Fired Coaches Podcast

Marcus Wiegert
  • 4.7 (42)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice. Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most.

  1. Aug 20

    Episode 100 - Marcus Wiegert with Jon Stoehr

    Episode 100! Marcus Wiegert on coaching and building Fired Coaches PodcastMarcus Wiegert reflects on the six year journey behind the Fired Coaches podcast. With guest host Jon Stoehr guiding the discussion, Marcus shares how small town Wisconsin, college basketball, coaching turnover, and a major career setback all led to the show. We discuss Marcus’s path from athlete to coach to podcast host, the lessons he took from years in Division III basketball, and why he started creating a space for people to talk honestly about being fired or let go. “I miss being miserable.” - Mike Worrell 02:28 - Why this episode is about Marcus’s story and the podcast’s origin 03:24 - Small town Wisconsin roots and where Marcus’s sports obsession began05:24 - Childhood dreams, scouting interests, and the move toward coaching 06:30 - What track, basketball and football taught him in high school 10:15 - How coaching turnover at Antigo shaped his long term perspective 11:24 - Why he chose Marian 12:36 - Sophomore year breakthroughs and moving from point guard to shooting guard 13:33 - Senior year frustration and team success 15:55 - Starting the college coaching path at UW-Superior 17:37 - D3 culture and Coach Dave Buchanan’s influence 19:03 - Marketing, fundraising, recruiting, development and coaching 20:49 - The return to Marian and doing 30 plus things on-campus 22:26 - The dream job opening and the reality of finishing second 24:49 - Getting the bad news and deciding whether to stay or leave 26:10 - Leaving for summer baseball 31:09 - The idea for Fired Coaches 32:55 - Early goals for the podcast and the first signs it could work 34:20 - Audience growth, consistency, and the pressure to keep improving 37:35 - Goals versus mile markers 39:16 - Why Jon Stoehr prefers to pivot rather than copy rivals 41:51 - The Matt Doherty episode 49:42 - Research methods, AI, and the challenge of asking fresh questions 57:02 - The most outside the box guest and the most nervous interview 61:08 - Curiosity, life changes, and what the podcast has taught him 63:17 - Guests he would love to revisit and keep talking with longer 67:54 - Interviews he’s proud of and when the conversation just clicked 69:24 - What he learned most from guests and how perspective changed 74:23 - Would he coach differently now with everything he has learned 84:45 - Closing praise, congratulations on episode 100, and wrapping up Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.comcoaching, sports leadership, podcasting, resilience, career journey, sports management, small college athletics, sports psychology coaching, podcasting, sports, fired coaches, networking, interview tips, sports psychology, career development

  2. Aug 16

    Episode 99 - Zach Brandon

    Zach Brandon is a mental performance and leadership coach who previously spent seven years with the Arizona Diamondbacks in mental performance and coach development roles. He now runs MVP Mindset Consulting helping coaches and individuals, has his own podcast called “Win More, Live Better” and his own newsletter, Winning With Words. He was a pitcher at Linfield and won a D3 national title, has worked at IMG Academy, Cal State Fullerton and the previously mentioned Arizona Diamondbacks. Just over a year ago, I think he hosted one of the best podcast episodes of all-time with former Boise State and Washington football coach, Chris Petersen. 01:48 - Managing the long season and mental resilience 04:13 - Transitioning to leadership roles and impact 06:55 - The importance of foundational mental skills 10:14 - Proactive vs reactive mental health strategies 13:04 - The co-creation approach in coaching 16:12 - Building systems for mental skills at home 19:03 - Supporting coaches and addressing burnout 22:00 - The future of mental health in coaching 25:14 - The role of organizations in supporting coaches 28:06 - The importance of coaching oneself 30:52 - Leveraging support and mentorship in coaching 33:55 - Practical techniques for flow and focus Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

  3. Aug 13

    Episode 98 - Ronnie McGill

    Ronnie McGill shares how a small-town South Carolina kid who played nearly every position in high school ended up at North Carolina, then worked his way into NFL scouting through a detour in Nashville and a timely introduction. He breaks down what life really looks like inside NFL personnel departments. The tagging and grading process in New England including character, medical and mental flags. Being asked questions on advance scouting by Bill Belichick. He talks about what he learned from working with organizations like the Titans, Patriots, and Texans including why the “Patriot Way” is tough to replicate elsewhere. He shares what he learned from people in the profession like Lake Dawson and Dave Ziegler. He also discusses the realities of the profession, what he misses most about it and the tradeoff between football and family life. Ronnie now has his own consulting company. 02:16 - First scholarship offers and how App State and UNC entered the picture 09:48 - The knee injury and conversation in Nashville 14:17 - Why Lake Dawson changed his view of how to succeed in the NFL 17:28 - The reality of 21-hour workdays in New England and low starting pay 20:28 - Why New England coaches and scouts often had to be developed inside the system 21:23 - Why the Patriots culture was hard to copy elsewhere 24:18 - The tag-heavy scouting system and how New England organized player evals 27:48 - Knowing when to shut it down during marathon workdays 30:44 - What a year-round NFL scout’s lifestyle actually looks like 32:46 - Early mornings and waiver wire deadlines 36:39 - Why Houston felt like the right next step 38:23 - Being the sole expert on a weekly opponent advance 39:43 - How Belichick used questions to test whether staff really did the work 45:43 - Following beat writers and social media for hidden details 48:54 - Choosing family time over the NFL lifestyle 50:53 - Why missing weddings, births, and milestones is part of the job Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

  4. Aug 13

    Episode 97 - Andrew Wingreen

    Andrew Wingreen talks on building programs from scratch, next-play mentality, and the lessons behind his book Win One Won. Wingreen is the current head men’s basketball coach at New College of Florida (NAIA). Coach Wingreen shares what it takes to launch programs from scratch and the idea of winning one moment at a time. We discuss his path from student assistant to head coach, the value of “losing with” the right people and doing what it takes to staff in the profession. Andrew also previews his next book, Return the Cart, which focuses on culture, small choices, and personal accountability. He has coached at Northland International, Rockford, Bob Jones, Bethel (IN), Lancaster Bible and Stetson. 00:54 - Taking over New College of Florida and building from nothing 06:11 - The heart condition that redirected Andrew from playing to coaching 08:34 - Recruiting to a remote Christian school in northern Wisconsin 10:43 - Moving to Rockford and working multiple jobs 13:29 - Why Bob Jones was hard to say yes to and why he eventually did 16:29 - Losing the head coaching opportunity at Bob Jones 18:39 - The next-play mindset after a sudden career and housing setback 20:23 - How a marriage retreat helped him get Bethel assistant gig 21:34 - Why one year at Bethel was a major career accelerator 23:14 - Getting his first head coaching job at Lancaster Bible 24:47 - Moving to Stetson for a Division I opportunity 29:30 - “Win One One” book 31:29 - What’s next with Return the Cart Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

  5. Aug 6

    Episode 96 - Darren Savino

    Darren Savino, associate head coach at UCLA and a 30-year Division I veteran, explains his path from playing at St. Anthony in Jersey City to Seton Hall, St. John’s, East Carolina, New Mexico, Quinnipiac, Murray State, Rutgers, Cincinnati, and now UCLA. Coach Savino shares what he learned from Bob Hurley Sr., talked about his Division III playing career, and why genuine relationships have been the backbone of every opportunity he’s earned. We discuss how old-school camp culture helped young coaches network and learn, why being willing to take any job kept Savino in the profession, how a tough stretch without work led him to building a routine, how he found out a job was still open by listening to sports talk radio and his tight knit relationship with Mick Cronin. 01:05 - Growing up with Bob Hurley and learning the game at St. Anthony 02:38 - Jersey City toughness, St. Anthony’s challenges, and a fighter’s mindset 04:03 - Why Division III shaped his love for coaching and the game 05:48 - How camp basketball used to build careers and relationships 9:27 - Seton Hall administrative year taught him how the business works 11:41 - Fran Fraschilla and St. John’s 16:54 - Getting fired at St. John’s 17:53 - Taking a low-paid job at East Carolina 22:39 - How David Pump connected him to Mick Cronin at Murray State 25:21 - Why Murray State worked so quickly and why Coach Cronin stood out as a coach 26:41 - Choosing Rutgers over Cincinnati to be closer to family during a difficult health situation 29:59 - The stressful job search after Rutgers and using Panera Bread as a work base 32:48 - The lesson of building real relationships 38:56 - What 16 years of stability with Coach Cronin has meant at Cincinnati and UCLA 40:30 - How he keeps learning through Euro basketball and reading Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

  6. Aug 4

    Episode 95 - Jim Boone

    Coach Jim Boone shares his extensive coaching journey, from playing at West Virginia State to leading programs at the Division II and Division I levels. Coach Boone discusses becoming a head coach at a young age, implementing Pack Line Defense, being let go at Eastern Michigan, rebuilding programs, relationships with Don Meyer and Bob Starkey, staying in touch with players and giving back to the game. He has been a head coach at Division I Robert Morris and Eastern Michigan, Division II California University of Pennsylvania, Tusculum, West Virginia Wesleyan, Delta State, Arkansas Fort Smith, Division III Greensboro and currently the head coach at NAIA Missouri Valley College. 02:00 – Early playing days and coaching influences 04:15 – Balancing family and coaching career with an MBA pursuit 10:45 – Transition to head coach at California U of Pennsylvania 13:20 – Building a culture and early successes 16:00 – Turning down opportunities 17:50 – Breaking into NCAA Division I with Robert Morris 20:10 – Growth and success at Robert Morris, rankings, and championships 24:50 – Defensive philosophy: from aggressive press to learning from Dick Bennett with pack line 28:50 – Giving back: clinics, mentorship, and coaching philosophy 30:40 – Moving to Eastern Michigan 36:00 – Leading teams through adversity and resource limitations 39:20 – Reflection on coaching longevity and staying connected 49:55 – The importance of relationships and giving back in coaching Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

  7. Jul 29

    Episode 94 - Jake von Scherrer

    Listen to Jake von Scherrer's journey through coaching, athletic administration, and podcasting. He spent time at the high school and college level (Umpqua, Missouri Valley College, Norwich). Spending time working in seven different states. He talks about early influences with coaching, adaptability, networking, processes, learning from career setbacks, starting his podcast and much more! 02:30 - Influence of mentors and early coaching experiences 04:10 - Transition from high school to college coaching 09:30 - The importance of documenting processes and systems in coaching 12:15 - Building relationships and navigating change 15:00 - The impact of Steve Prefontaine on Olympic and college track culture 18:00 - Moving across the country and embracing new coaching environments 25:00 - The role of persistence career opportunities 30:00 - Handling setbacks, layoffs, and career transitions 34:10 - Launching and growing the Educational AD Podcast 38:00 - Lessons learned from podcasting and giving others a voice 41:30 - Reflecting on the joys of coaching relationships and community impactFired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

  8. Jul 27

    Episode 93 - Mike DuFrane

    Football Coach Mike DuFrane started his career at Division III with playing success at UW-Whitewater where he was part of a national championship program. He spent many years coaching D3 and D2 football across the Midwest (Minnesota-Morris, Carthage, Loras, Marietta, St. Scholastica, Finlandia, Northern Michigan) and is currently an assistant football coach at Enterprise High School in Alabama. This episode dives into roster building, building programs, developing recruiting relationships across Midwest, importance of family and much more! 00:00 - Introduction and Mike’s background from Whitewater to coaching 02:00 - The culture of Whitewater football and its influence 05:00 - Transition from player to coach: early stops at Morris and Carthage 08:00 - Building programs with small rosters during COVID-19 12:00 - Methodologies for recruiting during challenging circumstances 15:00 - The importance of program identity and standing out from traditional powerhouses 18:00 - Creative practice strategies with limited athlete availability 22:00 - Finlandia’s challenges and program shutdown experience 26:00 - Moving to Division II at Northern Michigan and key lessons learned 33:00 - The transition to Alabama: new opportunities and facilities 37:00 - Family-driven decisions and life in the deep south 41:00 - Future outlook and coaching philosophy Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most. The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice.Make sure to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Follow on X - https://x.com/firedcoachespodFollow our Newsletter - https://firedcoachespod.beehiiv.com/

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4.7
out of 5
42 Ratings

About

The ONLY podcast dedicated to giving fired, resigned or non-renewed coaches a voice. Fired Coaches Podcast will give you perspective of what it is like to lose a coaching position at the college level. Episodes will contain the trials and tribulations that coaches went through and give insight on what matters most.

Information

  • Creator
    Marcus Wiegert
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Marcus Wiegert
  • Show Website
    Fired Coaches Podcast