Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.

com
AFCA Notes 2014
SUNDAY DAY 1

First-Timers Meeting
Fred Farrier
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Theres two kinds of coaches, those who have been fired, and those who are going to be fired.
Figure out what youre trying to get accomplished at the AFCA Convention
o Some guys are on vacation
o Some guys are looking for a better job
o Some guys have just been fired
o Some guys are GAs, not really looking for a job at the moment, also on vacation.
My advice to you is to have a plan. This is the only time a year where youll have 5-6,000
coaches together in the same place
If youve got questions about anything, football coaches love to talk. Most of the guys here are
very approachable.
Every time you meet someone, that guy is a potential introduction to an interview.
Coach Farrier got a job in 2004 based on who he met at a previous convention, and how he was
perceived.
In this business, perception is reality. You are a representative of the head coach and what he
believes in, so youve gotta be aware of how you carry yourself, how you dress, how you talk.
Do you want to be the guy whos seen walking into the hotel with two cases of beer under your
arm? Theres nothing wrong with going out and having a beer at the convention, just be careful
of how youre perceived. You dont want to be seen as the beer guy, the party guy.
If you want to work in the SEC, watch how those guys dress and carry themselves. Just like any
other type of professional situation, when in Rome
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
If a head coach is going to hire you, he has to envision how youll look walking into a home visit
with the recruit and his parents.
This is a professional development opportunity.
You cant pay to get all these guys in one place to talk about what they do and how they build
their program.
The convention booklet should be your Bible. At the beginning of Day 1, take a highlighter and
map out your convention schedule.
There is an app you can download on your iPhone and Android phone, gives you a list of all the
speakers, schedules, and anything else you would ever want to know about the convention.
Just because youre a WR coach, dont be afraid to go listen to a D-Line presentation, DB
presentation. Expand your knowledge base.
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

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(PDS) Professional Development Series

o By attending enough seminars, you can get a PDS Certificate that you can give your head
coach or athletic director so that he knows youre not just having a good time at the
convention. Can also be something useful to put on your resume.
If you go to 10 presentations and get two things from each of the speakers, thats 20 things to
help you and your program to get better. That can be the difference between 3-8 and 8-3
Participate in the luncheons and FCA breakfasts, those cost a little bit of money to attend, but
they can be great investments
o Going to a luncheon or a breakfast can get you at the same table as one of the big
time guys. Youll get a lot more face time with that coach than you would anywhere
else. This is especially true in the FCA Breakfasts early in the morning, since the coach
will know youre here to learn and werent out getting messed up the night before.
o Getting a seat at the table with one of those guys can end up being like a mini-interview.
Go to the Buzz Sessions. If you like, you can stay in one for the whole hour, or visit three
different position coaches for 20 minutes each.
o Maximize your opportunities.
In social settings at the convention, you may get a chance to talk ball with someone you can
make a connection with.
The AFCA has provided grease boards and markers around the different areas of the convention
so that you can stop and talk football, and draw things up if youre in the middle of a
conversation with a coach.
TAKE NOTES:
o Once you take the notes, go back through them
o So many times, coaches just take notes and never look them again, putting them away
forever. Revisit those notes next week, next year even. Put them in a place where you
can pull them out and find them easily.
This is a huge networking opportunity. Coaching football is a great profession.
Were dealing with young people during the 4-5 most impressionable years of their lives. The
lessons we give them are the lessons theyll pass onto their children.
Give away every business card you have. Get one card for each one you give away.
o FOLLOW UP!!!
o Give them a text, email, or a phone call. Coach Farrier says that he sends upwards of 250
texts every week to different coaches on his list. Says coaches have commented that
they appreciate the texts they get each week.
Dont send mass texts, find a way to personalize it, it will mean more. (Good
luck against
o This gives you another in to work camps during the summer.
Go around and meet with as many coaches at every position as possible. Compile a list of who
you believe are the best coaches at each position.
o If you become a HC, youll need an idea of who youll hire at each position. You want to
be able to know who youre hiring. You can always rely on the opinions of the people
you trust, but its better if you know of the person yourself. Will Muschamp commented
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

after losing a couple of coaches to other jobs that he always keeps an updated list of
guys at each position that he wants to hire if he has to get someone.
Working camps: Its like a job interview. How you work the camp is how youre going to be
perceived. If youre the guy showing up early, thats how people will look at you.
ITS REALLY NOT ABOUT HOW GOOD YOU ARE ITS ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW.
When I was a HC, if I didnt already have a guy in mind, Id call a guy I trusted.
o When a coach calls a guy he trusts, hes got about 4-5 seconds to think of a name to
recommend. Make sure your name is the first name that comes to mind when hes
thinking of a qualified assistant.
Find a way to establish that relationship however you can, talking in between sessions.
o If youre a college coach, you better get to know high school coaches for recruiting
purposes. If youre a high school coach, youd better meet college coaches for the same
reason.
Make an effort to meet guys on both sides of the ball. Set up visits during spring ball with
different coaches.
Be aware of:
o How you dress
o How you meet people
Have social intelligence
Coach Farrier once had a guy who gave him a resume that was crumpled up and
HAD MISSPELLED HIS OWN NAME. Think he hired him?
o How you carry yourself
Find a mentor
Dont be afraid of stepping outside of your comfort zone.
Coaches notice whos up at the 8AM presentation.
A great way to make connections is to get involved in committees with the AFCA
Be prepared at all times to give your info to people. Make it as easy as possible for a head coach
to take your information
o Coach Farrier recommends that you put your resume in an envelope with your name
and number printed on the outside. This makes it easy to carry around (the coach can
carry it around in his suit pocket, doesnt have to carry it around in his hands all day). It
also shows that you are prepared, and sets you apart.
Its important to hit the vendors at the convention. When you become a HC, youd better know
what kind of equipment and materials you want to purchase, whats going to be best for your
program. What kind of video system will you use?
Be extra, super aware of what youre doing with a beer in your hand. Nothing wrong with going
out and drinking during the convention with friends, but you cant do something stupid.
Dont take for granted the special opportunity you have to impact young mens lives.
Just like an accountant you have to attend professional development seminars. This is that
professional development opportunity for you.
Q: What does a HC look for in an interview?
A: Be a technician at your position.
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

o

Put together a position manual with game goals and coaching points. Be a good speaker
and communicator. The manual should be about what you believe in.
o When you call a coach on the phone, be prepared to talk. A lot of guys expect the
voicemail machine to answer. Coach Farrier always answered the phone himself, and
when a coach called who intended to leave a message, he would force the coach to start
a conversation. Thats your three minutes to get it in. Youd better take advantage of
it.
Q: What are some of the non-technique questions that you should expect during an interview?
o Every coach is different
o A lot of guys want to know what you do when youre not around football. Who are you?
What are your other interests? What kind of person are you?
o Whats your philosophy on coaching, on motivation?
o In coaching, we make our biggest mistakes when we dont see reality. Adapt your
scheme to your personnel.
You may love the spread offense, but do you have the guys to do it?
If youre running a screen play, and 25/28 times your right guard misses the
block on the linebacker, it doesnt matter how much you yell at the guy to get
the block, hes already shown you he cant make that block. If you keep calling
that play, that failure is on you as a coach.
Q: Do you have any suggestions on a cover letter, other ways to separate yourself?
o Get to the point right away. Summarize yourself in a paragraph. Most coaches dont
have the time to read every resume from beginning to end. If you dont grab their
attention right away, your resume will be thrown in the trash.
o Whats your belief system? Philosophy?
o Find someone who knows the HC or coordinator there. Its the easiest way to get your
information in front of the HC.
Q: Any suggestions for transitioning from a player to a coach?
o The most important thing about coaching is influencing and developing a kid. The thing
that drives me is wanting to have an impact on that kid. Figure out why theyre
struggling to do what youre telling them to do.
o When I was working in business, I wanted to be the CEO of a company. I had to ask
myself, what do I need to do to get there?
o I wasnt a very talented player. My position coaches didnt care enough about me to
give me the same coaching and attention as the other players. I wanted to make sure
that when I coached, I gave each player the same amount of attention so that he could
be the best he could be.

Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

Buzz Session #1
Greg Brown
DB Coach Alabama
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They love talking football with coaches at Alabama, but he has two rules when talking about
what they do:
o They are not allowed to give out film or printed materials
o They are not allowed to give out scheme specifics about what they do at Alabama

DRILLS
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There are a couple of schools of thought when it comes to drills:

o Nick Saban has very specific drills he wants done on certain days for the purposes of
consistency. Also means that the coaches dont waste time learning drills and not
teaching them properly if theyre not familiar with them
o The other philosophy (He has done both) is to change up the drills on a regular basis. It
forces players to think about things so they cant just go through the motions.
When he worked in the NFL, he always changed up the drills when working out
college kids because he wanted to see how quickly a player can learn on the fly.
Can he take direction and learn quickly?
Whatever you do, you cant get anyone hurt during a drill. Its hard enough to keep guys healthy
during a game. You have to be really careful about this.

ONE-LINE DRILL
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Take players and put them in a line (At Bama theyll put them into two different lines b/c of the
number of kids they have).
Rapid fire drill. Start at the sideline, work your way out to the hash, then come back with the
next drill.

Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

1. Backpedal
2. Weave In between 5 yard marks. Keep the head down and pump the arms
3. Flip three times then run it out. Like the centerfield turn. Make sure they keep their head
down.
4. Fishtail 2-3 crossover steps, then flip the hips
5. W Drill Want the DBs coming out with some explosion. Keep their chest and chin over
their toes.
TWO-LINE DRILL (ALTERNATE DAYS W/ ONE-LINE DRILL: MON/WED, TUE/THUR)
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Start 10 yds apart

o 4 way shuffle 2 guys doing the same thing, put a ball on the ground and one person
has to scoop and score at the end of each rep.
o Break on the ball. Stop-replace, break on the quick pass.
Scoot, pedal, break - Never lose your cushion
Scoot, pedal, open, back Throw elbows to turn

Thursday theyll go rapid fire, one and two line drill

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

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Players love the two line drill, theres more rest in between reps

TACKLING
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The best thing he ever learned from Nick Saban Tackling every day. Allows you to teach it
properly. It doesnt mean that you bring guys to the ground, just wrap up and form tackle. Wear
pads.

Wrap up and extend, and get up. Get your head across.
(Angle Tackle Drill Switch Directions Each Day)
15 YARD TACKLE
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Straight on in the open field

- If the ball carrier gets inside, I want to see you open your hips.

Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

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Cover 2 Cloud Run Support

o Corner start on 1st clap, runner on 2nd

CB act like hes pressing the receiver, then sees the runner in the backfield

SHUFFLE-BUTT
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Youll get some guys punched in this drill.

Shuffle and punch with the hands on both blockers, get to the ball carrier, wrap up and extend.
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

MIRROR-STEP
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DB keeps hands up, step-step-punch.

Can work this drill vs cut block teams.

Shuffle-shuffle, push the pads to the ground

QUICK THOUGHTS ON MAN-PRESS TECHNIQUE

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Hands up, both hands make a triangle

If youre going to squat at 5yds and grab, youd better have 2 safety help over the top
With man-press, youve gotta have a plan vs fly motion
o Decide whether you want to rotate the safeties or run with the motion.

Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

Buzz Session #2
Chad Morris OC Clemson
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Im a HS football coach whos been fortunate enough to coach college football.

When you get a new job as a head coach, nobody cares what you did at your last job.
If you keep doing what youve always done, this game will pass you by.
Visited with Gus Malzahn several times when Malzahn was still a HS coach. At first, Gus
thought I was a HS coach from Arkansas who was just trying to steal his stuff. Had to be
persistent.
Developed relationships with Malzahn, Todd Graham.
Youve gotta be willing to change. Theres always a better mousetrap.
In the offseason when youre scouting yourself, dont just get rid of the bad stuff, get rid of the
good stuff that you spent too much time on.
Theyre not calling illegal man downfield anymore. As long as theyre not calling it, were gonna
keep running those double screens and packaged plays.
When we recruit QBs we look at:
o The parents
o The HS program
o The HS position coach
o Footwork
o What kind of person he is
Clemson is a 2-back run oriented shot offense.
They try to run:
o 2 reverses per half/ 4 per game
o 3 shots downfield per quarter
Combine misdirection w/ downhill running.

Just like a pilot, the QB in this offense goes through a checklist before the snap on each play:
o Where is the FS?
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

If hes off the hash hell probably stay off the hash
o Find the nickel/SS
Whats your answer for house blitz, cat, etc?
As a staff they put all their formations on the board in the meeting room on a ready list and go
through them one by one. They want to talk about their answers for the different blitzes out of
each set, and they try to keep the answers the same out of every formation as much as possible.
It doesnt always work like that, but try to keep it as simple as possible.
Doesnt like to make the QB think a lot. Let me do the thinking, you do the playing.
You cant call the perfect play, you have to have answers.

Inside zone to the 3-man surface side auto give unless his checklist takes him out of it.
They will cut their scout defensive players. Theyll tell them to be ready for it, and wont be
vicious about it, but they will practice it.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

The side to the boundary is the slow side, field is the fast side of the play.
SLOW SIDE
o 3 blocks the spot, has the ability to switch responsibilities with the guard
o Center runs the alley
o 9:
Vs press tunnel inside
Vs off coverage 2 Mississippi, then get inside of the blockers
FAST SIDE
o RT trap the hash
o RG run the alley
o TB stay at the hash
o QB READ THE END! If the unblocked end to the fast side comes up the field, throw to
5, if he stays home, throw to the TB
They like this play inside of the 10 yard line
QB take a quick three steps. If the fast side isnt there, start to drift to the slow side.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

They can run the fast side into the boundary by going 3x1

When running a screen, #3 is hot vs any field pressure. Both he and the QB have to be on the
same page.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

BUBBLE SLANT

Similar to our perimeter play.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

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Q: What do you like to do inside the 10 yard line in the RZ?

o Depends on the D/D
o Try to keep the ball in the QBs hands as much as possible
o A lot of times, defenses treat fly motion as a decoy, so you need the ability to flip it to
him inside the 5 yd line.
Q: What kind of feedback are you looking for after a drive from the players, staff?
o Headsets can be a cluster.
o Only thing I need to know DURING the drive is Down & Distance and Hash
o During the week I hand write the game plan 6 times.
o Afterward I dont watch the whole game with the staff.
Ill breakdown and watch the 2nd half of the last three games.
o Monday morning is time for individual study for each staff member.
o Responsibilities are divided up by:
Formations
Short yardage
Shots
3rd Down Study
o Gotta be good on 3rd 1-2, will win you a lot of ball games .
o If youre spending a lot of time planning for 3rd and long, youve got bigger problems.
o Tuesdays hell send the staff home at about 8:30 and stay with the GAs until 2 AM and
work on 3rd downs.
o Game plan is usually done by Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
They study P-10s
o Last two years, if the offense did not go three and out on a drive, they scored on 66% of
their opportunities
o Loves to run a lot of guys on and off the field on P-10 just to mess with the defense.
Carries 4-5 specials every game.
If someone on the headsets has an idea or an opinion, wait until between series to talk.
Q: Why dont you call the offense from the box?
o Ive always coached on the sideline, never been in the box, its what Im comfortable
with.
o Doesnt want to have a middleman between him and the QB during the game.
The Free Safety.
o Whats he doing?
o Body language?
Upright?
If theres a bend in his knees, hes probably coming down.
If I can get a 1-1 matchup with a ball in the air, Ive done my job as a coach. Its your job to go
win it. If you cant go win it, we need to recruit better.

POWER READ PLAYACTION CONCEPTS

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

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Their action game terminology:

o Example call would be: Action (whatever the play is)

Action at the Mike, keep him friendly with the backside safety.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

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They dont have a special protection scheme, theyre just blocking the run play up front. When
they call an action play, the QB doesnt have the option to just read it like a regular run scheme,
the blocking is just there for window dressing. They want him to throw the ball.
Alert 5 for any field pressure. (Goes back to the ready list, what are your answers?)

QB DRILLS
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The more competition you can build into your drills, the better you are.

Set, go - Line up a guy across from each of the QBs. How quickly can you get the ball off?
Lock your throwing shoulder. Cock and load it.

2 steps forward, 2 steps back, throw off-balance and get the ball out quickly.
They spend 15 minutes a day working on footwork.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

Grad Assistant/ Career Forum
Dino Babers Bowling Green
Jake Spavital Texas A&M
Chad Morris - Clemson
Gus Malzahn Auburn

Q: How do we develop relationships with coaching mentors?

Dino Babers: Theres certain people who have accelerated your career. Keep in contact, watch their
season, follow their success.
Jake Spavital: Always tried to be around those guys as much as possible because they always brought
good people with them. Its all about expanding your network.
Q: How do we align ourselves with the right coaches?
Chad Morris: Try to choose your mentor based on what you believe in. Hitch your trailer to a guy you
believe in. Dont be afraid to be persistent. No doesnt always mean no.
Gus Malzahn: Some of these jobs you really dont want. Look for someone you want to model yourself
after. Another great idea is to find an up and comer with the same values as you and develop a
relationship.
Q: Most effective path to getting a GA position?
JS: When I was a junior in college, I knew I wanted to coach, so I sent out as many resumes as possible.
Was a GA at five different universities. Best thing that could have happened to me was working for
different people.
CM: Never was a GA. Spent 18 years as a HS coach in Texas. Spent a lot of time talking to college
coaches coming in and always thought I could do that. So many guys are wanting to GA. Another way
to do it is to spend time in the HS ranks.
Q: What qualities make a great GA?
GM: Hard worker. Be there after I leave.
DB: Be competitive. Make sure you stand out as the best GA on the staff.
JS: Be ready to work endless hours.
Q: What characteristics do you look for in a GA to hire on as a full time assistant?
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

GM: Want to see the guy create relationships and communicate with parents. All I need is someone who
is a worker with a good attitude and can learn.
CM: Someone who I dont have to ask to do something.
Q: Good way to prepare for an interview?
DB: Be yourself. When youre at the convention, youre always on an interview.
JS: Appearance matters. Be over prepared. Wear a suit and tie. Bring film and PowerPoint to use.
CM: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
Q: What aspects of the interviewee do you focus on the most?
GM: Youve got an idea of what youre looking for. What kind of person they are? Also, are they the
right fit?
Q: Best way to be considered for an interview?
DB: Difficult to get face to face with me if you dont know me. You need to get in my circle of friends.
JS: Find out who that particular coach hangs out with.
CM: Be persistent. If youre not in the inner circle, its really hard to get in.
Q: How do you select guys to bring in for an interview?
GM: Have to know someone well. He was the kind of guy I want representing me.
DB: Have to get inside the circle. Have to rely on the circle of friends. You guys need to get in front of the
social media stuff. Probably need to go after the guy you played for in order to get your first job.
Q: What kind of preparation would you advise for an interview?
JS: Be over prepared
Carlos Alvarado: Have a game plan going into the interview. Having a binder lets you control the
meeting. Ask a coach you respect if they would mind putting you through a mock interview.
Q: Are there any trick questions you like to ask during an interview?
GM: I dont have any trick questions. By the time I decide to bring in someone for an interview, I already
know the guy pretty well. Its about chemistry and personality.
CM: Whats your passion, whats your vision? Im not gonna hire a person whose gonna come in and
change everything we do. Wants someone who will challenge his thoughts, not just a bunch of yes man.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

DB: What do you do when youre not doing football? Is there flexibility about you? What kind of person
are you?
Q: What should a young coach consider?
JS: Dont get greedy with the positions you take. You work for everybody. Be around and try to help
everybody out.
CM: Confide in someone you trust. Timing and trust is huge. When deciding to take a job, figure out if
this guy (The HC) is on the back end of his tenure.
Q: How do you balance loyalty to the HC and personal ambition?
GM: I want our GAs to be successful. Whenever I talk to them about their career, I always ask What do
you need?
DB: Make sure youre loyal to the HC. Ill do everything I can to help you if I believe in you. All jobs arent
good jobs. I turned down a job when I was a GA, didnt feel like it was a good fit.
Q: How do you keep your eyes on the big picture?
JS: Make yourself irreplaceable. Make sure you learn as many positions as possible.
CM: The more marketable you are, the more doors will open up.
DB: Need to stay there at best 1 years to form the relationships with the guys on the staff.
Q: Whats the right choice: A 1-A position job vs an FCS/D-2 coordinator job?
GM: Whats your dream? Its all relative.
Q: Is there a difference in hours worked at different levels?
DB: Theres no difference. If I worked minimum wage and worked the same hours as a GA, with over
time and double time, Ill take that right now. Its more money. If you want to be a play caller, Go to
meetings on the other side of the ball. Know what theyre thinking.
Q: Advice on working camps?
JS: Expand your circle, work with different people.
CM: Do you have a good HS player? Thats a great way to help yourself get into camps.
GM: Its not just about knowing the head coach, get to know the assistants as well.
CA: Go to the HS clinic, can get you into working the strength and conditioning camp.
Q: How does a young coach, create relationships with recruiting.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

DB: Gotta like people. If youre well-liked, youll be a great recruiter and be added to staff.
CM: As a high school HC, Im the bullet proof vest between your kids and the bad coaches. How much
time did you spend at that school? The ability to communicate face to face is a lost art. Do you make
that HS coach feel important?
GM: Within the first five minutes, I know if that guy was full of crap. I want my players to have a
relationship with a positive person.
JS: Communicate, and dont step on the toes of others in the office when it comes to recruiting
responsibilities.
DB: If youve got my time, youve got my attention. My goal was not to hit ten schools, it was to get 2
players.
Q: What separates a good recruiter from an average recruiter?
CM: Can you build a relationship, do they trust you? You cant fool the players.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

General Session
Dr. Brian Hainline
NCAA Chief Medical Officer

An athlete who is 90% trained will outperform an athlete who is 105% trained.
Overtraining is responsible for a huge amount of injuries.

FUNDAMENTALS OF RECOVERY
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Physical
o Nutrition and Hydration
o Athlete has 1 hour after a workout to recover, otherwise the bodys ability to recover
and incorporate the nutrition diminishes up to 300%
Emotional
o Depression and anxiety occur commonly following injury
o Both impede recovery
Mental
o Mental training requires increased glucose levels
Spirited
o Not talking about religion or dogma
o Whats our inner creative force?
o Too many athletes have someone living vicariously through them

SLEEP & PERFORMANCE

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After 2 weeks of consistent sleep deprivation, you dont adjust, you get worse.
Athletes need 7-9 hours of sleep per night
Cumulative deficits of sleep, you cant Make it Up

42 working definitions of concussions

We understand concussions like we understood Alzheimers and MS 30 years ago.
Its also important to incorporate these principles into our coaching lives as well.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

General Session
David Cutcliffe Duke
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In our business, getting better flows both ways.

Choose your mentors and choose the right players.
Not talking about Xs and Os today, talking about winning.
Theres a name for people who arent passionate about what they do, theyre called the
unemployed!

MY PHILOSOPHY
1. Winning
a. We as Americans are built to win.
2. Can you live without football?
a. Dont coach football because you love it, do it because you cant live without it.
3. Sacrifice personal gain
a. Be willing to sacrifice for the good of the team.
b. Dont take winning and losing personally, its not about you
c. Make sure your relationships are real. Theres no bigger fool in the world than the fool
who thinks they can fool a young person.
4. Work Ethic
5. Discipline
a. Must be self-disciplined
6. Be confident in your plan
a. Do you believe in yourself?
b. Ten years before the world knew it, we knew we were a crazy success. We did all the
little things right. Steve Wozniak
7. Be mentally tough
a. Mentally tough enough to take criticism
8. Surround yourself with football people
a. Made sure that everyone he hired, from the equipment guy to the front desk clerk loved
football.
9. Recognize a winner
a. Coaches fall in love with ability, does he make plays? If you find a winner, find a place
for him to play.
10. Develop Winners
a. Teach them how to win at everything
b. Youre either an asset or a liability. Find a way to get a 3.0
c. Its important to our kids
11. Everything should be based on winning
a. Even the locker room

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

12.

13.
14.

15.
16.
17.

18.
19.
20.

21.

22.
23.

24.

25.

b. Why do you think the army has barracks inspections? Get it right down to the smallest
detail
Head coaches are responsible
a. 100% responsible for kids not playing well
b. If things are going well, it becomes we
Be Yourself
Dont over-coach
a. Practice is 90 minutes long. Dont talk a lot, its about repetition. Let them be aggressive,
coach the little things along the way. Treat the ground like a hot stove, no one is walking
on the field.
Ability of a player will rise above veteran knowledge
Use practice time wisely
a. Run in practice what youve run in a game. Study yourself in that respect.
Be consistent with your demands
a. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Dont ruin your chance to be a great head
coach by letting them get away with stuff.
Know everything about your players
a. Teach values. What are yours?
Coach every play
a. Dont just stand there, something just happened out on the field.
Game techniques and situations
a. Dont put your players in a situation you havent covered in practice
b. Lost a game because he didnt practice two-point plays
Coach your scout team harder than your starters
a. Reward great effort in this area.
b. He provides a separate period for coaching of scout players.
Practices should gain rhythm as they progress
a. Should be better at the end of practice if you want to be a great 4th quarter team
Make it a point of emphasis to encourage
a. There is no place for sarcasm in coaching!
b. If someone was to take your hope away in a bad situation, how good would you be at
that moment?
c. Middle school coaches and youth coaches have a bad reputation for not being as
positive as they need to be.
Treat the ground like a hot stove
a. Cant win a football game lying on the ground
b. Everybody gets back up after falling down. The question is how quickly do you get back
up?
On game day we represent a lot of fine people
a. Gameday is not the time to let everyone on TV how much a player pissed you off

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

-

Nothing Happens without enthusiasm and passion

DUKE FOOTBALL TANGIBLE VALUES

-

Climate
o Make it a great place to work and play football
Recruiting
o The lifeblood of the program
Discipline
o What allows us to develop excellent practice habits. Have convinced the leaders of the
team.
Practice Habits
o Power equals work over time (P=W/T)
o Practice makes permanent
Player Development
o If every player reaches his potential, it will allow us to do more schematically
Scheme
o Have to sell the scheme to the players
o These kids think they have a better scheme than you do when theyre playing Madden
on Playstation
We dont recruit stars, we recruit people.

No one on their own is as smart as all of us together.

1. Accountability
a. Always heard it from his dad: When a Cutcliffe goes somewhere, you leave it better
than how you found it.
2. Right Choices
a. Indoctrinations by the players
b. We dont set the rules, the players do
c. Be smart with dorm life
3. The mans rule: Be where youre supposed to be, doing what youre supposed to do be
doing, as well as you can possibly do it.
a. Sometimes a degree isnt enough, you need an education too.
4. Winning is an all the time thing

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

General Session
Nick Saban

When it comes to the kids today, its really important that you make it about them, care about
them, benefit them.
Told the story of a freshman LB he had (whos currently playing in the NFL) who narrowly
avoided being arrested when he was walking past a fraternity house and some of the guys
started yelling some not-so-flattering stuff at him. Sitting in his office the next day, Coach Saban
was trying to tell the kid why he was wrong about what he did. The player came back and said,
No, youre wrong, Coach. Where I come from when a guy says something like that, youre
wrong if you dont come back at him and fight. So Coach Saban decided to come back at him
another way. He said, Right now youre a guaranteed first round draft pick, youll make $30
million guaranteed. If you had been arrested, you become a third-round pick, making $2 million.
Is it really worth $28 million for you to be right? From then on, he never had another problem
with that player. The lesson is that youve always gotta make it about them.
If you do things the way youve always done them youll get what youve always got.
There may not be an I in team, but there is an I in win.
Its important to have ambassadors for the program. We want the players to be more successful
because they were a part of your program as opposed to some other program.
My high school coach made a bigger impact on me than anyone except my mom and dad.
At critical times, think of players not plays.
When he goes into a home to recruit, he tells the parents that Theyre not my guys for 3-5
years, theyre my guys forever. Long-term continued success of the players is very important to
him.
How much time do you spend developing relationships with your players?
Used the example of the old church revivals that used to tour all around the place. The idea was
to get people to join the church, but what they discovered over time was that the revivals
werent as effective in convincing people to join up as when the pastors held individual meetings
with members of the congregation and potential members.
o One on one attention makes all the difference.
He wanted to become a coach because of the organizational discipline required, and because of
the impact his high school coach had on him.
After losing to UAB his first year at Alabama, it was the worst loss hed ever been a part of. On
the way home from the game, he was running low on gas, so he stopped at a gas station. When
he went up to pay at the window, the guy at the register noticed his national championship ring
from LSU and asked what it was. Thats a national championship ring, and were gonna bring
one of those here to the University of Alabama. The man replied, Not as long as weve got that
Nick Saban here as head coach, I promise you.
Told the story of how he could never get a date with his current wife when he was growing up,
met her all the way back in 7th grade. She was always dating another guy. Coach Saban finally
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

ended up dating and marrying her. Recently when his hometown had a big Welcome Home
day for him and his wife, he heard that his wifes ex-boyfriend from high school was working at a
local gas station, so he decided to take a drive over to show her that she made the right
choice. He pulls up to the gas station and says to his wife, See that, if you wouldve married
him, youd be married to a gas station attendant. Bullshit, she said, If I had married him,
hed be the head coach at Alabama right now.
The #1 factor to your success is mindset.
o Youve gotta have a vision about what you want to accomplish in the organization.
o You have to lay out that vision for other people in the organization.
o Follow the process
People get so consumed by their circumstances that they lose sight of their vision.
o Reminded him of the speech that Chuck Pagano gave in the Colts locker room in the
middle of his cancer treatment. His circumstances were that he was stricken with
cancer, but his vision was that he was going to be there to dance at his daughters
weddings, and win a couple of Lombardi trophies.
People dont spend enough time thinking about the process and the vision of what they want to
accomplish.
Self-discipline and follow-through is where most people fail.
The important thing is to have as many people as possible within your organization reinforce
this message.
Tells the players that Youve got a lot more days ahead of you where youre not playing
football.
We need to be somebody that somebody needs to emulate. The players dont care how much
you know until they know how much you care.
As the head coach, youve gotta get the wrong people off the bus, and the right people on the
bus.
Mediocre people cannot stand high achievers, and vice versa. Team chemistry is destroyed
when the wrong mix is present. Everyone must be bought in with the same standard.
The head coach defines the expectation for everyone in the organization
When you go to the Patriots complex, theres only one sign up in the building: DO YOUR JOB.
When you work for Bill Belichick, the expectations are clearly defined.
You have to respect and trust each other, thats the only way youll have a team.
You need to have a positive attitude and energy about what youre doing.
o Always asks his guys, What are you selling today?
Its much easier to be positive when you expect difficulties in life and football.
Football is starting to become like basketball with the one-and-done rule.
Be responsible for your own self-determination. Develop accountability.
Players need to focus on what makes them better.
Character is an accumulation of your thoughts, habits, and priorities.
I never won a fight in the ring, it was during preparation. Muhammad Ali
Loves the example from the movie Saving Private Ryan when Tom Hanks tells Matt Damon
with his dying breath, Earn this! So many men had given their lives so that he could survive
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

the war, so he had a lot to live up to. Thats why you see the old man at the end of the movie,
Private Ryan, hes asking himself, Did I earn this? Did I live my life in a way to honor those men
who died?
We as coaches are teachers. Use every opportunity to create teachable moments. Every
negative circumstance is an opportunity.
When he was an assistant at Ohio State for Woody Hayes, the assistant coaches werent even
allowed to buy gas in the state of Michigan because he didnt want them supporting the
economy of Michigan.
There can be no great victories in your life without tremendous adversity. Woody Hayes
o The WWII victory in the Pacific was one of the greatest military victories in history. The
defeat at Pearl Harbor provided the United States with an opportunity for a great
victory.
I think everyone has self-imposed limitations, even me.
Used the example of the fisherman. When he used to go fishing back home, he saw this old man
catch a bunch of big fish, but hed always throw them back into the water, and keep the smaller
fish. When he asked the man why he did it, he said that he only had a six-inch frying pan at
home.
o Always asks the team, How big is your frying pan? Dont let your own low
expectations keep you from achieving what youre capable of.
The human condition is to survive, not to be great.
Be the best you can be, thats all anyone can ask of you.
All the heartaches we have in life are based on what we didnt do.
We need to do a good job teaching and coaching so that kids enjoy the game.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

General Session
Art Briles
-

If you ever feel like youve arrived in this profession, then youre through.
Graduated with 24 other kids in high school, got a scholarship to Houston under Bill Yeoman.
Worked with Mike Leach, moved on to Houston, coached Kevin Kolb and Donnie Avery. Won
four bowl games in five years.
Now that weve built the program, weve got to protect what weve built.
The first thing you need to do when you get your job is to coach, and learn about your players.
Shaking hands and kissing babies wont save your job.
Create an image wherever you go, whether its aggressive or conservative.
Have an unwavering belief, paint a vision of where youre going, how youre going to get there.
Once you get somewhere there hasnt been a lot of success, look for the positives.
You see what you want to see. If you want to see good things ,youll see good things, and vice
versa.
We as coaches are damaged. Jimbo Fisher
Gotta have determined leaders, confident.
University leaders have to be willing to change what theyve always done if its not working.
If a team is winning, they wont change. Be careful, thats how successful criminals are caught,
they keep using the same M.O., doing the same thing over and over again.
Youve gotta be different, even if youre losing.
Get some dynamic recruits, they make you a better team (Ex: RG3, Kendall Wright)

THE TRANSFORMATION OF BAYLOR FOOTBALL

-

If youre talking about 2010 to kids today, theyll think youre old. Very short memory.
Dino Babers worked w/ Art Briles at Baylor, then moved on to Eastern Illinois, now at Bowling
Green.
What we want to do on offense is not punt. Ill give the punter a scholarship, but I dont want
him out there.

EARNING RESPECT
-

You cant buy it, cant call it up on the phone and talk to it, gotta earn it.

TOUGHNESS
-

Gimme someone whos a mean, determined player and Ill make a football player out of them.

MENTALITY
-

Its us against the world.

You can create your own mentality, and the players will buy into it.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

CREATE EXCITEMENT
-

Its real easy, you do that by winning.

CONSISTENCY WITH THE STAFF

-

We want to stay on the cutting edge.

SCHEME
-

Outside the box, ever-changing on both sides of the ball

PHILOSOPHY
-

Whatever happens, dont wait and wonder

If were gonna get shot its gonna be in the chest.

TRAITS FOR RECRUITS

-

Tough, determined, multi-sport athlete

I feel a lot of responsibility to protect the program.

Cant allow comfort or complacency. Fight against the human spirit to be average.
Likes being a team that has a target on its back.
Your job is to keep people hungry
o Everyone is constantly telling you how good you are.
Its hardest to maintain once youve achieved a level of success
Treat every day like its your first day on the job
o You should be excited and want to make a difference.

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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

General Session
Mark DAntonio
-

If you can take 1-2 things home from this presentation that we do at Michigan State, thats a
positive.
Its important that you dont get here (success) on your own.
Prepare yourself to speak at a clinic, at the AFCA convention. Make sure youre ready for the
opportunity when it presents itself.
We tell our kids to dream beyond the scope of what you think is possible.

WINNING THOUGHTS
-

Michigan State was not in the top 25 at the start of the season.

PROGRAM GOALS
1.
2.
3.
4.

It doesnt matter what they are, you gotta have em.

Lifelong relationships with players, coaches, staff, team
Graduate all players with a meaningful degree, help them become self-sufficient men
Win Success- BCS/Rose Bowl/ National Championship
Have a positive impact on your community

I.
II.

Choices/ Moral/ Spiritual

Family (Trust)
a. When its broken, what else do you have?
III.
Discipline & Maturity
IV.
Resources (Football, Academic, Social)
a. You
b. Coach
c. Chemistry
- Its about the people.
- Make sure that when you tell the players something, they can take it to the bank.
- Michigan State is the only school in the country to be ranked in the top 3 in the nation in all four
major categories.
- The players develop an annual mission statement about whats important to them.
- Unity Council The team votes on it five times per year. The game captains are chosen from the
12 members of the Unity Council.
- Pick the guy who can lead.

1. Commitment
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Notes via LifeAfterFootballBlog.com

2. Communication
3. Trust
4. Mentor Meetings Each coach, GA, etc has 5-6 mentees. They let the players choose their own
mentor.
5. Whats the most important thing to each position group? Written down in the meeting room.
Needs to be evident whats being taught in that room.
6. Effort, Toughness, Knowledge
7. Long season Do you keep your players fresh? Better fresh than ready.
8. Do you let assistant coaches speak to the team? Empower them. Being in control of something,
contributing to something, gives them extra incentive to prepare and perform.
9. Red Line Thoughts Field landmarks
a. 6 yards from the sideline, WR trying to get inside of the red line, creates space to
throw fade, the corner is trying to force them outside.
b. If youre playing zone, you should be able to break 1/3 of the distance the ball is thrown.
10. Special teams Individual Drills Position Drills
11. Staff Evaluations It works both ways/ Empower the players
a. Do you let your players evaluate you? Gives anonymous survey to players.
12. Knees bent / Position of power/ 1st step is the power step
a. Draw an invisible three-foot circle around your body- If youre over extended beyond
that circle, youve got no power
13. Blocking/ Tackling/ Defeating a block/ Catching and ball protection/ throwing/ running
a. Tackling in an art not a science
i. Football position
ii. Good teaching
iii. Toughness
b. Tackling in space
i. Eyes
ii. Leverage
iii. Body control
iv. Close
1. Near leg generate power
c. Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy. Lao Tzu
14. Put your players in adverse situations in practice where they must think to succeed.
15. Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter the least.
a. Prioritize what matters to you.
16. WIN! Does what we do give us a better chance to win?
a. With opportunity comes opposition.
- Practice
o Scout player organization
Rocks Scout team
Marauders Best Rocks/ Some 2s
Yellow 1v1, 2v2
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