Coach and Coordinator Podcast The Give - Building Buy-In and Total Effort - Justin Lustig, Special Teams Coordinator, Penn State
Mar 11, 2026
Justin Lustig, Penn State special teams coordinator who builds culture and total-effort play. He explains why special teams need meaning and how they tie to wins. He highlights ball security, explosive plays, and field position. He describes using alumni examples to motivate players and defines total effort across start, middle, finish, and return.
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Personal Connection Through His Son's High School Journey
- Justin Lustig shares his personal connection to coaching through his son's high school program and upcoming walk-on at Penn State.
- He credits State College High coaches for building the program 'the right way' and shaping his son's life.
Special Teams Move The Game In Three Ways
- Special teams impact games through three measurable ways: ball security, explosive plays, and field position.
- Justin Lustig cites Penn State records since 2005 showing huge win rates when special teams create takeaways, explosive plays, or win yardage battles.
Show Players Real Career Paths Via Special Teams
- Use real player examples and NFL snap counts to motivate players to value special teams for their future careers.
- Lustig shows slides of Brenton Strange and Nate Stupar with college and NFL special teams snaps and career earnings to make the point tangible.