052 The Fastest Time of Year: Football Everywhere

 

• Football Frenzy: Discussion about how time flies during football season with games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and possibly Sunday.
• Midseason Reflection: Evaluating the season at the two-week mark with only six games left; reflecting on how fast the season is moving and what it means for players.
• High School Football Spotlight: Shoutout to a record-setting high school quarterback performance—13 for 13 with seven touchdowns.
• Execution in Youth Football: Challenges and successes in middle school football, including blocking, protection, and man coverage. Drawing parallels to NFL-level execution.
• Importance of Hard Work: Acknowledging the validation athletes feel when hard work pays off in performance, especially for players who’ve been training since January.

Parenting an Athlete:

• Dealing with Success: The challenge of handling a child’s success in football, keeping things low-key, and focusing on the team effort. Emphasizing the importance of humility in young athletes.

Humbling Aspects of Football:

• Quick Turnaround: Football can humble even the best athletes quickly. Staying focused on improving each week, regardless of last week’s success.
• Maturation of Teams: Noting how some high school teams have standout years, reflecting on new teams that are making waves and perennial powerhouses that continue to excel.

Elite Training Environment:

• Benefits of Training with Older Athletes: How younger players, including quarterbacks, benefit from training with older, more experienced athletes who keep them grounded and focused.
• Locker Room Culture: The importance of older players and coaches keeping younger athletes humble and the camaraderie that builds in competitive environments.

Competitiveness and Training Culture:

• Healthy Competition: Ending training sessions with competitions breeds competitiveness and tests athletes’ mental toughness.
• Avoiding Overconfidence: Warning athletes against showing up to training overconfident without having earned respect. Realities of facing tougher competition in football.

Reality Check in Football:

• True Talent vs. Image: Story of a well-dressed player who looked great but struggled with basic football skills—illustrating how athletic ability and fundamentals always prevail over appearances.
• High-Level Quarterbacks: Acknowledging the scrutiny that high-level quarterbacks like Dylan Duff face. Always being watched and the pressure to perform, similar to NFL athletes like Saquon Barkley.

Rising Stars:

• Highlighting Local Talent: Discussing standout high school players like Brady Davidson and Rocco Marriott, their performances, and how they’re gaining attention from colleges.
• High-Performance Metrics: Metrics like broad jumps, laser-timed 40-yard dashes, and how these numbers catch the attention of college recruiters.

The MAC Football Scene:

• Midwest College Football: Praise for programs like Northern Illinois and Miami of Ohio for consistently producing top talent and competing fiercely despite being in a non-Power 5 conference.
• Impact on College Football Ecosystem: How these schools are integral to the college football landscape and heavily recruit areas like Missouri.

Regional Talent and NFL Influence:

• St. Louis Producing NFL Players: Discussing the impressive number of NFL players from St. Louis (13), and the importance of the region’s development programs in helping players reach the NFL.
• Comparing Development Across Regions: Comparing athlete development in St. Louis to other high-producing areas like Houston and Atlanta, and why some areas may have more developed players coming out of high school.

Final Thoughts:

• Focus on Character: Emphasizing that success in football isn’t just about athletic ability, but also about character, work ethic, and love for the game. Highlighting how finding players who truly love football is key to long-term success.