O Line Skills

Silly as it sounds, people across the United States looked to a groundhog this week (and every February 2nd) for a weather forecast. That tradition became the basis for the 1992 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. Murray plays Phil Connors, a man trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day over and over again.

If any group truly understands what Phil Connors was going through, it’s football coaches.

Every week of the season — and every year of our careers — feels like a metaphysical time loop. And the funny thing is, we don’t just endure the loop. We live in it. We thrive in it. We grow because of it.

When one game ends, win or lose, preparation for the next one begins immediately. The calendar resets. Film breakdown. Staff meetings. Practice scripts. Injury treatments. Corrections. Adjustments. A win is a milestone, but never a finish line. A loss is a lesson, but never a stopping point. Either way, we are on to the next game.

Week after week, we relive the same structure. But like Phil Connors, we don’t simply repeat it — we improve within it. Experience accumulates. Details sharpen. Teaching points become clearer. Adjustments become more precise. We get better because we operate inside the loop.

The annual cycle may be expanded, but is no different.

When the season ends, the loop simply evolves to a longer circumference. Strength programs begin. Depth charts are evaluated. Schemes are studied. Clinics are attended. Other staffs are visited. Spring practices are installed. 7-on-7 tournaments are scheduled. OTAs, mini-camps, and training camp follow. And before we know it, we are standing on the field for Game 1, and the weekly loop begins again.

There is no true beginning. There is no true end.

In the 25 years I have hosted the Alercio OLine Clinics, coaches often tell me the clinic feels like the unofficial start of their football season. I appreciate the sentiment and am humbled by it. But I often find myself wondering: When did it ever end?

I prefer to think of the clinic not as a starting point, but as part of the loop — the continuous cycle of learning, refining, sharing, and improving that defines our profession.

Because coaching isn’t seasonal work. It is iterative work. And the coaches who improve the most are the ones who embrace the loop rather than resist it. They understand that repetition is not redundancy. It is refinement. They understand that living in the loop is what allows us to grow, year after year, season after season, rep after rep.

Just like Phil Connors, we don’t escape the loop. We get better because of it.

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time! 

I’m honored to share that I’ve been invited to speak at the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Annual Clinic on Friday, February 6. Returning to my home state—where I played high school football and later coached at The College of New Jersey for 15 years—is both humbling and meaningful. Throughout my career, I’ve been blessed to be coached by, work alongside, and be mentored by outstanding coaches. This opportunity allows me to give back by sharing what I’ve learned with the next generation of teachers of the game.

My session will take a deep dive into the technical and tactical foundations of pass protection that have driven our success in the passing game at both the high school and college levels. Every successful passing play begins with protection, and every protection begins with the quarterback’s launch point. I’ll break down multiple pass protection schemes with an emphasis on moving the launch point so defenses can’t simply pin their ears back and attack a predictable spot. When we force defenses to defend space, angles, and timing, we gain the advantage.

I’ll also highlight the features and benefits of attending the New Jersey Alercio O-Line Clinics on April 12 and May 3, where coaches can bring their players to learn these techniques firsthand. There is no substitute for teaching fundamentals in person, on the field, with purpose and precision. For more information, click on the brochure image here.

Football has given me far more than I could ever repay. This clinic is one small way I can give back to the game and to the state that helped shape who I am as a coach and as a man. I’m looking forward not only to sharing ideas but to learning from an impressive group of high school and college speakers, reconnecting with old friends, and building new relationships along the way.

To register for the NJFCA Clinic, visit:
https://njfca.org/coaches-clinic/

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!  

Mark your calendars for the 2026 Alercio OLine Clinics dates and locations.  Our first clinic is Sunday April 12 at a new location in South Jersey, the Wildcat Sports Complex in Egg Harbor City.  We will return to West Orange High School on Sunday, May 3, for our North Jersey Clinic, and St. Johnsbury Academy will host our Vermont Clinic on Sunday, June 7.

There is a saying in football that games are won in the trenches.  For 25 years, Alercio OLine Clinics have specialized in teaching the technical and tactical skills of the trenches.  We believe that the true “Skill Players” in football are the offensive linemen.  Throwing, catching, running, and tackling are critical to the success of a football team, but they are innate abilities.  A skill is a learned ability to perform a task well, developed repetitively through practice and experience.  We teach the coordination and execution of learned physical tasks that allow linemen of any size to achieve both individual and team success.    

Players can register by completing the Registration form on our brochure or by scanning the QR Code.  Bring your entire offensive line to take advantage of our OLine Discount.  As always, all coaches attend at no cost.

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!  

Every January, as the director of a fitness center, I watch a familiar pattern unfold. New members pour through the doors, energized by New Year’s resolutions and good intentions. By February, many of those faces have disappeared. The problem is not motivation; it is expectation. New Year’s resolutions should not expire after a few weeks. Real change does not come from one oversized, unrealistic goal. It comes from building habits—small, repeatable actions that compound month after month.

James Clear captures this idea well in Atomic Habits: you should be far more concerned with your trajectory than your current results. Progress matters. Consistent actions sustained over twelve months create real, lasting change.

As a football coach, this is exactly how we prepare our players—not just for game day, but for life. We emphasize habits: how you train, how you recover, how you treat your teammates, and how you show up every day when no one is watching. Those behaviors define outcomes far more than a single workout, practice, or season ever could.

I turn 61 today, and I feel better now than I did half my life ago. That did not happen by accident. It happened by committing to the fundamentals and repeating them consistently over time.

Exercise is often called the “magic pill,” and for good reason. It strengthens the heart, muscles, and bones, improves circulation, and helps regulate blood sugar. It also plays a powerful role in mental health—reducing stress, improving mood, and increasing energy and focus. Unlike most medications, exercise has very few negative side effects when done safely and consistently. That said, exercise alone is not enough. Proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and hydration are equally essential parts of the equation.

As you look ahead to 2026, commit to a healthier lifestyle rooted in habits you can sustain. Focus on consistency over intensity. Build routines you can repeat. And when you find something that works, lead by example—bring others along with you. That is how real progress is made, on the field and in life.

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!  

After all the varsity letters and pins had been distributed, after the post-season awards were announced, and after our seniors were recognized for their contributions, we closed our annual football banquet with a moment of gratitude. Our captains offered thanks to the heads of our Friends of Football Booster Club—Bea and Len Harden—whose quiet, consistent service strengthens the fabric of our program.

Bea and Len open their home to our players for pre-game meals, creating a positive and welcoming environment where student-athletes can gather, share time together, and celebrate their brotherhood. They organize fundraisers, steward our resources with care, and keep the lines of communication open with every family in our program. Their efforts ensure that parents feel informed, involved, and invited into the shared work of supporting the team. Just as importantly, they have helped build a system that can be handed down year after year, allowing the organization to thrive even as players graduate and families move on.

Their tireless work lifts a tremendous burden from my shoulders as head coach and gives me more time to focus on preparing our players—not just for Friday nights, but for the challenges that await them beyond the field. Our coaching staff helps turn a group of individuals into a team. Our parents’ group helps turn that team into a family.

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!  

Please enjoy some additional photos of the 2025 Hilltoppers, a group of exceptional teammates!

Less than twelve hours after punching our ticket to the Vermont Division I State Championship game, our players were back on campus — not for film study or another practice, but for something just as important. They reported for active recovery, a quick walk-through, and an opportunity to support a group that so often supports us and our entire community.

Our local Elks Lodge is always quick to lend a hand to our team and to countless others in town. So when they needed help setting up tables and chairs for their annual Super Bingo event, our players jumped at the opportunity. Sure, we took a moment to celebrate Saturday’s victory and the chance it earned us — but we never lose sight of the fact that we’re just one part of a larger community. Giving back is part of who we are.

The Elks are neighbors helping neighbors. Their mission is to strengthen communities through caring, sharing, and service. They support veterans, help local families, encourage young people, and celebrate the spirit of patriotism and friendship that binds people together. They live by the mantra Elks Care – Elks Share, and we’re grateful for all they do. We value every opportunity to support their work.

Now, on to the championship.

It would be easy to read the headlines, scroll through the praise, and start believing we’re everything those stories suggest. While we’re thankful for the recognition and encouragement, we know better than to dwell on it. From the first week of the season, our focus has been simple: go 1-0 this week. That mindset hasn’t changed — and it won’t.

Any success we’ve enjoyed has been built on effort, cohesion, interdependence, and belief — in each other and in what we can accomplish together. This week, we’ll continue to strengthen the foundations of our culture, appreciate the blessings of both victory and community, and once again set our sights on the same goal that’s guided us all season:

Go 1-0!

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!