Growth & Improvement... 2019

Post workout, 1/23/19. Mercer County Titans with Xenith rep, Ron Tanner, former National Champion at Ohio State

I hate fear. Fortunately, "fear" is not usually a big issue for me. But, as I get older, I do fear letting the game of football pass me up. I fear that my, or our, schemes, approaches, and fundamentals will become irrelevant or obsolete.

We are not even to the end of January. But three things I've done this month to address that issue have given me some peace of mind.

1- scout a very good offense for a long time friend who also happens to be an outstanding football coach.

2- meet with an outstanding college defensive coordinator (another outstanding person, coached against him when he played in HS, and his grandfather was a coaching legend in this state) and ask him to show me what he hates defending, what gives him the most problems.

3-writing an article for X & O Labs, including video clips and diagrams.

In all three scenarios, I was forced to think through why we do what we do and how well we execute. All three people involved were very bright, asked good questions, and presented good ideas that will make me better.

So, without going into all the details, what were my conclusions.... has the game passed me or us by?

I don't think so. In fact, some of our older ideas may provide a competitive advantage going forward. Our older schemes and the way we do things are becoming "different." I think that is a good thing.

But, the reality check that I most definitely needed and in some ways made me feel like a young coach again..... there is so much I DON'T know. There are other ways to get the job done.  People think differently and approach problem solving in different ways. For example, saying "one safety high" to me, and everything that goes with it, can mean something very different to another coach. As long as I realize that I must continue to learn and adapt, hopefully I can do a good job for our kids and program.

Some times fear can lead to positive results. This has been one of those times.

Perfection Workouts... a different approach, building our program

We had our first Perfection Workout for 2019 and the way we have adjusted our approach should be productive and make us a better team.

Instead of trying to work on "everything" and working from the base, we worked backwards. Last week as a staff we met and basically asked these two questions:

1- what are problems we need to fix?
2- what will we need to be good at in 2019 to win championships?

To answer question #2, we obviously had to spend quite a bit of time watching video of our 2019 opponents. We try to get the bulk of that done before we go home for Christmas. It's a bunch of work, but it really helps us in planning what needs to be emphasized going forward.  Our base offense and defense stay the same, but depending on our personnel and our opponents, we use certain plays and schemes more than others.

The answers to the two questions above determined our work today on both sides of the ball. We will do the exact same workout for Perfection Workout #2 next Wednesday. My hope is that at some point, one of our assistants will approach me and say, "We have that down and we are bored. We are ready to move on to something else."

We are returning much of our team from last season and are entering year 5 of our program.  That experience showed today. Normally day 1 goes well for us in Perfection workouts, spring, summer workouts, etc. But, as practice becomes more complex in the following days, we begin to struggle. Today we started more complex, but our kids seemed to handle it better.

Also, our guys are understanding better our expectations in regards to effort, attitude and leadership. We are a work in progress. We are going in the right direction and getting a little better each day.  And, the adjustment we made to our workouts was definitely a positive that will help us become the best team we can be!

Saving Time... Practical advice from an old coach

Most of us spend bowl season picking up ideas from the ballgames we watch. Here's an idea that is not real exciting, but it does make life a little easier and save time.

Yesterday I marked our practice field. First, I scalped the lines so the paint would stay. Then, painted the lines. It only took 4 aerosol cans because we only mark the 10's for practice and it takes less than 30 minutes. Because grass is not growing, the lines last alot longer. Inseason, we have to mark it at least once a week. 

We will do our spring practice some time in March. Keeping it marked, I won't need to stretch lines to get it ready for the spring.... which is very time consuming. After the spring, I will let it go so we will have straighter lines in July when it gets restrung. 

I've been around HS football my entire life. If there is a young coach out there that needs help on how to complete mundane, time-consuming tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible, email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com.

Happy New Year!

Going into 2019... NO bad days, and MOST will be fun!

As hard as I try to stay positive, some days it is a battle. To help in that fight, I decided in December of 2017 that I would chart every day in the 2018 prep season ( I hate the expression "offseason". We have to improve on a day to day basis throughout the year.)  If it was a good day, I would list the date with a "+". A bad day would get a "-".  A great day would get "++".  Those results are listed at the bottom of this blog and there were no bad days!

I know Coach Cox and Coach Harris got tired of it, but I really enjoyed showing them periodically how we were doing.

So what was a good day?  It was a day when we improved, gave a good or great effort, held our guys accountable, and on a personal level I could look in the mirror and know that I had given my best effort to serve others and ultimately my Savior, Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:23)

Can you have a good day and make mistakes?? Absolutely! I made a ton of mistakes this year, even on great days. There is a real simple way to eliminate 100 % of your mistakes... do nothing.

The purpose of this exercise was to give me some documentation that we were making progress. Sometimes due to circumstances, you absolutely "feel" like you are not making improvement and what is the point of all of your efforts. Those feelings are false. I wanted something concrete to see that would help me realize that in actuality we were getting better and we were productive.

When the season started, we were still having "good days." But, we started 0-3. That is not fun. And, then the "feeling" begins to creep in .... this is not fun... there is never an enjoyable day.... every day is a struggle, etc. And, many days there was truth to that feeling.

So, I began to chart everyday with either a P (Purpose) or F (Fun & Purpose).  Maybe a day was not fun. But, if I had served others and my Savior that day to the best of my ability, I had fulfilled my purpose. I am coaching football in my hometown which I love. My 2018 seniors were the first in school history to have the same head coach for four years.  It has been and continues to be a struggle to get us where we want to be. But, "purpose" is through the roof!  For the kids I coach, the old Hogs, Dogs & Titans in my hometown, my own son who will be a sophomore, making this program the best it can be is absolutely worth doing and giving it everything I have. And, we are making significant progress.

Even if a day was not "fun" , I took satisfaction in giving all that I had to the task at hand on a one day  at a time basis. Seeing those "P's" reinforced that I was serving God and making a dent in what had to be done.

Interestingly though, I realized that most days do have some fun! It might only be for a short while, and only one moment but there was something that I enjoyed. As I charted my days, I realized more and more days were being marked fun. In the beginning, most days had a P.

I am fired up for 2019. We just finished our best December, ever, in terms of guys working on their own. We have had them doing extra in the weightroom, on the turf in the complex, on the field, etc. Our guys are working to take our level of commitment and program to another level.

I will not be charting good days and bad days in 2019. They are all going to be good days. That CHOICE is up to us.

On Fun versus Purpose.... I will either continue to chart that, or decide that there WILL be something fun each day, and look for that moment, no matter how short it may be.

If all of this seems excessive, insane, etc. that is ok with me. The top priority (Matthew 6:33) of this is a desire to serve my Lord and Savior everyday who sacrificed His life for me. I don't want to let HIM down. Part of this also is that I HATE losing.... more now than ever before. I can handle it better on the outside but on the inside it is tougher than ever. And, I want to do all in my power to help our kids win, help our community win,  & bring honor to the great players and coaches from the past at old Harrodsburg & Mercer County HS.

I would also stress, I am not the Lone Ranger! God has a GREAT plan for all of us! What can be better than to invest our all into serving Him for 2019 to be all that He has called us to be, to glorify Him?!

2019... make it all good or great days (your CHOICE), serve God and others, and have FUN a long the way!



2018 Prep Season Chart:

W 1/3: ++
Th 1/4: +
T 1/9: +
W 1/10: ++
TH 1/11: +
TH 1/18: +
F 1/19: +
M 1/22: +
T 1/23: +
W 1/24: +
TH 1/25: +
F 1/26: ++
M 1/29: +
T 1/30: +
W 1/31: +
TH 2/1: ++
M 2/5: +
T 2/6: +
W 2/7: +
TH 2/8: ++
M 2/12: +
T 2/13: ++
W 2/14: +
TH 2/15: +
T 2/20: ++
TH 2/22: ++
M 2/26: +
T 2/27: +
W 2/28: +
TH 3/1: +
M 3/5: +
T 3/13: +
W 3/14: ++
TH 3/15: +
F 3/16: ++
M 3/19: +
T 3/20: +
W 3/21: +
TH 3/22: ++
F 3/23: +
W 4/4: ++ Xenith
TH 4/5: ++ OL breakout
M 4/9: +
T 4/10: ++
TH 4/12: +
M 4/16: +
T 4/17: ++ (Xenith)
TH 4/19: +
M 4/23: +
T 4/24: ++ (intervention)
W 4/25: +
TH 4/26: ++
F 4/27: +
M 4/30: +
T 5/1: +
TH 5/3: ++
M 5/7: ++
T 5/8: +
W 5/9: ++
TH 5/10: +
F 5/11: +
M 5/14: ++
T 5/15: +
TH 5/17: +
F 5/18: +
M 5/21: ++ max out
M 6/4: +
TH 6/7: +
M 6/11: +
TH 6/14: +
M 6/18: ++
TH 6/21: ++
SA 6/23: +
SU 6/24: +

Exit Interviews- 2018

After each season, we have exit interviews with our guys so we can gather feedback and continue to improve our program. It is good to vary the approach a little each year.

We have wonderful young men at Mercer County but we are also trying to elevate our thinking.  During the season, we gave our guys the "Mercer Football Championship Plan" to fill out. Here it is:

After they filled these out during the season, I made an additional copy of each player's plan. This year's exit interview is to review this plan. We talk about their vision for November of their senior year... is there anything that needs to be changed?  Is there anything that needs to be made more specific?

We look at the two lists at the bottom of the page. Which item is a strength right now?  Which one is a weakness?

We sign and date my copy and the player's copy. The player is to put his copy some where that it will help him see it and focus each day on becoming a champion and HELPING his TEAM become champions.

Our meetings have been productive and this plan is another piece in building our culture. One day at a time, we are working to build a championship program.  I believe our guys are growing and they are beginning to elevate their thinking.  I am excited to start year five as a Titan!

Coach Roger Gruneisen's thoughts on Black Shoes & White Shoestrings

Coach Roger Gruneisen with our 2018 Freshmen team during his visit this fall

 

We were fortunate to have Coach Roger Gruneisen with us for a practice at Mercer County this fall. Coach Gruneisen was my boss at Paris HS. He also won two state titles as the head football coach at Trinity HS in Louisville, KY.

Here is what Coach Gruneisen said about Black Shoes & White Shoestrings:

  I loved it because it is real, not a reality show!

I had the privilege and pleasure of having David on my staff for four years at Paris High School from 1988-1991.  His love for the game of football was never in doubt.  He grew up as a coaches son and eventually was smitten.  His book reflects, in print, his respect and admiration not only for the game but for the men who coach it.  Every coach takes bits and pieces from other coaches to help them form their own philosophy.  Coaches also enjoy sitting around talking football in general.  David’s book brings you inside the football office with the men who have inspired him, who he has borrowed ideas from, and men he has sat around with and talked football.


Again, what David writes about is real people coaching a real game played by real young men!

You can also read about Coach Gruneisen in the book. The buy button is at the top of this page. Put it under the tree for the football fans in your family!

Xenith... the helmet & shoulder pad of the future

2019 will be my 28th season as a head coach. One of the best decisions for our teams, both at Mason & Mercer County, has been our choice to go with Xenith helmets.

Xenith operates with a shock absorber system as opposed to a padded system. The fit is outstanding and the protective qualities of the helmet are exceptional.

Our kids are already fired up about the new Xenith Shadow that will come out in 2019. You can see a preview of it here:  Xenith Shadow

Ron Tanner is our Xenith rep. Ron played on Urban Meyer's Ohio State National Championship Team and he brings that same standard of excellence to Xenith on a daily basis.

As coaches begin to make purchases for 2019, please contact Ron at rtanner@xenith.com. You will be impressed with their helmets and shoulder pads. They have also developed some bells and whistles that will appeal to players in the 21st century.

If I can answer any questions, email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com.

Check out Xenith.... it will be great for your kids and your program!