Inside the Headset: POI Convention Round Table

This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring our 2022 Regional Power of Influence Award winners in a roundtable discussion. The coaches discuss their journey, some of the mentors who have had an impact upon them, and some pillars of their football program. 2022 AFCA/AFCF Regional Power of Influence Award winners are: Region 1: Jim Kelliher, Abington (Mass.) High School Region 2: Rodney Saulsberry Sr., Whitehaven (Tenn.) High School Region 3: Dwight Lundeen, Becker (Minn.) High School Region 4: John King, Longview (Tex.) High School Region 5: Todd Sloat, Fall River (Calif.) High School Jim Kelliher has been the head coach at Abington High School for 49 years and currently sits fourth for career victories in Massachusetts history with …

Inside the Headset: GA Panel

This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring our GA panel from the 2022 AFCA convention. The panelists discuss what they look for in a GA, how to be successful, and maintaining discipline through adversity. Our speakers included Bret Bielema, Sean Lewis, Ryan Riemedio, Dr. Alvin Parker, and Julian Griffin. Bret Bielema recently completed his second season as the Head Coach of Illinois. Bielema arrived in Champaign with 24 years of collegiate coaching experience and a 12-year record of 97-58 as head coach at Wisconsin and Arkansas. While at Wisconsin, he led the Badgers to three Big Ten championships and six consecutive bowl games including two Rose Bowls. Coach Sean Lewis recently completed his fourth season as HC at …

Inside the Headset: Ryan Day

This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring Ohio State’s Head Coach, Ryan Day. Coach Day discusses his experience at previous conventions, being successful at a historic university, and maintaining efficiency within his football program. Coach Ryan Day is currently in his 4th year as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program. Coach Day will be leading his program as the 4th seeded team in this year’s College Football Playoff. At the conclusion of this season, Coach Day will have completed his 21st year of coaching football in the collegiate/professional ranks. He has seen success at Ohio State in the form of 2 Big Ten championships, and Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl victories, and 3 CFP …

Inside the Headset: Mike Leach

This week on Inside the Headset, we are honoring the life and legacy of Coach Mike Leach with his general session from the 2009 convention. Coach Leach was a pioneer in the game and the AFCA and the coaching community are better because of his impact. One of the masterminds of the air raid offense and a pioneer for the coaching profession, Coach Leach’s impact helped inspire a change in college football offense and spurred on a new generation of coaches. He was a two-time national coach of the year, had a 158-107 (.596) record, and impacted many lives on and off the field. Coach Leach’s coaching tree spreads across the majority of Power 5 football as well as into …

Inside the Headset: Josh Jones

This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring Northwestern State’s safeties coach and recruiting coordinator, Josh Jones. Coach Jones talks about chasing knowledge of the game, shares his experience recruiting in the heart of high school football, and discusses what it’s like being a member of the AFCA’s 35Under35 Institute.

Inside the Headset: POI Round Table [PODCAST]

This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring the 2021 AFCA Regional Power of Influence award winners. These coaches include Lou Marinelli from New Canaan High School (Conn.), Gary Rankin from Boyd Buchanan High School (Tenn.), Jake Gilbert from Westfield High School (Ind.), Bill Blankenship from Owasso High School (Okla.) and Tim Brennan from Bishop Kelly High School (Idaho).