On this weeks’ episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we sit down with Brennan Marion, the Offensive Coordinator at UNLV. In this conversation, Coach Marion discusses why building relationships with players is central to who he is as a coach, how he has continued to grow as a coach, and the origin of the Go-Go Offense. Coach Marion, fresh off his first season in Las Vegas, helped lead the Rebels to a 9-5 record and a bowl appearance in 2023.

Follow Coach Marion and UNLV football on social media here:

@BrennanMarion4 & @unlvfootball

1:05 Finding success at the high school level through relationships and innovation.

14:33 Jumping up to the college level and first opportunity as a position coach in college.

32:51 Opportunities to serve as an OC at Howard and William & Mary and the development of the Go-Go Offense.

47:30 Opportunities at Pitt and Texas and developing authentic relationships with players.

This week on Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we sit down with Anthony Goliver a defensive GA at UCLA. In this conversation, Coach Goliver discusses his transition from serving in the US Marine Corps to coaching at UCLA, getting the opportunity to coach on-base while in Japan, and his future goals in the profession. Coach Goliver is a 7-Year Veteran of the United States Marine Corps and is entering his third season with the Bruins.

Follow Coach Goliver and UCLA Football on social media:

@anthony_goliver & @UCLAFootball

Show Notes:

1:06 Experience in the Marines and coaching while on base in Japan.

11:35 Soldiers to Sidelines Program experience and transition to UCLA.

22:00 Navigating staff changes and growing as a young coach.

27:54 Future goals and advice to young GA’s.

On this episode of The Extra Yard, we sit down with Clark Flatt of the Jason Foundation and Dr. Don Arterburn of Baylor Athletics to discuss mental health awareness. May is Mental Health Awareness month, and Mr. Flatt and Dr. Arterburn talk about preparing coaches to recognize warning signs of mental health struggles in their players and staffs, how coaches can help players navigate through mental health struggles, and how to handle crises and emergencies should they arise.

Learn more about the Jason Foundation and the NCAA’s Mental Health Best Practices here: https://jasonfoundation.com/ & https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2016/5/2/mental-health-best-practices.aspx

Show Notes:

0:47 Episode Introduction

2:20 Clark Flatt – President, Jason Foundation

17:32 Dr. Don Arterburn – Director of Mental Health Services, Baylor Athletics

42:01 Episode Conclusion

This week on Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we sit down with Joe Gillespie, the Head Coach at Midway High School in Waco, Texas. In this conversation, Coach Gillespie shares why he chose to pursue coaching, some of the behind-the-scenes conversations that take place when making career decisions, and his passion for high school football in the state of Texas. Coach Gillespie was hired at Midway in January after stints as the Defensive Coordinator at Tulsa and TCU.

Follow Coach Gillespie and Midway HS Football on social media here:

@joe_gillespi3 & @MidwayFB

1:04 Fulfilling the dream of being a football coach, getting on staff at Stephenville HS, challenges that come with leading a successful high school program.

26:49 The impact that player health has on success, getting the opportunity to move to coaching in college, determining if a job is the right fit.

46:00 Learning curves that came with being a first-time coordinator, behind the scenes conversations that happen in job transitions.

1:01:28 Coaching at a place with no previous connections to the staff, similarities in successful teams at the high school level and the college level, returning to high school football.

This week on Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we sit down with Mike Bloomgren, the Head Coach at Rice University. In this conversation, Coach Bloomgren takes us through his career that has taken him to schools across the country, explains the value of coaching at different levels of football, and talks through how he took the lessons others taught him and applied it to his coaching. Coach Bloomgren, who led the Owls to a bowl game last season, was recently selected as a member of the AFCA Board of Trustees.

Follow Coach Bloomgren and Rice Football on social media here:

@mbloom11 & @RiceFootball

Show Notes:

1:05 Starting out as a football coach, playing football vs. coaching football, including your significant other in career decisions.

17:23 Sharpening your tools as a young coach and experience coaching in the NFL.

28:15 Opportunity to coach at Stanford, interviewing and hiring coaches, making the jump to being a head coach.

43:42 Turning down head coaching jobs in order to find the right fit, creating a culture, being named to the AFCA Board of Trustees.