The Hun Way of Greatness with Todd Smith HC of The Hun School
49 min readThe Hun Way of Greatness with Todd Smith HC of The Hun School with Coach Schuman and Coach Depascale
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[Music] What's going on man what's up Bro welcome back we got a a great Episode today we're gonna bring on coach Todd Smith Hun School uh where he has Really turned around that program and Made him into a National Power really um No doubt 100% Northeast power and really Kind of starting to take the uh the next Steps um to become a National Power uh Puts out division one recruits left and Right um and uh and is really really Especially you know a guy with the Background um with developing those Offense of lineman he's had so many of Those guys go on as well so uh with Without further Ado let's bring coach Smith what's going on Coach what's going On how are you how you doing coach Appreciate you taking the time know it's Busy season with camp and everything so Appreciate you stepping away no problem Co coach I touched on your background Why don't you go a little bit depth uh Obviously if you want as well you know Playing background too but and how you Kind of got to where you're at today Yeah I uh I grew up in New Jersey uh Central Jersey went to 100 in Central High School uh played for Jim mer uh and Then from there I uh went to the College New Jersey played for Eric Hamilton um Legend legend uh two legends right there And absolutely the year I graduated um
After the year after I graduated I Actually went back and I coached at the College New Jersey um I played offensive Line there I was a starter for uh three Years and uh and then when I coached I Focused on the running backs um and Really wanted to like I really wanted to Like focus in on a different position Group just to really expand my knowledge Base of the game and and truly try to Understand things from a different Perspective um and then after that uh I Got away from football for a little bit Um and then I popped back up three years Later uh and I became the head coach at West Windsor Plainsboro South High School for eight years um had a good run There made the playoffs seven out of the Eight years got to the State final once And then I took a break from head Coaching and after my eighth year at West Windsor became the offensive Coordinator at Hopewell Valley for one Year uh that was the year we won the State championship at Hopewell um and Then that the year after that I became The head coach at Hunt and I've been There ever since so um getting ready to Start uh year 11 year year 11 it is I Know it's crazy right like you don't Think it's like in a blink right like Year 11 here you go year 11 so You know what it might be year 12 to be Honest with you I I think literally
After like three it just starts to blend And it's like once you get that first Class through and then it's like all of A sudden you're just like okay well you Where am I okay doesn't matter it's all The same stuff all the same well you you You've had like a in in the development Of the program like a steady everyy year Like surge of better and better players Coming in better and better teams um and It's been almost like Surgical and I Don't know if it's on purpose or or just Kind of how it how uh you know um it it Shook out but you know it went from you Had a you know a few guys that were Division one athletes and you had good Program and you guys were starting to Dominate you know your conference to now Where you're reaching out and playing Opponents from all over the place um and Continue to take on more and more a Competitive burden um talk about talk About that and kind of how your whole Approach in in building hun was I mean I Think our approach was really always Just being honest with parents honest With kids uh from the get-go um really Looking for kids that were going to be Hard workers um obviously if they had Some intangibles that was great but you Know listen hun is an independent school It's a boarding school it's a day school There's a significant cost with it so I Mean this is a unique unique thing um
You know and it's it's Unique to New Jersey because there's so many of There's so many schools like hun um and You know I think over the years we've We've we have done a great job of of Showing how we can develop kids from the Ground up um one of the things I'm Really proud of is um every kid that We've had here that has gone on to play College football uh almost every kid There's exception of two um did not have Offers before they got here you know and Everything they got everything they Earned was you know coming here working Hard establishing uh a new work ethic uh Maybe even switching positions uh we've Done a great job transitioning kids from One position to another and to make them More recruitable and and um you know Really uh really just try to unlock Their full potential as a football Player um but it's also been Establishing a great coaching staff um You know we do have a bunch of great Coaches on the staff that also develop Kids so as the head coach here I can Really I trust everybody on the staff to Really work just as hard as I do and Develop the kids um coach Bob Ziggler's A great defensive mind he does a great Job on the defensive side of the ball I Don't even I don't even bother with that Part of the game and obviously we have Tony Tony ropi with us who you know
Having a quarterback coach on your team You know I think that's something that Goes by the with a lot of uh high school Programs it's like you know the Technical aspect of quarterback play I Can draw plays up all day but I'm not Telling a kid how to pronate his Shoulder or turn his feet or you know How to where how to set things up and he Just does does a great job with that of Working with our kids to again get them To throw the ball at the right velocity The right speed the right angle um you Know making sure nothing sails because Their footwork is always always uh Complete from the bottom up so you know We've just been doing that year after Year I think that's caught the eye of a Lot of people and you know we keep Getting some kids and uh we have a great Influx of younger brothers of kids that We've had too we've had so we've had Like real family Buy in which is great And um you know when you get the Brothers the younger brothers sometimes The the Jean Pool is the same so we get Some really good ones so we've had the Wful brothers and we have the enll Brothers um you know they they've been a Really really great family that have Really impacted our program and um you Know so it's it's just been rolling and You know we just we kind of slowed Things down we don't want to look too
Far ahead and we just take it one game At a time one season a year you know and Then we just focus on what we have to do Um the big part of it though I think Where what sets us apart from a lot of Other programs is you know and I say This the families all the time it's not About wins and losses at the hunt school Like it it we could go win eight games We can win no games the reason why kids Are coming here is because they want to Get developed they want to become better Football players they want to go on to Play in college you know they want to Surround themselves with like-minded Kids and we've done a great job of Assembling those kids that are that are Great students great athletes and they Want to be great at the next level and That pushes everybody here but like like When we practice we coach them you know We coach them up we get on them and and We we we look at things very we get Really nitty-gritty with it and uh we're Very we're very specific very detail Oriented and practice is fast and it's Intense and we try to we try to model it Just as similar as it would be when they Go to college and and we want them to Get ready because the goal is for them To not just go to college and get a Great education and play football but we Want them to impact the team they're Going to play we want them to get on the
Field and play we want them we want to Help guide them through that process and It's not easy all the time and but um We've done a great job of it and and the Small numbers help right when you have When you carry about 45 to 50 kids on The roster you can really dedicate a lot Of time to everybody and nobody nobody Slips through the cracks right right and I think with that like to those guys Then realize like you know I'm not just A number like you know what's going on With each individual kid they feel like They're getting that one-on-one coaching Um you know look at just look at your Ratio from certain positions with those Coaches and and how like you said you Can really hone in on those skills that They're going to need you know to get to That next level and and now you're just You just continue to create that monster Yeah what what what about um from a Scheduling standpoint right so that's G Be difficult You're in in in your conference right in Particular you you're probably an Outlier in that you you guys have really Really had a lot of talented players a And um and you probably have amazing Administrative support so you kind of Have are able to continue to push Forward in that direction um what what Is the difference between what you guys Look to do scheduling and competition
Wise versus a lot of other people you Know in your conference or do you even Look at do you even look at what the Other guys are doing or now I mean you Know I think like in in our world in the Prep school World we've had um we Thought we lost into something that was Pretty good so we have those schools in New Jersey the maple League schools Pennington just joined uh you have uh Petty lawrenville Blair and then in our Conference we used to have M Mercersburg and uh we still have the Hill School um Mercersburg no longer has 11-man football they play seven-man Football um we've continued a Relationship with Hill Blair and uh Petty um they honor their Maple Agreement Lawrenceville chooses not to Um they Play Everybody in the maple Except us um which is fine it's their Prerogative um you know at the end of The day like again we want to have a Positive impact on these kids so we want To find games it is difficult to find Games it's hard thing and and we we had A little we had a foothold in New England uh there was a we had a two-year Schedule where we were playing schools Like the Brunswick School subfield Academy um we had um so we had at least We had chess Academy schools that were Built like us and um unfortunately after The two-year initial agreement that went
To the Wayside um we've tried to make uh A um we tried to merge conferences with The interact in Pennsylvania with the Mals and the hords and those guys are Really reluctant to join um you know and And again it's it's up to everyone how They want to do it um you know it's for Us at this point in time this year we Were just we were really concerned you Know about finding games and you know we Really we really want to be careful when We throw the word national around like We are not IMG we are not St Francis we Are not those guys you know um I really Have always people like assume that's What we are we're not you know we're We're not that um we're we're gonna be Good um we work really hard we're Probably the best at what we do in our World um so but you know we were lucky Enough to find some schools that you Know wanted to go out and play uh you Know have a have a good game so that's Why we scheduled the mount carmels in Chicago um there's a team in Georgia Called rayoon gap which is also a prep School both of those guys are top 50 or Top 70 programs in the country um and Then we we had a relationship with St Francis and Baltimore we used to play Their um their varsity team they have a National team and a varsity team this Year we'll be playing their national Team which I know everybody tries to
Avoid playing when they can but yeah We're going to throw our guys out there And just be like hey let's you know this Is this is where we want to be let's see How we match up let's see how we can get Better let's see how we go and and Because of that you know we can't really Rely on individual Talent we gota as a Coaching staff we have to develop all These great athletes into a a you know a Real team um and we've been that's we've Been doing a really good job of that With our older guys and new faces that Have come in have really bought into What we sell so so we're excited you Know we've never gotten on a plane Before here at the hunt School we're Going to get on it this year and and uh You know Mount Carmel is one of the most Uh Historically um traditionally one of the Best programs in the state of Illinois Um they have amazing Seasons year in and Year out they uh they they uh they do a Good job in the city of Chicago they win State championship after state Championship so we're going to go out There and see see how we stack up and uh We're excited about the Challenge what what what is that Challenge like as far as managing the The roster right because you you do get Some kids that come in um from other Places and obviously have post grab um I
Think you only take I don't know what The rule is exactly but you can explain That maybe a little bit too um but you Know what what is that like like Integrating new players into the roster Managing expectations Um explain that a little bit I think When whenever you meet a new player you You spend some time with them or you Know a perspective player and and you Really like get to know them get to know Their parents get to know their Background a little bit because you know We've met kids here who have come in and Expressed interest in attending hun and We kind of just didn't get a good vibe From them and we just didn't want that We didn't want to like you know risk What we have what we've built um and What we pass on year to year so we've Had a a great run of great kids you know Kids that have spent a lot of time here Three years four years two years Whatever it is um so when we when we do Have the opportunity to bring in new Kids the first thing is like hey are They going to blend with what we have And do they feel a spot of Need for us We don't want to bring in stack kids on Top of each other we don't want to you Know we don't want to Stack kids left And right last year we had the luxury of Bringing in uh miles O'Neal who's now at Texas A&M but we made it a point to make
Sure that Jack uh Jack Moran our our Quarterback that had been here got Plenty of reps and he was active in Every game and and both kids we were Able to accomplish that goal with both Kids you know miles went out through for 2,000 yards and and accomplished his Dream of becoming a power four Quarterback and now he's at Texas A&M Competing for the job and Jack in the Same season went out and threw for about 1100 yards and was able to Garner maybe I guess at the end of the day it was 10 Or 11 scholarship offers he's committed To UNCC Charlotte um you know and a lot Of people don't have you know two two Scholarship worthy quarterbacks on the Same team let alone make it work I Thought we did a great job of that you Know and and our and and that's how we Do it on offense we bring in these kids And we package things up we we run about 12 different Formations um we put the kids in we Spread the kids out throughout the Formation so they all have active roles And they can do different things and um And we make it a point to get get them Touches you know we have the Conversation hey if we hand the ball off To you you better run hard you know we Don't know how many touches you're going To get if we throw the ball to you Please catch it because you know we
Can't Target you 15 times a game because We do have to spread it out um and when You have a lot of Playmakers like that You know they have to buy into that too And I think I think colleges have done a Great job of that when they understand Recruiting when you're recruiting a kid At Hunt if you're recruiting a wide Receiver you know what he might not have 40 catches he might only have 20 and That's because there's three other kids With 20 or four five other kids with 20 And um you know but it's it's you know With our running backs it's hey yards Per carry yards after contact you know What do you look like what's your film Look like do you have how many runs of Over 40 plus yards do you have and with The wide receivers same thing like are You catching the ball we try to vary the Route tree so we can build that film Catalog for them throughout the year so That takes a little extra part on our on Our part where we're you know we have to Build that and manage the game you know All at the same time um so but we've Gotten pretty good at it you know and uh And that's we just take it like you know If there was a game where somebody Didn't touch the ball enough in one game We're going to make it a point to make Sure they get touches early and often Then the next game um just to help build That catalog so we can still get their
Recruiting Underway right and I'm sure that's an Issue I mean look that's an issue on Most teams right is how many touches This guy get how many touches did that Guy get and now you have players coming In that are expecting to you know get Those certain amount of touches or they Need those touches that's why they're Trying to get that film you know but I Do I think it's a phenomenal way to look At it and even for a player like you got To know you L you have to make the most Of your opportunities uh the other thing I think is it's that that just that Itself creates a college-like Environment right because you know one Of the biggest things that Dave and I See when guys go to that next level is The adjustment of now being going from The man in high school the best player On your team to a team where everybody Was the best player right hun creates That already and bridges that Gap that They're competing against you know their Backup quote unquote is a power four guy Right so it creates that mentality of Hey practice hard right to get to where You want to be but practice itself Sometimes is probably harder than G Yeah I think we see it a lot in the wait Room where guys come in and they were Like they were the strongest guy in Their room and now they come here and
They're like whoa there's like oh boy I'm Just so we see that a lot and again that Just like you know and sometimes that's Exactly what guys need right sometimes Guys need like hey you you know some Some people don't work great being being That guy at the top right they always Want someone to Chase and at some places They might not have anybody to chase but Here there seem seems to be always Someone to chase um you know someone That's faster someone that's stronger And then if you do become that strongest Kid you want to make sure you stay there So you work just as hard so um you know You're right it is like my running back Room is exceptional I really like all my Running backs we can't give them all we Can't run the ball 80 times a game no Matter how bad I want to you got four R Receiv receivers that need touches too They all need touches I love my tight Ends I love the I love the HBS that we Have so you you know it's we got to do It and the proofs and the pudding right Um so I I think we've just done a great Job of managing that over the past five Or six years where we started to have These really skilled we had started to Have more than um more than one more Than two more than three and now all of A sudden the room's filled with really Skilled guys and that's why we're able
To put out 10 or 11 Division One guys Every year the past couple years here Absolutely one of the things I'm really Curious about because I think um quite a Few of your players uh have done this Either with postgrad or um within high School with um a Reclassification and the benefits of it In recruiting like we always have this Debate like is it beneficial is it not Beneficial right in recruiting and like And obviously it always depends right on On certain kids in their situations but But what have you seen some of the Benefits of it and and the uh the things That it's done for for the players that You've had and have you had on the flip Side too where players have done really Well that have gone you know straight Through that were in their their regular Group what what I I'll be very honest With you so I've had uh I've had since I've been here in those in these 12 Years I'm gonna have over 110 kids go Play college football um of those 110 Kids only two haven't reclassified in One way shape or another interesting you Know there's a lot Of very interesting very it there's a Lot right number one some kids are very Young right some kids start whether they Start kindergarten early you go as far Back as that you know you always hear The parents like uh I should have held
Them back oh he's a year ahead and then All of a sudden they get to high school And they don't have armpit hair yet and It's just like oh man I wish we held Them back a year you know right um you Know and then the other thing is like Sometimes kids get hurt stuff like that Those are the no-brainer ones if you Have a kid that's a 16 year old senior That's a problem right right in the Football World absolutely right Absolutely you know where you know Puberty and that you know that just next Like like physically it matters a lot More in football than it does in other Sports I feel right like look we get it Like puberty when you hit it it matters But football physically when you get There absolutely 100% matters I mean an 18-year-old kid against you know a 16-year-old freshman or sophomore makes A really big difference in terms of you Know just overall football play right For sure I think the other thing is too We've always sat I've sat in rooms with College coaches and watched film with College coaches when I was at West Windsor right and we would watch film And and we had and I've sent some great When I was at West Windsor we had some Kids go to great places you know we had The player of the year JB Fitzgerald he Went to the University of Michigan was a Two-year starter at linebacker um you
Know we had all these kids go division One there as well but we would always Sit down and you'd hear the coaches say Like oh man if this kid was uh for in For example oh if this kid was a 26 he'd Be a no-brainer if this kid was you know So you that happens a lot you know and I Think for us like you know we see kids a Perfect example would be the kid Ryan Vandermark all right Ryan vandermark was Very early in my year he he came to us From Wayne Valley High School he was 6'7 235 pounds when we met him I immediately Thought he was GNA tell me hey what are You he's like I thought he was gonna say Tight end I'm tight end defensive end he Came in he's like I'm offensive tackle I'm an offensive tackle I'm like okay Came came to us and we loved it got a Whole bunch of offers 17 FCS offers the Day before the signing date he goes to Ends up going to Yukon by the time he Left Hun he was 155 pounds this kid was A four-year starter at Yukon at left Tackle he got up to 308 pounds he is now On the 53 man roster at the Buffalo Bills and he was one of the skinniest Humans I've ever seen we called him the Telephone poll when he was here yeah Spent the time here but like you know That extra year you know in a way Changed that kid's life you know Literally you know literally and and and
There's other kids too there's kids that And parents that know their kids are Behind football-wise like hey my kid's Not ready football he's not developed he Doesn't have the football IQ he doesn't Have this I mean at for us the more time A kid spends with us in our program that Just gives us the more time that we can Have like that hunt effect on them where We can help them manage the recruiting Process and even when I started 12 years Ago I mean it wasn't it still was like Hey let's let's come in in the winter Time and let's recruit your seniors that Had great senior seasons now it's like Hey talk to me about your freshman and Sophomores you know so like it's really Kind of like shifted to now we really Look at what we can develop rather than What's almost already been developed Right they kind of look at that Pro of Like hey what can what can we make of These guys rather than like all right They're kind of there we know what we're Getting more of like a comfort I guess Like kind of like okay but it's Definitely shifted it's all shifting and Like and that's one thing obviously we Stay on top of it like even with the Roster limits that are going to come Here like that's going to spark a new Shift as well and you know the way the Way kids look at where they're going to Go and and what is their top level and
You know the biggest change I think I've Seen is there's there the division three Schools are getting K better kids than They've ever gotten before because of That Tri down effect just because Between the portal the roster limits Like all these things you know and we Had kids we've had kids go division Three go on the portal and go up to a Scholarship level right and it's like so It's it is it is a moving Target you Know and that's why we we really just Want to guide our kids through the Process to make sure they're making the Best decision for themselves you know That's a great point and I I wonder also If um some of it with kids reclassing is Emotional level too right so they may May be starting to Because they've always been younger they May be really good athletes but have Emotionally been kind of the Man younger and now they have the Opportunity to feel what it's like to be At the front of the age group portion of It which is it's a different experience You know like I mean I was lucky enough To be born earlier in the year to have Experienced it right but there are a lot Of kids that are playing catchup from That standpoint and sometimes it doesn't Have to do with their athletic physical You know size but they're emotional let Let's let's give them a year so their
Their mind catches up with their body Right too so they can so they can be Ready to go to college um and their play Will become better because I think that Also is a definitely an issue with a lot Of reclass kids so obviously puberty is Obviously number one but you also have The the EM the emotional uh issue of Being younger you know I've always been Really good but like I've been the Younger guy like you know So now it's you do get that a lot you Get a lot of self-aware parents who know Their kids and they're just like listen I know my son he's not ready to go to College right and no way I can put him On a campus yeah if I send him there He's gonna end up back with me or you Know and and and please don't like and I Say this to our kids all the time like Four star kids doesn't mean you're You're emotionally ready doesn't mean You're right doesn't mean you're you Have your mind around uh your your Academic future what you want to be Yeah a lot of times people yeah a lot of Times people misconstrue that right like Oh he's a five star he's a can't miss Well he might be a little immature right And and he might need to get reeled in a Little bit and things like that but I Think our kids you know another reason Too is the ivy league obviously uh a School like ourselves like we are we are
Feeding ground for those for those Schools and uh you know a lot of times These Ivy League schools will come Across kids and they'll be like oh just Missed the you just missed Ban two ban Three the academic ban hey if you can Get 20 more points on your sat if you Because that that extra year allows them To they could still take the SAT act and That would still count so um you know we Get that a lot too like we had that last Year with one of our guys AJ Schwarz he Just needed to get like 30 more points On his sat and and he got it and and now He's at hell hell of a kid unfortunate Situation and there's what you're Talking about like he's where he's a Senior he's a stud gets hurt in whatever Game and now rec classes gets to kind of Do that whole thing right different Position right didn't he come he was a Quarterback I believe came to you became Like a DB and and now look at him like That literally changed his life whereas If he would have just finished his Senior year and and tried to go Force Something he wouldn't have been at the Level that he was at correct I mean I Remember when when he came in and we Watched this film he's like I'm like Well what what did you play and he's Like I play quarter I played quarterback A stud I was like well AJ I mean I I Hear you when you say you played
Quarterback but it took me four minutes And 11 seconds to see your first pass You know So so um but yeah like like you said we Moved him to corner and uh we moved him To wide receiver and he's at he's gonna Play DB but long rangey athlete twitched Up um great hands huge football IQ great Fo just had to get him in front of the Right people yep and that the campus you Have there been I've been on it's Unbelievable I mean it's a looks like a College it is a college campus even Though it's A high school it's it's an unbelievable Place and and it's obviously very near Uh where Princeton University is and um You kind of have that that pocket Presence with respect and relationship To the IV leagues which I which I think Is is is is really amazing um talk about The the recruiting Because you you Touched on it obviously that ivy league Is a big part of part of it um the Division one obviously because you had a Lot of kids that have gone division one Talk about like how recruiting works With you guys and what is like I mean it Just continues to radically change so I'm curious how you continue to stay Ahead of the curve and handle all the The changes every single year yeah it is Uh you know and you you really have to Like feed off like you can feed the
Coaches you know I think number one like I think one of the biggest changes is Like all these programs now like when I First started you had position coaches Watching kids you had position coaches Evaluating kids you had area coaches all That Stuff now you these programs all have These these people in back rooms that Are handing lists to coaches and being Like this is your guy go look at them You know like you you have all these People that are generating information And and watching the film and I'm sure Coaches still have an input but more Than ever it feels like there's outside People in the programs making decisions On kids now listen I'm not saying like Head coaches aren't doing that or Anything like that but like like it is It's just different like you these Recruiting departments and these Scouting departments are different They're huge they're big I think Twitter Has changed everything from since I Started here to now kids have access to Coaches directly directly and middle man Is gone the middleman is gone like we Have kids here that'll get offers and They'll post it and then the coach will Call me like two days later hey want to Let you know yeah we offered him I'm Like I saw it I was you know and that's Okay you know because we want our kids
To embrace that Journey as well and and Get involved in it but I think our thing Is we we we do a great job of having Face-to-face meetings you know um we do Breakfast at Hunt it's called so during The open recruiting period I'm not a Teacher here at the hunt I teach it at Public school but I'm here every morning Before breakfast um and I'm here every Day after school um so I'm here in the Morning in the afternoon so what we do Is we just make all the college coaches When they're on the road they start Their morning here they have breakfast Um during the contact period they can Eat with the kids they can talk with the Kids we can watch film together during The non-c cont period the kids eat over In one end of the cafeteria and I have Them at the table it's real easy for me To show them they can eyeball they can See no contact obviously but you know I'm having face-to-face interactions With coaches you know we'll have days Where we have 12 14 15 coaches there Right you know the difference between Now and then it's like hey show me your Show me your 27s show who do you got in The 28 class anybody there let's get Them on the list let's get them let's Get them evaluated let's send them back To school let's send their film back to School have the right people watch it um The thing we do in the springtime is we
Do the during that live evaluation Period Then is we kind of cancel not Cancel but we kind of don't do the Breakfast anymore and what we do is we Open up we'll do three workouts in the Evening and we open it up to college Coach um so it's all it's all it's like The spandex Olympics right we're running Around jumping over bags and doing all That stuff um the the quarterbacks get To go throw we don't do one-on ones we Don't do any of that stuff but the Coaches come right down on the field They film the kids they time the kids um Last year uh on the first day we did it We had 45 colleges come watch and on the Second day we had it was I believe it Looked like a pro day it was like a pro Day and we've gotten really good at that Um you know and I think like what stinks About that is the NCAA again changed the Rule on us and made it a a one visit Only in the spring yeah so like we used To be able to do it like hey if they Came one week and they thought they like Somebody then they would send the Position coach back the next week to Watch him in person so but now like Instead of like one coach you know from Ruckers we had four coaches from Ruckers Watching different kids and but we get You know we get really good attendance And I would tell you almost every Power For school was represented there yeah I
I think it's it's really unique how that Has changed that that that prod day Thing is really phenomenal asset that You guys have for for the kids um it it It is I I I've seen other schools you Know especially like Pro schools Obviously try to do similar similar type Things and it's been a hugely hugely Beneficial I think that uh you know if Anybody has kids that could be going to College they should be doing it even With even Public Schools I think the way That you do it is is really phenomenal Because you get so many schools to come And watch um you know it's interesting When when you talk about how the coaches Are getting handed list like you see how These um departments are being Especially at the power power four Conferences they're being uh handed Those list because they have like a General manager player Personnel Department very similar to like the the NFL is is that something that you've had Like felt like you've had a start to Kind of interact with that group as well Or that process I was just gonna Reference because you just saw you just Saw the guy that was responsible for Putting together you know the the the Roster at Michigan right then he makes The move and goes with Barbera to to Washington he puts together that one and Now he's at Alabama with him he just
Signed I posted yesterday he just signed Like a new deal he got a raise $850,000 To be the College GM like yeah yeah no You you like I make it a point to find Out who that person is on the staff Because that's you know a lot of the Times those are the people uh that we're Going to be talking to and I think like Another aspect for me is like I get a Lot of phone calls during the year like Hey is so and so happy at this place Right our kids that are still at places Because you know with that portal it's It's crazy we went through it with Kevin Wigington this year he was at Michigan State and you know um we were leaning on Each other a lot to help him through That process when he entered the portal And and uh you know and that's another Misconception that I think a lot of kids Have it's like hey I'm going in the Portal and it's like well hey you don't Have anybody that's G to take you a Great idea you know smart grass ain't Always greener you know right right and So a lot of kids go in there and then They're just left there you know Literally like there's over a thousand Kids still sitting in the portal that Had left a full scholarship at some Point and are just sitting there like Kind of like when you hit the reload Button on a website right it's just kind Of and they're just waiting waiting
Waiting and it's hey maybe that Situation wasn't so bad you know right It's a tough place to be to make that Leap you need to kind of really Understand everything that could happen You know yeah I mean I'm not gonna say I'm not gonna say the coach's name but Like I've been in a room where I've Heard a coach tell one of our kids like Hey like I'm at this place right now I Do not want to be here I want to be Coaching at this place and when I go You're coming with me and I'm just like I'm like whoa you know like like and but These are the conversations that people Are having you know so like you want to Be careful like because for us like Education's number one like hey where Can you get that degree where can you go Like is this the next four for 40 all That stuff but at the same time too it's Like for for you got to watch these kids Want to protect themselves and for some Kids like getting on the field and Playing is a big you know should be a Big part of that conversation for them Because if you do go to someplace and You're not playing like what happens Year three or year four if this coach Decides they don't want you there Anymore you know or or this or that Especially when they're moving to these Roster limits where that's where those GMS are going to come in and they're
Going to there's going to be a lot of Moving and shaking where you're going to See a lot more transactional stuff where It's not like hey we took we're taking a Flyer on this kid Right and we're going to try to develop Them it's like nope let's go see who's In the portal let's go see who we can Scr up you know let's see who's out There so you know you really want the Kids to be aware and be able to protect Themselves through this process because It is it's Bonkers for them where like Hey the real high level kids they can They could really maximize a lot of this And put some money in their pocket and Get some nil stuff going and all that Stuff but at the same time it could all Go away like that you know and you want To make sure you you got that degree in Hand so you can get something and and And do something with your life because You know not all of us are going to be Playing at that third level at that Absolutely like use the game to get you To a place that maybe you might not have Gotten but because football can help you Maybe you know that kind of sliding Scale I always like to call it right Where all right maybe it's your grades Aren't exactly where they need to be but You can take you know football will kind Of balance it out right or the other way You know it's just use that stuff and
Think Beyond just these four years of You know college football cuz like you Said things happen man unfortunately Like injuries are part of it you know Life happens did you think any of these Guys like when covid hit all of a sudden It was like whoa like how do we handle This right and that's kind of a that was A whole I can't even you know whatever That's another whole another podcast Itself I when I look at this like my big Question is with the NCAA I'm like all Right number one you got a of programs At that power four level that embrace The walk-on opportunity right like you Look at Texas A&M Wisconsin Nebraska Like Iowa they live on they live on Those Walk-Ons and now you're telling Them they can't have any right so number One what do you doing with the Walk-Ons That are on your team right now like Where are they going you know great Question are you are you giving them Scholarships or are you using that nil Collective to basically pay for their so Are they really a walk-on right is it And that was one of the conversations Well here's the thing though like I Heard that I heard that some of the UN Like so you get I don't know Ohio state They're gonna have 105 scholarships Right and that's going to be their Roster it's be 105 scholarships but a Place like Yukon for
Example um they're trying to figure out If they're going to keep it 85 and then those other 20 are are are How are they going to do the other 20 Are they going to utilize do they have The money to utilize the other 20 and Are those going to be Walk-Ons and that Obviously is going to it if the schools Aren't able to afford the jump to the Next 20 obviously almost all the power Four are going to right right then You're G to get that group in the I Guess is it now like a group of six I Don't know five I don't know what it is But whoever those other guys are yeah Whoever the other teams are uh they're Not all of them are going to have the Budget because it's not just football Obviously there's other sports that They've added In in the roster uh increases they added Other sports right so you know baseball Gets more potentially soccer each one Gets more so and they have to mirror it Obviously on the female side right so You go to 105 on football you you you Have to you add 20 on football you got To add 20 somewhere on the female side As well right so you're really adding 40 Scholarship dollars right to to your University so it's really interesting of What's going to happen there because I Think you're right like first of all I Think at the power force some of those
Walkon just might be like out of luck And then do they go to some of these Other I think the other thing I thought Your statement is 100% correct on is Like D3 is going to get a lot better Players because they're they're also Going to be squeezed on rosters so They're going to get a lot of these guys That were at a higher level that fall Through it's it's really really uh it's It's such an interesting question and Then you know the nil thing I think that You brought up was is really good too Like you have some of your guys that are Getting some Nil money I saw like Gundy uh um I mean Mike Gundy on one hand said you know he Told his players not to ask him for any More money right like not not to keep Coming to him for more money right and Then what is basically the solution a Day or two later is they basically have A barcode on the back of their their Helmet where people can support players Directly right so so they he doesn't Have to get people asking him for money If he's his branding is good enough uh Or or he's that good enough a player He's gonna get the initial support from People so that also creates a whole uh I Don't know W wild scenario now I think That what's really cool is that the hunt School is positioned in a certain way The the players you're going to get are
I think kids that have a concern for Academics um Obviously they're great players but They're gon to have a concern for Academics that figures into the equation Um which I think makes you unique but I Look at some of the parochial in in New Jersey and you got because some of these Kids at 10 11 years old or 12 years old Are branding themselves putting out like I I I saw one the other day put out like Four schools that were his top four you Know and yeah in like sixth grade you Know there's or seventh I think it was Seventh grade but there's nothing wrong With it but it's it's it's a thing where It becomes more the more the NCA changes All this stuff the more I think the Parents feel the squeeze at the younger Younger levels right that's why they're Asking you for 2028 2027 and that's why 12 and 13 year olds Feel like they uh um have to like put Out what their top four is part of a Whole branding thing we used to laugh at The baby grank thing like that was like But now it's like there's like reality Out there you know plus and and I think Dave like you we always talk about it Too like I think people now are just Literally trying to create a buzz right Or how many clicks can I get just to Bring like in their eyes any attention Is any attention is good attention right
Like doesn't good bad indifferent like I Just personally I feel like you're Setting your child up for failure you're Creating these unrealistic expectations Like a baby grunk type of situation Where now all of a sudden people see This that kid gets on the field if he Doesn't now back up what Mommy or Daddy Has been posting and putting out there Like now it's like a Feeding Frenzy You're almost putting a Target on that Kid's back in a certain type of way when You do it from such a young age where They can't like it's they just don't it Doesn't register to them they don't even Realize like Mom or Dad is doing it or Whatever that is creating And it's just that the amount of Pressure at such a young age when really You should just be focusing on learning The fundamentals of the game and Improving year by year and allowing your Body to do what it's naturally going to Do and mature and and you know get to That puberty level we're now okay now I Can really go and play football right I'll tell you this like you you you guys Are hitting it all and the one thing my Big concern is like I I'm want to do two Things here number one I want to prepare Them to go on to the next level I want To prepare them to be able to handle That pressure right um you know that's Why like when we're on the field and
We're practicing like I'm on them right You make them you make a bad mistake I'm Gonna let you know about it you know We're gonna correct it we're gonna watch Film about it probably gonna let you Know about it again and then we're gonna Correct it again but like it's the time In between it's the meetings it's the Wait room it's it's Just hanging out with the guys and when You're going out there it's like I want Those guys I want to make sure they're Still having fun because at the end of The day it's still high school football Right and when we let High School Football kind and listen I feel a lot of Pressure because kids come here and They're like I want to go to college and I want to make them do that that's why They're going to you right like for the Most part like they're choosing to come To you because coach you've created a Culture and an environment where if I go To hun I'm getting a scholarship I'm Going to college right like not only is That you know that expectation right Creates a lot of you know like here it Is this is what we're doing for you to Now kind of deliver right and you know And I'm sure it's well I came here not To like you know you may have guys with 10 scholarships and they're still Unhappy because hey coach I came here to Get this this and this and now I'm only
Getting this this this and it's like Buddy you're still part of the 7% that like this like world that you're Already above like ahead yet you know Hey I still want more right and that in And at the same time like I want to take On a lot of that pressure for them Correct but I also want to let them know I I have to remind them like hey this is Like when you're not working hard like Why are you here right we're all here For a reason and at the same time like Oh yeah let's have fun right and so like Where is that happy medium because well I think a lot of my guys think I'm 100% Bipolar because I I can go from like hot To cold you know I'm all over Z to 60 Baby Zer to 60 yeah yeah any given day But like like when we watch film and and It's just like having fun cracking jokes With the kids and again the one of the Best things like listen if I was a kid Like if I was a kid and I went to the Hunt school like I remember when I was At Hunter Central I had a science class You know I was in biology there were There were 38 kids in the bio class it Was one of the largest public schools in The country in the state of New Jersey Right you come here you look at a Biology class and there's eight kids in There like you're gonna pay attention You know what I mean like much of a Choice Bud like you know like all eyes
Are always gonna be on you dude you're Not getting away with much with all the Eight dudes in a class right so when we Do that like we associate that with the Field like hey I only have eight Offensive linemen right at that Varsity Level right now I only have eight so we Get to spend a lot of time with all Eight every day you know and getting Them ready and and so you get a lot of That one-on-one you know with those kids You know and that's important you know And absolutely and the fact that like we Can come in and like we can talk Football I can talk football with them We can talk scheme and identifying Coverage and all that stuff and then Tony's in the room with us and you know To have somebody like that behind them And and and just keep on working you Know I I just think it's a it's a it's a Real great opportunity to become a Better student and football player right Yeah the the environment I mean you step Foot on the campus there and you realize That not you know even though you're You're an athlete there's a lot of kids That are here that are brilliant Students right with aspirations of uh uh Maybe being rocket scientists you know I Mean so so so you're in a classroom uh I'm assuming they're in a classroom Alongside these guys and they're Learning from them as well as vice versa
So yeah great kids we had kids from we Got kids from 36 States and and 28 Countries and they get to meet kids from All over the world and and all over the Country they make these lifelong friends And yeah they go places with them even When school's over it's great it's great When I I got all these different text Chains on my phone with kids that Graduated in classes together and we all Still keep in touch and they're all it's Great to see them go off and do great Things and you know even with that like Of those kids I've sent to college we Sent over 20 to go to Ivy League schools Right now so we got uh probably got one More we got those two Knuckleheads going To Stanford this year so um you know These Guys these guys really take uh Academic serious and you know that's That's part of it you know no that That's definitely part of it I think I Think also you probably will continue to Get I think you guys are really uniquely Positioned in the sense that those kids Who might have been posted all that Stuff for IMM mature they're coming back A couple years down the line saying hey I need to to reclass I was good but I I Need par we we we need to get a little More more mature and and get get the get Them bright in different different Capacities um it's interesting so where Do you see the program going so you've
Guys come so far in in those 12 years Right um I I mean if you were to look at The program 12 years ago and you look at The program now like it's it was always A known like Hun School was known but Where you took it from and the number of Players it's like a destination spot so Definitely talk about where you you kind Of see the future for for hun football Program well you know even when I got Here like hun always had that you know They always had that reputation of Sending great kids out you know they had MyON roll and so many other kids before That great story Tyler Stockton and and All these good kids that were like Blue Chip prospects and great players um you Know so they've always been doing it um So like you know that part of that was Like wanted to come here and carry on That Legacy and keep it going you know The I think the trick to this place is You can't really look too far into the Future at because like at the drop of a Hat like this could it it it truly is a Year-to-year thing and um you got to Find the right kids and the right Families I think we've done a great job Earning that reputation but like you Know we're one year away unlike the Berens and the Boscos who bring in 35 Freshmen or 40 freshman a year probably More than that you know we we have four Freshman football players on our team
This year so it is it is a really hard Thing to keep putting the roster Together with the right kids year after Year after year um and we just we just Take it we take it day by day you know So um so as far as the future we just Want to keep doing what we're doing you Know we want to see we we'd love to get Involved with like-minded schools up in The new New England we'd like to get Back in with those prep schools um like We were before because that's where we Feel we belong um we'd love for Lawrenceville and Pennington to join Jump back in and and then you know if we Could get that that if we could get that That conference rolling and get those Better because part of it is like hey Like maybe Petty gets going gets it Rolling again and maybe uh Pennington Gets it rolling again and lawrenville Gets it rolling now you have a premier Conference right right like do a little Bit more with it and you and then you Also know like you don't have to go Crazy because you know hey I have a Guaranteed six game schedule now I can Go and schedule because ultimately tape Is what matters right and look you can Schedule teams coming from Canada and Whatnot but like now we're talking about Competition level and play like yeah That looks great on paper like Hey we're Really nice guys and we're we're playing
Canada doing this but when it comes to Football like no offense what do we Talking you know yeah some of those Canadian teams are pretty good some of Them are not though um you gotta watch What you get I mean um but you're right I mean if we could get like a guaranteed Six game competitive schedule and then Go out and schedule three You know three or four a year and just Make it make it that way but like you Know unfortunately some coaches look for The path the least resistance or some Coaches like are more concerned like you Know concerned about matchups and stuff Like that um you know managing games Needs to be important stuff like that But I mean since I've been here like if You look at some of the teams we played We play I played against John meie right John mey was on the other side of the Field one year we played against David Aob and Jason O and and O right and we Played against um what's his face for The Redskins the wide receiver um I Forget his name he was really good he Went to Penn State that guy he was Awesome like you know last year when we We played Avon Old Farms their Quarterback was going to Georgia and They had wake for you know there's teams Out there that have these Blue Chip Prospects just like I do I do think like People sometimes like like we have a
Reputation to being a real blue collar Mentality hey we're going to run Downhill and come off the ball and smack You in the face a little bit um and we Do play a physical style of play you Know and I do think like up there in New England shy away from that a little bit Yeah everybody wants to Spread spread The ball out and they're not used to Play in teams with two tight ends or one Tight end and then and it's just like or Inline tight ends and and it's all like We just have to stop mid Zone and Outside Zone but we're going to run ISO And power at you and we're going to We're going to get in your face and do It and yards is acceptable for us you Know and we're okay you know and Sometimes I think teams get a little Weary about that um at the end of the Day it's like you said like if we can This year is this year uh you know uh we Got haford school in a scrimmage Tomorrow and then we're off to go see uh Mount Carmel which our kids are super Excited about and um you know we know They're going to smack Us in the face They're really good and and we got to See how we're going to respond that that Should be awesome well coach been Fantastic having you on really really Appreciate you taking the time we both Really truly admire the program you've Built and and you know the players that
You had and and they're they're great Kids the ones that we say they are great Kids on and off the field thank you Thank you so much I appreciate it I Think it was extremely informative to a Lot of people that had a lot of like Assumptions about what hun is or hey They're just a bunch of postgrad 19yearold kids playing against High School guys like people just need to Understand and respect what it is to Actually take in these guys that small Number and understand what goes into Coaching these guys that are coming to You with very specific expectations of Why I'm coming here right we actually Have another misconception we actually Have zero 19y old guys so that's like Like people like that's just what people Think like we know it but now like I Find myself like defending it half the Time to be like hey man it's just an Option like that's not true like you Guys don't understand like that's not it Not true yeah it's not true the um the Big thing is we always want to make sure We're able to play any public we're Allowed to play anybody in the state of New Jersey there's certain there's Certain states where uh the rules get a Little fishy but in New Jersey as long As you don't have anybody on your team That turned 19 before September 1st you Can play um and that's why we keep that
Rule here here uh for us so we could Play anybody in New Jersey at any time Um it's just getting someone to agree to Play us that's the trick so that's it Budd yeah well you know I don't blame Him like we're group one school giving Group one PowerPoints like it's we're an Anomaly you know it's like yeah they Have 40 guys on their roster but like There's some good ones there we're not a Typical group one school so I totally Get it and and it's on us to to Negotiate it and navigate it but hey Thanks for having me on uh this was Wonderful appreciate it man good luck With everything have a great season see Y all right Bye that was that was great that was Really interesting really the recruiting Process wise and the players that they Have and and it's a Min college man like That that the way it's run the way it's Structured and all that stuff and like You said with those expectations of guys Going there like I mean look the the Proof is in it right in the last couple Years I mean how many division one just Players in general we're not even Specifically getting into the you know Positions of the guys that have really Gone to to Next Level places and have Been like like factors like these guys Are playing early right and because They're coming from that structure
Program like it's a college so it's not So much of a jump right it's it's it's It's it was extremely informative I mean He's got his hands full I'll tell you That how do you get all those guys Touches man how do you get all those Guys touched like I just don't know how You do it like really don't like there's Only so many plays in a freaking game Dude you go yeah there's only so many Plays in the game and uh especially if You get in if you get in a it actually Gets harder if you get in a situation Where you're blowing somebody out Because which is why I think the concern To play quality opponents matters right Because also like you know you want to Condition these guys for True games you Don't want these guys basically going Out there like H this is a scrimmage It's going to be over in the first Quarter right like are they really going To do what they need to be what what Needs to be done to be successful when They go to a power four like like I said Their practices are probably Unbelievable yeah oh yeah probably Although the roster size is not that Huge so group one he's group one yeah be A little bit careful from there but Great great episode we'll we'll Get get up off on this and uh uh we'll See you again on Friday when we have in Uh Tyler sisy right that yes sir big
Tyler sis man he got and he been I love His podcast he just he love his from the Recruiting stories to just the overall Like where he has been in terms of the Level of coaching he's you know who he's Coached with right so he's coached under Coach sain and he's been at Auburn he's Been at some big SEC programs yeah Old Miss like I mean Arkansas State like all These big ones so it'll be really good To talk to him informative but I like I Said I think that episode we just had Was awesome because like I said the Hun School is just everybody sees it reads It but doesn't really understand like What it is because you know they're not The Bergens or the bosos or the Joe's of Of the world right and those guys don't Play them because why would you yeah Yeah well it's a different setup it's an Independence school so absolutely all Right we we we'll see you on Friday Friday
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