Hall of Fame coach Jerry Faulkner and host David Green open a coaching series with a practical, candid conversation about one of the hardest parts of coaching, selecting a team.
They also tie the discussion to a larger point: the same communication, judgment, and leadership skills matter in business and parenting too.
In this episode, Jerry shares how he handled cuts, why he focused on building the best team rather than simply keeping the best individual players, and how he communicated with players and parents to avoid surprises and resentment.
David adds examples from football, including manager-to-player success stories that show how development can take time.
Key topics
Jerry Faulkner explains that he did not call the process “tryouts” because players had already been evaluated through junior varsity, B team, and open gym work before November
He describes his roster model, which was usually 12 players and later 13, built around practice structure and team balance rather than talent alone
In Jerry’s view, coaches should select the 12 players who make up the best team, not necessarily the 12 best athletesHe stresses the importance of roster balance by position, class year, and role, saying you cannot build a team with all guards, all seniors, or all post players
Jerry strongly prefers face-to-face communication when making cuts, telling each player directly in alphabetical order with an assistant coach present. He says posting a roster on a bulletin board is one of the poorest ways to handle team selectionJerry emphasizes honesty with players, especially those near the cut line, by telling them exactly where they stand and whether they are likely to play meaningful minutesHe often gave players the option to leave the team or stay on as managers, which created opportunities for later growth
Jerry shares the story of David Dabbs, a player he first cut who later returned as a manager, made the team, became a captain, and illustrates why he believes coaches should never give up on kids
David Green shares a similar story about Chris Robbins, who began as a manager, later played in high school, and eventually walked on at Clemson and earned playing time there
The conversation shifts to how Jerry evaluated freshmen and JV players by looking at both physical ability and character, using the question “can he” and “will he”
Jerry explains his rule that JV teams were primarily for ninth graders, not tenth graders, because he wanted younger players to compete up and develop against tougher competition
For borderline freshmen, he required varsity players to be in the rotation and expected meaningful minutes, not just a varsity uniform
Jerry says he always communicated the varsity versus JV decision with both the player and parents, including the sacrifices involved with varsity play
David and Jerry discuss how football adds another layer of evaluation because size and growth spurts can change everything over timeJerry explains how smaller, late-developing players can improve through reps, weight room work, and patience, using examples like Noel Garcia
They close by framing coaching as a transferable skill set that applies to business, leadership, and working with children, not just athletics
Action items for coachesEvaluate players all year long, not just during formal tryout weekBe direct and honest about role expectations, especially with borderline playersMeet individually with athletes to learn their goals, family context, and motivationBuild rosters around balance, not just raw talentGive late-developing athletes time, reps, and a path to grow into larger rolesCommunicate clearly with parents before and after roster decisionsLook for character traits like effort, coachability, and resilience, not just skill
