have a plan for in the future.

Regardless of the record, history, or size of your team, something all coaches have to deal with is parents. Some can be jet fuel for your system, and some can feel like an anchor dragging you down. But, parent involvement is a currency that every team needs to help maximize their potential in the fall. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by Coach Rick Stewart to discuss some successful ways to communicate with parents, how to get to know them, increase involvement, and what to do if you have a parent already going sour. 

On this episode we’re talking to Dale Baskett, a renowned speed coach with over 40 years of speed training experience in the NFL, MLB, and numerous collegiate and high school powerhouse schools, about the intricacies of training speed throughout the year, how little time it can really take away from you, and some mistakes of guys who are trying to do it on their own. Dale is a big part of our “If you don’t know, hire an expert” philosophy. 

No matter the size or level of your program, adding players to your roster is always a good thing. Maybe you’re under the roster size expected for your school size, or you’re seeing kids in the hallway that you know could help you be successful. Either way, you have to be able to recruit the building to add numbers and hopefully talent. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss the importance of recruiting your school, which kids you should aim to recruit, and we talk about a few ways to make you a successful recruiter and team builder.

The H-Back is a position that few admit to or knowingly use. However, they’re showing up more and more across the world of Football. In the NFL, Travis Kelce has been playing the role since his emergence in 2014. In college, the Oklahoma Sooners have had a pair of H-Backs helping in their bread-and-butter counter game for at least the last 5 years. Last but not least, the High School ranks have been attempting to use everything the next level does for ages, and the H-Back is just the next thing to trickle down to their level in mass. On this episode we’re focusing on identifying what a H-Back is, the benefits of using one, and how you can fit a H-Back into the offensive scheme you’re already running. You may be closer to having one than you think. It may be as simple as changing the designator in your playbook.