Coaches Scoop

  Photo Courtesy of Ohio State University Athletics By Nate McCray Know more will the horseshoe be filled with echoes of the heartbreak of recent seasons — close calls, playoff exits, and the lingering taste of “what could have been.”  Now as the 2025 season looms, there will be a determined edge in the air in Columbus. The Ohio State Buckeyes aren’t interested in simply being in the conversation anymore — they are plotting a full-force return to the National Championship game.  Without a doubt, their plan will be aggressive, strategic, and built upon core pillars of development, leadership, retention, and recruiting excellence. Data Driven Dominance: Mastering Player Skilled Development Metrics The Buckeyes know championships are won by stars — but developed through daily mastery of fundamentals. In 2025, I expect Ohio State’s coaching staff to double down on position-specific technical drills that target the tiniest margins of player performance. The quarterbacks wi...

  Photo Courtesy of Auburn University Athletics By Nate McCray As the sun rises over Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2025, a new era of Auburn football will begin to take shape. A certain type of energy will be in the air — a belief not just in a single player or coach, but in the foundation being built brick-by-brick across every inch of the program. For Auburn fans, this isn’t just hope — it’s the start of something tangible, something lasting. And they hope it is happening right now. Building the Wall of Culture & Identity The cornerstone of Auburn's continued approach should be culture. It’s not just about catching lightning in a bottle; it's about building a sustainable, accountable identity. Head Coach Hugh Freeze has made it clear: Auburn football will be tough, resilient, and unselfish. Players are now taught that being a Tiger means more than individual stats — it means embodying a "Team First" mentality. Practice should be more physical. Meetings should emp...

  Photo Courtesy of The University of Tennessee Athletics By Nate McCray In recent years, the landscape of college football has been radically transformed by the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights. What began as a conversation about fairness for student athletes has evolved into an intricate network of policies, opportunities, and challenges. As NIL deals continue to reshape the dynamics of college sports, ensuring that the student-athletes involved in these agreements receive the support, NIL education, and resources they need is more important than ever. In this first part of five, my exploration of NIL’s impact on college football, I will delve into key philosophies that prioritize the athlete’s welfare and development. Athlete-Centric Approach: Prioritizing Welfare and Development The core of any successful NIL strategy must be athlete centric. This means the welfare and development of student-athletes should be the primary focus of all NIL-related activ...

  By Nate McCray There’s a buzz building in the nation’s capital—and it’s not just politics. Interim Head Coach Shannon Harris, and the DC Defenders are on a mission to turn the energy of the city into championship gold. With a strong start to the 2025 UFL season, the Defenders have their eyes set squarely on the prize: winning their first United Football League title. But talent alone won’t bring a trophy home. To reach the mountaintop, this team will need laser-focused leadership, balanced execution on both sides of the ball, and a commitment to finish the season stronger than it started. Reestablishing Identity After Change at the Top The Defenders entered this season riding the wave of a competitive but inconsistent 2024 campaign. Just as preseason camp hit full stride, the team’s head coach accepted a college head coaching offer, leaving the organization behind. But where many teams might falter, D.C. found stability from within, promoting a trusted voice from the staff to...

By Nate McCray Texas A&M University’s Shemar Turner enters the 2025 NFL Draft as a high-upside defensive lineman whose rare combination of size, strength, and athleticism makes him a disruptive force up front. At 6’4”, 300 pounds, the DeSoto, Texas gridiron baller showcases the kind of physical profile and explosive burst that allows him to thrive in multiple defensive fronts, whether anchoring the edge or collapsing the pocket from the interior.   A consistent presence in the SEC, Turner has developed into a well-rounded defender capable of excelling against the run and providing pass-rush production which makes him a highly desirable front-line defender for several NFL teams (perhaps a first round option for teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, or Cincinnati Bengals if he slides that low given the Bengals have the 17 th pick in the draft). What sets him apart is his ability to play with controlled aggression—he’s powe...

  By Nate McCray Prologue: A Fallen Giant As the sun set on the New York Giants' 2024 NFL season, so too did the patience of one of the league's most storied fanbases. With a 3-14 finish, an embattled front office, and another year of quarterback uncertainty, the once-proud franchise found itself not just irrelevant—but lost. Last year’s campaign revealed not just cracks in the armor, but a structural collapse. A full-scale root cause analysis was necessary to understand how the Giants tumbled this far, and more importantly, how they might rise again. The Postmortem – The Giants Root Cause Analysis of the 2024 Season The Giants' struggles in 2024 can be boiled down to six interlocking failures. First, letting Saquon Barkley get out of the building was a very bad decision by the brass.   Barkley signing with the Philadelphia Eagles for three years, $37.75 million dollars, equated to a Super Bowl ring for the star running back.   Second, there was quarterback instabil...

     Photo Courtesy of Todd Rosenberg/NFL By Nate McCray With the 2025 NFL Draft just a few weeks away, I decided to put together my mock draft which projects an exciting infusion of talent, with a strong emphasis on quarterbacks, edge rushers, and offensive playmakers. Headlined by elite QB prospects leading the charge at the top of the board, several teams in need of a franchise signal-caller are poised to make bold moves early. This draft class also features a deep pool of wide receivers and cornerbacks, offering teams plenty of options to upgrade at premium positions.  Meanwhile, offensive linemen and pass rushers continue to solidify their value as cornerstones in team-building strategies. With a blend of explosive athletes, polished technicians, and high-upside prospects, my 2025 mock draft paints a picture of a league constantly evolving—and ready to reload with the next generation of stars.  Here's my projection of the first-round selections based on cur...

Photo Courtesy of Bri Ali/Cleveland Browns By Nate McCray As the Cleveland Browns embark on the 2025 season, the organization faces a pivotal moment in its storied history. Following a challenging 3-14 record in 2024 and the fallout from the Deshaun Watson era, the Browns are at a crossroads. To transform into a winning organization, a strategic overhaul is essential, focusing on culture, football operations, player personnel, and critical roster enhancements through the NFL Draft and free agency.​ Culture Over Everything: Cultivating a Winning Culture and Team DNA The foundation of any successful team lies in its culture. For the Browns, fostering a culture of accountability, resilience, and unity is paramount. This begins with leadership. Promoting tight ends coach and passing game specialist Tommy Rees to offensive coordinator will hopefully shape into instilling innovative strategies and fresh perspectives within the coaching staff. By the same token, the organization must ...