Tony Dungy, Chuck Noll, & Bill Belichick

Here is an excerpt from Black Shoes & White Shoestrings on Tony Dungy, Chuck Noll, & Bill Belichick:

As a football coach, Coach Dungy stresses the concept that the key to post season success is to continue to do what you do and be who you are. He points to Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots as a prime example of a team that continues to do and be what it is all through the season. According to Coach Dungy, the secret to the Patriots is Belichick’s wisdom in not adding things special for the postseason. Coach Dungy played for Chuck Noll, the Hall of Fame coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers who won four Super Bowls.  Chuck Noll was the first coach he witnessed to follow that lesson- continue into the postseason to be who you are and do what you do.

Coach Dungy uses the David & Goliath story to illustrate that point in his book, Quiet Strength.  In prepping his Colts for their 2007 AFC Championship win over the Patriots, he pointed out that David rejected King Saul’s armor for the battle because he was not use to it. David went into battle doing what he always did.  Of course, David was victorious and the Colts were as well.

Before reading Coach Dungy’s book, I learned he was right the hard way.  In 1999, when we were preparing for a great opponent in Lexington Catholic, we used a formation that was too big of a change. They were the better team, but I didn’t help us by making our team uncomfortable. I had thought they were too quick up front for us to block them. I was wrong. When we settled in to doing what we could do, our kids played well on the offensive side of the ball.  We had also placed our defensive ends in an uncomfortable spot by having them drop and cover the flat from our 50 front. That was the last night that a 50 was our base defense. 

In 2003 when we were getting ready for Highlands, I had the same concern that they were too quick up front for us to block them. But, I remembered the lesson from 1999 and gave our kids a chance to block them. We didn’t win the game but we did well enough to have a chance to win and we did play the best game we have played in my seventeen seasons here.

If you want to purchase a copy of Black Shoes & White Shoestrings: Football and Life Lessons, go to the top of this blog and use the Pay Pal Buy Button.   Some of the other NFL coaches included in Black Shoes & White Shoestrings  are Bill Arnsparger, Billl Walsh, Brian Billick, Blanton Collier, & Vince Lombardi.

Financing a Football Program: Dysfunction to Normal to Good

When we got started at Mercer County in the spring of 2015,  our financial situation was not very good. There was little money to buy the extras. In fact, the QB Club had bought the footballs the season prior to my arrival. It is never good practice to depend on boosters, parents, and fundraising to pay for the basics. The potential for conflict of interest and inappropriate outside influence on a program is substantial.

In the spring of 2017, we have our house in order. Our football program receives a budget from our athletic program. We are fortunate to have an outstanding, proactive Athletic Director in Donald Smith. That budget is funded by our gate receipts and pays for basic equipment and reconditioning. Our QB Club pays for our Pr1de gear, banquet, senior night, travel, and other miscellaneous, extra items. 

And, our sponsorship program has been able to increase the funds in our school football account to the point that we have been able to make some significant purchases for our program. 

We have sponsors for the following: games, field signs, football events & players of the game. 

 These sponsorships have created a steady stream of income. Just in the past month, we have been able to buy four tackling rings and two sets of plyometric boxes.  Those purchases will immediately impact our program and help our kids improve.

We still have a long way to go, but our finances are definitely headed in the right direction. We try to have a balance of spending now for what we need, but also putting back money for when we get hit with a big ticket need... if our sled falls apart, we have to have a plan to buy a new one.

The fall of 2017 will be my 26th year as a head coach. I have had alot of practice in figuring out how to pay the bills so you can get what you need for your kids. If you would like more information on our sponsorship programs, you can email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com. 

Being a football coach is much more fun when you are on the field than when you are paying the bills. Our sponsorship program has given us an effective way to get the extras we need while keeping our focus on what happens between the white lines. 

Tackling Drill with Tackling Rings: More good drill work

Here is another great drill from Coach Brian Rowland. The inside LBs react to their key and scrape to the ball. It is a race. The frontside LB tries to get to the frontside of the ring and the backside LB tries to get to the backside of the ring... first. 

It is great that we are able to practice tackling in February without pads. We need to the work and this is a safe way to get in the reps that we need.

Good job Coach Rowland!

Building a Program & Coaching Staff: Technique Practice

Over the past few days I have talked to a couple young head coaches who are looking to build a staff. It reminded me of the conversations I had with Chuck Smith, 25 years ago, when we were young head coaches and trying to build a staff.  He was at Boyle and I was at Paris.

The issue: when you are trying to build a staff, and you are short on coaches, and possibly the ones you do have are young ones, how do you help those guys be successful?  And, how do you make sure your practices are productive as you build your program, with players & coaches that are new to your system?  And, the likelihood is that if you are taking over a program, they are struggling.

The answer we came up with was "technique practice." For one hour, the entire staff coached the same position. When that hour was over, the next position group came in and we coached them for an hour. 

Chuck & I had one major difference. He would do offensive positions one day in the morning. Then, at night, the entire team returned for team offensive practice.  The following day he would do defensive positions in the morning, and team defensive practice at night.

At Mason County, we did every position individually for four days. Our schedule ran like this, and every coach was at every practice:

8 am: defensive line
9 am: defensive ends
10 am: linebackers
11 am: defensive backs
Noon: lunch
1 pm offensive line & TEs
2 pm: WRs & TEs w/ QBs
3 pm: RBs & QBs

It was brutal! 7 hour days on the field for the coaches, often in scorching hot weather. But, it was best for our program. 

It insured that our new coaches understood what to teach and how to teach it. And, we were bad when we got started. We needed the immersion in working fundamentals for our players. The Mason County kids were athletic and good character guys, but were not initially high football IQ guys. That got much better the further we went.

I also liked the seven hour days because it demonstrated my commitment to the kids, program and the community. It helped our staff understand the level of commitment that was needed from them. And, after a staff of coaches goes through that type of preseason, they are heavily invested in making sure the team is successful.  It sent a clear message to everyone that we were willing to do whatever is necessary to help our kids enjoy success and winning.

Finally after a few years of technique practice, Shawn Thompson, our defensive coordinator at Mason County asked me, "Coach, can we all just do our own position for technique practice?  We know what needs to be done."  I agreed to it and we went to standard 3-a-days that were all technique for the first 4 days.

When we started having spring practice, I told our guys that if it went well, we would cut technique practice from 4 days to 2 days.  With the changing of preseason rules, our first two days are still technique practice but we add on some team and special teams stuff at the end of our 3 hour practice, which we only have once a day now.  It is easier to plan and organize one 3 hour practice each day in the preseason than to manage the different rules and requirements for contact, etc. And, unlike Mason County, Mercer County is a large county. It is easier for kids to get here once a day than twice a day.... although when we did 3-a-days we kept the kids there the entire day.

I am not sure I will ever need to do the 7 hour technique practices again. With the staff we have currently at Mercer, that would be counterproductive. But, I won't lie to you... I would like to do those 7 hour practices at least ONE MORE TIME before I finish coaching. Very tough days, but great days. I mean... If you love football.....YOU LOVE FOOTBALL!  

Photos from the Maysville Ledger Independent in August of 1998.

A Parent's Guide to Football Camp: This is how we did it

This time of year, parents begin to ask me about summer camps for their son. Here is how I handled it when I coached my oldest son, John Combs.

He went to three tough camps that worked him hard and helped him improve at the linebacker position. Before his freshman season, he spent 3 days at the UK camp, working with Chuck Smith. Before his sophomore season, he spent three days at the Tennessee camp, working with Sal Sunseri. Prior to his junior year, he spent three days at the Notre Dame camp with Bob Diaco.

Google those 3 names... GREAT LINEBACKER COACHES!!

He got three tough days of hard work at each place with great coaching. At Tennessee, he had to compete daily with guys that were DBs in HS but thought they were too slow for that spot at UT, therefore they were working at LB. At Notre Dame, he primarily worked with guys that thought they were too small to be defensive linemen at that level, but were trying to play LB.  John Combs had to work extremely hard to compete with those guys at camp and meet the expectations of this group of very demanding coaches. Coach Smith was tougher on him because of our friendship. At the other camps, he was just another guy... and that was good as well.  At Tennessee when they got tired, they were instructed to put their hands on their helmet and stand up. When John Combs did that at Notre Dame, Coach Diaco asked him if he was surrendering and if not, take your hands off the top of your helmet! Lol. It was a great experience for him in so many ways.

To get a great work experience at camp, you do NOT have to attend a BCS camp. Georgetown College hosts a 3 day work camp. The Tigers have an outstanding program and do a wonderful job with the kids that attend there. Trosper will likely attend their camp at some point.

John Combs in the blue helmet one morning at Notre Dame camp, June of 2013. The golden dome in the background!

Before his senior season, John Combs attended one day camps at Princeton and Yale. Princeton's interest had been significant.  Yale had shown a little interest.... and we wanted to visit Yale!

Looking back on it, I think we did it right. Spend the early part of HS working to get better. Before your senior season, and if the level of interest is significant potentially junior season as well, attend camps of the schools that are showing the most interest. If no one is showing interest, pick a school where your chances to play are the most realistic and attend their camp or camps their staff is attending before your senior season.

He also benefitted from having great position coaches at Mason County... Larry Harris, Chris Ullery, & Jonathan Thomas. He had very good defensive lines in front of him as a junior and senior. A strong defensive line is a linebacker's best friend because it makes it tough for the offensive linemen to block the linebackers.  No amount of camp experiences can diminish the team concept that drives the game of football.  Parents and players both need to remember that.

As a Dad, the trips to Notre Dame, Tennessee, Princeton, & Yale are great memories. I am really glad we did those. And, I believe that my son became the best football player he could become.   Both individually and as a team, he enjoyed a bunch of success and had a very rewarding HS football experience.

If you have specific questions about your son and summer football camps, please email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com.

Bottom line, help your son enjoy the summer camp experience and playing HS football. It is a special time that goes by way too fast.

Signs: A good one.... and spring football is on the way

My good friend Bruce Jones brought back our helmets today from the reconditioner, Capital Varsity. Bruce does a great job making sure our stuff is right when it gets back to us and I really appreciate that about him. 

As we popped open those boxes and got out our helmets, which always look new when they get back from the reconditioner, I felt like a little kid again. I am thankful that I am getting ready for another season of football. 

It always takes me back to when I was four years old and my mom took me out to see my Dad one summer afternoon at Boyle County. He and the coaches had been spray painting all of their helmets in Green Bay gold. I can still see all those helmets, freshly spray painted, on the sidewalk and grass around the back door of the HS. 

I will be 52 when we kick off in 2017. The first football season I can remember, I was 3 years old & my Dad was an assistant at Lafayette.  I am just excited about this season as any over the past 50 years.

HS football and Friday nights are special.  I have many flaws. But, one thing I am thankful for is that I am smart enough to appreciate my players & coaches and what each season means to all of us. 

I think it is a good sign that I still get excited when our stuff comes back from the reconditioner. If that ever changes, that will be an indication that it may be time for me to hang it up.

Bruce and I got to eat breakfast together this morning and I am glad for the friends that I have made through this great game. Enjoy the Super Bowl tomorrow and before you know it,  we will be passing out gear for spring practice.  

Getting on the Same Page: Remembering the Royals of the late 90s

This was a week when two different world's ran in to each other. As a staff here at Mercer, we have spent much of the week working to continue getting on the same page. Offensive & defensive schemes, gameplans, the weightroom, practice plans, etc. have all been discussed. Don't underestimate how tough it is for a football program and staff to become one cohesive unit.   Communication, listening, explanations, etc. are critical and often a staff of football coaches can be a strong-willed group of guys.  

JT Walsh (7) & Brandon Drake (61) in our season opening win at Bath County. (1996).  My first game as a Royal. I am not sure I have ever had a team more excited to play a football game than those guys were that night.

During our discussions this week, Coach Rowland (our Mercer DC) told me that when he met Chris Ullery (our Mason DC), Coach Ullery asked him if we still did .... and gave him a list of things we did at Mason. Apparently the answer was "Yes!"  Of course, no one would ever accuse me of being stubborn...😄 (sarcasm). 

Travoris Beckley at West Carter in 1996. This win broke a 3 game losing streak.

I had a bunch of other reminders this week of my first few years in Maysville.  Jordan Johnson(Waggener) & Jonathan Thomas (Mason County)  are both currently head coaches and were freshmen on my first team at Mason County in 1996.  I talked to Jordan & Jonathan both this week.  I am proud of those guys!

I got to talk to Butch & Kim Chain this week. Their son Ray played on my first teams at Mason. Butch and Kim continued to do video on Friday nights and are still helping the Royals from the press box when the lights come on. Butch & Kim have given much to those kids and that football program.

I got to talk to Coach Ullery this week who has become an assistant athletic director at Mason County. Those kids are fortunate to have him in that role.

And, we were able to eat dinner with our good friends, Tim & Jenni Sargent.  I coached both their sons at Mason County, Ty & Mason. And, their daughter Taylor was the inspiration for our pregame speech the night we beat the Red Devils in Flatwoods for the first time (2008)!  

Rees Denham in Mason County's first ever victory over Russell in 1997. We got behind 17-0.

Our week at Mercer and all the Mason County encounters reminded me of Royals Football in the late 90s. It was a tough time but it was a great time. Very rewarding.   The same things that make football tough, are the same things that make football great. It is hard for such a large group of strong-willed men, young and old, to get on the same page and become one heart beat. But, when you fight through it together and make progress toward a common goal, it is a tremendous feeling... and one that you can only experience as a group.  It is the constant challenge of putting the team ahead of yourself on a daily basis that enables a squad to come together as one. That is a big challenge for me and helps push me to be a better person. It is a challenge I need.

Seth Faulkner (11) & Geoff Sherman (50) in a big road win at Erlanger Lloyd, 1999.

Jeremy Wheeler (67), Harry Lewis (2) & Matt Gilbert (42) in the Homecoming upset win over #4 Newport in 1999

While I was getting in my 3 mile run tonight, this old song came up.   In the late 90's, those Mason County kids always liked this song at their dances after a ballgame.   I can't hear this song without thinking about those kids and what a wonderful time that was for all of us.

TLC- Creep

Those were not easy days, but that time was a great experience and we did have alot of fun and rewarding days & Friday nights.  When I feel like we have a long way to go in getting all of our guys on the same page, I remember the Royals of the late 90s, and I realize that what we are going through right now at Mercer is just as special and to ENJOY this process and time. Good luck in 2017 to the Royals, Titans, Greyhounds, and all the football programs that are working hard to become one heartbeat when the lights come on for that first Friday night this fall. 

Photos from the Maysville Ledger Independent