Who Taught You The Game Of Football

i just always loved football ... from the time i can remember seeing the game as a preschooler. don't think i have wanted to do anything other than be involved in football.

now, as far as a guy that really taught me a ton, that was a guy i used to work for here in texas. moon mullins. he played and coached under bill yoeman. now, you would think i would be a veer guy and know all the ins and outs, but, oddly, that's not what we ran. however, we used quite a few principles from yoeman's offense (and the guy that was at rice and later florida state in the 60's/70's ... bill peterson i believe was his name).

I feel each person I have met, within the football world has taught me something about the game. I had some great HS coaches that taught me a lot, but the most influential has been my dad. He was coaching before I was born and continued to coach until 2 seasons ago (more then 30 years). Actually, I'm not really sure if he is done coaching since he sits in the stands right below our box telling my guys what he sees sometimes. Hell, there are times when I say, "what's my dad say?" because I know I don't have all the answers and I'm still learning.

coachhuey.com

First, I'd like to say that I am still learning the game of football even after coaching for 12 years. When I'm all done being taught, I better be all done coaching. That is why I come here to get my fix!

In the spirit of the question though, I started liking football because my buddy liked it when I was about 4 or 5 years old (we played HS football together and are still close). None of my family played sports, but he turned me on to it. We still can't figure out who turned him on to it since his family was about like mine!

Once I had the fever for it, my two freshmen coaches and my varsity head cocach were the ones who really taught me a lot about footbal, and what it means to be a man. I owe more to those guys than I can ever repay. Who knows where I'd be if it weren't for them. One thing is for sure, I know I'm glad I didn't find out!

not necessarily the love of the game or the passion of competition, but the single most influential figure in my life with regards to coaching the game and how to ANALYZE the game has been Brad Verdon of Davenport, Iowa. Second to him, would be reading "Bunch Passing Game" in 1997 from Andrew Coverdale/Dan Robinson

My dad got me interested in football..use to take me to HS games and Cal games as a kid. But I never played the game until I was a Frosh in HS, (unless you count flag football). In terms of knowledge of football...it wasn't till I got into JUCO that I actually started to learn the game...had a great coach there by the name of Matt Irvin. He use to play at Oregon State in the early 90s late 80s? Anyway, he taught me everything about zone blocking.

My dad, older brothers, cousins and, community(small West Texas town) gave me the passion to play. The best coach that I ever had was my very first one- 7th grade DB coach.
I was the smallest kid on the team and was basically relegated to 'live tackle dummy' by all the other coaches. But, he saw how aggressive and quick I was and talked to me after practice about becoming a cornerback. My favorite player on the Dallas Cowboys was Aaron Kyle(CB). So, I was ecstatic about playing CB. At the next practice he flat out told the rb/lb coach that I was now a CB and was his.
He trained me to be a CB. He had a real passion for the position and defense in general. Some of the stuff he let me do to WR's on the field, coaches here probably wouldn't appreciate. But, I wasn't supposed to be a nice guy. I was a DB.

My Dad used to take me to the local college games at Albion College in Michigan from the time I was in the 3rd grade on. It was a great Saturday father-son day and we got to see some pretty good football as well. It was something I always looked forward to. We would also watch football on TV all the time and enjoyed ribbing each other about our favorite teams (The Ohio State University for him and the U of M for me). Up until the time he passed away three years ago we would still get together to watch games as often as possible.

His love for the game and his willingness to pass it on to me got me to where I am now. He never missed a game I played in or coached in until his health prevented him from traveling. I would still call him after every game to let him know what happened and to talk it over with him. He had the most profound impact on my love for the game.

I was introduced to the game when i was 9 or so... by playing flag football and workin my way up through the recreational leagues and middle and high school as well as onto college. i have learned a great deal from all of my coaches.. they all taught me the value of hard work and dedication to the game... the sense of giving back or possibly making a difference in someones life. But none have taught me more about the game of football and life than my father and my high school coach. Those two guys have molded me into the person i am now and are some of the main reasons i want to be a football coach now.

Matt Dillon- now head coach at Cornell College (played for him as a freshman and sophomore in HS)
Terry Allen- now head coach at Missouri State (played for him in college at UNI)
Bill Salmon- now OC at UNI, (was my RB coach at UNI)
Hugh Wyatt- now head coach at Ocean Shores HS in Washington, hooked up with him in 1998 to learn the DW and he has become a personal friend and mentor
Ken Winkler- head coach at West Marshall HS in Iowa, taught me the in's and out's of the 5-2 Eagle defense (actually hired his son who was a good friend of mine to be my DC at my former job)

They have all shaped my career in some way, shape, or form. Learned so much from each of them I do not go a day without hearing an answer from my mouth that could have come from one of them in answering the same question.

My father ( a well respected coach) . I grew up around coaches, watching film on our dining room wall, going to my dad's games, my mom used to help out in the concession stands, at his games. I'd stand on the sidelines, or be busy pissing my mom off up in the concession stand. I began helping my dad out coaching when I was still playing in grade school myself

I never thought I'd get into coaching, it was actually a mistake that got me into it. But it turned out I was better at it than I ever was at playing. From there I was hooked, and had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. I sought out the best (still do ) I was blessed enough to be able to meet alot of good people in high places, predominant high school coaches, NCAA players and coaches from every division, and even Players and coaches from the NFL. Through my dad.

Years ago I started posting over on the Delphi forums, and met a bunch of great coaches that were more than willing to help a young upstart coach out. And they did ...greatly To this day I still hold those guys in the highest regard, I still count on them when I need to talk to someone.

Alot of the success I had was due to the generous contributions of other coaches. I try to emulate that as best I can.

A few others:

D!ck Bedesem (DVC/Villanova)-wont let me type that in
Ed Neumann
Mike Pettine Sr.
Frank Naylor
Mike Carey
George Cassidy
Glen Galione
Skip Duffy
Bill Manlove
Joe Franchella

His name was Chris McMasters. All I remember was he played at the local high school and he could come home from practice adn we would run pass patterns. We had a playbook, plays, the whole 9 yards. That is where I began to love the game of football and it precision. I haven't heard from him in maybe 20 -25 years. Wonder what he is doing now. If any knows someone of that name have him get a hold of the Doc. We lived in Kenmore NY. Bills country. He's probably 38ish.

I think I have always loved football. The only way my folks could get me to be quiet as a kid was to put me in front of the TV with the Cowboys on.

My dad was the first one to teach me football. He spent time with me watching the game and talking about the big guys up front...the positions me and my brother would play.

My uncle (Eddie Hatch, a DC all over Texas JUCO and HS) taught me about the X's and O's and how everything has to fit together.

I am still learning from the coaches I have worked with and currently work with now. Rodney Souther, David Brewer, CJ Lottinger, Thed Harris, Mike Shields, Don Waddle, and many more.

My Dad never got to play in organized sport. He was expected to come home and work at the family business. When I got the opportunity to play he taught me that I had to make the most of that opportunity. He made it possible.
My Grade school coach taught me the fundamentals and my high school coaches, Coach Jay Barrett and Coach Frank Cioli taught me a true love of the sport.
My greatest teachers, IMHO, have been the players and the coaches that I have worked with over the last 29 wonderful years.