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014 - Small-Town Texas Football Culture Code
81 Plays2 months ago
Your front-row seat to the soul of small-town Texas: Faith, Family, Football.
Deep in the heart of Texas, where football isn't just a sport but a way of life, Coach Travis McClain, Head Coach for Rivercrest High (Bogota, Texas), embodies the spirit of Friday Night Lights. Tex spent a day-in-the-life with Coach Mac peeling back the layers of small-town football, revealing the intricate art of building more than just a team, but a brotherhood.
VIDEO BONUS: McClain's raw pre-game speech that'll ignite your spirit and Game Day highlights. Don't just listen. Get inducted.
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#TexasFootball #FridayNightLights #SmallTownFootball #CoachLife #HighSchoolSports #FaithFamilyFootball #FootballCulture #CultureCode #FootballIsAWayOfLife #TexasLegacy #PreGameSpeech #QuickSixPodcast
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Transcript
Coach Mack's Philosophy and Background
00:00:00
Speaker
I want captains up front and I want the look of a team that knows what's about to happen. Your greatness is at the other other end of that scoreboard. When it's track zero, make sure the statement you want made is the one that they receive. Get a break. Let's go.
00:00:16
Speaker
Deep in the heart of Texas were footballs in just a sport, but a way alive. Coach Travis McLean stands as a modern-day storyteller shaping lives through grit, passion, and community. Head coach at Rivercrest High, the tight-knit community in Bogota, Texas, McLean embodies the spirit of Friday Night Lights. In this episode, I spend a day in the life with Coach Mack, peeling back the layers of small-town football, revealing the intricate art of building more than just a team, but a brotherhood.
Journey as a Walk-on and Influences
00:00:46
Speaker
We don't talk X's and O's today, we talk his journey from walk-on wide receiver at Baylor to small-town coach and unveil the alchemy of leadership that turns ordinary teenagers into extraordinary young men. Shout out to Coach Mac's coaching staff doing it all at this level, teaching, training, taping ankles and even custodian.
00:01:07
Speaker
everything in their power to build this team. Stick around after the episode to be transported to the rusty, musty locker room to experience Coach Mac's pregame speech and then to the dusty field of the Swamp Stadium for game highlights from the sideline for Friday Night Lights. Consider this podcast your front row seat to the soul of Texas high school football. Now let's hand it off to Coach Mac. Ready, ready and break.
00:01:43
Speaker
Crest High School in Bogota, but goda butbagoda Texas. We're in Red River County. We're close to Oklahoma. I've never been this far north. Yeah. i um I didn't know that. So funny story about this place. When I first saw that the job was open,
00:02:04
Speaker
You know, I saw the name and it's spelled very similar to Bogota. And so I immediately assumed, Oh, that's down in the Valley by the border. I'm not really interested in that. And they're like, no, it's in Northeast Texas. And then I didn't realize that it was more North than it really was probably East, uh, until we really got here. So yeah. Uh, but go to Texas, um, is, is very much Northeast Texas, not East Texas. And they will be quick to tell you.
00:02:31
Speaker
Yeah, I believe it. Well, man, this is two-way ball. I'm excited to be in this weight room. This takes me back. I love it. It's it's rusty. All the safety bars are bent like out of control so you can't even pull them out anymore, which is does the opposite of what they're supposed to do. But that means they've been working here. This is awesome.
00:02:51
Speaker
Yeah, you ah you can. it takes you know It takes a little elbow grease, but you know you got to hold your mouth right and twist that thing as you pull it out, and and it can be adjusted. So you know we have certain racks that our junior hires get to use and our short high schoolers get to use because those safety
Coaching Style and Leadership Development
00:03:07
Speaker
racks are a little lower. But yeah, there's ah there's been a lot of iron lifted in here, and ah a lot of kids have come through here and in the years that these racks have been in here. I wouldn't have any other way. Travis, travis take us back. so high Texas high school ball yourself into a walk on at Baylor. So football starts there, but coaching also started there. Yeah, um so I played, grew up and born and raised in Weatherford, um played my high school ball there, and you know every every high school kid that kind of teeters in sports year rounds contemplates the idea of playing college sports for a long time, thought I wanted to play college baseball.
00:03:50
Speaker
um I didn't. and i when ah but when the time About the time that I realized that, I was getting ready to go into my senior year. I didn't really have any idea of of what that process looked like because you know i didn't have like. My brother didn't pursue that or anything.
00:04:07
Speaker
um And so when my senior football season ended, I kind of just started talking to different people and and asking the right questions and eventually was able to have a conversation with a couple of ah assistant coaches and front office guys at Baylor. and Then when I got accepted into school and decided that that's actually where I was going to go.
00:04:29
Speaker
um Really went all in on, you know, I want to chase this dream for nothing else other than the experience and and we'll see what comes from it. But got there um in fall of 2007, Guy Morris' last season. I knew I was redshirting. I knew everything. it was It was a three to four year investment for me to really see myself having a chance to be on the field. ah That staff gets fired.
00:04:55
Speaker
um at the end of of that 2007 season and they quickly turn and hire Coach Brows. Coach Brows, I was immediately familiar with because growing up in Weatherford, um I watched him kick the teeth in of my hometown school ah for the four years he won a state championship in Stephenville because they were in the same district.
00:05:17
Speaker
So I knew ah of Coach Brows and and what, you know, the success he had had as a coach. And obviously you see, we had seen what he had done at Houston and guys were doing their homework and things of that nature.
00:05:29
Speaker
Um, which I always, I always take every chance I can to talk about coach Brows and the impact he's had on me. But, you know, coaches get hired, they have team meetings. Hey, introduction, this is what we're going to do different. This is me, et cetera, et cetera. Um, and he said at the end of that meeting, he said, if you guys have any other questions, you want to stick around, I'll be here to talk to you.
00:05:51
Speaker
Mind you during this meeting, he's rattling off statistics of guys, their high school statistics. Joe Pavelik played linebacker for us. Joe, I remember when you were at Smithson Valley playing baseball, you know, you hit for this average. And I thought maybe when I was at Houston, if we let you play both football and baseball, you can play for me. I'm just excited to the chance to coach you. You know, he's throwing things out like that. Yeah.
00:06:11
Speaker
Um, and we go, you know, me and one of my buddies hang back and and I go talk to him afterwards. I was like, coach, you don't know me and a reason to know me. I'm a lowly peon. And I know that I just, you know, want to introduce myself. I'm from Weatherford. Um, you know, when you were at Stephenville, I was, I was at those games of when you were beating the crap out of us. And he was like, Oh, you played for Mike Sneed and you know, where's he at now? And, um,
00:06:32
Speaker
You know, y'all had a pretty good run the last couple of years, except he he knew things about my hometown that a lot of guys wouldn't have known and immediately made me feel like, okay, I'm on this guy's radar for no other reason than like...
00:06:46
Speaker
he's our coach and he's a good person. And it it made me want to take that you know extra step and and feel like I had a fighting chance in the foreseeable future to to find a way on the field because he had already made and what I felt was an investment into who I was as a person. So immediately, you know I'm all in on this new staff. that ah Fast forward that, once we complete the staff, um I still am kind of in that mindset of like, this is this is a multi-year journey. I've got to prove myself to,
00:07:15
Speaker
to this group of coaches that I can contribute in any type of way. but As a walk-on, you're in it for a degree as well. It's it's football and when a lot of guys that are scholarship, it's football maybe. Right. And that was the big thing. I had convinced myself that like I was going to pursue this, but I was going to do it paralleled with getting a degree from the business school.
00:07:38
Speaker
and getting ready. Baylor is no joke. Right. it was it was a great It was a great place for me because being private, the classes were smaller, but the curriculum was still there. um and i And I really enjoyed being... I mean, we're in a we're in the College of Business and I'm taking a class that's got like 25 kids in it, you know which was a great experience um because you have a ah relatively personal relationship with all of your professors, which I think some some guys need you know some kids need. and And I really appreciated and enjoyed it. And it was one of the reasons that I was intrigued to go to Baylor in the first place. But um taking that and you know trying to to figure out what I was going to do, my main thing was, I'm just going to play ball. And I'm going to take care of my schoolwork. And you know we're going to ride this wave to graduation. And we'll go from there. um But I got put in a situation, a great situation, where my position coach
00:08:36
Speaker
put a little bit more, on once he got to know me, put a little bit more onus on, you know pushing my limits, pushing pushing um you know maybe my football knowledge and and giving me opportunities so to lead my peers who were far superior athletes. um And so Dino Babers was my position coach and I began to get these opportunities to to work with the video equipment, create the playlist.
00:09:01
Speaker
go ahead and lead a meeting, and I'm doing all of this as a redshirt sophomore walk-on receiver in a room with five guys that are gonna end up playing in the NFL. And so um it was it was a ah it was a huge fear for me because at first you're like, why would why would Josh Gordon ever listen to anything I have to say?
00:09:25
Speaker
um He's bigger faster stronger. He starts I don't you know, e etc, etc ah But I was fortunate in the situation that my teammates I guess respected what they had seen everything else than the non box score stuff and listen to what I had to say and and trusted me that it wasn't from an ego standpoint and um and And that was really the first time that I guess I was really coaching and it was a unique experience because I mean they were my peers. And they were listening. And they were. And I and i say that they were listening. um They never made me feel like they weren't listening.
00:10:06
Speaker
i don't know how how many times they may be stepped on the field and they're like oh you know we talked about this on tuesday etcetera etcetera uh...
Transition from Business to Coaching
00:10:14
Speaker
because there was still a lot of guidance like coach beavers was still very involved these were unique five ten minute opportunities that i was getting but i it it empowered me uh... and it felt like when they come off the field if i try and have a conversation with them i'm not gonna get shunned away which i think would be a very normal response. ah I wouldn't hold that against them, but it was a great feeling knowing that if they stepped out the field, I could say, hey, on that third down, number seven, when he lines up at this leverage, you know, you should be anticipating this when we call this play, etc, etc. And
00:10:50
Speaker
to know that whether or not they went out there and felt like they really applied it, the fact that it wasn't like, please, I don't have time for this. Let me go talk to coach. um it It was really the the the seed that was planted. Yeah. The the challenge with walk-ons, they're given a label. So then whether it's a position coach, sometimes a strength coach, they're labeled walk-on. So then everybody else in the lock locker room In the the film room, they look at them as a coach puts them down. Coach doesn't look at them as anything more than a walk-on. Why should I listen to them? Versus empowered to understand technique, who's also put in the sweat equity, and then coach trusts you enough to give you the five minutes. Absolutely. and um
00:11:35
Speaker
you know and i think that I think being a walk-on was, it was exactly what I was supposed to be. ah There was a time in my career where I had contemplated transferring to try and get more playing time. um and And that was more of like ego and pride coming into play, which I think all athletes have to a certain extent, you kind of have to have to really keep your motor consistently running. um But at the end of the day, there was nowhere I was gonna go where I was going to be part of something that was going to be so big.
00:12:08
Speaker
and I was going to be able to grow as a person and as from a football knowledge standpoint. um And it was it was a really unique situation for me because of that. And being quote unquote the oldest guy in the room for the last couple of years, even though it was by like six months, um I still got to be heavily invested into the growth of my peers, not just like, oh man, I'm part of this team, but hey, we talked about that Wednesday.
00:12:37
Speaker
um and And I think it's something that walk-ons, it produces a different type of person because when you first get on the team, you're right, you're looked at through a certain scope. I had a teammate who was, ah he was great to me. He was a scholarship guy, starting safety.
00:12:55
Speaker
and we were going through spring for spring ball one year and i watched him kind of hesitate so he could go for a tackle versus an interception and and i asked him after the play and you know we were walking off the field i said why didn't you just pick that ball off he goes sometimes you just got to make sure they're not here for the t-shirt um and and like you said that sweat equity once they see that you're you're invested more than just for the gear then your your connection to that locker room, to that roster, to that team, um it's it's something that's truly special. Time out. Let's take a break from this episode to talk about training and preparation for your sport. Is the training program that you're following preparing you for the demands of your sport or is it making you bigger, stronger, and slower?
00:13:41
Speaker
We want to put you in a position to follow an appropriate program that develops your athleticism, your speed, and your change of direction. I also integrate leadership development daily into the program. To make sure that you're following the right program, give this a seven-day free trial on our captain's speed, strength, and swagger. You've got nothing to lose, and you will immediately tell the difference between the program you were following and the program that's going to put you in a position where every rep, every sprint, every single day that you step into the training is going to prepare you to step onto the field and dominate. For a seven-day free trial, click the link in the show notes now. Let's get back to the show. Ready, ready, and break.
00:14:29
Speaker
You felt like an empowered coach as a player, which which is awesome, which then led you to find this passion. You're getting a business degree from Baylor. You can accomplish a lot.
00:14:41
Speaker
And then you chose a different path. I did. um I did a year in in the business world. I ah ah worked for an IT recruiting firm. i I felt like I did well. And I told myself I'd give it a year at about six months in. I knew that it was not it was not what i was what I was truly passionate about. And I wanted to find a balance between You know, going to work, living a stable life and and being able to provide financially. But I wanted to to really wake up every day and enjoy what I'm doing. um And so I was kind of called back to the game.
00:15:15
Speaker
um And I ended up getting accepted into to grad school at Tarleton in Stephenville. And I sent about 150 emails ah to any number of coaches, football coaches on the staff, head coach down to position coach, just trying to get a foot in the door. And I was able to GA'd for Tarleton State in 2013. We ended up winning the Lone Star Conference.
00:15:38
Speaker
um But through that, it kind of led me to, i I think I want to do this at the high school level. So spent 2014. Were you recruiting? like What led to that moment, Spark? So at the time, Tarleton was Division II. And when I went back and I was ah getting into to GA-ing, when I would go to class and we would have these different conversations about short-term, long-term goals, um my goal at the time was to be a Division I offense coordinator. That's what I wanted to call big-time plays on big-time stages.
00:16:09
Speaker
um And it was it's ah it's a big jump from Division 2 to Division 1. and at At the time, Division II was an absolute grind. um And you know I had been fortunate enough to grow up same town my whole life, build lifelong relationships with guys that I played ball with starting in second grade. um And I wanted to be able to put myself in a situation to provide that some variation of that for my
Community and Team Support
00:16:41
Speaker
kids. um And so that was kind of the pivot that started to exist from
00:16:46
Speaker
let's go be you know big time college coordinator too. You can still find your passion and feed that at the high school ranks. And so that was really what kind of led me pivoting from college down to high school. And then what was your first high school coaching opportunity here in Texas?
00:17:05
Speaker
So got got certified 2014 and then saw a posting on the job board that there was an assistant job open at Salina. And ah if anybody doesn't know, Salina in the state of Texas, it that's it's big time. um I mean, I'm just coming off of at Tarleton working with a guy who played at Salina. I mean, they made a documentary that Pat Summerall narrated Power, Passion and Glory.
00:17:31
Speaker
You know, they hold the state record for longest winning streak um at 68 games. So it's a big time program. And so when I saw that, you know, I was, I got really excited about the potential and then was very fortunate enough to land that job. And that really put me in a situation where I thought this is the kind of program that might catapult me back into the college ranks. If I so choose, might be here a year or two, jump to ah a different program as a coordinator.
00:17:57
Speaker
um And I got some really good advice from one of my high school coaches that he just kept reminding me program over position. And so what I thought was going to be a two-year stint, you know i I showed up at 24 years old and and single. And you know eight and a half years later, I left ah married with three kids. so it And it was the best decision I could have made. It was where I needed to be because there was a lot of things that I needed to learn about the profession.
00:18:28
Speaker
and And Coach Elliott at Celina provided great opportunities for me to do that and and really grow as a coach. Yeah, Celina is a special place. Lived there for a year, did the the booster club Thursday mornings, which was, I found it awesome that you would give us the scouting report for the Friday night game on Thursday morning and then show some highlights from the previous week.
00:18:51
Speaker
Like that, that's community. And there was 60 plus men showing up eating breakfast and then listen to coach Elliott's pregame speech. What I liked about it as a coach was hearing him, Hey, here's the message we're giving this week. And it would lay out fundamentals, principles, and and the word that he would give to the guy. So it was cool to.
00:19:10
Speaker
Get some some inside baseball from Coach Elliott. So a lot of tradition there that you picked up and learned. Where were we starting here at Rivercrest? And what do you hope to grow it into with your perspective, experience, and unique style of coaching?
00:19:27
Speaker
Yeah, I think that um you know the biggest thing, when when I left Salina, and every coach that's ever worked there for short term, long term, has has always said, it's it's just it's different. um and And that'll ring true, I think, honestly, forever. but You know it's different when you're in it. You just don't know how different until you're out of it. um And so when I got here, one of the things that I really realized that I needed to make sure and invest in, and probably didn't realize it immediately, took some time, was that that that right there that you just described,
00:20:04
Speaker
that's what we need to find a way to bring in our own version is that community connection. They need to feel, they need to have a reason to invest in the kids. um Whether it's, you know, if that investment comes and making noise in the bleachers or, you know, feeding them snacks after a two-a-day practice, they need to feel, can they need to have a reason. They need a why to come out and support. You can't just say, hey, we need this and expect, you know, a lot of 100 people to show up.
00:20:33
Speaker
And what I've really tried to focus on in the growth from year one to year two is, um you know, ive football's got to get back for for Rivercrest. Football had to get back to the vehicle. It's got to get back to building the guys into contributing members, successful young men that we send off into society. ah can't you know The X's and O's are the X's and O's. like There's a lot of guys out there that know the ball. There's a lot of guys that don't. But nine times out of 10, the team that is better people
00:21:13
Speaker
that have better relationships with their parents, with their coaches, with their teachers. Those are the ones that are going to consistently be successful. And and that was something, honestly, was kind of a foregone conclusion at Celina because those conversations, Coach Elliott had done such a great job of consistently having those. You just expect that everybody's had them from whoever their coach has been. And and it's just not the truth.
Football as a Tool for Life Lessons
00:21:37
Speaker
It's got to be at the forefront.
00:21:38
Speaker
Yeah, I like how you put that, get football back to being the vehicle. And one of the assumptions we're going after with the podcast is that sports teach lessons. It's it's not the sports. Football didn't teach you anything. The coach taught you through football, so ensuring it's the vehicle. And I mean, as you say, football has been around the school forever. Maybe it wasn't the the vehicle that it needed to be. And you saw that, so now we're aiming to steer that in the right direction.
00:22:08
Speaker
Yeah, we, you know, one of the things that we especially the past couple weeks that I've talked to some of our coaches and and some of my coaching friends is that, you know, and I can't remember who said it, but a few years ago um at a clinic talk, I heard a guy say, you know, life's not all about football, but football is all about life.
00:22:25
Speaker
um And and that's got to be that's got to be the point of emphasis that you know, it's not always going to be sunshine and rambos It's you're not always going to do it, right? And you're you know, there you're gonna there's gonna be discipline for for poor choices whether they're on purpose or on accident um But it's not gonna cripple you that adversity will present itself but your ability to handle it and will be based on how you've handled the adversity we've created or presented you with in practice, in meetings, in the weight room, et cetera. Understanding that everything will not always go perfect, but the team can still continue to be successful based off of how each individual handles that adversity. And coaches are there to help shape their decision making. And if they make the poor one, aim to help lead them why.
00:23:19
Speaker
And and that's the that's the thing that you know even on a daily basis, I try and remind myself about, that's one of the things that Coach Piles was always so far ahead of the game on, is that he we were always a good football team. Every day ended with men, this is a good football team, even when we were three and nine. Even in 2009, when we had two quarterbacks go down in the same game, and we started the season, I think, two and five.
00:23:45
Speaker
you know, um every day ended with, we're a good football team. And it's, you know, there's a certain aspect of speaking it into existence, but it's it's also like you said of, if if they're not hearing it, then they, from you, then they may not be hearing it at all. no and And that has to be the point of emphasis. and and i And I say that from a place knowing that I'm still not consistent enough in that, and that I need to be better at it, but it I am conscious of it and trying to make sure that,
00:24:14
Speaker
as the the head coach of the program that me and my staff are pushing that message to our kids on a regular basis so we know if they don't hear it anywhere else they hear it when they're in this in this building. Yeah and that that is a trap for a lot of coaches out there they assume kids are getting in at home and then parents on the reverse assume that they're getting in at school Like that's why we're sending them to school so they can be crafted in character and taught these things. So they're sometimes kids get lost in the middle of that. It's unfortunate. A hundred percent. And um and I think that that's one of the things that is has been good about coming out here from a place like Salina is getting a better perspective of, you know, kind of the
00:25:01
Speaker
ah everything else. you know Everything is not like Salina and everything is not like Rivercrest. There's a lot of in-between and there's a lot of there's a lot of better, there's a lot of worse, and and you've got to be able to craft your message to reach the masses. It can't be anybody that becomes like a so ah suburb coach that like, well you know my style works in this setting.
00:25:23
Speaker
Well, you're you're doing a discredit not just to the kids, but to the game itself because you're the vessel. you're you're You're supposed to help grow the game and grow the people at the same time.
Role of a Coach in Personal Development
00:25:34
Speaker
And if you can only preach to one market, then you revert it back to a business, if you don't have diversity in in your customer base, then then you're going to be limited already. So I think that's been one of the great things for me is that the conversations I have with the kids now, the message is the same, but the dialogue is different because they hear the message different because of their background, location, and all of those factors.
00:26:01
Speaker
And then you shared your staff as something special. So they're not just football coaches. Absolutely. we um oh We have to, we have to understand, I mean, we're not just football coaches. We, you know, everybody on our staff coaches at least three sports where the grounds crew, you know, sometimes we're the study aides. And, and all that really means is that we have more opportunities to interact with more kids. It's not,
00:26:28
Speaker
And if when the mind shift and the perspective shift happens to that perspective, then then when you see them as opportunities, then they really become opportunities and your impact grows. um And I think that that's the thing that has really been the biggest jump from, so from year one, we go three and seven, and as a first year head coach, I'm putting a huge emphasis on trying to teach the guys football.
00:26:54
Speaker
to this year, we've tried to teach them life and how to be a better person. And you know I think that I genuinely believe that our investment into the kids as people has been reflected in you know the record that we have at this point.
00:27:10
Speaker
I want to explain to the viewers out there that are not indoctrinated in Texas football, Texas high school football. So we had different ranks classes. There's a whole Hollywood perception out there. So we're sitting in at a 2A, Salinas 4, and then when we were in high school, 5A, but now that 5A is turned into 6A. So this whole class expansion, what does it mean for an A, per class A, and then what does that mean for the coaches and type of kids that we're getting in those classes? So the the biggest thing that you're going to see obviously is is the size of the school. So the bigger the A, the bigger the student body. um You know, Rivercrest, we float just above 200 kids. Salina, in the 4A ranks, um and even within the 4A, you have 4A Division 1, 4A Division 2, all of the classifications do.
00:28:01
Speaker
But that's going to break it into, um I think the cap of 481 is like 1,200. Per grade or school? Per per grade, so 9th through 12th. So you're looking at, they try and break them up into the goal of the UIL is to put um about 100 in each class. So that's how they decide what the cutoff for student
Challenges and Strategies in Small Schools
00:28:21
Speaker
body is. um Why is that important?
00:28:24
Speaker
well If the cutoff is 250 and I have a school of 208 and we're playing a school that has 249, they naturally are gonna have more athletes just because they have more people. um and But the other thing that's gonna come with that is when you look at 2A to 4A to 6A, the less kids you have, the less specialties you have, which I'm a huge fan of. I mean, I was talking to my buddy a couple weeks ago. he His left tackle is committed to play at Colorado. My left guard plays in the band at halftime.
00:28:54
Speaker
you know and And that's just the life of 2A. We have kids that coach, i I can't come to practice on our post game shakeout on Saturday because I have an ad competition, which is awesome. you know the At the smaller classifications, the kids just get the opportunity to do more.
00:29:11
Speaker
And we need them to do more so everything has good numbers um because I think that the more the kids do extracurricular wise, it's just a continuation. It's a different vessel than football, right? It's just a continuation of the growth. um Whereas when you see four, five, and six A's, situations like that you've got more kids to pick from. So you're going you're you're naturally, just the law of numbers, you're gonna have better athletes. They're gonna be a little bit bigger, they're gonna be a little bit faster. um And within that, you're gonna have guys, they may not play five sports, they only play two, play one in the fall, one in the spring. So you're gonna spend a little bit more time with them. And with that time, you see more of the the IQ growth within the sport. um But at the end of the day, I mean,
00:29:59
Speaker
There's 11 guys on one side of the ball and 11 guys on the other. And the objectives haven't changed. And ah the reason I enjoy this size ah classification and this size high school football is because the the vessel is still the vessel. And it it shouldn't matter. And I think that that's that's something else that that I took from from Coach Brows. And now this is your first head coach.
00:30:27
Speaker
opportunity. So now speak to us on that jump. What were maybe some assumptions that you had going into year one that just created a whole bunch of blind spots that now we're addressing in year two? Yeah, I think the the biggest one was is that I came in thinking you know
First Year as Head Coach
00:30:45
Speaker
if we just work work hard and teach them football, then you know we're going to be OK. Then we'll be you know the majority of the teams that we play. ah And the sad reality is is that's that's just not the case. to you know you've you've got to learn how to get kids to believe that you believe in them. And until they until that relationship is there, until that that bond and that connection is there, then even if they're present, they're just going through the motions. um But I think that was the the biggest hurdle that I personally had to go overcome is
00:31:22
Speaker
You've got to be here because it's not about what you do on third and eight. It's about what you're doing for that kid when he's got a third and eight at home. yeah what How are you helping grow his ability to handle that situation? And I didn't put enough emphasis on that through you know my conversations with the players and my conversations with the staff. And and that shift happened you know towards the end or towards the beginning of 2024. And I feel like it's been reflective in the success that we've been able to have this year versus last year.
00:31:53
Speaker
And then you mentioned Saturday morning shake-ups what what are we doing there post game? So we've actually become because our kids are so busy We've we've given them more of those off this year than we've brought them in um But usually come in it's you know the bumps and the bruises because it's a physical game it's more about getting them up out of bed getting them moving and you know, a little bit of light jogging and the less you played, you know, the more effort you're expected to give and the the more snaps that you played, you know, the more understanding those coaches are about what what you're going to be capable of doing. But it's really just about getting them up so they're not sleeping away their Saturday. They're they're moving a little bit. We get the ability to to see them again and follow up and check on is that is that shoulder getting some mobility back or is it really
00:32:43
Speaker
Can you not do anything? Do we need to take this to further evaluation?" Then we sit down and and we go through the game and watch it with them, give them their grades, you know this, that, and the other, um and talk to them about what happened the previous night. so um it's it's Again, it's it's part of the growth because if we just make a mistake,
00:33:04
Speaker
on in a game and then we never address it and we never explain the why, then you know there are losses and there's lessons. And and if you're not growing from any any loss, then ah you're letting it stay a loss. Yeah. And speak to us about the film room. This has grown up to be a big fear for a lot of adults, former athletes in our position now. So knowing your experience in the film room at all different levels from high school to ah as a college athlete,
00:33:33
Speaker
It can be used as a weapon or an opportunity. So how do you play the, you know a mistake's coming, each kid knows a mistake's coming. So talk to us about your approach to make sure that we turn that into a lesson versus a, just who knows what it could be. I think the biggest thing is that my approach, you know, right, wrong or indifferent, there's a thousand ways of skinning cat, right? my approach is that if If we made a mistake because of physical limitations or misunderstanding what the situation was, we're gonna have a very calm conversation.
00:34:14
Speaker
If we made a mistake because of poor effort um or because of lack of finish or or you know poor technique, that conversation's gonna be a little bit more stern because those are all controllable. If you confidently do something at 100% and fail, I have no qualms with that. I can't ask anything more from you.
00:34:36
Speaker
but if I have seen you do something correct on multiple occasions from a technique or effort standpoint, and then I turn on the tape and watch you do the complete opposite, you've got to be able to watch that happen over and over and over when I rewind it and say, it's 100% on me, because it has nothing to do with anything other than effort. And you know,
00:35:02
Speaker
I've heard a lot of different coaches, there's a lot of different approaches. um I never really want to dwell on a play for like five minutes, but um the the the film conversations I would say have definitely changed from being at Salina to here because it's got to be a focus on technique and effort because if we're just having football IQ conversations, a lot of these guys may not be in the same place and and that's my job to teach use that moment to teach it versus tear them down. um But at the end of the day, the the guys are gonna know that if your effort and your technique is poor, those are choices and I'm gonna i'm gonna address them as poor choices.
00:35:44
Speaker
yeah The yeah film room and in my high school days, we didn't have huddle. It wasn't broken down by offense, defense, play, ah red zone, et cetera. It was just stick the VHS in, and then coach had the fast forward rewind. Fast forward rewind. So yeah, a little bit different now. Do you split up offense, defense? Do you go whole team? Yeah, we just go whole team because of the size.
00:36:07
Speaker
um you know We have six football coaches on staff. Everybody but me coaches both sides. you know i I'll coach the quarterbacks with the offense and then kind of walk around and observe when we're on defense. But when we watch film, the vast majority of the time we're gonna do it as as a whole team. There are occasions, depending on how much time we have with the kids on specific days, where we'll break up and we'll go defensive position for a limited amount of time and then flip and do offensive position.
Expectations and Growth in Student-Athletes
00:36:34
Speaker
um but i think it's I think it's also about you know there has to be a precedent set. And we've tried to begin to set that precedent with our our junior hires of what that expectation is because I can't control anything that happened before I got here. I can only control what happens now that I am here. um When I was in high school, twice a week I was taking my lunch up to the field house and popping in the VHS and writing down notes and sitting down with our junior quarterback and talking about, hey, when we when we play these guys and you see this safety widen outside the hash, you've got to know that it's covered, too. and And that's not to pat myself on the back. That was simply because I loved the game. And and I may not have known it at the time, but I loved talking about the game.
00:37:16
Speaker
and if If that precedent is not set, if we're not saying, hey guys, did you watch, you guys should have watched this game on huddle over the weekend as we get ready for our next opponent. If you they don't know what they don't know, and if you don't set that expectation, then they're not gonna be able to meet it. Just watching the game, they may watch it like they watch the NFL. It's for entertainment versus education.
00:37:36
Speaker
Right. 100%. And we've got to, you know, like I said, weve we've got to make sure that those expectations are clear because they don't know what they don't know. They don't know that they're supposed to watch, you know, are you watching the pulling guards? Are you watching the linebackers read step? Are you watching the safeties leverage? They don't know those things. And the ability to have those conversations and them not just be about football is how we bring it back full circle to be like, okay, how does this apply to life? Well, Friday night you have a test.
00:38:06
Speaker
Okay, you you have a test that you're gonna be graded on in front of the entire community. Your score will be put on the on display for the whole community. How would you prepare for an English test? How would you prepare for a math test? Would you just, especially if you knew everybody in in your life was gonna be sitting there watching you take it, man would you prepare by studying your notes and practicing and writing things down and and taking every advantage every chance you can to be fully confident in what the material is? If you approach it from that standpoint and you apply it from that standpoint, again, then life's not all about football, football becomes all about life.
00:38:45
Speaker
Yeah, that that's a great analogy that they can relate to, because with any math or English test or history, especially if you didn't study, you know you didn't. So you can anticipate the poor score. I mean, same with sport. 100%. 100%. And the kids know that. i mean they're Kids are not stupid.
00:39:06
Speaker
You know, the perception of kids is, is I think, skewed in in society today because adults like to say that the kids have changed. The kids haven't changed. The adults and how they handle them have changed. Kids can't meet expectations that they don't know exist. So if we if we're gonna have these expectations of them, they have to be explicitly stated and they have to be consistently reminded so they can reach them and meet them because, like I said,
00:39:34
Speaker
Every Friday is a test. And if it's basketball season, every Tuesday and Friday is a test. you know if you if you don't If you fail to prepare, then you prepare to fail.
Youth Sports and Development Programs
00:39:43
Speaker
And and they've once you have those conversations, then you can start to adjust the dialogue or the expectation so they meet those ah those team expectations and and can experience that success. Yeah. One thing I do want to point out to the world is that middle school level. So what's cool about football And i'm I'm assuming that you do it here. You take your offense here at high school and you start to install it at the middle schools here. Is that where you're running? Yeah. So we we actually, we have a sixth grade pre-athletics, which all of our, all the sixth grade boys are in and we'll use that twice a week. We'll, we'll work sports. So football season, we're working football. We're teaching them the verbiage where, you know, this is where you line up twice a week. We're in the weight room teaching them. This is how you do a squat. This is how you do a bench. This is how you do a pushup.
00:40:34
Speaker
um and really try to lay that foundational expectation. And then at the junior high level, we give them, you know, we give them the bland elementary version of the offense and the defense, how to get lined up, and then just expect them to play with great effort.
00:40:49
Speaker
not really getting caught up in trying to scheme the opponents or things of that nature, but the verbiage isn't going to change from seventh through 12th. You're going to hear that same language the whole time through. And when you see the the successful traditional programs, the South Lakes, the Salinas, the Alidos, they've even mastered the ability to trickle it down into the youth programs. Yeah. So your third grade... Katie, for sure. Your third grade football team is running ah an elementary, elementary pre-K version of that high school playbook where when they line up in a certain formation, it's going to be called Power I, right? Whether they're in third grade or they're a senior in high school. And, and when you instill, again, those expectations, kids begin more confident, they get more comfortable and their, their growth rate and their knowledge, uh, skyrockets. Yeah. That, that's an amazing thing. I personally like the weightlifting component of this because then now we're, we're set up.
00:41:46
Speaker
We know what to do, and then you can lead this whole weight room full of, even if they're in middle school, they know what a squad is. They're not asking questions. It's set up and execute. 100%. And that's the hard part.
00:41:58
Speaker
you know you've you've You don't know what they're being told at home. You don't know what they heard at their ah their their last school. You don't know what they heard from their last coach.
Training Methods and Philosophies
00:42:08
Speaker
So unfortunately, you have to invest time into we're going to go back to the basics and we're going to make sure we know how to do this. um But what we have seen is, you know, we The guys that have that we had last year in sixth grade that have moved into seventh grade, they've seen exponential growth in their confidence, which has led to being able to push bigger weight in whatever they're doing in here. Now, it's all relative. They're 12, 13 years old, but you we've been able, because we've been with them for a year, see those numbers increase, see those times de decrease on the track.
00:42:41
Speaker
um And there's, ah whether kids wanna hear it or not, they there's truly no greater feeling for them when they hit a PR or they run a PR um because that's that brief, you know reward they get for the months and months and months of of strife and effort. Yeah. That's that's why I love the weight room, especially for those middle school age kids where a lot can go ball bounces the other way, refs, a lot can happen in sport. So there's not this immediate direct feedback for your hard work, but then the weight, the stopwatch, all of that has that. So then prepares us for the field in that respect of a hard work equals opportunity.
00:43:25
Speaker
hundred percent And I, from ah the, you know, the parallel to that from the football standpoint is, you know, I saw somebody a few weeks ago put online and said, mama's lie, daddy's lie, coach's lie, but, but huddle don't. And, uh, and that's the same thing with the stopwatch or, or the, uh, the squat rack, you know, it doesn't matter what you tell that recruiter that might call or your buddy at the lunch table at the end of the day, 45 pounds on each side is is still one 35 and you're going to have to figure out whether or not you can lift it.
00:43:53
Speaker
yeah Yeah, there's an awesome Henry Wallens, who was the lead singer of Black Flag, Washington, DC. He's got ah an awesome mantra where 225 is always 225. Iron will never lie to you. So it's it's in line with that. the I like to tell coaches and teaching them that athletes will lie to you. Did you do the work, et cetera, but movement never will.
00:44:15
Speaker
so that That's a lot for a summer program. I guess final final questions that I have, this is in line with the the August, the training camp. Some of your most valuable times, yeah are you still two a days? How do you adjust for the hard work and the heat that we're living through up here during that that vital time to bring your team together?
00:44:37
Speaker
So we're we're a little unique here because ah being a commuter district, um it's it's kind of unrealistic for us to say, hey, we're going to practice at seven, then we'll bring you guys back at two, because that could mean a 45 mile round trip commute for that kid to go home and back. so ah And the UIL and and and things like that for us to meet those expectations, you're really not, it's not your old school traditional two a days.
00:45:01
Speaker
um We practiced pretty early to keep it cool. you know We were pushing that sunrise quite a bit when we got into our stretch lines a couple times. ah But what that meant is that our guys really never had to practice in anything over about 85, 90 degrees, ah which may sound crazy to somebody from the Pacific Northwest, but 90 degrees out here, that's just another day at the office.
00:45:22
Speaker
yeah um And then ah we would take a ah brief break and we would lift them and watch film and we we would have either some variation of and of a walkthrough or like a shorts and t-shirt, like no contact practice. um Staying within the parameters of the UIL and the governing body.
00:45:40
Speaker
um But what I really try and use that time for is is the mental side. We need to be in the weight room because football is a game of attrition and you're never gonna be, from the first game, you're never gonna be 100% for the rest of the year. Your job is to be as close to 100% as possible, closer than your opponent each time you line up. um And so we're gonna be in here and we're gonna stay moving and we're gonna load the bar um and then investment into that mental and emotional side. We're gonna have conversations about how to be a good person and what adverse, how you respond to adversity. And we're going to watch film and try and grow your football IQ. Uh, because if we've done what we were supposed to from January through July, then physically you should
Pregame and Game Day Preparations
00:46:23
Speaker
be okay. Um, and, and that's, that's really how I try and use that vessel, which is similar to, to what we did at Celina with some tweaks just because of, you know, geography and, and, and demographics. Yeah. I like that.
00:46:37
Speaker
I guess final piece, which I'm going to experience today, what's a whole Friday look like for these kids? so Preparing for a game day. so it's it's we're go to when When we finish with them, they're going to go to lunch and then we'll have our pep rally for the school.
00:46:53
Speaker
um and From there, things really start to happen fast. Away games, we would pull them out to to travel, but we we play at home tonight. so ah you know they'll They'll go back to class for a couple hours, and and I really kind of tell them to like you know you're pretend to be there. Pretend to focus. Right. Be there, but but you know be focused. Don't get caught up in unnecessary conversations. Remember that everybody doesn't move like we do there.
00:47:17
Speaker
their expectations aren't the same as the guys that are on this team. um And so after school, we'll take them in, we'll feed them a pregame meal, we'll have a walkthrough, they'll get about 45 minutes of downtime, turn the lights off, sleep a little bit if they want, but mentally prepare. um And then for a seven o'clock kickoff, we'll start taping at five o'clock, we'll incrementally roll them out for for our pregame routine and then you know at 6.52 I'll call them up. We'll have our talk and and exit the building and and run out of the tunnel and and it'll be go time. That's awesome. What's the the pregame speech plan for tonight? It it usually always centers around, you know there's there's always some sort of of variation but I really try and make sure that two things are consistent with every pregame conversation and that's that
00:48:07
Speaker
Everything that's gonna happen tonight, the team has to be first. um And everything that does happen tonight is not gonna go exactly how we want it to, but how you respond will dictate what happens. um One thing that I took from Coach Elliott that I think is immensely powerful is that there there's too many good examples of of successful men, successful warriors, and handling adversity within the Bible. um And so there,
00:48:34
Speaker
there is usually some sort of illusion or or storytelling within it wrapped kind of in that that cocoon.
Cultural Impact of Football Media
00:48:43
Speaker
um Because you know whatever your affiliation or or beliefs is, it's it's hard to look from a historical standpoint. And when presented with a ah story or an event ah from that time period and say, you know well, that's not a great example of leadership.
00:49:00
Speaker
And so that's what we want the kids to hear right before they go out there. And they've got to rely on 30 other guys to to go be successful. That's awesome. Can't wait. Last question, favorite football movie of all time?
00:49:15
Speaker
uh... i would say it's got to be friday night lights friday night lights came out when i was in high school as a sophomore in high school in my junior and senior year every thursday night we would go watch our we will watch the jv games and then i will go home and i will watch friday nights every thursday night during football season for two years uh... and it there's there's yes there's some hollywood aspect to it but there's so much that so accurate to that movie and you know reading the book a couple times in and and and really knowing the the story and and what those guys may have gone through and and what they experienced, the trials and you know the successes. um I think it paints a really good picture of of what the game is capable of doing for kids. Yeah, I think the quarterback went to Baylor. ah Briefly, he and then he ended up transferring to Tarleton. He actually he he works up oh outside of Denton. One of my high school buddies actually has worked with him a little bit over the past. I mean, I've never met him
00:50:15
Speaker
But yeah, um you you learn all that kind of stuff when you watch that movie way too much. Yeah, and read the book. like It goes into so much depth in the history of the whole town and essentially what leads to ah what we see in the movie. And yeah, it's it's an awesome experience. The TV show.
00:50:35
Speaker
filmed in Dripping Springs, my hometown. High school is not that dramatic. I stopped watching on episode four when there was no football. They tricked me. Right. They got you.
Motivation and Team Spirit
00:50:45
Speaker
Yeah. So I'm out on that, but I love the movie and the book. Yeah. I will say that, um, uh, that, and I can't, I just blanked on her name, but, uh, I, I'd say the the strongest character in that would be the wife because, um,
00:50:59
Speaker
you know, the coach's wife became a huge part of of my journey um a few years ago when when I got married to my amazing wife and, um you know, that that is that is an immeasurable piece. And the the ship doesn't go um with without a good coach's wife and that could be the program or the house. So ah that's that's the biggest thing that I took away from watching that show is is that she was she was a stud. Well, there you go.
00:51:28
Speaker
Thank you for joining us for captains and coaches. I'm excited for this whole day, man. I appreciate this this warm up we get for the day and hopefully bring home a big win tonight. Absolutely. Thanks for having me. See you. All right. Appreciate it. Take that. Good work, man. That was fun. Told you before we came back in that a statement was going to be made tonight. You have the power to ensure that the statement you want made is the one that is made. A statement will be made tonight.
00:52:00
Speaker
It's on two different sides of the coin. And it's up to us to determine which side it's gonna land on. Point blank period. Okay. Now we spent a lot of time at the beginning of this season talking about this team being perfect. Okay. And last week we fell short. We hit adversity. Okay. And we're flawed. Okay. But God shows us
00:52:30
Speaker
that even through the flaw or through the imperfection, greatness lies in front of you. Samson was a great warrior, but an imperfect man. You know, the lion with his bare hands destined from birth to lead the Israelites and liberate them. But it is well documented that he was flawed.
00:52:57
Speaker
Man, do not let The fear of this team's flaw hinder our ability to reach our greatness.
00:53:08
Speaker
The statement will be made when that scoreboard strikes zero and the fourth quarter ends, the statement will be made. The last time we were here, I told you you have to play as if the outcome has already been determined. When we play with that level of confidence,
00:53:30
Speaker
When we play with that level of trust in our teammates, when we execute, no one can stop us. From day one, I told you there's only one team that will beat you and it will be yourselves. That still holds true. There is no one that will line up across from you that you should ever fear. Your greatness is still in front of us. Do not let the flaw shake your belief and your confidence in that. This team has everything that it needs. I believe that with my whole heart. We got the best quarterback in the district. We got the most explosive receiver core. We got the biggest defensive line. We got one of the biggest offensive lines. We have everything we need.
00:54:24
Speaker
to dominate every facet of the game. Nine, there is nobody that has ever lined up on the field with us this year or will that should stop you. Point blank period. Put the team on your back, squeeze a football, do everything that you've been coached to do and blessed to do. You have a job tonight. Every single person. Fulfill it to the best of your ability. Reach the greatness that this team is capable of.
00:54:54
Speaker
There will be adversity. Things will not go our way. They will make plays. They are a good football team. You are a better football team. I have told you that all week. And I will tell you you that every second of tonight, be the better football team. Believe it when you walk out the door, play with the level of confidence that comes with it, execute the game plan over and over and over. Don't worry about the score. Worry about the next play. As we continue to do that,
00:55:23
Speaker
We will stack those good plays on top of each other, and what you're capable of will be reached. We're still waiting for that one game where we put it all together for four quarters, and when you do, you're gonna be dangerous. I have no doubt in my mind. Do you believe that? Do you believe that? Grab a hand, touch a shoulder.
00:55:52
Speaker
Father God, we come before you excited. Excited for the opportunity of greatness.
00:56:00
Speaker
Excited to understand that despite this team's flaws, our greatness lies in front of us just like Samson. The strength, power, will, and determination that you showed us through him lies in every man on this team.
00:56:17
Speaker
Put a fire in their hearts, Father. Give them the confidence to believe that. Give them the confidence to play with that.
00:56:28
Speaker
Let them trust each other. Let them play for one another. And let them play for you. Forgive us where we fail you. Protect us as we go into battle. We love you, we thank you. It's in your name we pray, amen. I want captains up front.
00:56:50
Speaker
and I want the look of a team that knows what's about to happen. Your greatness is at the and other end of that scoreboard. When it strikes zero, make sure the statement you want made is the one that they receive. Get a break, let's go. Hey, finish all three, one, two, three, greatness. Rebel nation.
00:57:24
Speaker
Rebels have won the toss and deferred to the second half. Cooper will receive to the north end of the field.
00:57:44
Speaker
We're going to go red. We're going to go red. And we're going to go two-motion switch, OK? Red, two-motion switch. You've got to get that outside backer. It's the kid with the club. Yeah, maybe they are.
00:58:00
Speaker
Go to work.
00:58:08
Speaker
Get up field. Get up field. Good. Cam's got the slam. If Cam takes the slam, it's a touchdown. Look right!
00:58:26
Speaker
had I mean, if he sees it at the beginning, it's so much easier. OK, let me see how many they got over Mark. Two. Get set.
00:58:39
Speaker
That's fine, that's fine, that's fine. He's not close enough to make the play. If Cam gets any piece of him, Mark walks in. Told you, told you.
00:58:54
Speaker
Good job, good job, good job! Good job! get lower and enough ever had to
00:59:02
Speaker
There we go! Look at us now! Are we having fun now, aren't we? I got you. Listen, here's the thing. If I call it, I'll put us in a really good situation. Second and one, second and two, okay? And if you don't like it, okay, then just either ah take off running or, like, if you don't like it, don't force it, okay?
00:59:29
Speaker
Cam should be wide open if we have time. now
00:59:36
Speaker
That works. Get up field. Left. Let's go. Four kick. Four kick. Four kick. Stop. Seahawk curl twist. Seahawk curl twist. Curl twist. Corner stop.
01:00:07
Speaker
Right there. Good job. Good ball, Mark. Good ball. Okay. Okay. Stab, stab, stab, stab. Come on, Blake. Just give camp.
01:00:30
Speaker
Wait, Kaden.
01:00:37
Speaker
Hey, hey, hey! Copy, copy. We're going to break the huddle in five big and we're just going to let Jaquan run. We're going to break the huddle to it though. We'll go five left so they don't see you until late. Okay, so you'll be over here on the right side. Okay, then what are we going to do after because we have a minute and 30 and they're going to run. I want to see what it depends. If we get six yards, it's a different play than if we get zero. You know what I mean? He might score.
01:01:04
Speaker
big Yeah, but you what you need to be... Timeout!
01:01:16
Speaker
Timeout! Timeout! We're going five left, okay? We're going five left, stop. Five left, stop. Sage, you're staying in position. Five left, stop. Okay? Yeah.
01:01:36
Speaker
Come on, Mark. Show him your speed. so Switch. Switch.
01:01:49
Speaker
Know who the heck I want you to throw this ball to. yeah Yes.
01:02:01
Speaker
take
01:02:10
Speaker
It ain't like you're going to run or anything. It's just excitement. It's energy. You can't control it, okay? We just got to learn how. We got to take that deep breath and learn how, okay? Be a good teammate, all right? Hey, here's our cross formation. We're going king right, king right, four zip, king right, four zip. Huh? You got to go over there. for Right now.
01:02:37
Speaker
profit <unk> gotta make it look like that.
01:02:45
Speaker
how are
01:02:53
Speaker
wow 100%
01:03:07
Speaker
are
01:03:11
Speaker
Here's the ball to the 40 yard line.
01:03:23
Speaker
I'm not calling his time out. Let's go! Hey, helmets on! Nothing but good game! Helmets on! Nothing but good game! Let's go! Get a break. Tell your family you love them. Hug their neck. Okay? Two stacks, jerseys and pants in the weight room. Clean up the locker room. We will see you Monday.