Coach Russell’s Ruminations – April
Happy Spring coaches. It has finally arrived – even here in beautiful central Vermont! This month’s first thought pertains directly to the weather, and what a twisted sense of humor Mother Nature seems to have. We are heading toward our…
Teaching Methodology Ideas for Spring Football
Please find in this blog a few of the points of emphasis that we have as a staff as we begin spring football this week. Although they are not revolutionary, they do come out of some focused and concentrated work…
Protecting Our Players, Protecting Our Game
In many of my conversations, both on the road recruiting and among other colleagues at the college level, I continue to hear a disturbing trend regarding what those in our profession are challenged to deal with in the midst of…
Old School Leadership for the 21st Century
Are you tired of the mumbo jumbo/ big word leadership phrases of the 21st century? Would you like to see a return to the old school values of character, toughness, and serving others? Has the age of entitlement frustrated you…
Attacking the Problem and Avoiding the Distractions
As football coaches, do we prioritize and address the issues that affect our student-athletes and the great game of football? In the state of Kentucky, we have experienced changes in restrictions for June and July regarding what we can and…
Dramatic Changes to Transfer Law in Two States
Two of the best states for high school football will be voting to go in polar opposite directions when handling transfers. Florida took the first step in approving a proposal Thursday to essentially create sports free agency, while New Jersey…
Linebacker Fundamentals – Day 3
On day 1 we taught the fundamentals of linebacker play. In building a base, we stressed playing great technique (stance, read steps, playing low, angles), reading the triangle, reacting to flow for run or pass, gap responsibilities, option responsibilities and…
Coach Russell’s Ruminations – March
At Norwich University, and many similar schools, March means crunch time for recruiting. The majority of our time on the road is done, hundreds of phone calls are being made, and the all-important financial aid packages are going out. With…
Getting Outside with the Inside Zone
One thing I’ve noticed over the last few years is that it is becoming increasingly harder to get outside with the Outside Zone/Toss Sweep play. I’m not talking about the stretch play that often cuts inside the end man and…
Be Organized In Recruiting
The recruiting process is a confusing time for parents, exciting for players & arduous for collegiate coaches. As head coaches we can help the process along by being detailed and organized. Today I will detail how we try to…