As the season progresses, the talent or skill of a team does not solely determine success. Championship teams often maintain their health throughout the season and continuously improve their performance. As coaches, we play critical roles in ensuring our players remain in optimal condition. As we head into the later part of the season, strategic practice management becomes paramount.

In this episode, three coaches delve into the importance of balancing practice intensity and recovery, cutting practice time, and utilizing technology to monitor player workload.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

Matt Drinkall

Pete Shinnick

Kirk Fridrich

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Jaime Elizondo joins us again on the podcast. Elizondo has coached at both the college and professional levels, most recently serving as offensive coordinator for the XFL San Antonio Brahmas in the 2022 and 2023 seasons after serving as head coach of the CFL Edmonton Elks in 2021.

In this episode, Coach Elizondo provides a wealth of great ideas from his 20-plus year career that are helpful to coaches today as we get later into this season.

Show Notes:

Additional Jaime Elizondo Episode:

OC Office Hour: Approaching the Game with a Situational Focus

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Communication becomes even more critical as we get into the second half of the season. It keeps our players focused as well as properly manages the mental-emotional side of the game. In this episode, three coaches share approaches for clear and strong communication with players to have a positive impact on the remainder of the season.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

Related Episodes:

Creating a QB-Friendly Offense

Developing a Passing Attack for a Young QB

Additional Resources:

Brendan Walsh:

Going Downhill: GT Counter and Other Variations

OL Fundamentals in Gap Schemes

John Tomlinson:

Building a Passing Attack for a Young Quarterback - Part 1

Building a Passing Attack for a Young Quarterback - Part 2

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When coaches think of player workload, we often focus on skill players and the amount of running they are doing. But we also need to be aware of workload in the context of linemen and the amount of contact they are experiencing over the course of the season. We must also effectively adjust what those players do to keep them performing at their best every week.

Ultimately, the healthiest teams have the strongest finishes. Coaches must pay attention to practice loads, rep distributions, and even the drills we run in the second half of the season to keep our teams sharp and ready for game day.

In this episode, three line coaches, two on offense and one on defense, discuss how they maintain peak performance for their guys in the trenches during the season. They share methodologies for rotations in practice and in games. These approaches apply to all levels and not only have a positive impact on the physical side of the game for players but also the mental and motivational sides as well.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

Related Episodes:

Mental Warfare and Calculating the Pass Rush Plan

Get to Sack City

Creating Individual Drills and Practice Periods That Translate to Game Day

Additional Resources:

Siddiq Haynes: Pass Rush - Get to Sack City

Kyle Segler: TE Utilization in Multiple Set Offense

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In this episode, three coaches give us their approaches to adjustments to their defensive units. These mid-season evaluations are crucial to remaining on the right track or getting back on the right track when necessary. Each coach gives unique insight into how he views the successes and challenges a defense faces and how to continue to coach the unit throughout the season.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

Eric Kasperowicz

Shane Dierking

Ty Gower

Additional Episodes:

Shane Dierking

Eric Kasperowicz

Related Resources:

Shane Dierking

Defending Empty Formations

Manipulating Gaps

Eric Kaperowicz:

Defending Stacks & Bunch Sets

Defending Spread, Tempo & RPOs with the 4-3

Building a Successful Program at the HS Level

Basics of the 4-3 Defense

Stopping the Run in the 4-3 Defense

Stopping the Pass in the 4-3 Defense

Defending 10 Personnel from an Even Front

Ty Gower:

Adding More Tools For Your Defensive Toolbox

Defensive Weekly Game Prep-Saturday To Game Day Guide To Winning The Battle

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In this episode, AJ Smith, offensive coordinator for the Houston Roughnecks, helps us keep our call sheets and game plans simple, while continuing to evolve as coaches.

Show Notes:

Additional Episodes with AJ Smith:

OC Office Hour

The Most Important Components of Offense

Related Resources:

Official Air Raid Certification

Air Raid Blog

2023 National Air Raid Convention

2023 Official Air Raid Masters

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As your team gets to the middle part of the season, it is important to be in tune with what your players are feeling physically as the reps of the season begin to take their toll.

Today, coaches have access to all kinds of technology to help be in sync with our players. These tools allow us to better understand what reps to give players in practice, how to scale back, and how to push them when necessary.

In this episode, two coaches share their philosophies and approaches to keeping their teams healthy and performing optimally as the season rolls on.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

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The mid-season self-scout provides insight into the calls we move forward with as well as what we need to do to keep our culture at the heart of our team’s performance.

In this episode, two coaches put together these two aspects of your team’s performance to this point in the season, providing actionable data to optimize your chances for success in the second half of the season.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

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The mid season is definitely a time to keep a focus on developing fundamentals and football IQ for how those fundamentals are applied within the context of the game.

In this episode, we talk with three coaches about how they use competition and accountability to keep their teams engaged, as well as what is emphasized in meetings, practice periods, and drills to accomplish that end. Each coach shares an idea on how they keep their teams focused so that execution on game day is as sharp as possible. These ideas can provide great value to your team here in the mid season.

Coaches Featured in This Episode:

Show Notes:

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The self-scout is an invaluable tool for any offensive coordinator. It involves a thorough analysis of one's own team's offensive tendencies and performance. It helps you identify patterns in your play calling and maximizes your strengths and weaknesses.

Ultimately, self-scouting promotes adaptability and unpredictability, key elements in outsmarting opposing defenses. It provides a roadmap for improvement, making us more versatile and better equipped to win by constantly evolving and staying one step ahead of the competition.

That’s what we will be discussing with James Vint today. We take a look at simple ways to look at the data that are efficient with your time yet produce actionable information to put your offensive in a position to win. The actionable part is the wrinkles and adjustments that you strategically implement as the season rolls on. We cover all of that with Coach Vint.

Show Notes:

Coach Vint Resources:

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