Like a Kid at Christmas
By John Scanlan “When you lift weights, it’s like strappin’ metal around your joints.” I will always remember that line. Our new head football coach, Mr. Perry Griffith, had screamed that very sentence at us. It was a valiant attempt to…
Freshmen Development “Analyze, Apply, Adapt” (Part I)
By Bryan Miller, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach United States Naval Academy The only aspect of college football that is more competitive, viscous and relentless than game day is recruiting. College football coaches invest an unfathomable amount of time, money…
Changing the Culture
by Gifford Lindheim, Head Football Coach Santa Monica College In 2009, I was asked to become the interim Head Football Coach at Santa Monica College three weeks before the start of fall camp. They were on probation, had no full…
Beyond the Scoreboard: What Football Means to Me – Win or Lose
The mention of love in society generally conjures visions of hearts and flowers, creating a Disney-like mental picture of romantic relationships. The masculinity and machismo often associated with the gridiron does not immediately surface in this affectionate imagery. Still, love…
VIDEO: Character First Coaching Philosophy
by John Sala Head Coach Anderson University (IN) As I have matured and grown as as coach, my priorities have done so, as well. From the time I started my head coaching journey (age 29) to now (43), the lens…
8 Parts of the Body That are Crucial to Quarterback Accuracy
by Mitch Dahlen Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, College of Idaho As a quarterback coach, I am always wanting my guys to be more accurate. Getting to the magical 70% completion rate is a tough but attainable goal through constant…
Building a Successful International Football Program
By Tim Tobin, High School, College and International Coach 1. Long Term All of the clubs that I have worked with or spoke to that are now successful have strong youth programs which have developed the skills of their…
Variations of the 3-3 Stack Defense
Running a 3-3 stack or any other Odd Front defense allows for many advantages that offenses must contend with each week. On the most basic level, 3-Down fronts demand that the offense prepare for multiple pressure threats that could come…
What Football Means to Me – Win or Lose
When I was eleven years old, my life changed forever. I walked into a room that smelled like an armpit. A man with a hook for an arm frowned at me, pointed toward a bunch of equipment and said “grab…
COVERAGE 101: General Thoughts, Zone Principles, Coverage Menu
GENERAL THOUGHTS 1 – “Picks in ZONE, Break-Ups in MAN” 2 – Individualized Player Vision Capability Progression 3 – Saban/Dantonio Field Zone and Receiving Threats Understanding 4 – “Routes occur at 3-13-33” 5 – UNDER COVERAGE IN ZONES = IDEAL…