Lots of travel this week as I had forecast in last week’s blog… The Atlantic City Glazier Clinic was well worth the 7-hour drive. I particularly enjoyed listening to Kyle Schmitt, Head Coach Archbishop Spaulding HS in Maryland. Great sessions on Read Triple, RPOs (Run Pass Options), and Tempo out of the Spread. It was also great to catch up with former players and long-time coaching friends.
The 13-hour drive to Clemson did not disappoint either. Magnificent facilities, great branding all over campus and tremendous school spirit. 
There was a tiger paw everywhere you looked on campus and in town and everyone wore Clemson Tiger apparel. The football stadium and facility were a highlight. Championship rings and trophy displays were amazing. I was struck by scope, scale, and complexity of the football operations and culture, but then realized the same teambuilding process we employ in northern Vermont (albeit at a much smaller scale) happens there in Clemson, South Carolina.
Needing to be back in the northeast for the Meeting of the Minds at Western Connecticut, I flew back from Clemson. I thank Joe Loth for the invitation to attend and opportunity to speak about our Screen Pass Options, the most popular topic I have shared in more than two decades speaking at clinics. The day was packed with information to help me and our staff stay current with trends in football. The discussion topics included: Operations, Play Action Pass, RB Screens, Plays vs 4i fronts, RedZone Packages, and Run Pass Options. The last couple of hours were spent in breakout sessions where I joined the OLine coaches. We had an in-depth discussion about the nuances of Midzone, Inside Zone and Duo.
Now, I am headed to the New England Nike Coach of the Year Clinic where I will be presenting on the following topics:
- Thu 7:15pm: Compartmentalizing your Passing Game.
- Thu 8:45pm: Compartmentalizing your Screen Game
- Fri 8:30am: 4th & Go No Punt Team
Our 4th and Go philosophy has also been extremely popular on the clinic circuit. In an 11 game 2019 season, we only punted 12 times with 0 return yards. We converted 63% of our 4th down.
I hope to see you at Nike this weekend, NYC Glazier in 2 weeks or one of my OLine Clinics. Click here for your 2020 “Alercio OLine Clinic Brochure.”
- Malvern Prep (PA) March 15
- St Johnsbury Academy (VT) March 29
- The Hun School April 5 (NJ) April 5
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!
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