Clark Publishing recently acquired the publication rights to Gridiron Strategies from Lessiter Publications. In addition to American Football Monthly, now in its fourteenth year, our goal is to continue to publish GS six times per year and provide the latest articles and clinics that are both timely and innovative. Subjects that are a part of this issue include offensive, defensive and special teams clinic articles, a strength and conditioning feature and a program management perspective on ‘The Role of a Head Coach In Turning A Program Around.’

This feature was written by Tony Johnson, the Head Football Coach at Wichita South High School (KS). I spoke with Coach Johnson about the pressures and stress a head coach faces when he’s rebuilding a program from the ground up. In Coach Johnson’s view, there are three essential elements to making it work:

1. “You have to have an administration that cares about winning and wants to be successful. Quite often an athletic director or the school administration may cut the football budget without communication with the head coach.”

2. “You need to be surrounded by great coaches and you can’t be intimidated if they know more than you do about a specific topic. Bear Bryant said a ‘smart head coach is one who has assistants smarter than he is.’ Your assistants must possess a great work ethic and have a commitment to the players.”

3. “As a head coach you have to have a plan of action. You always hear about the goals of Lou Holtz and Bill Walsh but they’re important to every coach. Don’t be afraid to stick to your plan when a little adversity comes your way.”

Coach Johnson also reflected on the book he’s writing, ‘Not Everybody’s Big Time.’ As you can imagine, the anecdotes and stories are starting to build. “The thing I’ve learned over the years,” said Johnson, “is that not everyone can play in front of 80,000 or be featured in Sports Illustrated. You’ve got to understand the job at hand and stop worrying about getting to the next job. You’re where you are for a reason. Make the most of it.”

We hope you enjoy this issue of Gridiron Strategies.

Rex Lardner
rlardner@lcclark.com
800.537.4271 (ext. 329)