15 Slight Variations To The “Smash” Concept
I’m certain that one constant of every coaches playbook is the “Smash” concept – the Hitch route by the outside WR and a corner route by the slot WR. It’s a great cover 2 beater and an easy read of…
Happy Birthday to the Ultimate Leader
What are the characteristics of a great leader? I have spent the last few months writing about great people and football coaches. I have learned a lot from those guys. But, my ultimate role model for coaching never played a…
“Whiteboard Wallpaper” Your War Room / Office this Offseason
I was tired of a small and overused white board that had been in my office for years. It was too small for me to put anything of significance on and had been used so much that the middle of…
THE H.O.P.E FOUNDATION: An Update for 2015
Hugh Freeze, the head football coach at the University of Mississippi, is considered by many as this season’s Football Bowl Subdivision Coach of the Year. He led the Rebels to a regular season of 9-3, a top twenty ranking, and…
Coach Russell’s Ruminations – December
I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and happy holiday season! It’s the best time of the year (Bowl Season!) as we get to take some time to be around our friends and family, and reflect on how lucky we…
Quality Control
As we head into the winter/off-season and jump into our film study from the 2014 season, please find below some ideas for areas of analysis as you reflect on the past year. These are the areas that we will focus…
Hartigan Continues to Prove Himself as a Program Builder
Jim Hartigan is only adding to his reputation as JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano (CA) continues to win. Hartigan took over at the private school in 2007 after it had gone 2-27 the three previous seasons and…
Using Half-Field Coverage to Double Team a Single WR
Facing a great WR who can exploit one-on-one matchups can be a difficult challenge for a defense. Coordinators are often faced with the challenge of assigning more than one player to cover just one offensive weapon, which becomes particularly problematic…
The Firm Always Knows Best
I hear an expression several times throughout the season (including last week) and every now and then during the off-season: The Firm. The Firm is Smith, Smith, Coverdale and Holcomb. More specifically, Homer Smith, Chuck Smith, Andrew Coverdale, and Mike…
Can Bishop Gorman Win a National Title With a Frontloaded slate?
Tony Sanchez has not lost an in-state game since he took over at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) heading into the 2009 season and, as such, he set his sights on a higher prize: a national title. Sanchez has worked…