Inside the Headset with the AFCA

This week on Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Grant Olson, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at North Dakota State University.

Coach Olson shares his journey from student assistant to defensive coordinator at his alma mater, with lessons learned at Wyoming and Indiana State, the influence of NDSU's coaching tradition, and the honor of being selected for the AFCA 35 Under 35 program.

📌 Inside the Headset delivers weekly conversations with coaches from all levels of football.

• 1:13 – Introduction

• 1:50 – Deciding to pursue coaching

• 3:30 – Lineage of successful NDSU coaches

• 5:15 – Coaching at your alma mater

• 8:45 – Balancing past success with motivation

• 10:55 – Starting as an NDSU student assistant

• 14:20 – Moving from engineering to coaching

• 15:40 – Graduate assistant role at Wyoming

• 21:20 – Highs and lows at Wyoming

• 23:30 – Managing player-to-coach relationships

• 25:50 – Challenges as a graduate assistant

• 27:40 – First full-time role at Indiana State

• 33:45 – Lessons from first position

• 35:00 – Returning to NDSU

• 40:15 – Full-circle success coaching linebackers

• 46:55 – Taking on Special Teams Coordinator role

• 50:35 – Transition to Defensive Coordinator

• 55:37 – AFCA 35 Under 35 experience

• 58:30 – Closing thoughts

On this week's episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Khenon Hall, the Associate Head Coach and Running Backs Coach at Baylor University.

Coach Hall shares his coaching journey, how he overcame a career-ending injury, and his approach to developing running backs at the college level. From growing up in the Dallas high school football scene to coaching stops at New Mexico, Illinois State, Texas Southern, SMU, and now Baylor, Hall explains how resilience and perseverance have shaped his path.

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more coaches and fans discover Inside the Headset.

• 1:12 – Introduction

• 2:34 – When did you know you wanted to coach?

• 4:00 – Growing up in Texas high school football

• 8:00 – Transitioning into a student assistant role after injury

• 10:48 – Adjusting to the coaching lifestyle

• 13:31 – Early rewarding moments

• 17:15 – Opportunity to become a GA at New Mexico

• 23:26 – Considering coaching at the high school level

• 29:38 – Overcoming adversity as a GA and mentoring younger coaches

• 33:20 – First position group as DB coach at Illinois State

• 37:25 – Importance of developing as a recruiter and RB coach

• 41:08 – Being let go from Illinois State

• 47:07 – Opportunity at Texas Southern

• 51:06 – The value of the running back position

• 54:50 – Transition to SMU as RB coach and Run Game Coordinator

• 59:25 – Coaching differences between public and private schools

• 1:02:00 – Decision to join Baylor

• 1:08:08 – Growth as Baylor's Associate Head Coach

• 1:11:57 – One sentence of advice for young coaches

• 1:12:30 – Conclusion

Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm welcomes Jericho Silvernail, Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Long Beach City College.

In this episode, Coach Silvernail details his coaching journey, the challenges he's faced, and how he earned recognition as part of the 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.

• 01:11 – Introduction

• 01:30 – When did you know you wanted to coach?

• 04:21 – First coaching stop at Santiago High School

• 06:05 – Making the big leap early in your career

• 07:50 – Handling adversity and adapting in your role

• 09:10 – Coaching at Cerritos High School

• 13:00 – Preparing to be a Special Teams Coordinator

• 18:42 – Getting started at Long Beach City College

• 23:00 – Promotion to Defensive Front Coordinator

• 26:25 – Transitioning to the Offensive Line

• 29:35 – Path to Associate Head Coach & Special Teams Coordinator

• 31:20 – Why apply for the AFCA 35 Under 35 program

• 34:00 – Conclusion

📲 Follow Coach Silvernail & Long Beach City Football:

• @CoachSilvernail

• @LBCCFB_VGOH

🎧 Subscribe to Inside the Headset for new episodes every week featuring conversations with coaches across all levels of football.

This week on Inside the Headset, presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Cody Alexander, owner of MatchQuarters. Cody takes us inside his coaching journey—from his early days at the high school level in Oklahoma and Texas to his time as a Defensive Intern and GA at Baylor.

In this episode, Cody shares valuable coaching lessons, discusses the challenges and growth moments that shaped his career, and explains how he built MatchQuarters into one of football's go-to resources for defensive strategy and education.

Timestamps: 1:12 – When Cody knew he wanted to coach 4:15 – Landing his first coaching job 6:45 – Early career challenges 9:40 – Coaching in Oklahoma vs. Texas 12:50 – Starting Life Waxahachie High School football 16:12 – Becoming a Defensive Intern at Baylor 26:30 – Life after the GA role 34:10 – Growth through coaching at Texas high schools 40:40 – Changes in his second stint at Life Waxahachie HS 46:28 – Building the MatchQuarters platform 56:20 – About MatchQuarters today 57:55 – Conclusion

Follow Cody Alexander: @The_Coach_A More Inside the Headset Episodes: https://linktr.ee/insidetheheadset

In this episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Chris Stutzreim, Head Football Coach at Rocky Mountain College. Coach Stutzreim shares his coaching journey from player to graduate assistant and eventually head coach, offering valuable insights into program building, leadership development, and the importance of genuine relationships in football.

We discuss how he navigated the transfer portal, secured his first coaching position, adapted to new offensive systems, and prepared to lead his own program. He also reflects on personal growth as a coach and the impact of the AFCA 35 Under 35 program.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps: 01:12 – Intro 01:55 – When did you know you wanted to coach? 03:35 – Personal transfer portal experience 05:50 – Landing a GA role at William Penn 07:28 – Transitioning from player to coach 13:24 – Reconnecting with a former coach to start a career 17:34 – Preparing to be an offensive coordinator 20:00 – Adapting to new positions and offensive systems 26:10 – Taking over the offense at Rocky Mountain 28:30 – Flexibility and recruiting strategies 32:22 – Brief stop at Southwestern Oklahoma State 34:33 – Did leaving and returning help secure the head coach role? 37:00 – Building relationships with the athletic department 38:53 – Personal growth as a head coach 43:30 – The value of the AFCA 35 Under 35 program 45:39 – Final thoughts and conclusion

🔗 Follow Coach Stutzreim: @Coach_Stutz 🔗 Rocky Mountain Football: @Rocky_Football 🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes: linktr.ee/insidetheheadset

This week on Inside the Headset, presented by CoachComm sat down with Colorado School of Mines Head Coach Bob Stitt to talk about his return to the sidelines, how he's using the Scorability Database to improve recruiting, and what it means to lead the Orediggers again as a Hall of Famer.

Coach Stitt also reflects on his earlier success at Mines, shares insight from his time at Montana and Texas State, and breaks down his lasting impact on offensive football including the popular jet sweep pass.

🎧 Episode Timestamps:

• 1:12 – Introduction

• 2:00 – Returning to the profession

• 5:50 – Adapting to modern recruiting

• 8:10 – Using the Scorability Database

• 12:44 – Early coaching influences

• 15:40 – Gaining exposure in the profession

• 18:25 – Most impactful early coaching stop

• 21:09 – Turning around the Mines program

• 24:00 – The evolution of the jet sweep

• 33:20 – Returning as Hall of Fame head coach

• 37:38 – Experience at Montana and being let go

• 43:45 – Viewing the game as an analyst

• 47:48 – Time at Texas State

• 50:18 – Conclusion

If you're passionate about coaching, recruiting, or innovative offensive football, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.

On this episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Alex Golesh, Head Football Coach at the University of South Florida. Coach Golesh takes us behind the scenes of his transition into the USF program, sharing insights on preparing for a head coaching role, adapting to the modern recruiting landscape, and building a strong team culture from the ground up.

Whether you're a football coach, administrator, or fan of the game, this conversation is packed with leadership lessons and real-world takeaways from one of college football's rising head coaches.

• What Alex Golesh prioritized before accepting the USF job

• How he planned and approached his first year as a head coach

• Strategies for recruiting and retaining players in 2025

• How to instill culture within a new football program

• The importance of learning from past coaching experiences

🎧 Listen and subscribe: Inside the Headset – Linktree

📲 New episodes every week featuring top voices in football leadership and coaching development.

On this week's episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Winston DeLattiboudere III, Defensive Line Coach for the Arizona Cardinals.

Coach DeLattiboudere shares his inspiring journey from playing college football to coaching in the NFL. He talks about making the transition from player to coach, the challenges that come with career moves—both personally and professionally—and the importance of staying organized throughout the coaching grind.

In this conversation, Coach opens up about:

• His decision to leave playing behind and pursue coaching full-time

• The impact coaching transitions have on family and relationships

• His early experiences as a Graduate Assistant at Charlotte

• Being let go from Oregon and how he bounced back through persistence

• Coaching at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, and taking on leadership roles

• How the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship helped prepare him for the NFL

• His recent recognition as a member of the 2024 AFCA 35 Under 35 class and what that honor means to him

This episode is packed with valuable insight for aspiring coaches, current coaches navigating career challenges, and anyone passionate about leadership and growth in football.

Subscribe to Inside the Headset for new episodes every week featuring impactful stories from coaches at every level of the game.

This week on Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Aaron Fierbaugh, the Safeties Coach at Liberty University and a 2025 member of the AFCA 35 Under 35 class.

In this episode, Coach Fierbaugh shares his coaching journey—from his start as a student assistant at Auburn to his current role at Liberty. He discusses the value of patience, taking roles that build long-term success, and the importance of family and mentorship in the coaching profession.

🎙️ Topics include:

• Starting as a student assistant at Auburn

• Working in quality control roles at South Carolina

• Transitioning into full-time coaching

• Coaching at Coastal Carolina and Liberty

• The value of networking and leadership opportunities

• Insights from the AFCA 35 Under 35 experience

This episode is a must-listen for coaches navigating the early stages of their careers.

🔗 Follow Coach Fierbaugh on Twitter: @Aaron_Fierbaugh 🔗 Follow Liberty Football: @LibertyFootball

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This week, we're joined by Jernaro Gilford, Cornerbacks Coach at BYU, as he reflects on his coaching path—from playing for the Cougars to returning to lead young men at his alma mater. Coach Gilford dives into his early career, lessons learned at Southern Utah, and the power of building genuine relationships with players.

Whether you're a young coach looking to grow or a seasoned veteran, this conversation offers valuable insight on developing as a leader in the football coaching profession.

🗓 Episode Highlights – Getting started in coaching – Playing career at BYU – Making the transition to coaching – Lessons from the D3 and FCS levels – Coaching at your alma mater – Why relationships matter in coaching

🔗 Connect with us Follow: @jernarogilford | @BYUfootball More episodes: linktr.ee/insidetheheadset