FootballScoop

Subscribe to The FootballScoop Podcast here via iTunes As coaches, finding the balance between coaching, work, and family can be a difficult challenge for even the most veteran of coaches. Some coaches never find it and end up getting out of the profession altogether. On Beyond the Whistle this week, I talked to two coaches about their journey and strategies to find that delicate balance - John Allen Snyder of Indiana Area Senior HS (PA) and Kevin Saunders of Pebblebrook HS (GA). Both are head coaches, but that's where the similarities end as each shares a very unique and interesting story. Snyder is married and 34 years old, with a son that is two-and-a-half, with another on the way. The first rule to coaching in his program is family comes first, and he takes that very seriously, so much so that if coaches can't get on board, he'll fire them. Saunders is 51 years old, engaged, married twice before, and learned about balancing football and family the hard way in his first two marriages. During our conversation, he shared with me that he told his first wife from the start that football was going to come first, and later on he hit a turning point while celebrating a state title with his coaching staff and their wives when he looked how happy everyone else was and found himself with no one to share the momentous occasion with. Each one shares their personal experiences on balancing coaching and family life, and I add a personal note myself on how to prioritize it all. Be sure to subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts from, to stay updated on the latest. The post PODCAST: Episode 5 – Finding that important balance between coaching, work, and family life appeared first on FootballScoop.

With National Signing Day just around the corner for a number of programs, I decided to dedicate this week's podcast to a topic related to recruiting. This week, on Beyond the Whistle, Lakeland University (D-III - WI) head coach Colin Bruton and I chatted about how the Lakeland football program has managed to have success, despite having to recruit to a facility and playing surface that was long ago surpassed by other programs in the area. In fact, their field was in such bad shape that they had to play their final two home games of 2016 at a high school field because theirs resembled a swamp and conditions were unplayable. https://twitter.com/CoachSamz/status/782940553289883648 Bruton holds nothing back as he lays out the blueprint that has worked for the Lakeland program, as the Muskies have went 11-1 in conference play over the past two seasons, with one outright conference title and a shared title in 2016, with two trips under Bruton to the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Lakeland model starts with identifying their type of kid first and foremost by being upfront and honest from the start to identify the type of kids who love the game more than shiny new facilities and a turf field. By the fall, Bruton and the Lakeland program will be playing on a new turf field and their stadium is undergoing a $2.8 million facelift, but Bruton points out that the new digs won't change their approach a bit. Listen to the full podcast below, and subscribe via iTunes here. The post PODCAST Episode 4: How to recruit, and utilize social media, successfully with limited resources appeared first on FootballScoop.

This week, on Beyond the Whistle, we continue our conversation on culture and its importance with Grapevine HS (TX) head coach Randy Jackson, also the author of Culture Defeats Strategy, which you can order here. This week, coach Jackson and I discuss how he's created a culture build on the cornerstones of toughness and developed a system where his players have to earn everything, the single most important ingredient to culture by a large margin, how to create a culture with limited resources. Listen to all that, and more, in Episode 3 of The FootballScoop Podcast.   The post PODCAST Episode 3: How to create a culture, the most important ingredient, and creating a culture with limited resources appeared first on FootballScoop.

Today, in Episode 2 of Beyond the Whistle on The FootballScoop Podcast, I had the opportunity to talk with Grapevine HS (TX) head coach Randy Jackson, who recently released a new book entitled Culture defeats Strategy (which you can order here). As coaches, we love going to clincs and talking ball, and specifically, schemes, but when it comes to culture, coaches everywhere recognize it's value, yet there isn't a ton of discussion into how coaches create a culture within a program. Coach Jackson and I had a great conversation aimed at changing that. In the episode we cover quite a bit of ground, as Jackson explains why creating a successful culture within your program is paramount to long term success, how our view of culture today is similar to how coaches in the 70's and 80's viewed lifting weights, and why creating a successful culture is the new frontier in football everywhere. That, along with plenty more. Coach Jackson and I's discussion was so good, that I couldn't fit everything we talked about into a single podcast, so we'll revisit culture next week (as many of you are traveling to the AFCA in Nashville) and get into the specifics on how he and his staff build culture, the two types of culture that exist in Jackson's opinion, and the single most important element to creating a culture, and having a successful program. Subscribe to The FootballScoop Podcast here. The post “Successful seasons are 75% culture and 25% scheme” and more on the importance of culture appeared first on FootballScoop.

Here's what we have in store on Episode 2 of The FootballScoop Podcast New Baylor head coach Matt Rhule talks with Zach this week in The Press Box about what drew him to the Baylor job, what he has in store for the Baylor program, and Rhule shares what they'll look like on offense under his watch. This week, on Beyond the Whistle, I chat with Grapevine HS (TX) head coach Randy Jackson, the author of a new book titled Culture Defeats Strategy: 7 Lessons on Leadership form a Texas High School Football Coach about the role that culture plays in football, how that role is much different than what it was 20 years ago, why it's so important to successful programs today, and what percentage of a successful season can be attributed to having a great culture, and what percentage is scheme. All that, plus a whole lot more from Jackson. Next week, as many of us head to the AFCA convention, the culture discussion of the podcast will continue with coach Jackson, as we dig deeper into the ingredients of a successful culture, how resources factor into creating a culture, and the key to how programs with limited resources can still create successful cultures. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, and we welcome you to leave a review with your thoughts as well. The post Podcast Episode 2: We talk about creating a culture, and interview Baylor’s Matt Rhule appeared first on FootballScoop.

Today, we released the first episode of The FootballScoop Podcast (you can subscribe via iTunes here), and in it we talked about a number of keys to building a successful football program with Shiloh Christian (AR) head coach Jeff Conaway and Ferris State (D-II - MI) quarterbacks coach / run game coordinator Dan Rohn.  who won a number of state titles at Grand Rapids West Catholic HS (MI) after building the program up at Fremont HS (MI). One of the topics of the podcast that we've already got a tremendous amount of feedback on already, has been Conaway and Rohn's creative program building ideas that includes both parental and community involvement. At Shiloh Christian HS, coach Conaway explained that they do a father-son retreat every year, where they float down a river together, and later gather around a campfire. There, in a group setting, players are asked to share one thing that they appreciate about their fathers, and in-turn, fathers are asked to share something about their sons that makes them proud. The experience led to a number of fathers thanking coach Conaway and his staff for the opportunity to share that special moment with their son, and some even hugged Conaway and shared how it forever transformed the relationship that they have. Conaway also did something similar involving the mothers in the program and their sons by having their sons treat their moms to a date night. The program would rent a local ballroom and players would dress up, pull chairs out for their moms, enjoy dinner together, and listen to a scheduled speaker together on a topic like "how to treat women" or another topic along those lines. For Rohn's program at West Catholic, they did something very similar and also got the surrounding communities involved. West Catholic players and their fathers would head out into the community and put in a solid day's work doing community service for people, or businesses in need and afterwards they would go home and shower and then meet back up for a steak dinner and church service, followed by some team activities that dads would be a part of. In that meeting, Rohn also has guys that were interested in being team captains stand up and speak to the team in front of everyone and talk about what this upcoming season meant to them. Listen to those ideas more in depth, as well as a number of other ideas that coach Rohn and coach Conaway share for building a successful football program below. The post “We do a father-son camping retreat, and then have our players take their mom on a date night” appeared first on FootballScoop.

This week, in Episode 1 of the FootballScoop Podcast. In The Press Box this week, Zach Barnett talks with new FIU head coach Butch Davis about his plans at FIU, his previous stops at Miami and North Carolina, and they also talk about his first coaching contract ever, and how that has helped mold him into the coach that he is today. This week, on Beyond The Whistle, Doug is joined by Shiloh Christian head coach Jeff Conaway and Ferris State (D-II - MI) run game coordinator / quarterbacks coach Dan Rohn who built Fremont into a perennial playoff team before transforming Grand Rapids West Catholic (MI) into one of the premier programs in the state, where he won four state titles  in five seasons. The two coaches share their approach and ideas on building successful a successful football program, how they've gotten creative in involving parents and the community and how that has contributed to their success, and a few other pieces of advice for coaches looking to either start, or continue to build their respective programs. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast (iTunes) to get the latest updates, and we encourage you to leave us a review with your thoughts, how we can make it a better listening experience for you, or ideas for either future episodes or guests you'd like to hear from.   The post Episode 1 of the FootballScoop Podcast: Butch Davis, plus keys to developing a successful HS football program appeared first on FootballScoop.

This week, in Episode 1 of the FootballScoop Podcast. In The Press Box this week, Zach Barnett talks with new FIU head coach Butch Davis about his plans at FIU, his previous stops at Miami and North Carolina, and they also talk about his first coaching contract ever, and how that has helped mold him […] The post Episode 1 of the FootballScoop Podcast: Butch Davis, plus keys to developing a successful HS football program appeared first on FootballScoop.

In the first episode of the FootballScoop weekly podcast, we wanted to take some time to allow everyone to get to know Scott, Zach and I a little better. Last week we gave some insight into what the format of the weekly podcast moving forward will look like. Also included is a teaser for next week's episode that will be the first to feature the new format where Scott will provide a run down of the latest events in the coaching community as well as what we're hearing about some of the top open jobs, Zach will tackle the first episode of The Press Box featuring where he sits down with a newly named head coach, and I'll chat with a few well known high school coaches about the ingredients and process involved in building a successful football program in Beyond the Whistle. Enjoy this intro episode, and be sure to SUBSCRIBE to catch the latest updates before next week's first full episode.   The post PODCAST: Episode 0 – The Intro appeared first on FootballScoop.

Though they haven't come out and said it for obvious reasons, LSU is pursuing Lane Kiffin to serve as Ed Orgeron's offensive coordinator. The Tigers believe they have a good shot of securing Kiffin's services. This presents a fascinating scenario between the two rivals as Alabama prepares for another College Football Playoff run while LSU gears up to challenge the Tide in the near future. Assuming he takes the job, does Kiffin leave for LSU immediately? What does Alabama do then? What if Kiffin strings LSU along through the end of the Playoff? How does LSU respond? A division rival trying to poach a championship contender's coordinator during a title run is an unprecedented scenario in the College Football Playoff era, big enough for Scott and I to hold a podcast to discuss all the tentacles encompassing this situation. For the latest on all things Lane Kiffin and elsewhere in college football, stay tuned to The Scoop. The post PODCAST: Talking Lane Kiffin, LSU and Alabama appeared first on FootballScoop.

This morning Scott and I broke out the podcast equipment to discuss the Charlie Strong's involvement in a high-profile Louisville divorce. It's a discussion with lots of implications: What is the likelihood Strong is pulled into the case in a meaningful way? How should Strong handle his involvement in the case? How Texas could use the implications brought forward by Louisville trustee Jonathan Blue against Strong. If Texas has the grounds to remove Strong as head coach, will they? This legal analysis by Sports Illustrated's Michael McCann is discussed heavily, so it might be wise to read while listening. Update> An Oldham district court judge will hear arguments Friday on Jonathan Blue's motion to compel Charlie Strong to testify per the C-J.   These four clauses are the ones Scott reads from during the podcast: https://twitter.com/FootballScoop/status/701808089628979200 A full copy of Strong's contract with Texas is embedded below. [10:00] Powered by PdfSR.com Download Document The post Podcast: Discussing the Charlie Strong situation appeared first on FootballScoop.

Tuesday afternoon was Spring practice number 1 of the Chad Morris era at SMU. The weather was beautiful outside and there was an energy inside the building as well. Scott visited with June Jones and his staff less than a year ago; and now had the opportunity to visit with nearly the entire staff just before their first time on the field with the players...and the vibe couldn't have been more improved. Have a listen as Scott describes all that is going on at SMU right now. The future is bright.   The post FootballScoop’s visit with Chad Morris appeared first on FootballScoop.

It doesn't get more real than this my friends. Nine days together in a car with FootballScoop will do this to you people. Mike Thrower, aka @OT_Software, literally drops the mic... yep, have a listen as Mike adds two minutes of color to all that is the FootballScoop Spring Tour.     For those that didn't see them all, Mike encapsulated each visit in a "one word" tweet. TCU in one word: Lunchpail (they are blue-collar, all about hard work) #FootballScoopTour pic.twitter.com/Eu26704PWx — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 17, 2015 Baylor in one word: Hungry (talked w Coach Briles, hear it in his voice. Not satisfied.) #FootballScoopTour pic.twitter.com/Yfc71Zqe49 — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 17, 2015 Texas A&M in one word: Recruiting (seemed to be behind every decision) #FootballScoopTour pic.twitter.com/pWxZZohgLN — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 16, 2015 Texas Football in one word: Pride #FootballScoopTour pic.twitter.com/R7Rv8JGjKp — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 12, 2015 One word for Oklahoma Sooners: Tradition (what they sell, how they think) #FootballScoopTour pic.twitter.com/qleg1szbGy — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 11, 2015 One word for Oklahoma State: Extravagant (facilities as advertised) #FootballScoopTour pic.twitter.com/eCAnQIlqQz — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 10, 2015 Tulsa in one word: Unity (teams share facilities, genuinely all help each other) pic.twitter.com/5izdaNUMoQ — Overtime Software (@OT_Software) March 10, 2015 The post Exclusive audio: @OT_Software goes #BeastMode appeared first on FootballScoop.

??Scott and Zach recap an excellent visit with Art Briles and staff at Baylor. McLane Stadium is outstanding.If you plan to build a stadium in the near future, this one is your blueprint.  The post FootballScoop Spring Tour – Baylor appeared first on FootballScoop.

Friday, on the FootballScoop Spring Tour presented by Overtime Software, Scott and Zach visited Texas A&M. They left convinced that the Aggies have "the best facilities in the SEC".Full write up with plenty of pictures and more will come later this week.  The post FootballScoop Spring Tour – Texas A&M appeared first on FootballScoop.

Scott and Zach visited Texas this morning on the FootballScoop Spring Tour presented by Overtime Software. Have a listen as they explain the visit and give their thoughts on what they saw and compare everything to their experiences in Oklahoma. Next stop on the tour is Texas A&M. The post FootballScoop Spring Tour – Texas appeared first on FootballScoop.

On the second stop of the FootballScoop Spring Tour presented by Overtime Software, Scott and Zach visited with the staffs and toured the facilities at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, and enjoyed the Sooners Pro Day event. The post FootballScoop Spring Tour – Oklahoma and Oklahoma State appeared first on FootballScoop.

On the first stop of the Spring Tour 2015 (presented by OT Software) Scott and Zach visited with Philip Montgomery and the staff at Tulsa and toured the facilities. Everyone involved walked away impressed. The post FootballScoop Spring Tour – Tulsa appeared first on FootballScoop.

Scott & Zach discuss the upcoming FootballScoop Spring Tour, presented by Overtime Software. 10+ programs in 10 days. Gonna be a good time. The post FootballScoop 2015 Spring Tour – March 6, 2015 appeared first on FootballScoop.