Coach and Coordinator Podcast

Keith Grabowski
  • 4.6 (403)
  • Football
  • Updated Daily

Keith Grabowski interviews the most knowledgeable head coaches, coordinators, and position coaches from professional, college, and high school football. Keith and his guests discuss the philosophy, concepts, schemes, and strategies that they have learned throughout their careers. Each show includes a specific idea that can be applied to help coaches at every level find the winning edge.

  1. 6h ago

    Champions - Starting with the End in Mind - John Perry, HC, Nixa HS (MO)

    In this episode of Champions, presented by Signature Championship Rings, host Keith Grabowski interviews Nixa HS (MO) head coach John Perry about building and sustaining a championship culture in various settings. As part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, the discussion follows Coach Perry's journey from Mississippi to Missouri and spotlights the core principles behind athletic success. Coach Perry shares his belief that "belief is transferable," and explains how clear expectations, consistent daily routines, and purposeful leadership is able to transform team culture. The conversation covers practical mental performance tools, such as the E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome) framework, to help young athletes build fortitude and accountability. From defining core team behaviors to focusing on daily progress, this interview gives coaches clear, practical guidance for building sustained excellence. Chapters State to State: The Journey from Mississippi to Nixa, Missouri The Great Experiment: Testing Core Coaching Principles in a New Room Transferable Excellence: Porting Systems and Standards to a New Culture Unlocking Belief: Fostering Leadership and Accountability in Athletes Systematic Culture: Creating Repeatable Daily Habits for Success Setting the Standard: Translating Core Values into Concrete Behaviors The Power of 1%: Small Daily Improvements That Drive Big Growth Developing Resilience, Mental Toughness, and Learning from Failure Presented by Signature Championship Rings Championships are about more than wins. They're about the commitment, sacrifice, and relationships that define your program. When it's time to celebrate your team's accomplishments, trust Signature Championship Rings to create custom championship rings that honor your players, coaches, and legacy with craftsmanship worthy of the moment. Learn more about Signature Championship Rings and start designing a championship ring your team will be proud to wear. https://signaturechampions.com/ Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski John Perry: @jperry_nixa Signature Championship Rings: @signaturerings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Champions - Starting with the End in Mind - John Perry, HC, Nixa HS (MO)

  2. 2d ago

    Pursuit of Perfection and Raising Standards - John Harbaugh, HC, New York Giants

    On this episode of Coach and Coordinator, host Keith Grabowski is joined by Harbaugh Coaching Academy Leadership Team member, Super Bowl champion, and veteran NFL head coach John Harbaugh, who shares a masterclass on building a sustainable championship-caliber program culture. Coach Harbaugh reveals his core philosophy of "elegant simplicity," explaining how elite coaches turn intricate strategic concepts into clear, actionable systems. The conversation explores establishing core principles when taking over a team, meeting players where they are, and raising daily standards through relentless pursuit of perfection. From creating a "perfect day" for athletes and staff to using continuous feedback to keep teams aligned, this interview delivers a proven framework for coaches at every level who aspire to lead intentionally and build authentic, lasting relationships. Chapters Day One Foundations: Establishing Principles and Program Culture Chasing Perfection: How High Standards Drive Daily Growth The Perfect Day: Structuring Optimal Practice and Preparation Environments Elegant Simplicity: Filtering Complex Strategies into Usable Systems Strategic Evolution: Adapting Trends Without Losing Core Identity Beyond the X's & O's: The Power of Relationships and Shared Experiences Total Alignment: Masterclass in Team Communication and Feedback Developing the Next Generation with the Harbaugh Coaching Academy Looking to become a better coach on and off the field? Check out Harbaugh Coaching Academy—a free resource built for coaches who want to strengthen their leadership, improve team culture, and make a lasting impact on their athletes. Learn from championship coaches looking to help you grow at every stage of your coaching journey. Visit HarbaughCoachingAcademy.org and start elevating your game today. Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: ⁠@CoachKGrabowski⁠ Harbaugh Coaching Academy: ⁠@HarbaughCoach Story of the Season's Recruiting Profiles - Give your players better college exposure with Story of the Season's new web-based recruiting profiles. You can build a custom team recruiting page with interactive player profiles, highlights, headshots, stats, academic info, Hudl links, coach comments, and more. Set up is quick, easy, and free to try until 2027 at ⁠recruiting.storyoftheseason.com⁠. X: ⁠@StoryTheSeason Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Pursuit of Perfection and Raising Standards - John Harbaugh, HC, New York Giants

  3. 4d ago

    One Play at a Time - Teaching the Modern Player

    I came back to coaching after a decade away and walked straight into the same problem I left: a playbook full of good information that players weren't retaining. This episode is the "why" behind everything that follows in this series — the research on how today's players actually learn, the three-tier video framework (Foundation, Reminder, Connection) we built around it with Just Play, and why NFL teams are now paying people whose only job is to make coaches better teachers. If you coach, and you've ever handed a kid two hundred pages and hoped it stuck, this one's for you. In this episode: The binder, the $20 bill, and what neither one ever taught our players Why coming back to coaching in 2026 felt like starting over The owner's-manual problem — and why install meetings still work that way What the research says about how Gen Z players actually learn (Thomas Kane's "learning recession," the 59% YouTube stat) Why the NFL now employs instructional designers — and what that says about the rest of us The 7-on-7 moment that exposed the gap between knowing a play and understanding it The three-tier framework: Foundation, Reminder, Connection — and the learning science behind each one The analogy that ties it all together: the flight manual vs. the flight simulator Why we explain the "why" to our players, not just the "what" Quotable: "We stopped asking players to adapt to our teaching, and started adapting our teaching to the player." "The playbook was never wrong. It was incomplete." "They knew the play. They didn't understand the play." Mentioned in this episode: Kevin Hoying (Just Play) staff onboarding cut-up Custom GPT presentation Learn more about Just Play Sports Solutions Just Play Sports Solutions is the coaching platform we use to build, teach, and deliver our offensive system at Bay High School. Throughout this series, you'll see how we're using Just Play for installation, player learning, practice preparation, communication, quizzes, and staff collaboration. About the series: One Play at a Time follows Keith Grabowski's return to the sidelines as Offensive Coordinator and QB coach at Bay High School after a decade away, documenting how the staff installs, teaches, and communicates the offense across a full season. This series is presented by Just Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    One Play at a Time - Teaching the Modern Player

  4. Jul 22

    The Passing Lab - The State of the Passing Game - Caleb Corrill, OC, Georgetown College

    In this episode of The Passing Lab, host Josh Herring sits down with Caleb Corrill to examine the latest trends and developments transforming the modern passing game. The episode explains how top play-callers modify their passing strategies to tackle evolving defensive schemes. The discussion covers the renewed focus on quick game and spacing concepts that challenge vision-based spot-drop coverages. Coach Corrill explains the tactical benefits of pre-snap motion, including its ability to influence coverages, create leverage, and cause immediate post-snap challenges for defenders. The interview also addresses the compromises between play-action and RPOs, as well as strategies for deep choice routes and protection rules, delivering valuable insights for coaches striving to develop an efficient and dynamic passing attack. Chapters Analyzing the Current State of the Passing Game Speed on the Perimeter: The Resurgence of Modern Quick Game Attacking Space: Beating Vision Spot Drop Coverages Pre-Snap Motion: Creating Pre-Snap Leverage and Defensive Friction Play-Action vs RPO: Balancing Run-Pass Conflicts Evolving the Read: Creative RPO Variations and Constraints In-Game Adjustments: Leveraging Headset Communication on Game Day Dialing Up the Deep Ball: Protection Rules and Deep Choice Concepts Emerging Trends and Future Directions in the Air Attack If you're looking for practical ways to build a more efficient, more explosive passing game, the Passing Lab Smart Clinic gives you over 20 hours of instruction from coaches who do it every Friday night. Get instant access today at: https://smartclinics.coachandcoordinator.com/thepassinglab Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Josh Herring: @joshherring1 Caleb Corrill: @CalebCorrill Story of the Season's Recruiting Profiles - Give your players better college exposure with Story of the Season's new web-based recruiting profiles. You can build a custom team recruiting page with interactive player profiles, highlights, headshots, stats, academic info, Hudl links, coach comments, and more. Set up is quick, easy, and free to try until 2027 at recruiting.storyoftheseason.com. X: @StoryTheSeason Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Passing Lab - The State of the Passing Game - Caleb Corrill, OC, Georgetown College

  5. Jul 20

    The Turnaround - Transforming a Rebuilding Program Into a Championship Contender - Kevin Hastin, HC, Meridian HS (ID)

    On this episode of The Turnaround, we explore the blueprint for program transformation with Coach Hastin, revealing what it takes to resurrect a struggling football team. Part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this episode moves beyond the X's and O's to focus on the human element of building a winning culture from the ground up. Coach Hastin shares strategies for accelerating relationship-building with players and gaining vital administrative support for new athletic initiatives. The conversation covers implementing a unified weight room program, navigating early-season struggles, and adapting offensive systems to fit player strengths and community needs. From leading Sherwood through a challenging transition to balancing coaching demands with family life, this interview is an inspiring tutorial in program building. Coach Hastin shows how a continuous focus on daily character development, meaningful relationships, and steadfastness lays the basis for sustained championship-level success. Chapters The Foundation of Building Relationships and Team Culture Alignment from the Top: Gaining Administrative Support for Your Program Speeding Up the Process: How to Accelerate Connection with a New Roster Navigating Early Pressures: On-Field Performance and Overcoming Initial Challenges The Sherwood Transition: Fighting Through Early Struggles and Adversity Flipping the Script: Practical Steps for Turning a Season Around The Rebuild Blueprint: Managing Expectations and Restructuring Habits Scheme Flexibility: Adapting Offensive Strategies to Fit Player Talents Balancing Career with Family and Winning Through Character Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Michael Echaves: @coachechaves Story of the Season's Recruiting Profiles - Give your players better college exposure with Story of the Season's new web-based recruiting profiles. You can build a custom team recruiting page with interactive player profiles, highlights, headshots, stats, academic info, Hudl links, coach comments, and more. Set up is quick, easy, and free to try until 2027 at recruiting.storyoftheseason.com. X: @StoryTheSeason Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Jul 16

    The Passing Lab - Teaching Option Routes and High-Speed Crossing Packages - Colin Duling

    On this episode of The Passing Lab, host Josh Herring sits down with Bethel University offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Colin Duling to break down the mechanics behind a high-efficiency passing game. Part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this episode breaks down how to construct a unique, defense-straining offensive system without overwhelming your quarterback. Coach Duling shares his blueprint for a highly evolved, yet incredibly simple RPO philosophy, highlighted by the concrete rules of the "zero read." The conversation explores the micro-mechanics of pairing pass-run concepts, teaching crossing packages, and training wide receivers to make split-second option route decisions. From leveraging unbalanced formations and ineligible blocking schemes to structuring high-efficiency tempo and adjusting sideline-to-box play-calling, this interview is an essential masterclass for coordinators looking to play fast, play clean, and keep defenses on their heels. Chapters Welcoming Bethel University OC Colin Dooling System Architecture: Designing a Unique & Defense-Straining Offense Defining the Zero Read: Simplifying RPO Philosophy for the QB RPO Pairing: Matching Run Schemes with High-Percentage Passes The Crossing Package: Conceptual Route Teaching & Spacing Post-Snap Adjustments: Teaching Option Routes and Receiver Decisions Reading the Field: Front Side vs. Backside Progression Rules Playing with Pace: Merging Tempo, Shifts, and Practice Efficiency QB Evaluation: Critical Mental and Physical Traits for the System Game Day Execution: Play Calling Dynamics & Cold Weather Strategy If you're looking for practical ways to build a more efficient, more explosive passing game, the Passing Lab Smart Clinic gives you over 20 hours of instruction from coaches who do it every Friday night. Get instant access today at: https://smartclinics.coachandcoordinator.com/thepassinglab Connect on X: Colin Duling: @ColinDuling Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Passing Lab - Teaching Option Routes and High-Speed Crossing Packages - Colin Duling

  7. Jul 13

    Art of Practice - Creating Game Urgency in Practice - Evan Karchner, HC, Maumee HS (OH) and Lucas Stanton, HC, Solon HS (IA)

    On this episode of Art of Practice, presented by GoRout, host Keith Grabowski is joined by Evan Karchner, head coach at Maumee High School in Ohio, and Lucas Stanton, head coach at Solon High School in Iowa. Together, they explore how coaches can turn practice from script-running into a competitive, pressure-filled environment. Karchner and Stanton share strategies for creating game-day urgency during Tuesday and Wednesday practices, including Purple vs. Gold situational drills, deliberate special teams competitions, and sudden-change two-minute scenarios. They also explain how keeping score through turnovers, explosive plays, and other key metrics builds accountability and reveals how players respond under pressure. The discussion also highlights how GoRout reduces operational downtime, allowing practices to stay fast-paced, efficient, and focused. The result is an environment that keeps players mentally engaged, physically fresh, and better prepared for game day. Chapters The Core Essence of Competitive Practice Environments Keeping Score: Tracking Turnovers & Metrics to Drive Accountability Creative Compete Structures: Organizing Purple vs. Gold Periods Sudden Change: Maximizing Two-Minute and Situational Game Scenarios High-Stakes Third Phase: Special Teams Competitive Drills & Techniques Special Teams Strategy: Maintaining Full-Roster Intensity & Alignment Micro-Competitions: Implementing Pressure Points in Small Group Work The Efficiency Audit: Eliminating Dead Script Time to Keep Players Fresh Tech-Driven Tempo: Utilizing GoRoute to Accelerate Practice Reps Podcast Link: Work Your Special Teams with a Kicking Scrimmage Learn More About Our Partner - GoRout GoRout helps coaches eliminate huddles, increase reps, and maximize efficiency with their game-changing technology. Sign up using code “coordinator” for up to 50% off setup fees at https://gorout.com/podcast/ Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Evan Karchner: @CoachKarch Lucas Stanton: @CoachStanton20 GoRout: @Go_Rout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Art of Practice - Creating Game Urgency in Practice - Evan Karchner, HC, Maumee HS (OH) and Lucas Stanton, HC, Solon HS (IA)

  8. Jul 10

    Football IQ - The Future of Quarterback Development - Nate Longshore, Founder, QB Method

    On this episode of Football IQ, presented by American Football IQ, we explore the future of player development with former Cal QB and QB Method founder Nate Longshore. As part of the Coach and Coordinator Network, this episode shows how elite programs move past traditional film study to develop a quarterback's internal processor. Coach Longshore shares his unique philosophy on how modern defensive coordinators use rotating middle-closed shells and simulated pressures to create chaotic, ever-changing pictures for quarterbacks. We investigate innovative coaching strategies that engage an athlete's different senses to accelerate learning, master complicated read progressions, and optimize throwing biomechanics. We also examine technology-driven player development, showing how tools like REPS VR let quarterbacks accumulate thousands of game-speed mental reps without physical wear and tear. Chapters Defining Football IQ as Defensive Anticipation From the Hardwood to the Gridiron: Nate Longshore’s Journey The Tedford Era: Lessons in Elite Quarterback Preparation at Cal The Cognitive Leap: The Evolution of Quarterback Training & Football IQ Silicon Valley on the Field: Integrating Advanced Technology into Practice Whiteboards & Notebooks: The Lasting Power of Analog Learning in a Digital Age Stealing Reps: How Virtual Reality (VR) Accelerates Processing Speeds Decoding the Shell: Deconstructing Modern Quarterback Read Types Kinetic Chains: Improving Arm Strength and Throwing Biomechanics Composure Under Pressure: The Mental and Emotional Makeup of QB1 Connect on X: Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski Doug Brady: @CoachDougBrady Nathan Longshore: @mrlongshore Check out QB Method by Coach Longshore: https://www.qbmethod.com/ American Football IQ is a leading platform dedicated to helping players, coaches, and fans truly understand the game, not just memorize it. Through film-room style breakdowns, tactical education, and widely used training flashcards, AFIQ teaches you how to read defenses, recognize coverages, and process the game faster so you can play faster. Trusted by thousands worldwide, it is built for anyone serious about elevating their football IQ. Learn more at https://americanfootballiq.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Football IQ - The Future of Quarterback Development - Nate Longshore, Founder, QB Method
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Keith Grabowski interviews the most knowledgeable head coaches, coordinators, and position coaches from professional, college, and high school football. Keith and his guests discuss the philosophy, concepts, schemes, and strategies that they have learned throughout their careers. Each show includes a specific idea that can be applied to help coaches at every level find the winning edge.

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