Developing a Dominant Defense with Corey Stefanik DC Catholic Memorial, MA
45 min readDeveloping a Dominant Defense with Corey Stefanik DC Catholic Mem, MA with Coach Schuman and Coach Depascale
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All right back at it Again got a another great podcast Hopefully we're g to talk to Corey Stepanic played at Holy Cross I actually I'll take a step back played high school At Don Bosco prep um National Powerhouse Top program in New Jersey probably was Probably was the top program when he Played and um played at Holy Cross which Is also obviously big FCS power a Teammate of Liam Anderson in in college Played side by side with each other Um and uh that that that was a Powerhouse defense uh for years as well At the level and now he's a defens Coordinator at a Powerhouse program in Massachusetts Catholic hi school and We'll talk to him more uh or they call Catholic Memorial what do they call it There is it Catholic Memorial sorry yeah Catholic Memorial yeah Catholic Memorial Uh High School in Massachusetts so um uh You know and I I'll we'll let you run With it a little bit but without further Ado if anything you want to talk about Uh about Corey just from obviously you Have much more personal experience Before you bring him On no I mean listen great player great Kid uh comes from a good would have gone To a good public school program here in Jersey at Ramapo High School decided to Make that move to go to bosow and Actually played as well in high school
With ran gross who was just our most Recent guest um and was kind of that new Regime that came in after those bosow Powerhouses so a little bit of that ends Up going to to Holy Cross plays with Liam Anderson there um and now just Transitions right into the coaching role So excited to hear kind of a little bit About you know uh Massachusetts high School football from a from a Perspective of a guy who's been at the At the highest of the levels so looking Looking forward to it there he is there He is what's going on Do coach is right you do got a great Smile man you got a great Smile that's gonna get get you Everywhere you need to be part of it That's half the battle right There a little bit harder when you got a Mug like this dude like that little Smile you're good man but hey I Appreciate you uh we appreciate you Taking the time we know it's busy in Season and whatnot to come out and and You know just talk a little ball with us Yes sir I appreciate you guys having me On my first question which is unrelated To all the other stuff uh when coach Brought up that you would have went to Ram wh which town are you from I'm from Franklin Lakes Franklin Lakes Junior Football then she played Frank Lakes Junor football yes sir coach for DC you
Know yes I know him well I got that got was fired up man I'll Tell you those were good times it it was A lot of fun back then I was at um I was At Indian Hills for a couple of years so And I would always be over at frankco Lakes games watching them and Coach with DC coaching coaching the the upper level Guys it was great he's great great guy And you guys had your own um Stadium It's like Stadium yeah it was a cool Little that's all Phil Sims right there Oh was it that was all Phil yeah he put It all together it was nice Turf before That it was an awful grass field then he Got the nice Turf he got the little Stands it's nice yeah I know it's nice It opens his backyard opens to it he Would walk down he needed a facility to Work out ony might as well do to for Well for Chris like Chris and yeah yeah For the boy Matt and Them so that that's that's great that's Great that was that was stick in his Head as soon as he said he said he could Have went there would have went to a Good public I was like oh which wonder Which town he was from yeah I know I Know how the whole that having having Coached up there W off frankco lakes in Oakland like that's the kids are always Where's where are these guys going and The Franklin Lakes guys went to a lot of Franklin Lakes guys went to Don Bosco
That's where a lot of the really good Players I mean still to this day that's Where the where they where they go yeah Yeah I think you had a couple guys from Your class go I think right yeah me and Mike delandro were the two that uh took The drip trip then Johnny Lutz I don't Know if you remember John the comedian of the group yeah the Legend literally The Legend and not for Any athletic purpose whatsoever yeah Just the bad just straight up the bad You Know good Kid Mike delandro who ended up playing The Crossover at UNCC great athlete we Uh taking the trip over to Bosco that that's really really cool um So you've had uh an amazing playing Career and now you're coaching at a a Great program Um uh let's let's start let's start back In the like guess the early days like Gasco um you you played you played under Toll right um and what are some of the Lessons that you learned I mean he like For me as far as New Jersey goes and it It's such a shame what happened at the End there too um but he is is the Greatest High School coach in New Jersey History Bar None like long before he Came to bosow he was already you know he Had won all those championships at Hackensac he coached it where I grew up
He in Saddlebrook in the 80s and took a Team that was terrible to the to the Deep into the playoffs then he went to Riverdell one state championships then Had hackas then obviously turned bosow Into a Powerhouse well what was it like Playing for him and what were a lot of The lessons you learned there man it it It wasn't easy I'll tell you that it Wasn't the easiest thing ever it was you Had to be a special person to be able to Play Under coach tall and a lot of guys Couldn't make it I think my freshman Class we came in like 140 kids and the Senior class we might have had 30 left So that that tells you a lot right there And I think what tol does he's he Instills toughness in people um if You're not tough you're not going to be Able to go through that and that brings On to life you know being tough a lot of Stuff happens you get fired bad things Happen you know how are you going to Bounce back and keep going the next play And that's what I think toll really Instilled in me the most is what am I Gonna do next I screwed up here what am I g to do next to fix that what am I Gonna do next to build off that that Sort of thing so for me tol really Instilled that toughness in me and I Think I I think everybody would agree With me that that was his thing we were Tough guys we went down to Florida they
Were million times more athletic you Know they they should have destroyed us But we were tougher than them we Outlasted them we played every play Hardest we could yeah so I think that's What tol really that was his Difference Maker was making tough kids who wanted It who loved it who wanted it to keep Coming and you know work as hard as we Possibly could you know so that that's Probably my top uh takea away from coach Toll well I I I remember all the Speeches that that's the first oh we're The tough guys we're the tough guys oh When he start throwing some when he Started throwing them in that pregame Speech it was can't tell your head go You knew we were about to put up some Points and he was in his head he was Back to those days when he was boxing Too box oh yeah 100% man yeah if you you Didn't want to be if you were in that Locker room and you were in that front Row on a knee the second saw him take That little step and get into that you You were oh here it goes here it comes You know what I'm saying like of course Sean gross be the first guy in the in The front row like let it hit me hit Me like El you knew you knew it was Coming but definitely that was Definitely something that he and like You said like you couldn't be that guy Because that's just what he demanded
Like guys would they would get weeded Out based off of that right like because You had to keep coming every play every Day you know and it was so much games Those were the easy parts right the Practices that stuff is where he Instilled that toughness just all the Time yeah 100% I think the practice was A million times harder than any game That we played in just we went oneson Ones every day everything was a Competition right from the jump of Practice we had goal line we were one Guy on the three yard line one guy heals On the goal line let's compete loser Starts be crawl in the end zone you know It was nonstop everything we did was Just competition toughness it was a Fight that that's how it should be um I Agree it's harder to do it now as you Know as a coach like the way that things Uh you played in high school probably at The tail end of where because I remember We 23rd so your last season was 2013 right High School you gradu Graduation in 2014 right right I feel Like I feel like 2014 2015 was like the Last year years people before everyone Started coming down on all these Different things you know but those were Like the last years you were like you Could get away with stuff but then all Of a sudden the next year they're Handing you like how many how many hours
Did you have contact and practice how Many water Breaks you know I got I I can't do two a Days anymore for longer than this and Crazy yeah man it's funny because then They Wonder Then you get like people like oh Football's not as good it's like well How is it going to be how could it be Like I mean yeah you Take y you know it's it's it's a Different game now it's it's a different Game it's a different game yeah I Remember I remember two a days back at Bosco were actually easier than the Single days because the single days were Just the two of days condensed you know Yeah yeah three hours yeah it was just The full thing there was no break in the Middle and that wasn't Bergen week yeah God yeah that was in the summer IM Bergen week oh yeah see guys are like You know guys are now like oh my rides My ride's coming at this time or I gotta Be out of practice at bur week dude are You crazy like they can wait I'll tell You a funny story when I was a this is This is a long time ago because I'm Obviously much older than both of you But when I when I was a um uh a little Kid I used to go this was to was at Sbook high school for two years and I Used to go and watch the practices but You you I would have my practice as a
Little football and and go over and Watch well you could go over and watch Because toll practice so long so long Okay so long that like they would have The lights and you know and and S I Don't know if you ever seen S I like Little there's no lights there's nothing There you know there's no like so people Would have the um uh they would have Their cars lined up in the parking lot With lights on sounds about right they Would practice it would be like 7:30 you Know at night starting at like what when School at three I guess you know like That sounds ber we yeah that's that was Like the old old days so like by the Time he got to you he was probably like Semi semi softer Even guarantee you not much he must have Been I think he was in his 20s he might Have been in his 20s or like early 30s And yeah I just remember I would go over There and they' be like oh let's see if We can catch the end of the practice and They'd be like oh don't worry they're Still practicing like don't worry they Still got an hour to go yeah we didn't Start youth practice till like five you Know So it's it's pretty funny Um Yeah it's still going oh yeah I know He's a Legend well so is he a does he help out
Of Burgen oh he does okay he's still at Bergen I look is he I didn't know if he Was I know he's I know he's there he's On St I don't know I don't know what Actually I don't know the essence of Everything I don't think he's doing as Much anymore correct and I believe he's Only doing you know listen his specialty A lot of people was like d line like That was when we did individual like Some way shape or form he always seemed To end up by the dine so you could say You could see why like like like ran Right like gross like worshiped him Because they got that much time together And when they came down to it like he Knew what he was talking about you know What I mean like you think like you Think him you think motivator head coach Like he knew his ex's and0 just as well As everybody else you know and uh you Know that was just something that was Different for those teams like the Amount of time that he really would put Into that stuff and then ultimately you See it led to success oh yeah and the Coaching staff that he built around him Was unbelievable and a lot of I try to Tell people this right like you look at That coaching staff now you know like Guys that are in high level positions I Mean we're talking the offensive Coordinator you know Iggy that's at Bosow now I mean him and I were like the
Lowest dudes on the totem pole like Going to grab you guys a Gatorade if you Needed it you know what I mean like we Were at that level worked our way up you Know coach manangi who's now been the Head coach at St Joe's who we've talked To and done things with uh you know Coach and whatnot like those guys have All progressed in their careers and he Had it's all because of him you know all Started with him I mean coach ant with The dolphins right and has been through Multiple head coaches you know what I'm Saying like so you look at a guy that's That's gone to that level and through College right like how many stops did he Have in college you know he's just you Know and that's I don't even know Anything about any of the other guys Before him or any of his other staffs You know and to have done it at multiple Programs you know you're just fortunate In that that you played for a guy like That but I also think that's what helped You transition to when you were at Holy Cross and when you got there speak a Little bit on that program yeah Holy Cross was amazing um it it was a Interesting four or five years that I Went through because we did have a coach Change um so I came in under coach Gilmore not sure if you guys know who he Is uh solid guy great guy um he Recruited me in I got a full scholarship
Uh I went to the camp got a scholarship Went in there um for the first two years He was our head coach and you know we Just weren't getting to done um we were We had losing Seasons it wasn't going Well uh after we played uh I believe Yale my I think it was my junior year he Ended up getting uh let go and we had a Whole transition season for the second Half of the season um and then from There we brought in coach chzn Coach chz Man different dude I believe from Assumption yeah from assumption so he he Climbed the pole too man he he's just Like coach to he turned losing program And the championship programs you know Came in the Holy Cross we we had a Losing season we just lost our head Coach didn't know what to do he took Things different and he talked to us Said like what do we need what what is It that we want to do what where do we Want to take this program not I want to Do this you know it wasn't about him it Was about us and I think everybody Bought into that and his leadership and His you know the way he ran the program Really changed everything he brought That competition back into play We were doing situational drills at all Times everything was sprinting full Speed so once chesne came in it really Changed everything and from there on we We just started Skyrock and and now I
Think they've won five uh five Patriot League championships in a row they went Liam Liam never lost the division like He he was the league champ every year he Played at Holy Cross before that I so we Won on my fifth year that was the first Time and I think it was right because You did five I think it yeah I broke my Ankle my sophomore more year that was a Rough one played on it for like four Weeks but got worse and worse you know Uh but my w we finally won and before That I think it was like 10 12 years Before the last time we won and now They' won five in a row so you could you Could tell the guys changed the program That that's incredible um what what was Living in Worcester Like the Gated version please all right H what's nice man it's definitely a lot Different now that I'm gone they got rid Of Kelly Square it's not you know used To I don't know if you know what Kelly Square is but it was an intersection With like nine different ways to come in And yep go chaos gota be a jersey guy And go that's it see there you go Jersey Guys can drive anywhere yeah exactly it Comes with us you know but uh now they Got a the light in there so it's nicer They got a brand new baseball Stadium For the Woxs um they're really leveling it up But when I was there you know it wasn't
It wasn't the nicest place but you gota Watch your back in Worcester so yeah you Gotta watch your back you gotta pay Attention where you are kind of thing But uh a lot of hills on that campus bro Everybody had great Calves everybody had great Calves what's one of the most unique Stadiums too it's like right lit like on The highway like you could see the game From from the highway yeah nice Stadium Though right and I'm they went through a Couple Renovations like it's a really Nice place to like see a game oh yeah It's beautiful giant stadium and they Just added the uh scoreboard they got The uh camera now they told us they Couldn't have it back then but all of a Sudden we got it so you know hey man That's what happens when you start you Keep you win League titles dude you get A lot they start Uping bosow got a new weight room too Bro your CAF your cafeteria is now the Weight room yeah that's insane to me our Weight room was that little tiny box That we lo I don't even know if you Could call it a Bo D when I walked in And I can remember this was one of the First things I I I was like in awe of Like this is Don Bosco's weight room I Mean Dave it's in all of the weight Rooms it was I'm tell it was half I Don't even know if it was half a
Classroom it right right right like it Was probably the old it was probably the Old fizzed equipment room right yeah Well that's how they all used to be Right and then so but like these guys Got obviously I mean got after it in There but like just to see yeah they got To the point where if you were standing On this side you couldn't see the wall On this side because all the steam Coming up because they would there's No going Around yeah Co did away with that one oh Yeah what was like the biggest Transition uh going from high school to College at Holy Cross like what were Question what was different you know Because listen you you really played at A high level program Holy Cross was on The r became On The Rise but like what But collegewise football-wise what was Different from from playing it at at Bosow and high school to college I think For me it was the fact that the speed Was diff little faster but I think the X's and O's was the biggest difference Um understanding the concepts of what Defenses were playing and why everything Works the way it works was probably the Most for me um and then just the time Management aspect of it was was a big Change too but when I so I got the fir My first start was our third game of the Season so I was able to you know get
Into that level very quickly um which Helped me you know really grow from There uh so the biggest change for me Was just learning what I have to do and How I could help the team um especially You know coming from bosow you were a Top dog and Walkin day one I was on Scout team and I Was like what is this you know I've Never done this never done a scout team Rep in your life yeah I had to work you Know and by week two I was in the Rotation and week three I was starting So I was able to really transition I Think playing at bosow helped me with That just because it is such a high Level and you're playing you're playing Unbelievable guys you know I played Al Cook I played the Bosa Brothers you know I played unbelievable guys in high School and when I got to college it was It was similar you know there wasn't That big of a jump so I think I was Lucky with that um but the exos and you Know the film study that was the biggest Uh difference for Me right the the well I think that's a Huge thing when you come from um a great Program like BOS I think you're if You're a highlevel player you're Probably more ready made when you come In right and then the then the key is The key is are you willing to keep Pushing it to the next level yeah
Because that's uh because you'll have Guys and you probably saw that like at Holy Cross you probably played at a Higher level than almost everybody on Your team in high school you know what I Mean than the guys that you played at Holy Cross but those guys may have taken More time to figure out and you they Have to some of those guys might have Big upsides right so like Liam Anderson Would be a good example even though they You guys I know you went won the state Championship at oldan but the levels are Different right I mean that um sorry Derek I bet said old Japan I mean Mount Olive um and so uh uh I used to coach at Old Japan that's why I said said that um The uh the levels are different in high School so Liam had a probably jump Levels to get himself prepared where you Were at a certain high level and then You have to continue to push I always Noticed that that was the interesting Thing of um guys who came in for big High schools like I remember they were Always ready made right those guys play Usually play sooner right like they have They're at that level where they just Pick it up quicker like you said by game Three you were starting Liam it took Them till probably his red shirt Sophomore year to just get a get on at For specials right and kind of work his Way right there whereas you were kind of
Already like coach was saying those Levels allowed you to be ready made I Mean look you played a against all of Those guys when you played other teams But you also every day in practice went Against one of those guys yeah I mean You you're lining up against the guy Tommy Sweeney who's in the NFL right now Every day in practice right like righty The guy in front of you alad Muhammad Like Quan is in the league still right Like so that's the guy that's in front Of you to you know telling you look hey This is kind of you know what's going on So yeah you're ready made and then That's what we've seen a lot of and one Of the things I wonder is is it does it Become Um it does become a situation where you Have to actually say okay you know I I Was at a great program I'm already a guy That could be is a starter kind of right Away you know had the ability to be a Starter now where do I go how do I Continue to push to squeeze more out of Myself like keep going to another level Like is that something that you kind of Thought about as a player yeah so Honestly I did not think of that at First so I actually lost my starting Position my junior year to a younger guy Um he took it from me because I wasn't Take I wasn't doing that for myself I Wasn't pushing myself I got complacent I
Was like I'm good I'm the starter I'm Like fine here and I lost my spot and I Hit myself and I looked at myself in the Mirror you know and I was like what is Going on right now and I had to put Everything together and I worked my ass Off or my butt off sorry you're good you Can curse it's YouTube this is one of Those podcast buddy you're all good you Can say whatever you want so I worked my Ass off to get back on the field because You know I I didn't want to sit there And watch and from there they actually Created a whole new defense to Incorporate me into it and I ended up Playing kind of a rush end they made a Whole thing they called it speed canes Um so I would come in a a d lineman will Come out I'd play Rush end and I would Go cause Havoc you know and you you were Like that's the type of player you were Is you were kind of that tweener right Like that am I a linebacker Like you know too athletic and small to Be a d lineman but not big enough to be The linebacker but not fast enough to be A a true DB but like so like and I know When when chz came in right that whole System that 42 fiveish which now seems To kind of be the norm for everything You know you kind of adapted to that Yeah it was perfect for me um I was able To set step into different positions you Know I lined up at DN I've lined I had a
Sack at uh D tackle once I I played Middle linebacker outside linebacker Safety you know i' I've been everywhere And I think me getting benched was the Best thing that's ever happened to me Because I was able to look myself in the Face and say yeah I need to make a Change and I need to start pushing again And I ended up earning my starting spot Back I ended up you know becoming an all Patriot League player uh we won the Championship I was able to be a leader On that team so that me getting benched Changed my tra traj A lot you know before that I was Complacent I was sitting there I didn't Have that question of myself of how how Am I going to keep pushing myself until That happened so yeah now and and the Reason I brought that up is because when I played I played at FC at Yukon was FCS When I was when uh uh try dating myself For the second time but that when I Played so um and I I came from like a Public school and you know like I mean My our our plays in high school was toss Right to me toss left I mean literally Like that was the play in the Huddle Like toss right to Schuman and Run I didn't know anything you know me I Didn't know anything when I K the I was Just an A and and I was a good but I had The you know kind of an upside but my Roommate was a Bergen Catholic kid who
Was a quarterback and he came in Literally started from day one right And I mean literally a quarterback and Was like firing the ball over the field And I was like holy cow like you know Because he played it so much better Competition in high school and he really Didn't have to transition as much but a Similar thing happened to him we had a Coaching change and he was never he Never adapt he you adapted but he had a Hard time adapting and I remember Thinking the mind and we were roommates And he was a great guy I remember the M My mindset was like holy cow I'm really Good athlete but like I don't know Anything about football like I like I'm Learning the football aspect of the game You know whereas he knew a lot like he Knew so much and he was six fo five you Know and um and the hardest thing for Him was adapting to okay this is what They want me to do to get out of the Mindset of you know I come from the best Like I I was around the the best Competition and I I I think it's Fantastic thing that you went through Because players everybody goes through In a different way you know I had to Learn the game that I had to do that Kind of aspect you you had to kind of Get knocked off the pedestal to get back Up top but I I think that aspect of is Important because one of the things
That's so great about college football No matter what level you play at college Right because you probably coach kids That are division three to division one And no matter what level it is Everybody comes in and they're like you Know like one of the first things you do When you come in and you guys start Talking about oh I was all state at so And so and you and obviously you turn Around you realize like everybody was All state you know what I mean like like Every single kid you stop asking the Question because yeah everybody was all State everybody was all everybody was That guy everybody was that guy and you Realize oh wow like we're kind of at This playing field I have to really like Work you now I got to level up now you Know and that and that brings it back to Coach tol if he didn't instill the Toughness in me when I was young I would Have just folded you know I would have Got been done you know but he he taught Me to keep keep pounded keep going and I Think that really helped me out there's There's there's no doubt about it it's Awesome okay let's talk about the the Real fun stuff you're coaching now yes Sir okay um and you're the defens Coordinator at a young age defensive Coordinator young age um at at cathic Powerhouse Program what's your what's your
Philosophy of coaching defense and what Uh you know what are the things that you Want to instill in your players and and All that kind of stuff yeah so for me I I I take it right back to bosow I want I Want tough guys I want guys that were Willing to hit um you know when we Played down in Florida we weren't that Guy we weren't that team um and I knew Things needed to change we've gotten a Lot more physical since then um we're Hidden we're doing some Minier Bosco Drills not as intense as them but but a A little level down the parameters Within the paramet yourself fire do It tow the line we tow the Line we got it we know the name of the Game we're trying to get a little bit More physical because especially the Team we're playing coming up uh zavarian They you know Matt hasselbacks kid is Their quarterback he's their tight end Coach um it's big Rivalry they run the power scheme you Know they line up in the power eye every Play um they want to run it right at Your throat um so we need to be very Physical uh we're preparing really hard For that we have a nice byee to help us You know two weeks to get into it but uh I want guys that are G to be fast Physical and tough you know that's That's all I really want um if if we're Flying to the ball if we're going a
Million miles per hour we make a mistake I'm okay with It it's it's the GU that You know are walking looking at the play Made you know I'm standing that corner The ball's over there no real need for Me to run that that's that's the stuff That gets me you know hot I need guys That are going to run to the ball make a Play be physical you know that's all I Really want um but yeah I I one of the Things I I learned from playing defense In college Was um and you you might identify with This the pursuit drill right the first Time you do the pursuit drill you're Chasing and you want they want a perfect Where like because you know you you're Always thinking you know okay I'm GNA Run chase a guy I'm going to tackle him But they want you to perfectly tap right On the hips right exactly it has to be Perfect right and got get the right Angle you learn how to run really fast And disciplined and get to the the spot That you're supposed to be and not be Stacked on top of a guy and all the Things Trail color all that stuff don't Cover your own Jersey you know yeah Exactly a lan the first time you teach That stuff to a high school I like I Always felt that to be a game changer Because a lot of High School coaches That didn't there's a lot of great High
School coaches that don't play in College right and they don't they're not As familiar with the pursuit I I know Every guy that's played especially Linebacker right linebacker College like That Pursuit drill you know that if you Don't do that perfect you might be doing That darn thing 10 times I mean 10 times 20 yeah it don't matter there's no like Oh you know hey next I pulled the quad They didn't I pulled the quad doing it And and and I'm like you know what I Just gotta stay in there I gotta stay in There with the quad pull because get up Yeah just go like you just gotta keep Going yeah but like you you you learn That so how important do you feel like You you talk about playing tough smart Fast how important do you feel things That you teach them can instill beyond The T the tackling aspect and all the What what are things like that that you Think are important for defensive Players to learn that make that Difference in the mindset yeah I think That the whole covering your own Jersey Is a huge thing especially for the Linebackers um you know the way we run The scheme uh we have a lot of going Across Bas I don't want to give Everything away right right right yeah Don't do that so our linebackers need to Be you know fast on their toes and like Smart with their brain because they got
To make the D line right um if they Cover a line if they cover one of our D Linemen so we run a three stack yep they Cover one of our delin that could be out The gate um so I think that Pursuit Drill is great because it's teaching you To not follow your own Jersey find your Own path and lock everything up fill up Every hole fill up every Gap and then Run to the ball because that's how you That's how you get noticed by colleges You know if if you're in the film in Every single play who is this kid where Is he coming from how is he in every Single picture at the end of the play so I think that is in you know go for it Just fly around the field and make a Play um that's all we really want as Coaches and if you're flying around Everything you do you're GNA be on the Field and you're GNA get noticed um if You're if you're the guy that's just Walking around looking at everything Happen I don't know what to tell you It's probably not gonna happen at the Next level they're just gonna write you Off immediately immediately in high School you could maybe get away with it A couple times because the depth but College you're done yeah STI out like a Sore thumb right like you they they find You it's going to find you sooner or Later I think that's and that's one of The things I preached to to my guys as
Well still is look man good things Happen when guys are around the football So I mean look you don't need to know What you don't need to know what Coverage it is you don't need to know What Blitz is on you don't even need to Know front to run to the to run to the Ball full speed and I really like you Said like you know I don't really to me If we're going to do something wrong at Least we're doing it full speed right Like don't be that tweener guy that oh I Shouldn't have went now I'm trying to go Back or go here if you commit own it and Just go you know make a decision and run You know exactly exactly 100% I love That in the three the 3C three stack the Whole philosophy of making making the Other guy right making the guy right Absolutely making the guy right the lot The safeties make the linebackers right The linebackers make the D linan right And oh yeah that that's the whole the The key core I always think that that's The key haven't run the 335 quite a bit Um that's the key key philosophy of it That allows no matter what happens and It makes it by the way very hard to Block because extremely no matter what Scheme you run if the if the guys Understand that and they're running they Can never be Right the other team is always gonna be Wrong you're 100 right they're always
Gonna be wrong and once they nail that Man like guys just start flying around And people are like offensive Co Coordinators are trying to figure out Now wait what Blitz are and you know You're not even Blitzing Reading right like that's his area That's his spot that's he's responsible For that and that's listen I and I say This a lot a lot of like high school Football we sometimes we get so overly Concerned with what they do defensively Offensively like how about just be Really good at what you do and dictate To them what to you know even as a Defense like you're running you're going To on this I'm gonna stop it right like And that's how we're going to work That's something that BOS I remember Coach manangi saying that all the time I Don't care if they know exactly what We're running try and beat it ex y them Tell them the play that we're running Because I should still be good enough to Execute and get done oh yeah but we're Gonna get done we're gonna get it done You're not gonna be able to beat us here Here's what we're doing it's kind I just Saw a video on uh Chad ooo doing the Same thing he said I'm running a slant Try and guard it Bo you know I love that Mindset that's it that that's one of the Things that and and and you probably
Deal with it with high school kids too They're like they know you know they'll Come they know what we're doing they Know what we're doing doesn't matter who Cares dude everybody you want me to tell Them I'll tell them for you I just Watched tape for how many hours this Week of what they do yeah I know what we All know what everybody's you still Gotta actually do it so beat them now Yeah just execute whoever execute wins That's how that's the name of the Game it's so funny um I remember years Ago uh I was a head coach of Pal Park we Were while you were in high school we Had built it up I think we we had been In the group three state championships Might have been 2012 and we used to be the we were Probably the worst program in the state When we first took over but I remember We were as we were starting to get Really good we were playing this team And we used to call our our sweep play Used to be called swe Sweden literally I Would do like up sweeping that used to Be it I would call Sweden and we had Like the base colors were like red was To the right and then like yellow was to The left but we had alternative names For all these things so like you know For example Giants would also be I could Call Giant Sweden and that would be to The right okay I could call Jet Sweden
That would be to the left so kid turns To me and goes you know one of our like Wide receivers he goes I call out play And the other kid is like I know what's The other team says I know what's coming Um and my wide receiver turns to me he Goes coach he knows what's coming I got A stalk block him he knows what's coming I'm like all right all right so I call I Call the alternative name for Sweden and The alternative color to the same exact Direction yeah same exact play it's just The alternative that's like check check Check and I called those two the same Thing and he and he look he looked over And he p K the other kid and I was like Dude it don't matter I just ran the same Play I just called it I just changed the Name so you felt better you know does Not matter it doesn't matter and and he Was like okay I won't I won't say that Again but kids get caught in that stuff Right what what do you what do you like Tell them when they're like oh my God The other team you know and you have Higher level players so not gonna do it As much but um but when they feel like Oh man they're in a rut right and it's Not going their way and like whatever Your running is it like working for them Per se what what what's kind of the Thing that you you start to tell them to Keep them on the right path yeah I think The thing that I took from coach chzn is
Belief uh that's one thing every time we Were down he would look at us and say I [ __ ] believe you know and that that Was something that everybody built off And fed off and started being like I Believe because it all starts with Believing you could win for me I do a Similar thing you know like I believe That we could beat this team they might Have had a couple good plays on us but It doesn't matter we keep doing what we Do we fly and we we're physical we're Gonna beat this team I believe we can do That and then I ask do you believe and Then if they believe then I know we're Ready to rock you know and that just That's just a little thing that starts Getting us going and it's just it's like A stepping stone you know once we get That little belief in it then we make a Tackle then we make a big play then we Turn the B we get the ball back you know Things Stack Up and it all starts with Just believing so that's where we got to Start um so that's that's all I have to Say really is you know it all starts With belief belief in yourself belief in Your teammates belief that the coaches Are going to put us in the right place To win this game that that's awesome and Do you do things to build them up from That like in the off obviously that's a Big time that you build those beliefs The offseason the preseason do you do do
You do specific things with them to try And help them to understand how to get That belief in themsel right like you're A really confident guy like you're a guy That like if I was coaching you I'd be Like okay you know I'm just gonna let Him loose you know I mean he he already Has it like I don't want to have to kind Of over Coach him right but everybody's Not like and you're a great coach and That's why you understand not Everybody's like like what are some of The things that you do to give them Those building blocks so they form the Beliefs in themselves yeah I think it All starts with the little things um you Know I make sure everybody's foot is on Exactly on the line every time we start A drill you know not over it not behind It start with the little things make Everything perfect when we're back ping It needs to be perfect when we're Opening up it needs to be perfect when We're tracking the hip and making an Open field tackle needs to be perfect Need to have two hands on the hip and if You could do everything perfect then When we put it together you know there's Only one thing it's going to be you know It's going to be perfect because we're Doing everything the way we should be Everything the way it should be so at The end of the result you know 1 plus One equals two you know that's that's
All we need to do is work our asses off Do everything the way it's supposed to Be be good people on and off the field And good things are going to Come no no doubt about it that's Phenomenal I I I'll leave you this and This you'll find this funny so I coach My son's eight-year-old team okay oh Buddy oh that's probably Awesome so so we go for you know we go For like an hour 30 hour 45 everybody Else like and and they do a great job The other coaches in in the other levels Because it's a good program but they go For like two and a half hours we do an Hour 45 and our whole key thing on Defense we do Pursuit trail with them And they can't get they can't rotate the Subs don't rotate in the um you know I Mean at their age it's not really twos Like but you know they don't rotate in The next group doesn't rotate in until The first group all gets a tag and is in A different spot and you see like the D Lin you know how kids are at 8 years old Like they can't I'm like we'll wait for You to chase them all the way down there You go get them that's it that's fine And you know what I'll tell you they run To the ball like I said you know we're Not they're eight years old they're not Phenomenal tacklers yet you know Obviously that takes time yeah but I'll Tell you this they all are sprinting to
The ball like and it's amazing the first Time we did it like I know the Assistants were like what what is going On what is this guy doing these are Eighty olds they can't walk in cheum you Know what I mean like I think for the Eighth grade level though that's the Best thing you could Poss well not Eighth grade Eight we're talking third grade bro Third gr third eighth grade eight years Old you got eight eight guys to the ball At once you're gonna make the tackle one Guy at once is I don't know you know Eight this is eight you Cory eight It's crazy because like yeah so like They also have all these rules like you Got to be lined up and double tight you Have to have a guy over a guy on defense Like all these youth rules that they Have for them so like these guys adapted Dude it's crazy I adapting we just fly Like yeah like know theall godone that's The whole thing like I was like you you Fly the ball like sweet like everybody Has their angles and it's it's pretty It's pretty incredible so like you teach My whole thing is like you know what you Start to teach them now I'm like by the Time they get to high school you won't That High School coach won't even have To coach them on that part like they'll They'll they'll be doing it and they'll Be ready to go and it's funny because at
Eight years old there most coaches are Worried about like they still want to do Like you know head-to-head tackle each Other yeah like I'm like let's teach him The run like we're gonna teach him to Tackle obviously you got to teach tackle You know but that's still gonna take Time you know to get it you the little Kids are not good enough athletes yet to Be great at it yeah but some of them are But some of them are but you could teach Anyone to run you could teach anyone to Run to the ball any I don't care who you Are you can learn to run to the ball and Once you do that like they make tackles On Accident just runps Into they fall down you know so Perfect I wanted to leave you with that Because that I think those things are so Important and that like you know and the Game has changed like a little bit where Those things are really are important Because you know in 2002 when I first Started coaching listen I used to Oklahoma I was crazy back then I do Oklahoma like now obviously I I'm like We don't do those things in the same way Anymore like we modify things but I was A crazy man when I first started Coaching and had to adapt those things And but running I as I learned I was Like man if you could teach kids to run Be tough like you you teach them you
Know get after it all the time and it Changed the world and what you said best To me was you take that with you you Learned it from toll you take that with You in everything you do like you when When something doesn't work out the First thing you go back to is like hey Man I gotta fight through it I gotta I Got to adapt I got to fight through it And no matter what happens in their Lives they're going to learn that from You the kids that are playing with you Going learn that you and just like you Learned from toll they're going to learn From you and they're going to be on Their own podcast 15 years from now Talking about how coach stck taught me All these things and like that's the Cycle that I don't care how they change The game you know as long as they don't Put us in Flags um I don't care how they Could be okay you know believe me I have Flag football leagues I I it's a Different game like oh yeah I like you Know but as long as they put us in flags As long as it still actually tackle all These things will apply you know oh yeah It'll never change it'll never change You got to love It coach where where can they find you Um on I don't know if you have Twitter Or or whatever like college coaches Anyone who wants to get in touch with You yeah I I have Instagram I don't have
Twitter um my Instagram's just Corey uh Corey stefanic uh for on Instagram so That's where I'm at uh I don't have Twitter because of because of Bosco days We weren't allowed to have Twitter Because the whole scenario happened that I don't want to talk about but you know I never I I just never got Twitter smart man I I I remember the Scenario Yeah We Yeah that yeah so I'm on IG um and then You know I my emails uh corey. stepanic 4@gmail.com so I'm active there as as Well but uh yeah appreciate you guys Having me on here it was a lot of fun Good to talk to you guys appreciate you Really good man good luck this week and I know you got big games coming up so Yes sir good luck to you guys too good Luck with the eight eight-year olds Man that's my world now love It this way coaching I'm working my way From here D going That all right Brothers I'll talk to you Later have a great day all right take it Easy bye take Care that was great good kid oh yeah Really enjoyed it really enjoyed it it's Um I'll tell you this one of the things I've learned from being on these Podcasts with some of your BOS Guys is that you know um tol's impact
Man is and and you notice like none of Them say anything about he taught me how To do yeah yeah he taught me how to Backpedal no had to swim move he taught Me that I need to be lined up toughness Grit hard work dedication respect like Get after it go fast when in doubt just Just go Like I I think that those I think those Things are uh uh I think I shocked him Too he thought I said eighth grade That's great yeah he thought you were Yeah he thought you were 100% like Eighth Graders Derek you would you you know What though it is amazing that um you oh You Want um it is amazing that what kids can Actually learn you know one of the Things I saw and and you'll appreciate This so when I first started coaching Eight-year-olds because I was not Familiar with tackle in Eight-year-olds I thought okay I gotta Like kind of baby them along you know Right and I watched the I hold on I I After we're off uh watched a thing a a a Youth coach talk about it was on Tik Tok Or something and you know what he talked About he talked about not babying Players yeah no way he's saying even if They're young he said just set the Expectation that you want them to get to Absolutely and they will achieve it they
Will reach it they will start to work to It they're GNA be at different stages so It's Not Gon to look absolutely so be Patient right like so be patient it's Not gonna look like what a college could Have look like but they'll do it their Version well and it'll put them ahead The problem that a lot of coaches do and And this is a high school dude people Baby kids in high school you know we Only run this like we won't we won't Teach this rank we only do this we only Do that right because they're saying my Kids can't learn it right correct like No they'll they'll do it if you expect It of them right and that's the thing That I think so to me toll I'm getting From this is like hey man no like like We expect you to do this this is what we Expect you to do so you figure it out or You're going to have to go somewhere Else where they don't expect you to do Where they're not they're not they're Not gonna rely on you to do as much like This it's it's really really interesting Um it's interesting stuff and uh like And I remember listen I remember the Youth I know the youth coaches from from Uh frankco Lakes from when I was over There and and uh it they were like that Too with the kids you know they were hey Man we want you to do you know we expect You to do this we expect you to do that You know type of thing um and and it's
Really interesting so Anyway that was a Massachusetts football Brother Massachusetts football and for Him to see him at at such a high level Like so like right away in his career Like you know what I mean like in terms Of coaching and now to have him I mean Look you talk about he's like you know Hey what's your coaching philosophy well You know tough physical fast like okay Yeah that's like you know what you're You're taking the the mold of what You've seen and I also think like you Know that guy that's at Holy Cross right Now chzn is a great guy I've heard him Speak at clinics and and whatnot like he Is a high energy Allin you know guy that Came in there from a division 2 Assumption program Who had who had he Turned he had turned that around right And then to come into Holy Cross and Then listen you hear a guy like that Like like Cory talk he talked about like Losing his spot and having to be humbled A little bit makes him a better Coach Right that he's had to go through those Things and fight those and the just the Fact that he's even he was even willing To to talk about that publicly and bring Up on a a podcast kind of shows you the Type of person he is and then that's the Guy those are the types of guys that I Want coaching you know my Kids there's no doubt about it I'll tell
You Something About the feeder BOS with franklen Lakes Which I thought was interesting because They had a lot of kids like a lot of Those kids from White cof and Oakland For the most part I think went to their Public Schools the Frank was they had The choice of either school and they Because they had the choice a lot of Them also went to parochial because it Was kind of they weren't on one side Really or the other they're really in Between Yes and and and Frank Lake's also is a Place obviously that has good means uh You know of course But what I thought was interesting was Their their overall they had so many Highlevel people around the um uh the Just the youth program so for example This this is a little bit after Corey But Chris sne was the off coordinator of Frankl you know he's now at Boston College Boston College yeah but just to Give you an idea he was the fifth grade Office coiner then the sixth grade off Seventh great today like he work your Way up just work your his son was the Tight end on the the team and they had a Really good team and it was it was Interesting because I think I want to Say Danny paresi was on that team and um I think
Um oh H oh my goodness I can't believe I Forgot but a couple of the the Running Backs from bosow and then couple guys Who went to R po that were really Good and so But it was really interesting how they Had so many like when when you were Standing there in a sign watching their Game as like a high school coach their Staff in youth was like a who's who of God right y that you would like see on College like college or Pros so it was Really really cool from uh from that Standpoint and I'm sure those kids had Cool experiences from from that as well And then the head guys there was always Guys around the program right like even As they transitioned like towards you Know like even bosow like think about Guys would come back all the time like I Can remember you know uh and you'll Remember this name Steve Levy would come Back to practice and it's like dude he Just you know I mean you think Aaron Rogers had Steve Levy on Hard Knocks Because they're still best friends from Cal like Aaron Roger Ste Levy was his Roommate oh was he oh dude a whole Episode of Hard Knock he's like the Starter then a became the guy is that What happened okay because Ley was out There for a While very very interesting cool man That was a great podcast good job cool
All right we'll we'll close it out here And move on Um go from there we good luck this week Thank get after you too that's what we Do all right
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