The Football Coaching Podcast with Joe Daniel

Your Pre-camp practice schedule is, as it should be, its own beast. Getting your players ready for the first camp, and laying the foundation for the rest of your season is possibly one of the most important things you'll plan and execute until your first Friday night snap. On this episode Coaches Dave Dugan and Rick Stewart join Joe and Daniel to discuss pre-camp practice planning. Listen to identify how these coaches use the time leading up to the first camp with installs, drills, packages, and basic football information.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a scientific phenomenon in which people who are relatively new to a field, such as coaching football, often think they have all the answers when they actually have little to no knowledge of the subject at all. This effect is seen in nearly all aspects of life, even growing from a child into an adult (think about a 4 year old who has ALL the answers and a teenager who is frozen from fear of getting into the real world). It stems from the fact that you generally don't know what you don't know, and a false confidence in your ability to control what you do know. All of this can lead you to believe that you're the smartest man in the room. On this episode, Joe and Daniel discuss the challenges of believing you're the new greatest thing in football, what to do if you find yourself actually being the best coach on staff as an assistant, and the unfortunate situation in which you're a Head Coach with a subpar staff.

Linebackers could be considered the most important players in your defensive scheme. Regardless of how you rate them in importance, they can definitely make or break your defense if you aren't playing the right kids in each position. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss what the ideal backer looks like, what the player you'll likely be playing there looks like, and what type of player to fit into the inside backer positions in the scheme you've chosen.

Picking a defense doesn't have to be a very difficult task, but it is one that can easily be overthought. Some guys get stuck looking for the "perfect" defense, when that simply doesn't exist. In this episode, Joe and Daniel discuss the varying levels of difficulty and complexity in running each of the most prominent defensive schemes and what factors you should consider when picking one to run.

As coaches, we're constantly performing a balancing act; run plays vs pass, playing time for our players, time at the office on the weekend… the list goes on ad nauseum. Only one small part of that list is the number of touches our players are getting. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by coaches Kenny Simpson and Max Wilson to discuss the pros and cons of spreading the rock around in your offensive scheme to maximize experience, minimize wear and tear, and have your team ready for the high pressure moments on Friday nights.

Our teams are composed of athletes of a large range of experience levels. In football especially, players pick up skills and abilities throughout their career that usually result in them being more experienced and seeing the game differently than younger players. This leads to complications during practice when it comes to running drills that have to benefit everyone on the team. On this episode we talk with Coach Justin Dottavio about the importance of differentiating drills and how to add to and take away from your drills to ensure every player is getting max benefit from them.

You cannot expect, through any amount of drills or training, for an incoming freshman to show up and be the stud on the team. Realistically, you probably can't even expect them to be game ready with a single fall camp under their belt. However, you can and should have a plan to make them serviceable as a player. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by Lynn Shackleford and Antoine Smith as we discuss developing your team, and building them physically and mentally.

"I run six plays, split veer. It's like novocaine. Just give it time, it always works." - Herman Boone Although Coach Boone had T. C. Williams rocking and rolling to a 13-0 season and a state title in 1971 with the Split Veer… Most of us can agree that you likely need more than 6 plays in today's football game. Not that the split veer, wishbone, or other offenses won't work. But, you can at another level to these schemes with a simple RPO or or mixing in a little pass game to keep defenders honest. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss how many of each play type you should carry in a playbook vs a system, how to decide how much to install each year, and the benefits of keeping things simple.

"I run six plays, split veer. It's like novocaine. Just give it time, it always works." - Herman Boone Although Coach Boone had T. C. Williams rocking and rolling to a 13-0 season and a state title in 1971 with the Split Veer… Most of us can agree that you likely need more than 6 plays in today's football game. Not that the split veer, wishbone, or other offenses won't work. But, you can at another level to these schemes with a simple RPO or or mixing in a little pass game to keep defenders honest. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss how many of each play type you should carry in a playbook vs a system, how to decide how much to install each year, and the benefits of keeping things simple.

As the school year winds down, and football season gets ever nearer, you may find yourself as the newest defensive play caller on your team. Or, maybe you're a new DC on a different team than last year. Regardless, if you're in a position to determine which defensive coverage your team will use, you've come to the right place. Defense doesn't have to be complicated, and it often starts with keeping your coverage package(s) simple. In this episode Joe and Daniel discuss why you need to stick to a base coverage, which coverage you should likely be using, and whether zone or man coverage is right for you.

In small town high school football, where the running game reigns supreme, the cornerback position is often greatly overlooked. Many coaches don't know how to properly coach the position, so they're schemed into a deep third of the field and forgotten about until they give up the big play that seals a win for the cross-town rival. However, if the proper personnel are used, you may find the confidence in your players to get them more involved, and even break free from the overly-common "we don't have the players to run man coverage" ideology. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by Dominique Franks, DB coach for the USFL's New Jersey Generals, to talk all about how to pick the personnel you use at the cornerback position based off of your scheme and ways to identify who your best corners really are.

The offensive line could be considered the most important "team" to take the field on Friday nights. Sure, special teams is one side of the ball and defense wins championships, but you can't win 0-0 and the offense goes as your O-line goes. Piecing that team together can be a daunting task, especially for small schools where you may or may not have five guys that look the part. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by Coach Jack Dingus and Coach Matt Allen to discuss the personnel of perfect O Line positions, and what the "right guy" looks like for each one.

Coaching kickers seems to be one of the most overlooked and underappreciated skills in the football world. For a team that's supposed to entail the figurative third side of the ball, it seems there is very little info out in the football world about how to take the average high school athlete and make them into the one kid held responsible for all of your special teams situations. It's even been said that some very large colleges will not staff a kicking coach throughout the year. On this episode Joe, Daniel, and Coach Joel Mathews of Headcase Kicking talk through some of the easiest reasons to get involved in your kickers training, the basics of kicking a ball off of a tee and punting, how to identify your next punter and the proper practice plan to make them better without burning them out.

Not every player learns best the same way. I'll say that again. Not every player learns best the same way. Some of your players cannot sit down with a playbook and learn how to play football. The white board looks nothing like a football field to some of your players. You're writing Greek up there. Your practice schedule, as well as your coaching style, should incorporate as many learning styles as possible to ensure every player on the team is taking something from it. On this episode Joe, Daniel, and Coach James Vint discuss the types of learning styles there are, why they're all important, and ways that we've been adding them all into our practice plan to get the most benefit for the most players.

A hybrid position on defense can bring something different to the game of football that other positions simply can't, flexibility. These positions, and the players that fill them, have begun to pop up on both sides of the football and for some of the same reasons. A "jack of all trades" is more versatile in your defensive scheme than a "master of one". Coaches have quit prioritizing size in an effort to get the best 11 players on the field, and letting their athletes play more positions and techniques. On this episode, Joe, Daniel, and guest HC Kahn Chace talk about using hybrid defenders in their defensive schemes to better equip them to face the ever changing offenses in High School football.

Regardless of your offensive scheme, the person who touches the ball nearly every play is the Quarterback. Regardless of his skill level, you have to build your offensive scheme around him. Your overall system should include plays and packages to make any QB successful, once you identify what he can do, and what he can't. On this episode Joe, Daniel, and our guest Patrick Taylor discuss the reasons you have to build around your QB, ways to accommodate your QB, and how to change your play calling mindset depending on who your QB is.

Having absolute studs on your football team sounds like a dream come true. But, the truth is, even having absolute raw talent in the huddle comes with its own problems. Maybe your best players are pulling an Allen Iverson, "Practice? We talkin' about practice man." Or perhaps they've begun shutting it down with a scholarship already in hand and those around them telling them they're better than they may be. On this episode we're joined by former Texas HS Coach Randy Jackson to discuss ways to motivate your star athlete throughout the season and beyond. We tackle some of the major concerns associated with coaching extremely talented players and a few solutions to getting over those hurdles.

We've all had that one player who just HAS to test the limits. We know it's only natural, but it can definitely test us as coaches. Whether it's your star running back showing up late consistently or a youth player whose parents just can't seem to get them to practice on time, we all have to have a plan in place to ensure the discipline of the team doesn't falter due to our "problem child". In this episode Joe, Daniel, and guests Antoine Smith and Bill Weiss share years of combined wisdom on dealing with the situations above and many more that you may have had already or need to have a plan for in the future.

Regardless of the record, history, or size of your team, something all coaches have to deal with is parents. Some can be jet fuel for your system, and some can feel like an anchor dragging you down. But, parent involvement is a currency that every team needs to help maximize their potential in the fall. On this episode Joe and Daniel are joined by Coach Rick Stewart to discuss some successful ways to communicate with parents, how to get to know them, increase involvement, and what to do if you have a parent already going sour.

On this episode we're talking to Dale Baskett, a renowned speed coach with over 40 years of speed training experience in the NFL, MLB, and numerous collegiate and high school powerhouse schools, about the intricacies of training speed throughout the year, how little time it can really take away from you, and some mistakes of guys who are trying to do it on their own. Dale is a big part of our "If you don't know, hire an expert" philosophy.

No matter the size or level of your program, adding players to your roster is always a good thing. Maybe you're under the roster size expected for your school size, or you're seeing kids in the hallway that you know could help you be successful. Either way, you have to be able to recruit the building to add numbers and hopefully talent. On this episode Joe and Daniel discuss the importance of recruiting your school, which kids you should aim to recruit, and we talk about a few ways to make you a successful recruiter and team builder.

The H-Back is a position that few admit to or knowingly use. However, they're showing up more and more across the world of Football. In the NFL, Travis Kelce has been playing the role since his emergence in 2014. In college, the Oklahoma Sooners have had a pair of H-Backs helping in their bread-and-butter counter game for at least the last 5 years. Last but not least, the High School ranks have been attempting to use everything the next level does for ages, and the H-Back is just the next thing to trickle down to their level in mass. On this episode we're focusing on identifying what a H-Back is, the benefits of using one, and how you can fit a H-Back into the offensive scheme you're already running. You may be closer to having one than you think. It may be as simple as changing the designator in your playbook.

Every coach in the game has a "best" player on defense. They may or may not be a talent that will move on in the game. But, we all need to know how to identify who our best player is in each position group, and where to play them within that group on Friday nights. In this episode we're talking about why you need to identify your best players, which player in each position group is really your best, and which position you should play them in depending on your overall defensive scheme.

When it comes to learning how to coach football, we all have to start somewhere. Everyone's starting point will be different, and for various reasons. Some of us start coaching after successful playing careers and learning comes easy, some of us haven't touched a football in 10+ years and it feels like the lingo is in a different language. Some start with highly successful mentors that pass on their techniques, others start from scratch with nothing but a desire for self-improvement. In this episode, we're discussing Daniel's start to his coaching career, why he decided to become a coach, and what methods he found useful in learning how to coach football.

How to call football plays from the sideline is one of the most asked questions from new coordinators or play callers. Everyone does it a little differently, and even if you have a way, you may be looking for a more efficient method. In this episode, we will discuss exactly that. How do we like to call plays, whether on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, and what are some pros and cons for each method we've tried.

Defensive line drills can be a key piece to having your big boys playing their most efficient, most effective football. They're not the only tool you need in your toolbox, but one you need without a doubt. In this episode we're talking ways to improve your players with defensive line drills and focusing on the fundamentals of D-Line play.

Every coach is looking for the best football fundraising ideas. It's part of the job. Regardless of your school size, being a good steward of the program's finances is a key to success. Whether you're trying to bring money in, or stop the flow of money going out, you need to be on top of the organization's "check book" to ensure you have the finances to continuously be improving. In this episode, learn the best football fundraising ideas for your team. Find out how to get control of finances, control how much you spend, and increase money coming into your program this season.

RPO plays have changed the game on both sides of the football. Run Pass Option offenses are not just at the college level and big high schools, though. You can use these schemes in your small school football offense. In this episode, we're talking to back-to-back Oklahoma State Champion coach Lynn Shackelford from Cashion High School (Cashion, OK) about his evolution into RPO plays, how they helped his teams perform well above their expectations, and how he's using them today to keep adding 1A state championships to his trophy case.

Are you still scared of playing press man coverage? Man coverages seems to be every DC's "off" coverage, usually to compliment cover 3 or in blitzing situations. But, seemingly just as many coaches stay away from man coverage all together for their own personal reasons. On this episode, we're speaking with Sooner legend, NFL GREAT, and Owasso Rams DB Coach Dominique Franks about how press man technique changed for him at each level of the game, and how he's successfully coaching it now to the CBs at Owasso High School (Owasso, OK).

As the season comes to a close, we're all evaluating where our strengths and shortcomings were this fall. More than likely, many of us have found that there is improvement needed in the strength and speed departments of our team. In this episode we discuss the why, the what, and the how of preparing football workouts and building a successful weight room program.

The Air Raid Offense is one of the most popular offensive systems in football today. There are also a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings about the offense. Coach Patrick Taylor is the Head Coach of North Surry High School in North Carolina. He's an expert in the Air Raid Offense and joins the podcast to share his knowledge. Learn the base philosophy of the offense, what coaches moving into this system can expect, and where the offense is going in the future.

As most of us get into our offseason, sending our student athletes to different sports, it's a great time to start planning ahead for spring ball and summer workouts.

On any given Friday night, an uncountable number of offensive schemes are being ran across the country. But, from pee wee to the collegiate level, you can always find a team running the Wing-T. Tonight, we're going to discuss the basics of the offense, everything you need to know to get your feet wet.

As defensive coaches, we're constantly stuck between keeping coverages simple enough for our kids to execute, and complex enough to make an opposing QB wrong. In today's episode we will discuss how to change-up from your base coverage, ways to disguise what you're doing from play to play, and small tweaks that can change up your base to make it more effective for the team you're facing without slowing down the play of your players.

We've discussed revolving offenses in previous episodes, and how there is no king of the mountain. However, the spread offense has held its own for several years. In today's episode, we will skim the surface of the spread option, why people continue to use it, what its key formations and plays are, and what weaknesses a coach can expect from year to year.

Sometimes the season just doesn't go your way. Every season, at every level, there are teams at the bottom of the standings. Every season there is even an NFL team who is so bad, they get the #1 draft pick. Most of us have had to deal with it at one point or another. But, regardless of the score board or district standings, you can successfully utilize the games you have left. In today's episode, we will discuss playing out a season that hasn't gone your way, when to pull the plug, and what your plan moving forward should be.

Linebackers are often considered to be the most "torn" position in football. They have twice the responsibility of other position groups, and multiple reads at the snap of the ball to get them to their assignments. Tonight's episode we will discuss drills specifically for the linebacker corps, to help get your players reading and reacting more efficiently and playing their assignments with muscle memory.

Many pro and college athletes have made the change to coaching their sport. While some find success, this is not always the case. In today's episode, we're going to try to break down why this happens, why skill doesn't always translate to coaching ability, and why you don't have to be brilliant to be successful.

Blitzing in football is a lever that many coaches pull for different reasons and with widely varying frequency. Some want to send an additional player every snap, some wait for the planets to align on the perfect situation. In today's episode, we will discuss three primary purposes for blitzing in football and what each of these bring to your playbook.

Every coach knows tackling is a key to winning games, but do you know the physics of football tackling? The two most basic functions of American football, at any level, are blocking and tackling. If you're coming up short at either job, you're probably not seeing a lot of success on that side of the ball. Tackling, much like every other aspect of the game, has evolved over the years. Players have gotten bigger, faster, and stronger. The game has opened up in regards to playing behind a row of blockers, to getting the ball in open space. In today's episode, we're going to discuss the fundamentals of tackling, and some drills that you can use to better prepare your athletes to make all types of tackles, whether it be open field or round the edge of the OL trying to hit a sideline.

In 1906 Saint Louis University (eventually named the Billikens) completed the first official forward pass in college football history. Everyone else was playing checkers (Rugby style football to be exact) and SLU's head coach Eddie Cochems was playing Chess. Today's episode is all about the offense, and how it has cycled over the years. From the "Rugby" beginnings, the Split-T of the 50s, the Wishbone of the 70s-90s and into the Air Raid era. We will look at how each of these offenses, and a few others, were phased in and phased out, and where they're still useful today.

From depth charting players in the pre-season to trying to stop your cross-town rival's power play, understanding your defense is of utmost importance. The better you know your system, what each lever is best at stopping, the more efficient you'll be at adjusting on the fly. This episode of The Football Coaching Podcast delves further into the idea of having the best 11 on the field, by concentrating on your overall understanding of your defensive system.

When you're filling out your football depth chart for your defense this season, you should be pencilling in the 'Best 11'. In Youth and High School Football where we do not recruit, we coach the kids we have. They might not always fit into a perfect mold for each position. This episode of The Football Coaching Podcast kicks off Season 10 with a look at what the Best 11 really means for your defense. Find out how to pick the right guys and put them in the right places on your football depth chart.