O Line Skills

Sometimes you need to storm into a locker room at halftime and light a spark!

We were trailing by eight after a flat first half. The effort wasn’t terrible, but the energy was gone. Maybe it was the third straight week on the road, maybe the long bus ride — whatever the reason, we weren’t playing to our potential. The X’s and O’s weren’t the issue; our mindset was.

There are games where halftime adjustments to blocking schemes or coverage concepts change the outcome. This wasn’t one of them. What we needed was belief. We needed players to look in the mirror and see more than they thought they were capable of. That’s part of a coach’s job — to help young men catch a glimpse of their own strength before they believe it themselves.

So we challenged them — not with anger, but with conviction. We reminded them of who they were, what they’d prepared for, and what it meant to play for each other.

When we re-took the field, something clicked. We scored 20 unanswered points to start the second half and never looked back.

Halftime speeches fade, but belief sticks. Sometimes the most important adjustment isn’t drawn on a whiteboard — it’s drawn out of your players’ hearts.

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!

For the past three weeks we’ve set a simple goal: go 1-0 each week. We can’t change the past and we can’t control the future, so staying grounded in the present remains the surest path to success. One way to stay present is to reflect on the lessons each game provides.

Last week we met our goal and went 1-0—but not without our first fumble of the season. Ball security and winning the turnover battle are pillars of any victory. We work on ball control every day, yet some moments—on the field and in life—defy preparation.

Picture this: after scoring twice in just three offensive snaps and watching our defense dominate the line of scrimmage, momentum was squarely on our side. A safety added two more points and set us up to receive a kick from the opponent’s 20-yard line. Our returner fielded the ball cleanly, cut back behind excellent blocking, broke tackles, and sprinted 52 yards. As he crossed the very 20-yard line where the kick had originated, it felt as if nothing could go wrong. A heartbeat later, at the 13-yard line, an unseen defender jarred the ball loose. The fumble was recovered by our opponent.

Football—and life—has a way of delivering the hit you never see coming. What was moments ago a peak experience can instantly turn into adversity. Resilience is the ability to bounce back when that happens. Whether in football, business, or everyday life, unexpected setbacks are inevitable. Our response is shaped by the resilience we’ve built in past encounters.

As coaches, we preach “expect the unexpected” and “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” But ultimately, it’s the players who must meet those moments head-on and prove their resilience.

Fortunately, our team did just that. They regrouped, reclaimed the momentum, and secured the win to reach their goal of going 1-0 last week. As we turn to this week’s opponent, the mission remains unchanged: stay present, prepare for adversity, and once again go 1-0—expecting the unexpected every step of the way.

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!

On Friday night, as we pursue our 1-0 goal for another week, we’ll be honoring the people who helped instill focus and goal setting in the first place, the true MVPs of our school and community: our Teachers! All area teachers with their school badge will receive free admission to Friday night’s game. Moreover, each of our players will be handing out a personal invitation to a teacher who has made an impact on their lives, each in his own way, conveying thanks and appreciation for efforts in the classroom and, in some cases, beyond.

Our teachers are the backbone of our community. While academics remain their primary mission, their pursuit of excellence impacts every aspect of students’ lives. They serve as mentors, role models, and often become a second family to students. They don’t just teach content—they ignite curiosity and instill a love of learning. Beyond teaching what we should learn, they show us how to approach learning itself. While cause and effect, problem solving, and language skills come to mind, our teachers also help us translate academic lessons into real-world wisdom. Their commitment often exceeds the confines of the classroom and school day, and they recognize when their students are struggling academically, emotionally, and socially, and often step in with care and concern.

Over time, students may forget specific lessons, equations, and formulas, but they never forget the life-changing teacher who shaped who they became. If you’re fortunate, like I am, you can recall a teacher or two who left a lasting mark on your life. You may not be able to hand-deliver a game invitation, but with a little effort—maybe some Googling—there’s a good chance you can still reach out and say thank you. Trust me, you’ll make their day!

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 went 1-0 in week 1 of the season.  The Team, Coaches, Staff, Faculty, and our community came together to reinforce the goodness invested in our team’s character, culture, and proficiency, and all that effort paid off! That having been said, new week… new mission!

The goal is to go 1-0 again this week and every week to follow.  Focus only on the present challenge.  Not the past nor the future.  Singleness of purpose tempered and complemented by a good dose of the Serenity Prayer; Control what you can control with your effort, attitude, and preparation. 

This mindset is about stacking small wins with consistency, building momentum, and not getting overwhelmed by the big picture of an undefeated or 1-loss season.  It also allows you to refocus if week 1 did not go your way.  Each week brings a different opponent and a new challenge.  One week at a time, one opponent at a time, one game at a time.  Whether you are grinding through a football season, building a habit, or chasing a long-term goal, every day is a gift. Stay locked into the present, and focus! 

Go 1-0 this week. 

One play at a time.

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!

Friday night, the lights will blaze over Fairbanks Field as we kick off another Vermont high school football season. But this isn’t just game one—it’s the moment that can define everything that follows.

Our players and coaches understand what’s at stake. That opening win does more than put a mark in the victory column. It ignites something deeper: a spark that can illuminate an entire school year.

Picture it: the student section erupting as the final whistle blows, that energy spilling into Monday morning hallways, teachers walking a little taller, parents stopping to chat longer after pickup. A winning start creates momentum that reaches far beyond the fifty-yard lines.

When we win that first game, we don’t just energize our team—we energize our entire community. Students feel more connected to their school, are prouder to wear our colors, and are more eager to attend. That pride translates into packed stands for future games, louder pep rallies, and deeper involvement in everything from theater productions to academic competitions.

This is what we mean by “pride in belonging.” It’s not just about football. It’s about creating a culture where every student, teacher, and community member feels they’re part of something special. Where showing up matters. Where excellence becomes contagious.

High morale in the stands becomes high morale in the classrooms. Students attend more consistently, engage more actively, and perform better academically when they feel genuinely connected to their school community. The Friday night lights cast a glow that can last all year long.

So yes, we want that opening win. But more than that, we want to launch a year filled with possibilities—where memories are made, milestones are achieved, and every member of our community discovers what it means to truly belong to something bigger than themselves.

The season starts Friday. The possibilities begin now.

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!

Former Hilltopper football player, Zach Gray, visited us in training camp week.  Zach is a Strength and Conditioning specialist who spent the off-season preparing Christian McCaffrey and Bijon Robinson, two of the NFL’s top running backs, for this season.  At the end of our practice, I asked him to speak with our team about things that they can do to maximize their athletic performance. 

He shared the following:

1. Never miss a sunrise.  He recommends getting up at sunrise to set your circadian clock to have better sleep quality and to expose as much of your skin as possible to early morning sunlight to maximize the absorption of vitamin D without the exposure of UV rays that are stronger in the midday sun.

2. Eat a breakfast high in protein and fats and include seafood in your diet for its anti-inflammatory effects.  

3. Have a screen diet.  Get away from your phones, tablets, and computers.  When you need to be on them, do it outside in sunlight or wear blue light glasses.  Getting away from screens allows us to have more social interaction and connection with others.

4.  Walk barefoot in the grass.  The earth’s surface carries a negative electrical charge that, when we come in direct contact with it, can neutralize the positive charges in our body due to modern, unhealthy lifestyles.

5. Get in water, and drink water.  Submerging in water allows for muscle recovery, and drinking water allows for hydration of the body.  He recommends adding a quality sea salt to a glass of water every morning to provide the body with the minerals essential for hydration, muscle function, and overall health.

We concluded the practice by walking barefoot on the grass and socially interacting with each other.  Starting this Saturday, we will do our active recovery workouts barefoot on grass. At least until the snow starts falling, and I hope we are still playing when it does.  Thanks, Zach!

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 of coaching college football, I’ve seen talented teams stumble in season openers—not from lack of skill, but from never experiencing game-speed decision making under pressure. Unlike high school programs, college teams often face their first opponent with everything on the line, having never tested their preparation against live competition.

As I’ve mentioned before, football serves as a powerful tool to inoculate student athletes against the fears and setbacks they’ll encounter on and off the field. Pre-season scrimmages are where this conditioning begins.

Why Scrimmages Matter

Scrimmages bridge the gap between practice and competition, simulating game pace and pressure while preserving crucial teaching moments. They force players to think on their feet, communicate line and coverage calls, check in and out of blitzes, and make split-second reads—skills impossible to replicate in drills alone.

Scrimmages also reveal team chemistry under fire and provide coaches invaluable evaluation opportunities. We can assess what’s working, identify problems, and evaluate second and third-string players who may not see regular season action, helping finalize lineups and personnel packages.

PESOS in Action

Our coaching philosophy follows the PESOS model: Prepare, Explain, Show, Observe, Supervise. While we prepare continuously and explain/show concepts in practice, scrimmages are where observe and supervise components shine.

Scrimmages let us observe how well players understand not just the mechanics, but the “why” behind each concept. When situations change rapidly, players who grasp the rationale can adapt instinctively. The supervise element provides real-time feedback, creating immediate learning opportunities players can apply on the next snap rather than waiting for film review.

We structure pre-season around two scrimmages: a controlled scrimmage ending training camp week two, and a game-condition scrimmage in week three before our September 5th opener. The controlled scrimmage emphasizes execution with frequent teaching stops. The game-condition scrimmage simulates the real experience—officials, crowd noise, minimal coaching intervention.

Scrimmages don’t count in the win-loss column, but their impact on player development, team chemistry, and championship preparation is tremendous. They transform talented individuals into a cohesive unit ready to compete from day one.

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!

When a state championship coach who is also an Ivy League grad reads your post about the OLine Challenge, you get the following educational and inspirational email.  

“It moved me to share with you one of my favorite etymologies. I flippin’ love etymologies — every word we speak has a biography, a life story, of its own. And there is richness in their heritage.

“Competition.” From the Latin, competere, “com” meaning together, “petere” meaning to strive. Competition literally, at its heart, means “we strive together.”

In the earliest Latin, it was a contractual word implying an agreement. Only in Late Latin did it come to mean “rivalry.”

What’s the mission of every practice rep and every play? To become better than we were the rep or play before. This is true whether we’re wearing mesh practice jerseys of our school colors on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.

We strive to get better together.

It is a broader application of the notion of #Ubuntu (I am because we are) that has been our team-building mantra for some six or seven years now. “Competition,” understood in this way, expands Ubuntu, that sense of “we,” to include — each and every game — the athletes in different colored shirts and helmets.

I know you know all this, Coach. But it’s been a central concept to my team (and individual) building “curriculum” for as long as I’ve been blessed to coach Redhawk Football. And those Strongman Challenge O-Linemen, as is their want, opened a lane just wide enough for me to share it with you.

As a follow up, we include some type of competition in every practice session. We value competitions of speed, strength, and athleticism, but oftentimes include competitions of luck or chance so that those who usually win can experience losing and those who usually lose have an equal chance of victory. There is growth and development in both winning and losing as we strive together.

Thank you, Coach Rahn Fleming.

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!

As I recently shared with Coach Keith Grabowski on his Coach & Coordinator Champion Series Podcast, the first week of the season sets the tone, not just for the opening game, but for everything that follows. A successful start begins with a clear team identity. Players need to understand who we are, what we stand for, and how we expect to play. That identity and our culture form the foundation upon which everything else—our schemes, our preparation, and our decisions—is built.

A critical part of this process is evaluating the roster with honesty and precision. Every year brings a different mix of returning starters and young players who are still learning the game. Our job as coaches is to assess where they are, using evidence-based decisions rather than assumptions, and to meet them there with the right level of instruction and expectation.

When it comes to playbooks, I’ve learned over four decades that simplicity often wins. At the high school level, trying to do too much too soon can set players up for mistakes. Instead, we focus on installing what we can execute with confidence and building from there. The same applies to our practice structure—controlled scrimmages and situational drills allow us to sharpen fundamentals without risking unnecessary wear and tear on our athletes.

Energy management is another key component. The first game brings its own excitement, but it’s up to us as coaches to pace the week so that our team peaks at kickoff, not on Wednesday afternoon. From the way we schedule practices to how we handle film sessions, everything is geared toward being mentally and physically ready when it matters most.

Ultimately, coaching is about leadership. It’s about giving players clarity, purpose, and the tools to succeed. Week One isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about setting the right trajectory. By focusing on identity, preparation, and fundamentals, we put our players in the best position to perform—not just on opening night, but throughout the season.

Coach Grabowski touted this episode as “a blueprint for coaches who want to start strong, stay strong, and build a team that competes with confidence every single week.” That’s certainly our goal, and I’m privileged to share some of the thoughts and philosophies so many others have shared with me. Programs like Coach Grabowski’s podcast are just another example of collaboration and education so willingly shared by members of the coaching fraternity.

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!