with Tom Radke,
St. James Academy (KS) Head Football Coach & Special Teams Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A Football Coach of the Year;
2020 Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Driskell Coach of the Year;
Piper High School (KS) Head Coach from 2006 to 2010;
St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) Assistant Coach from 2004 to 2005;
played college football for Iowa State University
Every football coach experiences a unique and singular journey as he or she advances over the course of their coaching career. Much like a human fingerprint, every career path and the accumulated collection of life experiences is unique to you as an individual.
For football coaches, the hope is that each experience and personal interaction, leaves us a bit wiser and more fulfilled afterward. After all, by definition, a coach’s role is predicated on teaching others and providing them with the tools they need to succeed in life.
Perhaps no coach better embodies the concept of sharing knowledge than Tom Radke, the head football coach at St. James Academy.
Becoming the head football coach at SJA in 2011, Radke was previously a head coach for 5 years, an assistant coach for 2 years and served as an assistant FB coach & head track coach for five years before that assignment.
In high school, as a student athlete, Coach Radke was a 4-sport letter winner in high school, competing in football, track, baseball, & basketball. He then went on to play wide receiver at Iowa State University & was a 3-year letter winner for Dan McCarney from 1995 to 1997.
After arriving at SJA, Coach Radke led the Thunder to the school's first football state title in 2020 winning the Kansas 4A State Championship. In 2020, he was named the 4A Kansas Coach of the Year and the KC Chiefs Coach of the Year. Radke’s 2021 team followed that up with a repeat Championship in 2021.
Coach Radke serves as an example of a leader who possesses a desire for continued learning, while remaining dedicated to helping others to hone skills and kickstart a journey of personal growth
In this highly valuable instructional coaching video, Coach Radke unveils his best-of-the-best ideas and strategies for building a better program, while showcasing a proven process for helping others to improve, grow and maximize their potential.
Uncovering a treasure trove of useful information, Radke shares tangible plans that are applicable for a wide array of situations.
Building Leaders, Building Trust, Building Your Program
Coach Radke opens with an overview on the philosophy that he’s used to build his championship football program and cites some of the lessons learned along the way.
Following up with a valuable segment on building trust with players and coaches alike, Radke provides incredible insight on the importance of choosing a theme or team motto that’s different from the previous year.
Citing the differences in teams from year to year, Coach Radke explains how rosters comprised of a mix of new players with experienced senior leadership presents different team dynamics each season.
Coach Radke shares a detailed look at his process for selecting team captains and explains it is a far more important task than most coaches realize. Radke cites the benefits of having players who desire to become team captains fill out an application in a process that’s similar to submitting a job application for employment.
Comfort-Zone Traps, Weight Room Culture and Game Day Routines
Continuing the program-building deep-dive, Coach Radke explains the importance of what he calls, ‘Being Bold, Being Present’ which describes the unnatural tendency to break out of one’s comfort zone and choosing the uncomfortable path, which leads to becoming a more well-rounded, more capable individual.
Radke says this is equally applicable to both student athletes and the assistant coaches on your staff. Allowing assistant coaches to stay immersed in a world of comfort zones isn’t doing them any favors. Forcing assistant coaches to step outside of their own comfort zone helps them become more knowledgeable, more well-rounded, and more productive members of your coaching staff.
Coach Radke follows up with some valuable strategies to develop and improve your program’s weight-room culture.
Other topics covered in this riveting video include,
- 1) the importance of investing in your program and why this is a continuous and on-going, yet critical process,
2) why you need to analyze and carefully plan your gameday routines,
3) an overview of using a player-led Leadership Counsel in certain areas of your program and the benefits that come with it,
4) a review and examination of coaches as leaders and more!
This must-watch video is a gold mine of critical information that will help you become a better, more complete coach. Filled with an array of ideas and program-tested concepts, this is a video that helps veteran and younger coaches alike.
Take advantage of the experience and wisdom that Coach Radke has amassed over the course of a highly successful 25-year coaching career and watch this video today!
63 Minutes. 2025.
FD-06296B:
with Matt Joshi,
St. James Academy (KS), Offensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
Most modern offenses that are predicated on being unpredictable and feature a balanced attack that uses the entire field to spread out defenses, strive to find ideal mismatches that keep opposing defenses on their heels and off-balance. The Air Raid Offense is no exception.
Despite those offensive objectives, today’s advanced systems of defense and all the excellent defensive coaching minds found at all levels, will inevitably implement strategies and utilize sound tactics to nullify your team’s go-to advantages
As Matt Joshi, offensive coordinator for St. James Academy, evolved his Air Raid attack to new levels of championship success, he quickly learned that his offense had the full attention of opposing defensive coaches. Those opposing defenses incorporated a variety of schemes and on-field tactics to take away the Thunder’s best, most-productive plays.
Coach Joshi knew he needed to develop new and innovative ways to get the ball into the hands of his best skill players, while still staying true to the tenets of the Air Raid Offense.
In this instructional coaching video, Coach Joshi ‘opens the vault’ to showcase a treasure trove of offensive tactics you can use to get the ball into the hands of your best playmakers!
Building An Offense For YOUR Team
Coach Joshi provides an overview of his Air Raid offensive system highlighting with examples of how that particular style of offense fits in with St. James Academy’s philosophical dedication to playing, ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football’ in all phases of the game.
Coach Joshi takes things deeper with an informative lesson on the benefits of simplifying your overall offensive attack by breaking the objectives down to the ways you attack different defenses. This simplification process allows your offensive players to play more reflexively, and most importantly, FASTER during in-game situations.
Additionally, the simplified approach provides offensive players with immediate answers for how to attack defenses, rather than having a large grab bag full of assorted plays that they need to remember during the stress of live-game situations.
Run Game, Perimeter Screens, Stick/Draw, 4-Verts & More
Explaining that you can’t win if you don’t score points, Coach Joshi reaches deep into his playbook to uncover the concepts he depends upon to get the ball into the hands of his best playmakers.
Utilizing a wide-array of game-film examples, Joshi uncovers the secrets to using concepts within the Air Raid Offense to get his best skill position players the ball in the best possible situations and matchups.
You’ll get an inside look at how Joshi uses Toss Plays (run game), Perimeter Screens, off-tackle counter plays like the ‘GT Counter’ and ‘Counter Bash,’ Stick Routes, Draw Plays, ‘4 Verticals 84,’ extra pass plays such as ‘Y-Cross’ and MOF Gator Attacks (Steve Spurrier-inspired offense) and more all of which serve as a means to get his best playmakers the ball in open space.
As a bonus, you’ll also receive a fun look at a valuable call-sheet tool Coach Joshi calls, ‘Play-Sheet Tic Tac Toe’ which helps reinforce the philosophy of spreading defenses and analyzing the best ways to attack vulnerable areas.
With the secrets uncovered by Coach Joshi in this fully loaded video, newer coaches will learn how to best build an offense from the ground up, while veteran coaches can uncover new ideas and field-tested strategies to keep their current offense fresh and full of surprises!
64 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296C:
with Matt Joshi,
St. James Academy (KS), Offensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
When St. James Academy head coach, Tom Radke and offensive coordinator, Matt Joshi conducted an extensive study of football offenses that hit all their prerequisite checkmarks for an offensive system that would fit in with their program’s philosophy of playing ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football’ and help them reach their goal of winning a state championship, they landed on the Air Raid Offense as their system of choice.
As they installed and implemented the Air Raid Offense, Coach Joshi began to see the enormous dynamic-potential of the system especially when paired with the type of student athlete players they’d have over the next few years. The offensive coordinator quickly realized that Stick Concepts within the Air Raid would play a critical role in fulfilling the goals they set for their offense.
In this must-view instructional football coaching video, Joshi breaks down Stick Concepts as a key component within the Air Raid and how coaches can use them successfully within their offensive attack.
Why Stick Concepts?
Beginning with an overview summary of St. James Academy’s football program philosophy and how the Air Raid specifically helps them to achieve all their offensive goals, Coach Joshi dives deep into the details on WHY Stick Concepts serve as a key component for attaining an attacking, unpredictable offense.
Joshi highlights several eye-popping game and season stats earned from utilizing Stick as a weapon in the Air Raid Offense followed with detailed diagram breakdown that showcase why Stick Concepts play such a critical role in keeping defenses off-balance and guessing.
Stick Vs Man and Zone Coverage
Drilling down deeper into Stick Concepts, Coach Joshi utilizes game film footage with diagrams and coaching points to highlight how to best use Stick tactics versus Man Coverage.
Backed with more in-game footage, Joshi dives deep into an explanation of why Stick Concepts are equally as effective versus zone coverage and also provides valuable information on how this strategy serves as a tool for teaching your quarterbacks how to read a variety of zone coverages.
Coach Joshi provides critical details on utilizing Stick Concepts as an ideal means for getting your running backs involved in the passing game, and sheds light on why defenses often lose track of backs while in pass coverage showing how this can lead to big plays and explosive offensive gains.
Using more game-footage examples, diagrams and coaching points, Joshi provides examples of additional Stick variations you can use based on game situation, personnel and an explanation of why this tactic works against a wide variety of defensive strategies.
This is a must-watch offensive coaching video, not only for users of Air Raid Offense, but also provides excellent food-for-thought information on incorporating Stick Concepts into any type of offensive system.
57 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296D:
with Matt Joshi,
St. James Academy (KS), Offensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
When St. James Academy head coach, Tom Radke and offensive coordinator, Matt Joshi decided upon the Air Raid Offense as their offensive system of choice a style of play that would fit their program’s philosophy to play ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football’ the teaching and installation process was only the first step in the overall process.
Regardless the type of offense you run; it’s not just the offensive coordinator’s play calls that impact your chances of winning on game day. More importantly, the biggest factor in developing an explosive offense, ultimately comes down to how well your players execute their assignments on a snap-by-snap basis. One missed block, an avoidable penalty or a poorly run route by any of your 11 offensive players can cause a dominating drive to stall out, killing your offense’s momentum in the process.
In this highly valuable instructional coaching video, Coach Joshi serves up an all-you-can-eat buffet of the best drills he uses each day to emphasize proper technique and reinforce the in-game goals for attacking defenses that are built into his version of the Air Raid Offense.
Maximizing Your Daily Practices
Coach Joshi provides an overview of the Thunder’s Air Raid Offense, including why they selected it, how it fits in with the type of athletes in their program and their philosophical approach to attacking opposing defenses.
Diving deeper into their weekly offensive philosophy, Joshi sheds light on how they prepare for an upcoming opponent and shares an in-depth look at both their game-week schedule and an up-close look at a typical in-season practice plan.
These examples set the stage perfectly for Coach Joshi to dive into specific segments on why he’s chosen Air-Raid Offense-based drills over other more generalized, position-specific types of skill-development offensive drills … diving deep into the benefits of what he calls, ‘the magic of the rep.’
Drills, Drills & More Drills!
With the table set, Coach Joshi serves viewers a full-course, ‘visual meal’ of Air Raid Offense Drills. Featuring a highly effective combination of practice-film footage, detailed coaching points-of-emphasis and game-film examples showing how the work done in each drill translates into better player technique and more-precise execution on game days.
Coach Joshi highlights a variety of his favorite drills, including the ‘Settle-and-Noose Drill,’ the ‘Vertical-Routes Drills,’ the ‘Back-Shoulder Drill,’ the ‘Flip-The-Head Drill,’ the ‘Willie Mays Drill,’ ‘One-Hand-Catching Drill,’ the ‘Fade-Variation Drill,’ the ‘Pat-N-Go Drill,’ the ‘Routes-On-Air Drill’ and more.
This is your chance to see how specific practice drills work to both improve the overall fundamental skills of your players, while honing the skills that pay particular dividends in executing the Air Raid Offense.
Great for coaches at all levels of football, this is a must-watch video for coaches who utilize the Air Raid Offense! Even those coaches who use another offensive system will benefit by watching the reasoning, the coaching points and overall concepts behind the drills that Coach Joshi chooses to utilize daily!
65 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296E:
with Matt Joshi,
St. James Academy (KS), Offensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
In keeping with their football-program goal of playing ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football’ and building toward winning state championships, St. James Academy’s head coach Tom Radke and offensive coordinator Matt Joshi made the decision early on to implement the Air Raid Offense.
As their team began to improve and evolve, Coach Joshi found that incorporating mesh plays into their offensive attack took their offense to the next level becoming more dynamic, explosive and tougher for opposing defenses to defend.
In this highly valuable instructional coaching video, Joshi unlocks the vault to his offensive playbook and showcases a complete tutorial on how to install and utilize mesh plays within the Air Raid Offense.
Utilizing a combination of statistics, coaching points, game film clips and diagrams, Coach Joshi arms you with everything you’ll need to easily add this potent offensive weapon into your own system.
Benefits of Mesh Plays in the Air Raid Offense
Coach Joshi breaks down the goals of his offense and explains why the Air-Raid Offense, specifically, serves as the best system to achieve their team goals. He then dives deep into the myriad ways that mesh concepts enhance the effectiveness of their offense including overviews on:
- How Mesh plays can be used effectively and efficiently in the same game.
- Why simple adjustments to Mesh concepts can be used to take advantage of defenses and lead to big plays.
- How Mesh plays can be run from multiple formations which stresses defenses with different looks.
- Why Mesh concepts serve as an easy and effective coaching tool for teaching receivers how to consistently run great routes, as well as instructing quarterbacks where to look on throws.
With the foundation in place, Coach Joshi provides a wide array of examples of his favorite Mesh Plays explaining each play and why it’s designed to take advantage of opposing defenses, followed by showing them diagram form and then walking viewers through game-film clip examples of each Mesh Play in action.
Throughout each clip, Coach Joshi offers coaching pointers on proper position techniques used to execute the play, as well as providing in-game situations and easy-to-follow adjustments that will help you incorporate each Mesh Play into your own offensive attack.
This jam-packed video provides an in-depth look at 14 different Mesh Play examples. Coach Joshi also breaks down the specifics on the ‘Trio 80 Mesh,’ ‘Mesh Post,’ ‘Spread 80 Mesh Dagger,’ ‘Trio Mesh vs Man Coverage,’ and ‘Tight Doubles 80-Mesh Rails’.
Regardless of the offense you run, this is a must-watch look at how to successfully teach, install and use Mesh Concepts within your offensive system!
54 minutes, 2025
FD-06296F:
with Matt Joshi,
St. James Academy (KS), Offensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
When Matt Joshi joined Tom Radke’s coaching staff as offensive coordinator at St. James Academy in Lenexa, KS, the coaches shared their visions for building a championship-level offense. As they developed the key principles for winning games consistently from year to year, they would build the lynchpins needed for having a dynamic, balanced offensive attack that kept opposing defenses on their heels through an unpredictable system of play calling that catered to their offensive talent and matchup advantages. This vision led them to install the Air-Raid Offense.
In this jam-packed coaching video, Coach Joshi outlines the best practices for building a championship winning offense and the lessons learned on utilizing the advantages built into the Air Raid Offense on their journey to winning a state title.
Filled with real-world coaching examples and an inside look at the step-by-step process they used to develop an offensive identity and how they coach the players to maximize their talent. You will learn the keys for executing successful, explosive drives in a variety of situations.
Building a Winning Offense
Coach Joshi pulls back the curtain on his process for installing and building a tough-to-defend and difficult to scout offense including asking the key questions you need to ask when designing an offense that fits your team’s identity and the personnel you possess - on a year-in and year-out basis.
Putting an emphasis on establishing your team goals first, Joshi explains the plan of attack and all the decisions you need to make to design an offense that gives you the best chance of attaining your predetermined goals.
Success didn’t come instantaneously, though. Coach Joshi also outlines the growing pains and obstacles they encountered offensively, as well as the critical steps they needed to take to get better as an offense. More importantly, Joshi emphasizes why it’s important for coaches to recognize when something isn’t working and when to pull the trigger on making changes to your initial plan.
Key Plays Within the Air Raid Offense
Coach Joshi dives deep in explaining how and why they landed on the Air Raid Offense as their system of choice. Providing in-depth details and examples, you’ll learn about the importance of practice repetitions and what you emphasize within each play.
You’ll also learn the best methods for developing an offensive script for upcoming opponents and when to make in-game adjustments.
Using game film breakdowns and detailed explanations, Joshi delves into his favorite Air Raid plays and the keys to making each play successful.
You’ll learn the inside details of a variety of Air Raid plays and the critical coaching points for successfully executing each of them against a variety of defenses, including: Jet Sweeps, Toss Plays, Off-Tackle Runs, Inside Runs plus a complete overview of the passing game.
Coach Joshi leaves no stone unturned in this highly valuable coaching video. A must-watch for offensive coaches at all levels of football!
58 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296G:
with Bill Pekarek,
St. James Academy (KS), Assistant Football Coach;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions;
Over 40 years as a football coach, including 30 years as a head coach
As Tom Radke, head football coach at St. James Academy builds his football program toward a goal of sustained success and continued championship aspirations, one of the coaching minds he taps into and relies upon heavily is Bill Pekarek. Coach Pekarek, with over 40 years of coaching under his belt, including 30 years as a head coach, adds a combination of knowledge and first-hand experience to the St. James Academy program.
In this highly valuable instructional coaching video, Coach Pekarek offers a deep-dive look at one of his favorite offensive weapons: the Stretch Package run game, as well as critical information and insight on countering defensive adjustments to keep opposing defenses off-balance and guessing.
Stretch Package Essentials
Providing the insight and detail that only a coach with over 40+ years’ of hands on experience can offer, Coach Pekarek pulls back the curtain on installing, teaching and executing a dynamic Stretch Package that fits perfectly into the tenets of modern offense and takes advantage of how defenses will try to stop it.
Using a whiteboard presentation to illustrate the Xs and Os of the Stretch Run Game, Pekarek showcases how to build the scheme from the ground up by beginning with an informative breakdown of the O-line including information, regarding stance, hand-placement, steps, execution keys, getting off-the ball on snaps and blocking assignments and player responsibilities for each position.
Coach Pekarek provides details on blocking a variety of defenses and the different looks that defenses may throw at you during the course of a game, including defenders to attack, offensive ‘counters-to-the-counters,’ both on the play-side and backside of each play.
From there, Pekarek provides the answers to handling a variety of blitzes your linemen will inevitably encounter and what opposing defenses may throw at you from a deception standpoint.
Moving to the backfield, Pekarek offers critical insight on the actions, rules and responsibilities for each back position and the keys to successful execution on Stretch Plays.
Dynamic Stretch Game: Using Play-Action, Bootleg Plays
Coach Pekarek sheds light on what makes a Stretch Package dynamic and complimentary to your pass game by explaining how to effectively utilize Stretch Plays versus the 3-4 Defense, a 4-3 Targeting the 1 Technique and a 4-3 Targeting the 3 Technique.
Additionally, Pekarek offers must-see information on the blocking rules for the playside WR and backside blocking responsibilities against each of those defenses.
Once you’ve had success running your own stretch package, as opposing defenses begin to key on your runs and creep toward the LOS, it’s time to add ‘stretch play-action game’ into the equation. Pekarek showcases detailed information on his best Stretch Plays, including: play-action blocking (60 protection) versus a 3-4 defense, play-action Stretch Pirate, play-action Stretch-Y Gator and play-action blocking (60 protection) versus a 4-3 that attacks the 3-technique.
No Stretch Package would be complete without an explosive Bootleg Pass that adds to the unexpected nature of countering the defensive adjustments. Coach Pekarek diagrams his tried-and-true, game-tested Bootleg Plays with Boot Pass versus a 3-4 defense, Boot Pass versus a 4-3 defense (targeting the 1-technique’s actions) and using a Boot Pass versus a 4-3 defense that targets the 3-technique’s actions.
In this one video, Coach Pekarek offers a litany of detailed information that coaches at all levels can use to either install an unpredictable Stretch Package into their offense or refine and energize their current Stretch Package.
Tap into Coach Pekarek’s 40+ years of successful coaching experience with the valuable Stretch Package information unveiled in this must-see video!
49 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296H:
with Jason Denton,
St. James Academy (KS) Defensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
Nothing rips the heart out of a defensive coordinator more than dialing up the perfect in-game situational call to stop an opponent only to have a missed tackle lead to a big, backbreaking play for the opposing offense.
Regardless of your talent level, or the sophisticated nature of the defensive scheme you’ve installed, if your defense is riddled with poor tackling, your defenses will always underperform. Yet, with limited practice time and a never-ending checklist of things that coaching staffs need to address, it takes across-the-board dedication, and an organized plan, to ensure that your team has the necessary reps and time to work on becoming a top-tier tackling team.
Jason Denton, the defensive coordinator at St. James Academy, knew that tackling was priority No. 1 in the big picture scheme of building a championship-level defense.
In this instructional coaching video, Coach Denton provides a step-by-step guideline for continual improvement on tackling fundamentals in-season without neglecting other key facets of your team.
Coach Denton pulls back the curtain to outline a real-world plan for transforming your defensive personnel into hard-nosed, physical tacklers who utilize safe, sound tackling techniques.
Hawk Tackling: Concepts & Creating a Plan
Coach Denton lays the foundation for effective tackling by focusing on essential elements like eye placement, footwork, and hip alignment. Denton showcases his proven process for teaching players the correct technique to avoid missed tackles, while minimizing defensive injuries.
Providing game film examples of poor tackling technique, Denton dedicates time to explain how and why good tacking begins and ends with a system based on continual teaching and a season-long emphasis geared toward improving technique.
Coach Denton lays out the details of his process for coaching and teaching Hawk Tackling techniques, as well as why this system stresses safety while simultaneously building ferocious, aggressive defenders who swarm to the ball.
Drill Work, Game Film Analysis
Coach Denton showcases 10 impactful tackling drills designed to reinforce proper technique, while building up your team’s strength and agility. The drills highlighted in this segment help coaches develop well-rounded tacklers who can make plays in a wide variety of in-game situations.
You’ll also receive detailed information and watch examples of practice-tested tackling drills, including ‘Wrap-and-Drive-For-Five Drill’ and the ‘Track-The-Hip Drill,’ as well as a slew of competition-based tackling drills that keep your in-season defensive practice segments lively, intense and fun for players.
Daily drills alone, though, aren’t enough to improve and sustain excellent tackling across the board. Coach Denton provides key information on an excellent system based on a season-long evaluation of tackling through game film analysis.
By analyzing game footage of both good and bad tackling, Denton explains how coaches can identify common mistakes and teach defenders how to correct them eliminating bad habits and leading to continued improvement in tackling performance as the season progresses.
Don't let missed tackles and poor tackling habits hinder your team's defensive success! In this riveting defensive video, Coach Denton arms defensive coaches at all levels with a master class of highly valuable tackling information.
The comprehensive approach to teaching tackling shown in this must-see video, equips you with the tools you need to teach your players proper tackling technique, while improving your team’s overall defensive performance!
46 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296I:
with Jason Denton,
St. James Academy (KS) Defensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
When St. James Academy head coach, Tom Radke and defensive coordinator, Jason Denton evaluated a variety of defensive systems that would best fit their program’s philosophy of playing ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football,’ they ultimately landed on the 4-2-5 Defense.
Coach Denton shares a detailed summary of a defensive mission statement that he crafted for the Thunder football programs and explains how the characteristics and flexible nature of the 4-2-5 system pairs perfectly with the objectives outlined in their philosophy.
Going a step further, Coach Denton explains the process you need to put in place to install a defensive culture that mirrors the talent and attitude of your program. Additionally, Denton showcases the importance of establishing key goals for your team defense and why the decision to incorporate a 4-2-5 scheme serves as an ideal system to achieve those predetermined benchmarks.
This must-see instructional coaching video showcases critical information on installing and teaching the 4-2-5 Defense, as well as providing a deep-dive look at tactics specific to this system that are ideal for aggressively ‘getting after’ opposing offenses while using a style of play perfectly tailored to fit the types of athletes commonly seen in Coach Denton’s football program.
4-2-5 Defense: Base Rules & Alignment
After explaining his team’s defensive goals and how the 4-2-5 Defense serves as the ideal system for his program, Coach Denton outlines the essentials you need to know about the 4-2-5 and why this system best plays to his team’s strengths.
Denton highlights the 4-2-5 Defense’s rules, objectives and base alignment in an informative, easy-to-follow overview. General player assignments in the 4-2-5 and position attributes are also covered in this highly valuable segment.
Using game film as a means of emphasis, Coach Denton reinforces the flexibility that’s built into the 4-2-5 Defense to support his team’s defensive goals and overall mission statement.
Stunts, Blitzes For Defensive Linemen & LBs
The ability to pressure quarterbacks and stuff runs while using a 4-man front can be a game changing attribute that transforms a good defense into a great and dominant defense that imposes its will on any type of offensive system.
Coach Denton explains the critical tactics he uses for getting pressure and winning the LOS with just a 4-man front. Showing game film examples paired with detailed explanations, Denton provides a concise look at his favorite stunts, line games and blitzes he uses up front in the 4-2-5 system.
Possessing an effective, disruptive 4-man front in a 4-2-5 system opens many doors for being creative with the back seven defenders. Denton does a masterful job of using diagrams paired with game film examples to highlight the linebacker blitzes and stunts he commonly unleashes on opposing offenses.
Coach Denton also provides a concise, yet valuable summary on how using heavy pressure concepts with defensive linemen and linebackers, opens a pathway for aggressive, swarming play by the five secondary defenders.
This is a must-watch video for defensive coaches at all levels of football. If you currently utilize a 4-2-5 scheme, Coach Denton provides terrific insights that you can use to energize your own defense. And if you are considering making the switch to a 4-2-5 Defense, the information uncovered in this presentation serves as the perfect tutorial to highlight a process that allows for on-the-field defensive success!
51 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296J:
with Jason Denton,
St. James Academy (KS) Defensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
When St. James Academy head coach, Tom Radke and defensive coordinator, Jason Denton evaluated a variety of defensive systems that would best fit their program’s philosophy of playing ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football,’ they decided on using a 4-2-5 Defense as it offers both in-game scheme flexibility, while being a great fit for the overall type of athletes that make up the Thunder football program.
Coach Denton, however, also felt that to truly take that next jump to becoming a championship level defense, his team needed a go-to alternative weapon that perfectly complimented his base 4-man front defense, while providing different looks and fresh tactics to bring heavy pressure on opposing offenses.
After analyzing the options, Denton opted to select and install a 3-4 package as another weapon in his defensive arsenal. Using an odd front, 3-man defensive line look as another means of applying heavy pressure opens new doors and unleashes an array of creative opportunities on opponents.
In this highly valuable instructional coaching video, Coach Denton provides a proven plan for installing and using a 3-4 defense to keep opposing offenses on their heels and guessing. In addition, you’ll also receive tips and game-tested strategies for switching back and forth between a 4-3 and 3-4 package.
3-4 Defense: Slant Coverages & Fresh Pressure Tactics
Using game film clips as examples that reinforce his reasoning, Coach Denton highlights the benefits and versatility derived from seamlessly switching from a 4-2-5 Defense to a 3-4 Defense.
Denton explains the different looks and challenges that an unexpected switch to an odd-front defense like the 3-4 can pose for opposing offenses.
With a sudden switch to a 3-man front, you suddenly possess four athletic linebackers on the field – bringing a new dimension that will confuse offenses. Denton explains the key role that LBs play in a 3-4 Defense, and how the switch from two to four LBs offer new coverage and pressure opportunities.
Coach Denton highlights the benefits of using slant coverages as a fresh concept to throw at opposing offenses. Slant coverages offer different gap responsibilities, which can disrupt an offense that is primarily concerned with keeping the base 4-man pressures, normally seen in a 4-2-5 Defense, at bay.
Interior and Perimeter LB Pressure Packages
The 3-man front also poses new problems for offenses when you begin to get creative with the four linebackers as a means of applying pressure. Coach Denton outlines how a 3-4 Defense becomes especially problematic when you call for inside twists and line games between the Inside LBs and interior defensive linemen.
On the outside, Coach Denton unveils how LB twists on the perimeter suddenly brings pressure from the outside, providing intense pass rush or run-stuffing tactics from a more athletic, faster linebacker defender. For an offense, the pressure coming from LBs poses a whole new set of protection rules that opposing teams must account for.
In addition to interior pressure and perimeter stunts/blitzes coming from LBs, Coach Denton also provides keen insight and valuable tips on the problems you can cause with 3-High Safeties.
Best of all, Coach Denton explains how you can install the alternative 3-4 Defense package in a simple and time-saving way that won’t negatively impact your practices.
This is a must-watch defensive video for coaches at all levels. Coach Denton provides an airtight case on why and how you can energize and empower your base 4-2-5 Defense with an occasional, unexpected switch to a 3-4 Defense!
58 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296K:
with Jason Denton,
St. James Academy (KS) Defensive Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions
In modern football, the passing game has never been more explosive or prolific. The offensive objectives of today’s offenses stems from a desire to control tempo and spread defenses, both wide and deep, as a means to identify and exploit mismatches.
In many instances, defenses are often left on their heels and unable to substitute as a no-huddle, up-tempo passing attack slices and dices its way downfield.The best hope for most defenses is to slow down a pass-heavy offense by applying heavy pass-rush pressure on an opposing quarterback. Pass rush is especially effective in times where a defense can get home with just a 4-man front, which subsequently allows the back seven defenders the flexibility to cover and guard potentially harmful routes.
The evolution of today's game means that a defensive coordinator’s use of coverages and the ability to disguise effective coverages has never been more important.
James Denton, defensive coordinator at St. James Academy has achieved a high-level of success by utilizing a wide variety of pass coverages. Winning back-to-back state championships, the Thunder’s smothering defense and Coach Denton’s ability to mix in different pass coverages, has taken his defense to the next level.
In this highly anticipated instructional coaching video, Coach Denton pulls back the curtain to unveil his pass coverage system – laying out his tactical approach and philosophy for using different coverages in a variety of in-game situations.
Throughout the video, Coach Denton uses an effective combination of game-film clips, charts, diagrams and provides game examples to explain his favorite coverages and showcase the best drills he uses to teach secondary defenders.
Base Overview, Disguising Coverages, Cover-4 and Cover-6
Coach Denton begins with an overview of his base defense and uses an easy-to-digest chart that labels each coverage zone they use in his system – labeling areas such as ‘deep third,’ ‘deep half,’ ‘out routes,’ ‘curl routes,’ ‘flat,’ ‘swing’ and more.
With the table set, Coach Denton serves up an all-you-can-eat pass-coverage buffet that highlights a variety of important coverage topics, including the best strategies for disguising coverages, a breakdown of his Base Cover-4 and provides a detailed look at several game-film examples with diagrams that showcases both good and bad instances of Quarters Coverage.
Denton spends time examining the rules and responsibilities in his Cover-6 scheme, including detailed explanations of recent in-game situations that illustrate the optimum time to unleash this type of coverage on an opposing offense.
Change-Up Coverages (Cover-3, Cover-12) and DB Drills
After a thorough examination of his most-commonly used coverages, Coach Denton highlights his approach to using what he calls, ‘Change-Up Coverages’ – providing diagrams, game film cut-ups and examples of appropriate times to use them. Change-up coverages include an in-depth look at when and where you can use Cover-3 and Cover-12 to confuse opposing QBs and receivers.
Denton finishes his highly valuable presentation with an in-depth look at his favorite defensive back drills – each one designed to improve critical coverage skills essential for success in his use of several coverages.
This video is a must-watch, defensive master class for all levels of football and teaches viewers the best strategies within a proven system of pass coverages.
Coach Denton shines in this video – through his organized combination of using diagrams, clear explanations, technical coaching points and use of good game film – which all works together to cohesively boil down critical, high-level coverage concepts and breaks them into easily digestible information you can immediately use and/or install in your own defense!
58 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296L:
with Tom Radke,
St. James Academy (KS) Head Football Coach & Special Teams Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A Football Coach of the Year;
2020 Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Driskell Coach of the Year;
Piper High School (KS) Head Coach from 2006 to 2010;
St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) Assistant Coach from 2004 to 2005;
played college football for Iowa State University
Tom Radke, head football coach at St. James Academy, knows what it takes to build a football program up to win state championships and position it for long-term sustained success.
The highly acclaimed Coach Radke relies upon an experienced staff of knowledgeable, dedicated coaches who are all on the same page and stay true to the Thunder’s mission statement goal of playing ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football’ in every phase of the game.
With reliable assistants and coordinators who oversee the offense and defense, Radke leaves nothing to chance when it comes to another, often overlooked phase of football – Special Teams.
In this video, Radke offers an inside look at how to build and develop a special team’s unit that can execute their assignments in dominating fashion and fulfill its potential as a critical component to a championship team.
Coach Radke taps into his deep well of knowledge to share the secrets of building superior special teams’ – including must-see presentations that cover topics such as: organizing your ST practices to maximize time and hone key skills, the best drills to use in the ST install process and a tested game plan for improving your field goal and PAT units.
This video arms you with real world information and game-tested information that will help you make an immediate, positive difference in your own program’s special teams’ units.
Kicking Game Philosophy & The Importance of Field Position
Coach Radke lays the groundwork for how a special teams’ coordinator should approach special teams. Radke shares his kicking game philosophy and outlines why it’s critically important for a special teams’ coordinator to look at special teams analytically – as this approach dictates the steps you need to take to get your special teams where they need to be from an execution standpoint.
Providing an excellent explanation on why a coach with his experience and pedigree of success still serves as special teams’ coordinator, Radke outlines how the ST coordinator’s role allows you to not have any excuses for mistakes in the kicking game. (In other words, the buck stops with the head football coach/special teams coordinator.)
Coach Radke also shares insight on other key areas of special teams, including: the impact of field position on games, specific coach responsibilities for special teams, tips for developing a special teams’ depth chart and more!
Special Teams: Install Plans, Drills, Kicker/Punter Workouts
Offering critical information you’ll need for installing your ST schemes, Coach Radke provides a complete overview on practice plans, weekly install charts and the best drills to use for ST skill development.
In addition, Radke highlights an extremely useful ST scouting report and provides an up-close look at his kicker and punter workout charts. Radke also utilizes game film clips to highlight examples of proper technique and offers coaching points to improve the performance of kickers and punters.
As a head coach who also serves as special teams’ coordinator, Radke shares his unique perspective on the best ways to ‘steal’ practice time whenever possible to get players extra ST reps and improve in key areas such as kicking, holding, snapping, returning and more.
This is a must-watch video for all football coaches at every level of competition, whether you are a young, hungry assistant or a veteran coach.
Coach Radke’s video provides viewers with the rare opportunity to learn from a championship-winning, highly regarded head football coach – a coach with a long list of prestigious accomplishments – yet, he still serves as an example of a man who holds special teams in the highest regard.
Coach Radke is a long-time, battle-tested head coach who is willing to invest time, effort and rolls up his sleeves every day to put in the work necessary to fulfill his duties as a hands-on, detail-orientated special teams’ coordinator!
54 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296M:
with Tom Radke,
St. James Academy (KS) Head Football Coach & Special Teams Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A Football Coach of the Year;
2020 Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Driskell Coach of the Year;
Piper High School (KS) Head Coach from 2006 to 2010;
St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) Assistant Coach from 2004 to 2005;
played college football for Iowa State University
St. James Academy’s Tom Radke knows what it takes to build a football program installing a detailed infrastructure that positions the program for long-term, sustained success. Coach Radke is also the special team’s coordinator for the Thunder, which is a testament to the importance he places on the special teams’ phase of the game.
In this instructional coaching video, Coach Radke equips you with the knowledge and tools necessary to elevate your team's kicking game to new heights.
By providing a deep dive into the kicking game basics – using a combination of special teams stats, examples of the importance of field position and ST coordinator strategies – Radke offers a game-tested approach to improving your special teams./p>
Coach Radke employs a combination of engaging visual aids, such as kickoff-return diagrams and easy-to-follow game-film clips, to arm you with a clear understanding of the process involved to install a kicking game that fits the parameters of what you want to accomplish.
Kicking Game Essentials
The video begins with Coach Radke laying out a plan for building a solid kicking game foundation with a comprehensive exploration of kicking basics, as well as essential kicking techniques, rules and kicking game strategies that every coach needs to know.
Radke explains that once you possess a deep understanding of kicking fundamentals, you can build a strong base for your team's kicking game development.
Coach Radke presents a deep analysis on the importance of field position in football and how strategic kicking decisions often impact the outcome of a game. Radke explains how building a kicking game that consistently wins the field position battle, creates advantageous situations for your team, while applying additional pressure and stress on your opponents will set your team up for long term successes.
4 Kickoff Returns, 10 Effective Kickoffs
Coach Radke provides valuable insights into coordinating the kicking game, including how to effectively integrate the kicking units into your overall game plan. By developing a plan to coordinate your kicking game, you can maximize its impact and improve your special team's performance.
This video features four highly effective kick returns – each designed to enhance your team's starting field position, while keeping opposing kick-coverage units guessing and on their heels. Kick returns showcased in this section include: a sideline kickoff return, the middle-wedge kick return, the squib-kick return and using your hands team to thwart opponents’ onside kicks.
Radke also details 10 different kickoffs designed to keep your opponents on their toes and set up kick coverage units to defeat blocks and swarm returners, limiting their options and pinning them deep.
An exciting onside kick is also showcased, with Coach Radke offering an in-depth look at it in diagram form while providing objectives, player responsibilities, tips to help onside-kick recovery and onside-kick execution coaching points for kickers.
This video by Coach Radke is a must-have resource for any football coach seeking to improve their team's performance. By providing a comprehensive overview of the kicking game, including key fundamentals, strategies and effective drills that improve performance, this video empowers you to make informed special teams decisions and achieve success.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your team's kicking game to the next level!
56 minutes. 2025.
FD-06296N:
with Tom Radke,
St. James Academy (KS) Head Football Coach & Special Teams Coordinator;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A Football Coach of the Year;
2020 Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Driskell Coach of the Year;
Piper High School (KS) Head Coach from 2006 to 2010;
St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) Assistant Coach from 2004 to 2005;
played college football for Iowa State University
Punting is perhaps the most overlooked play in all of football. Consider the following scenario: On the heels of a failed offensive drive, your offense comes off the field, and the momentum has clearly swung toward the opposing team, as their defenders’ head to the sideline fist-pumping in celebration of their defensive stop.
Your punt-team unit comes onto the field for fourth down. On the ensuing snap, your punter strikes a booming punt with great hang time – the opposing team’s punt-returner backpedals with no hope of fielding the ball, watching helplessly as the ball sails over his head and rolls backward before coming to a stop. The end-result is a field-tilting punt that just pinned your opponent deep, leaving them with poor field position.
In an instant, your punter has just singlehandedly swung the field-position game back in your team’s favor, ending your opponent’s momentum after a single play. Conversely, a blocked punt or big-time punt return in that same scenario may cause a catastrophic chain of events that your team never recovers from.
Tom Radke, head football coach at St. James Academy, serves in a dual-role capacity as head football coach and special teams coordinator, a testament to the importance Coach Radke places on the special teams’ phase of the game.
In this instructional coaching video, Radke shares his approach to developing a top-notch punting game – both in punt coverage and punt returns – providing key strategies to help you build rock-solid, special teams across the board.
Special Teams’ Overview, Developing a Punt-Team Plan
Coach Radke provides a detailed summary of St. James Academy football, the importance of building a winning culture and their dedication to playing ‘Physical, Fast, Fearless Football’ in all three phases of the game. Radke also provides his thought process as he begins to construct his special teams plan prior to every season and offers statistical insight on the important role that field position plays during games.
Next, Radke shares an in-depth description that outlines the duties and responsibilities of a special teams coordinator, as well as how he organizes special teams practice segments on an annual, weekly and daily basis.
Providing a deep-dive look at how he develops his punt team units – in terms of both return teams and punt coverage units – Coach Radke provides a wealth of information on punt-team related topics, including: how he handles on-field special teams’ huddles, the sideline signal system used to communicate with the punter, planning potential punt fakes and more.
Punt-Game: Best-of-the-Best Tactics
Drilling down on the specifics of potential punt situations, Coach Radke outlines a fourth down ‘QB Roll-Out, Punt-Pass Option’ play he installs that’s ready to use in short or medium down-and-distance situations.
Using a highly effective teaching combination of diagrams, explanations and game-film examples, Radke shows how to execute this possible punt-fake. On fourth down, the QB stays on the field and aligns in the shotgun. On the snap, the QB is poised to roll out to his right, looking to either run for the first-down marker, hit one of the receivers on a pass route or execute a rugby-style punt while on the run. In this situation, the defense almost always aligns itself without a punt returner to focus on stopping any possible fourth-down conversion attempt. Without a returner set up deep, even a poor rugby punt by the sprinting QB usually sails over the defense and into the cleared field. At that point, a fortuitous bounce and roll may pin your opponent’s deep. In the best-case scenario, you’ll gain the first-down yardage necessary to move the chains.
Coach Radke explains that even though your punter never sets foot onto the field during the QB punt-pass option play, the fourth-down situation still falls under the jurisdiction of the special teams coordinator. As such, it’s imperative that you build time into your ST practice plans to rep the play and work on executing it.
Other punt-team topics covered in this section of the video include: an effective punt-block call, swarming punt coverages, an explosive punt-return package and key coaching points to improve techniques specific to the punt game.
With the information covered by Coach Radke in this excellent special teams coaching video, you’ll never short shrift your punt game in terms of time or attention. This video provides highly valuable special teams information that will help coaches at all levels of football!
54 minutes. 2025.