Coach and Coordinator Podcast

We don't have the luxury of meeting time. Schedules are packed. Coaches are working remotely. There's no efficient place to sit down and talk to them. So this is essentially our meeting room. In this episode, I walk through how we build a weekly game plan inside JustPlay — personnel with screenshots, coverage pulled from Huddle breakdown data, red zone and two-by-two and three-by-one adjustments, short telestrated videos, and an R&D section for ideas that might become adjustments or might wait for another week. Everything lives in one place, on their phone, and feeds the quizzes we use for recall. The install already covered the concepts. Every week is just refining. And the quizzes make sure the refining sticks. In this episode: Why the old meeting room model doesn't fit a high school week How we structure a game plan in JustPlay: personnel, coverage, adjustments, procedures The R&D section — ideas filtered through "is it simple, and does it stay within what we do?" Short videos (two to three minutes) that replace the meeting Why the quizzes are for recall, not a checkbox How the same plan keeps remote coaches and players on the same page About the series:One Play at a Time follows Keith Grabowski's return to the sidelines as Offensive Coordinator and QB coach at Bay High School after a decade away, documenting how the staff installs, teaches, and communicates the offense across a full season. Presented by JustPlay. Just Play Solutions Level up your teaching and player understanding: JustPlaySolutions.Com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Champions presented by Signature Championship Rings, host Keith Grabowski sits down with ten-time state championship-winning Head Coach and current Cathedral High School Athletic Director Rick Streiff. They explore the operational habits, practice adjustments, and mental preparation needed to win important games when the season is on the line. Coach Streiff shares his championship-proven blueprint for late-season success, emphasizing simplifying the game plan and emphasizing core team strengths across all three phases. The discussion covers how consistent daily repetition builds fundamental execution under pressure. It also explains how to manage player workloads late in the season using walkthroughs and tracking technology, and how to keep younger players developing during deep postseason runs. From managing rivalry-week emotions to making state championship games feel as normal as possible, this interview offers an invaluable roadmap for coaches preparing their teams for a championship run. Chapters Core Identification: Doubling Down on Primary Strengths Late in the Season Trusting Repetition: Building Fast Play Habits and Eliminating On-Field Hesitation Pressure-Proof Fundamentals: Staying Grounded When Facing Unfamiliar Looks Emotional Control: Navigating Rivalry Week Energy and Postseason Hype Building Playoff Belief: Using Tough Regular Season Schedules as Armor Workload Management: Shorter Practices Walkthroughs and Fatigue Tracking Rematch Tactics: Adjusting Strategies When Facing Great Opponents Twice Sub-Varsity Development: Maximizing Saturday Scrimmages During Playoff Runs Championship Mindset Presented by Signature Championship Rings Championships are about more than wins. They're about the commitment, sacrifice, and relationships that define your program. When it's time to celebrate your team's accomplishments, trust Signature Championship Rings to create custom championship rings that honor your players, coaches, and legacy with craftsmanship worthy of the moment. Learn more about Signature Championship Rings and start designing a championship ring your team will be proud to wear. SignatureChampions.Com Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Rick Streiff: @CoachStreiff Signature Championship Rings: @signaturerings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of National Coach of the Week, presented by Modern Football, host Keith Grabowski sits down with Logan Minnick, head coach at Kearney High School, to explore strategies for building a successful program and extending playoff runs. Part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this conversation examines how combining discipline with genuine player relationships creates a strong, lasting team culture. Coach Minnick shares his philosophy on tailoring coaching strategies to each incoming class's unique personalities and needs. He stresses the importance of physicality in the weight room and in blocking and tackling in high-stakes games. The discussion also explores complementary football, including balancing offensive tempo with defensive stops to control the clock. It covers effective practice management strategies that keep players fresh and healthy throughout a long postseason run. From continuous self-improvement to maximizing multi-sport athletes' contributions, this episode offers useful insights for coaches looking to improve late-season execution. Chapters Playoff Readiness: Navigating Big-Game Atmospheres and Team Mindset Cultural Pillars: Fostering Discipline and Authentic Player Relationships Roster Adaptability: Tailoring Coaching Styles to Diverse Class Needs Continuous Growth: Note-Taking and Evolving as a Head Coach Managing Workload: Late-Season Practice Structure and Tapering Reps Complementary Football: Balancing Offense and Defense to Control Game Flow End-of-Season Adjustments: Sustaining Physicality and Player Health The Value of Multi-Sport Athletes and Final Coaching Takeaways National Coach of the Week is Presented by Modern Football Modern Football helps coaches chart and tag in real time, delivers sideline reports to keep the booth and sideline aligned, and makes self-scout faster with on-demand reports. Visit modernfootball.com for more information. Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Logan Minnick: @CoachMinnick Modern Football: @modernFB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Through our first two and a half games, we averaged about 2.1 yards a carry and had one explosive run. A few weeks later, our quarterback threw for 501 yards and six touchdowns, both school records. In this episode, I walk through how a young offense with a late summer install went from a planned outside zone team to a 10 personnel passing offense in the middle of the season. I cover the run-pass continuum I use to think about offense, how personnel moved us along it, the two experiments that led to six-man protection with one back, and how we used Modern Football's data alongside our film between series to stay ahead of coverages that changed from drive to drive. We didn't win every game along the way, and I talk about the ones that got away. The point is the process: letting what you see in your data and on film tell you what your offense needs to be. In this episode: 2.1 yards a carry to 501 through the air Starting behind: a late spring hire, summer OTAs, and an August 1st install The premise: why we started with outside zone What the data was telling us before we were ready to use it Offense as a continuum, and how moving our tight end to guard changed our view Two experiments: an empty half, then a back in the backfield The game we knew we had something, and the one route adjustment against middle of the field open Three straight weeks: 501, 360, and 416 passing yards Staying ahead between series with data and film The 5-1 game: 19-0, a missed walk-off, and overtime Three handoffs in four and a half games What I'd tell another coach starting late Presented by Modern Football Our offense didn't come from a summer install. It came from what we saw once the games started. Modern Football gave us the data to see where we were efficient and where our explosives were coming from. Paired with our film, it let us adjust between series as defenses moved from middle of the field open to Tampa to man and back again. If you want that kind of insight into your own offense, in the game and week to week, check out Modern Football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Relationships, Role Ownership, and Finding the Calls Your Players Believe In Another week of Division III football brings another group of coaches and staffs worth recognizing in the Hansen Ratings D3 Coaches and Coordinators of the Week. Logan Hansen joins Keith Grabowski to break down the Week 4 selections, beginning with St. John’s offensive coordinator Kole Heckendorf, whose offense produced 72 points on 72 plays against Augsburg. The conversation then turns to Christopher Newport defensive coordinator Mario Byrd, whose defense delivered a shutout against Susquehanna while forcing six turnovers. Byrd explains why his approach starts with relationships. As a Christopher Newport alum, he has lived many of the same experiences his players are going through now. He discusses earning trust, understanding that every player responds differently to coaching, and creating an environment where scout-team players understand the importance of their role. Keith then visits with Ithaca head coach Brandon Maguire after the Bombers put together a complete performance in all three phases. Maguire shares how Ithaca identifies its “settlers,” the calls players and coaches know they can execute when they need to regain rhythm and confidence. He explains why player feedback matters throughout the week, how the staff builds a quarterback’s “love it” list, and why sometimes the best adjustment a coach can make is simplifying the plan and letting players play fast. In This Episode: Logan Hansen’s Week 4 D3 Coaches and Coordinators of the Week selections How Christopher Newport prepared to shut down the run against Susquehanna Mario Byrd’s philosophy that players play differently when they know a coach genuinely cares Why coaches need to adapt their coaching style to different personalities Creating ownership and pride within the scout team Why relationships can matter as much as scheme for young coaches Brandon Maguire’s concept of “settlers” on offense, defense, and special teams Using player feedback to identify what belongs in the game plan Building a quarterback’s “love it” list Why a play that has not been repped enough during the week may need to come off the call sheet Using openers without becoming handcuffed by a scripted sequence Knowing when to stop adding and simply let your best players play Giving players enough freedom to make adjustments within the system Coaches Recognized: Offensive Coordinator of the Week: Kole Heckendorf, St. John’s Defensive Coordinator of the Week: Mario Byrd, Christopher Newport University Head Coach and Staff of the Week: Brandon Maguire and the Ithaca College coaching staff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices