5 Coaching Tips picked up at the COOL CLinic
May 02, 2023 2:06 pm
Coach
It’s May which means the C.O.O.L. Clinic is just around the corner. While it is an offensive line-focused clinic, this is one that every coach who really wants to dig into the nuts and bolts of the game should attend.
I’ve been very impressed with every speaker we have seen over the last two virtual C.O.O.L. Clinics, and I feel that this clinic shows you not only great offensive line play but how elite coaches teach the game.
Today I want to share five tips I’ve picked up from the C.O.O.L. Clinic
#1) It all starts with a well-run meeting room
Let’s start with retired New England Patriots Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia. Coach Scarnecchia coached for the Patriots for 34 years, and Bill Belichick for 19 of those.
Players appreciate a coordinated and well-run meeting. As Coach says, “What you get from your position meetings is directly proportional to what you put into them.”
Coach Scarnecchia talks about an epiphany he had in his last fours years of coaching. He wishes he would have realized this much earlier in his career.
He explains that epiphany plus other tips on running a meeting room here (click on image to watch video).
#2) Show, Don’t Tell
Coach Gruden is the consummate teacher of the game, and his presentation also served as a prime example of how to present knowledge in a way that makes concepts both clear as well as memorable. This can serve as a template for putting together your own dynamic teaching presentations for your players.
Here’s an example of how he does it. He does have bullets on the screen which he reads, and he certainly discusses those points, but he uses a “show, don’t tell” approach as he makes his ideas come to life with videos examples of exactly what he is talking about (click on image for video):
Video: Repetition is the Mother of Learning
When it comes to finding something that works and using it in my own coaching, I made a living on doing that. So there was a time that bullets and explanations of them worked, but we are I highly visual society and the mode of getting a point across is short video clips.
I can say after seeing how Coach Gruden did this I thought, “This is the new way of presenting information.” I encourage you to make the move to presenting this way. Move away from bullets and let the video do the work for you.
#3) Defeat Sims, Creepers, and Other exotics by compartmentalizing
Before you can scheme the exotic blitzes up, you need to understand and plan against what the opponent is doing. He illustrates this by sharing past game plans and drawings in the next video, and explains how taking the approach of compartmentalizing allows you to have a concise plan for each type of pressure you see (click on image for video):
#4) Coach the mindset as much as you coach the scheme
Craig Domann is an NFL Agent, entrepreneur, former football player turned coach and consultant who is known for his expertise in teaching the pro mindset to athletes.
Domann's teachings focus on developing a winning mindset that is characterized by a strong sense of purpose, a clear vision of goals, and a commitment to doing whatever it takes to achieve them. He emphasizes the need for athletes to take ownership of their performance, to focus on their strengths and weaknesses, and to constantly seek ways to improve.
In addition to mindset, Domann also teaches the importance of preparation and attention to detail. He emphasizes the need for athletes to develop strong work habits, to be accountable for their actions, and to approach each practice and game with a sense of purpose and focus.
You have to depend on your players in the most stressful situations. Coach Domann calls that “combat readiness” which he explains in the video:
#5) Coding makes for better communication and adjustments
I’ve known Cleveland Browns Assistant Offensive Line Coach Scott Peters for a long time now, and have always seen his ability to understand and communicate the finest details of a coaching point.
What he has done in coding his “Strike System” for his linemen is to create a way they communicate with “brevity code.” Brevity code was developed by fighter pilots to quickly communicate detailed information with an economy of words. One or two words can communicate a lot if the system is set up correctly.
Whether you are an offensive line coach or not, what Coach Peters developed can serve as a template for how you coach more efficiently both in practice and on game day and communicate to your players the exact technique or adjustment they make.
Coach Peters explains the “Strike System” coding in this video:
The Best Line-Up in C.O.O.L. Clinic History!
Coach Wylie believes this is one of the best if not the best line-ups ever! It’s packed with coaches who are at the top of their game and performing at a high level. It begins with a presentation on what the top offensive line in America looks like and the criteria for choosing it presented by Aaron Taylor, former NFL OL and Founder of the Joe Moore Award.
Coach McNally shares his ever-evolving thoughts and ideas on offensive line play. Make no mistake that he is still on top of this game and researching and developing the most effective techniques.
We have champions from the NFL, CFL, and College football:
- Super Bowl Champion Andy Heck - Kansas City Chiefs
- Grey Cup Champion Kris Sweet - Toronto Argonauts
- FBS National Champion Stacey Searles - Georgia Bulldogs
Check the rest of the line-up out here: 2023 C.O.O.L. Clinic
As a special thank you for registering this week, you will receive “Mudd’s Methods,” a course put together from a past C.O.O.L. Clinic presentation and now available on CoachTube. This offer is good this week only.
I’m excited to see what the knowledge dropped by the presenters at this year’s C.O.O.L. Clinic!
Always be growing!
Coach Grabowski