On this edition of the Coach and Coordinator podcast, your host Keith Grabowski invites Southside High School (Ark) head football coach Kenny Simpson onto the show. Coach Simpson has run numerous football programs during his career, and he compiled all of the guidance that he garnered over his career in his new book “Find A Way: What I Wish I Knew When I Became A Head Football Coach.” This is great opportunity for head coaches learning how to lead their own programs for the first time to hear from the experiences of a veteran coach.

0:20 Intro

1:38 Coach Simpson’s background

3:52 Love for the game

5:07 Book overview

7:55 Establishing relationships

12:13 You got the job: Now what?

14:44 Sharing your vision

16:42 Growing your program

20:15 The three D’s

23:17 Building a great weight lifting program

27:27 Assembling your staff

30:35 X’s and O’s vs. Talent

32:40 Making mistakes

34:26 The winning edge

36:09 How to get “Find A Way”

36:36 Closing

For a digital copy of Coach Simpson’s book, visit www.eightlaces.org

Or purchase a hard copy on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Find-Way-Known-Became-Football/dp/1701924188/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PJRZCFOKZIKS&keywords=find+a+way+kenny+simpson&qid=1579107670&sprefix=find+a+way%2Caps%2C286&sr=8-1

You can follow Coach Simpson on Twitter @FBCoachSimpson

Link to the “Game Plan for Your Next Job” Series:

- https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/game-plan-for-your-next-job

On this episode of the Coach and Coordinator Podcast, former University of Wisconsin tight end and Brookefield Central High School (Wis.) head coach Joel Nellis hosts one of our featured series: “The Home Team Podcast.” Our guest for this edition of the Home Team Podcast is Camp Point Central High School (ILL.) head football coach Brad Dixon. In addition to leading the football program, Coach Dixon also presides as the head boys track coach, strength and conditioning coordinator, and as a physical education teacher. Hear how Coach Dixon’s family help him balance his life both at home and on the field.

0:20 Joel Nellis intro

1:47 Guest speaker Brad Dixon intro

3:29 Meeting Mrs. Dixon

5:55 Coach Dixon’s children

8:41 Impact of coaching on the family

11:12 Job opportunity traps

13:54 Discipline with the kids

16:02 Feed the cats

23:50 Preparation vs. over-preparation

30:39 Regrets about resting?

36:59 Prioritizing family

41:35 Impact of philosophy on players

44:39 Could philosophy make it to collegiate level?

48:23 Coach Dixon’s legacy

52:38 Closing

You can email Coach Dixon here: @[email protected]

Follow Coach Dixon on Twitter as well @CoachBDixon

On this episode of the Coach and Coordinator Podcast, we continue our “All In On Offense” series. Tune in as your host Keith Grabowski interviews Wise High School’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, Steve Rapp. A four-time state champion, Coach Rapp delves into the intricacies and trends off offenses at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels.

0:20 Intro

1:13 Coach Rapp’s background

2:24 Learning the game

7:56 Pillars of Coach Rapp’s offense

9:30 Establishing next season’s offense

14:41 21 Personnel

17:34 Trends: Getting bigger on offense

21:04 Versatility on offense

27:55 Oklahoma’s offense

28:38 Operating from under center

32:28 Jet-Sweeps

39:10 Placing the fullback

41:34 Philosophy on formations

44:07 Terminology

46:03 Power running game

50:38 Power RPOs

54:26 Implementing Mesh concepts

57:45 Weekly game plans

1:03:32 Vertical shots

1:08:52 Multiple tempos

1:13:36 The winning edge

1:15:41 Closing

You can follow Steve Rapp on twitter @coachrapp_O.

On this episode of the Coach and Coordinator Podcast, your host Keith Grabowski invites Dan Hatman, the director of the Scouting Academy, onto the show. A former NFL scout for the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, and the New York Jets, Dan Hatman has a vast amount of experience to share with his students. With 36 alumni currently working in the NFL and 115 alumni also operating in college football, Dan Hartman’s Scouting Academy gives its students the tools to help achieve their dream job in the football landscape by intertwining the skillsets of both scouts and coaches.

0:19 Intro

1:54 Scouting Academy background

4:56 Making yourself more marketable

12:07 Word of mouth

12:57 Research into the job search

15:05 Having a game plan

16:00 What is a successful candidate

21:47 Implementing analytics

28:07 Student Development

30:08 Scouting Academy network

31:39 Curriculum at the Scouting Academy

34:37 Scouting Academy alumni

35:43 Taking the course

36:43 Closing

For all inquiries about the Scouting Academy you can visit scoutingacademy.com or email Dan Hatman at [email protected]

This is the weekly breakdown of USA Football’s Coach and Coordinator Podcast Series by Keith Grabowski. These short clips highlight snippets of what the episodes from the week feature and the different guests on the show.

Highlights from this week on Coach and Coordinator:

- Best of NFL Coaches and Players Part 2

- Best of the Leadership Journey Season 3 with Brian Knight

- PJ Fleck, University of Minnesota- Creating an Elite Culture

- Deep Dive on Defense- Jason Makrinos, University of Findlay

- All In On Offense- Linfield College Co-Offensive Coordinators Aaron Boehme & Brett Elliott

Check out our systems for skill development in blocking, defeating blocks, and tackling at footballdevelopment.com. Follow us daily on Twitter for content and interaction @FBDevCoach Checkout X's and O's analysis at USA Football Blogs blogs.usafootball.com

To start off our new “All In On Offense” series, your host Keith Grabowski invited Linfield College’s co-offensive coordinators Aaron Boehme and Brett Elliott onto the Coach and Coordinator podcast. Listen in as Boehme and Elliott assess what factors and decisions played a part in helping make Linfield College the nation leader in passing yards during the 2019 season. Both coordinators also discuss their own chemistry as co-offensive coordinators and various concepts in the passing game.

0:20 Intro

1:20 Boehme and Elliott’s Background

4:01 International Football Experience

4:50 Coach Elliott’s professional football career

6:19 Lessons from Arena Football

6:49 Basics of a Skip Release

7:26 Boehme & Elliott Coaching Dynamic

9:40 Developing a Culture on Offense

12:10 Categorizing Linfield’s Offense

13:28 Concepts in the Passing Game

14:21 What made the Offense Successful?

18:04 The Syrup Route

20:49 Creating Consistent Reads

23:51 Operating Under Center

24:52 Variations Of Naked Boot-Leg

29:17 Linfield’s 2019 Passing Success

31:43 Protection Scheme

32:36 Opponent’s Trends

35:30 In-Game Adjustments

39:03 Tempo

42:19 Coexisting as Co-Coordinators

46:26 Practice Structures

48:50 How To Improve Passing Game

50:46 Off-Season Homework

52:50 The Winning Edge

55:21 Conclusion

Air Raid Analytics and Virtual Reality with AJ Smith: https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/air-raid-analytics-and-virtual-reality

On this episode of the Coach and Coordinator podcast, your host Keith Grabowski begins the first part of the Deep Dive on Defense series and welcomes University of Findlay’s defensive coordinator Jason Makrinos onto the show. Throughout the episode Makrinos breaks down various defensive schemes, coaching reinforcement tactics, and he also illustrates the art of creating takeaways on defense.

0:20 Intro

1:10 Jason Makrinos background

4:00 Makrinos’ defensive scheme

6:53 Installing various looks on defense

10:03 Matchup based game plans

11:56 Creating Takeaways

16:30 Signage

17:51 Ball on the Wall

24:10 Ball Period during practice

28:54 Matching the Hand

30:30 Fumble Recovery

33:36 Quarter-Quarter-Half Coverage

38:54 Attacking Quarter-Quarter-Half

42:50 Pin and Pull

44:36 Defending Empty RPO

47:53 Dictating the Offense

51:32 Eighth Man in run fits

53:15 Closing

University of Minnesota head football coach PJ Fleck introduces his seminar on culture at the 2019 USA Football National Conference in Orlando. In his address, Coach Fleck highlights the importance of "People, Purpose, and Process." Through these pillars, Coach Fleck then gives insight into how to properly create a culture for your own program.

Leadership Journey Season 3

If you expect it from your athletes you better live it as a coach. Practicing the principles that you are trying to preach to them. Managing your emotions and behaviors as a man and setting the example for your team. Live the standards that you demand from your players. https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/leadership-journey-living-the-standard-we-set?in=user-804678956/sets/the-leadership-journey-season


The importance of applying real discipline and how it can be a shortcut to getting where you need to go as a person or a team.  Defining what discipline is and how it is different from obedience. https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/leadership-journey-11-discipline-is-the-shortcut?in=user-804678956/sets/the-leadership-journey-season


Taking a step back and learning how to effectively identify exactly what you believe in as a coach. The process for identifying your beliefs. https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/leadership-journey-14-how-to-build-your-culture-to-reflect-what-you-believe?in=user-804678956/sets/the-leadership-journey-season


Establishing leaders on a team, regardless of if it’s a group of players, single player or coaches. Challenges of getting young people to lead young people. https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/leadership-journey-with-brian-kight-week-4-player-led-team-vs-coach-led?in=user-804678956/sets/the-leadership-journey-season


Accepting other styles of coaching and asking if the principles that you believe can be achieved through different styles. Making sure your staff is free to use their own styles but maintain the same principles. https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/leadership-journey-6-dealing-with-conflict-principle-or-style?in=user-804678956/sets/the-leadership-journey-season


6. What exactly the phrase “trust your gut” mean and how to manage those gut feelings and evaluate them. Accepting that trusting your gut pretty much always results in 50-50 odds of success and that you really have to accurately track those gut feelings to evaluate it. https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/leadership-8-trust-your-gut?in=user-804678956/sets/the-leadership-journey-season

NFL Players and Coaches - Part 2

Rocky Seto, Super Bowl Champion coach, FBS National Championship Coach, former Assistant Head Coach, Seattle Seahawks: What defines you? How to set priorities in a demanding profession.

Jack Mewhort, Retired Indianapolis Colts Offensive Lineman: How his best coaches taught him to play the game.

Chris Manhertz, Tight End, Carolina Panthers: The best way a coach can help his players.

Jim Arthur, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Miami Dolphins: Determining workload for athletes and what coach does in practice to prepare his players for reaching top speed on gameday. Determining what kind of work load each player can handle.

Charlie Coiner, former NFL coach and Wade Wilson, former QB Coach, Dallas Cowboys: Running the 2 minute drill with a young QB and how to organize the 2 minute drill in the high school and college level. Additionally, practicing the two minute drill. Up-temp offense vs 2 minute drill and situational football.

Michael Lombardi, former NFL Coach and General Manager: How critical it is having a good staff and what you should look for in building out a staff. What it means to be a “program guy.” Also, the importance of player development.

Noel Mazzone, current Offensive Coordinator, Arizona Wildcats, former Receivers Coach, New York Jets: Putting together a practice week and what Coach has seen from other big name coaches at practice. Additionally, the concept of “no sweat Thursdays” and “Fast fridays.”

Jake Plummer, retired NFL quarterback: How accountability has become so important with the little amount of time now allocated to actual practices and meetings. Also, how playing 100% mentally can help the game be played more safely.

Charlie Coiner, and Patrick Mannelly, former Chicago Bears long snapper: How Mannelly liked to practice when he was a pro and how it differs from what he has his players do as a coach. Additionally, some in and outs of practicing the art of the long snap.

Michael Lombardi: Dinner with Belichek and Saban.