You are totally replaceable at your coaching job. You are NOT replaceable at home. Remember that perspective when you’re thinking about “balance”.

When you’re doing your change of direction (COD) training— Remember… In a real game, you will never see a plastic cone trying to tackle a player. Your eyes are locked on a defender’s hips, their torso, and their angle of approach. Players don’t react to cones—they react to other players. Introduce the Human Variable— the chaos they have to solve.

I LOVE speed development but change of direction (COD) training is a game changer!!

We do 2-3 three single leg exercises for every one bilateral exercise.

Every high school football athlete l've tested has shown poor unilateral leg strength. This directly increases lower-limb injury risk and limits athletic pertormance. Research (Helme et al., 2021; Liao et al., 2022; Rogalski et al., 2025) has shown that unilateral strength work: ☑️Improves movement quality Reduces biomechanical risk factors ☑️Enhances force application during deceleration/propulsion for smoother, safer transitions ☑️Leads to more symmetrical movement patterns ☑️Reduces excessive knee valgus and hip adduction during COD tasks. Prioritize unilateral leg strength training, especially high school athletes, to better prepare them for the next level! GREAT job @Nick__DiMarco

A masterclass in keeping the main thing the main thing and a brilliant summary of how to actually build athletes.

Speed matters. He’s not chasing. He’s hunting.

Gotta love @GatorsFB S&C Coach Rusty Whitt emphasizing individual speed vs the traditional lifts in football. Speed is one of the most disruptive forces in football across multiple dimensions. It fundamentally changes how opposing coaches scheme, how defenders position themselves, and how quickly a game's momentum can shift.

Game speed is two things: 1. The first 4 steps (Acceleration) 2. How high the ceiling is (Max Velocity) Fresh legs. Full intent. Acute shin angles. You don’t get either from tired athletes running in third gear. Speed is the skill. Fatigue is the enemy.

Watched several college games this weekend that confirmed something I’ve seen for over 30 years. Speed on defense changes the opponent’s entire offense. Vertical and crossing route got disrupted before they developed. On offense, skill guys kept separating with acceleration that was beautiful to watch. Explosive plays. Score after score. That thing I’ve seen over and over? Speed distorts and speed kills.

Some schools can do this, here and there. @CoachAlanBishop continues to do this year after year after year! #RESPECT🫡

For a standard Friday-game high school week: YES—max velocity Monday + acceleration Wednesday. Why? Monday usually has the best readiness after weekend recovery = best day for the highest neural demand (true max velocity). Wednesday sits far enough from the last game and still allows recovery before the next = solid acceleration day. The one caveat— If Monday readiness is clearly poor (athletes are flat, sore, or moving poorly), flip max velocity work to Wednesday, because Max velocity only works as a training stimulus when athletes can actually express high intent and near-maximal speed—that requires a relatively fresh nervous system. Readiness ALWAYS overrides the calendar.

HOW TO GET TEAM FAST ✅Sprint training 2-3x/week (top speed day + acceleration days) ✅Test speed, power & vertical every week to make sure strength training is actually improving performance ✅ Focus on sprint technique + strength work ✅ Avoid junk conditioning (gassers, long runs) which kill speed Speed is trainable⚡️⚡️⚡️

Why early sports specialization is a mistake: Florida Gators S&C Coach Rusty Whitt explains that the best athletes don't specialize too soon. Playing multiple sports builds complete athleticism. Kids develop: ✅Better movement ✅Superior coordination ✅Sharp body awareness ✅Injury resilience Multi-sport kids stay healthier, perform higher, and avoid overuse. Via @MikeOHearn

The most underrated speed drill in football isn't on a track. It's a hill. 🔵 Drive phase — forces low, powerful knee drive, same mechanics as breaking off a stance or a tackle. 
🔵 Strength — less pounding — loads your hips and hamstrings hard, easier on the knees than flat sprinting. 
🔵 Explosiveness — trains fast-twitch power for a quicker first step and harder hits. Find a hill. Go to work.

Alabama’s Strength Coach on the Safety Bar Split Squat: “One of my preferred single leg movements, the safety bar split squat has become my absolute favorite. Both handles, no handles. Absolute favorite. (DITTO) Take the handles off. Do a safety bar split squat… set the safety racks up high. Immediately you’re going to find out— A. who is an athlete or not B. If they have a deficiency Dave Ballou, Director of Sports Performance / Head Strength Coach, University of Alabama