Inheriting a Staff.

I think that the most important thing that you have to look at is do they know and understand what you want. Everyone has a way of teaching their position groups, as the HC it is your job to teach your coaches how you want it.

When I came here all of the staff stayed on and it took a little while for us to become comfortable with each other. I am sure my personality is different than the coach who I took over from. I think that there is always a trust issue at the beginning, especially if you don't know each other.

I am not sure that there were any problems, I think that if I had to do it over again I would have done a better job coaching up my assistants about what I wanted from them. My suggestion is if you are in this position be up front with them and let them know what your expectations are especially in terms of the time you are going to require from them. You may need to make some changes in the future but I don't think that you should decide whether or not to take a job based on who you may inherit from another coaching regime.

The staff I am part of was a transition staff my first year. A Coach came in with one heck of a resume' and way of doing things that wouldn't be undercut. He kept several members from the previous staff, and even brought back a DC from a even older staff at the school. The guys from the most recent staff bucked the DC. This is something I didn't have much of an opportunity to witness as a first year coach at the time (I was working as a 9th grade position coach as well as having several duties with the varsity.). However I have since made my way to the varsity and heard tell of these incidents. The thing to note here, all of the people except one from the previous staff chose to move on within a year.

This isn't saying anything against holdovers from previous "generations," but I think there will be no "promised" grandfather positions when I have my shot. That isn't to say that guys won't get their opportunity, but they'll have to interview with me the same as new hires to be certain their goals are/can be in line with mine for the program. If this breeds resentment, then these likely would not be my ideal candidates for a program anyway.

However, it is worth noting as well that I am a fourth year coach. Three with ninth grade, and one down with Varsity. I do have a very small amount of experience working with the Pro's as well in a part time job, but none the less... I have a long way to go until I get my shot.

That however doesn't mean I'm not already working on specifics. When the bell rings, I will be ready.

Good luck to you coach.

I've been an HC before, but not at the HS level: I was the HC of a middle school team for awhile. There really weren't many issues, but again, it was MS.

How do you find that happy medium in management? I mean, I know the offense and defense I want to run, but I also want it installed in a particular manner. I'm the kind of coach that gets his schemes from somewhere; places where there are resources with respect to how the scheme is installed and some drills to use.

How do you deal with those situations where an assistant either disagrees with the scheme being run or wants to install their portion of it in a poor manner?

Meet with all of the coaches individually to see what their goals are. You'll find some interesting information in these opportunities.

Take the time to learn a little about your inherited staff before you begin hammering your vision home and impressing them with your new found HC knowledge

Once you've taken care of the 1 on 1 meetings you need to begin talking to the guys as a group to expand on your program's vision and how they feel they will fit into the picture. I would talk about a new beginning and fresh start for everyone. Not to dismiss the successes of the prior leadership or to throw anything that didn't go well under the bus but there has to be a new start with a new leader.

Give them some time (week max) to think and reflect about where you want to take the program and how you will best use your coaching staff. It's a true feeling out period where guys will make decisions on staying (and following your lead) or moving on.

When I took over in two situations we went through this process and even though I was chomping at the bit to get going, it was important to allow the guys their process. I didn't keep everyone but those that did chose to move on have stayed in touch.

The rest of us "leftovers" took care of business and there was no looking back.

tdg has very good advice.

Even before that, when going through the interview process, I want to find out from administration how much control over coaching staff I'm going to have as head coach.

I would research as much about existing staff as possible before meeting with them individually, including talking to outgoing head coach.

If you do not have ability to hire and fire within reason, you should think twice about taking the job.

I am going to be like Jacob in The Bible - die leaning on my staff.

I have taken over several programs during my 17 years as a Head Coach and in each case I have inherited all or part of the previous staff. I have been able to bring in one or more coaches at each stop so I have been fortunate. I have also been fortunate that with one exception all of the coaches I inherited bought into what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it and together we created a successful program.

I am aware that my situation may be unusual but in each situation I was asked to meet with/interview the members of the previous staff and determine if I wanted them to continue to be a part of the program.

I met with and interviewed each person who wanted to remain with the program and kept the ones that I thought could help us meet our goals. I explained to each one the vision that I had for the program and also explained how they would each be given a job to do and that as long as they did their part we would not have problems. We would be a team as a staff, any disagreements would be behind closed doors as we would go onto the field united. I explained to them that if they could not follow this procedure then they should not accept a position on the staff. In only one case was there ever a problem with backbiting, etc and that went away after the first year when that saw the light.

My belief is that you can tell pretty quick once you coach with someone if their agenda is different and even if the season has started you need to be prepared to get rid of the problem if it cannot be resolved. I am not saying you should resort to threats but you should be prepared to back up what you say in your initial meetings with players and coaches.

I think one thing to recognize is the culture of the area with regards to football staffing AND the potential for new coaches. I think that while it is important to come in and set your tone and expectations, at the HS level it is not always easy to clean house. Let me rephrase that..it is not always easy to restock a house you cleaned...and you often will still have to deal with some of those you "cleaned" trying to pollute the program.

I like the ideas presented here to meet individually first, give the coaches some time to adjust..to feel you out, to give input etc. Keep in mind that some of those might have put in for the job...they probably aren't terribly happy about the situation. Allow them some pride here. I agree with TDG... give the coaches some time before you start to enact edicts. Allow for a chance that these will be OUR philosophies, not "MINE, that you will now obey!!!"

So, here would be my outline for attempting to make a smooth transition:

1. Determining the control I have over hiring/firing of staff. If the administration has any control over it, I wouldn't take the job.

2. Provide a written handout to each coach, just describing the basic factors of what I expect; loyalty, attendance, my own coaching philosophy. Several things that I would really emphasize;

-loyalty
-understanding that the program will be based around effort over ability
- understanding that the players are out are all we have; it's out job to coach them, not b-tch about them
- if they're going to be a screamer and yeller that they'd better make sure that they've coached the athlete to the best of their ability.
-the freshman and JV levels will be developmental; everyone will get a series. Assuming that they've been at practice, worked hard, been coachable, and had a positive attitude. Essentially, reward hard work and dedication with playing time, regardless of talent.
- And above all else; THE KIDS WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU CARE BEFORE THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW!!!

3. Sit down in a few staff meeting several times and lay out the offense and the defense. Provide as much media input as possible, starting with a Power Point. Then show them DVDs from other programs, detailing how the offense/defense is run, what kind of drills that go with it.

4. Meet with each coach individually, after going through the presentation of the schemes. Provide a written handout of what I skills I expect to be taught within the offense and defense.

Throughout the process, I would 'feel the coaches out' as much as possible. I'll ask them to speak freely about what they think of the schemes.

With any luck, those 'Xs and Os' gurus will weed themselves out, assuming that they disagree with the schemes. If not, I'll give them a season to figure things out; there may be a lot of 'comin to Jesus' meetings, but that's the way it is. Throughout the season, I'll make sure they feel like they have ownership of the program, ask for input as much as possible, and avoid being a dictator. However, I will micromanage if I don't feel that something is being done correctly. If they can't fall in line, I will can them and look for other coaches. There may be a limited supply of coaches, but I think I can find some young guys that want to move up and are willing to learn.

I would also look to take on a smaller program, so that I can manage with a smaller coaching staff; myself and 3-4 other coaches.

This is a very good point and is something that I would never do... I have been in that situation as an assistant and it almost made me quit coaching football. Stuff went wrong, from all angles, I took responsibility for my part in it and opened myself up to it. There had been finger pointing going on all season long, but as soon as I owned up to my mistakes (AND FIXED THEM), I was a target.

It was funny, a few years back, I had a coach come up to me and tell me that he thought my position group really lacked athleticism. My response was simple; I said that they were a good group, but I hadn't coached them up as well as I should have. The answer really blind sided the coach, but in a good way. He was happy to hear someone take responsibility for the situation.

Good advice! Bottom line is will the assistant coaches buy in to the new coaches philosophy? Are they there for the kids? There can be no personal agenda's. If you can answer yes to both of these questions then I can find a place for you on my staff. If you are questioning either one then then the assistant coach needs to go.

I think that taking over a HC job or any other upper role (OC/DC) and having the stipulation that you have to keep the old staff is starting down a slippery slope. Here are some reasons why
1. There may be a coach or 3 that thought they should have been the HC in the first place
2. They need to buy into your agenda and not have any hidden ones. Which if the first scenario is apparent there will be dynamic problems off the bat
3. Where is the loyalty and where is it to you as the HC. It takes 1 A hole to start something and you have to keep putting out fires and not be the coach you want to be.
Ive been fortunate to have been a HC. I inherited a coach that was interviewed for the same job. Let me preface it that he was a really good at what he did. On the other hand he had his own agenda and it was very divisive. I has the guy in my office three times and just got tired of it. I was going to let him go at the end of the season. After informing my AD that I was going to let him go and he told the coach to make things better...?? WTF? It was a shame because it was a really good school and had a good staff. When you win it hides a lot of warts. We won so it wasnt evident. Ill NEVER do that again. I will have my own people ... (all of them) from coaches to secretaries. You may not have the luxury of that but you also dont have to be constantly looking behind you . You have to have your eyes foreword and do whats best for the program. Just my opinion.

Its YOUR program. There has been a TON of good advice on how to handle "inherited" staffs and I too picked up a few things. This is why this site is so great, its a 24-7 football clinc.

My input:

I hope you would bring this up at the interviews. Ask the AD and Principal if you are required to keep the members of the previous staff and if any of them already said they wanted to remain. Ask them if any of them are interviewing for the HFC position. I would have no problem keeping guys but I would have to make sure they will be loyal to me and I have final say with who works for me (same goes with scheduling non-league games, some AD's are total idiots and will schedule the Green Bay packers just to fill out the schedule so he can go hit the back 9). You also want final say especially if the HFC was fired and there is a {censored} storm because of the situation. Even more so if they guy is still hanging around the school and some of your assistants are in the building too. It could make for a tough situation. You have better things to worry about than being "Pearl Harbored" by your assistants.

LAST thing you need is a coach not being loyal to you.

There is nothing wrong with assistants making suggestions or having input at meetings or your office or classroom. I think we all want input but they have to understand its your program and you have to do things your way and they ALL have to be on board when you all walk out on the field. I used to suggest things all the time and had different opinions all the time BUT... when we walked out on the field to work with the kids I was loyal and coached the kids the way the boss wanted.

If an assistant coach didn't like my offense, defense or special teams and didn't want to coach it or openly criticized it outside my office or classroom I would tell him there are a bunch of other programs to coach. Or better yet to try to take the high road and tell him when he has his own program he will be able to run things his way and he will see how important it is to have loyal coaches.

Anyway, when taking over a program I would sit down and interview every coach including the guys you want to bring in. Explain your entire philosophy and program and lay out what you are looking for in an assistant. Loyalty is #1. Loyalty to you the HFC, loyalty to the program (being prepared, being on time, scouting, etc...), and loyalty to the kids. Give them the opportunity to walk away or at least speak up. Enthusiasm is #2. Get rid of the slugs. Coaches are models for the kids. If the coaches are enthused the kids are enthused. If the coaches are slugs, the kids will be slugs. Love of the game is #3. Got to love what we do because we put sooooo much time into it for peanuts. Expect some turnover.

A mentor of mine told me about his first HFC job. He inherited the program. He and all the other assistants thought it was great that a guy they knew would be the boss. Problem was they all treated him like one of the assistants. No one acknowledged it was his program and he was calling the shots, they all thought it was "their" program and would run it collectively. It sputtered and stalled because they all had different visions. Later that year he ended up having to stop a coupe because his one-time friends turned on him. From then on, he interviewed EVERYONE even his "friends"or previous colleagues. It made a lot of sense to me to communicate my deal and goals and what I expected from them and give them a chance to "digest" my program and decide if they want to be a part of it.

Hope this helps.