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Post by irishdog on Apr 1, 2024 15:40:11 GMT -6
I always tried my best to keep it simple. Now, after being retired for a few years, I've gone back to reflect on what I would continue to do or what I would do different on both offense and defense. Offensively...NOTHING. I had a TIGHT package (2 TE's); an OPEN package (1 WR); and a SPREAD package (2 WR's); I moved the backs around in each package but the terminology was the same (Bear/Bull/Brown/Blue moved the B Back; Race/Lace/East/West moved the WB's). The formation package calls aligned the Ends, and Over/Flip moved them (Over-RE, Flip LE). Linemen didn't flip flop plays, but they did learn how to get into a right-handed and left handed stance if the occasion arose where they had to play on the other side of center. The Tackles determined an unbalanced line (Heavy-LT over to the Right; Jumbo-RT over to the Left).
Defensively...NOTHING. Based out of a 4-2-5. DT's alignments determined the front call. Strong side T was first alignment number; NT was second alignment number (ie: 11-22-33-31-13-50). ILB's always aligned in the opposite gap of the DT's unless we called "Stack". Next call was the DL movement (Strong-both DT's slant to strength call; Away-both DT's slant away from strength call; Wide-both DT's slant to wide side of the field; Short-both DT's slant to short side of the field; Pinch-both DT's slant to their inside gaps; Split-both DT's slant to their outside gaps. We only used slants in our 22 look. We also used a "FLIP" call for our DT's when aligned in shades. All DL moves caused the ILB's to switch gap assignments. Next call in the sequence was a blitz. We called "FIRE" for our ILB's. We could send one, or both. We used Sword/Knife for our OLB's. We used Thunder/Lightning for our FS. We used Hammer/Nail for our Corners. Last call in the defensive call sequence was the coverage. The calls would vary, but essentially we were a 3 deep, 2 deep, 2 lock, man free, or 0. During the practice week we would marry certain fronts/stunts/coverages with tags "AFC" (automatic front and cover vs. some looks). "BTF" (blitz the formation vs. other looks. During the game if we changed anything before half we would just use our basic sequences until we adjusted at halftime.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 25, 2024 12:49:20 GMT -6
I didn't feel like this question warranted a new thread, so I'll ask it here. We offer 7 weight lifting classes per day (block schedule, each period is ~100 minutes long). We do not have complete buy in from our guidance department on pushing all football players into the same weight lifting class, but out of ~100 kids in the program, we have ~60 in weight lifting classes at some point during the day. We also have after school workouts 3 days a week where we lift the kids who don't have weight lifting during the school day, and go over Xs and Os. The problem we're running into is that most of the kids who need the Xs and Os work the most take weight lifting during the day and we don't need them lifting twice a day 3 days a week. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? How would you balance this? Xs and Os first, then let the kids who already lifted leave? Another idea? Thanks in advance! Is this an IN-SEASON issue? Off-Season issue? Or BOTH? Our varsity lifted twice per week in-season (M-lower body; W-upper body). JV lifted only once per week in-season (T-Core lifts only). Varsity off-season was 3 days per week (muscle building). JV off-season twice per week. With your ability to lift during the school day for 100 minutes you could split the lifting/x's and o's/film easily in-season. Off-season could work by scheduling lifting on winter/spring sports practice days and x's/o's/film on winter/spring sports game days.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 21, 2024 8:39:33 GMT -6
Philosophy and terminology first. Can't get anything done if he doesn't know what you want/expect, or what you're talking about.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 20, 2024 20:14:46 GMT -6
Eyes up, chin up, wrap up with hips through and run. How it used to be...how it should be. Always taught it that way...always effective. Very few concussions. All this other NFL garbage is just that...garbage. Is it little wonder how atrocious tackling has become at EVERY level? But nooooo...we have to do it like the pros! Arm tackling, diving, reaching, grabbing...pathetic.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 19, 2024 16:43:29 GMT -6
Maybe it's because I was used to it but I preferred having the longer break between practices. It's what I was used to as well, but in a small school with a majority of my staff as walk-on coaches I had to figure something else out. Most of the time we were able to schedule vacation days during August which helped tremendously. Other times we had to meet and create a workable schedule for all of us. Sometimes the break was longer between practices like what I was used to. But most of the time we were able to go early AM w/hour break in between and finish before noon. Occasionally the start time would be a little later in the AM, hour break, and get done before 2. Once in a while we would have to start late afternoon and get done by 8. Hated those.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 19, 2024 16:34:57 GMT -6
When I ran the compressed double-sessions we held an hour break in between practices to give the lads a snack and cool down a bit before going back out. Moms provided the snacks, and they really appreciated how we felt it was important for the boys to have a little breakt. During that time we would watch the video of the first practice.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 19, 2024 11:07:10 GMT -6
We don't do true doubles any longer. We go 8-10:10:30ish with a 15 minute break, and then come back out and are done by noon. The kids love it, it's less exhausting for us as well. Second shorter session goes pretty quick and we are out before it's too hot. Amen to that!
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Post by irishdog on Mar 18, 2024 17:19:58 GMT -6
If I was crazy enough to get back in I would NOT conduct on the field two-a-day practices. I would hold an early morning 2.5 hour on the field practice in the AM followed by an hour snack break, then film session/chalk/walk-through in the gym/weights in the afternoon. I would want to get my guys out of there before 2 pm. My install would be held in the spring (most states allow two weeks). If I was in a small school with a number of two-way players the install would be one week of offense and one week of defense.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 18, 2024 12:33:45 GMT -6
Me too. August start - two weeks. After school M-Th, F or S games - 6 man. While my heart says yes, my body and my head screams a BIG NO. My on the field coaching days are over, but I still get to stay in the game by analyzing Hudl video for a couple of my good friends.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 18, 2024 7:46:42 GMT -6
In some states where I worked we were not allowed to have spring ball so we improvised the first week in August for install purposes. In other states where we had spring ball we used the spring for install, and in August used the acclimatization period (first 3 days) for our double session practices (AM conditioning circuit; PM football). The remaining 4 days we alternated double sessions (Th-1, F-2, S-1).
The second week we had in-service so we couldn't start practices until 3. Went an hour doing strength/film/chalk. 4:30 on the field M-Defense, T-Offense, W-Defense, Th-Offense, F-Defense, S-Double Session. Altogether we ended up having at least 17 practices before school started and our first scrimmage.
Third week we started our after-school schedule ending with our game scrimmage on Friday night.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 18, 2024 7:30:22 GMT -6
Not sure what your state association rules are regarding pre-season practices but I was always faced with early August school starts (usually second week of August if you include those famous "in-service" days) after working in small private schools for most of my career. My schedule went something like this:
First week of August - State mandated acclimatization practices M-T-W (helmets only). AM-Conditioning circuit; PM-Football. Th-F-S (Uppers). AM-Defense; PM-Offense.
Second week: (in-service) No AM practice. PM practices starting at 3. M-T-W-Th-F Football teaching/Strength/Film 1 hour; Evening practices at 4:30 (2.5 hours). M-Defense. T-Offense. W-Defense. Th-Offense. F-Defense. S-Double session - AM Offense; PM Special Teams
Third week: After school practices start.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 14, 2024 19:13:52 GMT -6
I always used this rule on deciding this issue. Was the freshman/sophomore physically, mentally, and emotionally mature enough to be a full-time varsity player? Most of the time the answer was no. It had to be a yes on all three of the criteria if he was going to play varsity full-time. There has been just a few exceptions to the rule (one freshman, and three sophomores). They all started, played both ways, and were all-league selections. If a kid only met 2 of the criteria he played 4 quarters of JV ball (we played on Thursdays), and was available to us on the varsity as a backup for only two quarters (state association rule was no more than 6 quarters in a week).
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Post by irishdog on Mar 13, 2024 10:27:24 GMT -6
How many coaches on staff? My question too. Always coached in small schools (small numbers). Had to be creative. Had 5 coaches on the staff. When I had the older guys in the classroom film/study hall before practice I had my younger guys in the weight room or on the field (depending upon the day) with three of my assistant coaches. They would cover their fundamentals, alignments, assignments etc. Same stuff we taught the older guys. When the older guys went into a "team" session (7 on 7, or actual "team" period) we would give the young bucks an 8 play script. Not ideal but under the circumstances our young guys stayed engaged.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 12, 2024 15:35:28 GMT -6
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Post by irishdog on Mar 12, 2024 15:19:07 GMT -6
Retired coach, 50 years. Not sure why you would have your son playing on a club team, but there are likely a number of qualified high school football coaches at various schools in the Phoenix area who could coach your son up in playing LBer. When you say too many of them are too general what do you mean? What are you looking for?
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Post by irishdog on Mar 12, 2024 7:26:37 GMT -6
I got paid 1750.00 to be a varsity DC at a 4A school in Florida....They need to get paid more but don't act like you are putting in 1500 hours a year. Also, consider that your ass gets fired for not winning in GA and TX. I was at places in Florida where it did not matter if you won or lost. I got fired in GA for going 5-5. There is no argument that HS football coaches' stipends in Florida are sub-par compared to other states (especially in GA and TX). And there may still be places in FL where it doesn't matter if you win or lose. But I hear the opposite from guys I know in FL who tell me that there are plenty of schools that place a very high bar on winning. But paying a varsity DC only $1750 at a 4A is a travesty, and little wonder why guys are leaving for better situations in surrounding states.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 11, 2024 21:23:18 GMT -6
When I played in the late '60s everybody showered no matter how light the workout and everybody wore a jock. I never wore a cup and I don't think anybody did. I don't know when wearing jocks and showering stopped being a thing but I know that it's been over 20 years. Never wore a cup. Wore a jockstrap under my athletic shorts (think Larry Bird length). Wore standard issue gray t-shirt under the shoulder pads...old shoulder pads with only two slide-on straps. Wore a girdle (tight) with hip/tail pads in the pockets. Wore pants (practice and game) with pockets for thigh pads and knee pads with a tie-up front and cotton belt. The thigh pads would always shift around. Wore knee length game socks and a pair of cotton socks over. Wore Riddell cleats. Wore a cotton practice jersey (short sleeved), and a short-sleeved cotton game jersey w/twill numbers that buttoned between the legs. Wore a Riddell suspension helmet in HS, and a MacGregor plastic helmet w/full padding inside in college. After practices and games we ALL took showers. Some longer than others! I played in the late 60's early 70's.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 11, 2024 18:51:47 GMT -6
Well...M thru Th during the season I spent 3 hours per day doing football-related activities. On Fridays it was 3 hours. On Saturdays it was at least 2 hours. On Sunday it was at least 2 hours. During the off-season it was 3 hours per day M-F excluding Christmas break but working on football related paperwork (including spring ball). If you count attending clinics, speaking at clinics, on weekends in the off-season add that time to the total. During the summer it was 2 hours per day M-T-W-Th with the weight room, staff meetings, and working football camps. The last week of July was a dead week so I got to see the world. I'm not including the years I spent as a college coach. Just HS. So...yeah, maybe it wasn't completely an hour-to-hour, day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month time frame but damn close! Also, not including the time spent on my other duties as an AP, a Dean, or an AD. If that qualifies as stupidly inefficient then I guess there's a lot of us who are guilty. Well if you have 2 hour practice, hour scripting, setting up and grading practice, thirty minutes laundry/supervision. That’s a modest three and half hours Monday to Thursday. Game day for us even if we let kids leave (we have them stay) would be 5-11. That’s six hours and that brings up Monday to Thursday average. Four hours on Saturday and Sunday each is pretty tame estimate. 4 hours a day in season seems like a tame estimate. I don’t know off season if we are getting to four hours everyday, but with organization, off season lifting, fundraising, learning from reading, clinics, visits, plus throwing, camps, OTAs, etc. I agree with you that even if not to the full 1500 hours a coach can get close without being a “grinder.” Exactly. And in 50 total years of coaching I saw plenty of "grinders" even at the HS level. When I did take "breaks" I would make myself scarce.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 11, 2024 17:41:53 GMT -6
Over the course of a year I KNOW I spent at LEAST 24 hours per week on "coaching" at private schools around the country. The last being in Texas! I KNOW those public school guys are putting in WAY more time than I did, and are making a LOT more coin than I did. Why? 1. When I was coaching I absolutely loved what I did. I enjoyed every minute of it. Never ever looked at it like a job because I was having way too much fun doing it! 2. Being fairly compensated for it mattered, yes, but it hardly ever was on the forefront of my mind because I knew going in I wouldn't make nearly as much as my public school counterparts. Especially here in Texas! Public school football stipends here average $8,000.00 for varsity coordinators, and around $6,500.00 for assistants. Varies district to district. The top 5 HC's in Texas make well over $150,000.00 but they are also the school's athletic director. As a private school HC I made $5,000.00, but my actual salary was paid for being the school's AP, or Dean, or AD. So you spent 3-4 hours a day, all 7 days of the week, 52 weeks a year doing football coaching related activities? Well...M thru Th during the season I spent 3 hours per day doing football-related activities. On Fridays it was 3 hours. On Saturdays it was at least 2 hours. On Sunday it was at least 2 hours. During the off-season it was 3 hours per day M-F excluding Christmas break but working on football related paperwork (including spring ball). If you count attending clinics, speaking at clinics, on weekends in the off-season add that time to the total. During the summer it was 2 hours per day M-T-W-Th with the weight room, staff meetings, and working football camps. The last week of July was a dead week so I got to see the world. I'm not including the years I spent as a college coach. Just HS. So...yeah, maybe it wasn't completely an hour-to-hour, day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month time frame but damn close! Also, not including the time spent on my other duties as an AP, a Dean, or an AD. If that qualifies as stupidly inefficient then I guess there's a lot of us who are guilty.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 11, 2024 14:47:14 GMT -6
Over the course of a year I KNOW I spent at LEAST 24 hours per week on "coaching" at private schools around the country. The last being in Texas! I KNOW those public school guys are putting in WAY more time than I did, and are making a LOT more coin than I did. Why? 1. When I was coaching I absolutely loved what I did. I enjoyed every minute of it. Never ever looked at it like a job because I was having way too much fun doing it! 2. Being fairly compensated for it mattered, yes, but it hardly ever was on the forefront of my mind because I knew going in I wouldn't make nearly as much as my public school counterparts. Especially here in Texas! Public school football stipends here average $8,000.00 for varsity coordinators, and around $6,500.00 for assistants. Varies district to district. The top 5 HC's in Texas make well over $150,000.00 but they are also the school's athletic director. As a private school HC I made $5,000.00, but my actual salary was paid for being the school's AP, or Dean, or AD.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 10, 2024 20:16:40 GMT -6
I know technology changes but when did kids stop wearing cowboy collar, forearm pads, jockstraps /cups? Heck, nowadays showering after practices is not common from what I have heard, many shower rooms are now storage for old gear haha. At least I never got to experience salt tablets!
Went to a poorer school so we wore what we got and it was outdated but still worked but now it seems most programs and preferences have shifted. Also couldn't imagine getting into my mom's van back then without showering. Axe and heavy sweat is a WMD!
Any other similar shifts y'all have seen? Would imagine the longer one has coached the more changes you've seen.
Can't speak about the collars but I know why the forearm pads went away. Around 1980, give or take, forearm pads started phasing out after hand blocking was legalized. It eventually dawned on people that forearm shivers got you too close to blockers and gave them something to grab onto. Same as how you don't see those big ol' shoulder pads being used by anyone anymore. I, for one, have noticed many more shoulder injuries nowadays with guys wanting to wear pop warner sized shoulder pads.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 8, 2024 19:36:57 GMT -6
Maybe not "mat drills" in that sense but I would hold "Towel Wars, Bar Wars, Car Wars, Tire Wars, Sand Wars, Water Wars, or Hill Wars" each Friday to encourage and develop competitive spirit. In fact, if we had to cancel a Friday wars day (weather related or other) our guys would get pissed. Tell me more about these ‘wars.’ Towel Wars = 1 on 1 tug of war using a rolled up bath towel (taped at both ends). Single elimination. Position specific. Bar Wars = Throw two rolled up bath towels over a pull-up bar. 1 on 1 hold onto the towels. Who holds on the longest. Position specific. Car Wars = Teams of two (position specific) push a car/truck 20 yards. Best time wins. Single elimination. Tire Wars = 1 on 1 tire flip competition (position specific) 30 yards. Single elimination. Sand Wars = Teams of two relay (position specific) in a 20 yard long x 10 yard wide sand pit. Single elimination. Bucket Wars = Fill 4 5 gallon buckets with water. Teams of two (position specific) relay 10 yards apart. Team finishing with the most water remaining in each bucket wins.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 7, 2024 18:23:42 GMT -6
Maybe not "mat drills" in that sense but I would hold "Towel Wars, Bar Wars, Car Wars, Tire Wars, Sand Wars, Water Wars, or Hill Wars" each Friday to encourage and develop competitive spirit. In fact, if we had to cancel a Friday wars day (weather related or other) our guys would get pissed.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 7, 2024 18:16:53 GMT -6
fox just announced they will show a prime time national college game every friday night for the season, from big 12, big 10 or MWC games people wanna watch college football Call me an old fart but Friday Nights should be reserved for HS Football. Agreed! From one old fart to another the only way I'm watching a Friday night college game is if it's between two Top 10 teams, and you can bet the networks won't be showing THAT kind of game on a Friday night! Friday Night Lights IS high school football.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 7, 2024 18:12:53 GMT -6
C'mon men. When you get right down to brass tacks there is only ONE common denominator that has created this entire F'ing mess. GREED! For the love of Mike it has come down to just that! Used to be it was about the team, the team, the team. Not anymore. Our sport is hemorrhaging because the word "WE" has been replaced by too much I, ME, MINE. The networks and their lure of money have contributed greatly to this whole picture because of THEIR OWN greed! Entertainment = GREED. Super Conferences = GREED. Playoffs = GREED. Transfer Portal = GREED. NIL = GREED. Coaches in today's world are dealing with a complete different kind of animal, and older coaches like Saban aren't willing to put up with it and are getting out because of it. I would venture to guess that guys like PJ would be included in that group. Longevity in being a college head football coach has always been tough, but now...likely aren't going to see many (if any) of those guys anymore. I think you can add Coaching Greed into it as well, and how much a Coach is willing to sell his soul for money or wins beside his name. With the "your only as good of a coach as your record" mindset from society and some of our peers, Coaches are willing to do Whatever It Takes to try and get the win column much higher than the losing collum. It's only a different type of animal now cause people don't have to hide anymore about paying players. Duly noted, and added.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 7, 2024 13:18:05 GMT -6
C'mon men. When you get right down to brass tacks there is only ONE common denominator that has created this entire F'ing mess. GREED! For the love of Mike it has come down to just that! Used to be it was about the team, the team, the team. Not anymore. Our sport is hemorrhaging because the word "WE" has been replaced by too much I, ME, MINE. The networks and their lure of money have contributed greatly to this whole picture because of THEIR OWN greed! Entertainment = GREED. Super Conferences = GREED. Playoffs = GREED. Transfer Portal = GREED. NIL = GREED. Coaches in today's world are dealing with a complete different kind of animal, and older coaches like Saban aren't willing to put up with it and are getting out because of it. I would venture to guess that guys like PJ would be included in that group. Longevity in being a college head football coach has always been tough, but now...likely aren't going to see many (if any) of those guys anymore.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 3, 2024 16:26:51 GMT -6
If the NFL truly cares about the game as they SAY they do, they will find a way to utilize their influence in creating big-time college football into a developmental entity within their own structure. After all, isn't THAT what big-time college football has become anyway? Create and manage a way to underwrite the "league" of schools (the National Collegiate Football League?) and structure it in a manner beneficial to the schools and athletes choosing to be part of it, and for the "league" itself. Schools that cannot financially or philosophically choose to become a member of the NCFL remain as members of the NCAA with agreements to structure NIL to benefit the athletes and the schools for their futures, or restructure the NCAA period. I think this could be very detrimental. A "G" League is not the way to go. In my opinion, that could be catastrophic to college football which will also affect NFL down the road. Now, that being said, if they do everything "just right", maybe it could work. But I see way more harm potential. Yes, IF they do everything "just right". Otherwise big-time college football would have to look elsewhere for the institutional support, and that "elsewhere" does not exist. Which leads me to believe the only way big-time college football can survive is to completely restructure the NCAA, the NIL, the transfer rules, and media support.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 3, 2024 13:35:40 GMT -6
If the NFL truly cares about the game as they SAY they do, they will find a way to utilize their influence in creating big-time college football into a developmental entity within their own structure. After all, isn't THAT what big-time college football has become anyway? Create and manage a way to underwrite the "league" of schools (the National Collegiate Football League?) and structure it in a manner beneficial to the schools and athletes choosing to be part of it, and for the "league" itself. Schools that cannot financially or philosophically choose to become a member of the NCFL remain as members of the NCAA with agreements to structure NIL to benefit the athletes and the schools for their futures, or restructure the NCAA period.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 2, 2024 18:50:43 GMT -6
At some point when an "old-school" coach retires, and he hears the trashing of what garnered his success, he tires of being "above board", and with nothing to lose he finally speak his mind. Good for him! Sure, many coaches say Coach Johnson was tough to work for, but I would bet numbers of coaches would also say that guys like Saban were also tough. Success for GT football was spotty at best. Prior to Coach Johnson Chan Gailey brought glimpses of it back, but it was Coach Johnson who woke up the echoes of the days of Bobby Dodd. Hopefully Brent Key can restore of some of that Johnson magic. The question is how does GT (And a lot of other schools that presently belong to Power 5 conferences) fit into the emerging model of D.1 football? They won't, and so will a bunch of others. A reckoning is coming to a large number of collegiate football programs that will affect their entire athletics department, and universities in general.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 2, 2024 11:54:18 GMT -6
At some point when an "old-school" coach retires, and he hears the trashing of what garnered his success, he tires of being "above board", and with nothing to lose he finally speak his mind. Good for him! Sure, many coaches say Coach Johnson was tough to work for, but I would bet numbers of coaches would also say that guys like Saban were also tough. Success for GT football was spotty at best. Prior to Coach Johnson Chan Gailey brought glimpses of it back, but it was Coach Johnson who woke up the echoes of the days of Bobby Dodd. Hopefully Brent Key can restore of some of that Johnson magic.
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