“Big Time” Traditions

May 17, 2017May 16, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

More on making your program the “Big Time” for you, your team, school, and community.

Football is a copycat game. We imitate (copy, borrow, replicate, clone) plays, schemes, formations, alignments, stunts, coverages, blitzes…why not traditions?

Heading into the 2014 season, after changing our helmets, we reinforced success by starting new traditions. We looked at the best traditions in college football and sought the help of other coaches for creative ideas.

Since we are the Hilltoppers, my good friend and fellow coach who is an exceptional motivator/leader suggested we emulate Clemson’s run down the hill as they enter into “Death Valley.” We have a cross country trail that goes down a hill through the woods and exits at the entrance of our stadium.

2017-05-16 Down Hill Tradition

Then, we borrowed the “We Are…” call from Marshall and Penn State. Now, before every home game we take the XC trail into the woods and at the top of the hill above our stadium, I yell “WE ARE” and the team responds “HILLTOPPERS”. Then we run down the hill to enter our stadium.

To further enhance our look, we borrowed the Ohio State tradition of awarding helmet stickers. Since we are not buckeyes and no one knows what a Hilltopper is, we use little white footballs as our helmet stickers. Kids love the look and it causes them to watch more video as they email me on Sunday with how many stickers they believe they have earned.

2017-05-16 Helmet Stickers.png

To finish out the gameday experience, we introduced tailgating. Please let me emphasize, tailgating does not mean alcohol or unruly behavior. It’s about family, fellowship, and team cohesion. We create an environment where parents, players, students, and faculty extend the Hilltopper team culture into the local community. We section off a parking lot that overlooks our stadium. Our player’s parents set up a smoker, grills and tables. Every parent brings something to share and contributes to the event. The parents of our freshmen players often staff the smoker and grills so the parents of our older players do not miss seeing their sons play. Win or lose, our staff, families and players head to the parking lot to tailgate after every home game. They share the Hilltopper spirit, extend the Hilltopper family, and reinforce the Hilltopper Tradition. If we do this right, players, parents, teachers, coaches, and the community may come and go over the decades ahead, but “tradition will never graduate.”

Thankfully, we win more than we lose. Since the 2014 season, when we changed our helmet color and instituted these new traditions, we have gone 13-3 at home including a 4-0 playoff record.

Recent posts about “Making the Big Time Where You Are,” have really spurred great feedback and comments from readers. I look forward to sharing one reader’s reflections on our program in an upcoming blog post. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I did!

If you’d like to learn more about making your program “The Big Time” for you, please stay with us on olineskills.com. We’ll be discussing more of the changes we implemented to cultivate success in the coming weeks. 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 www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends.

Make the “Big Time” Where You Are.

May 9, 2017May 8, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

Make the “Big Time” Where You Are.

Last week I began a conversation with you about making your program “The Big Time” for you, your players, your school, and your community… Some approaches are external, some internal, and some combine an outward facing symbol to help cultivate an internal change in team identity.

Few of us enjoy the bright lights or big budgets that seem to go hand in hand with an ESPN SportsCenter highlight reel. Big stadiums, celebrity coaches, and marquis branding seem to dominate the highest levels of collegiate and professional athletics. One of the hottest trends in Big Time college football is the changing of helmet color and design. Programs seem to have a different helmet or uniform every week, and players project images or identity with little care or concern over the costs of such a metamorphosis. While most high schools and small colleges may not be able to change every week, they can change every year at little or no additional cost. There are ways to emulate the “Big Time,” without the big budget.

SJA_Football_gray helmet
When I arrived at St Johnsbury Academy in the summer of 2013, the team had endured seven consecutive losing seasons. The eighth, my first, was no different. We made the playoffs but suffered a quick exit. During all eight of those losing seasons, the team wore silver helmets with a grey face mask, green logo and green stripe. Heading in to the 2014 season, the program needed a change; an outward expression of evolution and improvement.

One of the first, and most noticeable of several program changes that year was our helmets. As a relatively small school in northern Vermont, we did not have the budget to make big changes. The same creative problem solving we emphasize on the field for our players would have to become the basis for what initially appeared to be an insurmountable fiscal challenge. Working closely with our reconditioning partner, Stadium Systems, we explained our intent, conveying both the importance of the change, and the reality of our limited resources.

We knew the helmet reconditioning process includes repainting every year and seized the opportunity to paint our helmets a new color. Similarly, we order new logos each year, so instead of ordering green, we chose white. Although we could not afford to have our face masks dipped to change color, Stadium Systems worked with other clients and arranged a swap with a school who had white facemasks looking to go to grey. Trading our facemasks for theirs, we found a “win/win solution” with no cost to either school! The only additional cost was the painting of helmets not used the previous season in need of recertification, but that nominal expense was well worth it.

Beginning with their new look, our kids felt “Big Time” entering the 2014 season. They knew opponents would first see, and subsequently feel the change in our identity upon first contact. With our new found confidence, the Hilltoppers played like a “Big Time” program, going 10-1, and earning the school’s first trip to the state championship in 20 years.

SJA_Football_green helmet

Coaching is Coaching…

May 2, 2017May 1, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

Coaching is Coaching

You’ve heard the saying before and it is true. Coaching is coaching. If you can coach, you can coach at any level. I have had the good fortune of being invited to join training camp as a “visiting coach” with an NFL team when I was in between jobs, and I have had the pleasure of coaching my youngest son’s 5^th & 6^th grade flag football team. I also coached my middle son’s padded flag team. I have been an assistant, coordinator, and head coach at the high school level; and I have been a graduate assistant, assistant, coordinator, and head coach at the college level. I have worked at both scholarship and non-scholarship schools.

I have worked with great coaches and below average coaches at every one of those levels. Yes, there were a few coaches on that NFL team that were just off the charts in their ability to coach, but I worked with high school coaches who could have been very successful college coaches, and college coaches who could have been successful in the NFL. The biggest difference I have found is in how much time you want or are able to commit. As you know, the sun rises early and settles late during the summer months. Every day of that NFL training camp, the staff reported before the sun came up and departed long after it had set. We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the training facility. It was great as a visiting coach, but sure would be tough on a family. The life of a college coach is extremely time consuming as well, even more so when you add recruiting across multiple states into the mix.

Over the past 30 years, I would say that I had the most fun back in 1991, as a part-time assistant at East Stroudsburg University while working 2 other jobs, living with 2 other coaches, barely able to pay the electric bill, but learning and coaching football every day. But I have never been happier than I am now as an Assistant Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at St Johnsbury Academy in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont coaching 2 of my 3 sons. We all dream about coaching in the “big time” but make the big time where you are.

Over the next three weeks, I plan to share some thoughts about how I make my current role “the big time,” to me. I hope after 30 years of coaching I can share some of the lessons learned and help you avoid some of the obstacles I encountered along the way. I don’t presume to have all the answers, but just as my mentors shared their lessons with me and helped me grow as a coach, parent, and person, I’d like to reinforce their efforts and share some thoughts with you. Hopefully, together we can explore ways to maximize the best the coaching profession has to offer. I look forward to continuing the conversation.

Contact Coach Rich Alercio at richalercio@gmail.com

Offensive Line… 2 or 3 Point Stance?

April 11, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

2-point or 3-point?

2 and 3pt stance

In the spring of 2004, after hosting the 3^rd annual Alercio OLine Clinic with over 700 players and coaches in attendance, I was contacted by K.C. Keeler, who at the time was the head football coach at the University of Delaware. Coach Keeler and his offensive line coach, Kyle Flood, invited me down to Delaware to discuss what had made my clinics so popular.

The Blue Hens had just won the 2003 I-AA National Championship and both Coach Keeler and Coach Flood were well known in the northeast as offensive innovators. I knew a trip to Newark would be a great opportunity for me to learn. Having watched their national championship game on ESPN in December, I was struck by something almost unheard of 15 years ago. They played the entire game with their offensive linemen in 2-point stances.

After sharing the details of my clinic with them, they made themselves and their video available to me. I watched over and over as they successfully ran Power in short yardage and goal line situations with their linemen in 2-point stances. I was sold.

The 2-point stance has allowed our players to look to the sideline for plays in our no-huddle system. It makes it easier for them to recognize fronts and communicate blocking schemes. Pass sets, jump sets, pulls, combos and double teams are all easier to execute from a 2-point stance.

If you are an option team who is 90% downhill run blocking in the sagittal plane, I would suggest you keep your linemen in 3-point stances. If not, I would strongly suggest you consider getting your big guys’ hands off the ground!

Coach Rich Alercio is available to assist with one on one, small group, or large audience presentations. For more than 20 years, Coach Alercio has led, taught, coached and mentored student athletes and coaches across the high school, college, and professional levels of football.

Rich’s National level presentations for clinics like Nike and Glazier, have earned him acclaim and praise for his offensive innovations as a strategist and play caller, and his one on one “techniques in the trenches” offensive line coaching has improved the tactics, techniques and procedures of more than 10,000 Offensive Linemen over nearly 20 years.

Contact Coach Rich Alercio at richalercio@gmail.com

Rich Alercio’s OLine Clinic Recap

March 29, 2017March 29, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

More than 200 offensive lineman representing over 40 high schools in 2 states along with dozens of their coaches made the annual pilgrimage to the 16th Alercio OLine Clinic on Sunday, March 26.

We spent 4 hours at the Hun School of Princeton learning and drilling 2 & 3-pt stances, 5 Run Steps, 2 Pass Steps, Run & Pass Punches, Targets and Strike Points, Drive Blocks, Down Blocks, Jump Sets, 4 Pulling Techniques, Combination Blocks, Double Teams, Pass Sets, 3 Run Blocking Schemes (Man, Zone & Gap) and Slide Protection.

Players and coaches both enjoyed the day, the team building, camaraderie and a chance to learn new techniques and improve skills.

If you’d like more info on the clinic, techniques, or how you could have Coach Rich Alercio teach his “Techniques for the Trenches” clinic at your school, please email Coach Alercio

Check out some of the participants below:

2- Toms River North, Steinert, Immaculata

3-Manchester, KIPP NYC, Hudson Catholic, Princeton

4-Holy Cross, Delran, Central Regional, Ewing

5-Absegami, Bridgewater, Westfiled, South Hunterdon

9-Montclair, Hamilton West, Manasquan, Old Bridge, Ocean City, Pope John Paul II

8-Paulsboro, Montgomery, Belleville, Columbia, Nottingham

6-Parsippany, Washington Twp, Bloomfield

Why Young Coaches Should Think Twice Before Leaving for a Promotion…

March 20, 2017March 29, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

St. Johnsbury (Vt.) head coach Rich Alercio remembers receiving the same advice years ago that many young coaches still hear today: “To move up the ladder, coaches always need to keep an eye on their next step up…” (or should they???)

Alercio heard that coaches should seek a new position every two-to-three years. He took the advice, leaving a job where he was comfortable—but finding his new role unfulfilling, even though it came with the allure of slightly more money and great responsibility.

It was a decision that Alercio regrets, and one that he hopes today’s young coaches can learn from.

“If you find a good job, where you like it, you’re learning and growing, stay there,” Alercio said, during an appearance on the USA Football Coach and the Coordinator podcast.

Though Alercio’s career eventually got back on track, he’s quick to encourage young coaches to think twice about leaving a good situation, particularly if the current environment promotes a healthy work-life balance.

“It’s a heck of a lot easier balancing life, family and happiness when you have a good job and you stick with it,” he said.

To listen to Alercio’s full interview on the USA Football Coach and the Coordinator podcast with Keith Grabowski, click here: Coach Rich Alercio on “The Coach & Coordinator Podcast”

“Innovations for Any Offense” eClinic-

Live today March 20th, check out Coach Alercio’s eclinic on Innovations for any Offense

Click here: Coach Rich Alercio’s Glazier eClinic

Don’t Miss The 16th Alercio OLine Clinic

Sunday, March 26th 2017
Download your brochure:

OLine Clinic Brochure

Building an Offensive Line: Offseason Mental Conditioning

March 13, 2017March 13, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

Coach Rich Alercio believes in coaching the offensive line as the head coach.

11.21.15_MSU FTBL VS OHIO STATE

Coaching the OLine is something Coach Alercio has done as an assistant, as a coordinator, and head coach. He attributes offensive success to the five interior players. Coach Alercio also believes that the group must work nearly year-round to develop the communication and chemistry that they need for game day excellence.

To do this, Alercio has developed an offseason, offensive line mental conditioning program. For Alercio, this breaks down into three areas: footwork, fit, and communication.

Alercio began utilizing this system because he found that there was little continuity when the player has five months off before they perform their skills again.

“There’s no carryover,” Alercio said. “The player will think, ‘I remember we did something like this,’ but it doesn’t have the effect of doing it with regularity.”

The setup of these sessions is relatively simple, and the linemen can do it in a relatively small space using chairs as the defense.

Alercio gives the center the responsibility of setting these sessions up and moving the rest of the unit through.

The center will be responsible for changing the fronts and always makes the first call. The other linemen work on their communication and on cadence. They will step to their assignments.

This does not have to be a full speed drill. The emphasis is on the communication and mental work of assignment, correct steps, and fit to where the block belongs.

Alercio offered these tips for a successful mental conditioning session:

Give the center something to work off of. This could be a script or simply a list of fronts and defenses to work against a single concept. After performing a set number of reps each way, the center will have the unit move the chairs. For example, they should work against four down front, then a three down front. The shade and 3 technique can be varied on each side, or linebacker alignments can be varied as well. Communication is the key. The older players should ensure that the younger players are being coached. Teaching a concept helps solidify understanding for both players.

Alercio feels that this is a good bridge from the beginning of the offseason to the spring. Following the spring, the coaches are allowed to do more work with the players, and this carries into the summer.

The work then begins to become more physical, but a solid foundation of mental understanding has been established.

Read the original Offseason Mental Conditioning Post at USAFootball: Click Here!

Don’t Miss The 16th Alercio OLine Clinic March 26th 2017.
Download your brochure:
OLine Clinic Brochure

Rich Alercio on USA Football.com

March 6, 2017March 6, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

Coach Rich Alercio was recently featured in articles on USA Football.com.

Check out the articles:

Rich Alercio is confident in his run-pass option (RPO) pin and pull scheme no matter what defense he’s facing. The head coach of St. Johnsbury Academy (Vt.) recently joined the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast, where he broke down why he thinks the play is a nightmare to defend. Read the full article: Pin & Pull on usafootball

shane-run-v-essex-2

Get the Pin & Pull details you need to run this unstoppable offense! Click here: PIN & PULL on Coach’s Edge Marketplace

Install and call it. 5 star review . Learn the details of the pin and pull concept packaged with 2 RPO companions. The ultimate Coaches Coach. You’ll get the installation, diagrams, practice drills and a video reference tool that you can use all season long.

A Contrarian View on a Football Coach’s Ladder to Success

St Johnsbury Academy Head Coach Rich Alercio talks about why the most common advice coaches-mentoring for building a coaching career may not be the best…

Read the full article here: Think Twice!

The grass may not always be greener…

Contact Coach Rich Alercio at: richalercio@gmail.com

Don’t Miss The 16th Alercio OLine Clinic March 26th 2017.

Download your brochure:

OLine Clinic Brochure

Pin & Pull and The Run Pass Option

January 30, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

I recently did a Podcast on the Coach and Coordinator Show with Keith Grabowski. Following great response from PodCast listeners, Keith invited me to do a F.A.S.T. Clinic Podcast (Focused Attack Strategies & Tactics) powered by Coaches Edge Technologies available in February. The topic is our Pin & Pull concept and the Run Pass Option (RPO) off of it. I’ll be sure to post updates as soon as they are available. The following is an article relevant the clinic, and one I hope will whet your appetite for more.

An age-old concept run in a shotgun spread offense, our Pin & Pull scheme is a knock off of the old “Packer Sweep” and the Wing T “Buck Sweep.” But instead of just running it to the Left or Right Halfback we call it to our Running Back (B), Quarterback (Q), Flankerback (Z) and Slotback (A). And when we call it to the Quarterback we incorporate an RPO (Run Pass Option). This allows us to show defenses multiple play looks with one easy to teach and learn line scheme. We also incorporate a pre-snap pass option on the backside of all of our Pin & Pull plays. A single wide receiver on the backside has an option route of a Slant, Hitch, or Fade while multiple backside receivers run Bubble or Smoke Screen. Simple repetitive roles and responsibilities for our offensive players translate into multiple combinations and confusion for the defense.

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deuce-jet-pin-and-pull

We incorporate Zone and Man schemes in our offense and have found the Pin & Pull Gap scheme is easiest to teach to our players and they relay it is easiest for them to learn. Every offensive lineman has the same rule: If you have a defensive lineman in your backside gap, block him (Pin). If not, Pull. For those linemen who are pinning, it does not matter if the defender is on you, in your backside gap or on an adjacent offensive lineman. We incorporate the same steps, visual targets, and strike points. If we are running Pin & Pull to the Right, all Pinners will take a Bucket step with their left foot (backside foot). The visual target is the near pec (or near number), and the strike points are the near shoulder (right hand) and sternum (left hand). This allows us to open our hips to the defender and screen him from his pursuit to the playside. Pullers will step with their right foot (playside foot). Playside pullers are looking to get outside. Backside pullers must eyeball Inside Linebackers for penetration on split reads on their way to the outside. In teaching our pullers to make contact with linebackers in space, we use the same terms we teach for openfield tackling: Run to, and Buzz. At the college level, we used to throw inside shoulder to outside leg with a cut and roll technique to see the offensive lineman did not whiff (miss) in space versus an often more athletic second level defender. At the high school level, we buzz our feet to breakdown in space. For contact, the visual target is the sternum and the strike points are the pecs.

Unlike most RPOs where the defender being read is left unblocked, we block everyone in our QB Pin & Pull but include the RPO to take advantage of a defender who leaves his coverage responsibility for run support. quads-y-over-rpo We prefer using the Pin & Pull scheme for our RPOs for two reasons: 1) we do not have to tweak the scheme in any way for the RPO and 2) the blocking scheme limits risk of an ineligible man downfield on the pass. With linemen either blocking on the Line of Scrimmage or Pulling to the outside, the QB has ample time to make the throw with no concern of having a lineman downfield.

We use a variety of 1, 2, and 3 man route concepts with our QB Pin & Pull RPO, but our favorite is our 2-man Fade-Slide out of an unbalanced Y Over formation with a pre-snap option route on the backside. The option route gives us a pre-snap option if defenses overload to the unbalanced Y Over. The post snap read starts with the overhang player (Outside Linebacker or Strong Safety). If he abandons his coverage responsibility for run support, we throw the Slide route to our Slot receiver. If the Corner squats on the Slide route, we have the ability to throw the Fade. When the overhang player stays in coverage, the QB runs the ball in the alley.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this discussion of the Pin & Pull and RPO strategy we’ve employed to such success. I encourage you to listen to my interview on Coach and Coordinator Show, and to bring your linemen to the Coach Alercio OLine Clinic at the Hun School this coming March!

Teaching & Drilling the Screen & Draw Game

January 13, 2017 Coach AlercioLeave a comment

This Martin Luther King Day, January 16, I will be speaking at Championship Football Clinics 18^th Annual Offensive Line Clinic along with John Peterson, University of Pittsburgh, Justin Frye, Boston College, Allen Mogridge, Florida International, AJ Blazek, Rutgers University & Rich Hargitt, Eastside HS, S.C.

The clinic begins at 8am and is located at the Knights of Columbus, 79 Pascack Rd Washington Twp NJ. 2 miles from Bergen Catholic, High School

My topic is Teaching and Drilling the Screen and Draw Game. Our Draws are 3 different plays but only 1 Scheme. We run a QB Lead Draw, a QB Draw in Empty with a Pulling Tackle and a RB Lead Draw. All three Draws are blocked the same with only one exception…the person assigned to block the Sam (1^st playside LB). The Tackles block #2 on the LOS (DE), Guards block #1 on LOS (DT or NG) and the Center blocks Mike (Middle or Backside LB). Center will combo with either Guard if their #1 is in his path to Mike. On our QB Lead Draw, the running back isolates the Sam. We have our H-Back block the Sam on our RB Draw. We pull the backside Tackle to block the Sam on our QB draw in Empty and align the TE next to him to cut of his #2.

draws

Draw is a running play so all of the offensive linemen can run block the scheme; but to create larger holes and encourage defensive linemen to displace themselves, we want our linemen to Jump Set any defensive linemen in an outside alignment (examples: Tackle vs a 5 tech or Guard vs a 3 tech). On our Jump Set, we teach the offensive lineman to take a Base Run Step with his inside foot; and show a pass set with his upper body. The “High Hat” of the pass set gives the DL a false read of pass and gets him in to a pass rush and away from the point of attack. The Base Run Step with the inside foot defends the play in case of the DL being on an inside rush or slant.

We drill three scenarios in our Jump Sets. When the DL gets upfield in a pass rush, we Club & Ride. Our visual target is the near Pec. We hold the set position until the rusher gets hip-to-hip then we turn towards him to club & ride him upfield. The strike points are outside hand to near shoulder and inside hand to spine. We are looking to club the middle of the back just below the shoulder pads. On the ride, we want to be underneath the rusher so that he cannot retrace his steps when he recognizes Draw. The next scenario is a DL who does not rush, but rather sits and reads. After our Jump Set and the recognition that he is not rushing, we get in to an Angle Drive Block with a visual target of the near Pec and Strike points of near shoulder with the inside hand and sternum with the outside hand. The last scenario we drill is the DL on an inside rush or slant move. We must recognize the threat to our inside immediately and get in to a Vertical Drive Block to stop any inside penetration with a visual target of the sternum and strike points on both pecs.

Our Slip Screens are 3-man, 2-count screens to the RB or TE and are run off of plays in our offense with NOW throws. This allows us to run all of our screens as Screen Pass Options (SPOs). Just like an RPO, we will identify a defender and read him as to whether we throw the Now throw of the pass play or turn to throw the screen. This also sells the screen when we do throw it because the receivers are running routes and the QB has his eyes on a route opposite the screen.

screens

On our Stick Slip, we read the Sam to throw the Stick route to the TE or Slip Screen to the RB. On our Boot Screen, will read the Sam to throw our TE Pin Flat or RB Slip. On our Sprint Y Slip, we throw a slide route to our Slot Receiver or a Slip to the TE.

On all of our Screens we block the protection of the play for a 2-count so there is no new teaching. After the 2-count, three linemen will depart to the edge of the box on the screen side. The first one looks Out, the second looks Up and the third looks In. On our Stick Slip and Sprint Y Slip, the two Guards and Center pull out on the Screen. Since we pull a Guard in our Boot protection, on our Boot Slip, we pull the Screen side Tackle, Center and Playside Guard out on the Screen. The other two linemen stay in their protection.

The technique we teach and drill on Screens for the offensive linemen is to Run (Out, Up, or In), Buzz (feet before contact) then block. On the block the visual target is the sternum and the strike points are the pecs. We buzz our feet to get the offensive lineman under control before making contact.