The Coaching 101 Podcast

Kenny Simpson and Daniel Chamberlain
  • 4.8 (54)
  • FOOTBALL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosted by Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson, where football coaching takes center stage! Whether you're a seasoned football coach, a rookie on the sidelines, or just a die-hard fan eager to learn more about the game, this podcast is your playbook for success. Join Daniel and Kenny as they break down game strategies, share insights on player development, explore leadership on and off the field, and tackle the challenges of coaching at every level. Featuring interviews with top coaches, athletes, and experts, every episode is packed with tips, stories, and strategies to help you build winning teams and inspire greatness. Step onto the field and into the minds of coaching pros—because greatness starts with the right game plan!

  1. 1D AGO

    Q&A: Accountability, Building Culture, and Starting (or Rebuilding) a Program

    On the Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss being worn down late in the season, Kenny’s Coaches Cap (coachescap.com) and the importance of skin care after Daniel has minor surgery, then pivot to a Q&A episode. Daniel shares he was let go from a new head coaching job after making too many small mistakes, losing the AD’s trust, and pushing culture changes too quickly, emphasizing extreme ownership; Kenny advises interviewing administration for support. They share a quote of the week from Tom Landry—“You can’t improve what you don’t define”—and Kenny promotes his upcoming fiction book Iron Valley (May 15) and a Field House spring-install session (April 26). Key coaching topics include balancing being a player’s coach with accountability, avoiding harassment, rebuilding struggling programs through alignment, easy wins, realistic goals, and culture, spring football priorities, staff-building mistakes, parent trust through communication and involvement events, and first steps to start a program from scratch, plus sponsor mentions. 00:00 Welcome To Coaching 101 00:41 Season Grind And Travel 01:22 Coaches Cap And Skin Care 03:46 Let Go From Head Job 05:32 Quote Of The Week Intent 07:22 Iron Valley Book Launch 10:11 Sponsors And Shoutouts 12:51 Q And A Player Coach Balance 20:55 Dream Matchup OU Vs Miami 23:27 Young Coach Beliefs Changed 28:18 Build Your Perfect Scheme 29:25 Dream Scheme Picks 29:46 Defensive Coordinator Choice 30:19 Arkansas Spread Innovators 31:13 Wishbone With Switzer 31:54 Fixing Struggling Programs 32:51 Culture And Easy Wins 36:21 Spring Ball Priorities 42:09 Staff Building Mistakes 47:48 Finding Great Assistants 50:43 Winning Parent Trust 56:06 Starting From Scratch 57:21 Field House And Sponsors 01:00:12 Final Thanks And Signoff Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    1h 4m

  2. APR 9

    Simple Defensive Answers vs Modern Spread & Tempo Offenses

    On an Easter Sunday episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson discuss simple defensive answers to modern spread offenses, focusing on defending space and tempo with rules-based systems. They emphasize having a defensive “home” with adaptable rules, simplifying scouting reports to key players and a few core calls, empowering select defenders to make limited checks, and using defensive timeouts when alignments are dangerous. To reduce mental busts, they stress practicing tempo looks, drilling situations like third down and red zone, using concise film cutups, and establishing clear non-negotiables (e.g., don’t get beat deep or lose the edge). They also advocate teaching concepts through layering, ensuring players know their help, and leveraging personnel packages to highlight player strengths. 00:00 Podcast Kickoff 00:38 Easter Choir Stories 02:46 Road Trip to Oklahoma 04:17 Clinics and Zoom Install 05:51 New Fiction Book 07:42 Sponsor Shoutouts 10:06 Quote on Leadership 12:52 Defending Spread Offense 16:43 Rules Based Defense 21:54 Alignment Tempo and Timeouts 26:32 Expecting Mental Busts 26:43 Practice Under Pressure 28:57 Situational Defense Days 29:57 Let Them Fail 30:29 Film Cutups That Stick 32:10 Non Negotiables Rules 34:03 Rules Based Coverage Fixes 37:44 Match Coverage Over Spot Drop 40:19 Simple Keys Base Rules 42:41 Teach Concepts Layering 45:05 Help Rules Personnel Packages 48:00 Sponsors Season Eight Wrap 49:59 Socials Final Message Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    54 min

  3. APR 6

    Building an Offensive Identity: How to Decide What Your Team Does Best w/ Jason Parker

    On this episode of The Coaching 101 Podcast, Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson are joined by Caddo/“Cola” coach Jason Parker to discuss building an offensive identity and deciding what a team should do best. They cover evaluating personnel relative to opponents, starting with what coaches can teach, and adapting within a system rather than changing offenses yearly. Kenny explains using strengths/weaknesses, planning for worst-case scenarios, and trimming the play menu with a “rule of three,” while Parker shares his program’s evolution from unbalanced single wing to adding spread and screens, plus lessons from temporarily abandoning what his kids knew best. They also address preventing outside pressure from forcing scheme changes, using player confidence as a factor in key calls, and briefly debate Memphis’ decision to ban practice music, plus sponsor and clinic updates. 00:00 Podcast Kickoff 00:46 Offseason Travel Updates 03:14 Spring Ball Rules Explained 04:26 Quote of the Week Intensity 07:03 Sponsors and Shoutouts 09:19 Building Offensive Identity 14:56 Parker’s Personnel-Based Evolution 22:23 Staying Systematic Not Chasing 30:23 Avoiding Scheme Creep on Staff 31:26 Single Wing Identity 34:41 Stop Scheme Chasing 37:51 Rule of Three Offense 42:32 Kids Know the Call 49:41 Roster Audit Process 53:20 Music at Practice Debate 57:13 Sponsors and Sign Off Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    1h 4m

  4. MAR 26

    Coaching Mistakes to Leave Behind: Efficiency, Process Over Wins, and Honest Self-Reflection

    On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson close out season seven by reflecting on coaching mistakes they’ve outgrown and how self-reflection improves teams and personal life. After a Lou Holtz quote about character in the final stretch, they discuss key lessons: time in the office doesn’t equal wins (an 0–10 season revealed inefficiency), winning at all costs isn’t the only goal (focus on development and process), chasing trends to look “cool” without purpose hurts execution, and too many rules create enforcement problems—simpler standards and individualized accountability work better than “equal” treatment. Daniel adds mistakes like believing X’s and O’s solve everything, assuming you have all the answers, and thinking leaders can’t ask for help. They explain why coaches miss their own flaws (confidence, loneliness, excuses, and critiquing others) and suggest improvement through mentors, self-care, continuous learning, structured feedback, and accepting hard truths. 00:00 Podcast Cold Open 00:26 Walkup Music Idea 01:38 Season Finale Setup 01:59 Mistakes Theme Intro 03:01 Quote and Book Plugs 05:45 Sponsors Shoutouts 08:16 Kenny Mistake Time Equals Wins 12:14 Beyond Winning At All Costs 14:36 Stop Chasing Trends 16:28 Simpler Rules Better Culture 20:25 Daniel Xs and Os Limits 22:39 Leaders Ask for Help 22:59 Asking for Help 23:34 Staffing Beyond Friends 24:19 Why Leaders Miss Flaws 27:25 Finding Reality Checks 28:30 Excuses and Blame Traps 31:29 Confidence Versus Humility 35:49 Healthy Self Improvement 41:32 Feedback Culture and AARs 44:08 Hard Truths and Growth 45:15 Sponsors and Wrap Up Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    52 min

  5. MAR 21

    The First 15 Plays in Football: Scripted Drives, Strategy, and Game Planning

    On The Coaching 101 Podcast, Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson recap returning from Boston clinics, then discuss how they script plays and drives. Simpson explains that because their offense is unique, early plays aim to both score and gather information by showing motions, shifts, empty, trips, and unbalanced looks to confirm defensive alignments, rotations, and player keys, revealing advantages and matchups. Chamberlain adds scripting can also create future scouting complexity while avoiding rigid adherence to long 15–20 play scripts that can ignore hot plays, rhythm, personnel groupings, or standout athletes. Simpson uses a “3 plays for each of the first 3 drives” approach plus additional first/second half calls, and also scripts third-down and red-zone calls as tools to rely on under pressure. They note scripts evolve weekly based on opponent strengths, their own personnel, and tendency breakers without overthinking. 00:00 Podcast kickoff in Boston 00:44 Family trip and Bruins stories 02:46 Clinic tour and spring prep 04:18 Head coach time management 05:48 Quote of the week setup 07:32 Sponsor shoutouts 10:52 Scripting plays overview 12:27 Early script to gather intel 17:36 Daniel’s scripting philosophy 20:22 Breaking the old script rules 22:06 Script as a flexible tool 23:08 Call Sheet Mindset 24:26 Scripting Three Drives 25:57 Personnel Rotation Planning 27:38 Situational Scripts 29:41 When to Go Off Script 32:14 Evolving Weekly Scripts 38:05 Wrinkles and Tendency Breakers 41:32 Overthinking Tendencies 42:45 Wrap Up and Sponsors Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    51 min
  6. How to Teach Football Concepts to HS Players (not just coaches)

    MAR 12

    How to Teach Football Concepts to HS Players (not just coaches)

    On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Coach Kenny Simpson discuss clinic season in Houston and Daniel’s new head coaching job, then share a quote: “The best competitors have a short memory and have a long focus,” emphasizing competing without fear of failure. They highlight sponsors and Kenny’s resources, then dive into teaching high school players concepts rather than memorized plays by starting with the big picture, using rules-based “families,” layering installs, and keeping language modular and consistent to avoid “wasted words.” They explain using formations, tags, and simple blitz/coverage rules to appear complex to opponents while staying simple for players, plus crawl-walk-run and pressure-testing in practice. They close with a game-management scenario on when to sub up 28 and the risks of doing it too early. 00:00 Clinic Season Check In 00:59 New Head Coach Buzz 02:44 Honeymoon Phase Advice 04:48 Quote of the Week 06:25 Sponsor Shoutouts 08:57 Teaching Concepts Not Plays 13:43 Rules Based Offense Defense 16:15 Families and Simple Rules 19:52 Consistent Language and Tags 24:30 Defensive Word Examples 25:55 Sticks Tag Cover Three 26:59 No Wasted Words 30:37 Rules Over Memorization 31:43 Making It Work Fridays 37:59 Install Crawl Walk Run 41:05 Situation Of The Week 46:44 Sponsors Books Clinics 50:46 Final Sign Off Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    55 min
  7. Why Simple Football Offenses win More Game Than Complex Schemes

    MAR 5

    Why Simple Football Offenses win More Game Than Complex Schemes

    Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson close out a shorter Coaching 101 Podcast episode by discussing why coaches should keep their football systems simple during clinic season, when it’s easy to overload an offense or defense with new ideas. They define “simple” as being simple for players (not necessarily for coaches or opponents), emphasizing fundamentals, clear rules, fewer mental errors, and the ability to make in-game adjustments through tags and modular layering rather than constantly adding new concepts. They argue that simplicity improves execution, confidence, tempo, and problem-solving, and they describe a funnel approach where coaches handle complexity while younger or less experienced players receive streamlined responsibilities. Kenny shares examples of building depth from a core concept like stick by changing who runs it, adding reads, and attaching it to runs as RPOs, while stressing that drawing up layers doesn’t matter without blocking, throwing, catching, and tackling. The episode includes a quote on poise from John Wooden about “just being you,” notes upcoming clinics (including a 4-2-5 defensive clinic in Boston March 13–14 and Kenny’s GUN-T clinic schedule), and sponsor mentions for Aport video boards, Winning Edge Performance Analytics, and Blended Threads, plus updates on Kenny’s books and the GUN-T System website and system owner pricing. 00:00 Welcome to Coaching 101 + Why This Episode Is Short 00:24 Clinic Season Danger: Don’t Bloat Your System 02:09 Fundamentals First: Simple Done Well Beats Creative Too Soon 02:50 Book Updates & the Buck Book Restock 04:27 Quote of the Week: John Wooden on Poise (Be Yourself) 07:38 Sponsor Shoutouts: Aport, Winning Edge Analytics, Blended Threads 09:43 Upcoming Clinics: 4-2-5 Boston + Gun-T Tour Dates 11:53 Part 1 Begins: What “Simple Scheme” Really Means 12:57 Simple for Players, Complex for Opponents: How to Layer Without Overload 22:56 Why Simplicity Wins: Faster Adjustments & Players Recognize Answers 25:08 Simple Systems = Confident Kids (Adjustments & Tempo) 26:34 How Simple Is Simple? Tempo, Two-Way Players & Football IQ 27:43 Keep Rules Small: Coverages, Checks & the “Funnel” Teaching Model 29:22 Why Two-Minute Offense Works (and Why Not Use It More?) 30:20 Why Simple Wins: Fundamentals, Fewer Errors & Smarter Line Roles 32:52 Modular Tags: Add “Looks” Without Adding Complexity 34:15 Burn It Down to an Identity: Core Runs + Layering Concepts 35:29 Stick Concept Deep Dive: Tags, Reads, Motions & RPO Attachments 39:51 Defense Version of Layering: Edge Blitzes + Coverage Rolls 41:40 Crockpot the Playbook: Trim, Master the Basics, Then Expand 43:20 Wrap-Up, Sponsors, and Where to Find the Hosts 48:05 Final Thanks & Closing Message: “Find a Way” Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    53 min
  8. In-Game Adjustments in High School Football: How to Adapt without Overthinking

    FEB 26

    In-Game Adjustments in High School Football: How to Adapt without Overthinking

    Daniel Chamberlain and Coach Kenny Simpson open with February coaching updates, including state conventions, the coaching carousel, and clinic season, and discuss the difference between social/job-networking clinics and scheme-intensive clinics. They share an Abraham Lincoln discipline quote and relate it to the GWAT 100 February mileage challenge. Kenny promotes his books (Complete Guide to Buck Sweep from the Shotgun and O-10 to 10-0), the Gun-T system update (7.0), and the move of Gun-T resources to gunteesystem.com, then lists upcoming Gun-T clinics (Sacramento, Houston, Ohio, Boston, and a newly added Tampa clinic March 20–21). Daniel promotes the 4-2-5 Defense Clinic in Boston (March 13–14), possible Naples, Florida dates, speakers including Brady Bradbury and a Massachusetts state-championship coach host, and notes early-bird pricing and hotel deadlines. The main topic is in-game adjustments: defining them as planned, built-in counters to unexpected looks or opponent changes (personnel, fronts, coverages, or targeted matchups), not desperation play-calling. They emphasize preparing adjustments in the offseason, keeping a small, concept-based system with tags, practicing answers during the week, assigning coaches specific “eyes” (front, back end, formations, fits), and communicating clearly between drives and at halftime, with great coaches adjusting in real time. Examples include flood-and-go, pop pass, false pulls, and formation changes when opponents struggle to align. They discuss evaluating adjustment ability (between drives vs halftime vs “we’ll fix it next week”), and the importance of writing down halftime plans. A “situation of the week” covers facing an unexpected bear front after preparing for two-high; Kenny explains abandoning dead scripted calls, using numbers/space and built-in tools, and coordinating quick conversations with line and QB coaches to adjust run game, protections, and pass/RPO answers before the next series. They close with sponsor mentions (Aport video boards and fundraising, Winning Edge Performance Analytics, Blended Threads), and share where to find them and the podcast on social media. 00:00 Welcome + February Coaching Carousel & Clinic Season 00:30 State Conventions: Networking, Gossip, and What Clinics Are Really For 02:55 Quote of the Week: Discipline (Lincoln) + Team Themes Update 04:14 G-Watt 100 Challenge: Discipline in Real Life 05:42 Books, Gun-T System Updates, and New Website Resources 07:56 Upcoming Clinics Tour + 4-2-5 Boston Details 12:45 Today’s Topic: What Are In-Game Adjustments? 19:03 Why In-Game Adjustments Matter (Neutralize Strengths, Exploit Weaknesses) 24:39 How Great Coaches Adjust: Between Drives, Halftime, and Preparation 30:16 Practical Steps: Defensive Adjustment Process (Don’t Chase Ghosts) 31:29 Defensive End-Game Adjustments: Stop the Star, Pressure the Backup QB 33:03 Offensive Built-In Answers: Tags, Flood-and-Go, and Planning for Counters 34:08 Practice Like Friday: Scout-Team Freedom & Midweek Adjustment Reps 35:51 Coach’s Eyes & In-Game Communication: Assigning Keys and Spotting Trends 36:50 Halftime Case Study: Real Adjustments vs Desperation Calls 38:24 Pregame Film Study & Learning from Officials’ Keys 41:46 Write It Down: Call Sheets, Walking Halftime Meetings, and Staying Organized 43:15 System Design: Modular Tags, Communicable Calls, and Player Ownership 49:11 Situation of the Week: Too-High to Bear Front—Immediate Game-Day Response 55:37 Sponsors, Clinics, Where to Find Us, and Final Message Daniel Chamberlain: @CoachChamboOK ChamberlainFootballConsulting@gmail.com chamberlainfootballconsulting.com Kenny Simpson: @FBCoachSimpson fbcoachsimpson@gmail.com FBCoachSimpson.com

    1h 4m
See All (161)

4.8
out of 5
54 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosted by Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson, where football coaching takes center stage! Whether you're a seasoned football coach, a rookie on the sidelines, or just a die-hard fan eager to learn more about the game, this podcast is your playbook for success. Join Daniel and Kenny as they break down game strategies, share insights on player development, explore leadership on and off the field, and tackle the challenges of coaching at every level. Featuring interviews with top coaches, athletes, and experts, every episode is packed with tips, stories, and strategies to help you build winning teams and inspire greatness. Step onto the field and into the minds of coaching pros—because greatness starts with the right game plan!

Information

  • Creator
    Kenny Simpson and Daniel Chamberlain
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    161
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Coaching 101 Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Coaching 101 Podcast

You Might Also Like