Coach ,

How do you find an edge?

A line from a classic football movie, “Any Given Sunday” that I have used with my players, my staff, my kids and myself is,  

“The inches we need are everywhere around us.”

It comes down to finding that edge to be able to win those inches.

It’s something that we all search for...that little edge that helps us win that crucial down, helps us get over the top on that tough opponent, helps us win on the field and in life.

Whether it’s creating that edge through giving your team a focus for the season with a theme, creating energy in practice with competition, or sending them out of a meeting with an impactful quote, there’s plenty of ways to find those inches that give you the breakthrough you need.

Here are 10 highly successful coaches sharing their ways in which they create an edge.

(Click on the image for videos of the coach explaining his concept.)

#1 What Mack Brown Learned from Al Groh

Coach Brown had Al Groh visit practice prior to playing Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, and the insight Coach Groh gave reminded Coach Brown of what they need to do to create the edge. He explains here:

#2 How Geoff Collins creates Energy, Excitement & Competition

Geoff Collins may be one of the best in the game about creating a brand for his program that creates energy and excitement. In this video below he explains how they do it daily:

#3 Tom Allen on a Theme for the Season

The Big Ten Coach of the Year has his guys believing and they are definitely finding an edge as they continue to build their program. He talks about how they created their theme for 2020 here:

#4 James Franklin - Send them off with a focus by ending meeting with a quote

The opportunities to create an edge are all around us, and James Franklin sees that opportunity to send his players out with an impactful message by sharing a quote. Here is one he shares in this video:

#5 Luke Fickell - “Clifton Style” - Embrace Who You Are to Get an Edge

We would all love to have everything in every aspect of our program, but there’s no need to try to cover up what we don’t have. At Cincinnati, Luke Fickell embraces their environment and what they have through what he calls Clifton Style” and for the Bearcats, that creates the edge:

#6 Steve Sarkisian’s Mantra for the Program - “All Gas No Brakes”

When we hear a great slogan, we certainly want to copy it and make it part of our program.  “All Gas. No Brakes” is definitely at the top of the list in 2021, and Steve Sarkisian explains what that means to the Longhorns:

#7 How Ed Orgeron Uses Daily Practice Themes

Ed Orgeron always is looking for that edge, and for him, it’s creating it daily by theming each day of the week. He explains that here:

#8 PJ Fleck’s game changer - HYPPER

We all know PJ Fleck and his “Row the Boat” theme for his program. In this video he explains an acronym that has a tremendous impact on his program, and as he says, can have an impact on your program as well:

#9 Rob Sgarlata - “Magis” - the 1%

Rob Sgarlata is the Head Coach at Georgetown University. For the Hoyas, the edge is getting 1% every day, and Coach discusses how that makes an incredible difference in giving them an edge on their opponents over the course of a year:

#10 Jeff Monken - The Edge is Being Tougher

Toughness permeates the Army football program. It’s their edge. Coach Monken explains what toughness means to getting the edge for the Black Knights:

You don’t need to adopt all of these or for that matter any of these ideas, but these coaches certainly spark thought on how you can help your team win those inches and breakthrough in 2021.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski 

and the CoachTube Football Community of Coaches