How much better were you year 2?

I was better because I had a more concise plan of what I wanted to accomplish and the plan for how to make that happen. I also knew the kids and community better. I also think the staff knew me better, and I knew them better. I think the biggest growth for all of us took place between year 2 and year 3.

For me the biggest jump in year two was the result of a few things...

1. Better organized. I thought I had my stuff together in Year 1, I was wrong.
2. More comfortable in the role. I second guessed myself too often during that 1st year. In the second year I told myself that I would stick to my guns, and not try to please everyone. As a result, I had a much better season. I was happier, the season also much that much smoother, and as a result I had much more confidence.
3. Make everything easier on yourself. Coming into that first year, you have a bunch of ideas that you want to try. Your thought process is that it will make things easier for you, but as a result it just causes you more stress. Dump that stuff, get the basics right, then expand on them. Don't try to reinvent the wheel.

I went from being the Freshman DC. I coached running backs, and linebackers. I knew the entire defense, knew enough about the offense. Then in the offseason I became the HC, our former HC had been pulled up and made an assistant on the varsity staff. He called all of our offense. I had to learn the entire offense, and be comfortable with it. I really didn't become comfortable calling it in games till the middle of that season. I also had to hand off the defense to another assistant, and that was a tough thing to do.

This will be my second year as HFC and I can already tell its going to be a much better year. I am a lot more organized, confident and know both the offense and defense in and out.
There were times last year I felt so confused and overwhelmed due to the fact that I was the HC. Things will be way different this year. I can feel it, my assistants can feel it and so can the kids in the weight room already.

I was lucky to have a former head coach on the defensive side of the ball and I became a much better defensive coach. I could not have done it without him and I would not have took the job if he had not came out of retirement to help. The second season he made the statement I am going to have to coach because he is moving ahead of me. Best compliment ever.

I called the offense and ran the flexbone offense and we see junk defenses all the time and the second time around you have a much better idea of what you may see.

Of course all the stuff everyone else has stated above. Just the confidence that I could handle the job and really feel like the team was now mine. I was able to put more time into things during the down period to help out. Booster clubs, field and equipment up grades, weight room planning, JV planning, bringing in assistants to help the program, isolate players that would make us better at certain positions and work with them, how to delegate was much better and after 16 years still getting better. Had our banquet last night and it was like a machine for the first time because I finally will ask people to help.

I never really thought I would be a head football coach with my back ground being baseball and I was the head baseball coach at the time. So my focus really changed, I went every where to find out things and that happen during the down time after the first year.

While we didn't get better on paper (Win-Loss Column), we sure scared the h**l out of everyone on our schedule. In year one, we focused on Commit and many of the seniors never fully bought in (I was their thrid HC.). In year two, our focus turned more to Compete. I truly believe had we found was to two platoon more people (9 of 11 went both ways the majority of the time), we would have had more wins in the win column and made the playoffs. Changes are under way for us to do that so in year three, our mantra is Win. We are setting our sights on making the playoffs for the second time in school history.

Bobby Bowden's theory was Year 1 you lose bad, Year 2 you lose close, Year 3 you win close, Year 4 you win big.

In my experience first year you implement your program as completely as possible.

Second year you evaluate, adjust or adapt as necessary.

Should be in your "comfort zone" by third year.

I would agree with Duece. I have certainly have gotten better at managing people. I have also learned how to delegate more. I have assistants to help with everything in the program. I have to trust they will do what is needed. I have definitely gotten better in this year 2.

This season we started to years ago is actually my second time going into a second year as HC.

First two years of football I coach our Under 16 team (started out as HC in a completely new youth program). The first year I was lost, had no clue on where to start or end, but I learned alot about time management and organization, so my second year we got thing done and won our league.

Next year I moved up to HC our senior team (19 and up), and had several assistant coaches, which was I first. We made the playoffs, but once again, the major lesson learned was organization and focusing on fundamentals. I also let two of my assistants completely run our defense, which I learned I needed to get more involved in.

So right now, having just started season 2 as a Senior HC, I feel that I'm leagues better than last year, but obviously there is always something to learn in our business