Think Outside The Box

Working hard and working effective are not

synonymous
“Companies and individuals are starting to focus on productivity,
rather than hours worked because the appearance of working
hard doesn’t always mean you’re working in the most efficient
way.”
- Hannah Power
 Common sense
often prevails
over a “system”.
 Think Outside The Box
Which is most important –

Culture
Scheme
Talent
 Think Outside The Box
In my opinion all of them are important. As a
coach we must

-Get our most TALENTed players to buy into our

CULTURE by using SCHEME.
 Think Outside The Box
Identify the “alphas” in your organization
-On each team there are those who will clearly be the leader
(even if it is not who the coach would have selected)

-This applies to players and assistant coaches

-Work to make sure these leaders understand the goals you have
and ask for their “help” with the rest of the team

-Even Jesus had his closest three apostles

 First things first…
Meeting with staff
-Evaluate if you can keep or where you need to reassign
-Coaching Manual of expectations
-What a typical week will look like
-Let them know clear goals you have for the program
-Short term goals
-Long term goals
-Get input from coaches
 Building a Staff
Never an exact formula – Goal is to maximize what you
have or have the ability to get

Recognize the talents of those on the staff (not just

coaching but off the field)

Delegate (but teach expectations) duties that fit strengths

if at all possible – Technology, Fundraising, Facilities, X
and O’s
 Building a Staff
COACHES MANUAL –
-Clearly define your expectations and roles
-Coaching 101 – Never assume your assistants what you expect
-As many dates as possible
-What are off the field responsibilities
-Typical Week
-Typical Weekend
Weekly Themes
Building a Staff
 Think Outside The Box

Coaches also…
 Building a Staff
DRILL BOOK –
-What drills do you value?
-How do you progress in drills?
-How do you want them taught?
-How should individual time look? Group time?

*Whatever you can address in this will help

communication*
Drill Book Template
 Building a Staff
My priority list –
1) Coordinator on side of ball away from me
2) Offensive line coach
3) Strength coach – If you have to put with position do that
4) Coordinator to groom on my side of the ball
5) QB coach
6) Special Teams Coach – Can be position coach
7) DB Coach – Can be defensive coordinator
8) LB Coach – Can be defensive coordinator
9) Offensive Skill Coach
10) Defensive Line Coach
 Building a Staff
Priority list of Qualities-
1) Good Character (has integrity, works hard, loyal)
2) Great relationships with players
3) Good in areas he “doesn’t like”
4) Willing to put in more than “must do”
5) Willing to learn football and be corrected
6) Good knowledge of the sport
7) Innovative
First things first…
Building a Staff
Sideline Management is key for all programs
-This is my general template for games
-The more detail you can have the better

*On next slide is an example of what our sideline

looks like during a game
Building a Staff
 Weekend Schedule
With all the technology in today’s society I think allowing coaches to
work from home one day a week (usually Saturday) is a great thing. I
give my coaches a list of expectations for their personal film breakdown
and allow them to do this from home on Saturday.

Sunday afternoon-night is when I bring my staff in to meet. For our

offensive staff we have several goals – listed on last page of this section.
As a Head Coach much of my time is spent with the coordinators – and I
have listed this on the next page.
 Weekend Schedule
This is what my Sunday’s looked like as a head coach. As you can
see most of this is team oriented, so the offensive scouting must be
done on Saturday. On the next page is what topics need to be
handled inside just the offense.
28
Allow coaches to grow
Building a Staff
- “B” game roles
- Mentor and ask “why” to younger coaches – after the situations
- Assign players to each coach – not just position group players
- Encourage them to make their group special
- Take to clinics and host clinics
 Building a Staff
Items that can be delegated to other coaches
-Equipment- Inventory/collection/ordering needs
-Areas in the weight room or drills during off-season
-Fundraisers
-Weekly Theme – Allow coaches to come up with quotes/stories
-Technology – Sideline replay, highlights, etc…
-Locker room check/standards
-Social Media Coordinator

*As long as guidelines are in place, allowing assistants to have a role in the
program helps build ownership.
 Think Outside The Box
Working hard and working effective are not
synonymous
-Don’t assume because you simply want to “out-work everyone”
that it will lead to success.

-Running full speed the wrong way…is still the wrong way
Think Outside The Box
 Why Do You Do What You Do?
Be willing to challenge each part of your program and do what
you feel is best

-Coaches are the best thieves in the world, but often we simply
do what a “successful team does” without thinking if this is the
reason why they have success.
 Cast the Vision
"What I learned from Coach Belichick was real simple," Coach Joe
Judge said. "Be flexible within your personnel. Don't try to shove round
pegs into square holes. Figure out what you have. Let them play to their
strengths. Don't sit in a meeting and tell me what you don't have in a
player, don't tell me they can't do a certain thing. Tell me what they can
do, and then we will figure out as coaches, because that's our job, how
we can use that. That's our responsibility. Everybody has something
they can do.” 
Cast the vision
Develop the skills
Develop the skills
 Think Outside The Box
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Create Incentives
Think Outside The Box
Gather Resources
Gather Resources
Gather Resources
Story of Critics
Training beyond the game
“It ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you
can get hit, and keep moving forward.”
–Rocky Balboa
 Training beyond the game

How you handle this type of stuff will make or break you.
 Mistakes I made
Try to do everything by yourself

Not communicate with assistant coaches

Place winning above relationships

Ignore discipline issues or make them personal

 Mistakes I made
Did not understand value of great JH program

Think scheme was more valuable than culture

Put too much in