OTF Premium OTF on the Road | 2025 THSCA

[CJ Vogel]

Jeff Howe and I are in San Antonio for the 2025 Texas High School Coaches Association convention, otherwise known as Coaching School.

Steve Sarkisian will speak with media at 2:00 cst. 

RB coach Chad Scott spoke earlier this am to HS coaches. And CB coach Mark Orphey is speaking currently.  

[CJ Vogel]

Orphey on Duane Akina: “I love his juice, I love his energy.”

Orphey on playing for Akina: “One thing you cannot be is a soft ass.”

[CJ Vogel]

Orphey says physicality is a must for the Texas cornerbacks. 

Says the key for his practice is getting physical from the jump. Very early into practice there is some sort of hitting or tackling for his DBs. 

[CJ Vogel]

There was a lengthy comment about coverage sacks being a stat for his DBs. 

Keeping track of guys doing their job even when the box score doesn’t show up. 

[CJ Vogel]

 

[CJ Vogel]

Orphey says he is huge on having his guys take notes during film. 

Says everything is detailed, from the date on the top of the page to specifics about coverages, schemes, personnel. 

 

[CJ Vogel]

[CJ Vogel]

Footwork and pedaling accounts for Agilities — “speed doesn’t help you at corner, technique helps you at corner,” says Orphey. 

[CJ Vogel]

Heavy emphasis on running WR blockers on the outside vertical back to the LOS from the cornerback position.  

A long technical talk on engaging on blocks. Says violence is the key on the outside and it is worked everyday at practice.  

[Jeff Howe]

 

[Jeff Howe]

 

[Jeff Howe]

During Chad Scott’s talk on running backs, there were some good James Simon clips from spring practice. A lot of Simon and Tre Wisner on the clinic tape.

[CJ Vogel]

A couple of practice clips shown as examples of techniques by Texas cornerbacks. 

Kobe Black made a great play, and received praise for his violence at the point of attack, on a stop route from Aaron Butler for a PBU. 

Kade Phillips, Jaylon Guilbeau, Manny Muhammad and Warren Roberson have all been used as examples as well. 

[CJ Vogel]

One point of emphasis from Orphey I am a big fan of is how often he throws footballs to his DBs. 

Orphey said earlier in the lecture that he doesn’t believe cornerbacks catch enough footballs during practice. Added along the lines of, how do you expect interceptions when you don’t practice catching?

On all footwork and agility drills, there is a ball thrown to his cornerbacks. 

[Jeff Howe]

No dancing or early cutting if you play running back for Chad Scott.

”You must have a vertical mentality,” he said more than once during his lecture.

[Jeff Howe]

I’ll say that in this setting, Scott doesn’t have the same kind of juice as Tashard Choice, but what Choice brings to the table is hard to replicate. Scott could wind up being a better teacher at the position than Choice, and I say that based on observing both coaches in a similar setting.

[Jeff Howe]

Houston coach Willie Fritz is meeting with reporters at the convention right now. Sark is next in about 20 minutes.

[CJ Vogel]

Houston HC Willie Fritz says there is no doubt about having the conversation with kids about NIL.

Says it feels like everything has been sped up in comparison to previous years.

"Money is talked about."

[Paul Jespersen]

2 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Houston coach Willie Fritz is meeting with reporters at the convention right now. Sark is next in about 20 minutes.

Doesn't Elko run this state? 🙄
Isnt' this where he first stated that? Is he there, or did I miss it?

🤘

 

[Jeff Howe]

3 minutes ago, Paul Jespersen said:

Doesn't Elko run this state? 🙄
Isnt' this where he first stated that? Is he there, or did I miss it?

🤘

 

His press conference isn't until tomorrow, and I won't be here for it. Not sure who will be here to hear him say whatever he has to say.

[CJ Vogel]

Fritz calls Houston the "epicenter" of high school football.

[Jeff Howe]

1 minute ago, CJ Vogel said:

Fritz calls Houston the "epicenter" of high school football.

It's arguably the biggest battleground city for recruiting in the SEC footprint.

[CJ Vogel]

 

[Jeff Howe]

On Chad Scott, he's one of the few running backs coaches I've heard in a clinic setting get into the nuances of pass protection. Again, there were some good Tre Wisner clips of what he did during spring practice while protecting the quarterback.

[Jeff Howe]

Sark is at the podium for his press conference.