Interview with Nicky Campanile Head Football Coach DePaul Cath NJ
50 min readInterview with Nicky Campanile Head Football Coach DePaul Cath NJ
Hello, we would love to invite you to compete to get ranked and stars at the Coach Schuman’s NUC sports Showcase events and combines go to http://myfootballcamps.com/campsevents to register
Get the Legendary Leadership Book by Coach Schuman and improve your leadership skills today at
www.legendaryleadership.coach
myfootballcamps.com
nucsports.com
@coachschuman
go to myfootballcamps.com/d1promo to get promoted
www.myfootballcamps.com
www.nucsports.com
@coachschuman on all social
This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm (https://wwww.zencast.fm)
All right back well to this week we're We're rolling double duty double duty um We have a great guest on today the the Head coach of the Paul Catholic High School in New Jersey uh Nikki Campanelli really excited to talk to him Um about a lot of things but I uh really You know the program that dula has is is Second and none a small school a small Catholic school that has really become Not just a power in New Jersey but Throughout the Country um and uh he's really done a Great job he was an offense coordinator There for many years uh he been the head Coach for the last few years and is Really taking that program and continues To elevate it um so we're excited to Bring him on here any any thoughts Before we bring him on Coach no I'm I'm Excited like you said uh I've known Coach for for a a good amount of time Now um comes from a hell of a football Family you know uh watched him kind of Climb through the ranks and and and kind Of you know get mentored under a great Head coach and Coach McKenna in itself And you know just to see where he's Brought he's continued To um move this program in the right Direction like you said they're not Really looked that you know a lot of Times they're they're the smaller school When it comes to it they're dealing with
A a smaller roster size than some of These other big powerhouses but have Still kind of you know taking it to a Level where everybody knows who they are Not just in state but out of state so I'm excited cool let's bring coach on Right here coach Campanelli great to Have you on appreciate it guys how's Everything going all right hey coach Appreciate you thank you so much my Pleasure man appreciate you guys having Me on we we were just talking a little Bit a little bit of your bio um but and Coach touched on it briefly that you Know you come from a football family and Uh um coach D obviously knows it having Coach coached with your brothers and um I I know obviously from know knowing Your brothers and you and and also from Way back to when I was a youth football Player I remember um going over this is This is a story probably a lot of people Don't know about but I must I don't Remember what grade it was fifth or Sixth grade and your father was the Youth youth football coach yeah and veto Yeah well I would say veto was Far Advanced Physically young everybody else right so So uh I remember going over there we Used to scrimmage Fon and I don't Remember if I was playing running back Or quarterback at the time I just Remember getting beat up and I remember
Walking at VTO was was the main culprit Of most of it um and I remember walking Away I was like wow like I thought I was A good football player but Now I'm not so sure you know made you Question that made you question those it Did make me question luckily I continued To persist but um it it it really was You know that's how far back it goes and You know I remember playing against your Brother when he was your father was Coaching at patteron Catholic as an Offens coordinator and then obviously The rise of all of you guys including Yourself each doing a different path and That's what I went really getting to was You carved out your own path which I Really like you each one of you have Done it your own way and you you've done It your way uh tell everybody how you Got to where you are right now what your Path was um because I find it really Interesting you chose a different path And and I love it like you developed the Craft and now you're you're leading that Craft as you're a head coach now yeah no I appreciate you saying that I uh It's funny you know my father always Talked to us about you know raising men Of character that guys that want to you Know Forge their own path so I think We've all kind of done that in our own Way you know and you know I just Remember back in you know I came back in
I guess 2016 was my first year at at the Paul and uh I had taken two years off I Wasn't coaching I was kind of you know Doing some other things and thought I Might want to take a different career Path obviously I didn't make it very Long but uh but yeah when I came back it Was kind of import important to me you Know my brothers were becoming pretty Established in the coaching world and And uh it was kind of important to me That I go on and try and do my own thing So um luckily a friend of mine John dep Was the defensive coordinator at the Paul at the time um and he had Introduced me to to John McKenna who Ended up being you know huge Mentor in My life that I was fortunate enough to Work for so yeah so I I you know I took That job in 2016 not really knowing Where it was going to lead um but I Ended up you know loving working with John and and uh it changed my life you Know I love the place and it just you Know it turned out to be the place I Want to be forever you know I'd like to One day retire at the poll you know That's how much I like it here and uh You know so so yeah I think um Forge of My own path was important and uh you Never want to be the guy that you know Oh well he's just there because his Brother's such a good coach or you know So I think we all kind of have that that
I don't know Pride I guess I'd call it But you want to kind of build your own Thing you know well I and that's that's What I noticed you know the offensive Coordinator path you turn that offense Into just a a Juggernaut um and and one of the nice Things I like when watching some of your Film and your offense like you always Adapted to the guys that you have like I've seen you know listen we we know you You're well uh uh well educated in the Run and shoot game and and and and Passing principles and and all those Things but I've watched you adapt where You've had a quarterback that basically Was your main Runner one year um you've Had quarterbacks that really couldn't Run and you've you've you've thrown and Ran power game and so I love the way That you adapt your offense to what you See come through and that might be part Of what you have to do with a poll but Not everybody can do that and you you do A great job of that and and now as a Head coach you know I I I you know I Seen you doing that again like making The tough decisions on who's got to be In what spot um talk talk a lot about Like your your growth um a a as a well First as a as an offensive guy which Obviously you're well known for but also From a Personnel standpoint as a head Coach like how you kind of process those
Decisions sure great great question um First of all I appreciate you saying That it means a lot to me from from a Guy like yourself but uh so yeah to me I I really believe in two things in Offense over the years and I think a lot Of it stems from my time working with my Brother veto uh at Westwood you know he Was very influential to me and he spent A year working for for Chip Kelly When Chip Kelly was at UNH and I think that Had a huge influence on him and so you Know through you know an emissary I Guess you know it had a huge impact on Me too because I I really believe in two Things I believe in balance on offense I Think you know if you can be balanced You become really hard to defend you Know if you have to do one thing then It's pretty easy to take that one thing Away you know so uh balance is a big Part of what we do we always try to be As close to 5050 as possible in the run And pass game uh and then I I really Believe in being multiple you know we Run a lot of different Personnel Groupings and when you're at a school Like the Paul and you have a you're Lucky enough to have a wealth of talent And and depth at a lot of the skill Positions then you're able to get more Guys on the field you know and and to me That makes you a little harder to defend You know so you know when we're looking
For football players we kind of look for Guys that can can do multiple things you Know guys that can run catch out of the Back field you know that I think makes You really hard to defend and if you Could have mer multiple Personnel Groupings I think that also becomes very Hard to defend um there's also something To be said for being in the same Personnel but being able to do a lot of Different things you know lying up in a Million different formations and shifts And motions So you know we try to be as multiple as Possible I guess would be the the right Word you know and then when I say Multiple I mean in terms of personnel Groupings uh in in terms of formations Shifts motions I I think we're going to Do a lot more of that stuff going Forward I think um we've got a young Group but I think they're really smart And I think they understand the offense Really well so when you have that you're Able to to do more and and that'll be Kind of the what we'll try to do going Forward Yeah that to me hits the core of what Makes a at least from a personel Standpoint a guy who can become a Fantastic coach because the ability to Adapt to the to Personnel you have um Give him multiple looks even though you Have whatever your core philosophy is
The core things you'd like to get done Um and and and for the audience whether Someone you know some coaches want to Run power some coaches want to you know Whatever their system is um but the Ability to adapt it and that that I Think is and I think that's you see that On film to me you see that on film um I See that year in and year out if I was Playing you I you know I'd really have To look at who are the players that he Has this year to even have a grasp of How to defend you um because that part's Going to be gonna be very difficult and It's going to change a little bit from Year to year which is what makes you Guys always tough to defend um and and It's exciting to watch too I mean I'm Sure uh when people come to to your Games like there's a lot of things that Are going on there's a lot of things That can happen and then I'll tell you This you guys play tough defense so you Know you've had you've have a staple There at defensive coordinator um that's Been with you from McKenna and and now Now with you um and and those guys play Real hard and get after it um talk talk About The overall uh program Philosophy in uh where you guys see like Toughness and and and how the team Progresses from that standpoint yeah Absolutely so you know you had mentioned
Our defensive coordinator and he's Rasheed darasa is his name Derek Dereck Knows I'm last see him laughing over There but he's uh he's an unbelievable Coach and an even better person and we Came in the same year together to the Paul and we've kind of built this thing Together you know he's become you know One of my best friends and he's an Unbelievable coach you know it really is He gets everything he can out of every Kid on our team right I think you guys Started on the same side of the ball Right because you were both original Offensive guys right when you guys came In yeah I remember that I remember that When Sheed was making his transition From you know ASA and do I want to coach Joo and you know I had known him from Playing Semi-Pro ball and just kind of Linked up and uh coached with him for Actually one year at Mount Olive we hide That on his resume so that he doesn't You know he doesn't have to show that Oh yeah you don't want to know about That year but like that's that was just A different situation but after that Year I I kind of was like I I need to Get him out of here and get him to a Higher level and then when I heard that You were going over with coach mcken at The Paul it just really looked like the Perfect kind of fit as everything was Kind of that's when deul was kind of
Making that change right and you kind of Transitioning to hey we're big picture Now and then you know you can go ahead And speak on that a little bit yeah Absolutely you know that that great Group they had with Kareem Walker and H St and uh Michael DW those guys had just Graduated you know and they had to kind Of rebuild from there and they had up Some really great young players and Taquon Roberson Ronnie Hickman Vinnie Dep and you know at the time nobody knew Those names you know nobody knew how Great of players they were going to Become but uh yeah so it was kind of on Rasid and myself to kind of help coach McKenna you know continue to rebuild This program he had built a monster you Know he just won three state Championships in a row did an Unbelievable job uh and now you know he Had a really young team so he wanted to Bring in some some new coaches and and Uh you know that's when Rasheed and I Came in and Rasheed started as the Receivers coach and the defens and Excuse me and the Special Teams Coordinator did an unbelievable job on Special teams I mean we were so good on Special teams at that point it was was Incredible um and then he transitioned Within two years when coach dealman Retired he he became the defensive Coordinator and just kind of kept that
Continuity and uh you know he brings a Certain level of of toughness to the Program you know he's a guy is's a No Nonsense Guy and um you know he he Demands a certain standard from our guys And and they live up to it you know they Don't want to let him down and and he Just does an incredible job and we Wouldn't be anywhere near where we're at You know without him that's for Sure it's it's incredible what you guys Are doing um recruit shift a little bit To recruiting because because I'm Curious you're at one of I don't know What they call it now the the big six The big I you know it just keeps going Up How about just like the private the the Good schools up for us we get to say up North now right like oh those guys up North now we can say that dude like Different yeah oh yeah well we were talk We first came down here we were talking About how good football was up north and People like ah yeah I'm like wait just You'll say you know you guys like don't Get it they've got a system You know but um uh in those schools like And obviously college coaches are aware Of those schools they have a brother That that uh coaches in college and um At Syracuse and Um from from a recruiting
Standpoint a couple I mean I we probably Have a million questions on this but I I'll start with I start I'll start Simple uh I'll start simple Um what is the process for you w when You identify a kid on your team that you Think is recruitable and then what what Do you do because people always want to Know like yeah how do the parochial Coaches reach out and or and obviously You particular to poll how do they Identify a guy they think is is a Recruit and then how do they start to Put them through that process yeah That's a that's a great question so we Have a coach on our staff that that Strictly handles college recruiting he That's he doesn't coach a position he's He's not an onfield coach but uh he does An unbelievable job helping me get our Kids recruited his name is Brian Murray He's kind of a legend up here in North Jersey everybody knows him one of the Best he is he's awesome man we're on and Off he's like the ultimate DFO slash like I'll handle everything Else so that you can go focus on Coaching right like which is every Program needs it and guy gets no credit Unless you know behind the scenes but he Makes it go man I really like it's You're so fortunate to have a guy like That no doubt and he's been here for a Long time he was coach McKenna's
Right-hand man the whole way through and Now he's my right-hand man I mean he's Another guy that this program wouldn't Be you know where it is without him you Know so he he's incredible with that I Mean he has a database of college Coaches that that's endless you know so Um but to your question and it's a great Question because this is really this is The thing that I spend most of my time With away from football um I'm in Guidance luckily so I'm able to help our Players and the offseason really help Get themselves recruited and and get Their name out there so what we do and It's a great question um what we do is We start to identify early on you know If if we think a kid's going to be high Level recruit you know you want to start Doing that as soon as possible you know And you know not everyone is a power Five division one football player Obviously you know but those guys that Are you know and there's certain things That that you have to have in order to Do that you know and I think a lot of Parents and people that are involved in This don't understand you know like There's certain things that you just Have to be you know for instance you Can't play offensive line in the Big 10 If you're six foot just you gotta at Least hit the six foot Mark Mom and Dad Sorry like this that that's a bare
Minimum like here we go and you know and It's sometimes it's unfortunate because The best offensive lineman I've ever Coached was name Joe bastante who was Unbelievable player he played at ston Hill fouryear starter and but he was six Foot tall you know if he were 6'2 he Would have been playing in the Big 10 or You know or 62 and a half whatever it is You know but but there's certain things That you just have to have in order to Be one of those power five recruits you Know so if a guy has those intangibles We try to identify that early on Freshman maybe beginning a sophomore Year you know and the key I think in our League is if you can get on the field as A sophomore and do it you know play Meaningful snaps then you you know You're going to get noticed pretty much You know the big North the league we Play in it gives those kids exposure That you just might not get you know in Some other league so um so the Recruiting process is happening much Earlier now you know they're identifying These kids as fresh sophomores you know So we try to do the same thing try to Identify the guys that we think are are Going to be power Five Guys right away U And then what we do is we kind of start Building a recruiting profile for them You know get the 247 profile going um Then really one of the biggest tools
That that we have now is the spring Recruiting period so um I'll just speak On this for a minute because some people Probably don't understand how it's Changed over the last few years but Prior to uh 2020 prior to covid really we weren't in New Jersey you were not allowed to do Any type of spring workouts for colleges And it really hurt our kids because in Ohio and States like Florida Texas They're playing Spring ball and coaches Are getting out and recruiting their Guys and offering them Scholarships in The spring and New Jersey just didn't Allow that now uh within the last couple Of years they've allowed us to do Workouts organized team workouts and That has been huge for our kids um just This spring we had I think six or seven Guys in our Rising junior class get Division one scholarships just through Spring workouts you know just by the College is coming in and seeing them Work out you know so so the way we do it Is you know once a week in Spring Recruiting in in May and April uh once Once a week every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM we get out on the field and we Have a real workout you know it's almost Like a practice and we'll have you know 10 12 15 colleges out there kind of Watching our kids run around and getting Them the exposure that they need you
Know um and we do that for all our kids We open it up for all our kids whoever Would like to come is is more than Welcome and you know and then then it's Up to the college coaches to identify Who they feel are fit for you know for Their system and then we kind of go from There you know and and um a lot of times What'll happen is a guy will either get An offer right there then and there After them seeing him in person or They'll get invited to a camp which is Another huge part of the proess and if They get invited to Camp then we try and Help them organize that and and you know Brian's essential with that he helps me You know Steer kids in the right Direction you know which camps to go to And how to get them there and all those Things so it's a process man it's it's a Big part of what we do that's for sure That that that's a huge part of it and How do you manage um and this is the Easy next question I guess how do you Manage parent expectations right I'm Sure every Kid well not every kid but the majority Of kids that come into your program they Have eyes on playing as high as level as They can right that's why going said to Paul right coach like they're coming They're coming to you with that Expectation of hey I'm going here to Play college football so what how can
You help me right how do you so how do You navigate that type of in when it Comes to those parent type of situations Not to cut you off day sorry no that's Exactly the question how do you manage That how do you navigate that process With the parents yeah because I mean Look because we're that we see it in in What we're doing right because hey Showcase this or Club seven on seven Team this or everything comes back to That question is well how are you going To get how are you going to help me get That division one scholarship yeah right Absolutely so you know so I was just Focusing on the power five kids when I Just spoke earlier but the the truth is You have to be honest you know you have To you know explain to every kid where They belong and what level of of Football that they belong at obviously The thing we haven't touched on and the Biggest part of this is is grades you Know that's the number one thing that We're going to preach from day one you Know we're going to check our kids Grades every two weeks we're going to Make sure that you're doing what you Need to do uh in the classroom because You know obviously if you don't have Grades you don't have an option right so Um what we do really to answer the Question is we try to identify what Level each kid belongs at right and I
Don't make that decision myself I talk To numerous people and college coaches And I get feedback from you know all the Different college coaches that I know And all the guys that that come in to See our kids you know so and through That I'm able to kind of navigate where Each kid belongs right and then from There that's when all the work gets done You know it's so easy nowadays for a Power five kid to get recruited I don't Really have to do a whole lot of work You know other than organizing you know All right let's get to this Camp let's You know meet these coaches let's you Know that's the EXT you're not sitting There with a VHS T cutting not cutting It up anymore those days are long G you Know what I'm saying like you don't have To do any of that exactly right you know And those guys are those really really Super talented guys they kind of recruit Themselves you know where the work comes In for us coaches is the division 2 Three and the the FCS level players That's where you got to find a home for Every guy and thankfully you know we've We have found a home every single player Has graduated from here going back to When coach McKenna was the head coach You know every guy that has wanted to Play college football has played college Football um we've had a couple that you Know either went into the military or
Just chose to maybe play another sport Or or just not play at all but every guy That that has wanted to play football We've been able to find a home and um You know as I've I'm going into my third Season as a head coach I think the Football I I don't think has changed for Me I think you know that that's kind of Always the same I think where I've Learned to be a head coach is is all the Off the field stuff you know I think I'm Really starting to understand the Recruiting process a lot better and what Kids fit where and where they're going To get the most money to play the Highest level you know um because the Ultimate goal I think for every coach in School and every player is to go get an Education right it's to let Football finalize your education right And and we want to do that for the least Amount of money at the highest level Possible you know I always tell our kids That's the goal the goal is number one To get an education if football can help You pay for that education then you damn Sure better better look into that all Right so again the goal is to to get the Best education for the least amount of Money and maybe play the the highest Level of football all right in that Order you know and I think sometimes People forget that and they want to put Football ahead of education and that's
Simply not the way it works that's a Great point I actually just wrote this Down at 2344 where you said that because That that makes a ton of sense um to get The the education play at the highest Level that you can for the least amount Of money that makes a ton of ton of Sense and and from a from a parent stand Point the you know one of the things I Noticed is over the years and and I'm Obviously I coached football for 20 Years at the high school level but I'm Also on the other side with the camps And you know uh the aaou side with the Seven on seven and all that stuff right You know that's for lack of a better Word that that what what I've noticed Over the years is um the parent Expectations keep getting higher yeah And it it's it's kind of an an it's an Interesting thing I don't I wouldn't say Odd but it's an interesting thing in the Sense that there's more information in Ever like it's pretty easy to go on any Twitter feed of any division one program Readily accessible see who who is Committing there and see their height Weight 40 you you know you can look it Up pretty quickly right absolutely but For some Reason they seem a little more confused In that process uhuh um and and and and I go back forth I talk to dererk about This all time like I I'll even rant you
Know I'll go and rant I'll rant even on Twitter because I don't have to worry About someone firing me so I I rant on Twitter and and so um you know it it it Kind of like boggles my mind that as Much information is out there people Don't educate themselves as to what's Going on literally spend an hour 30 30 30 minutes to an hour and just kind of Get a feel for things right um What if you when you advise your parents Right so you you have a fantastic Process by the way identifying recruits From high level you know having Brian Murray in there having the your staff You have a really really educated staff Not just from a coaching standpoint but In the process from recruiting Um how do you help Parents I'm trying to figure out how to Structure this question the right way How do you help parents Educate themselves along the way so when You say to them hey um you know Miss Johnny you know I think he's an FCS Recruit right And that's always a touchy one FCS is Always touchiest because I I played FCS Just like you your brother veto did um And you know we like I had one or two D1 Offers but Mo almost all my offers were FCS right you're always thinking like I'm I'm a high level right that's just Kind of the mindset right parent thinks
The same way right um how do you how do You kind of help them educate themselves So they W they go into the FCS school And they say you know what this is where We belong this is where we want to be Yeah yeah well that's a great question I Think you know just communication man That that is so key nowadays when you Don't communicate with your parents then You know negativity is going to creep in They're going to think that maybe you're Not doing everything you need to do for Their son and and that should never be The case you know so I think constant Communication is important I try to keep My cell phone on at all times I try to Be as accessible as possible at all Times I think that's so important um but Honesty is everything you know like and And I think you're right you're Absolutely right I think parents don't Realize what a great opportunity FCS Football is you know it's high high Level football especially here in the Northeast I mean it's that's the best Conference in the country at the FCS Level and um we just so happen to have Four or five seniors this past season That they're going to play in the CIA Conference and that is unbelievable Football and uh you know it's free it's Free education and they're really good Schools too it's high academic education Too like you're not just going to some
Football Factory like you're going Somewhere that's G to give you a degree That that really means something too I Don't think people around the country Know that level of ball at that level Absolutely you know we had you know two Guys go to Maine this year two great Great players that's a great program up There that they're going to really take Off these last couple years uh we had Another guy go to Delaware um and Another grad actually transfer into Delaware so we have two guys at Delaware Now and uh and another one just uh just Committed to Monmouth too in that last Class so um you know this past season a Lot of our seniors were that level Players so I can kind of speak to this You know um but I think it's great Football people don't realize it's Completely free it's a great education Um and and I think the other part of That is co really changed things you Know when it comes to that I think a lot Of these guys now uh and and not only Co But the transfer portal let me say that Too you know I think some of those guys That I just mentioned would have been FBS players prior to co and the transfer Portal because there were just more Scholarships available um now between The two things between Co you know U Eating up some scholarships and then the Transfer portal guys want to spend more
Scholarship offers on transfer guys than They do on high school kids so I think That's made the FCS level schools that Much better you know I think uh it's Raised the level of football in those Conferences and um I think it's becoming A more and more viable option every day For for Kids yeah there's no doubt about that I Think that's a great answer to the Communication Of it it's always it's always a tough Thing but you know in the end when when They come out of it and they they see Where they're you know they're go listen They're going to go to their kids games Whether they're playing at St Lawrence or they're playing at Cornell Or they're playing Ohio State And as a parent you're gonna you're you Know and and in the end that's really What what it is and um you know and you Get you probably can think of many Instances as can I like where a guy went To uh an FBS super highlevel program and Then you know there were other guys Ahead of him and you may have thought You know what he probably should have Went to maybe this FBS program instead Or this FCS program instead could have Played right away and and then they end Up transferring that's where the you Know the whole transfer portal comes in Which I think that's what it is designed
For the the people that get in those Situations absolutely um it's really It's really fascinating How uh that that part of of recruiting Has changed and I think it was I think It was Co coach Garrett when we had him On he he said how important he thinks You know going to a place that really Wants you right like that you're not Begging to go somewhere that you're Going somewhere that really wants you And that's that's a good fit for you um And I I that kind of really resonated With me um with h how is stuff like the Transfer you know I'm always curious and You guys are big programs so um uh well You you you guys are a smaller school But you play at a huge level right and And you guys are a a great program at a Really high level um how has the Jance For I've hear a lot of different things Like I've heard people say the transfer Portal has affected High School Recruiting it hasn't or it was just Covid and um I see all these things I And I don't even know what is 100% the Truth on it I'm just curious in your own Situation has the transfer portal Affected you guys at all in recruiting And and the number of high school Recruits that go to different levels I I I think it has you know and I think It's been kind of a a negative impact on High school kids unfortunately I I don't
Know that it'll stay this way um but I Just think in the short period of time It's been around I do think there are Less scholarships available for the the High school kid especially at the the High level at the at the power five Level right um you know they're process What's that I was saying it's just it's It's an interesting thing because you're Seeing the highest of the high right and You're talking about the power five you Know I want you to finish your answer But the power five levels like the the Pressure to win now right is what Overtakes it and the fact that now I Can't wait those two three years to Develop that senior in high school I can Just hop in the transfer portal get a Guy that's already played two years plug Him in and now we can win now I don't Have to wait that's exactly right and You know I think the system is a little Broken from that standpoint in my Opinion and I don't know that you can Get the the the toothpaste back in the Tube at this point but um you know it Just is what it is I think we have to Find the best way to navigate it but I I Do think it has limited some Scholarships at the highest level at at The you know the power five schools I Just don't think they're offering as Many scholarships as they were prior to Co and the transfer portal um but you
Know that being said if you're a really Really high level recruit they're still Going to find you no doubt about it um I Just think maybe some guys that prior to 2020 you know if they were a lower level Division one player they may now be you Know an FCS player um and that's not a Bad thing you know it's still great Football like we mentioned and and you Know still a free education so to me That's you know that's the goal you know And doesn't matter the level you're Playing at you know play as long as you Can for like we spoke about for the Least amount of Money yeah that's that's Um I I I feel like you're you're Definitely right I mean Co had a strange Effect on everything too with like the Extra I we're probably getting towards The last year of that this is it yeah oh This is it this is the last Year um so I think that that you know uh Unfortunately affects a couple of Classes but in the long run will and and I guess the I mean on the positive side Of the transfer portal if you go at a Lower level let's say you went a D2 FCS And you are a standout there is upward Mobility yes um it it's there is a a Little free free agency component to it There um and you know it's interesting From that standpoint I wonder I wonder Also does does um I don't even know if
This does or not but I like I've seen me And Derek have seen some of the guys That play for our club like you Know claim nil deals with like you know I don't know slash John Smith you know Get 10% off type of thing I don't know I Don't know if this has affected any of Your players that I know in New Jersey It's legal for high school it's not like We talked to guys in Florida that's it's Not yeah they can't touch it they can't Touch it but for us like I know that I Know our guys can but I also know that For you know those of guys that are in The coaching world like you can't touch It like it has you have that is totally Their world is that the same for you Guys up there like they're doing the Same you can see some of your guys Posting whatever about this like you Know like you said I got 10% off for This shake or this where my shirt or This or that but Murray doesn't handle That aspect of it right not yet not yet He will he will he will he will he's Gonna have that accounting right here Here it is here we go if there's a way For if there's a way for it to help our Kids muray will figure it out Exactly but uh yeah no we have Thankfully it hasn't really you know Been a problem for us yet but uh I I Think down the road it's something we're Going to have to you know really study
And get into and and make just just Because God forbid I would hate to see Our kids get taken advantage of know I'm Saying like if there's some way they can Make money okay absolutely let's do it You know but let's do it the right way And and make sure that it's for the kids And not somebody trying to come in and Take advantage of them you know right There's already enough of those people In your world right especially around That big North program you got a lot of Those Street agents like I like to say And now everybody's looking for that Next you know hey how can I link up with This guy because eventually I can do This and he'll be that you know and we Talk about it you know when we talked With my buddy that from American Heritage down in down in Florida right Like he deals with it and those guys You're talking about those guys are Literally those guys that are you know Looking for that type of like hey Football is my escape from this world How do I get out now you start dangling A couple of those you know little some Cash things with it you could easily see Some of those guys take a wrong turn or Somebody Ste in the wrong direction you Know how do you kind of navigate that When it comes to you know not only your The athletes on your roster but your the Parents as well and and even sometimes
Coaches and administration that are Around it because nobody knows what this Whole thing is all about exactly right Yeah it's it's something that you know Again thankfully we haven't really got We have had a couple of those deals Where you know the 10% off deal whatever That is I don't know what that is but we Have had a couple guys signed signed Those I don't think they're really Getting much out of it doesn't seem like But um but thankfully it hasn't really Gripped High School football too much Just yet but I have a feeling it's Coming and uh it's something we we need To be prepared for you know um you know With the nil thing and I you know I Don't have a problem with guys making Money in college I think you know these Athletes need to be able to make a Living you know and and at least be able To you know when I was in college I Literally couldn't afford lunch you know Right all I did was play football I Didn't have time to have a job you know And it was it was hard it was really Yeah um so I do think they should be Able to make some money but I I'm Starting to see what worries me is is Some guys making decisions based on a Quick buck as opposed to finding the Right school for them and the next 40 Years of their life and kids just aren't You know they're not worldly enough yet
To understand the difference you know so That's what scares me about it is I I I Really want and and I try to educate our Kids as best as possible when it comes To that stuff because you know you don't Want to you know you they might be Dangling $25,000 in front of you to make A to to sign with their school but you Know that $25,000 isn't going to last Very long right and you know whereas if You get a great education you know and That last forever right that degree will Last forever you know so that that's the Thing that's scary about it I think we Have to be as adults have to be really Really responsible and and these college Coaches have a huge deal of Responsibility on their PL because uh to Take advantage of a kid is is the worst Thing you could ever possibly do right And we know that there are some of those Guys that are out there that are going To do that they're GNA look to pry on or Prey on and and kind of take advantage Of uh you know the situations that as They come so I think for us as as as Coaches just as like we just need to Provide that you know that education and Kind of give them like and listen we're Only about a chapter ahead of the kids When it comes to this stuff you know What I mean like we don't You know we got we got know we don't Know really that much more than you do
Other than like hey we have a little bit More financial literacy maybe because of The you know having be an adult and Having gone through some of that stuff But you know at the end of the day like How it's gonna happen it's gonna come Down to it and I don't we just need to Really keep an eye under it so that it Doesn't go somewhere that we're really Not looking for it to go exactly right I I think you touched the the the Confusion part on the things of choosing The right places is a a big big deal I I Remember I was an NFL agent for six Years and I was coaching High School Football at the same time and and it was Interesting Seeing um how guys made decisions on What agent they went to um you know like If they decided not to come to me or Decided to come to me what was the Reasoning and and why they chose like I Remember guys just choosing agents Because they got like 10 grand more Right and I mean literally I I you know Like I I know it seems like a big deal Right now but like the goal is to get Into the to make it as an NFL player not To get the 10 grand right now for the Next month and a half right so I could See how that over time begins to because Nil eventually I mean I can't really Figure out how it's going to get Navigated other than agencies are going
To be involved I'm sure they already are At a certain level working with like Collectives and stuff like that so you Know Ruckers Collective or Yukon Collective works with this and right Like I just saw with Yukon Yukon just Has a collective now you might not even Know this but there's like a famous girl Tick tocker their whole family her name Is De deelo or Something she's they're worth like she Throwing in the bag she's well she the Family with the girl was worth like I Mean she was like 17 18 worth like a Hundred million or $50 million and the Parents are and they they the father Went to Yukon so he just formed like a Fund for Yukon I just saw that's one Reason why I can't and and so whatever They they created a fund I don't know What they're putting in the fund but They created a fund right so those Things are G to crop up more and more Like right like Ruckers has their like B It's almost like a baseline salary right Like you go to Ruckers everybody gets 30 Grand right this how it works right That's the Ruckers chip in fun like I Call like Ruckers has a fun right and All these people are putting it now now You're gonna have individuals like a Demilio which I'm me Yukon obviously I Played Yukon you know I'm all four let's Let's get some good players in there uh
But uh but as far as um from a Recruiting standpoint it's gonna make it Even stranger because it's not just like More you're gonna be able to do right Individuals now create fun hey what play What do we need a receiver all right Well here's his here's his nil deal Money so get him on campus Because like And I wean look we talked about it like You know you go back to the whole yeah I Mean we talked about it like it's this Is this is what's gonna happen right and And I've heard you know coach sheno Speak on it before and he's like he's What's to stop guys now from turning an Nil deal into another Scholarship right how do we now they are Right so how do you navigate that so There's a reason that Texas A&M and Jimbo can go out there and freaking you Know throw out I've heard scholarships Because here's what it is I know of Specific instances where guys have Gotten now no one's ever gonna say it Guys have gotten walk- on stuff and are Going for free so that that to me is Interesting I don't know I I know that Has to be I mean I'm sure they they Circumvent I don't know how they Circumvented exactly but that to me is Incredible how that is actually able to Happen where they can um yeah that They're yeah yeah that that's be Something they need
To right I may be a little behind here Can you guys hear me yeah I can hear you Okay sorry Yeah I I think that's something they Really need to fix because you know now It's not an even playing field right if Michigan can offer 85 scholarships and Then they can get 15 guys to walk on With nil money that's like having 100 Scholarships right whereas other schools Can't do that you know for instance you Know some of these these lower level Schools that just don't have the money To do that you know now it's I don't Think that's a fair playing field you Know uh obviously you know Alabama A&M They have unlimited funds right so they Could just get any kid they want to walk On and not have to pay for their Education so I I think they got to Really look into that at the NCA level Because that's that really kind of unev The playing Field yeah because it goes back to like The 80s really because they change all These rules in an I think when I was in High school where you had 85 Scholarships and all yeah I think FCS I Don't remember what it is exactly 63 or 65 but um uh they changed that because Pen State you know used to offer 200 Guys uh bring bring in 200 guys on Scholarship y bring in 200 guys on Scholarship and I I remember at sbook
They they they used used to tell me this Story all the time when I was coming Through and there was this guy who was This great athlete from the 70s he was Like a decathlete he was you know could Have went anywhere in the country but Penn State brought he went to Penn State And he was the basically sat on the Bench for four years as like putting Would have started at Temple you know What I'm saying like would have been Star at Temple but they had him over There because they didn't want to play Temple and have to play against those Players go about it like it's almost Like you're you're and look and we can Relate it back to you coach right at the Paul I'm sure you see it where other Guys around here kind of talk to guys That like hey am I gonna go there but You know why don't you come to me just To keep them away from you uhhuh Absolutely like hey you're gonna this You're gonna be that you're gonna be This for me when you know probably not Gonna happen and but now that guy could Have been your starter because at a School like you you know back and forth Whatever it is sitation you start to see It and it's something that I'm sure you Deal with certainly yep definitely goes On it's it's wild stuff what what where Do you where are you looking to take the Program for the future what like what
Are some goals that you guys have um you Move forward with the program it's a Great question great great question so You know John McKenna my predecessor you Know was kind of my my mentor he he did An unbelievable job here man I he won Five championships in his last seven or Eight seasons eight if you count Co but Five state championships basically in Seven years and and I mean you literally I don't know if you can do better than That but um you know it is you know Being the next head coach here it is my Job to to get us you know to build this Program up to to the next level you know And I think the only way to go from from Where he left it is is up you know so um I think to answer your question our goal In the short term is to become as good Or or better than everybody in New Jersey right I I think you know we are Certainly not at that point yet we we Certainly have no business even claiming To be anywhere near that but that's the Goal right I think we play in such a Great league in week in and week out We're playing top state you know so um Our goal is to to be as good or better Than all of them you know and and in a Small school people you know people used To laugh at me when I said that but We're in a great area you know at the Paul we're in a great location you know We have tons of Talent on our team right
Now I'm really happy with where we're at Right now you know not only this team But but as a program going forward I I Think we got some great great kids in Our program and they they appreciate the Opportunity that a school like the Paul Is affording them and to me that's the Most important thing you know I to to Have kids in your program that are Ungrateful Is you know not a good thing certainly Not anything that that we would want Luckily we have great kids and I really We're headed in the right direction you Know I think uh this is the most Talented team I think we've had you know Not not by any means the best team we Certainly have a lot of work in front of Us but I think it's as talented as a Team as we've ever had uh we're still Young um and we're in inexperienced in Some areas but I I really think we got a Good group here a lot of really talented The guys that that are great kids and And great young men so um I'm happy with Where we're at I think to answer your Question we want to become the the you Know the best team in New Jersey that's That's really coach McKenna set the bar So high there's really no other other Place to go um so what what you know in So doing we want to start playing some More out ofate teams we got a great game With uh Bishop mcdevit coming up this
Year September 1st they're a great team Out in Harrisburg PA and then we want to Start to you know play teams nationally You want to start to travel more and you Know get a little bit onto the national Scene that's awesome and I I think You're GNA continue to to do that There's no no doubt in my mind about That it's it's awesome seeing what You're doing I I have one final question I don't know if coach Di has any more More questions but I have one final Question yes sir I I'm not actually you Know I didn't even look to see if if you Guys did play each other or not but what Have you played your your brother at all Okay You have uh what is it like when you Guys play and your fa and your father is Is is the a freshman coach or yeah right So what is it like to play against your Your brother and your father and it's Not easy I'll tell you so my father Won't even come to the game he stays Home doesn't watch it won't come nothing So it it's hard on him for sure it's Hard on my mother um and and I've had to Play against veto three or four times a Couple times you know when I was an Assistant and he was at seatan Hall one Time I was assistant when he was at Bergen um and then last year as as a Head coach was the first time I played Against him and that that was hard and
We got our butt whooped but um but the Whole week leading up to it was really Tough and the the hardest part for me Wasn't my brother it was the fact that I Have two nephews on the team over there U my my godson Dominic who's you know One of my people I most close with on The entire planet you know he's my my Nephew and my godson and and uh he's the Starting quarterback there my nephew Michael's a receiver there they're They're both going to be Juniors this Year and it's hard enough playing your Brother but when you got to play your Nephew and you're trying to design Blitzes to sack your nephew that's not a Lot of fun man that's you know and it's Hard to you know and then you're playing Him and he's playing really well and It's like for him and then half he wants To knock him out of the game you know so It's not easy it's not Easy that that is I it's look it's rare That um it's a great Experience it's well it's rare that that Happens but it's also rare obviously to Have a family I mean there should be a Netflix documentary on you guys uh that A family of coaches um obviously you Guys are all players but of Co really Your Your Mark is as coaches um and it's It it's left this Mark on thousands and Thousands and thousands of players which I really think is unique in the sport of
Football you you hear about one or two You know you might have a couple of Brothers or father son here or there you Know but to have what what is it between Your father and you have four brothers Yeah Three Brothers four boys yeah Three Brothers four four boys right yeah so so Five between the five of you touching so Many lives it's it's I mean it to me I I I'd have to really research it next time We come the conversation I'm going to go Research this and see if there's anybody Anybody that has as many family members As as coaches as you guys do and not not Just coaches by the way no like high Level like this isn't just like the you Know coach whatever yeah like NFL College power five division one and then You're talking probably two of the most Like obviously two of the mo best Programs in New Jersey but National Powerhouses as well with AI becoming so Prevent Nikki we're we're gonna have to Go and get someone to like extract some DNA from you guys on the coaching side So we can Replic we'll figure out how to how to Bridge that money that L you don't have To worry about nil a nation of super Coaches great well thanks so much for Being on Um anybody who wants to find you on uh Twitter or or reach out to you where can They where can they find you yeah so
Instagram and Twitter uh coach camp1 um Pretty active on Twitter it helps with The recruiting process of our gu so yeah Always on there and then you know I I Myself and Brian Murray afor mentioned Brian Murray we uh we run the social Media accounts for deul Catholic Football too so you can always uh reach Us on there as well awesome coach Appreciate you really thanks thanks a Lot for coming on and you know let guys Kind of see you know what kind of makes You and and your team go and and like I Said I appreciate everything uh you've Done uh for me personally in terms of Mentorship it's just always a guy there To bounce some stuff off of and whatnot So I really appreciate you letting this Knowledge out to some others so they can Kind of see how things should be done This is awesome man this was a lot of Fun man most fun I've had in a While yeah gonna this is nothing this a Good kick off all right coach have a Great day nice care if we don't get if We don't get our ass kicked this year Maybe you guys have me back on a little Later on all right well we definitely Will absolutely definitely have you on Coach all right coach thanks all right Coach bye bye take care Thanks that was phenomenal that was Phenomenal that that that's what it's All
About um he's got a uh listen it's to Come from you know what I mean because He was the he wasn't the brother in Coaching you know what I mean it was Kind of hey okay let me get into this And he kind of cut his own path a little Bit right and then when he was like yeah I'm gonna go to the Paul right kind of Leave veto and kind of go do his own Thing and look we you and I know have Known coach McKenna for God knows how Long right I mean you worked with them Whatever I've played against them I've You know coached against them worked With great guy great guy to learn from Right and he's in a he's in a great spot You know it's it's not really a school That you know they're always you never Really they're forgotten about a lot Right every it's the Bergens it's the Bosos it's the it's the the St Peters Right deul comes in kind of on that Second tier type thing um where it comes To it just because they're a smaller School but they can compete with anybody You know and with that guy at the helm I Think he just has it in the right Direction yeah I love his demeanor he's Got great perspective on everything like Really um you know you you could see That he's taken a piece from all the Different uh his brother his father his Brothers his father you know um Different things and and made his own
Way of doing things which is what I Really love I I he's created his own Little Trail his own little path right Like because he could have easily just Look he I'm sure he could easily be a Bergen Catholic right now as as as as His brother's OC just right right this Is cool coaching coaching his nephew Right like this is great like hey my Nephew's the quarterback right but like No he's on the other side trying to dial It up how to knock him out of the game So and listen and I think it's the same The other way that kid's probably trying To say hey I'm gonna throw five Touchdowns on my Uncle Nick's defense Absolutely there's no it works the same Way so you know people really you know What people don't understand too is you Look at the entire family right like He's the youngest he's the head coach of The Paul the oldest is the head coach of Bergen Catholic right your age is he More I think he's a little younger than Me actually okay or no I'm sorry he's Older than me but only by like a couple Years maybe like two or three something Like that and then uh you know obviously Nunzio is the tight ends coach at Syracuse and then Anthony's the Linebackers coach with the Miami Dolphins and has been Through three two or three head coaches Which in the coaching world if you
Survive a head coaching change right and You're still on the staff not once but Twice maybe three you're obviously doing Something right so oh and I think yeah I Think it's really cool it's funny Because I had to open up with that story Now he was probably like a baby oh he Was probably a baby yeah probably a baby Maybe maybe not even born yet Ian I mean He loves the fact that his dad doesn't Go to the games that that was Interesting yeah yeah I mean I I have so Many questions that if like you know Like I like to keep everybody under an Hour you know what I mean and and uh Just because of time but it but and that Look and we didn't even touch on any of The the football knowledge stuff because From a quarterback from quarterback play To offensive strategy to all that kind Of stuff like and just overall his his Whole coaching demeer In terms of you know he really lets Rasheed his defensive coordinator really Kind of like do your thing you know I Mean when you go there and that you know Couple of those things like I'd love to Talk to him about kind of how you know He's always got a smaller roster so Maybe he's not a true true two platoon Team where offense defense right they Try and do it as much as they can but They probably have guys that have to go Or have to do double duty you know also
The other thing I love that he and one Thing this is and this is what I'll take Away from it with this Is I think there's a double-sided sword To using multiple formations and Groupings and all that stuff not not Only are you maximizing your opportunity To do you know to do the best you can But you're also utilizing more players Which now changes your roster where hey I go to the pole I can play right it's Not just the same guy on the field for The same sets you can now put guys in And out maybe guys are you know hey this Guy is good at this right now but he's But uh as a young guy so he can play Right away I think that groupings Multiple formation all that kind of Stuff where you can get more players on The field in key roles and doing things Sooner I think just credits helps your Program overall in terms of getting the Players that you want well I in the long Run it actually does get you the players You want and I think what's interesting About it is you do it initially out of Necessity like I I've always done it out Of necessity multiple I have to do this Right so figure how to utilize a kid who Has the kids who has multiple Skills helps you when you're trying to When when you might have to play someone That's bigger and stronger than you you Know or has more bodies than you or
Whatever right yeah which is usually Always the case when it comes to the Paul right which was I know for a long Time you know with Coach McKenna they Never wanted to like they just couldn't Play out of state because they would you Know that would beat them up for the Entire year now they just didn't they Just didn't have the the guy the the Amount of dudes right to to do that but Now you know him talking about traveling I'd love to go see those guys play Somebody you know on a national level Because they can definitely compete Bishop we've seen some great players Come out of there you know Bishop MCD Will be uh that's test they're very good Um if they uh if they take it to those Guys that that'll be really um because That's a team I I always we always look At the Pennsylvania always up there right um Also in that parochial be you know so if They do get in those playoffs look which Staple right they're in you know they Just gotta be who they they don't have To run that double gamut of you know I Have to play bosow again I have to play Bergen again I have to play Joe's again Right like now they're on this side okay I got red band Catholic St Thomas Aquinus right couple other schools in There but and that's not taking anything Away from them that's just saying like
Hey here's your reward for running Through this gamut of hammers the entire Year as a smaller school right so no Doubt awes awesome awesome Po great stuff that that was a ton of Fun ton of fun Um let me find my kick off to get us out Of here great great podcast once again Kudos to you uh good man appreciate it Always a good day I like getting them in The mornings they they're good those Guys and now he gets to go enjoy doing Well that's it we're good all right till Next time
About Author
