O Line Skills

A bird in the hand or two in the bush? 

Production or potential? 

Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan or Travon Walker of Georgia???  It may take a while to know if the Jacksonville Jaguars got it right by choosing the latter in each scenario…

In previous years, we have shared blogs detailing a practice our staff does annually inspired by the NFL draft.  We draft our own team.  I share an alphabetical list of all returning players and request each coach return the list to me in their draft order.  Some NFL teams will draft based on need, others draft best available regardless of position, and some over or under-value certain positions.  We will see those same philosophies within our staff.  Personally, I make what we call Evidence Based Decisions when preparing my draft order.  I do not let the “measurables” cloud my decision of who makes plays on the field.  The undersized lineman who gives great energy, effort, and enthusiasm on every play and has demonstrated dependability, diligence, and passion in the weight room all winter will be drafted higher than the bigger player who lacks heart. 

Whether quoting Admiral William H McCraven’s famous University of Texas commencement speech stating, “measure a person by the size of their heart” or Samuel 16:7 “for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart,” and the heart is my number one measurable when evaluating players.

Once all the coaches have returned their draft list, we assign a score to each player based on their draft order from all coaches to create a staff draft order.  We also check each coach’s draft against the others to see what deviations we have in evaluating players.  Double-digit differences are a red flag.  For example, one coach has a player in the 8-spot while another has him at 18.  The situations need to be discussed at our first meeting to prepare for summer training to see what one coach is seeing and what the other is not.

At the end of summer Organized Team Activities and Mini Camp, we will create an initial depth chart going into Training Camp.  The last exercise is to see how our staff draft aligns with our depth chart to see if we have the best 11 on the field.

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! 

We spent 14 weeks together last year discussing our “Leader In Every Locker” program, and the character traits essential to leadership success. I’ve often commented on leadership as a privilege, and how fortunate we, as coaches, are to help develop leaders whose impact will reach far beyond the confines of the gridiron.

I’m so very pleased to share, Sam Begin becomes the 5th Hilltopper to be inducted into the Vermont Chapter of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame as a scholar-athlete. When your best athlete is also your best student and the most exemplary person on the team, you have a special leader. In leadership, personal examples matter… Players consistently see Sam doing the right thing… Right on the field, in meetings, in the weight room, in the classroom, and in our community. He has the passion and the work ethic to excel in everything he does including sports, academics, and student leadership. I was proud to see Sam recently recognized, and thrilled to see him join the legacy of Hilltoppers who set such a positive example on campus and in the community.

Sam joins Collin Urie-2017, Jasper Rankin-2018, Renwick Smith-2019 (also named to the National Team of Distinction), and Trey Alercio-2020.  In 2017, Shane Alercio was named the Most Courageous Athlete for battling a rare vestibular disease called Dandy’s Syndrome that negatively impacts balance and ocular tracking.  In 2019, Jake Cady received the Community Service Award for his efforts in creating a non-profit called Team Sullycat that had raised over $40,000 to help support families battling cancer.

We are immensely proud of the successes of our student-athletes on the field, in the community, and in the classroom.  Their legacy lives on, and as we like to say, “Tradition Never Graduates.” We trust the examples of excellence in those who have been honored will inspire future Hilltoppers to strive for excellence, overcome adversity and put others’ interests above themselves.

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 over 20 years and more than 5,000 participants from all over the northeast, the Alercio OLine Clinic experienced a first.  Fami Olorunnisola, a sophomore from Bordentown high school in NJ, became the first girl to attend a clinic.  She was joined and supported by a dozen of her teammates working through all the drills under the watchful eyes of their coaching staff.

Similar to the experience referenced in an earlier blog post about the two girls who joined our Spring practices at St Johnsbury Academy, Fami was welcomed into the group, given the same opportunities to learn the basics, build a solid foundation, and refine techniques of OLine play. As we discussed last week, players focused on proper execution rather than speed, developed a fundamental understanding and smooth approach to offensive line play, and ultimately the complementary effects essential to teamwork. Though the first female, Fami was a teammate, learning, demonstrating, and playing just like any other offensive lineman.  

Aside from those in her immediate training group, most players had no idea she was even there until the end when we circled up.  After thanking the coaches and players for their efforts, I invited Fami into the circle and recognized her for being the first female to join us at a Clinic. I then shared what I so often say, “girls are the future of football because they become mothers who will allow their children, regardless of gender, to play the game.”   Lastly, I commented on just how brave she must be and how much courage it must have taken to participate in such a large clinic knowing that she would most likely be the only female participant.  As the boys clapped and cheered loudly for her, we finished the day with all the boys huddling around Fami as she broke them down with “OLine on Three…one, two, three OLINE!!!“

I look forward to seeing Fami at the 2023 New Jersey OLine Clinic and hope more female student-athletes join her as they too learn brilliance in the basics and a love of this great game.

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! 

Photos from the 2022 New Jersey Alercio OLine Clinic

You have to learn to walk before you can run.  That idiom encapsulates the philosophy of this Sunday’s Alercio OLine Clinic at the Hun School of Princeton.  We call the event a clinic rather than a camp because it is learning-based.  We teach the coordination and execution of learned physical tasks and then build upon them.    

Racecar drivers, gymnasts, dancers, and any athlete or performer who has to string together a series of movements, efforts, or tasks to be successful know, “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast…”

That’s why we do not go full speed.  We use a pace I call theory speed.  It emphasizes a focus on proper execution rather than speed, develops an understanding and ultimately a smooth approach. Using the above idiom, we start out walking, build context and confidence, and then advance to a jog.    

As we have mentioned in previous blogs, whether I am coaching my own players or attendees at my clinics, the focus is always on becoming adept at the basic skills and technique before moving on to that which requires greater skill. Fundamentals… Building blocks… a solid foundation from which to begin… 

Just as Nietzsche said, “one cannot fly into flying.” I would argue one cannot excel as an offensive lineman without brilliance in the basics.

Join us at the Hun School in Princeton this Sunday and let’s work together on the best possible foundation for the upcoming season.

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! 

The “VARK” model of learning employs Visual, Auditory, Reading/writing, and Kinesthetic components to reinforce both the teaching and learning processes. Let’s think of each component as a communications channel. We multiply the flow of information to the learner, and improve opportunities for understanding by reinforcing concepts and expanding learning opportunities for those who learn differently. Another solid model is “PESOS,” Prepare, Explain, Show, Observe, and Supervise. With more than three decades of coaching experience, I have discovered whether working with my own players on the field, lecturing to fellow coaches at a conference, or working with other players at my Offensive Line Clinics, that people learn best through a learning strategy referred to as “Modeling.” 

Modeling is a strategy where the teacher/coach explicitly shows the students/players how to complete an activity before they attempt to do it on their own. All factors considered, it has been my experience that players tend to respond more favorably to an actual visual representation of a particular teaching point rather than an abstract illustration drawn on a board or only shared verbally.   

Modeling provides both a framework for the coach and/or teacher and clarifies a picture in a player and/or student’s mind as to how to execute the drill.  There is nothing more frustrating in teaching/coaching than giving directions to students/players either written or spoken then asking them to do it only to see that they do not know-how.  Think of how frequently email or text exchanges lead to misunderstandings… Modeling across multiple channels conveys context and minimizes these frustrations for the teacher/coach and the student/player.

With every stance, step, visual target, strike point, block, and scheme taught at the Alercio Oline Clinics, players in attendance see me demonstrate the drill prior to them executing it.  This process repeats with every new learned task.  We come together for players and coaches to witness me modeling the drill then they break up into smaller groups for execution. Clinic Assistant Coaches further reinforce the modeling, clarifying and confirming concepts, expectations, and understanding.

Don’t just tell players what you want them to do.  Show them the way.  Give them a rich, clear, and full “model” in their mind to rely on and reference.  

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! 

April is National Football Sign-up Month. 

Until I received an email from the National Federation of High Schools, I had no idea April is, “National Football Sign-up month” but I also did not know there was a “National Peacock Day” until the St Peter’s Peacocks upset the Purdue Boilermakers on that day in the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  

In high school football, everyone is welcome to play no matter who they are.  It is where players of every background come together as one team, where students have the most opportunities to participate in a game, and where there is a spot on the roster for everyone.  Between offense, defense, and special teams, there are 88 opportunities to participate in a game.  Further, we extend other opportunities to contribute and assist as equipment managers, trainers, video specialists, student publications, and others. While the players, coaches, and staff are the most obvious team members, we try to build both a team and a community of mutual support. We value everyone who wants to contribute and open the door to participation. That is inclusion. This is where everyone can play and contribute.  This is high school football.  

 #ThisIsHSFootball 

After signing up for your high school, middle school, or youth team, you can sign up for an Alercio OLine Clinic.  We have clinics on 24 April at the Hun School in New Jersey and 12 June at St Johnsbury Academy in Vermont.  Everyone is welcome.  No matter who they are.  

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! 

“If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.” That quote is from one of my favorite books, “Make Your Bed,” by Admiral William H. McRaven.  It is also a philosophy I embrace in coaching.  

According to Admiral McRaven, every great day starts with making your bed.  If you cannot accomplish that simple task, how can you expect to have success tackling the larger challenges you face throughout the day?  In football, if you want to have success in blocking, you must start with a good stance.  As coaches, we need to see that we do not teach anything else until our players understand and can demonstrate a good stance.

Every Alercio OLine Clinic starts with the teaching of the 2 and 3-point stances.  We start with the feet and work our way up. The feet should be shoulder-width apart with the outside foot staggered back.  Guards are toe-to-instep, Tackles; toe-to-heel.  Feet, should be toed out like a duck, not a pigeon allowing more surface contact with the inside of the foot.  Knees should be over big toes not all toes to see that there is a Valgus knee angle, not Vargus so that you can push off and step in any direction.  Chest is over knees.  These body positions create acute angles at the ankle, knee, and hip allowing for triple extension upon contact on run blocks.  The uphand(s) should cup the top of the knee with thumbs on the inside and fingers on the outside and elbows bent.  Never support the upper body with locked out arms or forearms rested on thighs.  The down hand of the 3-point stance should have all 5 fingertips in contact with the ground and the thumbnail of the down hand-aligned directly beneath the eye to see that the hand is not too far out or back.  

Football, (and in many ways, Life) is a game of momentum. Small successes accrue, each adding force in a positive direction, and help accelerate us towards our goals as individuals and as a team. Attention to detail, starting well, and doing the little things with purpose and meaning, sets us up for successful execution of the big things. How will you start your day? What small steps can you take with a purpose to build your own momentum or the momentum of your team? Whether making your bed, correctly taking your stance, or ensuring the team is on time and prepared to begin, find a way to overcome inertia and start the ball rolling toward a goal.

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! 

It was an honor to speak at the annual Vermont Football Coaches Association Spring Football Clinic and a great opportunity to share the skills and techniques of offensive line play that I’ll teach this year in New Jersey and Vermont at my Alercio OLine Clinics. One coach in attendance commented that his favorite part of the talk was the sharing of the Why and How of each block.  A verse in Isaiah states, “Does the clay say to the potter, what are you making?”  Of course not, but perhaps the potter should tell the clay before it asks.  We never tell a player, “Just block him.”  We always make sure our players understand the why and how to execute their job.  

Offensive linemen who know the “why” and “how” are equipped with everything they need to make good decisions independently and collectively under ever-changing circumstances.  Understanding “why,” enables decisions in the absence of a coach’s direction when it is just players between the lines who have to decide. We’ve often described the game of football as one of “time competitive decision making,” and how a good decision executed now is better than a perfect decision later (often thwarted by the referee’s whistle!) Providing the “why” helps both decentralize and expedite decisions, increasing both speed and frequency, and ultimately a competitive advantage.    

With a little more than four weeks before our New Jersey Clinic at the Hun School on Sunday 24 April, the VFCA Clinic also provided me with a great opportunity to get in front of a room full of coaches to share the steps, visual, targets, strike points, and leverage associated with 1-on-1 run blocks, combination blocks, double teams, and pass blocks.  All elements listed in an offensive lineman’s job description, complemented by the decision-making skills required to elevate their level of performance. Come learn more about “How” and “Why” at our NJ (24 April) and VT (12 June) clinics where we’ll teach, demonstrate, practice, and learn the physical and mental steps essential to OLine success! 

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! 

At the end of the first week of Spring practices, we requested to have the following statement included in our school’s morning announcements, and the message was heard loud and clear:

“The football coaching staff would like to invite you to spring football practice. We will be teaching the basics of football in the fieldhouse Monday through Thursday next week from 3:45 to 6:00pm. These practices are open to all St. Johnsbury Academy students. We look forward to you joining us.“

As I’ve noted in previous posts, we recognize our team and staff are parts of a larger student body, faculty, campus, and ultimately a community. We’ve enjoyed extraordinary support in the pursuit of our goals, and we intentionally made such an announcement to further extend opportunities for others’ participation.

On the Monday morning of week 2 of Spring Ball, I met with one of our physical education instructors who informed me that his daughter, Aubriella, was joining us for football practice.  He followed by saying, “she loves football and wants to learn more about the game.”  That afternoon, as I walked down the hallway towards our fieldhouse, I came across Aubriella and her friend Lilly, nervously waiting for me. They confessed they were a little afraid to enter.  I acted as if there was nothing to be afraid of but fully recognized how brave these two freshmen girls must be to join a football team.  

During the week, they played a variety of different positions learning the skills and techniques associated with each position group ranging from Quarterback to Defensive Line.   At the end of the week, they informed me that they had fun but realized that playing tackle football in the Fall was not for them.  When I spoke with Aubriella’s father, he told me that he overheard Aubriella and Lilly saying how welcomed they felt at practice and how nice all the guys were to them.  

As I have stated in previous blogs, girls are the future of the game of football.  Girls, like Aubriella and Lilly, who love football, will someday become moms who allow (and hopefully encourage) their children to play this wonderful game, and those children will benefit in the myriad ways we see its lessons and experiences resonate throughout lifetimes.  

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! 

Good relationships build teams and teams build good relationships.  That holds true in sports, business, friendship, and marriage.

During our Spring practices, our players have become better blockers, tacklers, runners, passers, and receivers; but more importantly, they have come together as a team.  Our staff has fostered a collaborative team setting and allowed the transfer of skills from more experienced players to less experienced ones.  The teamwork we have been intentionally cultivating allows everyone involved to help each other, and the more they help each other the stronger their bonds become.  

The goal is that these relationships will allow them to lean on each other and pick each other up during a high school football season 6 months from now.  Our teams are most successful when they understand their interdependence, commitment, and selflessness yield strength, resilience, and momentum far greater than the sum of its parts. As coaches, we see these characteristics reflected in short-term successes on Friday nights in the fall. But if we are truly successful in our mission of returning to our communities someone who is a little better than they were when we got them, these relationships and the support for fellow teammates will last far beyond football seasons and high school years.

This past weekend, 45 years after we were teammates, dozens of us traveled hundreds of miles to help one of our “brothers” in a time of need. Having shared smaller adversities then, and fought through the inevitable adult life challenges later, we find ourselves stronger than might have ever expected. Now, as we realized then, we are always stronger together, than we could ever be by ourselves alone. When one has a load too heavy to bear, we rally together to take the strain, ease some of the pain, and help illuminate the way ahead.

I’m in awe of the bonds we formed as young men, and even prouder these bonds forged on playing fields so long ago, find ways to answer the call across miles and decades.  45 years from now, I will no longer be on this Earth; but I hope to look down from heaven to see those I’ve coached… young men like those Hilltoppers who came together here last week, gather for each other in times of need just as my teammates, my friends, my brothers have done and will continue to do.    

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!