Don’t Forget Your Special Teams Resume

As thousands of you young football coaches descend on San Antonio today there will be one thing that many of you will have in common. You will be looking for a job. Here is a word of advice for you, if you are looking for employment. Don’t forget your special teams resume as you walk the convention floors in San Antonio.

If you have coached long enough you will be unemployed at some point. If you haven’t been unemployed yet, just be patient, your turn is coming. There are several ways that you become part of the coaching ranks unemployment crowd. Some are unemployed because you are just breaking into the coaching profession. Some of you have been let go. Then again, some of you may be employed but you are looking to move to another job.

Regardless of your situation, odds are that any background you have in special teams is going to help you. The plain and simple truth is that special teams kept me employed as a college and NFL football coach.  Yes, I was fortunate to have gained experience coaching on both sides of the ball too. However, the one thing that always seemed to be the difference maker when it came to getting a job was that I could coach special teams.

Texas Wesleyan Explains “Why FirstDown PlayBook”

Coaches are just like players when it comes to special teams. I have never met a player who said “Man I got into playing football because I always wanted to cover a punt”. At the same time, you don’t ever hear of many coaches who at a young age decide they want to begin a career coaching football because they have dreamed of coaching the punt team. It’s only after they get into their careers that they see the value and importance of special teams. Then they end up either embracing it or mistakenly hiding from it.

7 Tips For Fast Field Goal Success

You will see some young coaches who avoid these responsibilities early in their careers because they want to focus on being a great linebacker coach or the best receiver coach. This is a huge mistake. Several years down the line they do not understand when someone else gets hired for a job that they want. If you look closer it’s sometimes because the guy who got the job could coach the linebackers. He could also handle one or two phases in the special teams area.

So if you are a young coach who does not have a background in special teams, we would recommend getting some quick. If you are a young coach who has special teams experience be sure to talk about it in San Antonio. You may be the best linebacker coach since Bill Belichick but may never get a chance to show it. Your special teams resume may just be what gets you in the door.