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VOLUME 20
APRIL 2014
4
CEO TO
HEAD COACH
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y Steve Mooshagian - Head Coach - Ventura College
W
e expect our wide receivers to
not only run detailed and precise
routes, but be efective blockers.
Our wide receiver philosophy consists of:
1. Giving maximumefort.
2. Knowing your assignments.
3. The desire and willingness to block
efectively and efciently.
4. The desire to catch every ball thrown to
you.
5. The willingness to improve your skills.
Wide Receiver Blocking Mechanics
We have blocking rules for our wide
receivers. When a WR is required to block the
force player, we designate himasMDM or the
Most Dangerous Man. The MDM is defned as
the secondary defender aligned closest to the
line of scrimmage. The base split for an outside
WR assigned to block this player is eight yards
from the end line of scrimmage.
The basic rules for the WR in this situation
include:
- Drlve on the MDM at the llne of scrlmmage
and block him if he remains the closest
secondary defender to the LOS at the snap of
the ball.
- |f the MDM changes at the snap of the ball,
the WR adjusts his course and blocks the
defender that becomes the MDM.
- |f the secondary players on the wP's slde
of the ball are aligned at the same plane and
distance from the LOS, the WR should drive
of vertically and then adjust to the defender
who becomes the MDM.
- There ls a ve yard exceptlon rule. |f the
alignment is similar to the one listed above,
but the defenders are fve yards or closer to
the LOS when the ball is snapped, then the
safety automatlcally becomes the MDM. |n
this case, the WR needs to take a fat angle of
departure to the anticipated point of attack.
- There ls also a backslde 'cut-on rule.' when
a WR is on the back side of a run play, he will
be requlred to 'cut-on' one of the back slde
WI0 B0IVB BL00RIH6 0BILL8
Forced Read Drill (Diagram 2) The WR
pushes of vertically in this drill and reads the
force player. He then pursues the corner or
safety and blocks him.
Other drills you can use are the Backside Cut-
of Drill, the Mirror Drill and the Capture the
Leverage Drill (Diagram 3a-3c).
secondary support players. This is the time to
make sure the WR takes a normal split as he
would do for the majority of pass routes but,
on occasion, mix it up. This is especially true if
you have a required split to use on a particular
route. The angle of departure should be at the
butt of the closest defender to the WR that is
on the LOS usually an outside linebacker or
defensive end.
- ou usually wlll be blocklng the mlddle to
near safety working back to the back side
corner. The WR must keep his eyes on the
defender, not looking back at the ball carrier
and play snap to whistle.
Wide Receiver Blocking Drills
There are a number of drills that can be
practiced to improve the blocking techniques
of your wide receivers:
Four Cone Stalk Drill (Diagram 1) - |n thls
drill, the DB backpedals to a cone, then attacks
theWR. TheWRpushes upthe felduntil the DB
breaks and then the WR adjusts for the block.
Diagram 1: Four Cone Stalk Drill
Diagram 2: Force Read Drill
Diagram 3A: Backside Cut-Of Drill
Diagram 3B: Mirror Drill
Diagram 3C: Capture the Leverage Drill
About the Author: Steve Mooshagian is currently the
Head Coach at Ventura College. He has over 30 years
of coaching experience on the high school, college,
and NFL level. Mooshagian has been the head coach
at both Fresno City College and Sacramento State and
was an assistant coach with theCincinnati Bengals. He
played wide receiver for Jim Sweeney at Fresno State
and his father, Ray, was a head high school coach in
southern California for 31 years.
/-:
'//-;-
Strength & Conditioning Special Teams Program Management Offense Defense Strength & Conditioning Special Teams Program Management Offense Defense
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I
ndividual success in football is determined by technique and
physical skill. Two of the components of physical skill are linear
speed and change-of-direction (COD) speed. The degree to
which a player possesses speed is partly dependent on the amount
of strength, especially lower body strength, and fexibility that he has.
Strength and speed combine to create explosive force, which may be
even more important to football than speed itself. These components
arent very useful without the proper mechanics that are required to
carry them over from the drills or exercises to the game itself.
NFL coaches and scouts during the late 1960s and early 1970s
began to see that the teamwith the most speed usually won the game.
The trickle-down efect brought that understanding of a need for
speed down to every level of the sport. Like all other college football
him how to run faster, so we spend a lot of our drill time teaching
proper mechanics to get the results that we are looking for. Keep in
mind that our focus when training our athletes is to develop football
players, not just in achieving a great test score. We start our work to
develop speed in our players just like we start the efort to develop
other physical skills, and that is with testing. As a linear speed test, we
time the 40-yard dash for all positions except the ofensive line. With
them, we time the 20-yard dash. This is done on grass, because we play
on grass, and timed by hand. We use the pro shuttle, or 5-10-5, as a COD
speed test for all positions. We test all of the players that are new to our
program in January each year to get baseline data to give us an idea of
where we are starting with each player. We test the entire team again
before we start spring training to evaluate their individual progress.
programs, we recruit for speed and we train for speed.
At one point, coaches felt that a sprinter from the track team that
had recorded good times in his events could be taught to carry or catch
a football and have success as a football player. We now realize that
football speed is mostly about acceleration and track sprinters dont
get to full speed until 30-40 meters down the track. Football players
need to be at full speed at about 10 yards down the feld. A track
sprinter can maintain maximum speed for 50 or more meters while
a football player doesnt have to because of the change-of-direction
involved in the game. This is why you see so much emphasis placed on
10-yard sprint times when training acceleration to football players.
Within our speed development program, we understand that
telling an athlete to run faster doesnt do much good without showing
THENEED
FORSPEED
Base of Strength
Speed and power production is dependent on force production.
An athletes ability to create greater force when applying his foot to
the ground is going to result in faster speed times and higher jumps.
We use a basic periodization model to develop a base of strength and
power in the weight room. The exercises that we use include back
squats and front squats for strength, power cleans and hang cleans
for power, and glute/ham raises and reverse hypers for development
of the posterior chain. We use RDLs, clean pulls, and various other
assistive lifts as part of our teaching progression for our hang clean
and power clean.
When we get further along in our progression we will have our
athletes jerk, split jerk, snatch squat, and hang snatch. We put a lot
of emphasis on being consistent in using an armpit to shoulder-
width foot position with our squats, cleans, jumps, and stances in
our movement drills to try to gain carryover fromthe weight roomto
the feld and then to the game. We also consistently talk about force
application to the ground as part of our coaching points to the players.
Lunges, lateral lunges, box step-ups, lateral box step-ups, crossover
step-ups, and Bulgarian split squats are supplemental exercises that
we use. Box jumps and other plyometric moves are incorporated into
both our lifting sessions and our speed workouts.
Each workout usually consists of about two Olympic moves, two
strength moves, and two supplemental moves with recovery time
between sets appropriate to the phase within our periodization
cycle. This strength program is accomplished over a four-day split
with two of those days being primarily upper body exercises with
explosive exercises that include the bench press or incline bench, and
supplemental upper body exercises. The other two days focus on the
lower body. There are both weighted and un-weighted abdominal/
core exercises in our workout every day. We use a similar set-up in the
weight roomfor the summer programas we do for the spring.
Our in-season strength program consists of total body workouts
two days per week for our travel team and three days per week for
our scout team. The only changes that we have in season from the
exercises that we use in the summer is that we dont power clean very
often in season, we take out most of the plyos, and we dont take the
bar overhead during the season. Our workout volume is not as great in
season for our players but we try to push our scouts a little bit harder.
Linear Speed and Conditioning
for Football
Inthe spring, we train speed/movement twodays per week while in
the summer we train movement four days per week. Most of our speed
development work is done in the spring and we dont do anaerobic
conditioning in the spring. In the summer, most of the speed training
gives way to anaerobic conditioning by the middle of June. We dont
believe that it is possible to efectively train for speed while training for
anaerobic conditioning because we need more recovery time when
training for speed than is allowable when were training for anaerobic
conditioning. At the pace that the game is played today, were always
working on movement mechanics regardless of the time of year. We
say that to be fast, you have to train fast and to train fast you need a
lot of recovery time. Football coaches are sometimes uncomfortable
when watching speed workouts because of the pace of the workout.
They like the full speed drills but hate the long recovery time.
When working on linear speed, we progress into acceleration up
to the 10-yard distance, putting great emphasis on force application
into the ground on each step. We then work on the transition to the
maximum speed phaseandfnally focus on themaximumspeed phase.
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Having change-of-direction speed
is critical for skill position players.
By Reese Bridgman
Assistant Athletic Director for Strength and Conditioning
Norfolk State University
The Need for Speed continued on back cover
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I
m sure that, for the majority of coaches, the answer to the above
question is yes. This is the answer I receive most often but close
examinationof specifcprograms appears toindicateotherwise. Most
strength training programs do not focus on developing better athletes;
they focus on handling more weight in specifc strength exercises.
For example, it is not uncommon to fnd many strength training
rooms that have posters on the walls indicating how much weight
each athlete is lifting in the diferent exercises. If all the athletes are
not listed, then only the top scorers are listed for each exercise. These
charts are also used as motivational tools to push the athletes to lift
even more weight in the most important exercises.
Because how much weight you lift is looked at as an indicator of
athletic success, most coaches use programs inwhichmaximumweights
are used. This includes bodybuilding, powerlifting and Olympic lifting.
In bodybuilding, the athlete uses a weight training programto develop
both mass and strength. The players use single joint and multi-joint
exercises in a repetition range of 6 to 15 for three or more sets.
In powerlifting, the objective is usually to lift more weight to gain
greater strength in three movements - bench press, squat, and dead
lift. The increase in mass is most often a secondary consequence. In
Olympic lifting, the object is to use various Olympic lifting exercises
to develop not only strength but explosive power. To do Olympic lifts,
it is necessary to have additional equipment such as lifting platforms,
bumper plates and Olympic barbells. The athletes also need more time
to learn howto do the exercises, especially the snatch.
Are these programs best suited to develop better athletes or, more
specifcally, better football players? Will they improve the players
ability to perform on the feld? Will the athlete be better prepared to
execute the skills required of his position? Does the increased strength,
mass or explosive power developed in any of these programs transfer
directly to the athletes ability to perform on the feld? Most coaches
will answer yes to these questions but without any substantiation.
Close examination shows that there is very little correlation between
the gains achieved in the weight room and performance on the feld.
By Dr. Michael Yessis
President Sports Training, Inc.
Will your strength program transfer power
to the football eld?
Training as a bodybuilder, powerlifter or Olympic lifter is not
training like an athlete, or more specifcally a football player. A football
players requirements difer considerably from the gains experienced
in bodybuilding, powerlifting or Olympic lifting. Even the way certain
exercises are executedis not specifc tothe needs of most football players.
For example, execution of the squat is diferent in each of these
diferent sports. In bodybuilding, the athlete typically assumes a
stance in which the feet are shoulder width or wider. In powerlifting,
the sumo style squat is most often used in which the legs are spread
apart much wider than shoulder width. In Olympic lifting, the feet are
usually placed wider than shoulder width.
For a football player who must run, cut and jump, such as a wide
receiver or safety, the feet should be placed directly under the hips in
order to get maximum beneft from the squat. The reason for this is
that in running and jumping, the feet are directly under the hips. In
running, the feet are under the hips so that the forces generated in
the push-of are directed into the hips in a straight line in the same
direction as the run. In jumping, the feet must be directly under the
hips in order for all the forces to go directly upward. Even linemen,
when coming of the line have their feet under their hips when driving
forward. In cutting actions, the feet can be found directly under the
hips or out to the side. But rather than doing a wide stance squat, it is
more benefcial to execute exercises such as hip abduction with the
hips in motion, as for example, in the side lunge which more closely
duplicates the cutting action.
With Olympic lifts, there is no question that the athlete may become
more explosive. But there is no proof in theory or in practice - that this
explosive power will transfer to the execution of other skills. Transfer is
very specifc when it comes to execution of skills and is not specifc to
execution of most football skills. This has been well substantiated in
theory and practice.
Because transfer occurs as a general factor, it does not apply to
the execution of a specifc skill. It is quite often the opposite. Only
Strength Training continued on page 31
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There are no ofce hours
for champions.
- Paul Dietzel
47.
34.
37. The 35 Defensive Package: Schemes (Part I)
The 35 defensive package can adjust to multiple
formations and motion without having to change personnel.
By Matt Welch, Defensive Coordinator, Friends University
44. Punting Priorities: Rowan Universitys Special Teams
Philosophy and Punt Team Techniques
By Jay Accorsi, Head Coach, Rowan University
47. Defensive Blueprint: Lehighs 11 Keys
to a Championship Defense
By Gerald Wilcher, Co-Defensive Coordinator
Lehigh University
48. Web Exclusives: Articles only available
at AmericanFootballMonthly.com
50. Managing Your Program: Self Evaluation with Film
By Keith Grabowski, Ofensive Coordinator
Baldwin Wallace University
8 Ways to kick start your ZONE READ Takeaway Drills
VOLUME 20
MARCH 2014
4
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SAMSON Strength & Conditioning
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7 Coaches Share Their Winning Techniques
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Adapting the Up Tempo Spread Ofense to Todays Wing-T
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hen the subject of social media came up at a recent NFL HSPD Leadership Program session
for top high school student-athletes, NFL Player Engagement representatives had a unique
way of presenting the perils of posting on social media sites. One by one, they asked athletes
to stand up and read actual tweets they had sent out, which the NFL had previously collected and
projected on a big screen.
The results of the exercise werent pretty. Many tweets included foul language and derogatory
comments about coaches, teachers or students. Others mentioned drinking or drug use. While
it might have been embarrassing for the participants, the lesson was learned your character is
revealed by what you post on social media. Since tweets and Facebook postings are available for
the world to see, anything that refects poorly on a young athlete can easily be viewed by a recruiter,
coach or future employer as a red fag.
Like it or loathe it, social media is here to stay. Especially among youth, its become part of daily
life. The NFL has taken an active role in helping high school athletes understand how to and how not
to use their social media accounts by incorporating a presentation into the hundreds of events each
year where they interact with young athletes. AFM believes that coaches should follow their lead. By
using your position of authority, you can help your athletes understand that, as the police might say,
Anything you say can and will be used against you.
On the NFLs HSPD web site, in the Character Development section, theres a very helpful Social
Media Toolbox, prepared by Player Engagement, that contains a comprehensive list of dos and
donts for students who use Facebook, Twitter or any of the other social media services that seem
to be introduced daily (http://www.nfhspd.com/hs-player-development/character-development/).
There are many great tips, including one that sums up the overall message Dont post or tweet
anything that you wouldnt want your mother to read.
The Social Media Toolbox can be duplicated and distributed to your athletes or used as a guide
for a team discussion. Either way, its important for all young athletes to understand that they need
to think before they post, and you can help.
S
peaking of social media, at AFM we are transitioning to a new, more active profle in the world of
social media. Our main objective with our Twitter feed, twitter.com/FootballMonthly, Facebook
page, facebook.com/AmericanFootballMonthly, and recently-introduced Instagram page is to
share football knowledge with the coaching community. For us, that means introducing our followers
to articles and coaches blog postings that are only available through AFM and also keeping you up-
to-date on happenings in the world of football that we think might be of interest.
Well do our best to keep our content relevant, informative and entertaining. Even though some
of us here go back to the days of manual typewriters and rotary phones, were having fun with
social media and are open to suggestions about how we can get better. By all means, if you have
something that youd like to share with other coaches, youre welcome to post comments on our
Facebook page or tweet us directly. We thank our current followers and invite all coaches to become
part of the AFM social community.
John Gallup
Editor & Publisher
A i F tb llM thl
SOCIAL STUDIES
7 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
I
ootball speed training is too often confused
between what should be correctly conceived
versus what is incorrectly believed. This is rel-
evant to you if you have a desire to make changes
that will beneft the quality of each players speed
capability. Change that will maximize results
drastically. The majority of football coaches use
training applications that are not processing their
athletes football speed by the rule of specifcity.
That is, specifc applications that ofer pure value
and are not diluted with variations of diferent
training methods that will counter maximal speed
gain. The simple fact is that time doesnt allow for
you to cram things into speed development and
process quality results. You must have the correct
theory in place in order to optimize the training.
Finding whats specifcally relevant and whats
wasteful for quality production is the secret.
Are you Getting Speed Specifcs
from the Weightroom?
Lets begin with the weightroom as the best
place to start for discussing speed improvement.
Its important to not lose sight of the fact that lift-
ing has a vast pool of application choices. However,
you must be on target where speed is involved
when you train in the weightroom. Time in the
weightroom and running fast can be an oxymoron
in several ways. Training in the weightroom serves
many objectives. Speed can be the lesser of gained
value in the equation if the emphasis is primarily fo-
cused on fber growth, weight gain, increasing pure
strength and becoming more explosive.
Somewhere along the trail of multiple training
programs available, speed training garners the least
focused attention. The terms explosion and explo-
sive are the most overused words today in athletic
performance training. Its the closest term on the list
of training in the weightroom that has some conno-
tation toward being a value to speed. The problem,
however, is that explosionas a term suggests a syn-
ergized one-time impact of concussion.
Speed and Explosion Training
The problem with the single-motion explo-
sion theory with speed is that most speed-related
movements require multiple steps from point A
to point B, which requires a continuation of forces
applied. One time explosion doesnt lend transi-
tion to this activity. Running from A to B requires
several limb rotation cycles to reach the destina-
tion rapidly.
Running fast is a series of cyclic rotations that
must apply force each step taken. Many steps are
required with force continuously being applied
so the athlete can accelerate body mass to point
B. This cannot be duplicated in the weightroom.
The closest methods are speed resistance or
ground speed plyometrics.
Its difcult to apply the methods called ex-
plosion to each stride taken. Power and force
application is the key, not explosion. When
teaching players where impact is utilized, use
the word burst when running is involved. It
doesnt infer that the forces for dynamic ballistic
movement are a single explosion visualization.
Power and Force are the Backbone
for Specifc Speed
Weightlifting can be combined with speed
training. The best way is scheduling heavy days
in the weightroom and speed training on difer-
ent days. Secondary focus is to train for speed
two days a week and not 3 or 4. Recovery, not
hard work, helps produce improvement.
In the weightroom, you want power and
force, not slow strength. If you have a periodiza-
tion phase for power training, it should be closer
to in-season when you enter it into your practice
plan. You want your players coming to camp fast
and moving at their best.
The speed of muscle contraction cant be du-
plicated in a weightroom, nor can mechanical
running application, which is one of the most
misunderstood applications in America. This is
where strength coaches sometimes lose sight
of the diference between strength and power
when running fast is required.
Running is pure power, force, leverage and
impulse application. Force moves objects and
force applied to an object moves the object. The
greater the force the faster and farther the object
can travel. Body mass has a certain weight. When
force is applied to the ground, it gives back to the
body mass and moves it. The greater the force
applied, the farther and faster the object (body
mass) will move.
However, while applying force, we must realize
in the end that power is the agent of force that is
applied in a fast manner. Strength is applied that
has no required measurement for time or how
fast the object being forced upon must move to
point B. Power is the ability to apply force to an
object and creates fast movement of the object
to point B. Power, speaking from a standpoint
of speed and movement, is the most important
aspect to speed. Remember, the weight of your
mass is moved by fast strength (power) which is
applied to the ground each step. Therefore, your
training plan must include training forces faster
with measured resistances. High recovery should
be a 1-6 ratio with 3 reps per drill. That is, high
intensity movement with zero resistance.
Coach Baskett began his career as a football speed coach in
1979. During the last 35 years hes consulted and trained hun-
dreds of coaches and thousands of athletes nationwide. In the
last year he has worked directly with high schools in California,
Texas, Minnesota, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. Over the last few
years he has also consulted with Texas Tech, Ohio State, USC,
University of Washington, and the University of Mount Union.
You can reach him directly for more information or if you have
specifc questions on your training program. Coach Baskett is
at dbspeedt@hotmail.com and 858-568-3751.
By Dale Baskett, Football Speed Specialist
SPEED R
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The NFL PREP 100 Series presented by Under Armour and the National
Guard gives elite high school student-athletes meaningful
lessons in football and in life.
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Four state champion coaches rely on the Tempest FX sideline
communications system from CoachComm.
A
ll high school coaches know that
its critical to have clear, reliable
communications during a game.
The ability to share information
between coaches in the press box and those on
the sideline has, for years, determined much of a
teams in-game strategy. An interrupted signal or
unclear reception can spell disaster.
But the best coaches, those that win state
championships, also realize that they need to
have the most reliable and technologically-
advanced sideline communications available
if they want to have an edge in pressure-flled
state playof games, which are often held at the
largest stadiums in their state. So, more often
than not, they turn to the system that has the
same technology used by 97% of Division I col-
legiate programs the Tempest FX system from
CoachComm.
Tempest FX delivers high-performance, pow-
erful communications for coaches who want to
be champions. Reliability and clarity of headset
conversations are two of the most important fac-
tors that defne the best systems, and Tempest
FX rates high in each. The system also scores
big in fexibility, with up to four communica-
tions channels available enough for even the
largest coaching staf. State champion coaches
have found that, for an afordable investment,
they can get the peace of mind that comes from
having the best, most proven headset system
Tempest FX from the leader in coaches com-
munications CoachComm.
To learn more about how Tempest FX provides
winning coaches with trusted, reliable commu-
nications, we recently spoke to head coaches
of four prominent 2013 state champion teams.
Tony Sanchez led national powerhouse Bishop
Gorman in Las Vegas to their ffth consecutive
Nevada Division 1 state championship. Mark
Freeman coached the Spanish Fort Toros to
their 3rd Alabama 5A state championship in four
years. Last season, Ed Croson led Chaminade in
West Hills, California to their frst-ever CIF Divi-
sion II championship and Gabe Infante coached
St Josephs Prep in Philadelphia to their frst-ever
Pennsylvania AAAA state championship.
Last season, you coached your team to a state
championship. Can you sum up what the ex-
perience meant to you and the school commu-
nity?
Sanchez: This past season I was extremely proud
of the way in which we competed week in and
week out. We started of the year with some ad-
versity and our boys showed some real guts over
a 15-game football season and were playing
their best football at the end. There are so many
people involved in our success at Bishop Gor-
man and I know each and every one was proud
of the accomplishment.
Freeman: Winning the state championship was
a huge blessing to our players, coaches and com-
munity.
Croson: This was defnitely a milestone for us.
We have been close in years past, but to get over
the top gave us a tremendous sense of accom-
plishment. It was a unifying event for our school
and a culmination of a huge commitment by a lot
of people.
Infante: It was the culmination of many years
of hard work and sacrifce. The outpouring of
support and gratitude from our alumni, former
players and the entire Prep community was over-
whelming.
How long have you been using the CoachComm
Tempest FX sideline communication system?
Sanchez: Weve been using CoachComm head-
sets for fve years but this past season was our
frst using the Tempest FX sideline system.
Freeman: We have been using CoachComm for
several years. We hear of teams going into cer-
tain stadiums and communication is terrible. We
CHAMPION
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21 www.coachcomm.com Special Advertising Feature
Croson: Outstanding. Weve played in some big
venues and the high quality of the Tempest FX
system is consistent regardless of where we play.
Infante: The championship game, at Hershey
Park, was televised state-wide and there were
numerous agencies broadcasting the game so I
was a little concerned there might be some in-
terference with our system, but our Tempest FX
system performed fawlessly.
How many coaches on the sideline and in the
box use the system during a game? Do you
use diferent channels for diferent groups of
coaches?
recently upgraded to the Tempest FX system and
it is unbelievable.
Croson: Weve had the Tempest FX system for
two years. We had another CoachComm system
before we upgraded.
Infante: Last year was our frst year with the
Tempest FX, and I could not have been happier
with our choice.
How would you compare the system with other
systems youve used in the past?
Sanchez: The Tempest FX sideline system is by far
the best Ive used over the past 16 years. Our com-
1.800.749.2761 WWW.COACHCOMM.COM
Croson: For me, the most important feature of
the Tempest FX system is its reliability. Second
would be its outstanding clarity.
Infante: Obviously, reliability was a key concern
for us. We cant aford to have our communica-
tion system fail in the middle of one of our con-
tests. However, I think what attracted me most
was the systems versatility. We can confgure the
system to meet our unique needs.
How would you rate CoachComm in terms of
customer service and support?
Sanchez: Over the past fve plus years, I can say
that CoachComm has always had impeccable
Tempest FX ofers
the best coverage and
richest sound quality
of any system.
munication was really improved with this new
system which is a key to success on game day.
Freeman: The clarity on game night is second
to none. Our frst time to use the system was on
a nationally televised ESPN game in front of the
largest home crowd we have ever had. Our sta-
dium does not separate the bleachers and feld
because we dont have a track at this site. The
noise level would have afected us greatly if we
had not been using the Tempest FX system.
Croson: The Tempest FX system is much clearer
and much more dependable. We are happy with
the performance.
Infante: In one word, superior. The system gives
us unprecedented capabilities. It facilitated com-
munication on game day in ways I could not
have imagined.
How did your system perform in the playofs
and state championship last season?
Sanchez: Throughout the playofs our sideline
system was fawless. When we played at Sam
Boyd Stadium our headsets worked just as they
had all season long with crystal clear commu-
nication between our staf.
Freeman: The diferent channel options allow
almost any set up you desire. We have won the
State Championship at Bryant Denny Stadium,
home to the University of Alabama, as well as
Jordan Hare, home of the Auburn Tigers. The
Tempest FX system worked perfectly on both oc-
casions.
Sanchez: We have eight coaches on the side-
lines and three up in the box. We use two difer-
ent channels, ofense and defense, that we can
switch in and out of.
Freeman: We have four upstairs pieces and six
down on the feld.
Croson: Three up and four down. We use separate
channels for ofense, defense and special teams.
Infante: We have eight coaches total on the sys-
tem during a game. We confgure our system so
we have four coaches upstairs, and four down-
stairs including myself. We use three separate
channels dedicated to ofense, defense and spe-
cial teams. The fourth channel we keep open so I
can talk privately to any one of my coordinators.
What are the most important features of your
Tempest FX system?
Sanchez: The most important features of the sys-
tem are clarity, reliability, and set up. The clarity is
by far the best Ive used over the years.
customer service and support in dealing with us.
With the purchase of our new system they really
went all out in making sure we had a complete
knowledge of use and application of our system
before the season began.
Freeman: The CoachComm stafs in sales and
service are extremely helpful and knowledge-
able.
Croson: Excellent service. At one point I had a
problem with unintentionally hitting the wrong
button. Billy came out right away and kid-
proofed it for me. Weve had no problems since.
Infante: First class. They are like extended mem-
bers of our coaching staf. I feel like they are vest-
ed in our performance and success and thus are
willing to do whatever it takes to help us get the
job done.
COMMUNICATORS
Freeman: The set up is very
easy and has never been an
issue. I would highly rec-
ommend trying the Tem-
pest system.
www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com 22
JOE MOGLIA is a prime example of how success
I
f you pay attention to the great coaching
stories in college football, then you already
know about Joe Moglia.
You may recognize him as the former CEO
of fnancial services company TD Ameritrade,
where he oversaw the frms meteoric growth
during his seven years at the helm. Or, you may
know him as the current head coach at Coastal
Carolina, where, in his frst season in 2012, he led
the Chanticleers to eight wins en route to being
named the Big South Coach of the Year. He fol-
lowed that up with a 12-3 campaign last season
which ended in the third round of the FCS play-
ofs with a loss to eventual national champion,
North Dakota State.
Either way, Moglia is the classic illustration of
how the principles of coaching can help busi-
nessmen succeed and how the strategies of busi-
ness leadership can be employed in coaching.
His rise to become both a captain of indus-
try and a successful football coach are woven
together. It is the combination that has made
him successful in both felds because he entered
business with a competitive mindset from his
prior coaching experience and then returned to
the coaching profession with the understanding
of how to run a football program like a CEO.
You know, Ive coached for 21 years so this isnt
new to me, Moglia said. It was 16 the frst time,
then I spent 20-something years in business and
now I have been back in coaching for fve. When I
went into the business world having coached for
THE BUSINESS
16 years, I always said I was more efective in busi-
ness because of my time as a coach.
Conversely, according to Moglia, the leader-
ship qualities he developed in the board room
have served him well in the locker room. Hav-
ing spent 20 years in the business world, most of
which was at a pretty senior level, I think I am a
better head coach - not necessarily a better posi-
tion coach or coordinator but a head coach be-
cause of my experience in the business world. It
all overlaps.
Hes guided by a simple principle. Every im-
portant decision a real leader makes has some-
thing to do with people. The ability to evaluate,
communicate with, or position appropriately, all
of those decisions regarding personnel are the
23 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
in business and coaching go hand-in-hand. By Dallas Jackson
same decisions you make in the business world
as well the world of coaching.
Moglias passion for coaching began in 1968
when he was an assistant coach at Fordham Prep
in New York. He eventually worked his way up
to the college ranks as defensive coordinator at
Lafayette and Dartmouth. But, without a head
coaching position on the horizon and struggling
to support his family, he took a job with Mer-
rill Lynch following the 1983 season. Applying
many principles of coaching to his new career,
he became a superstar at Merrill during his 17
years there, eventually being directly responsi-
ble for some of the most important components
of their business.
Moglia left Merrill in 2001 to become CEO of
Ameritrade, which later became TD Ameritrade
after they acquired TD Waterhouse. Under his
direction, the company soared. Client assets and
market cap grew over tenfold during his tenure.
Despite his success, he longed to return to his
true passion coaching. He resigned in 2008 to
pursue other interests and stated that what re-
ally interested him was the possibility of landing a
head coaching position with a college program.
There were skeptics. Some doubted whether
he could readapt to football after so many years
away from the game. Others wondered how
devoted he could be to the grind, since he was
fnancially set for life. But, after time as an un-
paid assistant at the University of Nebraska and
a head coaching position in the short-lived UFL
OF COACHING
pro league, he was fnally given the opportunity,
at Coastal Carolina, to fulfll his lifelong dream.
BAM
Moglias fundamental principles as a head
coach were largely based on his experience as a
CEO and rooted in an expectation that everyone
involved in his program Be A Man, or BAM, for
short. BAM is a combination of three simple ideas
that he emphasizes to players as well as staf.
You stand on your own two feet, you accept
responsibility for yourself, and you recognize
that you have to live with the consequences of
your actions, period, Moglia said.
Most people, when they make mistakes
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24 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
W
hen I approached Joe Moglia in 2011 about writing a book on his life and his attempt to
become a college football head coach, he immediately agreed to participate and then took it
all a huge step further: He gave me complete, unfettered access, to him, to his friends, to his
foes. That sort of access in this heavily pr-conscious world of today is nearly unheard of.
In the summer of that year I began reporting what would eventually become 4th And Goal:
One Mans Quest to Recapture His Dream (Grand Central). My frst step: Move to Omaha for three
months. Omaha was Moglias hometown (it is the headquarters of TD Ameritrade, where he is
still the chairman). But it was also to home to the Omaha Nighthawks, one of the four teams in
the now-defunct United Football League. Moglia had been named the head coach of the team,
which was flled with professional players who were either looking for their frst shot in the NFL,
or were attempting to get back to the big show.
The Nighthawks were not Moglias frst choice for a coaching gig. He believed that his strengths
would play best in the college game. But after years of looking for a head job in the college ranks
with no success, the Nighthawks were all he had. The team ofered him a chance to beef up his
coaching resume and perhaps prove to some college athletic director out there that he was really
a coach and not just some ultra-successful businessman who was looking for some lighthearted
diversion in retirement.
The season was a trying one to say the least. The UFL was in fnancial trouble from the get-go.
The owners of the league leaned on Moglia and his business acumen to help keep the league
afoat, an additional distraction for a man who hadnt actually coached in an ofcial capacity for
nearly three decades. But Moglia plugged on.
And I was there every step of the way. I traveled with the team to games. I stood next to Joe on
the sidelines during the games. I attended nearly every practice. I sat in on team meetings, coaches
conferences, one-on-one meetings that Moglia had with various members of his staf and even
some very tense phone calls that Moglia had with owners of the league. I had free range.
The big question for Moglia going in was whether his Be A Man philosophy would reach these
professional players, some of whom had been in the NFL for years and had reached a point of
learned cynicism. Moglia practiced what he preached. He had every player and coach (and even
me) stand up and tell the entire team about himself. He held classes outside of practice called Life
After Football, which delved into issues like money management and procuring mortgages. And
though the season was a trying one (the league literally lived week-to-week before eventually shut-
ting down early), the players, slowly but surely, wholeheartedly bought into the BAM concept. By
the end of the season, it was clear that Moglia had the chops when it came to Xs and Os, but also
ofered something else, something perhaps unusual in the coaching ranks: A belief system that
centered on individual responsibility, which made for a tighter and better football team.
After the Nighthawks season, Moglia went back to his search for a college head coaching
job. He still wanted that above all. I followed him for the next few months. He eventually got an
opportunity at Coastal Carolina, an FCS program. And though there was much initial skepticism
when he was hired there, his frst two seasons (two Big South championships, one Big South
Coach of the Year award, two FCS playof appearances and an overall record of 20-8) have put any
of those questions about Moglia as a coach, and BAM as a concept, to bed, perhaps for good.
- Monte Burke
coaches or business people tend to want to
cover their asses. While they may say Oh, thats
my bad, they dont believe it. Really they think
Oh, that guy isnt coachable or That guy isnt
good enough or That guy isnt paying atten-
tion, but in all of those cases your responsibility
as a coach is to put your player in a position to be
successful, he said. It is true in football and in
the business world. People around you coach-
ing staf, players, executives, business staf it
doesnt matter. They all need to know that they
are expected to stand on their own two feet, ac-
cept responsibility for their actions, and recog-
nize they have to live with those consequences.
Application of the BAM philosophy at Coastal
Carolina has helped achieve more victories but it
has also, in a telling statistic, drastically reduced
penalties.
CONTROLLING WHAT
YOU CAN
The Chanticleers are currently on an 18-3 run
which Moglia credits to foresight, diligence and
an understanding of what he can and cannot
control. None of this is an accident and none of it
has happened easily, he said. It took tremendous
thought, tremendous diligence in hiring the staf,
tremendous time and attention to detail where
we were increasing the probability that we are
going to be efective and successful. Increasing
the probability of success has taken tremendous
work but we knew that from day one.
I never talk about winning, said Moglia. I
talk about increasing the probability of success.
You dont have very much control over injuries,
you dont have control over who youre playing
and how good they are, you have no control over
the weather, no control over whether you are
home or away, nor how many people are in the
stands. None of those things are in your capacity
to change, so what you have to do is focus on what
you have control over so that on a particular day
you are really profcient in terms of your execution.
On gameday you want to be sound, well
prepared, have a quality gameplan, and execute
each play correctly, Moglia said. There is still no
guarantee that you are going to win but you are
increasing the probability that you are maximiz-
ing your own potential and giving yourself the
best chance to be successful. That normally will
allow you to win the games you are supposed to
win and allow you the opportunity to win some
of the game you are not supposed to win.
MASTER PLAN
Moglias master coaching plan is largely based
on six basic principles he adopted from his ca-
reer in business.
Mission Statement - Having a mission state-
ment shapes the focus of your organization as
well as your football team.
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25 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Communication - Efective communication
across all levels ensures that everyone is working
toward the goals in your mission statement.
Dealing with Problems - Problem identifca-
tion and problem solving skills are paramount
for those in a position to lead.
Core Competencies - Acknowledging your
core competencies allows you to focus on what
you are good at to create a competitive advan-
tage and leverage your success probability.
Time Management - Efciently managing
your time spent coaching will make you better
at your job.
Rewards Having a clear reward system en-
sures that coaches and players are self-motivat-
ed and staying true to the BAM philosophy.
MISSION STATEMENT
Moglia said that a mission statement should
be aspirational and not self-serving. The mission
statement at Coastal Carolina is to put a team on
the feld that all of Coastal Carolina is proud of.
Too often, mission statements are about your-
self youre going to win a championship, youre
going to be the best but I think mission state-
ments need to be about others, he said. Our mis-
sion statement here isnt that we want to win a
national championship, it is about making every-
one involved with this university proud. Of course,
winning is a large part of that. But what it means
to our players and coaches is that you never, ever,
ever, ever, take a snap of. You are always giving
it your best because we represent this university
and every time we take the feld we want every-
one associated with this university to know we
gave it our best on every play.
COMMUNICATION
Moglias believes that communication is an
ongoing process. It begins in recruiting players
and staf and extends to weekly game prepara-
tions. He said that fnding out how each person
learns is the key to proper teaching techniques.
At Coastal Carolina, they do simple tests on the
players and coaches to determine if they are
kinesthetic, visual, or audible learners and try to
adapt their styles accordingly.
This is a concept that, he believes, too many
coaches fail to grasp. Most people and coach-
es are especially guilty of this - when their play-
ers dont understand something, or the player
wasnt good enough to handle an opponent,
they blame it on the player, he said. The reality
is that its the leaders responsibility to make sure
his people understand what they are saying. It is
true in the business world. Its true in the world of
football and it is your responsibility to make sure
they understand.
I do this mostly in the coaching world and it
probably would have helped me had I done this
in the world of business because I believe there
is a real parallel. For example, if a kid knows he
is a kinesthetic learner he may say to me, Coach
I dont quite understand but instead of telling
me again can you show me that helps everyone.
Something I used in the business world was to
say Explain why we have a problem and what do
you think the solution is and if you cant explain
that to me succinctly and crisply, in a way that I
can really understand same thing in football -
then one of two things are possible and maybe
both. First, you dont really understand it as well
as you should or second, you might understand
it but you cant explain it to the people that re-
port to you.
It is true of a football coach and its true of a
business person, he said. With those things, I
learn immediately how much a coach or busi-
ness person knows. My ability to ask a simple
question and their ability to explain it and solve it
in a way that I can understand is extremely impor-
tant and if they cant do that it is a major red fag.
DEALING WITH PROBLEMS
In football if there is a problem and you do
nothing to correct it then it will compound, expo-
nentially, costing you opportunities for success.
You have to understand why you have a prob-
lem, Moglia said. For example, a cornerback has
to be able to make a simple play on a receiver
but hes not able to make that play. Maybe the re-
ceiver is simply better than the corner but you al-
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27 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
lowed the corner to be exposed in the open feld
against a player that is better than he is, so thats
not the players fault because you are expecting
to do something he is not capable of, so that is a
bad coaching decision. If he can make a play and
comes up and misses a tackle, well thats OK. That
is poor fundamentals or just not making the play
but it can be fxed.
The bottom line is if you dont understand
why you have a problem then you cant fx it.
So many times coaches will tell players, Oh, you
gotta fx this; you gotta fx that or Do a better job.
That to me is poor leadership. You need to under-
stand the problem and solve it, otherwise you
blame other people. You have to be able to han-
dle yourself under stress. The best leaders are the
ones that can handle themselves appropriately
when things are not going well. Youll know if you
have the right coach, leader, executive, employee,
or player by seeing how they handle themselves
under stress.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Moglia said that once a coach can understand
the limitations of his players and identify what
the team cant do, he has the ability to recognize
what personnel can do, if not excel at. You can
start with the playbook, he said. Its ofense, de-
fense, special teams, sure, but you need to un-
derstand the strengths and weaknesses of your
players. What are they capable of; what are they
good at and what are their core competencies.
I think a lot of coaches will say that they try
to adapt the system to the players. But most of
the time, they just dont or wont. How do you
a sound, well-thought-out gameplan that he can
deliver to his players and have them execute it.
You need to be able to see them execute it in
practice, evaluate it with flm and make correc-
tions right away and move on so you arent com-
pounding errors. We think we have a competi-
tive advantage since our coaches are sharper on
gameday because they are rested, have gotten a
good nights sleep, and know they are prepared.
Moglia added that efciency deals directly
with productivity and that with set hours comes
better coaching as his assistants are spending
time on what will help increase the probability of
success.
REWARDS
Moglias upward business mobility from train-
ee to CEO is evidence that, if you work hard and
accomplish something special, you get noticed.
In business, you are rewarded with better pay,
more opportunities, and a chance to climb the
corporate ladder.
In football, upward mobility is a chance to
move up the depth chart to earn a role as a start-
er, gain post-season accolades, and potentially
advance to the next level. For a coach, it is similar
as the move from position coach to coordinator,
to head coach, to higher levels of football.
Joe Moglia has applied nearly 45 years of
life and professional experience into fulflling
a lifelong dream of becoming a head coach. At
Coastal Carolina, hes proven that success in the
executive suite can be transferred to the football
feld. He does not plan on leaving football with-
out a coaching legacy as strong as his business
portfolio. To achieve that, he relies on BAM.
Everybody here is on the same page, he said.
You are not going last here otherwise. We are
not going to recruit you, you are not going to
last on the team, youre not going to get hired,
and you are not going to stay on the staf here
if you dont understand that this all begins with
BAM. Be a Man, stand on your own two feet, ac-
cept responsibility for yourself, and were going
to live with the consequences of our actions so
you have to begin with that.
Having said that, everyone has their own set
of responsibilities, but they ft into the overall
philosophy of the program. I want my coaches
to push the envelope to achieve our goals, but
I dont want them to cheat. I dont want them to
be afraid to make a mistake, but they need to un-
derstand when they do make a mistake, why. In
the business world, we had three priorities: our
clients, our shareholders, and our employees.
Moving that to football, it is about our players,
our coaches, and our fans and the institution. Re-
alize that you always have to please the fans and
the institution and work toward that end.
truly adapt your ofense, defense, and kicking
game to the strengths of your players? You have
to adapt and adjust categorically. You have to do
the same thing each week with the game plan.
Determine your core strengths and decide how
to leverage those into a system or a game plan
that attacks the oppositions weakness to in-
crease our probability of success.
TIME MANAGEMENT
Moglia allocates time throughout the day for
all aspects of coaching. During the season, the
staf works from one in the afternoon on Friday
until 10 PM on Sunday. They are in at 8 AM on
Monday and leave at 10 PM but every other day
ends when practice ends. It runs counter to the
schedule that most other programs observe.
Most coaches think that everything is im-
portant and every detail matters and you need
to be perfect on every little detail. The truth is,
every detail doesnt matter, Moglia said. Certain
things matter far more than others. I know there
is a mindset out there that coaches will take pride
in working incredibly long hours, but the truth is
that if you are working too many long hours you
are sleep deprived. Physiologically, you are not
as sharp as you think you are. Its science.
A coach may think that he is where he needs
to be because he running on adrenaline go-
ing into gameday, but the fact is that he is not
as sharp as he thinks he is and probably not as
sharp as he needs to be and that isnt the best
thing, said Moglia. There has to be incredible fo-
cus on the things that really matter. Each coach
has his set responsibilities, as well as putting out
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29 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
O
n February 9th 2009, I agreed to become the head football coach at
Southern Virginia University. At the time, the SVU football program
faced several obstacles both on and of the feld. They included a
low team grade point average, discipline problems, and recruitment and
retention problems. In addition, they had embraced a mediocre mentality
from a losing record.
When I accepted the head coaching job, SVU had only had one winning
season in school history and had averaged just two wins per season over the
history of the program. We had to recruit better players and coach better, but
most of all we had to build a winning mentality within our football program.
Five seasons later, our team fnished frst in the United States Collegiate
Athletic Association and we had the best record in the nation of NCAA Divi-
sion D-III independent teams at 8-2. We accomplished our goal of creating
a winning mentality and changing our win/loss record.
What were the key steps in this turnaround?
I frst hired assistant football coaches that understood the importance of
being role models and providing a positive example to our players. It is not
enough that my staf understands the intricacies and nuances of football,
but we embrace the dual concept of growing a strong football program
and teaching young men to be successful and assets to society. As a staf,
we made a commitment to correct the of-the-feld problems within our
football program before tackling any on-the-feld issues.
How Southern Virginia University
went from 3-8 to 8-2.
By DeLane Fitzgerald
Head Coach Southern Virginia University
U-TURN
Attacking the Low Team GPA
As head football coach, I needed to clearly communicate goals to our
players and staf so that they could be embraced. We wanted our players to
collectively raise their team GPA. We knew that they would have to attend
class, study, and be successful in their course work to accomplish this goal.
I explained our displeasure with the team GPA of 2.39 and instituted man-
datory rules that would help improve the overall average. First, we had
to ensure the players attended class. Therefore, our football staf issued a
statement that all SVU football players must attend class or they will no
longer be members of the football program.
Next, we had to encourage the players, especially the at-risk players, to
study. So, we implemented a study hall from Monday Thursday from 7:00
pm to 9:00 pm. The study hall was mandatory for all incoming players and
any returning players with a GPA of 2.75 or lower. Then, we had to provide
a means for our student- athletes to do well in their class work. So we part-
nered with the university study services to provide tutoring for any player
that requested or needed it.
Each semester, we stress to our student-athletes the key tools to help
them succeed in the classroom. We encourage them to focus, read, know
their professors, have 100% attendance, and hand in their assignments on
time. By making our of-the-feld issue of a low GPA a priority, our coaching
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staf helped several athletes raise not only their GPA but also their aware-
ness and aspirations in the classroom. Our goal was a 3.0 and currently, we
have a team GPA of 2.96.
Attacking Team Discipline Problems
As a head coach, it is important to follow your words with actions and
to stand behind the guidelines your staf has set for players. We set ground
rules that we wanted to be followed on the feld, in the classroom, and in
the community.
The following fve rules hang in every meeting room within the SVU
football program:
1. Be on time.
2. Give 100%.
3. No excuses.
4. Team before me.
5. Handle yourself in an adult and gentlemanly manner at all times.
One of the keys to curtailing our past discipline problems was handling
discipline issues on an individual basis. Each player is an individual and we
wanted to speak with each athlete and explain how his behavior has been
hurting the team collectively. As a disciplinarian, I tend to be much harder
on a freshmen or sophomore for a minor discipline issue than I am on a ju-
nior or senior, especially if its the upper classmans frst issue. The reasoning
behind this is I dont want our players to be comfortable with disobeying
the rules. Instead, I want to discourage them from behaving adversely to
the team and university policies.
Our football team has gone from having major disci-
pline problems every semester to only having minor
discipline problems. Frequently, there are semesters
where the SVU football program has no discipline
problems.
Attacking the Recruiting
& Retention Problem
When I became head coach, there were 24 players
on the roster from the previous administration. As a
staf, we indentifed the problems of why there were
such low numbers on the team. Not only was there
a recruiting issue of getting good players to become
part of our team, but there was a retention problem of
keeping players on the team. Therefore, we designed
three key actions that would address our recruiting
and retention concerns, and, if implemented correctly,
would correct and resolve the problems.
Recruiting
1. High school and homes. Spend more time in the
high schools and homes of our recruiting areas. We
negotiated with the SVU administration to commit to
a substantial recruiting budget which allowed our staf
to spend more time recruiting our target areas.
2. Recruiting visits. Increase the number of recruits
visiting campus. We currently hold eight recruiting
weekends each year and have multiple recruits visit-
ing campus each week during the of-season.
3. Recruiting communication. Spend more time con-
tacting recruits via phone and email. Each coach on
our staf commits to ofce hours during the week in
which they sit in our ofces and make several uninter-
rupted recruiting calls during the evening.
Retention
1. Recruit the prototypical players. Recruit players that ft our university
and football program. Our staf only recruits players that ft academically,
socially, and work ethic-wise with our university and our coaching staf.
Highlight football graduate accomplishments. Emphasize our graduates
past accomplishments through graduation. Make this a topic of interest in
the frst conversation we have with recruits.
2. Exemplify compassion with trust and care. We want to show our players
that we care about their well being. Be sure that each player in the program
knows that the head coach and position coaches care about them outside
of football. Show a sincere interest in their education, family, and life.
3. Occasionally, players leave because of fnancial, family, or academic
problems. But the vast majority of our players are now coming to Southern
Virginia University and staying through graduation.
Attacking the Won/Loss Problem
Creating a Competitive/Mental Edge
At the end of every spring practice and a couple of times per week dur-
ing the season, our team does a competition drill. During spring football
our staf will split the team into eight groups and have them compete
31 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
against each other in tug of war, truck push, tire wrestling, or an advanced
relay race. During the fall season the competition drills are game situations,
such as the 2-minute drill, 4-minute drill, goal line drills, and other funda-
mental drills.
While these types of drills encourage competition, they also encourage
team building and camaraderie. The team building that comes from these
competitions is productive and inspiring. For example, players from difer-
ent positions that dont always interact become friends. Furthermore, they
encourage players to compete each day and promote mental and physical
toughness. The player who wins or fnishes close to the top during each
competition drill almost always plays well on Saturdays.
Finishing Equals Winning
I do not tolerate players that do not fnish. Not only in football, but in life,
fnishing is the most important thing we do. Our staf continually speaks
to our players about fnishing. During one of our practices you will hear
our coaches say Finish over twenty fve times, and then you will hear the
coaches tell the players exactly what they want them to fnish. At least once
a week in a meeting or after practice I talk to our players about fnishing.
The message is always the same: fnish the play you are running, fnish the
quarter, fnish the game, fnish your education, fnish raising your children,
fnish your job, and fnish your marriage. People who fnish are winners.
Aim for the Top
Get your coaches to focus all their of-season attention on whoever your
best opponent is. Clearly explain to them that their job is to out-recruit,
out-coach, and out-work that program each day. Then get your players to
focus, in the of-season, on becoming a better football team than your best
opponent. Get them to wake-up every morning with a focus to out-lift, out-
run, out-work, and out-execute that football program on that day. Do not
be afraid to speak about your desire to overtake the opponent in staf and
team meetings. Talking about what your program is going to do in order to
become a better football program than your opponent is critical.
If you can sell your vision and if you are doing the correct things each
day during the of-season, then you gradually become a better football
program than the best one on your schedule. When your program raises to
this level, not only are you better than the previous best team, but you are
also better than everyone else on your schedule.
Program Guidelines
Expectations. I gave our players clear explanations of what was expected
of them in the classroom, community, and on the playing feld. We have a
standard of performance on and of the feld: obtain a team GPA of 3.0, vol-
unteer in the community at least once a month, and win a game per week.
Promote the team. I eliminated the whiners and kept the winners. Sur-
round yourself with great people, both coaches and players. Get rid of
anyone that may be a lockerroom cancer. No individual in the program is
bigger than the program.
Family. Promote a team/family atmosphere through loyalty and open
communication.
Placement. Make sure your coaches and players understand their roles.
Preparation. Give your coaches and players opportunities to prepare for
their role. Confdence through preparation. During the of-season, our staf
takes multiple professional development trips with other college stafs. It
gives all of our coaches an opportunity to learn what other college pro-
grams are doing well. During practices we will put our players in special-
ized game situations each week in order to prepare them for situations that
they may face in the game on Saturday.
Management. Provide leadership through planning, example, guidance,
and honesty. Make sure your players are always headed in the correct di-
rection.
Conditioning. Correct conditioning will win a team at least two games
per year. Make your players make an individual commitment to the condi-
tioning program.
Motivation. Every week is diferent and every year is diferent. Constantly
motivate your coaches and players.
About the Author: DeLane Fitzgerald recently accepted the head coaching
position at Frostburg State University. He had been the head coach at South-
ern Virginia University since 2009. He also coached at Bethel College and his
alma mater, James Madison University.
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The Fine Points of the 3-Step Passing Game
By Christian Ozolins
Ofensive Coordinator Bufalo State College
W
e have been successful with the 3-step passing game over the last
few seasons. Here are the reasons why we use it, the quarterbacks
steps and reads, the importance of ball placement and wide receiver
routes. Four actual plays within the 3-step game are also included our 90
pass, 91 switch, 92 double, and 95Y stick.
Reasons to use the 3-step passing game:
Better utilize our skilled athletes - speed in space.
Take advantage of loose zone or man coverage.
Take pressure of the ofensive line.
High percentage passes.
Great use of all personnel with many varied formations.
QB Steps & Reads
Pre-Snap: Softest, shortest pick a side do not try to throw to both
sides of the formation.
Pivot on your left foot, drive by reaching at 6:00 with right foot and
pushing hard of left foot. Gain as much ground as possible in this se-
quence.
Keep right shoulder down, settle on your next two steps and drop the
right shoulder.
Third step should be shorter. As the right foot hits the ground your right
knee should remain bent, the ball of your foot should dig into the ground
with the arch of the back foot aiming at your target. Toe in to throw left,
toe out to throw right.
As your third step plants, snap shoulders to the target, drive of the back
foot taking a short step and deliver the ball.
Ball Placement
Long passes: Throw on rhythm with high trajectory so WR can run
under it. Always throw away from the defender, keeping the ball to the
WRs outside shoulder.
Out: Release the ball as the WR starts his break with a sharp trajectory.
Throw the ball from the WRs numbers to his knees.
In: Throw the ball into an open seam as the WR starts his break. Ball
should be thrown from numbers to helmet and never through a defender.
Routes
WR should have his inside foot up and his hand ups.
Based of steps, not yardage, is best for proper timing.
Will convert some routes based of coverage.
Protections
We utilize a seven man protection scheme where the center makes a
Rip/Liz call and the backs go in the opposite direction (Diagram 1).
We also have a max protection against both A and B gap pressures
(Diagram 2).
Diagram 1: 7 man protection center makes Rip/Liz call, backs go opposite
Diagram 2: MAX vs. A/B Gap Pressures
36 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Pass Plays
Our 90 play shows the routes of the X, Y, and Z receivers (Diagram 3).
Our 91 Switch shows the routes of the tailback as well as the X, Y, and Z
receivers (Diagram 4).
Our 92 Double is essentially a 3 X 1 set with the tailback lined-up
between the Y and Z receivers (Diagram 5).
Our Stick shows the pattern of the X, Y, and Z receivers as well as the
fullback running to the fat (Diagram 6).
About the Author: Christian Ozolins joined the Bufalo State staf in 2003
and was promoted to both assistant head coach and ofensive coordinator
before the 2013 season. He also serves as ofensive backs coach, recruiting co-
ordinator and academic coordinator. Ozolins has also coached at Maryville,
Methodist College, Alfred University and Hamilton College. He played at
Cumberland University (TN) where he earned his Bachelors Degree and later
completed his Masters Degree at Alfred.
Diagram 3: 90
Diagram 4: 91 Switch
Diagram 5: 92 Double
Diagram 2: 95 Y Stick
Linebacker Play: Knowing Your Assignment Pre-Snap January, 2011
Linebacker Play: Reading Windows to Stop the Run March, 2010
The Tools to be a Linebacker February, 2007
WANT MORE?
Articles on this subject are on
AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Coach Ozolins answers your questions on Facebook - just go
to http://www.facebook.com/AmericanFootballMonthly/
37 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
The 35 defensive package can adjust to multiple formations
and motion without having to change personnel.
By Matt Welch Defensive Coordinator Friends University
W
e have had defensive success with our 3-5
or 35 package that takes advantage of our
players speed. Included is our base align-
ment, terminology, our numbering system and
how we line up vs. twins formations, the spread,
and combinations of cover 2 and cover 3. In each
situation, we have multiple disguises and blitz
packages.
OVERVIEW
The 35 defensive concept is built around foot
speed plain and simple.
It| |||t|| |tfIt||.
If your team has the speed to run it, there are
a number of benefts. Among them:
- It enables you to adapt and adjust to multiple
formations, sets and motion without being
forced to change personnel.
- It allows you to use smaller-type linebackers and
athletes in the secondary who can run to the ball.
- You are less dictated to by the ofense,
enabling you to run your normal schemes and
blitzes against anything the ofense tries.
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TERMINOLOGY
Although football terminology is well known
among coaches, diferent phrases and words
have come to mean diferent things to diferent
people. For ease of understanding, there are a
few terms that need to be clarifed.
Nose the defensive lineman who is aligned
opposite the center in a 0 technique. The
nose should be one of your best linemen who
is capable of controlling the center or a double
team by the guard.
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Diagram 1 Base Alignment
Defensive End the defensive lineman who
aligns in a 5 technique (outside shoulder of the
ofensive tackle). These players should be very
athletic and be able to play with their hands.
Mike LB the middle linebacker who stacks be-
hind the nose 4-5 yards deep. This player should
be one of your more aggressive players; he does
not have to have great speed but should be able
to read blocking schemes.
Sam LB the strongside linebacker who aligns
to either the tight end or 2-3 receiver side with
his inside leg splitting the defensive end (in a 5
technique) about 4-5 yards deep.
Will LB the weakside linebacker who aligns
away from the tight end of the 2-3 receiver side
with his inside leg splitting the defensive end (in
a 5 technique) about 4-5 yards deep.
Strong Safety (SS) the safety to the strong side
(tight end or 2-3 receiver side of the formation)
will align at linebacker depth 4-5 yards deep and
as wide as an 8-technique. This player could also
be a linebacker-type athlete.
Xtra Safety (XS or X-Man) the safety to the
weak side (away from tight end or 2-3 receiver
side) and lined up similar to the strong safety
4-5 yards deep and as wide as an 8-technique.
Corners (CB) both corners are defensive backs
that cover the #1 receiver on both sides of the
ball. Note: we never switch sides with our cor-
ners, nor do they ever align on the same side.
Free Safety (FS) this safety is aligned in the
middle of the feld 10-12 yards deep. He is the QB
of the defense and must know all the defensive
alignments and what their responsibility is on
every call made. The FS will make adjustments as
needed and put the defense in position to have
the most success.
Diagram 1 includes our base alignment in the
3-5 while diagram 2 has the specifc gap respon-
sibilities. Diagram 3 has the alignment number-
ing system and diagram 4 includes the receivers
numbering system. Diagram 5 has the receiv-
ers numbering system vs. twins and diagram 6
includes receiver numbering vs. the spread for-
mation. Diagram 7 has the 35 alignment vs. an
open twins formation and diagram 8 includes
the 35 alignment vs. the spread.
Diagram 9 includes our secondary coverage vs.
a pro formation. We will utilize a common three-
deep theory in this coverage with the free safety
and corners having the deep one-third zones.
Both safeties will cover the fats with the Will and
Sam LBs covering the seams. The Mike LB will
take away the hook areas in the middle. Exclud-
ing the three-deep players, the other safeties
Diagram 2 Gap Responsibilities
Diagram 3 Alignment Numbering
Diagram 4 Receivers Numbering
Diagram 5 Numbering vs. Twins
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Diagram 6 Numbering vs. the Spread
Diagram 7 35 Alignment Vs. Twins Open
Diagram 8 35 Alignment vs. the Spread
Diagram 9 Secondary Coverage vs. A Pro Formation
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Diagram 10 - Secondary Coverage vs. Twins Open Formation
Diagram 11 - Charlie Secondary Coverage vs. Pro Formation
Diagram 12 Charlie Secondary Coverage vs. Twins Open Formation
and LBs will have drop zones about 8-10 yards
deep. The critical aspect of the zone is to teach
players to communicate with each other as they
see the ofensive players clearing their zone and
going into a teammates area.
Diagram 10 illustrates secondary coverage vs. a
twins open formation. The coverage is the same
as against the pro formation look. Our basic set-
up is three over the top CBs in the deep third on
the sides and the FS in the deep third over the
middle. The fve underneath defenders have the
same zone responsibilities.
Diagram 11 shows our secondary coverage vs.
a pro formation. Our Charlie call has been suc-
cessful vs. the run. What Charlie stands for is cor-
ner on the strong side. This coverage is aligned
to look like cover 3, but at the snap of the ball it
fows into a cover 2 look. The CB on the strong
side stays at home and plays the fat. The FS
slides over to the strong side and has deep half
responsibility. The CB to the weak side now has
the deep half responsibility opposite the free
safety. The SS will help the Sam LB play the seam
area and take away the inside route by the #1
WR. The Will LB will play seam on the weak side
while the Mike handles the hook area and XS
takes the backside fat.
The last diagram diagram 12 shows another
Charlie call. This time its our secondary coverage
vs. a twins open formation. The Charlie call is the
same. The formation starts with a 3-deep zone
look and rolls into cover 2. The key is to teach the
players to always remember that Charlie means
the strongside CB is staying home in the fat and
the FS is taking the deep half so the SS can help
with the seam area. Everything else is the same.
In part two in next months AFM, I will include
our robber coverage and our cover 3 and cover 4
secondary coverage as well as our specifc blitz
packages.
Disrupting the Spread with the 3-5 Defense June, 2012
The Hows andWhys of the 3-5 Defense July, 2010
Georgia Military Colleges Devastating 3-5 Defense April, 2009
WANT MORE?
Articles on this subject are on
AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Coach Welch answers your questions on
Facebook - just go to to http://www.facebook.
com/AmericanFootballMonthly/
About the Author: Now in his 12th season coaching at Friends University and 29th overall, Matt Welch
serves as the teams defensive coordinator. At Friends, he has been a part of 10 championship seasons. Welch
began his coaching career in 1985 at Southwestern College.
41 www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
It is important to forcefully push vertically and
horizontally to change the explosive character-
istics of the neuromuscular system in a biome-
chanically-applicable fashion. At the bottom of
each rep, hold for a brief isometric period (2-3
seconds) before exploding to the completion of
the rep (and into full extension at the knee and
the hip). Using the stability ball will allow the ath-
lete the ability to push laterally into the wall and
still maintain his balance.
EXERCISE 2:
Side to Side Squat (Local)
Prescription: Perform 1 set of 6 to 10 reps (3-5 in
each direction) with light resistance.
Strength Report continued from page 11 Execution: Traditional squatting methods typi-
cally have less carryover to a lateral change of
direction movement actions than it does to
other movements. This becomes more true as
an athlete progresses. This type of squat can
be used to strengthen the muscles in a frontal
plane to a much greater degree. The execution
of the movement is much more important than
the load utilized. In fact, the load should be
kept relatively light so an athlete can be force-
ful throughout the entire extension phase of the
exercise and can attain the necessary positions
that will correspond to those found when the
athlete performs a power cut laterally.
EXERCISE 3:
Russian Plyo Bound (Local)
Take action when needed. The law assumes that you, as a coach, are re-
sponsible for providing frst aid care for any injury or illness sufered by an
athlete under your supervision. So, if no medical personnel are present
when an injury occurs, you are responsible for providing emergency care.
Use only the skills that you are qualifed to administer and provide the
specifc standard of care that you are trained to provide through sport
frst aid, CPR, and other sports medicine courses.
If athlete is a minor, obtain a signed written consent form from their
parents before the season. For injured adult athletes, specifcally ask if
they want help. If they are unresponsive, consent is usually implied. If
they refuse help, you are not required to provide it. In fact, if you still
attempt to give care, they can sue you for assault.
Some states expect coaches to meet additional standards of care. Check
with your athletic director to fnd out if your state has specifc guidelines
for the quality of care to be provided by coaches.
You should become familiar with each of these 9 legal duties. The frst
8 duties deal mainly with preventive measures, which are explained more
thoroughly in chapter 2. This book is primarily designed to help you handle
duty number 9.
PARENTAL EXPECTATIONS
Parents will look to you for direction when their child is injured. They
may ask questions such as these:
- What do you think is wrong with my childs knee?
- Will it get worse if my child continues playing?
- Should my child see a doctor?
- Does my child need to wear protective knee braces for football?
- Will taping help prevent my child from reinjuring the ankle?
- When can my child start competing again?
While you cant have all the answers, it helps to know those who can.
Thats where the other athletic health care team members can help.
Safety continued from page 12
Products lnclude:
Sinle Tier
Double Tier
Triple Tier
ox Style
Extra Wide
vented
Cpen Access
Modular
Desiner
Solid Cak
Cell Phone Lockers
Plastic
Storae
enches
Prescription: Perform 1 set of 6 to 10 reps (3-5 in
each direction).
Execution: This exercise will work to more fully
charge the neuromuscular apparatus to recruit
musculature in the global exercise to come. The
emphasis should be on both the explosiveness of
the takeof leg jumping action as well as the ef-
ciency of the landing leg as this landing will great-
ly impact the subsequent takeof to come. Work
to develop greater stifness through this landing
mechanism so the movement action takes place
in shorter periods of contact time.
About the Author: Shawn Myszka is an Athletic Per-
formance Director at Explosive Edge Athletics in Minne-
apolis. He can be reached at either the companys web
site www.explosiveedgeathetics.com or his email
shawn@explosiveedgeathelteics.com.
Editors note: The preceding is an excerpt from Sport First Aid, Fifth Edition (Hu-
man Kinetics, 2013), written by Melinda Flegel. Sport First Aid is the textbook for
the Sport First Aid course, available through the Human Kinetics Coach Educa-
tion Program and used by the majority of state high school associations, athletic
directors associations, and school districts for certifying high school coaches.
The Sport First Aid text and course are available at www.HumanKineticsCoachE-
ducationCenter.com. (All content provided by Human Kinetics)
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program, which includes semi-annual facility audits, verifying that no NSF 306-Certication Guideline Annex A List
banned substances exist in our facility.
2013 CytoSport, Inc. MUSCLEMILK.COM
FOR TEAM SALES INFORMATION:
PERFORMANCE@CYTOSPORT.COM
707-747-3372 * CYIO5POkI.COM
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