"The Turnaround": Sleepless in Lubbock

by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Coach

Coach Strunk's bedding for his office sleep

12:15 a.m. and I am sitting in my office working. Too much to do tonight. I need to finalize my game management sheet. Hydration station and breakfast needed to be prepped. 65 varsity players report at 7:30 a.m. Things need to be up-and-running for them. I cannot rest until I know they are taken care of. It's just how I am.

I am a firm believer in work smarter, not harder. If you can get things done in two hours, that is ideal. I am not from the school of thinking that states you must be in your office tweleve hours a day pretending to work all those hours. We focus on being efficient here. If you want to beat your staff down, keep them twelve hours a day. If you want an energized staff (like we have here) know when to call it a day and be EFFICIENT.

All that being said, here I sit. The bottom line is, sometimes you need to be crazy and get things done. That is the case tonight (or this morning, however you look at it). Too much to do and the day got away from me. I will make up the time now.

I never sleep the night before a game. Tonight is no different. I am "sleeping" at Chapman Fieldhouse tonight. I say "sleeping" because I will not sleep and I will be working. I will lay down when everything is done. I will get as much rest as I need. That is never an issue.

I feel good about what the offensive staff did this week in practice. Neal Tull and Jake Willingham put together a nice plan. Tull graduated and played at Purdue. Obviously, we have a connection. We both share the same run game philosophy. The exciting part now is we added Willingham, who happens to be a disciple of Mike Leach and Dana Holgorsen.  Jake worked with both of those guys. Our offense is a combination of the Purdue running attack and Texas Tech and West Virginia passing concepts. It is a wild and exciting thing for us. I cannot wait for it to take off. 

RB coach Adam Rosales has developed a solid stable of backs that fit our scheme. We can pound it and we can use speed. It is a nice combo. Jinks White has worked the WR's into darn good shape and they are catching the ball really well. In fact, it is the best I have seen us catch the ball! All everything coach Cory Kollister has been the calming force behind the development of QB Layven Armendariz. QB's take a lot of heat (from me) and Kollister does a good job deflecting the heat.

Over on defense, Duane Toliver and his wild bunch of all go, no quit coaches, had a solid week of practice. We are really moving to the football well. Toliver played at Texas Tech, where he was coached by the one-and-only David Moody. Now Toliver is the boss. Talk about turning the tables! All kidding aside, those guys work really well together. Add new DB coach Nathan Jephcott to the mix, and I am really pleased with where we are heading. Jepcott has taken Safeties coach Zach Jones under his wing. Safety Keefe Gallagher has flourished under these two guys. We need a big game from our linebackers. Assignment football is critical. LB coach Bryan Thomas has worked these guys well and I think he has them ready to go.

I am hoping for another solid Special Teams performance tonight. Bryan Roberts (full time SPT coach) has really got those units rolling. We had over 200 return yards last week and nailed every extra point. Very, very pleased.

Add all of this up and I still do not know how this game will turn out. Turn the lights on and let them play. KJ will have them ready. He is such a good coach. Maybe I can hire him away from Coronado before the game tomorrow night? Probably won't happen. I  might have his "daughter"bend his ear on this tomorrow. I will let you know how it turns out!

Let's see what tonight brings...

"The Turnaround": One Day to Coronado

by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Coach

Rex Fuller, Lubbock Class of '62
talks at team dinner

L-R Bam Jackson, Layven Armendariz, Joe Rivera

Bart Reagor, guest speaker at Team Dinner

It is now 9:15 P.M. and I am finally sitting in my office with some down-time. The best part of my day is when it is all cleared out and I am able to sit down and focus on what I need to do. It has been a crazy day; it has been a crazy week, for that matter.

Thursday's are used as a mental focus day or us. We practice in helmets and work on game simulation. Our staff preaches mental sharpness and clean team reps. Special Teams get good work in on Thursday's as well. We just kind of tie-up all the loose ends and make sure the player's are tuned into the plan.

After today's practice, I felt it was one of the best Thursday practices I have ever been apart of. When I say one of the best ever, I mean anywhere I have ever been, just not at LHS. There was something in the air today. A sense of calm and steely-eyed demeanor. There is nothing else I can really elaborate on with it. The feel today was just impressive. Nothing wrong with feeling good about yourselves the night before a big game.

Thursday Media Luncheon

Every Thursday we have our Media Luncheon at Jones Stadium, home of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. A catered buffet, good crowd, all the media and surrounded by a great set of head coaches from the other three school's in our district. It is a good time. Talk about doing things the right way. Texas high school football is big time. Since I coached at Purdue, I have a pretty good sense of what big time is. Texas is big time! I wouldn't trade my job for anything. It is a true joy being here.

The atmosphere, like always, was light. There is no tension in the room. Good natured ribbing is one of the main courses. I will be talking about these luncheons as we progress through the season. Not a whole lot of time right now.

Thursday Night Spaghetti Dinner

Every Thursday night is special. It is team dinner night. Spaghetti is always the main course. The kids look forward to it. The coaches do as well. It is an hour of sitting down and relaxing.

This is big to me because I consider this a large family dinner. It is all of us together eating and enjoying the night. It helps build team chemistry. We stress the concept of team here. Incorporating these dinners was part of our plan to increase team unity. So far it has been a hit.

After the team settles in, our guest speaker takes center stage. Tonight our sponsor was Schlotzky's and our guess speaker was Rex Fuller, a 1962 LHS grad. His main theme was that this city is proud and he is proud to be a Westerner. It is great to see alumni gradually coming back into the fold. 

After our speakers, we show highlights from the week before. The kids really enjoy watching the clips put together by Coach Maxfield. 

Once the highlight reel runs dry, it is time to eat! My guys can really down the food. Nothing better than a good practice and finishing the day with a great meal!

I need to get moving on some other things.... talk to you tomorrow! Sleep well, because I will not be sleeping at at all!!

Let's see what tomorrow brings...

"The Turnaround": Rain, Rain Go Away

by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Coach

Westerners practice indoors during rare rain
storm in Lubbock

Practice starts early with 7:30am film session
over breakfast

It was a rare Wednesday in Lubbock. We had this odd encounter with something called rain. Doesn't happen too much out in west Texas- well at least since we moved here. We need the rain so that was welcomed. What we didn't need was the thunder and lightning.

We started practice on the field and about half hour later we had to move inside to our indoor practice facility. After 30 minutes inside, we were able to move back out to the field and finish our practice.




Wednesday's are important. It is the last day to work full speed and practice in helmet's and shoulder's. When our flow gets interrupted it is tough to get a solid practice. But I felt we got a lot of good work. Overall, it was a good practice. Game plan is fully installed. We didn't have any miscues in our communication system or adjustments. I think it was a great way to jump into tomorrow's mental practice day.

Once practice was over, it was time for me to head out to the TV station to do my weekly TV/radio show. It is every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. I enjoy doing it. Any chance I get to talk about my team to an audience I take it. It is great for our program. 

On my way there tonight I had a close encounter. I was driving down Slide Road, when all of a sudden a crazy man, driving a white LISD Suburban, pulled up next to me. This guy was yelling at me. It took a couple of seconds to realize it was ole Kent Jackson, Thee head coach at Coronado High School. There we are, driving down the road laughing at each other. I thought he may try to cut me off. Wouldn't have looked good if two LISD Suburban's were swapping paint down Slide Road. He was in game mode! It is only Wednesday! It was good seeing KJ. I will get a chance to chat with him for about an hour tomorrow at our Media Luncheon. I look forward to those as it gives us a chance to catch up on a weekly basis.

One last note. I name a Coach of the Week every week over the course of the season. This week the winner was:

ADAM ROSALES, RB COACH

Coach Rosales won a $50 gift card to the Double Nickel Steakhouse. He is a tremendous coach and he and his wife definitly earned a steak dinner!

Let's see what tomorrow brings....

"The Turnaround": Coronado Week - Things are Heating Up!

by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Coach

Lubbock Westerners' trainers Pep (left) & DJ (center)
Photo courtesy Carolina Kopp

It was a hot one today - nearly 130 degrees on the turf. Talk about building character and mental toughness. You could feel the heat coming up from the turf through your shoes. I'm sure everyone was suffering out on the field today, but I can write about it now, so it really isn't complaining. I am just relaying information, I guess. 

It was Tuesday practice; the first day of running through the game plan full speed. Tuesdays are a little slower. I am more concerned about getting it right on Tuesdays. We will get to a faster pace tomorrow.

The great thing about today was we got a lot healthier. Some key guys returning to the fold after missing time since before our scrimmages. We are creating a lot of depth. They say in baseball you can never have enough starting pitching. Well in football, you can never have enough depth, especially up-front. Our trainers, Pep and DJ, have done a great job getting us ready. They open-up at 7 a.m. for treatment and rehab. They approach it like a Division I program. That is a great mentality to have.

Right now, it is status quo for us. We are just rolling along, doing what we do. Tomorrow we will up the tempo and get more team reps going. Special teams looked good today, too. They were flying around. We made every PAT today again too. Really pleased with how Bryan Roberts and Brandt Martin have improved our kicking game. Kicking is a major focus for us.

I heard old Coach Moody getting after it today, too. He and Coach Toliver have the defense amped up. We did some pass rush work today, which always livens up practice.

Let's see what tomorrow brings... Wednesday is always our best practice day! Looking forward to it...

Stayed tuned for a photo blog...

Jeff Fisher's Editor's Note: I'd like to thank everyone who read Monday's blog about Coach Strunk's relationship with Coronado head coach Kent Jackson.  It was read by thousands of people, which shows how much Coach Strunk's look inside the program is becoming a daily read.  If you'd like to follow coach on Twitter, go to @WestTXCoach.

The New National Polls

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Very rarely does a high school football team begin the year at the top of the plethora of national polls in America and end-up in the same spot at the end of the season.

The road to the "mythical" national championship usually has plenty of twists-and-turns in it.

After a couple of weeks of action, we already have a new #1 in one poll changes in the others.

We at High School Football America have decided that our first poll on September 17th, thus making sure that we sort of have a handle on how teams are looking on the field, rather than on paper.  However, with that being said, I applaud our media colleagues that climb-out on that branch before the games.

The biggest change this week is at the top of the USA Today Super 25 where Miami Central falls from #1 after its 35-3 loss to defending Georgia AAAAA champ Grayson over the weekend.

Here's a look at the USA Today Super 25, followed by MaxPreps' Xcellent 25:

USA Today Super 25

1. Manatee (FL) 1-0
2. De La Salle (CA) 1-0
3. Grayson (GA) 2-0
4. Byrnes (SC) 2-0
5. Santa Margarita (CA) 2-0
6. John Curtis (LA) 1-0
7. Plant (FL) 1-0
8. Booker T. Washington (FL) 1-0
9. Bellevue (WA) 1-0
10. Cass Tech (MI) 2-0
11. Bishop Gorman (NV) 2-0
12. Archbishop Moeller (OH) 2-0
13. Trinity (KY) 2-0
14. Union (OK) 1-0
15. Katy (TX) 1-0
16. Eden Prairie (MN) 1-0
17. Lake Travis (TX) 1-0
18. Camden County (GA) 2-0
19. Good Counsel (MD) 1-1
20. Vista Murrieta (CA) 1-0
21. Central Dauphin (PA) 1-0
22. Butler (NC) 2-0
23. Goose Creek (SC) 2-0
24. Allen (TX) 1-0
25. Miami Central (FL) 0-1

MaxPreps Xcellent 25

1. Manatee (FL) 1-0, LW: #1
2. Grayson (GA) 2-0, LW: #2
3. Skyline (TX) 1-0, LW: #3
4. Santa Margarita (CA) 2-0, LW: #4
5. Bellevue (WA) 1-0, LW: #5
6. Byrnes (SC) 2-0, LW: #7
7. De La Salle (CA) 1-0, LW: #9
8. John Curtis (LA) 1-0, LW: #6
9. Booker T. Washington (FL) 1-0, LW: #11
10. Plant (FL) 1-0, LW: #12
11. Lake Travis (TX) 1-0, LW: #14
12. Bishop Gorman (NV) 2-0, LW: #10
13. Vista Murrieta (CA) 1-0, LW: #13
14. Bergen Catholic (NJ) 0-0, LW: #15
15. Trinity (KY) 2-0, LW: #16
16. St. Ignatius (OH) 2-0, LW: #20
17. Archbishop Moeller (OH) 2-0, LW: #17
18. Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 0-0, LW: #18
19. Butler (NC) 2-0, LW: #19
20. Ensworth (TN) 3-0, LW: #21
21. Hoover (AL) 1-0, LW: #22
22. Camden County (GA) 2-0, LW: #23
23. Oaks Christian (CA) 2-0, LW: #24
24. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 1-0, LW: NR
25. Northwestern (SC) 3-0, LW: NR

"The Turnaround": Working on Labor Day

by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Coach

Bam Johnson with TD catch against Canyon
Lubbock Offensive Player of the Week

Labor Day practice was good. We arrived early for hydration and nutrition. We went through our position meetings and started mentally prepping for the Coronado Mustangs.

Nothing out of the ordinary today at practice. 

One thing I know we will work on this week is game simulation with the power going out. 

Never, and I mean never in 16 years, have I ever played a game through a power outage. I don't know how I ever missed planning for that one (catching the sarcasm? because I am laying it on pretty thick right now). It is hard to fathom the scenario we faced Friday night. Sure we have been delayed by rain, lighitning and all that good stuff. But I have never played a game  totally without electronics. No game clock, play clock etc. I promise you we will be ready or a power outage next time...20 years from now, maybe?.

Lubbock High School Weekly Awards

Offensive Player of the Week - WR, Bam Jackson
Defensive Black Hammer Award -Safety,  Keefe Gallagher
Defensive Black Death Awarm - DE, Josh Waugh
Defensive Most Productive - Charles Keller

Tuesday is here... updates as things develop!

"The Turnaround" - Rivals & Friends

by Jason Strunk

Lubbock High School Head Coach

Tracy Strunk, Kent Jackson (Coronado head coach)
Jason Strunk

As I mentioned previously, we have a unique intra-city rivalry with Coronado.

Obviously, both schools like to beat each other. That is always a given. However, since the arrival of head coach Kent Jackson (we were both hired by LISD on the same day) we have become good friends and the respect level for each school has rapidly increased. I feel it is because of the relationship we share.

Back in early January of 2011, I was at the AFCA convention in Dallas. At this point I was still with Purdue. I finished one more round of interviews with LISD personnel in Dallas. They offered me the job in Dallas at the convention. From that point on I was in crazy mode. I needed to fly from Dallas to Lubbock that night for a press conference introducing me as the new LHS coach that morning. My family was also jumping on a plane from Indiana to Lubbock to meet for the press conference. The Strunk clan was all over the place!

That night when I boarded the Southwest flight I was wearing my Purdue travel sweats. I was also deathly ill. It was a rough week. Anyway, I am boarding the plane and walking to the back of the jet where I always sit. As I am walking back this guy (Kent Jackson) says, "Coach Strunk how are you"? I paused for a second thinking to myself that word travels fast or this is someone I offended somewhere. We shook hands and he explained how he knew who I was (the Purdue gear gave it away). I didn't realize LISD was hiring two coaches at the same time. Old KJ was also on his way for the same introductory press conference that I was going to. We both found out on the plane that we were being introduced together. Talk about ironic.

When we landed in Lubbock, we exited the plane together. It was like we were old friends. Chatting it up the whole way. When we entered the terminal my family was there (Tracy, Mac and Kennedy). KJ didn't hesitate. He was grabbing strollers, luggage and everything the family was traveling with to help us load up. I knew him for all of ten minutes and here he is going out of his way to help us out. I knew instantly, regardless of being at rival schools, we were going to be friends.

Since that night in January we have become great friends, almost family-like, to be totally honest.  We went to playoff games together last season. One playoff week we went to Seminole. Kent grew up near there. My wife and I and Kent and his family rode together and had dinner at little restaurant with Kent's parents (the entire place was decked out in the school colors of Seminole). It was a great night. We had a lot of fun.

My wife had heart surgery last February. KJ was there at 7 a.m. waiting with me as Tracy went into surgery. He spent most of the day with me. As the doctor's took Tracy back for surgery, they asked her about her Dad (KJ) that was waiting in the room. They all thought KJ was Tracy's Dad. Funny stuff. From that moment on we just refer to Tracy as KJ's daughter. It gives all a good laugh.

On the football side of things, coaching against each other is fun. We don't get caught up in all that rivalry stuff. Last year we jumped out to a 27-7 lead on them. They came back and got us 49-34. The next morning I stopped in at Coronado's football offices (this is a common thing for KJ and I to do). We talked about the game, laughed a little bit and tried to help each other out for our next games. It is just how we do it. Nothing can stand in the way of a great friendship.

James Vint and Jason Strunk

Yesterday, the very same week we are playing, I found myself in the Coronado offices again. My son had a game at Coronado's field (he plays for Coronado's Pop Warner feeder program). I just popped into KJ's office and grabbed a seat. Tracy eventually joined me. We chatted. I had some friendly banter and ribbing with Coronado staff (Coronado has a Yankee on their staff named James Vint. We play golf together. He can bust you know what with the best of them). It is a really neat relationship. Just imagine Brady Hoke dropping in on Urban at Ohio State? Wouldn't happen. That is why our friendship is special.

Kent Jackson is one of the best coaches I have ever met. He is also one of the best men I have ever met. He runs his program with class and treats his players the right way. Win or lose on Friday night, nothing will change. He will still be Tracy's Dad and he will still be one of the best friends a coach can have.

Looking forward to Friday night!

"The Turnaround" : My Staff

By Jason Strunk

Lubbock Head Football Coach

I will be doing a feature each week with one of our coaches. A photo of the coach will accompany the post as well. These guys work their tails off for me. It is fun to get them some recognition. Trust me, they have earned it. My theory is, you are only as good as your staff.

Today I’ll start with David Moody, my Associate Head Coach, but first here are the names that make our program work.

2012 LHS Varsity Football Coaching Staff

Offensive Coordinator - Neal Tull
Defensive Coordinator - Duane Toliver
Associate Head Coach - David Moody
Assistant Head Coach/Operations - Cory Kollister
Passing Game Coordinator - Jake Willingham
Secondary Coordinator - Nathan Jephcott
Special Teams Coordinator - Bryan Roberts
Running Backs - Adam Rosales
Wide Receivers - Jinks White
Safeties - Zach Jones
Linebackers - Bryan Thomas
Video Coordinator - Jeremy Maxfield
Academic/Recruiting Coordinator - Dr. Kelly Harper
Graduate Assistant/Nutrition - Colin White

J.V. Staff

Offensive Coordinator - Derek Mauldin
Defensive Coordinator - Bryan Thomas

Freshmen Staff

Head Coach - Steve Ribera
Defensive Coordinator - Bryan Ducas
Offensive Coordinator - Brandt Martin
Defensive Assistant - Scott Simon

Middle School Staff

Cavazos - Kevin Hodges
Hutch - Johnny McCanlies

Training Staff
Anthony Peppers
DJ Abascal

 

David Moody, Lubbock High School Associate Head Coach

It isn't often you inherit a quality coach like David Moody.

He has big time experience on every level, which includes the NFL. He is without a doubt one the best coaches I have ever been around. Yes, he is an outstanding on field coach. However, is off field qualities and how he relates to kids is exceptional. We talk about building relationships with our players. David knows how to do it. You will not find anyone better than David Moody.


Moody Bio:

David Moody is entering his 36th year of coaching. He graduated from Estacado High School in 1970. While at Estacado, he played on the 1968 Class 3-A State Championship football team and in 1970 was an All-State linebacker. He then attended West Texas State University where he played collegiate football and helped lead the West Texas State Buffaloes to the Missouri Valley Conference co-championship in 1972. Upon his graduation from West Texas State University in 1974, he entered private business. He then entered the coaching ranks and coached at Lamar Consolidated (1977-1979) and San Angelo Central (1980-1984). In 1985 he advanced to the college ranks at Angelo State University, where he coached the defensive line for four seasons and the wide receivers for one. He was a member of the coaching staff at Rice University from 1989-1993 where he coached the defensive line. In 1994 he joined Spike Dykes’ staff at Texas Tech University as a receiver’s coach. While at Texas Tech University Coach Moody interned with both the Buffalo Bills in 1997 and the Miami Dolphins in 1998. When Coach Dykes retired following the 1999 season, Moody coached at Lubbock Coronado High School for the 2000 season. In January of 2001, he accepted the job as the fourth head coach in Estacado High School’s history, enabling him to coach at his alma mater. In the fall of 2003 Coach Moody resigned from his alma mater. In February 2004 Moody joined the staff at LHS and remains there today, coaching the DL.

He and his wife have two daughters D’Metrice and LaShaunda, and a son David, III.