Coach and Coordinator Podcast

Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis) head coach Mike Kirschner sits down with Keith on this episode of the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast. Kirschner, who guided Ben Davis to a Class 6A state title in 2014, shares the secrets to his successful collaboration with the local youth and middle school programs, why he’s obsessed with getting players to the next level and how one clinic session with Bobby Bowden revolutionized his approach to the game. SHOW NOTES • :57 Start as a coach • 2:43 Growing as a coach • 3:21 Developing a coaching philosophy • 4:23 Establishing a culture focused on college • 6:27 Bridging the gap between the youth league and the high school program • 7:47 How Ben Davis will have 54 seniors on the roster this fall • 8:55 Integrating Xs and Os in the local youth program • 10:31 The role USA Football has played in coach development • 11:22 Helping players learn the system • 12:32 How Kirschner leverages technology • 13:27 Why Kirschner wants to make practice fun • 15:28 Alignment to assignment: The walk-jog-run of defensive instruction • 18:10 Real-life defensive problem solving • 19:31 Why “Share your life story” is the heart of the Ben Davis program • 26:25 Best coaching advice received • 27:49 Book recommendations • 29:10 Tony Dungy coached the scout team: What high school coaches can learn • 30:02 Why defensive back is the hardest position to coach • 31:03 Concerns for the game • 33:09 Advice to a young coach looking to be in football long-term • 34:12 Why former players shouldn’t assume coaching is easy just because they played • 35:04 Creating balance • 36:42 Two-minute Drill • 38:27 The winning edge

In this episode of USA Football’s Coach and Coordinator podcast, Brian Kight joins the show to discuss all things culture. Kight, the CEO of Focus 3, discusses why culture is so much more than posters on the wall and why coaches need to have a plan for establishing culture—the same way they have a plan for installing offenses and defenses. SHOW NOTES • 2:00 Who is coaching the coaches? • 3:38 Why business is the inverse of sports • 5:48 Why culture is more than just posters on the wall • 7:41 The three things that comprise culture • 11:03 "Core Values" and why they're harder to install than any offense • 13:10 Culture does not exist to make people feel good • 15:15 Need for a system for culture • 19:20 Coach quiz • 25:21 Getting started with building a culture system • 29:49 Why assistant coaches are critical to culture • 32:53 Not everyone will buy into your culture—and why that's OK • 36:38 No BCD: Blame, complain, defend • 40:40 The importance of responses (E + R = O) • 46:05 Establishing a performance pathway • 51:16 Resources for HS coaches

Doug Patterson joins this episode of the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast. Patterson, the co-offensive coordinator at St. Cloud State (Minn.), discusses how to help players take ownership of the learning process, making the most of positional meetings and why coaches—not players—should be on the hook when a player makes a mistake on game day. He and Keith also dissect Patterson’s go-to play: the inside zone paired with a bubble play. SHOW NOTES • 1:08 Getting started as a football coach • 2:44 The jump to college • 3:20 Key points in career development • 5:04 Establishing culture within an offensive line unit • 5:58 Keys to offensive philosophy • 7:19 Flip learning—and empowering players in to take ownership of learning • 10:04 Maximizing positional meeting time by making them player-centric • 11:58 Coaching is not playing Maddeno • 12:41 Holding players accountable • 13:20 The ins and outs of Patterson's inside zone • 17:58 Playcall with the game on the line • 20:18 Mistakes made as a young coach • 20:45 What you see on film = who you are • 21:53 Book recommendation • 23:33 Independent pass protection punch • 25:00 Participation--a concern for the future • 26:55 Advice to a young coach

RPO innovator Joe Osovet is the guest on this episode of the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast. The head coach at ASA College in Brooklyn, Osovet sits down with Keith to discuss the ins and outs of his RPO system. He also dives into how young coaches can begin implementing the RPO, the absolute importance of the player-coach relationship and why new offensive coordinators should resist the temptation to try to do too much. SHOW NOTES • :51 Coaching start • 1:35 Importance of relationships • 2:33 Development as a coach • 3:40 Coaching philosophy • 5:05 3 simple rules for program culture • 6:58 Developing RPO philosophy (and why football coaches are thieves) • 8:34 Xs and Os of Osovet's offense • 10:20 Why you need to practice RPO every single day • 12:05 Modifying game plan based on QB experience • 13:23 Repping during the week • 17:26 Reads and manipulation • 19:14 Importance of ID'd the defense and relying on call sheets in key spots • 30:00 Unique RPOs and the Xs and Os of Osovet's most successful plays • 26:35 How young coaches can get started implementing RPO • 28:32 Mistake as young coach (trying to do too much) • 29:32 Book recommendations • 33:09 Utilizing technology • 34:40 Creating balance (and the importance of the coach’s wife) • 36:53 The lessons that football teaches • 39:31 Two-minute drill • 41:11 The winning edge

Shiloh Christian (Springdale, Ark.) head coach Jeff Conway sits down with Keith in this episode of the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast. Conway helped guide Shiloh Christian to a state title in the mid-2000s and in 2014 returned to the program in 2014 as the head coach. Conway discusses the virtues of being a continuous learner, his offseason platoon system and why players don’t have bad practices—coaches do. He also breaks down his packaged play concept which helped Shiloh Christian wins 11 games and earn a berth in the Arkansas Class 4A semifinals. SHOW NOTES • 1:04 Why Conway started coaching football • 2:24 Lessons learned from first coaching job • 3:26 Key points in career development • 4:44 Pillars of Conway's coaching philosophy and the value in partnering with parents • 6:13 Coaching strengths and expertise • 7:47 Building culture • 10:14 Offensive philosophy and taking what the defense gives • 12:39 Maintaining consistency amid personnel change • 14:47 How many reps are needed to master key plays? • 16:22 Teaching in week leading up to game • 17:51 Breaking down Conway's packaged play • 20:30 Coaching QBs to make good decisions • 22:45 Playcalls in critical moments, and how to practice them • 27:12 Using one-word terminology to increase tempo • 31:10 Turbos--one word, three plays • 33:25 Players don't have bad practices, coaches do • 35:12 Book recommendation • 36:48 Favorite technology • 38:54 Creating offseason competition with a platoon system • 42:39 Offseason learning • 43:39 Concerns for future of the game • 46:32 Advice to a young coach • 48:06 Creating balance • 51:17 Creating culture--with your coaches • 52:03 Two-minute drill • 56:01 The winning edge

Central Washington head coach Ian Shoemaker is the guest of this episode of the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast. Shoemaker discusses a number of topics, including how the mere presence of a tight end on the field can make defensive coordinators think twice. He also hits on the importance of run-pass balance, how drones can save college coaches money and why empowering assistant coaches is an important part of overall staff development. SHOW NOTES • 1:17 Coaching journey • 4:55 The challenge of combining systems that don’t fit together • 6:15 Focus on the job you have • 8:32 The importance of run-pass balance in keeping defense off guard • 10:38 Scheme and the importance of personnel flexibility • 12:27 The tight end paradox challenge: Finding, recruiting and converting them • 13:31 Why simply having a tight end on the field makes defensive coordinators think twice • 17:07 Approach to coaching as teaching • 20:28 How drones can save your program money (and time) • 23:59 Building culture and involving players in the process • 27:08 Staff building, and why it’s important to empower assistant coaches • 30:28 Breaking down Shoemaker’s “Indy” play • 33:39 Involving your playmaker • 35:58 Playcalling with the game on the line • 38:54 Book recommendation • 40:24 Why watching other teams practice can make you a better coach • 41:06 Learning hitch-boot • 42:12 Concerns for future of the game • 43:51 Be willing to be poor early on

Rob Everett took the position as defensive coordinator at Bridgewater College in 2016 coming off a Virginia 6A state championship as a defensive coordinator at Westfield High School. In five seasons at Westfield, his teams compiled a combined mark of 61-8 and went 15-4 in state playoff games. His 2015 state champion defense allowed just 7.9 points per game over 15 contests. From 2006-2010, Everett was the head coach at Springfield's Robert E. Lee High School, after originally joining the staff as an offensive line coach. He led the Lancers to three playoff appearances. Everett has been a coach advisor for HigherEchelon Inc., which developed the GoArmy Edge Football App, and other companies including Automated Sports Analytics and GameSense Sports. He was also a technical advisor and beta tester for HUDL, and a contributor to the xandoslabs.com coaches resource. Everett founded the Fairfax County Football Coaches Association, and a Camp Director for GameDay Football Inc. He has also coached at the US Army All-American Bowl and the USA Football Regional Development camp. Everett graduated with honors from the University of Michigan in 2002 with a degree in mathematics. He then began his coaching career working with the offensive line at Washington-Lee HS. Coach Everett is an innovator in his use of virtual reality to teach and support his defense. and we are excited to have him as a guest.

John Strollo is not your typical line coach. You will hear about vectors, circular force, levers, fulcrums, and many terms that sound scientific, but as explained by Coach Strollo, they just make sense. Coach Strollo discusses: 2 point stance vs. 3 point stance spot blocking using medicine blast’s use of force creating levers mixed hands the c gap zone play …and much more See some of these interesting concepts demonstrated by Coach Strollo on his YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4IEF6pV_s2tXWsSLT1BJfA John Strollo began coaching directly out of college as an assistant coach at Middletown High School South on the Jersey Shore, prior to moving to the collegiate level to Springfield, at which he got his master's degree working as a graduate assistant. From there, he had his first stint at Northeastern University, Washburn University, and his second stint at Northeastern before being hired to assistant coach at Massachusetts. He had three more coaching stops – Lafayette College, Cornell, and Maine – before first working with Bill O'Brien when they were assistants together at Duke from 2005-2007. He then spent three seasons at Elon and one season at Ball State prior to O'Brien hiring him to coach on his new staff at Penn State. He returned to Ball State to become the offensive line coach for the 2014 season. John Strollo has worked 14 different assignments over his coaching career, which has spanned over 35 years, both at the high school and collegiate level.

Jim Ryan completed his first season at Rhodes College finishing 6-4 and putting the Wildcats back on a winning track. Previously, Ryan served as the defensive coordinator at Washington University (St. Louis) for four years. He was recently named the NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. Ryan was named Washington University's defensive coordinator in 2012 and helped lead the Bears to University Athletic Association (UAA) titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015. Ryan's 2013 Bear defense ranked 5th nationally in scoring defense giving up a stingy 11.5 points/game and 19th nationally in total defense. Washington University played in the 2013 NCAA Division III national playoffs. Coach Ryan also served as the defensive coordinator at Rhodes this pst season, and is very knowledgeable bout the game.

In his second year as the head coach, Jim Hilvert won his second state title at LaSalle High School in Ohio. Prior to LaSalle, in eight years as the head coach at Thomas More College, Hilvert had an overall record of 67-19 and won six Presidents Athletic Conference titles. Thomas More had undefeated regular seasons in 2009 and 2010. Under his leadership, Thomas More also attained a top 20 national ranking three times for Division III programs. For his efforts, Hilvert has been recognized three times as the Presidents Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. Prior to Thomas More, Hilvert also has experience at Mt. St. Joseph, Winton Woods, Oak Hills and Western Michigan University. email: jhilvert@lasallehs.net twitter: @coachhilvert

Rick Jones is the head football coach at Greenwood High School in Greenwood, Arkansas, a position he assumed in 2004. Since assuming the reins of the Bulldogs’ gridiron program, Jones has led Greenwood to unparalleled success, including garnering state 4A runner-up honors in 2004 and a state 4A championship in 2005. A 1977 graduate of Harding College (AR), Jones has achieved notable success at every stop in his career. In the process, he has been accorded coach-of-the-year honors eight times. One of the most-respected interscholastic coaches in the game, Jones is a much sought-after speaker at football clinics across the United States. Connect: http://www.coachrickjones.com

Geoff Dart - Offensive Line Coach, Western Kentucky University A five-time national champion as both a player and coach, Geoff Dartt comes to Bowling Green after five seasons at his alma mater, Division III powerhouse Mount Union, where he served the past four seasons as offensive coordinator and all five as offensive line coach. Not only did the Raiders win national championships in both 2012 and 2015 with Dartt on staff, the run also included four-straight Ohio Athletic Conference championships (2012-15). Under Dartt's direction as offensive coordinator, Mount Union finished with a top-5 offense three times including the top offense in the nation in 2014 and led the country in First Downs Offense each of his four seasons as offensive coordinator. In 2014 and 2015, behind the play of quarterback Kevin Burke -- the Gagliardi Trophy winner, given to the top player in Division III -- the Raiders posted the No. 1 scoring offense. Dartt also coached his center, Mitch Doraty, to consecutive DIII Rimington Awards in both 2015 and 2016. With Dartt on staff at Mount Union, the program went 70-4 with four consecutive appearances in the Stagg Bowl, two national championships and four conference championships. Prior to returning to Mount Union, Dartt spent four seasons (2008-11) as an assistant coach at Wheaton (Ill.) College where he spent the first two seasons working exclusively with the offensive tackles and tight ends before transitioning to offensive line coach for his final two seasons. While at Wheaton, he also coordinated video operations, coordinated the offense for the junior varsity team and was an assistant strength coach. The Port Clinton, Ohio native was a three-year letterman along the offensive line at Mount Union and won national championships as a player in 2002, 2005 and 2006 while adding All-OAC honors in 2007. During the 2005 and 2006 national championship seasons, Dartt's offensive coordinator and position coach was Matt Campbell who went on to enjoy a four-year run as head coach at Toledo (35-15, 24-8) and is now at Iowa State. Dartt and his wife, the former Jan Kehres, are expecting their first child in February. He earned his degree in health and physical education in 2008 from Mount Union. http://www.wkusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/geoff_dartt_1034907.html

James Vint has extensive experience as an offensive, defensive, and special teams coordinator at the high school and college levels. As an offensive coordinator, Vint's offenses are known for being innovative and on the cutting edge. His offenses have averaged over 276 yards a game on the ground and over 200 yards through the air. His 2001 team set a school record with 368 yards a game on the ground, including a single game high of 502 rushing yards. Coach Vint has helped several schools install the pistol and spread offenses, including three schools that won state titles. As a defensive coordinator, Coach Vint took over a defense that had given up over 40 points a game and led them to six shutouts. They gave up just 6 points a game and posted a school record 98 tackles for loss in the regular season. His version of the odd stack is being used at high schools and colleges across the country. Check out his blog: http://coachvint.blogspot.com Twitter: @coachvint

About Ryan McCartney – Host of #Swarmfbchat A native of Riverview, Michigan, Coach McCartney has been coaching football since 1995. He began his coaching career at Ypsilanti Willow Run High School before moving on to Melvindale High School where he first became a Defensive Coordinator in 2000. Since then, Coach Mac has been either a Head Coach and/or Defensive Coordinator while making coaching stops in Arizona, New Hampshire, back to Arizona to coach NAIA Arizona Christian University, and finally Seymour, Indiana. Coach Mac is a published author and has spoken at various clinics. He is married to the former Stacey Massey and together they have two sons, Brendan and Colin. He is the nephew of former Colorado head coach Bill McCartney and the stepson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr. Coaching Resume 2015-present: Defensive Coordinator, Seymour HS (IN) 2014: Defensive Line, ACU (NAIA) (AZ) 2012-2014: Head Coach, ConVal HS (NH) 2007-2012: Defensive Coordinator, Willow Canyon HS (AZ) 2004-2006: Head Coach / DC, Westwind Academy (AZ) 1997-2002: Assistant Head Coach / DC, Melvindale HS (MI) 1995: Defensive Backs / Running Backs, Willow Run HS (MI) About #Swarmfbchat With all of the Offensive-themed chats on Twitter, Ryan McCartney (DC – Seymour HS, IN) decided in May of 2016 to join the crowded chat room featuring his #swarmfbchat. He chose Tuesday nights at 9pm EST to run (at that time) the ONLY Defensive-Themed chat to help encourage learning and skill-building while increasing his coaching network. At the time, Coach McCartney had over 300 followers and didn’t know too much about Twitter and its social reaches. As of Janurary 2017 however, Coach now has close to 2,000 followers and averages about 60 coaches each Tuesday night (a bit better than his days getting between 10-19 coaches a night when it started!). The #swarmfbchat specializes in Philosophy, Practice Planning and Skills/Drills specific to all defensive positions. All his chats can be found archived via Partcipate.com, an educational website. With the quick success of his Twitter chats, Coach McCartney has begun a string of Swarmchat Clinics across the country starting in March 2017.

Mike Turk became Huntingdon College's second head football coach in May 2004 and added the title of Director of Athletics in March 2013. As a football coach, Turk has been at the helm for every win in program history. Arriving on the heels of Huntingdon's winless first season (0-7 in 2003), he has turned the program into a consistent winner with an 80-38 record. In 12 seasons he has guided the program to its first win (2004), first winning season (2005), first playoff appearance (2009), first regular-season national ranking (2012), first conference championship (2015) and first playoff victory (2015). During his first season, Turk led the Hawks to a 4-5 record, including the program's first victory, a 35-21 win against Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Huntingdon was 7-2 during Turk's second season, the first winning record for a Huntingdon team. The Hawks have not had a losing season since. A graduate of Jeff Davis High School in Montgomery, Turk was a walk-on quarterback for Troy State University in the spring of 1984. He became a prominent figure on the field and sideline for the Trojans during the next two decades. Turk was a Troy assistant for 13 seasons before returning to his hometown roots. When he left Troy for Huntingdon, Turk had played or coached in 20 of the Trojans' 22 postseason games While at Troy, Turk became one of the most decorated players in school history. He led the program to NCAA Division II national championships in 1984 and 1987. His teams were 40-8-1 in four seasons. Turk was selected as an All-Conference performer in the Gulf South Conference three times and was runner-up for the prestigious Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the nation's top Division II performer. He was a consensus All-America selection as a senior and was named GSC Freshman of the Year in 1984. Following his senior year, Turk was named the Division II Offensive Player of the Year by Football News. He was the first person to be chosen as the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Small College Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year in the same season. Turk is the Trojans' fifth all-time leading rusher with 2,533 yards and holds the record for rushing yards by a quarterback. His 32 career rushing touchdowns ranks third and is tops among Troy quarterbacks. Turk's 6,707 yards of career total offense ranks fourth and his 62 touchdowns responsible for (passing and rushing) are third all-time. In the spring of 2012, Turk was one of 11 inducted into the inaugural Troy University Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition to his mark left in Troy, Turk was enshrined as a member of the ninth class of the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame in December of 2007. As Troy's running backs coach, Turk was responsible for building one of the nation's most consistent running games. Three of his running backs (Eddie Coleman, Arrid Gregory and Joe Jackson) rushed for more than 2,000 career yards. In 1997, Jackson broke Turk's school record for career rushing touchdowns with 34. During his 12 seasons as running backs coach at Troy, Turk had nine players to earn all-conference honors. Turk earned his undergraduate degree in physical education and a master's degree in education from Troy State. He is married to the former Danielle Warren of Alexander City. They have two sons, Jimbo and Jake.