FNF Coaches 2018 "Win the Day"

official partner @fnfcoaches

The Magazine for High School Football Coaches

february 2018

WIN THE DAY

Download the FNF Coaches App

OFFSEASON GOALS Keep Players Engaged and Motivated

playbook schemes & tactics

+ Install a Mid-Line Offense + Coaching QB Play in Triple Option + Defending Trips with Quarters + Install Cover 1 in a 3-3 or 3-4 The New Jersey state champion Bergen Catholic coaching staff includes (front, from left) Joe DiFilippo, Al Nittoli, Ralph La Testa and Guy Bertola; (rear) Dan Nastasi, Tony DeBellis, Fred Stengel, Anthony Muir, Head Coach Nunzio Campanile, Zach Sparber, Ron Carti, Ed Van Curen and Phil Fusco. Photo courtesy Dave Rubel/NJ Sports Media

College Coach Q&A | Apps for Coaches | Increase Participation Numbers | Eliminate Bad Habits Inter-Team Competition | Nutrition | Speed Training Community Service | Recruiting | Education

Form Teams and Compete in a Strength Program

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WIN THE DAY

12. COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER

tony annese TRIPS KING ALIGNMENT

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speed

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strength

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5 ways to engage the community

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04. NEWS & NOTES 06. GEAR 07. APPS FOR COACHES 29. NUTRITION 36. RECRUITING 37. TECHNOLOGY 38. ON LOCATION 40. INSIDER’S VIEW

football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

‘tip of the spear’ is helping football evolve

34

10 ways to improve team gpa

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

W

e are excited to present our first edition of 2018,

which has a theme of “Win the Day.” That theme is one we can certainly relate to at FNF Coaches, coming off our first year of publication.

Much like the high school season, it is easy to get lost in the daily grind of producing a magazine specifically tailored to high school coaches on a monthly basis, and easy to lose focus on the big picture.

We took the time over the holiday season – as we hope you did – to take a big-picture look at our publication and attempt to eliminate bad habits from our process. We trust that you’re spending your offseason doing the same.

In the spirit of breaking out of bad habits and finding new ones that work, we offer coaches advice for growing their programs – both from the standpoint of participation numbers and also from a technological perspective. We offer new technological solutions for solving old problems. We also share some of the new products in the industry that will help prepare your players to excel on Friday nights.

While we are certainly proud of the eight publications we produced in 2018, we’re always striving for more. We hope we’ve been informative and provided information you wanted to learn more about. Our goal will always be to help coaches better understand how to succeed at the high school level.

If you would like to learn more about any of the topics we cover in this edition, we’d like to hear from you at fnf@ae-engine.com.

We want to continue to provide you with the information that helps you succeed as a coach, so we’d like to hear your suggestions for content.

Engage with us on our website, FNFCoaches.com, and social media, @FNFCoaches, and tell us your suggestions for feature stories.

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ON THE FRONT COVER ■■ The New Jersey state champion Bergen Catholic coaching staff includes (front, from left) Joe DiFilippo, Al Nittoli, Ralph La Testa and Guy Bertola; (rear) Dan Nastasi, Tony DeBellis, Fred Stengel, Anthony Muir, Head Coach Nunzio Campanile, Zach Sparber, Ron Carti, Ed Van Curen and Phil Fusco.

Photo courtesy Dave Rubel/ NJ Sports Media

S.A.F.E.Clip works by absorbing impacts to the facemask when impacted!

Hobart Mayfield has developed a patented technology that reduces force transferred to the head and neck.

NEWS & NOTES MARYLAND TEAM WINS FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER AWARENESS

C

hopticon (Morganza, Md.) raised $12,573

to top more than 440 other schools that participated in the second annual Touchdowns Against Cancer campaign to fight pediatric cancer.

The drive, in association with Pledge It and MaxPreps, raised $105,117 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

During September — Pediatric Cancer

Awareness month — teams accepted the challenge to pledge money for every touchdown it scored during a threeweek span.

Chopticon scored 14 touchdowns during that stretch — two wins and one loss — but assistant coach Mike Gallo said reaching the end zone and scoring more points than the opposition were

byproducts to bigger lessons.

“We preach to our players all the time to be pillars of your community,” Gallo said. “Our motto is brotherhood and take care of others. There’s much more to the game than playing football.

We want our guys to feel something special; to be part of something bigger, and be leaders.”

Friday Night Football (FNF) Magazine is looking for the 2018 Photographer of the Year. The FNF editorial staff will reward one high school football photographer by showcasing his or her photo in the print edition of 2018 FNF Magazine along with a short bio.

Coaches and fans should nominate their favorite photographers from our publication states: Florida, Georgia and Ohio. Photographers should submit their best photos at FNFMagazine.com/POTY.

■■ Mater Dei High (Calif.) coach Bruce Rollinson

USA Today named Mater Dei High (Santa Ana, Calif.) coach Bruce Rollinson its National Coach of the Year for the 2017 season. Rollinson has been the Mater Dei head football coach for 29 seasons, posting a record of 287-33-2, winning six CIF Southern Section titles and three No. 1 finishes in the Super 25 football rankings.

U

SA Football and Focus 3 Leadership System makes coaches better leaders.

Average leaders use quotes. Good leaders use plans. Elite leaders use systems.

Create a culture that drives champion level results. Available online exclusively through its partnership with USA Football, get access to the same leadership program used by leading collegiate and high school programs nation.

What you receive: ■■ 16 total courses ■■ Access to a discounted offering of the R Factor (E + R = O) and Lead Now programs ■■ Start your courses today at usafootball.com/focus3.

04

football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

F

ollowing is a full list of the 2017 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year nominees.

For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit nflfoundation.org or follow @NFLFoundation on Twitter.

■■ Arizona Cardinals: Jason

Mohns, Saguaro High School ■■ Atlanta Falcons: Bill Stewart, North Gwinnett High School ■■ Baltimore Ravens: Timothy Palmer, Harford Technical High School ■■ Buffalo Bills: Mike Vastola, West Seneca West High School ■■ Carolina Panthers: Andrew Webb, Clinton High School ■■ Chicago Bears: Derek Leonard, Rochester High School ■■ Cincinnati Bengals: Eddie Eviston, Covington Catholic High School ■■ Cleveland Browns: Ron Rutt, Bay High School ■■ Dallas Cowboys: Jeffrey Rayburn, Frisco Lone Star High School

■■ Denver Broncos: Ryan

Goddard, Pueblo South High School ■■ Detroit Lions: Mike Giannone, Warren De La Salle Collegiate High School ■■ Green Bay Packers: Steve Jones, Kimberly High School ■■ Houston Texans: Brian Fitzgerald, Oak Ridge High School ■■ Indianapolis Colts: Mike Kirschner, Ben Davis High School ■■ Jacksonville Jaguars: Darrell Sutherland, Bartram Trail High School ■■ Kansas City Chiefs: Phil Lite, Staley High School (Missouri); Brian King, DeSoto High School (Kansas) ■■ Los Angeles Chargers: Robert Garrett, Crenshaw High School ■■ Los Angeles Rams: Bob Johnson, Mission Viejo High School ■■ Miami Dolphins: Pat Surtain, American Heritage School ■■ Minnesota Vikings: Chad Sexauer, South St. Paul

■■ 2017 winning photo in Florida

■■ New England Patriots:

Paul Funk, DennisYarmouth Regional High School ■■ New Orleans Saints: Brandon Walters, West St. John High School ■■ New York Giants: Matt Parzero, Newton High School ■■ New York Jets: Jason Mollison, Franklin K. Lane Campus High School ■■ Oakland Raiders: George Jackson, Kennedy High School ■■ Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Matta, Downington High School ■■ Pittsburgh Steelers: Jerry Veshio, Quaker Valley High School ■■ San Francisco 49ers: Jubenal Rodriquez, Gilroy High School ■■ Seattle Seahawks: Wiley Allred, Royal High School ■■ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Nate Varnadore, Citrus High School ■■ Tennessee Titans: Cody White, Brentwood Acad.

■■ Washington Redskins: Billy Mills, Dinwiddie High School

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LEARN MORE AT CUSTOMCOVERPROJECT.COM | Contact Craig Baroncelli at 727.209.1750 or cb@ae-engine.com Coaches, please submit your team’s 2018 information online, for free! This will give you the most comprehensive team preview in our 2018 magazines.

FNFSURVEY.COM

GEAR Football players and coaches are always looking for the best equipment, nutrition and technology to help their team reach its full potential. Here are some products to consider this season.

PORTA PHONE GOLD SERIES WIRELESS HEADSETS PORTA PHONE GOLD SERIES

are a new breed of wireless that features a transceiver installed inside the headset ear cup. This compact design eliminates belt pack radios making the systems trouble free and affordable. Gold Series include breakthrough Spread Spectrum technology and automatically switch to the best frequency when necessary to avoid interference. Since there is no base station required all coaches are wireless and totally mobile.

To learn more visit our website, or call Porta Phone at 1-800-233-1113 for a quote.

MSRP (Complete 5-Coach Gold system): $2,995 portaphone.com

06

S.A.F.E. CLIP S.A.F.E. Clip is a revolutionary new product that works by allowing the facemask to move slightly when impacted.

Our cutting-edge design and materials allow the force to be absorbed and reduced, preventing that force from going to the wearer’s head and neck. Once the impact has been absorbed, S.A.F.E Clip then returns to it’s original or “ready” position to absorb the next impact.”

Visit hobartmayfield.com.

USA FOOTBALL AND FOCUS 3 LEADERSHIP SYSTEM Average leaders use quotes. Good leaders use plans. Elite leaders use systems. Create a culture that drives champion level results. Available online exclusively through its partnership with USA Football, get access to the same leadership program used by leading collegiate and high school programs nation.

What You Receive: ■■ 16 total courses ■■ Access to a discounted offering of the R Factor (E + R = O) and Lead Now programs Start your courses today at usafootball.com/focus3.

HONEY STINGER Organic Honey Stinger Waffles are the perfect half-time or pre-game football energy food! Honey is rich in carbohydrates, making it the ideal fuel for working muscles. Loaded with simple sugars and simple carbohydrates, these waffles digest light keeping the athletes quick on their feet. These tasty sports nutrition snacks are already widely used by many collegiate and pro teams. To learn how to purchase these waffles for your high school team at exclusive pricing, contact Mac at mkelly@honeystinger.com.

2ND SKULL Look like the pros, with added protection! The 2nd Skull Cap fits comfortably under any sports helmet, and offers: ■■ Impact Absorbing Technology ■■ Spandex-fabric blend for a stretchable but compressive fit ■■ Moisture-wicking fabrics for sweat management ■■ Antimicrobial treatment for anti-odor ■■ Hand washable ■■ Permitted for high school use in football, baseball, hockey and lacrosse Also recommended for BMX, skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding and other activities Visit 2ndskull.com.

football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

APPS FOR COACHES For coaches who spend the offseason looking for new technology to help their respective programs, we offer a collection of apps. These can help coaches organize, track and motivate their players this offseason.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Google Classroom: A free service for schools, nonprofits, and anyone with a personal Google account.

Classroom makes it easy for learners and instructors to connect — inside and outside of schools. Classroom saves time and paper, and makes it easy to create game plans, distribute assignments, communicate, and stay organized.

Classroom is designed to help teachers and coaches to create, collect, and correct written assignments. It also creates Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help keep everyone organized.

Players can keep track of the team schedule on the Assignments page.

Coaches can quickly see who has or hasn’t completed the work.

With the mobile app, coaches and players can view the schedule and communicate classmates in real time. Players can open their assignments and work on them right from their device.

Drillstack: Offers an easy to use state-of-the-art webbased platform to manage athlete testing, combines and events by using an Android device or web browser. The platform gives coaches the ability to instantly score and rank an athlete after running a 40-yard dash, 5-10-5 shuttle, vertical jump, max lift, or other custom drills that need to be tested. This literally saves coaches hours of taking manually printed scores and reentering the data on to a spreadsheet and then having to calculate power rankings or scores. It also provides athletes with their own profile page that they can share with potential recruiters or anyone else they want to view their results.

Both athletes and coaches will enjoy the ability to play with advanced filtering and sort capabilities to see how athletes compare in each drill or overall.

Kickstarter: A place fundraisers and donors come together to bring new ideas to life. Explore creative projects such as locker room renovations, field turf fundraisers, stadium repairs and more, and pledge to your favorites right from the app.

Coaches can stay up to date from anywhere and easily track their funding progress, keep up with comments and pledges, and post updates and respond to backer messages. Millions of people visit Kickstarter every week, but support always begins with people you know.

Friends, fans, and the communities you’re a part of will likely be some of your earliest supporters.

STAY IN THE GAME! PLAY SAFER – 2ND SKULL IT’S A NO-BRAINER!

Every Kickstarter project has its share of exhilarating and challenging moments, but the amount of work generally depends on the size and complexity of the project.

JEFIT Training: A football training routine designed to help increase strength and power. During this workout, you will target each muscle group twice a week with a cardio day in between your lifting days. The way that this routine is set up is that you have Monday and Tuesday as strength training workout days, followed by Wednesday performing cardio (15 minutes running, followed by 5 minutes of walking, then 15 minutes and finally a walking cooldown for 5 minutes). After your cardio workout you will follow it on Thursday and Friday by performing the same exercises from the earlier workout days.

Over 8 million people use JEFIT to track their workouts and transform their bodies. It is the only exercise tracker with detailed workout programs, HD video exercise instructions and tools to log and track your workouts.

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PLAYBOOK presented by

‘Tip of the Spear’ is helping football evolve

BY ANNMARIE TOLER

F

ootball programs at all levels have adopted the USA

Football Tip of the Spear Contact System, which focuses on proper technique for blocking and tackling. It all started from a former player who was just trying to recover from an injury.

Scott Peters, the Tip of the Spear chief instructor and the concept’s originator, devised the system over time, after an injury sidelined him in 2006, while he was playing for the Carolina Panthers. Since then, it’s evolved into a sophisticated system, one that covers virtually everything coaches need to know in order to teach it.

“Tip of the Spear is so detailed I don’t think anyone has seen anything like it before, that’s what we hear from every coach we work with.”

Peters added, “Everything is spelled out.”

Tip of the Spear Contact System is part of

08

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USA Football’s latest effort to teach smarter techniques in blocking and defeating blocks, in an effort to advance skill development and reduce helmet contact. The phrase “tip of the spear” comes from likening the arm to a spear as a visual image to help players more easily learn and understand the concept.

“When looking at a spear, the tip is the first and most meaningful contact with an opponent.”

Peters said. “We want that to be our hands when blocking or tackling.”

The system is taught as a progression from basic principles to position-specific to scheme-specific contact. It will be available to youth football programs and high schools this year. Peters gave presentations on the concept at USA Football’s National Conference at Pro Bowl in January.

The USA Football Tip of Spear Contact System also includes a coaches-only clinic and a coachand-player clinic, which last three and five hours, respectively. This contact system training also offers hands-on coaching, classroom instruction,

check out more in-depth coach content at usafootball.com/coaches-notes

customized trainings for your program and other resources.

The USA Football Tip of the Spear Contact System is focused on a skill development model — Shape, Sharpen, and Polish. These drills are implemented into offseason training, as opposed to football’s player development model of bigger, faster, stronger.

■■ Shape drills are meant to shape the body to understand and utilize techniques. ‘Shaping the spear.’

■■ Sharpen drills are noncompetitive, but contact-based drills. These drills work on hand fighting. ‘Sharpen the spear.’

■■ Polish drills are designed to get players to learn how to compete together or against each other to help refine those drills they learned.

‘Polish the spear.’

These drills give players the tools to empower themselves to take their heads out of contact while still elevating their performance. They allow players to tap into the power of their hips

and the power of their entire body, because of the bodies’ momentum from the mechanics.

Peters noticed when he was his strongest in the weight room, he saw his on-field performance suffer because his range of motion was becoming constricted.

“Football focuses so much on the attributes of big, fast, and strong, whereas skill is something related to the techniques you are implementing” Peters added, “Size is arbitrary when you have really good technique,” and USA Football Tip of the Spear Contact System gives players those techniques.

Peters said the USA Football Tip of the Spear Contact System has been successful, and many coaches have adopted the technique. “My goal is to make sure every player in the world has access to this information. I want to make sure every player understands so we can truly transform the game in a way that’s embraced by all.” Peters said.

To find out more about the Tip of the Spear Contact System, visit USA Football’s website.

■■ Scott Peters (right) demonstrates the USA Football Tip of the Spear Contact System technique.

(Photo by Jason Johnson)

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09

COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER

Q&A

with Tony Annese, head coach at Ferris State

TEACH NCAA QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

O

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

T

ony Annese took over the Ferris State (Mich.) pro-

gram in 2012 following three years as the head coach at Grand Rapids Community College, which came on the heels of a highly successful 25-season stint at the prep level. Annese offered his thoughts on coaching high school football in a recent interview with FNF Coaches.

What is your process for evaluating your program during the offseason?

“I would advise high school coaches to establish what they value in their program. My first initiative is to establish a mission statement with core values. Ultimately, high school teachers and coaches understand that their primary purpose is to serve the young people they coach. Our core value and motto is ‘In the FOLD.’ It means being intertwined together in all aspects of the relationship. We want to develop the entire person. FOLD is an acronym for Faith, Order, Love and Discipline.”

How do you ensure that your assistant coaches are spreading the same message?

“We always establish clear and defined expectations for the coaching staff. I want to make sure they know their overall purpose. A lot of times, you lose your sense of purpose because you get challenged by forces outside of the football family. Then it becomes a toxic, negative environment.”

What’s the best way to keep your players engaged in the offseason program?

“As a college coach, I keep telling my staff to make sure they recruit the players that are here.

You work really hard to get buy-in from a whole group of players. Sometimes, you get so focused

10

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on recruiting players not on campus, you forget the people on campus. We try to spend as much time with them. After they’re gone for a month for winter break, it’s a celebration to see them again. The buy-in ultimately comes from the tight relationship you establish with a young person.

“When I was a high school coach, I would stand outside my door between classes. Any player that came by, I’d shake his hand, hug him, and talk to him. I’d do as much as I could to develop a special relationship. Ultimately, if the player feels you care about him in a deep and authentic way beyond football, he will bring success to the program, classroom and community.”

What advice would you give high school coaches looking to increase participation numbers?

“It comes with the relationship building. Some young people don’t play football for themselves, but they will play for someone who shows great care for them. With dwindling numbers, you have to give them a reason to go. There are forces drawing people away, so it has to be bigger than, ‘This is of value to you, and you can help the team be successful.’ I don’t think kids are built that way. They need validation from a peer group that loves them. They love having a group of teammates that they can call brothers, authentic relationships.”

How do you create competition for players during the offseason?

“When I was coaching in high school, we established a power lifting team. A lot of football players were on the team, and that became an offseason motivator. We didn’t have 7-on-7 or as many camps, and those forces draw people

ne thing that breaks Annese’s heart is when a prospective recruit is ineligible to play as a freshman because the player lacks the minimum requirements for NCAA qualification standards. Many times, Annese and the Ferris State staff have to move on from that prospect in search of a player who can help them right away.

“It’s a great financial value to a family when a young person gets a scholarship, and some players miss out on that opportunity because they fail to meet NCAA qualifications,” Annese said. “The coaches, players and parents need to work together to make sure that student-athlete is on the right path to be a full NCAA qualifier.”

Annese suggests a coach meet with each player and his parents prior to the start of his freshman season to review an academic plan. He also feels that high school counselors should be more involved in explaining NCAA qualification standards.

“Everybody has to be in the circle together,” Annese said. “A lot of people still don’t know what the NCAA qualification standards are. That’s tragic when a high school doesn’t make sure a person takes core credits. High school coaches need to know the information and share it with players.”

HIGH POWER for MAXIMUM RANGE

to the game. I had little incentives to bring kids to the weight room.

One incentive was making them feel great about being there. It was a family atmosphere. Anything that can bring kids to the weight room and conditioning program is worthwhile. Make it about more than just the game of football.

Spend time teaching the principles of leadership, drawing them to a learning environment.”

No Beltpack or Base Station!

How do you foster team chemistry?

“Teach young people team dynamics. Go bowling with position groups. I tell my position group coaches to organize one team activity per week. It doesn’t have to be anything special. Watch a football game or have them over for a picnic. All of those things draw kids to the culture.”

What is the best way to balance playing to your players’ strengths vs. implementing your scheme?

“I’ve always played to my players’ strengths. Every year, I get the question, ‘Why did you change your offense?’ Because we play to the strengths of the players. We don’t establish a system based upon what we think is best for us as coaches.

We establish it for the players.

When we’ve had a quarterback who can sling it around, that’s what we’ll do. If we have a dual threat, that’s what we’ll do.”

your connection to the

high school football

coaching

Is there a product you’re using this offseason that is helping your team?

“No, a lot of times, everyone is looking for the next big thing.

Ultimately it comes down to a bar, plates, weights, dumbbells and a lot of work. We’ve had guys – like Justin Zimmer – go to the NFL Combine and put up the best numbers in 10 years. It’s because of the culture we’ve established and a blue-collar mentality. When you go to the weight room, the expectation is you’ll give 100 percent of what’s in you. The offseason is about identifying weaknesses. You have to work every day to make your weaknesses strengths. That’s what great programs do.”

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11

OFFSEASON COMMITMENT

A successful offseason program is filled with

High school athletes aren’t always great at setting long-term goals.

They often want the reward of playing time, accolades and wins. But the start of the offseason is a time for players to think big picture.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

12

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energy and competition. No, a coach can’t take his players out to the field and run scrimmages, but he can provide energy and competitive opportunities that high school players thrive on.

A common mistake coaches make is creating a less structured, less intense environment in the strength and conditioning program. A weight room that lacks intensity or structure is an unproductive weight room. When athletes attend workouts without a purpose – or skip them altogether –that teams falls behind the eight ball heading into the summer.

Design an offseason program that challenges players to compete with each

other. Make sure every scheduled team function has a purpose – whether it’s building strength, speed, agility or team chemistry.

While the athletes might not have the constant reminder of a scoreboard to measure their success, you can provide them with motivators such as offseason awards, point systems or leadership opportunities. Spend time reviewing team values and goals. It’s the perfect time to eliminate bad habits and work to make weaknesses strengths.

High school athletes thrive on competition. Pit teammates, classmates, position groups and peers against each other, and stress that the key to winning the offseason is winning each day.

■■ A team’s entrance onto the field on game night can inspire fans.

10 Marketing Ideas to Grow your Program COACHES NEED TO REPLENISH THE ROSTER EACH OFFSEASON

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Coaches often spend time each offseason looking to boost the participation numbers in their programs. The best strategy is to sell football the same way you would sell a retail product.

A

cademy High (Texas) coach Gus Beuershausen spent 10

years in the car business before becoming a football coach 2011. He’s found that experience helped in his current quest to attract new players to the program. He offered 10 tips for marketing a football program to prospective players.

Update the uniforms. “Spend time designing uniforms that are current and sharp. Getting off the bus looking sharp is important.”

Keep the facilities clean. This includes the fields, weight room, trainers’ room, etc. The players should feel safe and valued.

Choreograph the warmup routine. A fan’s first impression of your team should be positive – a feeling that he or she is watching an organized group of players.

Find an energetic announcer. Player introductions should be exciting for everyone in attendance. A public address announcer should also highlight the big plays.

Improve the fan experience. Don’t be afraid to play music during stoppages in play. Stress the importance of a good halftime show.

Develop a logo. This should be a logo that is unique to all other sports teams at the school.

You want each player to feel like he’s not only an athlete at the school – he’s a member of the football team.

Choose a motto. What do you want your team to stand for? Make that a rallying cry before every game and practice.

Use social media. Promote the program on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Post photos; players love seeing themselves in action.

Treat players professionally. “Treat the sport and the players like they are important to you and the school,” Beuershausen said.

Show them you care. “Have an attention to detail, and never waiver from the things you believe in,” Beurshausen said.

DON’T LET THEM QUIT

P

art of the challenge of increasing participation is keeping the previous season’s players.

Bill Moore has authored a book, “On Character and Mental Toughness.” He discussed three reasons players commonly quit.

Focusing on school. Studies have proven students get higher grades during their sports seasons than during their off-seasons.

Besides, college admissions people (and college coaches) like seeing kids challenge themselves.

Focusing on another sport.

Playing more than one sport can help a player.

Football is not fun. Playing videogame football might be more fun, but do you create lifetime bonds of friendship playing videogames? Do you become a better man? Do people respect you more?

Download the FNF Coaches app from the Apple App Store and Google Play

13

OFFSEASON COMMITMENT ■■ Blacksburg High (Va.) coach Thad Wells.

ELIMINATE WASTED ENERGY

A

6 Ways to Reset Priorities A VIRGINIA COACH WIPED THE SLATE CLEAN AFTER STATE TITLE RUN

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Often times during the course of a season, coaches postpone fixing problems until after the season because there’s no time to make big-picture changes during the pursuit of wins. Take time to rethink strategies now.

B

lacksburg High (Va.) coach Thad Wells

seemed to reach the pinnacle of his coaching career – at the age of 30 – when he led his team to a state championship in 2016. But for the young coach, the thrill of victory didn’t feel as good as he expected.

“My mission has always been to help adolescents find their purpose in life,” Wells said. “I can’t spend 30 or 40 years coaching just to win state titles. There has to be more to it.”

Wells stripped down his coaching philosophy to the studs with a goal of eliminating wasted energy and bad

14

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habits. He offers these six tips to other coaches looking to do the same.

Stress What’s Important in Life: “I’m very passionate that we’re out of balance as coaches; we think we have to do everything to be successful. It’s an allor-nothing approach. Some people never see their families. I’m very passionate about making family the No. 1 priority. It helps us keep our sanity.”

Adjust the Schedule: “We don’t meet as a staff on the weekends at all. All of our communication on the weekends is online. We’ll trade Google sheets, but we don’t meet at all. That’s the rule.”

s Wells assessed his program to determine how to make family a greater priority, he found several routines that could be eliminated completely.

“Ask why you do anything,” Wells said. “Find the right answers. If something doesn’t work, switch it.”

One thing Wells eliminated was an abundance of coaches meetings. He found that the coaches were meeting before practice every day just because it was on the schedule.

“Now, the coaches meet for 30 minutes on Monday, and that’s the only time all week,” Wells said.

Wells also dropped Thursday walk-throughs from the practice schedule.

“It’s a waste of time, I won’t do it just to do it,” Wells said. “I don’t want to do anything just because it’s the way it’s always been done. If you get into a habit of wasting time, you begin to place less value on time. Make sure there’s a purpose for everything you do.”

Set an Example for Players: “You can’t teach the kids it’s all about family if the only place they ever see you is at school.

Then, something’s wrong. Show them your commitment to your family and community.”

Teach the Players Values: “We don’t practice on Mondays, and we go to the classroom. We teach the fundamentals of life, finding values and talents, finding their purpose and interests. We talk about books, habits and forming rituals.

We bring in financial advisors.”

Seek Out Knowledge: “After we won the state championship, I was constantly watching webinars and reading books.

I read over 70 books on values in life, strength, productivity, habits and successful businesses.”

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OFFSEASON COMMITMENT 8 Ways to Encourage Inter-Team Competition in the Offseason Motivation doesn’t come easy to players during the offseason, when the reward of playing time or on-field success isn’t doled out with instant gratification. Still, coaches can appeal to their players’ competitiveness.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

W

hile the winter and spring seasons

don’t offer many opportunities for players to compete on the field, there are still opportunities for coaches to pit players against each other through inter-term competition.

North East High (Erie, Pa.) coach Mike Whitney and Krum ISD (Texas) coach Gary Robinson have both devised scoring systems during the offseason in an attempt to gauge which players are most committed.

Here are some areas in which the two coaches score their respective players.

Academic Progress: A player who slips below eligibility standards this spring can not help you in the fall. Set the bar a little higher for your players rather than just focusing on the bare minimum requirements. Track their progress.

Encourage a struggling student to become an average student and a good student to become great.

Attendance: Players earn points for each lifting session, speed workout, study hall, etc. Show the players attendance records from previous seasons to let them see how the players that performed on Friday nights committed to the offseason program.

Max Lift Increase: One of the primary goals each offseason is for the players to get stronger. The easiest way to appeal to a player’s sense of pride is by posting the results of the max lift in exercises like the bench press, squat and clean. Again – focus on each player’s percentage increase, not the overall weight.

Increase in Reps: Have each player chart his lifting routine – with both the weight on the bar and the number of reps. Players who are most consistent in their attendance and effort should see an increase in stamina, which will be apparent in the number of reps they complete.

16

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■■ Split your strength program participants into teams and have them compete for points.

Recruiting a New Teammate: Teams need to replenish the roster each offseason due to the loss of seniors. A coach can market his program in the community and the hallways at school, but sometimes peer pressure works better than anything else. Encourage players to recruit non-football players in school.

Get them in the offseason program, and see how they progress heading into the summer.

Playing Another Sport: Don’t penalize multi-sport athletes by ignoring the work they’re doing by training with other teams. If a football player is running track in the winter, give him points for attending practices, meets and strength training sessions. Those players should

certainly receive more points than a single-sport football player who attends two lifting sessions per week and sits on the couch for the other five days.

Community Service: A coach should push players to become better people.

Community service is one way for players to strive toward that goal. Make players aware of community service opportunities.

Service to the Program: You can’t pay your players for their manual labor, but you can give them points toward the offseason program. Give them opportunities to earn points by cleaning the locker room, fundraising for the program, or helping with field maintenance.

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PLAYBOOK presented by Installing a Mid-Line Offense

Mesh is about trust. The quarterback’s footwork must be consistent. The coordination between the quarterback and the dive back must be fluent in this part of the operation. The quarterback’s first step will push back from the line of scrimmage at six o’clock, using the foot opposite the play side call, shoulders square, and knees slightly bent, ready to go. The push-away step should get the quarterback as far off the line of scrimmage as he can comfortably achieve. This will create a rushing angle if the read defender causes a “keep” read.

The quarterback brings the ball to his “third hand” (belly), as he steps to six o’clock. He should reach the ball deep, pushing it up to seed the football at the running back’s waist. The quarterback should remain in a good power position to allow him to push off his back foot. He should carry the football while snapping his eyes to his read.

He must work to improve his craft as an option quarterback through repetition. We teach our players by using bags as the defenders. This way, they can see on the field what the read defender will try to do. If your team uses the pistol or gun formation, your quarterback will only need to pivot and square his shoulders (Diagram 2).

The dive back will aim his play-side foot at the outside leg of the center and run toward the mesh point. He should form a soft pocket, framing his jersey inside his arm, thumb down, pinned to the top of the jersey numbers, bottom hand facing up

BY C. RAY GREGORY

W

hen installing a Mid-Line offense, it should be

taught as a two-way Go option: reading the first down lineman outside the center.

If the guard is uncovered, continue outward, looking to identify the read. Every offensive player must know who the read is for the offense to gain yards. This must happen at the line of scrimmage in pre-snap communication from each player inside the box. This process will start with the center, who calls out, “Odd,” followed by the right side guard, tackle and slot. Then the left

DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUE & NUMBERING SECTION

DIAGRAM 1

54 41

32 21

T C

101

G B

12 23

T

G

C A

14 45

A

B

side makes their calls. If the crowd is too loud, they will need to use hand signals. Make them as simple as pointing with the correct hand to alert teammates to use inside or outside technique (diagram 1). The slot, or inside, receivers should always use hand signals to those outside of them and finish with a look at their partner in the slot.

These signals can be better taught in collaboration with players during a meeting after the rules and concepts have been taught.

Against odd fronts, the read will be the 4I to the play call side. This defender will not be blocked; he is our read. He will decide who will carry the football – the running back or quarterback. His actions will allow our quarterback to make the decision to either give the football to the dive back, or keep it himself.

The quarterback must get his eyes on the read: ■■ If read sits, give the ball and carry out the fake.

■■ If read gets upfield, give it and carry out the fake.

■■ If read steps out, give it and carry out the fake.

■■ If read crashes down with his eyes on the dive back, pull the football and keep it, attacking where the read came from.

■■ If read crashes down with his eyes on the quarterback, give the ball and get soft to absorb the blow.

The quarterback must trust his teammates to be in their spots as he focuses on his read.

18

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C

QB STEPS ON MID-LINE

DIAGRAM 2 LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

PRE-SNAP FOOT ALIGNMENT

PUSH OFF INSIDE FOOT

OPPOSITE FOOT TO SIX O’CLOCK

BRING INSIDE FOOT PARALLEL TO L.O.S.

and pinned to the bottom of his numbers. He should run through the football, looking to get forward, running downhill, and hit full speed as quickly as possible (Diagram 3). In reading the stack, the quarterback must look at the area and use his eyes to read the stunt. If the stack sets, the quarterback should give the ball, then carry out the fake.

The defense can “easy stunt” you: a linebacker fires in A gap; a long way to go for the linebacker

check out more in-depth coach content at usafootball.com/coaches-notes

■■ No-Mo: Short for “no motion” for either slot receiver. Both slots sprint off the line, eating up cushion, getting the defender to turn and run away from the football. The slot should block his defender toward play-side, while the backside slot should rally across the field to the far safety.

compared to the wider track from the dive back.

This defense can be effective, but not against this track. Often, playing against an odd front results in a lot of gives for the dive back. If the defense attacks with a “blood stunt,” both the quarterback and dive back must take correct angle and speed, but it’s best to go the long way to give it.

Definitions: ■■ BST: Scoop (play-side gap to backside linebacker) ■■ BSG: Scoop ■■ C: Base (inside, on, outside, linebacker) ■■ PSG: Ace (double-team with center) ■■ PST: Veer to base (veer for linebacker, if the

DIAGRAM 3 1 FT. DEEP 3 FT.

3 FT.

3 FT.

3 FT. 13 FT.

The offensive line will be in three-foot splits.

They should set off the center with their helmets breaking the belt of the center. They should be in a three-point stance, with more weight leaning forward to help generate momentum and get movement on defenders. Once the read is identified, they will know how to use their blocking angles to their advantage.

We teach blocking rules that hold up against most defensive fronts, although we teach exceptions to our rules as well. We always prepare for odd fronts, which gives our players more confidence and allows them to play quicker.

We use buzz words to keep the rules used in our running game simple: ■■ Base: When a defender is lined up on you, or sitting on your outside shoulder. If not, block the nearest linebacker, head up, to the inside.

■■ Ace: A double-team between the center and play-side guard.

■■ Veer: Block the first linebacker, head up, to the inside. Do not cross the face of the read defender.

We need to know if the read key is trying to trick you, hold you up, or mirror your steps.

■■ When using a tight end, he should use the play-side slot rules.

The slots will run variations, with rules for each. These variations will be tagged in play calls: ■■ Lead: The slot inserts ■■ Twirl: The slot inserts from a half-motion, improving blocking angle ■■ Opposite: The slot away from the play call goes “tails” motion, hoping to confuse teams that try to follow motion with their secondary

3 FT.

1 FT. DEEP

read is the end man on the line of scrimmage; base one man out, if not) ■■ PS Slot: Insert on lead (his role can change depending on the variation of play) ■■ BS Slot: Pitch man (his role can change depending on the variation of play) ■■ PWR: Block deepest defender ■■ BWR: Cross-field safety ■■ D: Run track on the outside leg of center ■■ QB: Get depth; feet on the ground; eyes on read

3 FT.

MID-LINE LEAD VS. 50 DEFENSE

DIAGRAM 4 F

C W S

E

C

M T

R T

E

COACHING POINTS: ■■ Mid-line allows lots of ways to block fronts and change reads.

■■ Quarterback will need to extend arms against odd fronts.

■■ Dive back should “feel” the quarterback, not snatch at the football.

■■ Center and play-side guard must get movement on the nose.

■■ Play-side tackle can show pass as a variation to the play.

■■ Play-side slot must drive his feet after contact and pin the linebacker inside.

■■ Pride and effort! The receiving corps must go at full speed every play, because their effort off the ball will determine the success of play action and RPO. ■■ If you are having difficulty achieving success, you can base the read against an odd front and use the drive back as a lead blocker, making it a quarterback power play.

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19

PLAYBOOK presented by Shotgun triple option: Quarterback play TONY DEMEO

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he quarterback is the point guard of the fast-break

offensive attack produced by the shotgun triple option. As such, the quarterback is the offensive player who puts everything into motion. In order to be successful in this crucial role, the quarterback must possess certain characteristics, including: ■■ Size is not a factor, but mental and physical toughness is.

■■ Speed is important, but quick feet and a quick mind are more crucial.

■■ Be a student of the game and love to study videotape.

■■ Be a great decision maker.

■■ Be poised and be able to produce under pressure.

■■ Be a man of character, which is the foundation of trust. A team must trust its QB. ■■ Possess a great work ethic in order to capture the team.

■■ Always put the team first.

■■ Have great field awareness and always know the situation.

■■ Always looking to improve and build upon abilities.

■■ Be a competitor and rise to the challenge.

■■ Lead by deeds, which are much louder than words.

DIAGRAM 1

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Quarterback mechanics for the mesh The quarterback mechanics for running the shotgun triple is easier than those required for a quarterback playing under center.

When under center, the quarterback’s first step is the key to success. In the shotgun triple, the quarterback just has to open to the dive back.

By being off of the line of scrimmage, the shotgun quarterback has more of a comfort zone separating him from the defensive line and any penetration by the defenders.

Key factors for the quarterback include: ■■ Get in a comfortable two-point stance four yards from the center.

■■ Get the setback or setbacks properly aligned.

■■ Scan the offensive line to make sure they are set prior to initiating the snap count or any motion.

■■ Identify the hand-off key and the pitch key.

■■ Initiate the cadence and motion.

■■ Catch the snap. Catch the snap. Catch the snap.

■■ Step to the dive backward and extend the ball.

■■ Read the hand-off and accelerate to the pitch key, regardless of whether it’s a give or a keep.

20

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DIAGRAM 3 SS

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Want more playbook content? Subscribe to USA Football’s Coaches Notes’ and get more than 500 plays. Use code FNF10 and receive 10 percent off an annual subscription.

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Triple reads

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The hand-off key should be identified presnap in the shotgun triple. This key is the first down lineman outside a 3-technique – outside shoulder of the playside guard.

Under center, the hand-off key is the first down defender outside of the fullback’s path. In the gun, however, the dive back’s path is the A gap, and ss a result, such a key would not be appropriate for the shotgun triple.

■■ The thought process of a quarterback in the shotgun triple includes: ■■ Give the ball every time unless the hand-off key comes down hard on the dive back.

■■ If there is any doubt, give the ball to the dive back.

■■ If the hand-off key is in B gap, that defender will be blocked down by the tackle. As a result, it is an automatic pull and becomes a double option.

Option mechanics

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Once the quarterback pulls the ball, he holds it at his heart and accelerates to the perimeter. Attack the inside shoulder of the pitch key but watch the pitch key’s far shoulder. Expect to pitch and react to run. In this instance, the mindset of the quarterback is characterized by the following thoughts: ■■ “I will run for a touchdown every time unless the far shoulder of the pitch key turns to me.”

■■ “If the far shoulder turns to me, I’ll see my pitchman, step to him and pitch heart-to-heart.”

■■ “If the pitch key feathers, I will accelerate at him and force him to freeze his feet. If he doesn’t, I will run for a touchdown.”

■■ “If the pitch key crashes, I will stop, set my heels and pitch the ball.”

If the quarterback keeps the ball, he should tuck it away and run hash mark, numbers and sideline. Because the quarterback’s path is downhill, it is difficult to use a feather technique.

Regardless, the quarterback must see the pitchman.

Tips for the quarterback ■■ Make the read on the first step.

■■ Never ride and decide.

■■ Better a wrong read than a long read.

■■ When in doubt, give the dive.

■■ If the hand-off key is in B gap, it becomes a double option: no mesh.

■■ Always make ball security the No. 1 consideration.

■■ If in doubt, don’t pitch the ball.

■■ Attack a soft-pitch key hard and a hard-pitch key soft.

■■ If it’s a keep, run the hash mark, numbers and sideline.

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21

PLAYBOOK presented by ■■ Clearly explain his philosophy of offense to the quarterback, including what he wants to accomplish and how he wants to do it.

■■ Make sure that the quarterback understands down and distance, field zones and time management.

■■ Clearly explain the quarterback’s role in the offense.

■■ Inspire the quarterback to become a student of the game. Keep in mind that it’s not what the coach knows that counts, it’s what the quarterback knows.

Use video, books, apps or anything that works to provide mental reps off the field.

■■ Develop a specific teaching progression that enables the quarterback to master the mechanics of sound quarterback play, one that emphasizes details.

■■ Provide the quarterback with a specific classroom teaching syllabus that helps teach the quarterback the reads he must make during a game so that he understands the reads before going to the practice field.

■■ If it’s a pitch, always pitch heart-to-heart.

■■ See the pitchman and protect ball security.

■■ Never pitch under stress or in a mess.

■■ Never second-guess. Any decision is better than indecision.

Reading defenses The key to reading defenses is reps. The more reps a quarterback gets, the greater his intuitive feel will become. In turn, the more intuitive the quarterback is, the more comfortable, poised and productive he’ll be. There is no shortcut to developing a quarterback’s instincts. It takes reps, reps and more reps. No substitute exists.

Final thoughts A quarterback in the shotgun triple and in an option offense has a lot of responsibility and must be coached to be able to handle that responsibility.

Among the steps that coaches can take in that regard include:

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■■ Work at building the confidence level and the leadership abilities of his quarterback.

■■ Have the game plan for the upcoming game ready by Tuesday’s practice at the latest. Review all checks and audible packages with his quarterback daily.

■■ Teach the quarterbacks about defenses – their strengths, weaknesses, tips, etc.

■■ Use the preseason to familiarize the quarterbacks with the team’s standard checks and audibles. At all times, the quarterback must always be able to get out of a bad play.

■■ Challenge the quarterbacks to grow, maximize his potential, and be the best he can be.

■■ Tony DeMeo coached college football for a quarter century, compiling an overall record of 137-108-4 during four college stops. He retired as the head football coach at the University of Charleston (W.Va.) after successful stops at Richmond, Washburn, Murray State, Pace, Iona, Penn, Mercyhurst, Temple, Delaware, James Madison and Massachusetts.

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Defending trips with quarters

TRIPS KING

DIAGRAM 1

TRIPS QUEEN

DIAGRAM 2

TRIPS KING ALIGNMENT

DIAGRAM 3

BY MYLES HAYES

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s the game continues to progress into the modern

space-and-pace game it is today, the presence of 3-by-1 sets become more prevalent and presents a number of challenges to the defense.

There are different ways to defend trips, but what I have found most successful and allows my athletes to play fast without much thinking is a quarters concept. Identifying the offensive set and personnel is most important in defending the set. For this exercise, we will work our concepts versus 10 personnel.

We identify trips sets in 10 personnel as either Trips King or Trips Queen. King and Queen determines where the running back in the backfield is set. Trips King is called when the back is set to the same side of the three receivers (diagram 1). By contrast, if the back is set away from the trips, we call the formation Trips Queen (diagram 2).

In 3-3-5 scheme, we play both formations with a two safety high look, creating the illusion to the quarterback that we are in a Cover 2 defense.

To the trips side, at the snap of the ball, the strongside corner has deep quarter responsibility.

Most likely, he will lock on to No. 1 receiver vertically or any type of corner or vertical switch route from No. 2.

■■ The Apache – the outside linebacker or nickel – is responsible for hook/curl to the flat. If Apache recognizes a bubble route or screen, he aggressively defends it. If he gets no bubble or screen action, he opens to No. 1 to get to the flat.

■■ The X (safety) plays deep quarter and locks onto any vertical route by No. 2. With the back being on the same side of trips, we can defend any potential routes with the Mike or the Sam. On the back side of the trips formation, the Bandit (weak safety) aligns to be able to play any potential vertical route by No. 3. If No. 3 passes linebacker depth, Bandit reads that as a vertical route and aggressively defends the route. If No. 3 doesn’t show vertically, then Bandit will play the middle hole of the field, defending any type of dig routes.

The backside corner plays man to man with the single receiver. Expecting a hitch route or fade (diagram 3).

Defending Trips Queen is similar but with slightly different reads from the Bandit and backside corner.

When the running back is set to the single receiver side, a lot of times the offense will work more to the weak side because of numbers

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■■ Myles Hayes is the secondary coach at Avon (Ind.) High School.

and matchups. To most offensive coordinators, if they see the corner is man to man No. 1, they feel their back can beat the Will.

To combat this, the Bandit gets his read from the running back. If the back runs an immediate route to the single receiver, the Bandit will play deep half and immediately defend any vertical routes by No. 1.

The corner will be responsible for any swing routes to the flat by the

running back or potential wheel routes. If the back stays in for pass protection, the corner will play man to man on No. 1.

The strong side or trips side of the formation responsibilities are the same (diagram 4).

These concepts will help you defend and potentially confuse the offense while being solid against all potential routes the offense will present out of trips formations.

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23

PLAYBOOK presented by Implement Cover 1 in a 3-3 or 3-4 defense

BY ZACH DAVIS

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realize the need to be as simple as possible on the defensive side of the football.

Most high school programs have a lot of twoway players who also play on multiple special teams. The offense will always be more complex than the defense because it takes more practice time. So, a high school defense must simple so your players can get a lot of reps at the correct alignment, assignment and techniques.

This version of the 3-3 is the simplest version I have ever seen, and it is sound versus various formations and personnel groupings.

There are two basic philosophies of defense: attacking and reading. I believe that you can win with either philosophy, but you have to make a decision each season about what style you want to play.

I will always play some version of man coverage (Cover 1 or Cover 0) but how we play our front each year changes on the personnel. If we need extra people in the box, we will use a lot of Cover 0. If we believe we can hold up against the run with even numbers in the box, we will primarily use cover 1.

I have worked for head coaches who wanted me to be aggressive and ones that wanted to make the offense drive the field. As an assistant coach, it is imperative that you use a style of defense that your head coach likes because it is his program.

This version of the 3-3/3-4 adjusts easily to various formations. The ability to align to a multitude of formations is very important because in high school you can see spread, pro, wing-T, triple option, single wing, etc., all in the same season. Your alignment rules need to be really simple so your players can align and you are not changing your defense every week.

I prefer to have a limited number of fronts, coverages and blitzes and be sound than have an exotic package that is changed every week based on the opponent. To the right are the alignments to different formations (diagrams 1-3).

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24

DIAGRAM 1

he longer I coach high school football, the more I

football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com

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■■ Zach Davis is the head coach at Riverside High School in Belle, W.Va. Visit his website at zachdavis24.blogspot. com and download his podcast Mind of a Football Coach on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter @ZachDavis24.

W

check out more in-depth coach content at usafootball.com/coaches-notes

Alignment and assignment are the most important aspects of any defense.

This defense allows your players to align and identify their assignment quickly.

■■ The corners have No. 1 man to man ■■ The Raider has No. 2 to the strength/field ■■ The Bandit has No. 2 to the weak side/boundary ■■ The Sam has No. 3 to the strength/ field ■■ The Mike will banjo the back or take No. 4 strong versus quads ■■ The Will covers No. 3 to the weak side/boundary or banjo the back with the Mike.

■■ The free safety is always free, and he is 10 two 12 yards from the ball. He can align over the center or on the goal post and that is based on game plan.

If a removed receiver or wing goes in

motion, you run with him. If a back goes in motion, we will bump the linebackers.

The running play we see most often versus the spread is zone read out of various formations. Our No. 1 play on offense is zone read, so we teach our players their responsibilities from Day 1.

Against zone read, the ends will play the quarterback to the cutback. The linebackers will track the path of the back and fit their gap versus zone read.

The other players are in man to man which will take away the RPO elements of inside zone. We will rush three a lot in this defense and may rush a fourth based upon the release of the back. diagram 4 is how to defend zone read versus 2-by-2. diagram 5 is how to defend zone read versus 3-by-1.

DIAGRAM 4

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DIAGRAM 5

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PLAYBOOK presented by LEARN FROM THE TOP COACHES USA FOOTBALL’S COACHES NOTES OFFERS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS HERE’S A SAMPLE:

Teaching the speed option in the spread offense DAVE CHRISTENSEN, ASSISTANT COACH ARIZONA STATE

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his spring, USA Football will launch Coaches’ Notes,

a daily deep-dive into schemes, drills and program development written by coaches for coaches. For $50 a year, coaches can gain full access to the service, including topics covering technical/tactical, staff development, coaching philosophy, physical development, motivation and health and safety.

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26

e run the option game with our quarterback as an alternative to get on the perimeter. In fact, we probably run this play more than the stretch play.

There are a number of different ways to block this play. We can load the scheme and block the defensive end or read him. Game planning and the alignment of the defense will make the decision.

We like the option against an aggressive defensive end, using a man-blocking scheme. When we are fortunate to have fast athletic tackles, that gives us the opportunity to reach the defensive end and option the flat defender.

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SHOTGUN OPTION

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To us, the option play is run from the shotgun. By running it from the shotgun, you have the built-in space between the quarterback and the defensive end. Some coaches say, “When you run option, you hold your breath every time the quarterback runs the ball,” but when he faces up the end rarely if ever does a big hit or injury occur.

The quarterback secures the snap in the shotgun and gets his eyes on the defensive end. The quarterback has two hands on the ball and makes the defender make a decision – take the quarterback or cover the pitch. The pitch relationship must be good so the defensive end cannot force the quarterback to pitch and tackle the pitchman before he turns the corner.

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STRENGTH TRAINING Increase Participation Numbers in the Strength Program One of the biggest challenges a coach will encounter in the offseason is inspiring consistent effort and attendance from players in the strength and conditioning program. The most successful programs stick to a certain formula.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN THE PROGRAM

■■ Split your strength program participants into teams and have them compete for points.

Whitney divides the regular attendees of his offseason program into five teams. Each coach is assigned a team, and the coach is responsible for contacting and motivating his team.

Whitney maintains contact with his group by group chat.

Week 1 and 2: Teach lifts and work on form.

Week 3: Get baseline results for max lifts on bench, squat, clean and dead lift.

Week 4 through Next Max Week: Draw up a program based on the percentage of each player’s max lift. Players will max out three more times during the offseason before August.

Keeping Score: Updated scores for each player are posted every two weeks in the weight room and also another prominent place in the school. Whitney recommends the cafeteria because it keeps players honest about their max lifts and attendance.

Rewards: Any player who lifts at least 1,000 pounds in a combination of max bench, squat, clean and dead lift receives a 1,000-Pound Club t-shirt. The winning team also receives t-shirts, food, school recognition, a local newspaper article, and a team picture in the locker room.

NUMBERS ON THE RISE

N

orth East High (Pa.) coach Mike Whitney took it upon himself

last season to increase participation numbers in his offseason program. In 2016, his three-day-a-week voluntary offseason program drew a light crowd. Only 16 players earned credit for being “regulars” or attendees of at least one workout per week.

Last year, Whitney designed a more organized, structured offseason program with incentives for players to engage on a consistent basis. The numbers nearly doubled, with 30 regular attendees at the high school level and 21 (100 percent attendance) at the junior high level.

“We never had a junior high lift before last offseason,” Whitney said. “With 30-plus kids in the weight room and 15 others playing winter sports, that brings us near 100 percent involvement in the offseason program with our projected varsity roster.”

Whitney implemented a strength program that eases athletes into strength gains by starting with instructional sessions focusing on technique. No athlete is rushed into competitive lifting, although inter-team competition is certainly the way Whitney and his staff track offseason success.

Whitney has devised a point system that measures the strides his players make, and the results serve as motivation for players hoping to increase their contribution to the team.

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HOW TO EARN POINTS

P

oints are weighted based on the North East staff’s area of emphasis that month.

Here are some of the scoring opportunities for players.

Maintaining Eligibility: Players are required to submit progress reports to the head coach each week. Each Friday, a player receives points for remaining academically eligible.

Attendance: Most coaches encourage athletes to play other sports during the winter and spring seasons. As such, multi-sport athletes receive credit for attending other sports teams’ practices and workouts instead of the weight room.

Increase in Max: Increases in the max result in that player

earning points. Whitney and his staff awards a point for each pound increase on the bench, squad, dead lift and clean.

When North East switches to max reps closer to the season, the staff will award points for each new rep a player achieves.

Bringing a Friend: If a player brings a friend for six sessions, that friend is assigned to the team of the player who brought him. There is an initial bonus and that team also adds a member and his extra points.

1,000-Pound Club: Any player that joins the 1,000-Pound Club (one rep max of the four core lifts) will receive bonus points and a t-shirt.

NUTRITION 9 Ways to Train Your Gut to Avoid Bathroom Breaks PLAYERS NEED TO EAT PROPERLY BEFORE COMPETITION Football players need to fuel wisely in order to perform optimally. While some athletes train their bodies to rely on fat for fuel because fat is less likely to cause stomach issues, training the gut is a far easier alternative for most of us.

BY NANCY CLARK, SPORTS NUTRITIONIST

6 RULES OF TRAINING

The following tips can help players exercise with digestive peace.

Drink enough fluids. Dehydration triggers intestinal problems. If you are a “big guy” who sweats heavily, this can be a lot of fluid. For example, a 200-pound football player could easily lose 4 pounds (a half-gallon) of sweat in an hour of exercise. He needs to train his gut to handle fluid replacement during training. He could need as much as 12 to 16 ounces every 15 minutes during a two-hour practice.

Don’t eat too close to practice/game. Feeling “full” and “bloated” during exercise indicates fluids (and foods) have not emptied from the stomach. This commonly happens during really hard exercise, when reduced blood flow to the stomach delays stomach emptying. Hot weather and prolonged exercise in the heat can also reduce stomach emptying.

Dilute highly concentrated carbs. (i.e., sports drinks, gels). Be sure to drink enough water during exercise (i.e. 16 ounces of water per 100 calories gel). This will help speed up gastric emptying.

Form a routine. If you plan to eat peanut butter on a bagel before you compete, you’ll want to eat that routinely before important training sessions. This helps train your gut to accommodate fat (sustained energy) as well as carbs (quick energy).

Mix fiber with carbs. Once a carbohydrate (such as sport drink, gel, banana, or gummy bears) empties from the stomach, it enters the small intestine and is broken down into one of three simple sugars (glucose, fructose, galactose).

These sugars need “taxi cabs” to get transported out of the intestine and into the bloodstream.

Don’t change your diet in-season. If you typically avoid breads and pasta, don’t decide to fuel with carb-rich gels and sports drinks. Your body won’t have the capacity to optimally transport the sugar (carbs) out of your intestines and to your muscles.

Variety is best. When planning what to eat during extended exercise, choose from a variety of carbs with a variety of sugars (i.e., sport drink, gum drops, and maple sugar candy).

This helps prevent the glucose transporters from getting saturated. Too much of one kind of sport food can easily create GI problems.

Eat natural foods. “Real foods” such as bananas, raisins and cereal, have been shown to be as effective as commercial sport foods. Your body processes “real food” every day and has developed a good supply of transporters to deal with the carbohydrate you commonly eat.

By experimenting and learning what works best for your body, you can fuel without anxiety about undesired pit stops.

Fuel for endurance. For exercise that lasts for up to two hours, research suggests about 60 grams (240 calories) of carb per hour can empty from the small intestine and get into the bloodstream. Hence, that’s a good target. For longer, slower, events, the body can use 90 grams (360 calories) carb per hour from multiple sources, as tolerated.

■■ Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, has a private practice in the Boston area. She helps both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes create winning food plans. Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is available at nancyclarkrd.com.

1 2

Train with relatively large volumes of fluid to get your stomach used to that volume.

Routinely eat carbohydrate-based foods before training sessions to increase your body’s ability to absorb and use the carbs.

During training, practice your raceday fueling. Mimic what you might eat before the actual competitive event, and tweak it until you find the right balance.

If you are concerned about diarrhea, in addition to preventing dehydration, limit your fiber intake for a few days pre-event (fewer whole grains, fruits and veggies).

Reducing your intake of onions, garlic, broccoli, apples, and sorbitol might help reduce GI issues during exercise.

Meet with a sports dietitian to help you create a fueling plan that promotes intestinal peace and better performance.

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NANCY CLARK SPORTS NUTRITIONIST, MS, RD, CSSD

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SPEED TRAINING The Best Exercises to Pair for Contrast Training

Resisted Sprints and Unresisted Sprints Resisted Sprints: Grab a partner. Loop

Contrast training is an exercise method that can enhance a player’s neuromuscular efficiency, or the ability of his nervous system to communicate quickly and effectively with the muscles he uses during a run.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

a resistance band around your hips and give the ends to your partner to hold. As you sprint, your partner trails behind gripping the ends of the band to create constant tension.

Unresisted Sprints: Begin in a staggered stance with the front knee and back knee bent about 30 and 45 degrees respectively. Hinge forward at the waist bringing your chest close to parallel with the ground. Position the arms in a split position such that your rear-leg side arm is in front and your front-leg side arm is behind your body. Initiate the sprint by pushing off as hard as possible.

When sprinting, it’s important to get sufficient rest in between exercises and sets so you can keep the quality of movement and effort as high as possible.

■■ Walking Lunges ■■ Bodyweight Tuck Jumps

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Dumbbell Squat and Tuck Jumps Dumbbell Squat: Stand tall with feet

Step-Ups and Jumping Step-Ups Step-Ups: Hold a dumbbell in each hand

hip-width apart and grip a dumbbell at chest. Hinge at the hips to send butt back and lower into a squat, keeping chest lifted. Drive through heels to push back to standing. Keep torso upright and knees in-line with toes throughout the movement. Repeat for reps.

Bodyweight Tuck Jumps: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Bend slightly at the waist and knees to jump up explosively as you bring knees in toward chest.

Swing arms to help you jump higher.

Land softly and repeat for reps.

by sides. Plant right foot on a box or bench. Lean forward slightly, and press through planted right heel to lift body until right leg is straight. Bring left knee toward your waist to bend 90 degrees.

Lower your raised foot back down to the floor, then the planted foot.

Jumping Step-Ups: Stand tall to the right of a sturdy box or bench. Laterally step left foot to plant it on the box or bench.

Lean forward slightly, and press through planted heel to jump up explosively, switching legs midair.

dumbbell in each hand by your sides.

Take a big step forward with right foot and drop left knee to floor to lunge. Press into right heel to bring left foot forward.

Next, take a big step forward with left foot. Continue alternating for reps.

Bodyweight Jumping Lunges: Begin in a lunge position with right thigh parallel to floor. Jump up explosively and switch legs midair so left leg comes forward.

Land softly and repeat for reps.

Dumbbell squats prime the fast-twitch muscle fibers before the tuck jumps serve as an explosive movement that follows the same movement pattern.

Doing jumping step-ups after step-ups improves neuromuscular efficiency so that football players have longer strides and utilize oxygen to sustain effort.

By doing jumping lunges after walking lunges, an athlete can trick his body into producing more force and creating it faster at a lower energetic cost.

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COMMUNITY 5 Ways to Engage the Community One way to bring excitement to a program – and increase participation numbers – is to get the local community involved. Fan interest can inspire young players to want to become members of the team.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

G

ary Robinson was hired to start the Krum

High (Texas) football team from scratch in 2008, after the community voted to build a new stadium/field house in a bond election. Robinson had no equipment, no assistant coaches, no coaching experience – and a small budget.

Within five years, he built the program into a perennial playoff contender. In 2012, the program had 170 football players – up from 51 in 2008.

School spirit spread throughout the school and community, as the number of Flag Corps members, cheerleaders, track athletes, marching band members, powerlifting participants and booster club members increased.

Robinson, who left Krum in 2017 and later accepted a positon at Joseph High (Texas), shared five tips for engaging a community through the sport of football.

■■ By bringing the community behind the scenes, a coach can drum up his fan base.

Football 101 for Moms “Before the middle school season started, I got all of the moms together and had ‘Football 101’ class. We used a pink football and had the moms actually run plays. We had a lot of fun and made it a learning experience. I felt like the moms walked away from the experience having a more positive attitude towards football.”

Teach the Youth League Coaches “The Pee Wee football program was about to start its second season so I got all of the volunteer coaches together to go over my philosophy and playbook. One of my goals was to have all of the Pee Wee teams use the same terminology as we do in the school program, and I wanted them to understand that we are one big team working together to develop a championship football program.”

Host Youth Camps “Every summer I have a camp for the little kids in the community just like most football programs do. I usually average about 120 kids each summer.

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When I get a registration form in, I send a thank you note.”

Market the Program with Gear “I send any participant in the camp a window sticker. I have gotten more compliments about the thank you notes than anything else I have done, and it didn’t take very long to see football stickers on cars all over town.

Midnight Madness “The first day that the UIL would allow us to practice, I scheduled us to start at midnight. I wanted to send the message to the kids that we are very serious about football in Krum and we

were going to start practice the very minute that the UIL allows us to.

“At the same time, I had the booster club make it a big party for the community. The booster club would start all of their activities at 9 p.m. – about three hours before practice. The community came out to enjoy the band, cheerleaders, tailgating, bounce houses, dunking booths, shopping, face-painting, fellowship, etc. At midnight they would form a huge spirit line for the players to run through to start warm up. This started a new tradition that we have done every year since 2009.”

Instill a Culture of Service High school coaches must set an example for players in maintaining the proper perspective and values. Making community service a priority is a good way to show there are things more important than football.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

A New Priority When Tim Ward took over the

■■ The Heath High (Ohio) football team started a Bulldog Service Tree to earmark presents for local kids in need.

Heath High (Ohio) job in May, he took a moment to assess the foundation of the program.

“I decided one of the big things we were missing was community service,” Ward said. “We were strong in our foundation of integrity, family, school and football.

The community gives us so much with parents coming to games and feeding us meals. What were we doing for the community?”

Ward had served as an assistant coach at Heath for 13 years, so he developed a strong sense of adoration for the fans that support the program. Still, he felt with some more outreach in the community, the relationship could be even stronger.

“I view it as something that we’re all in this together,” Ward said. “When we give back to the community, the community wants to give us more. It’s not that we do it to get something in return. But when we get involved with parents in the community, the next thing you know their kids are coming to our games. That builds a sense of community. It breeds positivity.”

Community Involvement Ward wanted to see his players have more of a presence in the community, so his first service commitment was to have the entire team participate in a 5K charity race. The cause was finding a cure for childhood cancer, and an elementary school teacher in the district organized the race for her sister.

The Heath players participated in the race after a scrimmage in August. They raised more than $500 as a team.

“Half of the team ran the full three miles after a scrimmage,” Ward said. “I think a lot of people in the community were impressed.”

Heath High players have also donated their time at the youth football level.

The players run the chains during games, organize the players in the huddle, and hold youth camps.

“The kids are required to participate in youth football events, but it’s something they’ve grown to love doing anyway,” Ward said. “It bridges the gap between youth football and the high school program. I think those youth players will be more likely to play in high school after having that experience with our players. But it benefits us too.

Any service we can provide in the community makes us better people.”

Heath High students placed more than 200 tags on the tree, reserving gifts for 150 students.

“We opened it to the entire high school,” Ward said. “We donated coats, gloves, school supplies, toys.

The football team and the cheerleaders helped wrap gifts, and we took over 10 boxes to students in need.”

The donations didn’t stop there. In November, Heath High students also set a goal to provide Thanksgiving day meals to families in need. They raised enough money to provide 20 meals to local families. A local business also partnered with Heath High in the spirit of the Bulldog Service Tree and handed out vouchers for hams and turkeys before Christmas.

“Our team found families that needed Christmas meals, and we provided them,” Ward said. “It’s our way of giving back to the community that gives us so much.”

The Bulldog Service Tree Ward put a Christmas tree in his classroom this year in hopes of motivating his students to think about community service. Students could place tags on the tree to reserve donations to needy elementary school students in the district.

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EDUCATION 10 Ways to Improve Team GPA

SET AN EXAMPLE

A high school coach has a responsibility to provide support for players in the classroom. Coaches should set an example that high school athletes are students first, and playing football is the reward for excelling academically.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

■■ A coach should start each practice by stressing the importance of academics.

Derek Youngblood, athletic director and football coach at Williston-Elko High (S.C.), has never had a sophomore start the season academically ineligible. Youngblood offered his 10 tips for making academics a priority.

1

Mandatory Study Halls. “We have mandatory study halls the entire year. Each position coach has to designate which day is a study hall for his players.”

Homework Before Practice. The Williston-Elko practices start at 4:15 p.m., giving players almost two hours to work on homework before practice.

“If I have a kid struggling academically, I’ll assign him to a study hall more than one day a week.”

Reach Out to Teachers Early. “One thing I do is send out a roster to teachers of all kids participating in fall sports. If they ever have an issue academically, they’re supposed to let me know.”

Ask for midterm reports. “At the midterm point, I get a copy of all transcripts for participating players, and I get the same thing after the final. If I have a kid that needs more, I get weekly reports.”

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5 6 7 8 9 10

Offer Help. “I let the players and teachers know I’m there to help.”

Set Aggressive Goals. “To me, it’s important they’re more than just eligible. It’s more about earning a high school diploma.”

Reward Success in the Classroom. Youngblood gave any player that earned an 80 percent or above in a class a helmet sticker.

Promote Academic Success on Social Media.

Youngblood congratulates any athlete who made the Honor Roll on Twitter.

Get Parents Involved. Youngblood opens the line of communication with parents to ensure players are doing the right thing at home.

Lead by Example. Youngblood teaches an ACT/SAT prep class for football players on Mondays from 11:40 a.m. to noon.

N

ick Bolyard has served as an assistant coach at various high schools in Ohio, and he maintains that the coaches who have the most success in motivating their players to excel in the classroom are the coaches who genuinely prioritize academics.

“I do a grade check,” Bolyard said. “They take a sheet to teachers who sign it. I also check their online grades to make sure. We have parents sign it. It requires effort and support.”

There’s no way of faking your way to a high team GPA, Bolyard said.

Coaches have to show how much they care before their players will take it seriously.

“If the head coach hasn’t bought into it, the assistants won’t either,” Bolyard said. “The head coach has to set the tone that academics are important. Talk is cheap.

We have to show them with our actions that it’s important to us.”

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RECRUITING ■■ Attending a college’s oneday camp is the best way for a high school player to make an impression on recruiters.

8 Tips for Helping Players Get Recruited HIGH SCHOOL COACHES CAN ADVOCATE FOR PLAYERS A high school coach should serve as the player’s No. 1 advocate during the college recruiting process. Take the power out of the hands of recruiting services by following these steps.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

H

igh school coaches often cringe at the thought of

turning over the recruiting process to player representatives, recruiting services and people outside the program. Jaron Cohen has devised a recruiting plan for his players in his 13 years as Ponderosa High (Colo.) head coach.

Stress the importance of grades to freshmen Cohen meets with all freshmen – regardless of ability – to explain NCAA eligibility requirements as well as the minimum standards for remaining eligible at the high school level. A strong academic profile allows a player to keep all options open.

Form a game plan with sophomores Meet with sophomores and decide how and when the players will start to reach out to coaches. Form a list of schools of interest and contacts of position coaches and recruiters.

Be realistic about expectations A 5-foot-10 offensive lineman may not be able to play at Alabama, and a student with a 2.0 GPA might not be admitted to Yale. Be realistic with players and parents about a player’s limitations.

Be honest with college recruiters “Nothing bothers college coaches more than wasting their time,” Cohen said. Advocate honestly for players.

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Send prospect emails Those emails should be sent to position coaches and recruiting coordinators and include a short resume sheet, transcript and HUDL link.

Approve a player’s HUDL video Make sure the highlights are organized, representative of a player’s ability and concise (4 minutes).

Meet individually with players during their junior year Finalize the list of prospective schools, and devise a strategy for the pre-admissions time period.

Encourage one-day camps Cohen gives each player a camp schedule for the schools on the player’s interest list. “If you want to go to a certain college these days, you almost have to take a day and do the camp.”

RECRUIT FOR YOUR OWN TEAM

P

art of the recruiting process for coaches is the constant replenishing of numbers in their own programs.

Seniors graduate and players discover other interests, so coaches need to recruit within their schools and communities.

Cibolo Steele High (Texas) defensive coordinator Adam Harvey takes it upon himself to recruit within the school in hopes of keeping his program’s participation numbers above 200.

“I have a passion for recruiting kids to come out for the program,” Harvey said. “We get in the hallway and talk to the kids.”

Harvey also pays attention to the other sports teams in the school, taking note of which athletic skill sets might transfer over to the football field.

“Look at the different body types and think about what they could do if they got stronger,” Harvey said. “I pay attention to what kids do on the basketball court and track. We do a good job of finding those kids.”

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The data provided through the sensors can help improve performance in a number of ways. The first is by providing data on each of the hits every player on the team experienced. Through gaining this information, a coach can use coaching points to eliminate the use of a player’s head in tackles or better condition linemen so they are using the proper technique through four quarters.

The Athlete Intelligence system also offers the ability for coaches to analyze data post-game. Through its partnership with XOS Digital, Athlete Intelligence can import video and combine it with performance data including speed, distance, acceleration, deceleration, body angle, sleep, nutrition and more.

In 2017, Munich Reinsurance America formed a partnership with Clear Risk Solution, a risk management and

ATHLETE INTELLIGENCE

insurance supplier, to study the data around head impacts provided by Athlete Intelligence’s Vector™ MouthGuard and Cue™ Sport Sensor. Athlete Intelligence outfitted players at Spanaway Lake High School in Washington with 95 Vector MouthGuards.

“Working with Athlete Intelligence allowed us to show our players the importance of keeping their heads up and out of contact. When they have a visual of where contact with their helmet happens, it gives our staff another tool to stress safety on the field,” noted Coach John Robak

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37

ON LOCATION

SNAPSHOTS FROM THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, JANUARY 7-10, 2018.

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39

INSIDER’S VIEW

Q&A

With Nunzio Campanile, Head Coach of Bergen Catholic (N.J.)

Bergen Catholic football is coming off a heck of a season. The Crusaders just won their first state championship since 2004 with a 44-7 victory in the final at MetLife Stadium. Recently, their coach talked with FNF Coaches about sustaining success.

BY TOMMY ROTHMAN ■■ Bergen Catholic (N.J.) coach Nunzio Campanile

What are the keys on the field when it comes to sustained success in high school football?

“In high school, player development is everything, because you’re going to lose players every year. And the truth is from a physical maturity standpoint they usually only have a one- or two-year window where they’re ready to be varsity players, so on the field the investment has to be made while they’re freshmen and sophomores. As a coach, you have to do more than just coach the varsity players or your top 22 guys; you have to make it a priority to coach every player in your program so that when their opportunity comes they are prepared. That’s a big part of having sustained success on the field.”

What sort of rituals or habits do you stress this time of year to help make a consistent winner?

“The first thing is showing up. We put our kids in weight-training teams, and we try to make competition in it. The players draft the teams, and we try to make it competitive. One part of it is improvement in the weight room, but that’s the least important or the least weighted, because it’s the hardest to gauge. We really try to stress that the No. 1 thing they’re graded on in their weight-training teams in the offseason is their academics, then second their attendance, then their performance, and we also have a conditioning test at the end that we try to make

40

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very competitive. We give prizes to the winners, and there’s kind of punishments for the losers.

Because we try to let our guys know, there’s a winner and a loser every day. We’re trying to teach accountability, we’re trying to teach leadership.”

What would you say is different about your program’s strength and conditioning?

“Well, last year we brought in a strength coach, a guy named Mike Guadango, and Mike was phenomenal. One of the big things that he’s a proponent of is building strength through speed work and speed development, so we do a lot of speed development and we use that to help build strength. At the same time to limit injuries, we probably had the healthiest team we’ve ever had.

We also probably had the fastest team we’ve ever had. I was amazed at how strong we got. At the beginning we were doing so much running that the kids were like, ‘When are we gonna lift?’

But as they saw themselves get stronger over a six-, seven-month period, they really were like, ‘Wow.’ And when you look at the results, and you’re in the state championship, and you win, and you kept your players healthy, I think that’s a huge factor. So that was probably one of the biggest things that separated us. We’re not trying to squat and bench 500 pounds, we’re trying to make the best and healthiest athletes.”

AVOIDING A “CHAMPIONSHIP HANGOVER”

C

ampanile hasn’t been faced with the challenge of repeating as state champion since 2005, but he has a game plan for 2018.

“It’s always a major concern, and it’ll be a different position for our kids,” Campanile said.

“It’s our job to make them understand that, one, you’re never a finished product, you’re always getting better. And the other part, I think one thing about high school football is, it’s a new team every year. You have new leaders, you have new seniors, some guys that are coming in who have never played before ... some guys who, now that they’ve played, they have to manage to stay humble and always look to get better.”

Campanile also doesn’t like wins and losses serve as the end-all, be-all as a measure of success.

“When you focus on the process rather than the result, you have a great chance to keep those guys focused on getting better every day,” Campanile said.

“The difference between winning and losing, in our league, it’s minimal.”

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