Coach ,

The early months of the offseason provide plenty of movement in the coaching world. We are excited for some coaches who took the time to teach at one of the clinics this past year who have moved up the ranks or who have landed well in a shake-up.

Scotty Walden becomes youngest head coach in D1

The first big move of the off-season was interim Head Coach at Southern Miss, Scotty Walden being named the head coach at Austin Peay. He becomes the youngest head coach in Division I football.

Walden is known for his unbridled passion and enthusiasm. He also has offenses that have been at the top of the divisions he’s coached in.  

He shared one of his new favorite concepts in his clinic on CoachTube. Though Walden never loved the mesh initially, it definitely is a play that he loves now.

The main reason is that it can give an offense both man answers and zone answers. As teams prepare to stop RPO with man answers, Mesh becomes a very good answer with high percentage throws. He explains in this video.

Walden really covers every detail in his course. If you are currently looking for answers for teams that are stopping your RPO, but you want high percentage throws and the ability to use the concept if the defense jumps into zone, the Mesh is an outstanding answer. Get “Mesh and Shallow Cross Variations.”

Cody Kennedy Climbing

Cody Kennedy is moving and shaking! After following Will Hall from Tulane to Southern Miss as the OL/Co-OC, the Arkansas Razorbacks came calling and Kennedy is now the tight ends coach there.  

Kennedy delivered the details in his course on the Wham play. If you want a downhill run play that separates the defense and is a good compliment to your split zone, you will want to look into his course.

Kennedy explains The Wham Play basics in this video:

Jason Makrinos becomes Kent State CB Coach

Jason Makrinos was doing a great job at D2 University of Findlay, and now jumps to the FBS ranks at Kent State University as their corners coach. While the defensive coordinator at Findlay, he had the Oilers performing at a high level and in the top 25 in various categories.

In his Course “Defending RPO’s with Quarter-Quarter-Half”. Makrinos explains how you take the chalk from the opposing OC and dictate where you want the ball to go.

Do you want it on the field or the boundary? Where do you want your extra run support? These are all important considerations in game planning, and in designing your defenses for multiple answers.

This is an approach that is effective for the Oilers and Makrinos shares their Evolution, Communication and Structure, as well as their base Cover 9 Trick in free these videos:

The idea of having strategic flexibility on defense really allows you to put your players in the best situations. That’s alway been a number one priority for every staff I have coached on, and I am sure it is true for you. The way Coach Makrinos explains and illustrates this in his course gives you a powerful weapon in taking away the offense does best as well as highlighting your own strengths.

Mike Yurcich lands well in Happy Valley

Mike Yurcich was at Texas but didn’t stay on the bench long when a change was made there. He is now the offensive coordinator at Penn State University. Talk about a rise through the ranks, Mike Gundy discovered Yurcich while Yurcich was the OC at D2 Shippensberg. Gundy liked what the young, innovative coach had to offer and the rest is history: Oklahoma State to Ohio State to Texas to Penn State. Don’t be surprised to see Yurcich in a head coach seat in the future.

At the Texas High School Coaches Clinic this past summer, Yurcich shared concepts from the “Intermediate Passing Game.”

Coach Yurcich gives: 

• tips and tricks that you need to improve your quarterback’s game. 
• routes that make it easy for your quarterback, 
• how the defense reads a quarterback's eyes, 
• Drive and Verticals concepts

Brent Dearmon in Demand

Brent Dearmon has had a meteoric rise through the ranks. After being promoted to OC mid year in 2019 at Kansas, Middle Tennessee State was able to lure him into their offensive coordinator position. Don’t expect Dearmon to stop rising!

He’s really become known as an RPO guru. Dearmon shares his C-Gap Triple Option RPO in this video:

Dearmon’s course “Identifying & Attacking Coverages with the RPO” is one that should be in every OC’s library.  

Congratulations to these coaches!  

What moves are you making? How are you growing this offseason? 

One way to grow is to expand your knowledge at the upcoming online clinics.

Today - See Nick Saban and Brian Harsin at the Alabama Football Coaches Association Clinic 

Sunday 1/31 & Monday 2/1 is the Kansas Football Coaches Association Clinic headlined by Garry Patterson and Sam Pittman

Feb 2-5 is the New York State HS Football Coaches Association Clinic headlined by Ed Orgeron, Kyle Flood, Greg Schiano, and Dave Clawson.

Feb 11-12 is the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Association Clinic with James Franklin, Mike Yurcich, Temple’s Rod Carey and much more including the only LIVE ON FIELD sessions in any clinic.

Feb 12-14 is the famous Lonestar Clinic with a star-studded line-up you must check out.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski