Desert Valley Blitz

CV Hustle Studios

Welcome to Desert Valley Blitz – the podcast dedicated to spotlighting our local tackle football scene. From the youth leagues to Friday night lights and everything in between, we’re bringing you the stories, players, and coaches that make the desert gridiron special. If you love CV football as much as we do, hit that follow and join us on this journey. New episodes dropping soon! 🎙️ #DesertValleyBlitz #CVFootball #CoachellaValleySports #FridayNightLights #DesertFootball”

  1. 2d ago

    EP#34-How A Pro Football Journey Became A Youth Training Mission-The Devin Jones Story

    Send us Fan Mail One bad social media post can cost a scholarship, and Devin Jones has seen it happen up close. Devin is a former LSU player who fought through the undrafted NFL grind with stops at multiple training camps and practice squads, then kept his career alive in arena and semi pro football. Now he’s pouring that hard earned perspective into youth sports training in the Coachella Valley through Empowerment, plus taking on a new challenge on the Shadow Hills coaching staff. We talk about what athletes rarely hear out loud: football is a business, and being “good” does not guarantee a roster spot. Devin breaks down the mental side of getting cut, how COVID changed his direction, and what it really takes to pivot from athlete to business owner. He shares how Empowerment builds athletes with assessments, safe strength progressions, and clear teaching so players know why they’re doing each drill and how it translates on game day. Then we get practical for any high school athlete chasing D1 football recruiting. Devin explains how coaches scout today, why your Instagram should look like a clean recruiting profile with your name, class year, GPA, and film link, and how recovery habits like ice baths, sauna, and smarter workload choices can keep you on the field when it matters. We also zoom out on Coachella Valley football, the rising level of competition, and what it means when more trainers and coaches give back. Subscribe for more Coach’s Corner talks, share this with a parent or athlete who needs it, and leave a review if the message hits. What is one thing you want recruiters to notice first when they find you online?

    EP#34-How A Pro Football Journey Became A Youth Training Mission-The Devin Jones Story
  2. Jul 9

    EP33-How Coach P Built A Winning Football Culture in Desert Hot Springs

    Send us Fan Mail One two-point call can change a season, but Coach Roy Provost says the real work happens on ordinary days. We’re joined by the all-time wins leader at Desert Hot Springs High School to talk about how a program once labeled inconsistent turned into a team nobody wants to see late in the fourth quarter. From his beginnings coaching youth football to building DHS into a playoff regular, Coach P lays out the mindset behind standards that stick and players who stay. We get into the culture details that most people miss: leading with love while still being blunt, creating buy-in so athletes trust the staff, and building a “family” that alumni actually return to. Coach Provost shares the playoff moments fans remember, including the read option and triple option calls that led to huge two-point conversions, and why he’d rather put the game in his players’ hands than wait for overtime. If you care about high school football leadership, program building, and player development in the Coachella Valley, there’s a lot to take from how DHS trains, competes, and responds when games get tight. The conversation also goes beyond X’s and O’s. Coach P explains why academics and eligibility drive everything, how study table time is built into the day, and why multi-sport athletes often stay healthier and sharper. We talk division movement, scheduling headaches, the CIF playoff algorithm, long road trips, and the mentors who shaped his coaching style. Subscribe, share this with a local football fan, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway from Coach Provost’s approach.

    EP33-How Coach P Built A Winning Football Culture in Desert Hot Springs
  3. Apr 11

    EP#30-Coachella Showcase 2026-Shining a Spotlight on Coachella Valley Football Talent

    Send us Fan Mail Going 10-0 sounds like the finish line, but Coach Chris Johnson doesn’t talk like a coach who’s satisfied. We sit down with the Desert Christian Academy head man to unpack what an undefeated regular season really means, why the standard is CIF and a state championship, and how a young roster can become a long-term Coachella Valley high school football problem for everyone on the schedule. We get specific about the work: early-morning weight room sessions, building the run game from the trenches, and creating leaders before the first snap of the fall. Coach Johnson also opens the doors on Saturdays, inviting athletes from any program to come compete, sharpen fundamentals, and raise the level of desert football together. Then we dig into the hot topic: CIF playoff divisions and algorithm seeding. Coach Johnson shares an old-school take on why principals and athletic directors should have a stronger voice, while still embracing tougher leagues, tougher opponents, and the kind of exposure that helps kids get recruited. Finally, we break down the Coachella Showcase at DCA on May 1–3: Zybek verified combine testing, classroom-to-field evaluation, pro coaching, a linemen-focused GOAT competition with a championship belt, 7-on-7 action, vendors, sponsorships, and girls flag football added to the weekend. Subscribe, share this with a desert football family, and leave us a review with one question you want answered before kickoff season.

    EP#30-Coachella Showcase 2026-Shining a Spotlight on Coachella Valley Football Talent
  4. Apr 4

    EP#29-From CIF Quarterback To Xavier Prep Head Coach-The Michael Karls Story

    Send us Fan Mail A CIF championship quarterback becomes a head coach, and the mindset shift is bigger than any playbook. We sit down with Xavier Prep Saints head coach Michael Carls to trace how a lifelong love of football turned into a leadership mission after an injury ended his playing career. He breaks down the addictive part of coaching: building a plan during the week, installing it with precision, then watching it come alive under the lights when your players execute it perfectly.  From his Palm Springs days, Carls brings a clear standard: league wins matter, but CIF championships define the goal. We talk about how that postseason mentality translates to building Xavier Prep football, including what he wants the program to look like on the field and what he refuses to compromise off it. Carls also digs into offensive philosophy, including run and shoot roots, quick-game timing, and the most important rule of all: adapt the scheme to your quarterback and your roster. If you love the details of high school football strategy, you’ll hear how he teaches “what did you see?” so players understand why a call works, not just what to do.  We also get real about the modern CIF landscape: new league structures, preseason scheduling, and the playoff algorithm that can reward or punish teams in surprising ways. Carls shares how he thinks about controllables, why staffing is about teaching and mentoring as much as X’s and O’s, and what advice he’d give young coaches trying to break into the profession. If you’re a player, parent, coach, or fan in the Coachella Valley football scene, there’s plenty here on culture building, player development, and college readiness. Subscribe, share the show with a coach or parent who cares, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

    EP#29-From CIF Quarterback To Xavier Prep Head Coach-The Michael Karls Story
  5. Mar 14

    EP#27-How Coach LD Matthews Built A Consistent High School Football Power

    Send us Fan Mail You can hear it in Coach LD Matthews’ voice: high school football isn’t just a sport to him, it’s a community engine. We talk about how a kid from rural Montana grows up on Friday night lights, survives a winding college football journey full of injuries, and eventually lands in the Coachella Valley to coach and teach. What starts as a leap with no job lined up turns into two decades of lessons on leadership, toughness, and showing up for people when it’s hard. We get into what it really takes to build a winning program at Rancho Mirage High School when you’re starting from zero: no traditions, no alumni base, and the daily grind of earning trust. Coach Matthews breaks down the years that led to playoff runs and a CIF championship game appearance, plus the story every local football fan needs to hear, an eight-overtime marathon that tested hydration, focus, and belief. Along the way, we dig into the mentors and community members who shaped him, and why gratitude is a competitive advantage. If you’re a coach, parent, or athlete, the practical takeaways hit fast: consistency comes from staff alignment, clear standards, and a life-after-football mission. Coach Matthews shares his “E + R = O” approach to adversity, explains how his shotgun and midline identity forces defenses into conflict, and gives an honest look at discipline, competitive equity, playoff algorithms, and scheduling strategy in today’s data-driven high school football landscape. We also shout out the Rancho Mirage football golf tournament fundraiser and how to support the program at rmhs.psusd.us/football. Subscribe for more Coachella Valley football conversations, share this with a coach who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway from Coach Matthews’ mindset. RMHS Football Golf Fundraiser Info: https://rmhs.psusd.us/athletics/sport-by-sport/football/football-fundraising

    EP#27-How Coach LD Matthews Built A Consistent High School Football Power

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About

Welcome to Desert Valley Blitz – the podcast dedicated to spotlighting our local tackle football scene. From the youth leagues to Friday night lights and everything in between, we’re bringing you the stories, players, and coaches that make the desert gridiron special. If you love CV football as much as we do, hit that follow and join us on this journey. New episodes dropping soon! 🎙️ #DesertValleyBlitz #CVFootball #CoachellaValleySports #FridayNightLights #DesertFootball”