Coach and Coordinator Podcast

 In the early season, we deal with fine-tuning our schemes with a challenge being the fact that we may know very little about the opponent. Sure we can do our research on what they do, and the schemes they rely on but like our own teams there are new pieces to the puzzle that are being tested to see how they fit.   Today we look at two approaches to handling the early season and think about how mu...

As we move through the early season, understanding how we continue to evolve and build around what we established in camp can be a challenge. We have to ask ourselves how much more can this team handle. Are they ready for the next step in the progression? How much do we know about this opponent that we can adjust to or add a wrinkle for? While we will have some data to work off of in the early wee...

In this special edition of Coach and Coordinator Podcast, we gain perspective on the season from United States Army Colonel JR West. Colonel West brings the unique perspective of serving as a leader in the Army, coaching for ten seasons, and having played for Army West Point. We discuss different aspects of the season with insight into how fundamentals and communication, whether in football, the m...

Special teams is an area a team can capitalize on in the early season. To be successful on special teams, coaches must be organized in the way they operate and attentive to the details. It doesn't need to be a complex undertaking. It simply means having a sound structure, and you are able to implement it well. In this episode, we talk with retired NFL special teams coach Bobby April, who was recog...

Coaching is not a copy-and-paste function. It requires an understanding of what your players need for a particular week and a particular game plan so that they are prepared for the plays you run, the looks the defense gives, and the situations that you will face. In this episdoe, Matt Drinkall, Co-OC/OL Coach from Army West Point, Kyle Segler, OL Coach at Louisiana-Monroe, and Brendan Walsh, OL Co...

Whether you are on the offensive, defensive, or special teams side of the ball, early season game planning has some nuances in determining exactly what to focus on. It’s a balance of taking what you know about an opponent and their personnel and, to the best of your ability, filling in the blanks with educated projections. More than anything, it is still about building on what you do best. In this...

A strong start to the season is directly correlated to player buy-in. It requires more than telling players they need to own things. Coaches must create environments where players have opportunities to take ownership of the team, offense, and defense. In this episode, Mike Elder, Tyler Roehl, and Todd Drury provide ideas with examples of the little things we can do to create the buy-in needed to g...

In this episode, we focus on things coaches can do to ensure a positive start to the season and remain aligned with the culture we have worked on all year long and through camp. Going back and revisiting those things before the week one kickoff brings attention back to what has brought us to this point, as well as reinforces the beliefs and behaviors that will take us through the long season. It’s...

The early weeks of the season present varying levels of challenges depending on how your schedule is set up. Regardless of opponent, having clear objectives for your offense as well as a sound thought process for what goes into those early season game plans is important to getting your offense started off on the right foot. You want to have a package built around what your players do best as well...

In this episode, Tommy Zagorski talks about the importance of establishing an identity early in the season, playing complementary football in all phases, and simulating situations in practice. Tommy Zagorski was named the head coach at Otterbein University in 2023. He holds a wealth of experience from multiple levels of football, most recently spending the 2022 season at Gilmour Academy in Ohio fo...

As camp wraps up, everything has been installed, and it’s now about refining the schemes and techniques, as well as focusing on the details. Coaches cover so many things in camp. While we might feel that we have not given enough attention to everything, remember that your opponents are in the same situation. What’s important is staying focused on improving your players' fundamentals within the sch...

The end of camp brings a new approach to the day and week. Schedules adjust with classes starting, and the new routine and rhythm of game week begins. It’s time to cover all the details of game operations, everything from where people stand on the field to how you meet at halftime. Do not take the little things for granted. It’s also important to communicate with players as depth charts and playin...

In our great game, on-field success hinges on a delicate balance between rigorous practice and adequate recovery. The significance of managing the proper amount of work in practice cannot be overstated. It directly influences players' readiness for optimal performance on game day. Striking this equilibrium is essential to ensure players are primed both physically and mentally to face the challenge...

In this episode of The Season, host Keith Grabowski goes into his coaching notebook to talk about practicing special teams, specifically running an entire scrimmage around third down offense/defense and the kicking game. This rarely used practice script demonstrates the importance of special teams and how to rep specific situations the team may see in the game. Coach Grabowski implemented the kick...

When camp starts, we immediately dive into getting our starters ready for the week one kickoff that is right around the corner. Certainly, that is the main objective. We want our team ready to win. However, we are also playing the long game as coaches. Most of our guys fall into the developmental category, especially the youngest players in our program. In this episode, two coaches explain how the...

In our last episode, we focused on the physical ways we can keep energy and enthusiasm going as we hit the midpoint of camp. In this episode, we shift to how we maintain the mental engagement of our players. There will come a point when our players have been through the install and need more engagement than just repping the scheme and technique against a base front. They need to apply what they ha...

Midway through camp, your team is going to experience some dead legs, but you certainly don’t want your players to experience dead minds or dull spirits. It’s easy to come out at the beginning of camp with fire and energy behind a new season, but inevitably, you hit the midpoint wall. As coaches, it’s part of our jobs to keep the momentum going. Today’s guests discuss ways to bring energy from mee...

All coaches start with a plan for how we want things to look and how we expect things to go. Occasionally, those plans are spot on, and we continue with our progress. But most of the time in this dynamic game, we need to evaluate the progress we expected against what we actually see as we begin to implement that plan. In this episode, Dante Bartee and Matt Drinkall share thoughts on evaluating pla...

Vince DiGaetano, assistant coach at Fordham University, joins us all season long as our in-house tackling expert. Coach DiGaetano has served on multiple coaching staffs in his career, including taking over as head coach in a very unique situation five days before the start of camp in 2018 at SUNY Maritime. That season, he led the Privateers to a 7-4 mark and a birth in the New England Bowl. We sta...

Coaches understand that building a strong bond among players is not only crucial for on-field success, but also for creating a positive and supportive environment that fosters growth and camaraderie. In camp, the foundation is laid for the entire season, and the way a team comes together during this crucial period can make all the difference. Throughout this episode, we explore the strategies, ins...

Clear communication is the key that unlocks the door to success. Even the most talented team cannot reach its full potential without effective communication. Today, we explore why clear and open communication is crucial for coaches during the early stages of training camp. Training camp sets the foundation for team dynamics throughout the season. For coaches, establishing trust with their players...

We are all familiar with what poor coaching energy looks like during practice. It may involve coaches failing to set clear goals, adopting a monotonous tone, remaining stationary on the field, or even sitting back. Coaches lacking energy may display closed body language and use repetitive feedback, language, and drills without considering the needs of the athletes. Having good coaching energy does...

The excitement surrounding the beginning of camp has everyone involved ready to run through a wall and get things going. However, camp must begin by setting clear expectations and detailing procedures for all aspects of your program, unit, and position groups to set the stage for success and build the foundation upon which you will operate. In this episode, we gain insight from three coaches on ho...

Today we kick off our new in-season format for the podcast with a focus on the beginning of camp. Camp is that time of the year when players and coaches come together, united by their shared passion for the game and goals for their season. There is a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement. But what sets camp apart for some teams is the focus on activities that transcend the typical drills a...

As NFL training camps kick off this week, we revisit a segment from the 2023 COOL Clinic with Carmen Bricillo, offensive line coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. Coach Bricillo has climbed the ranks, getting his start at the high school level in Indiana, then working his way up through small college into the FBS, and eventually the NFL. In this segment, Bricillo shares the benefits of using a fullbac...