Michigan State's Head Football Coach, Mark Dantonio, delivered an opening statement at the Michigan State Strength & Conditioning clinic and then joined ASAP's Ed Cicale for a podcast about physical training and how it fits into the total scheme for this Big Ten Football program….. and on the art of coaching. Dantonio also spoke about some of the things that MSU hopes to get out of the comprehensive strength program directed by Ken Mannie and the strength staff.
Coach Dantonio was a graduate assistant football coach at Ohio State in 1984, the same time that ASAP Director, Ted Lambrinides was the Assistant Strength Coach for the Buckeyes. Dantonio came back to be the defensive coordinator when Jim Tressel took over the OSU program eventually coaching for the 2002 National Championship Ohio State squad. He then took over as Head Coach at The University of Cincinnati before heading to East Lansing and Michigan State.
"The Mental Aspects…some of the intangibles"
- Teaching Player Responsibility
- Leadership
- Attention to Detail
- Work Ethic
- Attitude
The Physical Aspect
- Get Stronger!
- Improvement of the Physical
Goals of Winter Conditioning
- "We'll make it very tough on our players"
- Take 'em to the Edge
- Create adverse situations
- The importance of bonding through hard work
- Prepare the players, physically, for spring practice
Advice for young aspiring coaches to become a great assistant coach
- Timing
- continue to learn
- assess what goes wrong….and what goes right
- become a better teacher…coaching is teaching and sharing knowledge
- Players don't care as much about what you know… They have to know that you care
and advice on becoming a head coach…………
- you have to take care of the small things…..
- and, the big things, too
- you never really 'leave' your job
- you're constantly thinking about 'what's the next phase of the program?'
- and, you have to step back a little from your position coaching
- you have to win…so, there's some anxiety and pressure involved
On what's looked for when recruiting players to Michigan State University
- Size
- Speed
- Football Ability
- Academic aspects
- Social
Coach Dantonio's Biggest Influences
- His father
- His high school football coach, Ron Apperson at Zanesville High School
- Ohio State's Head Football Coach, Jim Tressel
Here's the podcast with Coach Mark Dantonio: (please excuse technical sound difficulties)
Podcast_with_Coach_Dantonio
All Rights Reserved Copyright 2008 http://www.athleticstrengthandpower.com Podcast and blogpost by Ed Cicale
