Keep Your Pads Down!

In this episode of KYPD, we sit down with McKinney High School Offensive Coordinator and CoHost of the "Run the Power" podcast, Rowdy Harper. Coach Harper talks about his days playing offensive line for the University of Houston, coaching and winning a state championship at his alma mater at Broken Arrow High School, and developing his identity as an offensive coordinator. Coach also shares some of his teaching points for the Lions' outside zone and power schemes and then talks about some offensive line fundamentals. We then close out the show asking Coach Harper about game day superstitions, the best stadiums he's ever coached/played in and his favorite eating spots in McKinney.

In this special episode of KYPD, we welcome on four members of the 2017 Pleasant Grove High School State Championship football team, the school's first ever state championship in football. Each of them talk about the program's head coach, Josh Gibson, and the impact he had on them, the difficulties they faced in the seasons leading up to '17, and then what they did individually and as a team to help the Hawks claim their first state championship.

vIQtory Sports founder and Bellingham High School (MA) Defensive Coordinator Chris Haddad joins KYPD to talk about the awesome resources vIQtory provides for football coaches. Coach created vIQtory in 2016, and since then the platform has grown exponentially and become an invaluable resource for football coaches on every level. Coach talks about things he's learned since beginning vIQtory, how he balances his time between the platform and coaching football, and the longtime Boston sports fan gives his thoughts on Mac Jones and the Boston Celtics.

In this episode of KYPD, Coach Gambill talks about growing up in and coaching in Allen, Texas--perhaps one of the most high pressure places to play and coach in the State of Texas. Coach also talks about being a coach's kid and coaching with his dad before diving in to talking some football. Coach Gambill talks about about installing his defense there at Rowlett and how he has tweaked what they do in order to best suit the needs of their personnel.

In one of our most powerful episodes to date, Coach Kyle Segler, Tackles/Tight Ends Coach at University of Louisiana Monroe, shares his story that includes being named one of AFCA's top 35 Coaches Under 35 to being fired 18 months later. Coach Segler discusses his upbringing as a coach's kid and his rise through the coaching ranks that included playing for two national championships, being fired in back to back seasons and losing his dad to cancer. Coach Segler shares the lessons he's learned from his coaching career up to this point, including dealing with the stages of grief, staying positive and focused, the importance of "keeping the main thing the main thing," and pressing forward in the midst of adversity.

In this episode of KYPD, Robert Morris University Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Dave Plungas joins us to talk about the Colonial's 3rd down defense. Specifically we get into Defensive Line movements and twist games and Coach's teaching points and coaching cues for those which includes teaching his defensive linemen the offensive line's blocking rules. We then talk about Coach's routine for breaking down opponents, dissecting offensive line pass protections, and then we close out the show asking Coach Plungas--a diehard Cleveland sports fan--what the Browns should do with Baker Mayfield and if the Cavaliers should bring back Lebron.

In our first "Inside Drill" episode of the season, Coach Taylor is talking about culture; specifically, what makes the culture of the program where he coaches at Pleasant Grove so special. The Hawks played for three straight state titles from 2017 to 2019, winning the 4A DII Championship in 2017 and 2019 en route to becoming one of the most successful programs in the State of Texas in that time period. Coach Taylor attributes much of that success to the elite culture that Head Coach Josh Gibson brought with him to Pleasant Grove and talks specifically about the Hawks' four core values and three standards that make up the foundation of the Pleasant Grove program.

University of New Hampshire Defensive Line Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Garrett McLaughlin joins us for Episode #133! We spend some time talking special teams, including coaching points for kick off, punt, punt return, and ask Coach which special teams rule he'd like to see change. We then get into some defensive line play and hear from Coach about how he utilizes film study when preparing his guys for upcoming opponents.

Louisiana Tech Assistant Linebackers Coach Neema Behbahani joins us today for episode #132! Coach Behbahani and I talk about how he got into coaching and what he's learned in his short time at Tech. We then get into the Bulldog's coaching progression for their Linebackers, drill progression, playing man coverage, and a whole lot more!

In this episode of KYPD, we talk with Ursinus College Defensive Line Coach Jake Menard. Coach Menard talks to us about what the Bears have been focusing on in their practices this spring, including some of his favorite every day drills and coaching cues. We also get into some pass rush and then discuss both the advantages and challenges that come with coaching Division 3 football.