Coach Mark D’Antonio
“WINNING THOUGHTS”
Program Goals:
1) Lifelong Relationships with Players, Coaches, Staff, and Team
2) Graduate all players with a meaningful degree/launch their career/have them be self sufficient men
3) Win…..Success!!!
4) Be Positive in the community
Plan for Success:
1) Make the right choices (Moral/Spiritual)
2) Family (Foster a sense of trust)
3) Discipline and Maturity
4) Use Resources (FB, Academic, Social)
a) Player
b) Coach
c) Chemistry
Let Players Make the Mission Statement for the Program
Michigan State’s 2012 Mission Statement
The Challenge: Work Hard- Live Right- Graduate
1) Toughness: The hardest steel is forged in the hottest fire
2) Hard Work: We will carry ourselves with a relentless work ethic. We are the hardest workers in the country
3) Unity: We will not approach the season as individuals. We grow together through every challenge we face. Brotherhood is formed through adversity, based on communication, and cemented in trust.
4) Finish: We make it a habit to finish everything we do. Every workout, every drill, every practice, every game. Teams that finish are the teams that are committed to winning.
Leadership Council (Eagles):
1) Vision
2) Not scavengers, leaders go where action is
3) Use trouble or problems to excel
4) Teach and train the organization
Winning Thoughts:
1) Commitment
2) Communication
3) Trust
4) Mentor Meetings
a) Discuss Goals
b) Write them down
c) Give Player Evaluations
d) Eat meals together (without discussing football)
e) Match up players with Mentor they want
5) What is most important to each position group? Write it down. Focus on technique.
O-Line
- Eyes on Aiming Point
- Establish Leverage
- Elbows in
- Drive your backside knee
Quarterbacks
- Manage the game
- Make good decisions
Running Backs
- Assignment
- Execution
- Finish
- Ball Security
Wide Receivers
- Locate the ball
- Hands in Front of Eyes
- See your hands catch the ball
- Tuck
- Ball Security
6) Effort
Toughness
Knowledge
7) It is a long season. Do you keep your players and coaches fresh? Both physically and mentally?
8) Do you let assistant coaches speak to the team?
a) Yes!! This is very important
b) Empower your coaches to serve as leaders on the team
c) Keep it fresh for players not always hearing your voice
9) Red Line Thoughts
a) Know the fundamentals of the field
b) Bottom of Numbers 6yds- Top of Numbers 7yds
c) Distance from hashes to sideline and between each other
d) Be able to use your vision and break technique based on this.
Cover 3 Dividers
Ball in Middle of Field=Divider 1 yd on Top of the #’s
Ball on Hash= Wide Side- Split Difference between #’s and Hash/ Boundary- Bottom #’s
No Coverage Zone
The backfield and the area 5-7 yds from the Line of Scrimmage, Sideline to Sideline
- This area is not accounted for in coverage. Instead it will be rallied to afte r a catch.
- **This is especially important for linebackers, as to not get sucked up on a shallow crossing route and allow a completion to a route behind them.
3 Deep Seams
Receivers cannot be allowed to run in the seams. Corners need to get depth on their divider vs Seam routes. Corners can squeeze #1 receiver as long as there is no threat of #2 in the seam or a second level deep crosser.
2 Deep Seams
We want to funnel players into seams that were previously described as Keep Out Zones in Cover 3. The keep out zones for Cover 2 are:
10) Special Teams
a) Emphasize Individual Drills
b) Know the ABC’s of Special Teams POSITIONS
11) Staff Evaluations
a) Evaluate Players and have Players evaluate Staff
b) Empower Players
12) In all drills begin with football position
a) Everything starts with power position
b) Knees bent
c) Toes Forward
d) Even agilities need to start in this position
13) Blocking/Tackling/Catching/Ball Protection/Throwing/Running=MOST IMPORTANT
Tackling Coaching Points:
· Bend at the knees, not at the back
· Hit on the rise with head up
· Hit with the near leg and near shoulder
· Back straight, head up, tail down
· Don’t overextend
· Rip up with arms
· Don’t play in body sections
Tackling Circuit Progression:
· Fit
· Step to Fit
· Step out and back in
· Stick
· Angle Tackle
· Open Field
· Game Situations
14) Put players in adverse situations where they must think to succeed
15) Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least. PRIORITIZE!!
16) WIN!!! Does what we do give us the best chance to win??
“Anticipate the Difficult by Managing the Easy”- Lao Tzu
Punt Coverage
As a gunner, watch the arms of the punt returner and your landmark when they come up
· If you are further then 10 yds away explode into him
· If you are less then 10 yds start to throttle down and anticipate catch and tackle
Use Towel drill (Race for towel while keeping leverage)
Kickoff Coverage
Aim for 4.0 hangtime
Use leverage indy drills for coverage teams
Maintain lanes is of maximum importance
Punt Team
Under 2.0 getoff
FG
1.27-1.35 FG get off
Defensive Philosophy
Ø Simple/Comprehensive/Appear Complex
Ø Pressure and Affect the QB
Ø Stop the Run
Ø Red Zone Defense/Get used to adversity
Ø Turnovers (MSU has won 95% of games they were +2 in)
Ø Tackling (Aim for 90% made tackles as a unit)
Ø Limit Explosive Gains
Ø Limit Errors (Physical/Mental/Structural)
Defensive Line Fundys
· Steps
· Attack
· Flat Back
· Finish
Linebackers
· Know the defense
· Attack the LOS
· Play Square
· Leverage the Football
· Anticipate and Target Blockers
· Be a Great Physical Tackler
Defensive Backs
· Change of Direction
· Tackle in Space
· Deep Ball Judgment
Defensive Back Play
Change of Direction
Work on Plant-Point-Accelerate
Operate in a 3 foot circle of yourself
On deep balls, work to get your hands on top of the football
