The Coaching 101 Podcast

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss summer updates—Simpson’s busy fireworks fundraising business for coaches in Arkansas and Chamberlain’s new baby, Magnolia—then share a Tony Dungy quote on consistent success and promote Simpson’s Field House coaching group. They outline differences between good and great assistant coaches: moving from being liked to tr...

Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss summer coaching installs and upcoming open installs, the Field House’s June focus on defense, and a quote from the forthcoming Team Themes Volume Six: “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” The episode’s main topic is red zone offense, defined less by the 20-yard line and more by when defenses change behavior, with Simpson distinguishing “hig...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss how to break down an opponent’s offense for defensive game planning, alongside a quote about how shared hardship builds deeper connection than shared success and a brief discussion of balancing “old school” toughness with modern sports science. They promote the Field House program (Gun-T and Three Force content, weekly...

Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss offseason heat, bringing in Marines through a free Glazier program for a fitness/team-building test, and a Confucius quote about moving mountains by carrying small stones to frame staff development. They promote “The Field House” membership, transitioning from May’s gun T offense sessions to June defensive topics starting with defensive game planning, a...

Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss youth sports becoming a business and share stats on costs and participation drop-off, then move into the episode’s main topic: the difference between hard coaching and bad coaching. Using examples like Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick, and Nick Saban, they argue coaches can win with different personalities but must coach authentically, with clear intent, an...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Coach Kenny Simpson discuss why practice scheduling and efficiency matter, especially during spring ball and installs. They share a John Wayne quote on courage and relate it to fear of failure through Daniel’s story about his son facing a pressure at-bat. The episode promotes Simpson’s Field House coaching community and briefly thanks spons...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss spring football challenges and introduce Tom Landry’s quote, “Being aggressive doesn’t mean being undisciplined,” tying it to intelligent defensive play. Simpson explains the Fieldhouse membership at fbcoachsimpson.com, including a free meeting offer tied to purchasing his first fiction book, Iron Valley, releasing May...

Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss spring football scheduling, summer team camps, and a quote on maintaining standards through adversity, then focus on selecting and teaching core run plays. They emphasize first deciding team identity (run-heavy, balanced, or pass-heavy), then choosing a small number of run concepts that attack the perimeter, interior, and a change-of-direction element (...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson interview Connecticut head coach and author Eric Knickerbocker about rebuilding and sustaining football culture at Rockville High School after 15 straight losing seasons. Knickerbocker shares his 22-year coaching journey, how studying leadership and culture books led him to write Restore the Rock, and how reflective writing he...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss what head football coaches do in the offseason, emphasizing that coaches “fall to the level of their systems” and should plan for worst-case scenarios. Simpson shares updates on moving toward spring football, a Sunday online workshop on installing the gun tee, and finishing staff hires. They outline offseason prioritie...

On the Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss being worn down late in the season, Kenny’s Coaches Cap (coachescap.com) and the importance of skin care after Daniel has minor surgery, then pivot to a Q&A episode. Daniel shares he was let go from a new head coaching job after making too many small mistakes, losing the AD’s trust, and pushing culture changes too...

On an Easter Sunday episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss simple defensive answers to modern spread offenses, focusing on defending space and tempo with rules-based systems. They emphasize having a defensive “home” with adaptable rules, simplifying scouting reports to key players and a few core calls, empowering select defenders to make limited che...

On this episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson are joined by Caddo/“Cola” coach Jason Parker to discuss building an offensive identity and deciding what a team should do best. They cover evaluating personnel relative to opponents, starting with what coaches can teach, and adapting within a system rather than changing offenses yearly. Kenny explains using strength...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson close out season seven by reflecting on coaching mistakes they’ve outgrown and how self-reflection improves teams and personal life. After a Lou Holtz quote about character in the final stretch, they discuss key lessons: time in the office doesn’t equal wins (an 0–10 season revealed inefficiency), winning at all costs isn’t th...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson recap returning from Boston clinics, then discuss how they script plays and drives. Simpson explains that because their offense is unique, early plays aim to both score and gather information by showing motions, shifts, empty, trips, and unbalanced looks to confirm defensive alignments, rotations, and player keys, revealing advantag...

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Coach Kenny Simpson discuss clinic season in Houston and Daniel’s new head coaching job, then share a quote: “The best competitors have a short memory and have a long focus,” emphasizing competing without fear of failure. They highlight sponsors and Kenny’s resources, then dive into teaching high school players concepts rather than memorize...

Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson close out a shorter Coaching 101 Podcast episode by discussing why coaches should keep their football systems simple during clinic season, when it’s easy to overload an offense or defense with new ideas. They define “simple” as being simple for players (not necessarily for coaches or opponents), emphasizing fundamentals, clear rules, fewer mental errors, and th...

Daniel Chamberlain and Coach Kenny Simpson open with February coaching updates, including state conventions, the coaching carousel, and clinic season, and discuss the difference between social/job-networking clinics and scheme-intensive clinics. They share an Abraham Lincoln discipline quote and relate it to the GWAT 100 February mileage challenge. Kenny promotes his books (Complete Guide to Buck...

In this episode of the Coaching 101 Podcast, co-hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss strategies for simplifying football by effectively counting the box and leveraging formations. They share insights on handling snow days, recent clinics they've attended, and upcoming events. The episode dives into the importance of understanding numbers and leverage in both the run and pass gam...

Join hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson on the Coaching 101 Podcast as they welcome special guest Kevin Swift from Oregon. In this episode, they delve into the importance of making football simple for success, exploring Coach Swift's impressive 41-year career. They cover topics like avoiding coaching burnout, evolving as a coach without losing core identity, the importance of relation...

In this episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss offensive line development and recruiting with Joel Nellis, Head Football Coach at Brookfield Central High School and owner of Trench Training. Coach Nellis covers the fundamentals of offensive line play, the importance of get-off, footwork, and core strength. He provides insights on the height and weig...

Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss their experiences and strategies in offensive game planning in football. They focus on analyzing opponents, adjusting to unexpected challenges, and using motion and shifts to manipulate defenses. They also share insights into breaking down defenses, identifying key players and their tendencies, and developing effective game plans. Additionally, they tou...

In this episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson dive into their experiences during a busy football season. They discuss the implementation of the pin and pull play, differentiating it from traditional buck sweep, and its adaptation within the gun tee system over the years. They provide valuable insights on play interactions, rule modifications, and making st...

In this episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss the concept of non-negotiables in coaching, reflecting on their recent holiday breaks and returning to school. They delve into how non-negotiables simplify coaching, drive consistency, and help in making tough decisions. The episode also features a quote of the week, stories from military leadership, th...

In this episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson engage in a deep discussion with Coach Tony Cotton, who shares his unique perspective on translating high-level football concepts to high school coaching. They explore the challenges of making advanced football strategies understandable for younger players, the importance of being a good person and an effective...