Coach and Coordinator Podcast

This is the weekly recap of this past week’s Coach and Coordinator podcasts! Host Keith Grabowski was joined by two high school state champions, an FBS offensive coordinator, an FCS receivers coach and two professors of coach development. On the shows were Thad Wells, Dr. Brian Gearity and Dr. Clayton Kuklick, Chuck Smith, Brian Flinn and Mike Denbrock. Listen in to hear a preview of each show!

Today’s guest on the Coach and Coordinator podcast is Mike Denbrock, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Cincinnati. Denbrock enters his second season at UC, along with head coach Luke Fickell. Denbock's other college assistant stops include Notre Dame, Indiana State, Washington, Stanford, Buffalo, Illinois State and his alma mater, Grand Valley State. On today’s podcast, Denbrock and host Keith Grabowski discuss Denbrock’s experience on both sides of the ball, the best ways to get maximum effort from players and how the RPO fits into his offense. Show Notes 1:34 Learning points early in coaching career 4:25 Balance in setting goals and focusing on current position 6:28 Having a variety of coaching skills 10:00 Offensive and defensive staffs working together 13:04 Bringing together all three phases 15:11 Aligning culture within a program 17:15 What he expects out of his Cincinnati players 20:23 Keys to effective recruiting 22:51 Ways to teach players the game 25:43 Helping players understand the “why” in schemes 27:12 Being efficient in practice 29:55 Key points to Cincinnati’s offense 33:44 Balancing RPO and the play-action pass 35:42 Developing players to run Level 3 RPO 37:15 The Winning Edge

The guest on today’s USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast is Brian Flinn, wide receivers coach at Villanova University. Flinn is in his 13th season at Villanova and 12th as the team’s wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. During his time, Flinn has mentored several all-conference receivers at Villanova and helped wide receiver Matt Szczur to be the Colonial Athletic Association offensive player of the year in 2009. Szczur was also named the Most Outstanding Player in Villanova’s FCS national championship game win, as well as being a consensus first-team All-American. Prior to Villanova, Flinn made multiple stops in his coaching journey. He started by spending four seasons at Eastern Illinois as an assistant coach for wide receivers and tight ends. He also was the recruiting coordinator while at EIU. Before EIU, Flinn worked one season at Drake University in 2000 before becoming a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland from 2001-02. Flinn graduated from the University of Mount Union (Ohio) in 1997 and was a part of two NCAA Division III National Championship teams as a player. After college, Flinn returned to Mount Union for two seasons. First, he worked as a wide receivers coach in 1998, then the linebackers coach the next season. On today’s show, Flinn and host Keith Grabowski talk about Flinn’s experience in coaching, using efficient practice techniques and incorporating analytics to situational management. Show Notes 1:07 From working insurance to coaching 4:15 Lessons from experience at Mount Union 8:26 Earning your way through the coaching ranks 12:21 Being able to communicate with players effectively 14:15 Learning from previous coaching positions 17:48 Why stay at one school for a long period of time 20:36 How wide receivers coaches can help their players 25:29 Developing technique with younger players 29:34 Building efficient drills in a time crunch 34:54 Getting the most out of your players 37:47 The Winning Edge 44:34 Using analytics systems in situation management 47:29 Integrated situational analysis with analytics in practice 51:10 Being mentally able to use analytics during the game

The guest on today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast is Chuck Smith, head coach of Boyle County High School in Danville, Kentucky. Boyle enters his fifth season, in his second stint, as head coach at Boyle County. The team is coming off a 14-1 record and a state championship last season. Since returning as the head coach, Smith holds a 42-10 at Boyle County. Before Boyle County, Smith worked as an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky, Smith’s alma mater. He worked eight years as a linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator for the Wildcats, and coached current Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan. Smith’s legacy stems from his first time as the head coach of Boyle County from 1992 to 2004. During that time, Smith led the Rebels to five state championships in a row. From 1999 to 2002, Boyle County had the second-longest winning streak in Kentucky history (47). Smith had a 142-33 record during those first 13 seasons. Before coaching, Smith played linebacker at Kentucky and was one of the top tacklers on the team in his last two seasons. On today’s show, Smith and host Keith Grabowski talk about the relationship between coaches and players, building tradition and establishing a championship-winning system. Follow the Boyle County football team on Twitter: @BCRebelFootball Show Notes 1:16 What made him want to be a coach 2:40 Learning from mistakes made as a young coach 4:50 Helping coaching staff build trust with players 7:22 Mentoring young coaches in connecting with players 9:27 Buying into the school’s tradition 12:50 Building tradition and purpose at a program 15:36 Developing strength and conditioning within the schools 19:18 Finding places to improve within success 22:15 Having a system to fit the personnel 24:24 The Winning Edge

Today’s guest on the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast are Dr. Brian Gearity and Dr. Clayton Kuklick, professors of sport coaching at the University of Denver. Dr. Gearity has been the director of the Master of Arts in Sport Coaching program at Denver since 2014. Before teaching at Denver, Dr. Gearity spent five years at the University of Southern Mississippi as an assistant professor of Sport Coaching Education. As a coach, Dr. Gearity’s specialty is in the strength and conditioning side. Dr. Gearity worked as a strength coach at the University of Tennessee for nine years and received his PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Tennessee in 2009. Dr. Kuklick works as a clinical assistant professor for the Sport Coaching program at Denver. The previous two years, Dr. Kuklick has worked as an assistant professor of Athletic Coaching Education at West Virginia University. He also previously received his PhD in Human Performance and Recreation: Administration and Teaching at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2014. In coaching, Dr. Kuklick has worked as an assistant coach for baseball teams at Shepherd University, Georgia College and State University, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Kutztown University. Dr. Kuklick has also worked as a head coach for several college baseball summer leagues. On today’s podcast, Dr. Gearity and Dr. Kuklick talk with host Keith Grabowski about their teaching experience, important tips for coaches and how to make the art of coaching better every day. Show Notes 1:25 Coaches helping football participation 3:31 Long-term athlete development plan 6:51 Changes in developing young athletes over time 10:52 How to be an effective and developed coach 17:23 Helping volunteer/parent coaches at the youth level 21:58 Strategies for instructing coaches in the classroom 30:10 Mentoring coaches and utilizing that knowledge 39:39 Getting better at coach/player relationship 42:22 Using technology as a tool in coaching 46:25 Coaching problem-solving in virtual reality 48:54 One tip to being successful as a coach in 2018

This is the weekly recap of this past week’s Coach and Coordinator podcasts! Host Keith Grabowski was joined by two coaches in the FBS Power Five, a super bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts and a college football hall of famer. On the shows were University of Michigan offensive analyst Tanner Engstrand, Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead, former NFL linebacker Freddy Keiaho and former college football all-American quarterback Jim Ballard. Listen in to hear a preview of each show!

Today’s guest on the Coach and Coordinator podcast is Thad Wells, head coach at Mooresville (North Carolina) High School. Wells begins his first season as head coach at Mooresville, after he was the head coach at Blacksburg (Virginia) High School for three seasons. Under Wells, Blacksburg went 27-12 overall, including winning a state title in 2016. Last season, Blacksburg went 11-2 overall, but lost in the regional final game by a single point. Before coming to Blacksburg, Wells spent one season as a head coach at Colleton Preparatory Academy in Walterboro, South Carolina. Wells was 27 years old when he was hired to be a head coach at Colleton in 2014. Prior to becoming a head coach, Wells spent a year as an offensive coordinator at Virginia High School in Bristol, Virginia. Before coaching, Wells played football at Richlands High School before playing at Emory & Henry College. He graduated from Radford University, where he was a football assistant at Radford High School during that time. Wells also returned to Richlands as an assistant coach after college. On today’s show, Wells and host Keith Grabowski talk about Wells’ outside-the-box philosophy to formation, his purpose in life, and how he inspires others to follow their passion. Show Notes 1:23 Inspired to coach by a video game 3:52 Video games being a helpful distractor 5:58 Different approach to game planning during the week 11:12 Adapting formation from its starting point 13:07 Personnel changes adjusting the schemes 16:33 Formation according to position on the field 19:29 His passion for coaching 27:10 Becoming aware of a coach’s program 29:46 Developing a culture through choice 31:49 The Winning Edge

Today’s guest on the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast is Jim Ballard, College Football Hall of Famer and founder of the Jim Ballard Quarterback Academy. He also had a long professional career across a variety of leagues. Ballard played in the NFL, CFL, NFL Europe and Arena Football from 1994 to 2003. Some of the teams included the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Scottish Claymores, Toronto Argonauts and the Indiana Firebirds. Ballard had his most success during his collegiate career at Mount Union College, an NCAA Division III school in Alliance, Ohio. Including being induced to the College Football Hall of Fame for his play at Mount Union, Ballard was also an All-American while in college. Ballard started his college career at D-III Wilmington (Ohio) College for one season before transferring to Mount Union. Across his career, Ballard broke 17 D-III passing records and was named all-conference all three seasons. In addition to being an all-American, Ballard was also awarded the Gagliardi Trophy for the Division III college football player of the year in 1993. Today, Ballard works with developing high school quarterbacks at the Jim Ballard Quarterback Academy. On today’s podcast, Ballard and host Keith Grabowski talk about Ballard’s Quarterback Academy, the challenges of coordinating with high school coaches and parents, and how Mount Union prepared him to teach young athletes. Show Notes 1:16 Mentoring local quarterbacks into college 2:36 Working alongside high school coaches 3:53 Beginnings of the quarterback development camp 6:16 Developing players going to Mount Union 7:55 Being flexible in teaching how to be a quarterback 10:50 Increasing Football IQ of the quarterback 12:29 Advice to parents of players going through the academy 14:54 Helping athletes gain exposure through camps 16:32 What to show on highlight tapes for quarterbacks 18:50 Having a strong base when throwing the ball 20:51 Being a leader in the huddle and knowing everyone’s role 22:25 Building confidence into leadership 23:42 The Roll Pass at Mount Union 25:15 Simulating the RPO 26:52 How can coaches develop players in-season 28:35 Providing 1-on-1 teaching with the quarterbacks

The guest on today’s USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast is former linebacker and 2007 Super Bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts, Freddy Keiaho. He played five years in the NFL, with the Colts from 2006-09, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010. In his rookie season, Keiaho helped the Colts win the 2007 Super Bowl over the Chicago Bears. Throughout his career, Keiaho recorded 243 tackles, forced two fumbles and had an interception. Keiaho came to the NFL after a stellar career at San Diego State University. Prior to San Diego State, Keiaho graduated and played at Buena High School in Ventura, California. He and his family came to California after moving from Keiaho’s birthplace, Suva, Fiji. Today, Keiaho lives in Carlsbad, California, with his wife Tracey and their three children. Keiaho has worked with Scott Peters at the USA Football Tip of the Spear Contact System clinic. In today’s podcast, Keiaho and host Keith Grabowski discuss the difficulty of transitioning away from football, player safety, and new techniques to protect players while preserving contact. Show Notes 1:18 The hardships of transitioning away from football 4:02 Adjusting to life after sports 8:08 Using coaching to build player’s character 11:01 Coaching techniques from his playing career 13:02 New technology helping high school coaches 14:51 Lessons and practices from Tip of the Spear 19:22 Being smart with football techniques and safety 22:55 Alternatives to schools changing youth football

Today’s guest on the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast is Joe Moorhead, head coach at Mississippi State University. Moorhead is starting his first season at Mississippi State this year after spending two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Penn State. At Penn State, Moorhead was named National Offensive Coordinator of the Year by 247Sports in 2016 and helped lead Penn State’s offense to being one of the best in country. The Nittany Lions ranked in the top 25 nationally last season in points per game, yards per play and red zone conversion percentage. Moorhead developed quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley while at Penn State, helping them to become finalists in several national awards. Moorhead has worked as a coach in college football for close to 20 years. Prior to Penn State, Moorhead was the head coach at FCS school Fordham, Moorhead’s alma mater. Before Fordham, Moorhead worked at several FBS and FCS schools as an assistant coach on the offensive side of the ball. These include Connecticut, Akron, Georgetown and Pittsburgh. At every stop since Georgetown, Moorhead rose to the rank of offensive coordinator during his stay. Moorhead graduated from Fordham in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in English. On today’s podcast, Moorhead and host Keith Grabowski talk about offensive schemes, Moorhead’s experience at the college level, and what it takes to build a strong culture at a program. Show Notes 1:28 Getting the start in coaching with unconventional methods 2:36 First lessons as a coach at Pittsburgh 3:50 Learning and teaching new phases of the game 5:05 Setting the foundation of his offense at Akron 6:38 Using the 11-personnel offense to play fast 8:12 Combining an RPO run game with West Coast passing 9:23 Developing a clear and concise system at Fordham 10:33 Coaching talent and creating a culture at Penn State 12:40 Using the RPO to replace Bubble offense 14:00 Starting the first year at Mississippi State right 15:04 Bringing in new faces to fill out his staff at MSU 16:45 Building relationships and trust with student-athletes 18:17 Instilling confidence in your program 20:08 Creating a strong culture in spring practices 21:02 Motto for the upcoming season 22:08 What makes a good recruiter at all levels 23:33 The Winning Edge 24:40 Expectations of good coaching from his staff

The guest on today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast is the new offensive analyst for the University of Michigan, Tanner Engstrand. Engstrand comes to Michigan this season after 13 seasons at the University of San Diego. Since 2011, Engstrand worked as the offensive coordinator and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2013. being named offensive coordinator, USD compiled a 63-18 record and brought home six FCS Pioneer League titles. USD also led the conference in scoring offense with 36.4 points per game. Before being named the offensive coordinator, Engstrand worked directly with the quarterbacks and running backs for three seasons, starting in 2007. Engstrand began his career at San Diego, working as a graduate assistant straight out of college under Engstrand’s new boss at Michigan, coach Jim Harbaugh. Engstrand played quarterback at Grossmont College for two seasons before finishing his collegiate career at San Diego State. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from SDSU in 2005 and his master’s in business administration at the University of San Diego in 2007. In today’s podcast, Engstrand and host Keith Grabowski talk about the experience Engstrand gained working at San Diego, his advancement as a young coach in college football, and the new position he has at Michigan. Show Notes 0:56 Working as a graduate assistant under Jim Harbaugh 1:56 Growth as a coach at San Diego 3:42 Progression to becoming the offensive coordinator 6:21 Using the up-tempo offense creatively 7:41 Valuing the football and dictating time of possession 9:52 Different formations using the play-action 12:21 Decision to move from USD to Michigan 13:45 Engstrand’s new role as an offensive analyst 15:03 Advance scouting of opponents 15:47 Using analytics to improve the team 17:11 Advice in moving up as a young coach

Today’s guest on the Coach and Coordinator podcast is Noel Rash, head coach at Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. Rash has been on the Beechwood coaching staff for 18 years and was named the head coach in 2006. Since becoming the head coach, Rash has led the Tigers to four state championships in five championship-game appearances, including each of the past two seasons. He holds a 123-88 record as the head coach at Beechwood. Rash has also been awarded the District Coach of the Year Award six times, and the Cincinnati Bengals honored him with the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award in 2017. Prior to coaching at Beechwood, Rash has worked as an assistant coach at several schools around the Cincinnati area. Those include Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller High School from 1996-99, Simon Kenton High School in Independence, Kentucky from 1993 through ’94, and Lloyd Memorial High School in Erlanger, Kentucky from 1985 through ’87. Rash graduated from Thomas More (Kentucky) College in 1994, earning a degree in history and secondary education. He also played on the school’s football as a linebacker and safety. Rash teaches government and geography at Beechwood along with coaching football. In today’s podcast, Rash and host Keith Grabowski talk about Rash’s coaching style, his bond with his players and the future of the game of football. Show Notes 0:47 What it takes to win back-to-back state championships 2:01 Coaches setting an example for their players 4:25 Balancing physical strength with mental strength 6:33 Determining leaders in the offseason 9:25 Players taking ownership of the team 10:45 Journey to becoming a head coach 14:41 Developing players into good young men 18:10 Status of football today 22:13 How coaching and teaching has changed football 23:34 The Winning Edge

Today’s guest on the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast is Mike Sirianni, head coach at Washington & Jefferson College, an NCAA Division III school in Washington, Pennsylvania. Sirianni is in his 15th season as head coach of the Presidents and one of the winningest head coaches in Division III football. The team is coming off an 11-1 season last year and made it to the second round of the D-III playoffs for the first time since 2014. Sirianni has a 139-31 overall record as a head coach at Washington & Jefferson, giving him a winning percentage among the best active NCAA football coaches at all levels with at least 10 years of experience. Prior to becoming the head coach, Sirianni worked as the offensive coordinator at Washington & Jefferson. Now as the head coach, he still works with on the offensive side and calls plays for the offense. Before Washington & Jefferson, Sirianni worked one year as the offensive coordinator at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Sirianni began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. He spent three years working with the wide receivers, the same position he played while at Mount Union. As a player, Sirianni won a Division III National Championship with Mount Union in 1993. It today’s podcast, Sirianni and host Keith Grabowski talk about what he learned from playing and coaching at Mount Union, how he shapes his practices, and his focus on the success of his players. Show Notes 1:14 What made Sirianni want to be a coach 2:36 Mount Union experience shaping his coaching now 4:25 Preparing for every opponent the same way 5:35 Getting the ball to your best players 7:01 Importance of formation/plays and how the game has changed 8:24 Enjoying the strategy and play-calling of football 9:27 Balancing being flexible and sticking to the scheme 12:06 Philosophy of running an up-tempo offense 13:46 Creating the personnel to run an effective up-tempo offense 16:14 Using the RPO in an up-tempo offense 19:05 Importance of activities outside of football, two-sport athletes 21:05 Stance against having spring practices in pads 22:42 Enjoying any level of college football 24:12 The Winning Edge

The guest on today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast is Alex Rotsko, head coach at Marshwood High School in South Berwick, Maine. Rotsko enters his seventh season at Marshwood coming off winning a state championship last season. It was the third state title victory for Marshwood under Rotsko, and the 19th time Rotsko has been to a high school state championship game. Rotsko is 58-11 at Marshwood in his six seasons as the head coach. Prior to coaching at Marshwood, Rotsko was a successful coach at Longmeadow High School in Massachusetts. He led Longmeadow to 15 straight Western Massachusetts Super Bowl games up until his move to Marshwood in 2012. Longmeadow accumulated nine Division I Super Bowl titles and two Division II titles at the start of Rotsko’s career with the Lancers. Rotsko held a 184-39 career record at Longmeadow, which included a 47-game winning streak during that time. Rotsko spent time at the NCAA Division III and Division II levels, serving as an assistant coach at Ithaca College in New York, before becoming the head coach at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Rotsko was the head coach at American International for 10 seasons and compiled a 52-46-3 record before moving to high school football. On today’s podcast, Rotsko and host Keith Grabowski discuss Rotsko’s experience at the high school and college levels, his implementation of the Wing-T offense, and promoting a culture of success. Show Notes 1:18 What made Rotsko want to coach football 2:09 Learning from early stops in coaching 5:09 Practice setting up team for success 6:26 Making sure every player gets reps 8:21 Formulating a winning program 9:52 Utilizing one-day camps to develop players 12:46 Using the Wing-T offense 14:17 Implementing the Wing-T to the team’s culture 16:44 Being prepared for any defense facing the Wing-T 18:20 Adding RPOs to the offensive scheme 21:49 Using the counter crisscross play 23:07 Having confidence within the play 24:07 Technique creating good ball security 25:35 The Winning Edge

The guest on today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast is Andy Kotelnicki, offensive coordinator at the University of Buffalo. In his fourth season at Buffalo, Kotelnicki worked with the quarterbacks his first two years at the program before turning to the running backs last season. Offensively, Kotelnicki led Buffalo to ranking second in the Mid-American Conference in yards per game last season and set a school record for total offense in a single season. Kotelnicki has coached three All-MAC players and helped quarterback Tyree Jackson set the school record for passing yards thrown by a freshman. Before Buffalo, Kotelnicki coached at the NCAA Division III level for two years with Wisconsin-Whitewater, also as offensive coordinator. The two years Kotelnicki was there, Wisconsin-Whitewater went a combined 28-0. Kotelnicki also had stops at the University of Mary (Bismarck, North Dakota) at the D-II level, his alma mater UW-River Falls, and FCS school Western Illinois, as an offensive assistant at each stop. On today’s podcast, Kotelnicki and host Keith Grabowski talk about moving from coaching Division III to FBS, having multiple schemes and the keys to having a high-powered offense. Show Notes 0:49 Coaching history, staff moving from Wisconsin-Whitewater to Buffalo 4:28 Differences between FBS and Division III football 9:14 Adjusting to the personnel of a new team 13:18 Having flexibility within your scheme 14:40 Balancing complexity and ability to learn 15:30 Working through adversity last season at Buffalo 19:16 Accountability with how a game goes 20:32 Emphasizing ball security and drive efficiency 24:16 How to set and maintain the tempo of a game 29:26 Coordinating tempo with the rest of the team 31:41 Use of RPOs, trying to distort the defense 34:09 The Winning Edge