Coach and Coordinator Podcast

As coaches, we always seem to be in a hurry to get to where we want to be, to get to that position we set as a career goal. In that haste, we may forget that we have plenty of opportunities to improve ourselves and build our skills in the place we are at. That’s exactly what Caleb Collins did in progressing through the ranks from being a high school teacher, to an analyst, to an on-field position...

Calvin Renfroe is in year seven as the offensive coordinator at Olivet Nazarene. In this episode, he talks about what the staff calls “position battles.” He shares the process they use to constantly evaluate their players and give them feedback so that each player is continuously improving. The position battles have proven to help improve performance on the field, as well as build the culture at O...

Today’s episode is a segment from the 3rd Annual Lauren's First and Goal Coaches Clinic, in which Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule talks about coaching the top 10% of your team. What he says in this segment applies to any coach in any sport. We have had some impactful talks from head coaches over the three years of the Lauren’s First and Goal Clinic, and this one ranks right up at the top. It’s defi...

Matt Edwards is a pass rush specialist for the Las Vegas Raiders. In this segment from the 3rd Annual Lauren's First and Goal Clinic, he shares insights into how he approaches coaching the position and developing his players. As he points out, this approach applies to any position, not just the defensive line. He also shares information on how he coordinates the rush. Show Notes: Role as a coach:...

John Pennington enters his seventh year as the Head Coach at West Virginia State University in 2023. Pennington was named Head Coach in the spring of 2017 and promptly proceeded to lead the program to its first winning season in a decade. In this episode, which is revisited from our archives, we talk about the overriding concept that builds the WVSU offense - strategic flexibility. Watch John Penn...

Rob Eggerling starred for the Southern Connecticut State Owls from 1997 through 2000, earning All-Northeast 10 Conference First Team Defense honors as a punter in 1999. Eggerling completed his career with the second-most punts in program history, as well as the second-most total career yards. He was also a senior captain and chosen as the Owls' Offensive Most Valuable Player that season. He was al...

On today’s episode, we go into the passing lab with Jones County High School (GA) Offensive Coordinator Josh Herring to discuss the evolution of the passing game, combating today’s defenses, the details of specific concepts, and how to practice. Show Notes: The landscape of defensive football - things you need an answer for Less six-man - more empty protections to strain the defense More seven-man...

On today’s episode, we are joined by Army West Point Assistant Head Coach and Outside Linebackers Coach John Loose to discuss last play scenarios and how to practice them. We also share a preview of what to expect from the 3rd Annual Lauren’s First and Goal Clinic. Show Notes: Different last play scenarios Practice on Thursday Start at the back end of the field and work down The back end is too fa...

On today’s episode, we sit down again with Siddiq Haynes, Defensive Line Coach for UTSA. A former standout player and coaching veteran of more than a decade, Coach Haynes is in his second season at UTSA. The UTSA defensive line helped anchor a defense that ranked in the top three in C-USA in eight different statistical categories, including second with 6.6 tackles for loss per game and third in bo...

The legendary Bill Walsh was a believer in planning for all contingencies, and that belief is the theme of this episode from our archives. In this episode, retired college head coach Tony DeMeo talks about preparing for the worst and implementing his “Disaster Plan.” None of us like the idea of getting behind big in a game. We’d prefer to leave that idea out of our players' psyche, but discussing...

Tre Lamb is a coach you will want to keep an eye on. The second youngest head coach in division one football at the time we recorded this episode, he’s made an impact at Gardner-Webb University and has even developed a coaching tree with several of his coaches moving up in the ranks. Football has been in his blood, growing up as the son and grandson of legendary Georgia high school football coache...

Shane Dierking is the Defensive Coordinator for North Central College - the 2022 Division III National Champions. He was also named the Football Scoop D3 Coordinator of the Year for 2022.  In this episode, we learn of Coach Dierking's obsession with learning the game of football that developed at a young age and continues for him today. We talk about his 4-2-5 defense and the 3-3 stack package wit...

We will be re-publishing some episodes from our archives as we have moved to a new platform. Our old platform limited us to the 500 most current episodes, and there is just too much good stuff from our past guests to leave off of our feed. Today’s episode is a prime example of that. This podcast with Matt Drinkall is from 2019 after he joined the Army staff as the TE Coach. He’s been named the Co-...

After being an assistant at Somers High School (NY) under his father since 2008, Anthony DeMatteo took over as new varsity head football coach on May 25. It was something he dreamed of since he was a child. Coach DeMatteo was part of a state title, three Section 1 crowns, and a regional bowl title during his 12 seasons coaching under his father. He also played at Somers under his father and gradua...

On today’s episode, which is the last in a series that we shared over the last month, we focus on Coaching Innovations that help your players on the field. While we were at AFCA, our team walked around the exhibit hall to look at some of the most innovative products in the market. We identified a dozen that we feel help make a coach more efficient, enhance player development, and ultimately add to...

Today’s episode is taken from a presentation at Lauren’s First and Goal Coaches Clinic. UTSA Defensive Line Coach Siddiq Haynes lays out his process for putting his players in a position to get to the quarterback, or as he calls it, “Sack City.” The 3rd Annual Lauren’s First and Goal Virtual Clinic (Lfgf2023.coachesclinic.com) is March 9th-11th, and we need your help! This event is a chance for yo...

We sat down with Maurice Linguist, Head Coach of the University of Buffalo, at the New York State High School Football Coaching Association Clinic and talked about leadership. In becoming the new head coach at Buffalo, Coach Linguist was tasked with taking over a program with 100 days until kickoff. He talks about what they focused on and how they met the challenges presented by today’s football l...

We sat down with Garrett McLaughlin, Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Ends Coach at New Hampshire, to discuss special teams self-scout and how it can be used to improve scheme and technique. This episode was recorded at the New York State Football Coaches Association Clinic. Garrett McLaughlin is in his second season with UNH, coordinating the special teams and coaching the defensive ends....

David Moskowitz is the Head Coach at James I. O’Neill High School. They won a state championship in 2022, and Coach Moskowitz shares some of what they did with their culture and leadership, in the classroom, offseason, and practice that helped bring their team to the top. He also shares their three-back stacked RPO package. Show Notes: Changing from I formation to fitting the personnel A three-yea...

Curt Fitzpatrick was named SUNY Cortland’s Head Coach in February 2020. Due to COVID-19, the Red Dragons didn't compete that fall, but in his first season on the field in 2021, Coach Fitzpatrick led Cortland to one of the best seasons in school history. Cortland finished 11-1 to tie a school record for wins in a season. That mark included the Red Dragons' first 10-0 season since 1988, capped by a...

Andrew Jackson is in his second year as the Defensive Line Coach at West Virginia. Jackson came to Morgantown after serving as the Defensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Defense at Old Dominion for the 2020 season. He enjoyed prior stops at James Madison as the Defensive Tackles Coach, Mississippi State as the Defensive Quality Control Coach, Fordham as the Defensive Line Coach, Penn...

2022 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Joe Gerbino, Offensive Coordinator at Utica College, sat down with us at the New York State High School Football Association Clinic to discuss how they play as many players as they can on offense, building around skill sets, and building relationships. Show Notes: Becoming a coach Influences An “our” system “A hundred starters” Ivy League package When your bes...

Head Coach Nate Milne has led the Muhlenberg football program to unprecedented heights since taking over following the 2017 season. Coach Milne has a record of 35-5 in his three seasons, leading the Mules to the Centennial Conference championship, the NCAA quarterfinals and a final ranking in the Division III top 10 all three years. Muhlenberg advanced to the national quarterfinals for the first t...

Jason is a great example of that…he’s a great teacher. He’s working multiple schemes. He was a head coach…it was probably one of the best interviews I’ve had in 5 years.” - -Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel on hiring Jason Houghtaling as the new offensive line coach. On today’s episode of the Coach and Coordinator podcast, host Keith Grabowski speaks with Jason Houghtaling (Hoss), who was t...

On today's podcast, we sit down with Michael Toerper, head coach of Ithaca College. He discusses his start in coaching, influences, his pillars of coaching - attitude, prepartation, and teaching, and his passion for special teams. He also shares his keys to being able to have a successful year one as a head coach. This was recorded at the New York State High School Football Association Clinic at T...