

Coach and Coordinator Podcast
Keith Grabowski
Keith Grabowski interviews the most knowledgeable head coaches, coordinators, and position coaches from professional, college, and high school football. Keith and his guests discuss the philosophy, concepts, schemes, and strategies that they have learned throughout their careers. Each show includes a specific idea that can be applied to help coaches at every level find the winning edge.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 26, 2020 • 33min
From the Archives - Ken Niumatalolo, Head Coach, Navy
Ken Niumatalolo is today’s guest of the Coach and Coordinator Podcast. Niumatalolo has been on the Navy staff since 2002 and has been the program’s head coach since 2002, posting a record of 77-42 during that stretch. He sits down with Keith Grabowski to discuss program culture at Navy, staff accountability and the advantages to running the triple option in Division I football.
Show notes
0:52 Start as a football coach
1:59 Key points in coaching development
4:41 Why the Triple Option works for Navy
6:08 Building culture at the Naval Academy
9:40 Having a "Why" as a program, and holding the staff accountable
12:56 Onboarding freshmen
15:01 Working in the RPO
17:07 Evolution of blocking in triple option
18:45 The advantages of running the triple option at the Division I level
22:06 Coaches need to have answers. In real time.
23:38 Best coaching advice received (and advice to young coaches)
25:44 Coaching in the Army-Navy Game
27:20 Creating balance
30:06 The winning edge
Twitter:
@CoachKGrabowski
@NAVYCoachKen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 25, 2020 • 46min
From The Archives - Joe Osovet, Currently TE Coach Univ. Of Tennessee
From the Archives - Current Tennessee Volunteer Tight End Coach, Joe Osovet joined us in the first year of the podcast to talk ball:
RPO innovator Joe Osovet is the guest on this episode of the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast. The head coach at ASA College in Brooklyn, Osovet sits down with Keith to discuss the ins and outs of his RPO system. He also dives into how young coaches can begin implementing the RPO, the absolute importance of the player-coach relationship and why new offensive coordinators should resist the temptation to try to do too much.
SHOW NOTES
• :51 Coaching start
• 1:35 Importance of relationships
• 2:33 Development as a coach
• 3:40 Coaching philosophy
• 5:05 3 simple rules for program culture
• 6:58 Developing RPO philosophy (and why football coaches are thieves)
• 8:34 Xs and Os of Osovet's offense
• 10:20 Why you need to practice RPO every single day
• 12:05 Modifying game plan based on QB experience
• 13:23 Repping during the week
• 17:26 Reads and manipulation
• 19:14 Importance of ID'd the defense and relying on call sheets in key spots
• 30:00 Unique RPOs and the Xs and Os of Osovet's most successful plays
• 26:35 How young coaches can get started implementing RPO
• 28:32 Mistake as young coach (trying to do too much)
• 29:32 Book recommendations
• 33:09 Utilizing technology
• 34:40 Creating balance (and the importance of the coach’s wife)
• 36:53 The lessons that football teaches
• 39:31 Two-minute drill
• 41:11 The winning edge
Twitter:
@CoachKGrabowski
@CoachOsovet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 24, 2020 • 48min
From The Archives - Matt Drinkall (Current TE Coach At Army)
Matt Drinkall joins Keith in today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast. Drinkall started as head coach at Kansas Wesleyan in 2014. After his arrival, the team has had great success, winning a school-record 10 games last year and earning a spot in the NAIA Football Championship Series for the first time since 2002. Drinkall discusses his rocky start with the Coyotes, how his team has fun, and breaks down his offense in the podcast.
Show notes
1:10 Drinkall’s start at Kansas Wesleyan
3:50 Balancing fun and hard work
7:07 Defining success and failure outside wins and loses
8:58 How Drinkall prepares incoming freshman
10:21 Why seniors are responsible for creating a legacy
13:11 Breaking down the power spread offense
19:15 Why he keeps a thin playbook
23:31 Focus on being a teacher of the game
27:38 Breaking down the weekly practice schedule
34:10 The benefits of shoulder tackle
40:14 Why the team tackles QB during practice
41:51 The winning edge
@CoachKGrabowski
@DrinkallCoach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 19, 2020 • 44min
STAR Method Of Individual Practice Planning - Rob Currin, Former HC Alden HS, Master Trainer
On today's podcast former Alden HS (NY) head coach and USA Football Master Trainer Rob Currin joins Keith to discuss the S.T.A.R. method of designing individual practice periods. Keith and Rob discuss how this applies to various positions and skills on both sides of the ball by providing specific examples.
Twitter:
@rob_currin
@CoachKGrabowski
Related:
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/master-trainers-terry-summerfield-and-rob-currin-share-their-experience-with-ats
Fordham Assistant Vince DiGaetano playlist:
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/coach-dig-playlist
Deliberate Practice playlist:
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/deliberate-practice-season-2
Richie Gray playlist:
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/richie-gray-playlist
Advanced Tackling System:
https://www.footballdevelopment.com
Football Development Model:
https://fdm.usafootball.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 17, 2020 • 44min
Adjusting and Adapting the Season during COVID19 - Rob Pomazak, HC St. Charles North HS
Today on the Coach and Coordinator podcast, Keith is joined by coach Rob Pomazak to discuss the adjustments and adaptations he is making to continue building his football program by design starting . Pomazak is the head coach at St. Charles North (IL), 2018 IL state runner-up.
00:40 Adapting in a time of unknowns
01:45 Adjusting to changing timelines
04:51 Dealing with players emotions
08:48 Message to players as things change
10:17 Plans for the future; remaining fluid
12:07 Having digital resources for the program
15:50 Dealing with “Zoom fatigue”
18:13 Keeping a human touch to the virtual world
21:57 Four quarter development plan shifts
23:57 Digital combine and recruiting fair
28:45 The coaches, players, parents role in recruiting during COVID19
34:57 Best utilizing coaches in the process
36:50 Getting players video from practice to recruiters
38:47 Looking forward to series with Coach Pomazak
Twitter:
@CoachKGrabowski
@RobertPomazak
Related:
Program by Design - Robert Pomazak Playlist
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/program-by-design-robert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 14, 2020 • 24min
The benefits of playing multiple sports - Zack Martin, offensive guard, Dallas Cowboys
In this Football For All crossover episode, Dallas Cowboys Offensive Guard Zack Martin joins Keith Grabowski to discuss how playing multiple sports better prepared him for football, especially in college at Notre Dame. Martin also discusses the two-point stance and how it is useful in training young athletes to better pay the game.
Learn more:
https://fdm.usafootball.com
https://www.footballdevelopment.com
Related:
Chris Manhertz, Carolina Panther TE
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/carolina-panthers-tight-end-chris-manhertz-talks-about-his-journey-to-the-nfl?in=user-804678956/sets/nfl-coaches-players
NFL Players and Coaches Playlist
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/nfl-coaches-players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 13, 2020 • 13min
Inside The Program- St. Xavier: The Importance Of The Game
On this episode of the Coach and Coordinator podcast, we feature part of USA Football’s “Inside the Program” series. Coach Steve Specht, has been the head coach at St. Xavier High School (Ohio), since 2004. During his tenure Coach Specht has led the Bombers to three state championships and he also was named NFL High School Coach of the Year as well. In this episode Coach Specht shares the importance of the game at St. Xavier and to the community.
Check out our systems for skill development in blocking, defeating blocks and tackling at https://footballdevelopment.com
Build youth football in your community with the hep of the Football Development Model. https://fdm.usafootball.com
Related:
Inside the Program - St. Xavier: Game Planning
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/inside-the-program-st-xavier-game-planning
Inside the Program - St. Xavier: Developing a Coaching Staff
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/inside-the-program-st-xavier-developing-a-coaching-staff
Inside the Program - St. Xavier: Off Season Development
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/inside-the-program-st-xavier-offseason-development Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 12, 2020 • 36min
The Paul Brown System
On today's episode Keith Grabowski share some of Paul Brown's ideas from the book PB: The Paul Brown Story. Brown was on the forefront of innovation in football and his ideas on coaching are timeless.
Grabowski shares and comments on Paul Brown's thought on :
-Coaching philosophy
-Player-coach relationship
-Setting the foundation
-Coaches as partners
-The importance of family
-The type of player he wants
-Rules
-Training camp
-Teaching and learning
-Offense install
-Technical aspects of the game
-The type of linemen he wants
-Using the fullback
-How Otto Graham and Marion Motley created the draw play
-The passing game
-Defense flexibility
-Special teams
-Being professionals but having fun
Related:
Home Team Playlist
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/home-team
Offense Install
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/your-call-offensive-installation?in=user-804678956/sets/your-call-series
Defense Install
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/your-call-defensive-install?in=user-804678956/sets/your-call-series
Installing Fun
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/your?in=user-804678956/sets/your-call-series
Make Fullbacks Great Again
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/making-the-fullback-great-again-tyler-roehl-offensive-coordinator-at-north-dakota-state-university Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 7, 2020 • 28min
Prep For Contact - Andy Ryland, USA Football
Today's episode is a crossover episode from our Football For All Podcast. USA Football's Andy Ryland joins us to discuss how we can better acclimate our players' bodies for the contact loads and forces they will take on during a season. With an extended shutdown which may keep our players out of contact for over a year, it's important to think about how we can prepare them for the next time they step onto the field. It's a concept that is taking off with college strength and conditioning coaches and Ryland gives us an overview.
Twitter:
@CoachKGrabowski
@USAFootballMT
Related:
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/sets/deliberate-practice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 6, 2020 • 53min
Dealing With Player Mental Health - University Of Denver - Dr. Mark Aoyogi & Dr. Brian Gearity
On today's episode, Keith Grabowski is joined by two University of Denver professors to discuss mental health and issues that may arise during the COVID19 shutdown. The doctors discuss how to better understand mental health and create an environment that allows player to share how they are feeling. The also give suggestions and resources to help coaches in this area.
Dr. Mark Aoyagi is a Senior Consultant, Sport & Performance Excellence Consultants; Director of Sport & Performance Psychology, Univ. of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology. He works with NFL, NHL and NBA teams.
Dr. Brian Gearity has been the director of the Master of Arts in Sport Coaching program at Denver since 2014. Before teaching at Denver, Dr. Gearity spent five years at the University of Southern Mississippi as an assistant professor of Sport Coaching Education. As a coach, Dr. Gearity’s specialty is in the strength and conditioning side. Dr. Gearity worked as a strength coach at the University of Tennessee for nine years and received his PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Tennessee in 2009.
Related:
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/smart-coaching-athlete-transitions?in=user-804678956/sets/smart-coaching-series
https://soundcloud.com/user-804678956/understanding-and-education-to-create-change-dr-brian-gearity-university-of-denver
Twitter:
@CoachKGrabowski
@DrGearity
@MarkAoyagi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


