STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS-

THE OPERATION OF OUR PROGRAM

1. SELECT AND RECRUIT TALENTED PEOPLE

What do I look for in all the people and players in our program?

1. Dedicated & Loyal

2. Positive Attitude
3. No Excuses
4. Burning Desire to Achieve
5. Great Work Ethic

If the people don’t want to do it our way, I will work to change their behavior or eliminate
them from our program.
 ATT ITU DE
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more
important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than
circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It
is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a
church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the
attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the
fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing
we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that
life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in
charge of our attitudes.”
by Charles Swindoll

NO EX CUSES
Any excuse for non-performance, however valid, softens the character. It is a sedative against
one’s own conscience. When a man uses an excuse, he attempts to convince both himself and
others that unsatisfactory performance is somehow acceptable. He is – perhaps
unconsciously – attempting to divert attention from performance; the only thing that counts is
his own want for sympathy. The user is dishonest with himself as well as with others. No
matter how good or how valid, the excuse never changes performance.
The world measures success in terms of performance alone. No man is remembered in
history for what he would have accomplished. History never asks how hard it was to do the
job, nor considers the obstacles that had to be overcome. It counts only one thing –
performance. No man ever performed a worthwhile task without consciously ignoring many a
plausible excuse.
To use an excuse is a habit. We cannot have both the performance habit and the excuse
habit. We all have a supply of excuses. The more we use them the lower become our
standards, the poorer our performance. The better we perform, the less plausible our excuses
become.
Next time you want to defend your sub-par performance, say instead (at least to yourself):

No Excuses!

Notice the startling effect this will have on your own self-respect. You will have
recognized your failure. You will have been honest with yourself. You will be one step closer to
the performance habit. You will be a better man for it. “We will be a better team!”
 CREATE A TEAM ATMOSPHERE
LAWS OF TEAMWORK

These laws are necessary to understand and develop teamwork within your organization.

John C. Maxwell

LAW OF THE BIG PICTURE

Everybody on the team must contribute to winning. Everything starts with a vision – You have
to have a goal. Winning teams have players who put the good of the team ahead of
themselves. They want to play in their areas of strength, but they’re willing to do what it takes
to take care of the team. They are willing to sacrifice their role for the greater goal. If the
vision for achieving the big picture is embraced by everyone in the group, then those people
have the potential to become an effective team.

LAW OF THE CHAIN

Winning Attitude – you have total control of your attitude. Be positive and be enthusiastic.
Team Matters More Than The Individual – No one player is more important than the team. As
much as any team likes to measure itself by its best people, the truth is that the strength of
the team is impacted by its weakest link. Allow for differences in lifestyles. Everyone on the
team must take the journey – put aside all personal agendas and attitudes – everyone must be
on the same mission.

LAW OF THE BAD APPLE

Attitude – To win at a consistent level it takes talented people with the right attitude. Good
attitudes among players do not guarantee a team’s success, but bad attitudes guarantee its
failure. The winner’s edge is in the attitude. Attitudes have the power to lift up or tear down a
team; there are plenty of talented teams out there who never amount to anything because of
the attitudes of their players. This is always true – bad attitudes are the result of selfishness.
Get out of yourself and into the TEAM!

LAW OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability – Teammates must be able to count on each other at all times.
Character + Competence + Commitment + Consistency + Cohesion = Accountability
When all team members embrace each of those five qualities, within themselves and with one
another, they can achieve the accountability necessary for a team to succeed. Accountability
begins with character because it is based on trust, which is the foundation for all interaction
with people. If you want your teammates to have confidence in you, where they know they can
count on you day in and day out, then you must be consistent. NO EXCUSES!

The strength of a TEAM lies in its trust among teammates. You need to know for certain that
you can count on your teammates and they need to know that they can count on you!
 LAW OF THE PRICE TAG
Pay The Price – Every team member must pay a price. There is no substitute for work.
It is the price of success! There are no victories at bargain prices, if you want to reach your
potential, you can never let up. To improve, change, or keep winning, as a group the team
must pay a price, and so must the individuals on it. There is a cost of being part of a winning
team Sacrifice, Time Commitment, Personal Development, Unselfishness, and Open
Communication between players and coaches.

LAW OF THE PLAYMAKER (Catalyst)

Always compete – It takes no skill, speed, strength or ability to be a 6-second
competitor. A 6-second competitor is an attitude and a habit! Not every man can start or
make All-American, but everyone can compete 100% of the time. Develop great work habits.
Practice and play as fast as you can. All the time! We need a locker room of 6-second
competitors. Focus on your work ethic, not others – all you control is the commitment that
you are making.
Make things happen – Winning teams have players who make things happen, that is
why a team that reaches its potential always possesses playmakers! Every team needs
playmakers if it wants to win consistently. Playmakers have these common characteristics:
Communicative, Passionate, Talented, Responsible, Generous, Committed, Accountable and
Influential.

KNOW YOUR STAFF & PLAYERS SHOW YOU CARE

DON’T EXPECT YOUR PLAYERS TO PASSIONATELY CARE ABOUT

OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM IF YOU DON’T PASSIONATELY CARE
ABOUT THEM AS PEOPLE.

MISSOURI FOOTBALL TEAM BOTTOM LINE

1. BE ENTHUSIASTIC
2. BE A 6-SECOND COMPETITOR
3. KNOW YOUR ASSIGNMENT
4. PLAY TOUGH & PHYSICAL

1 PLAY AT A TIME
All your energy, focus and concentration on that 1 play. After it’s over, you have 100% focus on the
next play.
 THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COACHING AND TEACHING RESPONSIBILITY AND
PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

1. Let Your Players Know That You Care About Them! Trust Is Earned, Not Guaranteed
Communication is the most important thing between you and your players.
Developing a great relationship is vital for our team success.

2. Lead By Example. Be A Good Role Model To Your Players

Honest = Respect = Loyalty.
If you’re not 100% honest, you will have no credibility.

3. You Must Get Your Position To Believe That You Are The Best Coach And Teacher In The
League. If The Players Don’t Believe, We Won’t Win

4. We Must Be Great Teachers

What you see on video is what you have coached. You are a teacher! Your teaching is evaluated
by your player’s performance. Professors can have A, B, C, D, F students. We must have all A’s.
Keep things simple. Don’t over coach. Find the best way to teach. Teach fundamentals. Our
goal is that each player masters the fundamentals at his position.

5. We Know What Must Be Taught – Staff Growth. Improve Schemes, But Have A Philosophy
And Sell It To The Players

6. Utilize Teaching Aids

Change up procedure of meetings
Must use teaching aids
Video Breakdown (find a way to use it).
Marking Boards – accuracy of diagrams is critical – 75% of learning is
visual.
Practice and Scrimmage Video
Training Video

11. Must Be Consistent.

◊ All players must be team players and abide by the Team Covenant.
◊ We must have consistency in everything.
◊ Praise and criticize – all players. Players will notice any inconsistency
in your player interaction.
◊ Coach toughness - Coach toughness - Coach toughness
◊ Coach 100% effort every play. Every Play Every Day! - Play Hard
◊ Players must be on time for every scheduled meeting or practice
◊ Attention to detail.
◊ Demand players to compete in everything they do.(6-second competitor)
12. Hard Workers On Field - Coaching
* Coach every play! Coach every play! Coach every play!
* Don’t stand in one spot. (Hands in pockets, arms folded not permitted in our program.)
* Get to where the action is.
* If coach stands around, so will players.
* No clinics on field. That’s why we meet and have walk-thru.
* Coach will run drill to drill just like the players.
* Players must run on the field - never walk.
* Players don’t lay on the ground. Players don’t put hands on knees.
* Demand enthusiasm, intensity and knowing assignment and playing tough and
physical. BOTTOM LINE!
* Don’t be a screamer! Raise your voice when needed to change behavior!

TEACHING PLAYERS TO COMPETE!

In every occupation it is visibly possible to see effort, but is it productive effort! Competition in an
athlete comes from an inner feeling, a willingness to allow oneself to extend his or her body beyond
mental desire.

So many athletes start out well, but don’t finish strong. Many of these athletes think they work hard.
However, those that don’t finish strong are not competitive.

Once again the athlete who is consistent in effort is the most valuable type of player. The athlete that
makes his body perform against all odds and against all levels of resistance is a competitor.

Throughout this total competitive effort, you see a burning desire without hesitation to get the job
done. Look to see if a player is taking the easy way out of work. Is he avoiding physical contact by
taking the long way around the play or deliberately arriving late at the point of attack.

Remember, initial effort counts, but finishing the play strong is sign of a good competitor.

While evaluating your player on the field, you must constantly critique him as a competitor! Is he a 3-
second, 4-second, or 5-second competitor. We are looking for a “6-second competitor”.

You can coach and teach a player to be a great competitor.

PLAN TO WIN!

We have a very clear OBJECTIVE that all decisions involving this program are made. Win in
the classroom and win on the field.

PLAN TO WIN – Time tested and infallible

1. Take Care of the Football – Win the turnover margin
2. Great Special Forces – Win the kicking game
3. Mizzou doesn’t beat Mizzou – Elimination of mental errors/fewest penalties
4. Finish – Win the 4th Quarter
 DEFINE THE BOTTOM LINE FOR EACH COACH/PLAYER
BOTTOM LINE COACHING

1. TO HAVE THE PLAYERS AT YOUR POSITION PLAY TO/BEYOND

THEIR ABILITY LEVEL ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.

2. TO RECRUIT STUDENT-ATHLETES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF

MISSOURI THAT CAN EXCEL ATHLETICALLY AND
ACADEMICALLY.

3. TO PROVIDE TO OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES COUNSELING

AND SUPPORT FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

4. TO COMPLETELY FULFILL ALL AUXILIARY RESPONSIBILITIES

AND DUTIES THAT YOU ARE ASSIGNED.
STAFF
1. ACCOUNTABLE
2. ATTENTION TO DETAIL
3. NO EXCUSES
4. WE/YOU WILL BE JUDGED BY RESULTS, NOT EFFORT.