Coach and Coordinator Podcast

By Keith GrabowskiSports Football

Favorites
52
Followers
Typical duration
31 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Coach and Coordinator Podcast episodes

October 07The Offense We Didn't Plan - Rebuilding Mid Season with Modern Football
Through our first two and a half games, we averaged about 2.1 yards a carry and had one explosive run. A few weeks later, our quarterback threw for 501 yards and six touchdowns, both school records.
In this episode, I walk through how a young offense with a late summer install went from a planned outside zone team to a 10 personnel passing offense in the middle of the season. I cover the run-pass continuum I use to think about offense, how personnel moved us along it, the two experiments that led to six-man protection with one back, and how we used Modern Football's data alongside our film between series to stay ahead of coverages that changed from drive to drive.
We didn't win every game along the way, and I talk about the ones that got away. The point is the process: letting what you see in your data and on film tell you what your offense needs to be.
In this episode:
2.1 yards a carry to 501 through the air

Starting behind: a late spring hire, summer OTAs, and an August 1st install

The premise: why we started with outside zone

What the data was telling us before we were ready to use it

Offense as a continuum, and how moving our tight end to guard changed our view

Two experiments: an empty half, then a back in the backfield

The game we knew we had something, and the one route adjustment against middle of the field open

Three straight weeks: 501, 360, and 416 passing yards

Staying ahead between series with data and film

The 5-1 game: 19-0, a missed walk-off, and overtime

Three handoffs in four and a half games

What I'd tell another coach starting late
Presented by Modern Football
Our offense didn't come from a summer install. It came from what we saw once the games started. Modern Football gave us the data to see where we were efficient and where our explosives were coming from. Paired with our film, it let us adjust between series as defenses moved from middle of the field open to Tampa to man and back again.
If you want that kind of insight into your own offense, in the game and week to week, check out Modern Football.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 min
October 03Hansen Ratings D3 Coach and Coordinators of the Week - Mario Byrd and Brandon Maguire
Relationships, Role Ownership, and Finding the Calls Your Players Believe In
Another week of Division III football brings another group of coaches and staffs worth recognizing in the Hansen Ratings D3 Coaches and Coordinators of the Week.
Logan Hansen joins Keith Grabowski to break down the Week 4 selections, beginning with St. John’s offensive coordinator Kole Heckendorf, whose offense produced 72 points on 72 plays against Augsburg.
The conversation then turns to Christopher Newport defensive coordinator Mario Byrd, whose defense delivered a shutout against Susquehanna while forcing six turnovers.
Byrd explains why his approach starts with relationships. As a Christopher Newport alum, he has lived many of the same experiences his players are going through now. He discusses earning trust, understanding that every player responds differently to coaching, and creating an environment where scout-team players understand the importance of their role.
Keith then visits with Ithaca head coach Brandon Maguire after the Bombers put together a complete performance in all three phases.
Maguire shares how Ithaca identifies its “settlers,” the calls players and coaches know they can execute when they need to regain rhythm and confidence. He explains why player feedback matters throughout the week, how the staff builds a quarterback’s “love it” list, and why sometimes the best adjustment a coach can make is simplifying the plan and letting players play fast.
In This Episode:
Logan Hansen’s Week 4 D3 Coaches and Coordinators of the Week selections

How Christopher Newport prepared to shut down the run against Susquehanna

Mario Byrd’s philosophy that players play differently when they know a coach genuinely cares

Why coaches need to adapt their coaching style to different personalities

Creating ownership and pride within the scout team

Why relationships can matter as much as scheme for young coaches

Brandon Maguire’s concept of “settlers” on offense, defense, and special teams

Using player feedback to identify what belongs in the game plan

Building a quarterback’s “love it” list

Why a play that has not been repped enough during the week may need to come off the call sheet

Using openers without becoming handcuffed by a scripted sequence

Knowing when to stop adding and simply let your best players play

Giving players enough freedom to make adjustments within the system
Coaches Recognized:
Offensive Coordinator of the Week: Kole Heckendorf, St. John’s
Defensive Coordinator of the Week: Mario Byrd, Christopher Newport University
Head Coach and Staff of the Week: Brandon Maguire and the Ithaca College coaching staff

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
40 min
October 02National Coach of the Week - No One Above the Program - Mario Guzman, Cleveland HS (CA)
No One Above the Program: How Mario Guzman Built Player-Led Standards at Cleveland High School
Cleveland High School head coach Mario Guzman joins Keith Grabowski as the National Coach of the Week to discuss how his program has developed a culture built on discipline, accountability, and consistency.
For Guzman, the standard starts with a simple message: no one is above the program.
That philosophy shows up everywhere—from how players dress and practice to how they handle academics and represent the program throughout the school day. Over time, those expectations have shifted from something coaches constantly enforce to something the players themselves protect.
Guzman explains how Cleveland’s captains helped drive that transition, why small details like uniformity became important markers of buy-in, and how his staff continued building the culture through difficult stretches.
He also shares how Cleveland structures practice for a roster with multiple two-way players, how being on campus helps the staff maintain academic accountability, and why his focus now is on creating sustained success rather than simply celebrating one strong season.

In This Episode
Why Cleveland operates with the standard that “no one’s above the program”

Creating a “we over me” mentality

How small standards can reveal the level of player buy-in

Moving from coach-led accountability to player-led leadership

Developing captains through constant communication and responsibility

Keeping a team together through losing streaks and difficult seasons

How Cleveland structures practice for players who compete on both sides of the ball

Using conditioning to prepare two-way players for Friday nights

Building academic accountability into the football program

How football can help establish the culture of an entire school

Recognizing the milestones that show a culture is beginning to take hold

Why sustained consistency is the next step for the Cleveland program
National Coach of the Week is Presented by Modern Football
Modern Football helps coaches chart and tag in real time, delivers sideline reports to keep the booth and sideline aligned, and makes self-scout faster with on-demand reports.
Visit ⁠modernfootball.com⁠ for more information.

Connect on X:
Keith Grabowski: ⁠@CoachKGrabowski⁠
Modern Football: ⁠@modernFB

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
22 min
September 29Art of Practice - Building Cleaner Install with Game Speed Practice Efficiency - Shane Hurd, Binghamton HS (NY)
On this episode of Art of Practice presented by GoRout, host Keith Grabowski sits down with Shane Hurd, assistant coach at Binghamton High School and an account executive at GoRout. As part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this episode breaks down actionable methods for running faster, cleaner, and more purposeful football practices that maximize every second on the field.
Coach Hurd draws on 26 years of coaching experience to explain how programs with small staffs and limited field space can eliminate standing around and nearly double their rep volume. The conversation explores how GoRout serves as a high-efficiency teaching tool during Monday installs. It lets position coaches focus on technique rather than holding cards. From creative ways to maximize development time during special teams periods to coaching on the run and scripting purposeful individual drills, this interview delivers a practical blueprint for building game-like practice tempo.

Chapters
Practice Efficiency: Eliminating Standing Around and Increasing Rep Volume

Position Focus: How GoRout Allows Coaches to Stay in Their Lane
Maximizing Resources: Adapting Practice Workflows to Smaller Staffs

Scripted Purpose: Intentional Planning and Matching Drills to Game Plans

Carrying Pace to Friday: How High Practice Tempo Translates to Game Day

Beyond Scout Work: Using GoRout for Monday Schemes and Early Installs

Creative Time Stealing: Developing Idle Players During Special Teams Periods

Practice Flow: Coaching on the Run and Minimizing Unnecessary Stoppages

Maximizing QB-Center Exchanges and Final Efficiency Tips

Learn more about how GoRout can help your staff make practice more efficient, effective, and game-like at ⁠GoRout.com

Connect on X:
Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski
Shane Hurd: @CoachHurdQB
GoRout: @Go_Rout

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
25 min
September 28One Play at a Time - Out of Isolation - Two Stage Quizzing
Dante Scarnecchia coached the Patriots' offensive line for 34 years, and near the end of his career he said he could have done a better job for the previous 44 if he'd changed one thing about his meeting room. In the same talk, he explains why he sometimes gives his linemen a collaborative written test, and what you lose when you do. This episode is about the two-stage quizzing system we built to get both. First, every player takes an individual quiz on his phone and draws his routes from a blank screen. Two days later, players take a group quiz at tables built with one player from each position. The goal of that second stage isn't to redraw the route. It's to hear why the guy next to you does his job the way he does, what it does to you, and how the quarterback processes all of it. We also walk through the research on two-stage exams, including where it's mixed, and what we've seen on Friday nights since: school passing records, a JV quarterback checking into a touchdown on his own, and an offense that has reached what we call educated freedom. (As always, we talk structure and concepts here, not our actual terminology.)
In this episode:
Scarnecchia's meeting-room epiphany: "validators," the confused look, and changing how he teaches in the last four years of a 44-year career

Two tests, two jobs: why Scarnecchia was right about both the individual test and the collaborative test

Stage one: why drawing a route from a blank screen is a different skill than picking one from a list

Stage two: how we build the groups (varsity OL together; skill players in three groups, with one player from every position at each varsity table)

"When you run it that way, it takes me off of it": what a receiver learns when the quarterback explains the other end of the throw

The sideline conversation: why the best teaching of the night happens on the bench, and how to build it into a Wednesday

Why most group work fails: collaborative inhibition, the kid who gets carried, and why the order (alone first, then together) is the fix

The honest research: two-stage exams (Carl Wieman / UBC), a controlled study where the group stage stuck to the individual (Gilley & Clarkston, 2014), and studies where it didn't (Leight et al., 2012; Cooke, Weir & Clarkston, 2019)

Cross-training callback to Episode 4: interpositional knowledge, or knowing enough of your teammate's job to anticipate it

The group quiz as a diagnostic: hearing the confusion instead of guessing at it

Educated freedom: 501 passing yards and 6 TDs (school records) with two new starters, close to 70% completions over three games, 6–8 different receivers every game, and a JV QB going 32 of 46 for 472 yards with 5 TDs in a 42–41 win

The JV quarterback who checked into a quick-game concept on his own and threw a touchdown
Mentioned in this episode:
Dante Scarnecchia, "Things I've Learned Along the Way: Position Meetings"

Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative, Two-Stage Exams

Gilley & Clarkston (2014), Journal of College Science Teaching

Leight et al. (2012), CBE—Life Sciences Education

Cooke, Weir & Clarkston (2019), CBE—Life Sciences Education

Rajaram & Pereira-Pasarin (2010), Perspectives on Psychological Science
About the series:
One Play at a Time follows Keith Grabowski's return to the sidelines as Offensive Coordinator and QB coach at Bay High School after a decade away, documenting how the staff installs, teaches, and communicates the offense across a full season. This series is presented by Just Play.
Subscribe / follow: Coach and Coordinator Network — podcast, YouTube, CoachandCoordinator.com, and weekly newsletter.
Just Play Solutions
Level up your teaching and player understanding:
https://www.justplaysolutions.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
22 min
September 26D3 Hansen Coach and Coordinator of the Week - Jason Lewis, Mike Murray, and Jason Mangone
On this episode of D3Hansen Ratings, host Keith Grabowski sits down with three standout Division III football leaders to discuss offensive aggression, defensive communication, and situational game planning. Part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this multi-coach showcase presents Heidelberg Offensive Coordinator Jason Lewis, Illinois Wesleyan Defensive Coordinator Mike Murray, and SUNY Brockport Head Coach Jason Mangone.
Coach Jason Lewis opens the episode by explaining Heidelberg’s landmark victory over Mount Union. He details the team’s aggressive downfield passing strategy, the value of competitive “good-on-good” practice periods, and how long-term facility improvements have transformed the program’s culture. Next, Defensive Coordinator Mike Murray outlines his defensive preparation methods. He focuses on game-plan compartmentalization, connecting classroom concepts to game speed, and streamlining signaling systems to handle high-tempo offenses. Finally, Head Coach Jason Mangone discusses building player-led locker room resilience after setbacks, hiring dynamic coaching staffs, and why mastering specific situational thresholds, such as third-and-medium, is critical to winning football.
Chapters
Jason Lewis on Heidelberg's Historic Win Over Mount Union

Using Good-on-Good Practice Periods to Drive Competition

Facility Growth Staff Cohesion and Mentorship Legacies

Heidelberg Offensive Staff Alignment and Roster Outlook

Mike Murray on Game Preparation and Compartmentalization

Connecting Classroom Concepts to Live Game Situations

Signals Personnel Calls and Huddle Leadership Under Tempo

Coaching Staff Character and Shared Values

Jason Mangone on SUNY Brockport Program Foundations

Bouncing Back from Setbacks and Locker Room Leadership

Staff Recruitment and Developing Young Coaches

Situation Execution and Winning on Third and Medium

Connect on X:
Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski
Logan Hansen: @LogHanRatings
Jason Lewis: @coachjasonlewis
Mike Murray: @IWUTitanFball
Jason Mangone: @coachmangone

Check out this years Hansen Ratings here - https://hansenratings.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
51 min
September 25National Coach of the Week - Old School Values and Modern Program Building - Dave Logan, Cherry Creek HS (CO)
On this episode of National Coach of the Week presented by Modern Football, host Keith Grabowski sits down with legendary head coach Dave Logan to explore the basic principles of building and sustaining an elite football program. Part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this conversation examines how maintaining uncompromising standards for toughness and attention to detail drives long-term success.
Coach Logan shares his philosophy on developing mental and physical toughness in young athletes and explains how to develop game plans as roster personnel evolves each year. The discussion covers the practical mechanics of high-efficiency practice tempo, summer installation workflows, and maintaining high-level discipline without sacrificing effective communication. From instilling timeless values to preparing athletes for collegiate and professional competition, this interview gives a comprehensive look at the principles and practices that shape sustained program success.

Chapters
Cultural Foundations: Establishing the Bedrock for Sustained Program Success

Building Toughness: Developing Mental and Physical Resilience in Players

Attention to Detail: Why Executing the Small Things Wins Big Games

Strategic Flexibility: Adapting Offensive Systems to Changing Roster Personnel

Clear Communication: Demanding High Standards While Maintaining Trust

The Next Level: Preparing High School Athletes for College and Beyond

Practice Mechanics: Maximizing Efficiency, Tempo, and Summer Installations

Final Takeaways on Longevity and Leadership in Coaching

Presented by Modern Football:
Modern Football helps coaches chart and tag in real time, delivers sideline reports to keep the booth and sideline aligned, and makes self-scout faster with on-demand reports.
Visit modernfootball.com for more information.

Connect on X:
Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski
Cherry Creek Football: @CreekFB
Modern Football: @modernFB

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 min
September 23LFG Game Planning Tips - Motion, Pressure & Situational Football - Dayne Keller, Daniel Fields, Rick Jones
In this episode of LFG Game Planning Tips, three coaches share practical ideas for finding advantages and making better decisions during the season.
Dayne Keller, Wide Receivers Coach at Georgetown College, explains how offenses can use motion with purpose. Keller looks at using motion to diagnose coverage, identify pressure, manipulate leverage and numbers, create favorable matchups, and help an offense regain rhythm without abandoning its core concepts.
On defense, Daniel Fields, Defensive Coordinator at Lewis & Clark, breaks down his process for identifying and attacking pass protections. Fields begins by evaluating individual offensive linemen and identifying the player a defense may be able to isolate before studying protection schemes, tendencies, formations, and situations. He then explains how defenses can use fronts, disguises, pressure, and protection reads to create free rushers and favorable pass-rush matchups.
Finally, Rick Jones, Special Assistant to the Head Coach at Missouri, shares his “Football Nevers” for situational football. Jones discusses fourth-down decisions, punts, field goals, kickoff situations, timeout management, end-of-half strategy, and other decisions coaches should think through before they arise during a game.
In this episode:
Using motion to diagnose coverage and pressure

Creating leverage and matchup advantages without changing core concepts

Identifying weaknesses in pass protection

Attacking full-slide protections with pressure and disguise

Preparing answers for offensive protection adjustments

Fourth-down and special teams decision-making

Managing timeouts and end-of-half situations

Building situational answers before game day
Learn more from coaches across offense, defense, special teams, and every position at ⁠⁠LFGClinic.com⁠⁠. Every purchase supports the mission of Lauren’s First and Goal and its continued fight against pediatric brain cancer.
Story of the Season’s Recruiting Profiles – Give your players better college exposure with Story of the Season’s new web-based recruiting profiles. You can build a custom team recruiting page with interactive player profiles, highlights, headshots, stats, academic info, Hudl links, coach comments, and more. Set up is quick, easy, and free to try until 2027 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠StoryOfTheSeason.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min
September 22One Play at a Time - Enhancing Coaching Efficiency with Just Play - Bob Benson, HC, Episcopal School of Dallas (TX)
On this episode of One Play At A Time, host Keith Grabowski sits down with veteran coach Bob Benson to discuss how modern coaching technology can transform program organization and player learning. Part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this conversation explores Coach Benson’s transition to the high school level and how implementing the Just Play platform has streamlined his staff’s workflow.
Coach Benson shares his blueprint for structuring digital playbooks, building mobile-accessible scout reports, and integrating film study into weekly preparation. The discussion covers practical methods for simplifying complex installations for younger athletes, using targeted digital quizzes to reinforce concept recall, and managing game preparation across all three phases. From making instant corrections to encouraging player learning through interactive testing, this interview shows how digital tools can elevate football IQ and maximize coaching efficiency.

In this episode:
Digital Workflows: Enhancing Coaching Efficiency at the High School Level

Mobile Playbooks: Adapting Scout Reports and Materials for Young Athletes

Three-Phase Preparation: Managing Scout Work, Film, and Game Plans

Simplifying Complexity: Tailoring Personnel and Special Teams Reports

Film Integration: Streamlining Film Review and Automated Scout Cards

Real-Time Adjustments: The Power of Instant Editing and Error Correction

Reinforcing Concept Recall: Building Interactive Quizzes for Player Accountability

Advanced Testing: Combining Diagrams, Film Clips, and Group Quizzing

Maximizing Communication and Best Wishes for the Season
About the series:One Play at a Time follows Keith Grabowski's return to the sidelines as Offensive Coordinator and QB coach at Bay High School after a decade away, documenting how the staff installs, teaches, and communicates the offense across a full season. This series is presented by Just Play.
⁠JustPlaySolutions.com

Connect on X:
Keith Grabowski: ⁠@CoachKGrabowski⁠
Bob Benson: ⁠@CoachBobBenson⁠
Just Play: ⁠@justplayfb

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
27 min
September 21Training Performance Under Pressure: Sleep, Breath & Vision - Dr. Timothy Royer & John Wierenga, Inner Armor
On this episode of the Coach and Coordinator Network, host Keith Grabowski sits down with Dr. Timothy Royer (Inner Armor) and John Wierenga to explore how physiological and mental performance training can transform athlete resilience. The discussion includes a personal look at Aidan Grabowski’s journey using neuroscience-based tools to optimize focus, vision, and recovery.
Dr. Royer and John Wierenga unpack the critical roles Heart Rate Variability (HRV), sleep management, and visual system training play in sustaining peak athletic performance during a demanding season. The conversation explores how hidden stressors like travel and seasonal allergies affect the autonomic nervous system. It also presents actionable techniques for breathwork, eye training, and data-driven recovery strategies. From rebuilding mid-season mental resilience to integrating neuroscience into daily athlete routines, this interview gives coaches practical strategies to develop more complete performers.
Chapters
Mental Performance in Sports with Dr. Timothy Royer and John Wierenga

In-Season Focus: Mental Performance Strategies and Neuroscience Tools

Visual & Respiratory Optimization: Breath Work and Eye Training Concepts

Sleep Mechanics: Overcoming In-Season Sleep Challenges and HRV Tracking

Hidden Stressors: The Impact of Travel and Allergies on the Nervous System

Mid-Season Reset: Restoring Physical and Mental Resilience Under Pressure

Protocol Breakdown: What an Effective Athlete Breathing Session Looks Like

Ocular Strength: Training the Eyes for Reaction Speed and Spatial Awareness

Data-Driven Growth: Leveraging Physiological Metrics to Enhance Recovery

Building Long-Term Resilience Through Daily Habits
Train what drives performance under pressure. Explore Inner Armor and see how athletes and coaches can measure, train, and improve focus, readiness, and resilience.
Dive into Inner Armor

Connect on X:
Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski
Timothy Royer: @DrTimRoyer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
51 min

About Coach and Coordinator Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Keith Grabowski interviews the most knowledgeable head coaches, coordinators, and position coaches from professional, college, and high school football. Keith and his guests discuss the philosophy,…