The Gridiron Warrior Podcast | Episode 1: Freshman Football Training with Coach Michael Gragg

Welcome to the first episode of The Gridiron Warrior Podcast. In this conversation, Coach Michael Gragg (Head Strength Coach, Harding University) breaks down his approach to training freshman football players, building developmental lifts, and running challenges that build toughness and unity.

If you’re a high school or small college coach, this episode gives you a blueprint for preparing your young athletes for the next level.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Episode Intro & Welcome
• 01:00 – Coach Gragg’s background & journey into S&C
• 03:40 – Why football and family drive his career
• 07:15 – Freshman onboarding: developmental lifts from Day 1
• 11:00 – High school vs. college prep: what should coaches focus on?
• 13:30 – Managing maturity and coachability in new athletes
• 16:00 – In-season strength programming for developmental players
• 20:50 – The Red Dog Challenge & building culture with competition
• 25:30 – Why “doing hard things” still matters in today’s training climate
• 27:40 – Handling egos, entitlement, and buy-in challenges
• 30:40 – Transitioning freshmen into the main group at semester’s end
• 34:00 – Final advice for high school coaches: keep it consistent, keep it simple
•