The Flatwoods Legend
*This was originally printed in June, 2013 by the Maysville Ledger Independent It was 1996 and my first trip to Flatwoods to face the Russell Red Devils. It was past 7:30, time for kickoff. And I walked to the hash…
Powering Through the “Lulls” of Preseason
Recently I sat down with a fellow coach, and with August upon us, the discussion turned to the upcoming preseason. The main topic was the lull that most of us experience scheduling-wise during preseason. That is, a week into preseason…
The Triple Option B-Back
The B-Back is the heart and soul of any triple option offense. Sometimes called a “fullback”, the B-Back must above all be a tough runner, not afraid of contact. Whether or not he ends up getting the ball during the…
The University of Sioux Falls Six Basics of Defense
Last month, we talked about our three weapons (eyes, hands, and feet) that we teach each player as a part of our defense at the University of Sioux Falls. This month we will advance in our progression to what we…
Developing Toughness Through Strongman Training/ Gut Check Workouts
Toughness is a characteristic that is highly desirable in football players. The ability to endure, adapt and overcome is a trait that allows teams and players to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. As coaches, we are always looking for…
Kicking Scrimmage – Practicing Special Teams, Third Down Offense, and The Free Kick
Years ago I heard now retired coach Wally Hood present a clinic on the kicking scrimmage. This special teams focused scrimmage format allowed a team to work all phases of the game, but gave emphasis and most reps to the…
Starting the Season: Firsts Things first – Remembering What is Important
We started a ceremony here a few years ago to start our pre-season. The purpose of the ceremony was to help us focus on the things that are most important: 1- Football is fun. We have grown up watching…
42 Rules for Getting Better at Practice
Practice. How do you use it? How do your players view it? Hopefully, they don’t disparage it like Allen Iverson did in this famous interview. As coaches, we understand the importance of it. Some of us may even prefer practice…
3 Quick Drills for LBs – Man Coverage
This month, in keeping with the theme of my last few posts, I’d like to share three quick drills I use to work on man coverage with my linebackers. This is interesting for me to share, because this is one…
A Variation of “The Pit” in Daily D-line Drills
In my May article in American Football Monthly, I outlined the everyday drills I use to prepare my d-linemen to read offensive blocks. I sometimes find that they do become robotic in their approach to “The Pit”. So, I…