Today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast continues its “Home Team” series with guest host Joel Nellis, and today’s guest, South Dakota State offensive line coach and running game coordinator Jason Eck.

Eck helped SDSU set single-season records for scoring, total offense and total offense per game last season. The team also had a program-best 11 wins and reached the FCS semifinals for the first time.

Eck also had previous stops at Montana State, Minnesota State, Western Illinois, Hampton, Ball State, Winona State and Idaho. After graduating from Wisconsin in 1999, he remained with the Badgers as a graduate assistant, then moved on to the same position at Colorado.

On today’s show, Eck discusses the importance of making decisions as a family, and how his commitment to his family inspires his players.

Show Notes

3:34 Eck gives the story of how he met his wife

7:54 Invaluable character traits that makes his wife special

9:21 Being married to a coach

10:27 Introducing his children

12:43 Unique characteristics of his sons

14:59 Being a parent, not a coach, to his kids

17:13 Making youth football fun

19:48 Deciding on the right time to have children

22:41 Making a job decision with the family

27:20 Living in different locations

29:37 Changing jobs with the family

33:47 Carving out time in-season for his wife

36:34 Bringing kids to team practices and office

41:22 How he learned from being around his dad

42:29 Overcoming challenges in work/family balance

47:38 Players seeing commitment to family

50:12 Leaving a lasting legacy with his family in coaching