Top 25 Teams in other polls ➕ their strategies from their Coaches
Jun 30, 2022 1:20 pm
Coach ,
PFF was put out in April and there certainly were some surprises like Cincinnati and Michigans State not showing up. They are both on five other polls that have been released. Let’s take a look at the teams who have shown up in other Pre Season Top 25 Rankings and the coaching points from the coaches who look to put their team in the official Top 25 by season’s end.
Oklahoma State
#9 Lindy’s
#10 AP
#12 Sporting News
#13 ESPN
#17 Athlon
Mike Gundy and the Cowboys were literally inches away from a Big 12 title last season, and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoff. They will have to address losses on defense including defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
The good news is Coach Gundy has an eye for spotting coaching talent, and Derek Mason certainly has the pedigree to step in as DC.
Offensively, look for the Cowboys to get it going on the ground to support QB Spencer Sanders. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in '21 after throwing for 2,831 yards and 20 touchdowns and running for 664 yards and six scores.
A good rushing attack is a QB’s best friend, and the Cowboys look to get that going with their outside zone play, something that Cowboy Backs Coach (TE/FB) Jason McEndoo knows a lot about.
The Cowboys have made an investment in the outside zone scheme because it allows them to distort a defense while being creative in their attack. Over a 3-year period the two variations, outside zone and search, have netted the Cowboys 1,726 yards with nearly a 5-yard average every time they call it.
Coach explains the importance of the scheme and its success in their offense here (click on image for video):
The success of the scheme starts with a sound teaching progression. Coach McEndoo believes that in order to be good at something, they need to understand everything about their jobs. That means that everything that they do is taught in a progression. He explains that here (click on image for video):
Michigan State
#13 Sporting News
#14 AP
#16 ESPN
#19 Athlon
#20 Lindy’s
Michigan State improved from 2-5 in 2020 to 11-2 in coach Mel Tucker's second year at the helm.
Offensively they will rely on QB Payton Thorne who threw for 3,233 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. They will have to fill the big shoes of running back Kenneth Walker III who is off to the NFL. DC Scottie Hazelton will lead the defense and looks to make progress. Defensive pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan was brought in to help the effort. This along with four transfers in the portal can make a difference for the Spartans.
Cincinnati
#15 Athlon
#21 Lindy’s
#22 Sporting News
Luke Fickell’s tenure at Cincinnati has been nothing short of brilliant. He’s the first to bring group of 5 team to the College Football Playoff after the Bearcats’ 13-0 regular season.
Despite significant losses on both sides of the ball including offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock as well as special teams coordinator Brian Mason, the Bearcats look to win 10 or more games for the fourth time in five years.
For Coach Fickell, the loss of talent can be replaced and all of that is built upon a strong culture and brand of football which he calls “Clifton Style.”
Instead of wishing that he had more at Cincy, Coach Fickell has embraced what they do have and it gives them an edge. It’s tough. It’s nasty. The players and staff have bought in and they are doing the unexpected in climbing to the top of the college football rankings. Here’s Coach Fickell explaining Clifton Style:
Penn State
#12 ESPN
#25 Athlon
#25 AP
Head Coach James Franklin had the Nittany Lions off to a fast start at 5-0 last year until they were hit by the injury bug. They look to get back on track and though they lose DC Brent Pry to Virginia Tech, Manny Diaz certainly can fill that hole and Mike Yurcich is one of the best offensive coordinators in the game.
As with all great programs, it will begin with building on their strong culture, something at which Coach Franklin excels. It starts with caring and being sure that your people know you care about them. He explains the Penn State Process here (click on image for video):
New defensive coordinator Manny Diaz inherits six returning starters, and he will build the defense on solid fundamentals.
Recently, Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich shared his tips for developing quarterbacks at the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Clinic.
In this segment of his talk he emphasized the importance of training the QB’s eyes to stay downfield. A QB who does this consistently will find opportunities for big plays. Coach Yurcich explains that and tells why 7 on 7 may not be the best place to train this (click on image for video):
Video: Train the eyes to stay downfield
Coach goes on to talk about the importance of the drills and techniques you use showing up on film. Here is an example of his “right foot under right armpit” technique:
Video: Right Foot Right Armpit
Learn more from Penn State: Developing a QB, Building a Winning Culture, and Penn State Culture by James Franklin and Intermediate Dropback Game, QB Fundamentals & Drill Work from Mike Yurcich.
Special Teams could be a difference-maker under Special Teams Coordinator Stacey Collins. He likes to get after the punter and shared their punt block philosophy and scheme at Lauren’s First & Goal.
CB and Associate Head Coach Terry Smith has been a mainstay for Penn State. He shared the Nitanny Lions Defensive Circuit Drills at Lauren’s First and Goal.
Florida
#24 AP
#25 ESPN
Billy Napier excelled at Louisiana taking the Cajuns to #16 ranking in 2021 after a #15 ranking in 2020. He compiled a 40-12 record there. He also captured the Cajuns first out-right conference championship in 50+ years and their first out-right Sun Belt Championship.
His outstanding performance at Louisianna created the opportunity to become the head coach for the Florida Gators, and he looks to build a strong culture of excellence as he did at Louisiana.
In this video from his clinic “Ragin’ Cajun Formulas for Offensive Success,” Coach Napier talks about the 8 Phases of Culture, of which he says 75% came from his time with Nick Saban who will be an opponent for him if he can get the Gators to the SEC Championship Game. (Click on image for video):
A great tool for demonstrating the performance that is being worked toward for each position is through the use of what Coach Napier calls “Ignition Reels.” These are cut-ups of some of the best in the game doing things right. This idea can be adapted at every level. It could be as simple as going through past season’s film and pulling clips of some of your best players as well as creating some aspirational videos of players from high levels. Coach Napier explains how they use “Ignition Reels” in this video (Click on image for video):
The Cajuns look to be great on defense as well, and two hires know how to get it done. Patrick Toney will Coordinate the defense and coach defensive backs, and former North Carolina Co-DC Jay Bateman will coach the linebackers.
Former Louisiana defensive coordinator Patrick Toney used press man coverage with the Cajuns to disrupt the timing of routes, tighten up windows and limit the effectiveness of the RPO game.
He likes to use the inch back technique in press man. It allows his corners to stay in a good position and give ground grudgingly as they cover the receiver tightly. He explains the drill here:
Linebackers Coach Jay Bateman will certainly play an integral role in getting to the quarterback behind Coach Toney’s tight coverage. At Lauren's First and Goal Clinic, Bateman explained the how he likes to attack protections. The combination of a shutdown secondary with an attacking front can prove to be a deadly combination for opposing offenses. He explains his strategy here (click on image for video):
Billy Napier certainly knew the formula for success at Louisianna - strong Culture, an attacking, fundamentally sound defense, and a highly organized offensive attack built around the weapons the Gators have. One thing is for sure, the Gators will be fun to watch this fall.
Auburn
#10 ESPN
Auburn has some questions to answer, but still garnered a #10 ranking from ESPN.
Head coach Bryan Harsin and staff will have decisions to make on defense and at quarterback. They will have to come together because the second half of their season is brutal
LSU
#11 ESPN
You see it in every team that is doing well - a bond and camaraderie that exemplifies what it means to be a team. That will be an important part as Brian Kelley heads south to lead the Tigers in 2022.
Connection is so important for the health of team culture. As Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Brian Polian points out,
“Relationships lead to winning!”
It took Coach Polian 20 years to really figure that out and he explains the importance of relationships here (click on image for video):
On the offensive side, Mike Denbrock moves on to LSU as the OC after helping bring Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff.
Coach Denbrock likes to start his attack by figuring out ways to run the football. He likes to use RPO to help even the numbers so they are not outnumbered in the run game.
Of course, the three-down Tite front has become a popular way to stop the running game against spread teams. Coach Denbrock shares how they attack the Tite front with the 11 personnel run game and a read of the Mike linebacker with a TE running the flat route. It creates a triple-option play. (click on image for free video)
There’s some preferences in how to attack a four-down front as well. Coach Debrock explains how they add an RPO to their split zone play which they call “Fax.” Their RPO variation is called “Copy.” It’s a TE based RPO that they use to attack a four down team. He doesn’t like it as much against three down as he explains the concept in this video
(click on image for free video)
These concepts provide the Tigers with the answers they need against the multiple fronts they will see each week. Be sure also to check out Coach Denbrock’s most recent clinic talk on the Skip RPO.
OLB Coach Jamar Cain spoke at Lauren's First & Goal Clinic last year. In this video where he is covering a run stunt, showing how it works against various schemes, even outside zone (click on image for video).
Iowa
#20 Sporting News
In this free video, Coach Ferentz shares his philosophy on coaching which he has developed over his career. Here’s what he covers:
- Reflections on the coaches he has worked with and his influences
- Takeaways from the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Championship
- Commonalities of good seasons
- The technology boom in coaching
- “The Right System” is what’s best for you
- 7 Essentials learned from Marv Levy
- Lessons of football
- The impact of a football coach
Here’s a peek at what Coach Ferentz has to say about the impact of a coach (click on image for video):
Mississippi State
#24 ESPN
Coach Leach has had a track record success wherever he’s been. The third year may be the charm for the Bulldogs.
MSU has eight returning starters on each side of the football. That’s good news for a team that ended the 2021 regular season ranked in the top 30 nationally in both total offense and total defense.
Of course, the offense is the Air Raid, and Coach Leach talked about it this clinic season at the Alabama Football Coaches Association clinic.
The simplicity of the offense lends itself to conciseness and clarity in game planning. Running Back’s Coach Eric Mele has been with Coach Leach since 2012. He’s learned the power of simplicity and it carries over to game planning. He talks about how they oversimplify the game plan in this video (click on image for video):
I am sure like most, you wonder what is on Coach Leach’s “small little folded up piece of origami” as Mele calls it, he shares the situational side of that small call sheet in this video (click on image for video):
The fun will be in the season. Pre-season rankings really mean nothing. The season will be fun and we will keep highlighting what the coaches of the top-ranked teams are doing throughout the season.
Always be growing!
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