On this week's episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Sean Lewis, Head Coach at San Diego State.

Coach Lewis shares his journey into the coaching profession, the offensive philosophy that helped accelerate his rise to a young head coach, and the lessons learned through both success and adversity along the way. He also discusses the importance of staying involved in the evolution of the game through his role on the AFCA Board of Trustees.

From early career decisions to leading at the FBS level, this episode provides valuable insight for coaches at every stage of the profession.

Follow Coach Lewis and San Diego State Football: Twitter/X: @TheHC_CoachLew | @FA_SDSU

Be sure to follow Inside the Headset on your favorite podcast platform, and subscribe for new episodes every week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review—it helps other coaches find the show.

🔗 https://linktr.ee/insidetheheadset 🔗 For more information on joining the AFCA, visit https://www.afca.com

1:10 Introduction 1:27 When did you know you wanted to coach? 2:51 First job and offensive approach 4:07 The conversation that got you into coaching 5:34 Path to Nebraska 7:01 First AFCA Convention experience 8:53 Comparing GA roles 10:31 Early eye-opening lessons 11:42 Opportunity at Akron 13:12 Navigating unexpected situations 15:36 Starting at Akron 16:18 Lessons from difficult seasons 17:42 Being let go 18:54 Career outlook and next steps 21:01 Preparing for interviews 24:21 Honesty in leadership 25:43 Staff dynamics 27:27 Evolution of roles 28:21 Adjustments as OC/QB coach 30:50 Offensive success at Bowling Green 32:58 Lessons from Syracuse 35:55 Becoming a young head coach 37:15 Transition from HC to OC 38:46 New offensive perspective 40:36 Returning to head coaching 41:58 Role on AFCA Board of Trustees 43:54 Closing