In this episode, Kyle and Matt sit down with Coach Will Cockerill, DC at powerhouse Denton Ryan (TX), to break down his approach to defensive structure, in-season adjustments, and leadership in the face of adversity. Coach shares how his team battled through the tragic mid-season loss of their DC and still finished as one of the top defenses in Texas 5A. From efficiency metrics to blitz philosophy, this is a masterclass in building a fast, physical, and resilient defense.
📌 Timestamps
0:00 – Intro & Will’s background
2:00 – Overcoming adversity & honoring their fallen coach
5:15 – Season recap: top 5 defense in Texas 5A
7:10 – What metrics matter? Havoc Rate & Stop Rate explained
10:00 – Gameplanning with intent: tailoring fronts to attack weaknesses
14:30 – The art of A-gap pressure and front multiplicity
20:20 – Film study habits & how they prep during the week
26:00 – Personnel deployment & week-to-week adjustments
32:00 – Favorite calls vs heavy run teams
37:45 – Practice structure: teaching through data
43:30 – Advice to young coaches & being intentional with time
48:00 – Outro & Resources
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