On this week’s episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we sat down with Nick Lezynski, Linebackers Coach at Vanderbilt University.

Coach Lezynski shares his coaching journey, from his playing days at Notre Dame to breaking into the profession at Holy Cross, and eventually reuniting with Clark Lea at Vanderbilt. He also dives into the importance of building strong relationships with players and coaches, and reflects on being named to the 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 class.

🔗 Follow Coach Lezynski and Vanderbilt Football:
Twitter/X: @Coach_Lezynski | @VandyFootball

👉 Be sure to subscribe to Inside the Headset for weekly coaching conversations, career insights, and leadership lessons: https://linktr.ee/insidetheheadset

⏱️ Episode Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:29 – Why coaching?
03:45 – Playing both sides at Notre Dame
06:50 – First job at Holy Cross
11:20 – Early foresight into coaching
14:25 – Intern experience at Holy Cross
18:00 – Overcoming challenges & finding a niche
28:00 – Leaving Holy Cross
32:30 – Interview process at Lafayette
35:40 – Success in year one
37:45 – Return to Notre Dame
53:40 – Reuniting with Clark Lea at Vanderbilt
58:05 – AFCA 35 Under 35 experience
1:01:33 – Closing thoughts

On this week’s episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we’re joined by Zach Kittley, Head Coach at Florida Atlantic University. Coach Kittley shares his path from following his father’s coaching legacy to becoming a Division I head coach, his experiences with the Air Raid offense, and the process of building his staff and culture at FAU.

If you’re a coach, player, or fan interested in offensive strategy and leadership, this episode is packed with valuable insight.

Episode Timestamps:

• 1:13 – Introduction

• 1:48 – Deciding to pursue coaching

• 8:10 – Balancing student life and coaching

• 12:20 – Developing as a QB coach at Texas Tech

• 15:20 – Opportunity at Houston Christian

• 18:50 – First challenges as an OC

• 24:50 – Adapting in the Air Raid offense

• 26:40 – Lessons from first year as an OC

• 30:20 – Taking the Western Kentucky job

• 39:00 – Building a stronger run game

• 42:30 – Returning to Texas Tech as OC

• 49:40 – Coaching at his alma mater

• 54:30 – Building a staff at FAU

• 1:00:00 – Importance of AFCA 35 Under 35 program

• 1:01:32 – Conclusion

👉 Follow Coach Kittley on Twitter/X: @ZKittley & @FAUFootball
🎧 Subscribe to Inside the Headset for new episodes every week!

This week on Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we’re joined by Grant Olson, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at North Dakota State University.

Coach Olson shares his journey from student assistant to defensive coordinator at his alma mater, with lessons learned at Wyoming and Indiana State, the influence of NDSU’s coaching tradition, and the honor of being selected for the AFCA 35 Under 35 program.

📌 Inside the Headset delivers weekly conversations with coaches from all levels of football.

• 1:13 – Introduction

• 1:50 – Deciding to pursue coaching

• 3:30 – Lineage of successful NDSU coaches

• 5:15 – Coaching at your alma mater

• 8:45 – Balancing past success with motivation

• 10:55 – Starting as an NDSU student assistant

• 14:20 – Moving from engineering to coaching

• 15:40 – Graduate assistant role at Wyoming

• 21:20 – Highs and lows at Wyoming

• 23:30 – Managing player-to-coach relationships

• 25:50 – Challenges as a graduate assistant

• 27:40 – First full-time role at Indiana State

• 33:45 – Lessons from first position

• 35:00 – Returning to NDSU

• 40:15 – Full-circle success coaching linebackers

• 46:55 – Taking on Special Teams Coordinator role

• 50:35 – Transition to Defensive Coordinator

• 55:37 – AFCA 35 Under 35 experience

• 58:30 – Closing thoughts

On this week’s episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we’re joined by Khenon Hall, the Associate Head Coach and Running Backs Coach at Baylor University.

Coach Hall shares his coaching journey, how he overcame a career-ending injury, and his approach to developing running backs at the college level. From growing up in the Dallas high school football scene to coaching stops at New Mexico, Illinois State, Texas Southern, SMU, and now Baylor, Hall explains how resilience and perseverance have shaped his path.

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more coaches and fans discover Inside the Headset.

• 1:12 – Introduction

• 2:34 – When did you know you wanted to coach?

• 4:00 – Growing up in Texas high school football

• 8:00 – Transitioning into a student assistant role after injury

• 10:48 – Adjusting to the coaching lifestyle

• 13:31 – Early rewarding moments

• 17:15 – Opportunity to become a GA at New Mexico

• 23:26 – Considering coaching at the high school level

• 29:38 – Overcoming adversity as a GA and mentoring younger coaches

• 33:20 – First position group as DB coach at Illinois State

• 37:25 – Importance of developing as a recruiter and RB coach

• 41:08 – Being let go from Illinois State

• 47:07 – Opportunity at Texas Southern

• 51:06 – The value of the running back position

• 54:50 – Transition to SMU as RB coach and Run Game Coordinator

• 59:25 – Coaching differences between public and private schools

• 1:02:00 – Decision to join Baylor

• 1:08:08 – Growth as Baylor’s Associate Head Coach

• 1:11:57 – One sentence of advice for young coaches

• 1:12:30 – Conclusion

Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm welcomes Jericho Silvernail, Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Long Beach City College.

In this episode, Coach Silvernail details his coaching journey, the challenges he’s faced, and how he earned recognition as part of the 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.

• 01:11 – Introduction

• 01:30 – When did you know you wanted to coach?

• 04:21 – First coaching stop at Santiago High School

• 06:05 – Making the big leap early in your career

• 07:50 – Handling adversity and adapting in your role

• 09:10 – Coaching at Cerritos High School

• 13:00 – Preparing to be a Special Teams Coordinator

• 18:42 – Getting started at Long Beach City College

• 23:00 – Promotion to Defensive Front Coordinator

• 26:25 – Transitioning to the Offensive Line

• 29:35 – Path to Associate Head Coach & Special Teams Coordinator

• 31:20 – Why apply for the AFCA 35 Under 35 program

• 34:00 – Conclusion

📲 Follow Coach Silvernail & Long Beach City Football:

• @CoachSilvernail

• @LBCCFB_VGOH

🎧 Subscribe to Inside the Headset for new episodes every week featuring conversations with coaches across all levels of football.

This week on Inside the Headset, presented by CoachComm, we’re joined by Cody Alexander, owner of MatchQuarters. Cody takes us inside his coaching journey—from his early days at the high school level in Oklahoma and Texas to his time as a Defensive Intern and GA at Baylor.

In this episode, Cody shares valuable coaching lessons, discusses the challenges and growth moments that shaped his career, and explains how he built MatchQuarters into one of football’s go-to resources for defensive strategy and education.

Timestamps:
1:12 – When Cody knew he wanted to coach
4:15 – Landing his first coaching job
6:45 – Early career challenges
9:40 – Coaching in Oklahoma vs. Texas
12:50 – Starting Life Waxahachie High School football
16:12 – Becoming a Defensive Intern at Baylor
26:30 – Life after the GA role
34:10 – Growth through coaching at Texas high schools
40:40 – Changes in his second stint at Life Waxahachie HS
46:28 – Building the MatchQuarters platform
56:20 – About MatchQuarters today
57:55 – Conclusion

Follow Cody Alexander: @The_Coach_A
More Inside the Headset Episodes: https://linktr.ee/insidetheheadset

In this episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we’re joined by Chris Stutzreim, Head Football Coach at Rocky Mountain College. Coach Stutzreim shares his coaching journey from player to graduate assistant and eventually head coach, offering valuable insights into program building, leadership development, and the importance of genuine relationships in football.

We discuss how he navigated the transfer portal, secured his first coaching position, adapted to new offensive systems, and prepared to lead his own program. He also reflects on personal growth as a coach and the impact of the AFCA 35 Under 35 program.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
01:12 – Intro
01:55 – When did you know you wanted to coach?
03:35 – Personal transfer portal experience
05:50 – Landing a GA role at William Penn
07:28 – Transitioning from player to coach
13:24 – Reconnecting with a former coach to start a career
17:34 – Preparing to be an offensive coordinator
20:00 – Adapting to new positions and offensive systems
26:10 – Taking over the offense at Rocky Mountain
28:30 – Flexibility and recruiting strategies
32:22 – Brief stop at Southwestern Oklahoma State
34:33 – Did leaving and returning help secure the head coach role?
37:00 – Building relationships with the athletic department
38:53 – Personal growth as a head coach
43:30 – The value of the AFCA 35 Under 35 program
45:39 – Final thoughts and conclusion

🔗 Follow Coach Stutzreim: @Coach_Stutz
🔗 Rocky Mountain Football: @Rocky_Football
🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes: linktr.ee/insidetheheadset

This week on Inside the Headset, presented by CoachComm sat down with Colorado School of Mines Head Coach Bob Stitt to talk about his return to the sidelines, how he’s using the Scorability Database to improve recruiting, and what it means to lead the Orediggers again as a Hall of Famer.

Coach Stitt also reflects on his earlier success at Mines, shares insight from his time at Montana and Texas State, and breaks down his lasting impact on offensive football including the popular jet sweep pass.

🎧 Episode Timestamps:

• 1:12 – Introduction

• 2:00 – Returning to the profession

• 5:50 – Adapting to modern recruiting

• 8:10 – Using the Scorability Database

• 12:44 – Early coaching influences

• 15:40 – Gaining exposure in the profession

• 18:25 – Most impactful early coaching stop

• 21:09 – Turning around the Mines program

• 24:00 – The evolution of the jet sweep

• 33:20 – Returning as Hall of Fame head coach

• 37:38 – Experience at Montana and being let go

• 43:45 – Viewing the game as an analyst

• 47:48 – Time at Texas State

• 50:18 – Conclusion

If you’re passionate about coaching, recruiting, or innovative offensive football, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.