Brett Dietz, Head Football Coach at DePauw University, joins Four Thumb Tacks to talk football, leadership, and the lessons learned from a life immersed in the game. A former four-sport college athlete and professional QB in Europe and the Arena League, Coach Dietz brings a unique perspective on how experience shapes coaching style.

We dive into:

• Building a championship culture at DePauw
• The concept of "raising the floor" vs just raising the ceiling
• Coaching through COVID and the impact on team identity
• Grit equity, player development, and surrounding yourself with the right people
• Installing and evolving the QB Run RPO with practical, game-ready insights for high school and college coaches

Coach Dietz also shares stories from recruiting, arena football, and the storied Monon Bell rivalry—and wraps up with a rapid-fire 2-minute drill.

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🔗 Links:

• Learn more at: coachtree.us
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• Questions or feedback? Email us: football@coachtree.us

Dr. Chris Carr, Director of Performance Psychology for the Green Bay Packers, joins us to explore the mental side of football. From rewiring mindset after a drop to game day focus, he shares lessons from decades with elite athletes and coaches.

Key topics:

• Building mental routines
• Rewind & re-record technique
• Preparing under pressure
• Supporting player wellness
• Coaching through the grind

To learn more about CoachTree visit www.coachtree.us, or email at football@coachtree.us

This week features Billy Riebock, Head Football Coach at Millikin University. We talk:

• Journey to First Time Head Coach
• What it means to be in the big chair
• Importance of Loyalty, Learning and Prioritizing the work
• How he and his staff are approaching a program rebuild

To learn more about CoachTree visit www.coachtree.us, or email at football@coachtree.us

This week's chat features AJ Steward, Running Backs Coach at UCLA. We dive into:

• His evolution of RB Coaching Points
• Faith in the Coaching journey
• Building trust with a new position group

To learn more about CoachTree, visit our website at www.coachtree.us or email us at football@coachtree.us

This week features Joey Lynch, Sr. Offensive Analyst at Texas A&M, we talk:

• Focusing on the big picture and organization
• Prioritizing "expense" in your weekly plan
• How to coach the back shoulder fade

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at ⁠www.coachtree.us⁠ or email at ⁠football@coachtree.us

Today we are joined by Bobby Johnson, Offensive Line Coach for the Washington Commanders. In our conversation, we discuss:

• Bobby's 30 year D1 and NFL career
• Knowing where the technique skeletons are buried
• Coaching to your player's X-Man Power
• An inside look into the NFL coaching cycle

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at www.coachtree.us or email us at football@coachtree.us.

Joey Hecklinski is the Head Football Coach of Goshen High School (IN). We discuss his transition from a 10 year collegiate coaching career to leading a high school program.

Key Takeaways:

• Respect and giving back to the greatest team sport
• Importance of a community for building a winning high school program
• The importance of understanding your Team while developing a system

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at www.coachtree.us or email at football@coachtree.us

Travis Daugherty is a High School Basektball Coach of the Year turned Founder and CEO of Champions 101. At Champions 101, Travis and his team focus on high performance, winning behaviors and effective leadership. We discuss:

• The importance of leadership principles in achieving success on and off the field
• His personal path as a top Coach to sharing his learnings to support development of our Community
• How to apply these concepts as a parent, either coaching a youth team or watching from the sidelines

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at www.coachtree.us or email at football@coachtree.us

Brad Seiss has led Merrillville High School to repeatable success over his 10+ year tenure. We learn how he's built the program and focus areas for their primary goal - a return of a State Championship. We discuss:

• What draws him to the High School game
• The focus of a team that is "knocking on the door" of a State Championship
• Importance of mixing up coverage in the High School game

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at www.coachtree.us or email at football@coachtree.us

Colin Johnson is an Offensive Line Coach and former Interim Head Coach at Ball State University. He discusses:

• His unique path to coaching at the highest levels
• Getting out of your own way to achieve your goals
• What it means to play, coach and recruit offensive lineman
• Takeaways from a stint as Interim Head Football Coach

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at coachtree.us or email us at football@coachtree.us.

Kevin Lynch is fresh off his hire as the Head Football Coach of Butler University. Our deep dive includes:

• Approach to being a first time head coach.
• The importance of networking in the football coaching profession.
• What it's like building a staff from the ground up for the first time.
• The importance of authenticity and confidence in the Head Coach seat.
• How to come back from major wins and losses

To learn more about CoachTree, visit us at coachtree.us or email us at football@coachtree.us