Rich Miano Pictured above right In 2007 I had the privilege of meeting and learning from Coach Rich Miano. A former NFL player and current Associate Head Coach and Defensive Backs Coach at the University of Hawai'i.
Before I get into my time and lessons from Coach Miano can I also add that it was also a pleasure to meet his wife Lori and son Kupa'a.
At the time I was in my first Head Coaching appointment being the Western Australian Junior Head Coach (under 18). Luckily through several circumstances I got to spend a great deal of time with Coach Miano. (this could be the fact I had a QB who was a fanatical UH fan an Assistant Coach who spent many years in Hawai'i (his father) a ball boy who was only a few years older than Kupa'a and I had also packed some gaming systems to keep my boys busy and out of trouble)
At the time even though I was a head Coach I considered myself to have more of a leaning towards offense. However a lot of the benefits and knowledge I gained from Coach Miano were on the defensive side of the ball.
This helped me in a future appointment as a Defensive Coordinator and also helped me have a greater knowledge base as a head coach.
Not only that but Coach Miano helped give me tools which I have been able to pass through local W.A. Football.
This all started from my gaining knowledge of the universal numbering system and how it helps simplify coverage rules for the defense. It also helps streamline your approach to opposing offenses as a '21' is still a '21' no matter where the backs align.
I then had the opportunity to learn about Coach Miano's belief in the odd fronts on defense. I previously had only ever really thought of even fronts being a Tampa Bay fan and seeing their 'Tampa 2' with an even front dominate for years. This definately broadened my horizons and also made me think more about tailoring defensive schemes to your peronnel.
I also learnt about the possibilty of tagging blitzes and coverages to formation and field not just to the personnel. I picked this up just gathering it from the terminology used in the UH Zone Dog packages. The amount of extra flexibilty this has inabled me to incorporate into defensive schemes has been amazing.
Learning all these Xs &Os not only helped me defensively but also gave me a greater understanding of attcking zone coverages on offense.
Still something I will never forget was a little bit of side humour that has rung true to me
Drawing up several plays on O and D my Defensive Coordinator joined us and was asked by Rich to draw up a defensive play. As he drew it up Rich stopped him and said "You are not a real defensive coach, No real defensive coach draws a play coming down the page it is upside down"
Most Australians first get their glimpse of plays drawn up on Madden Football. They have their defensive plays coming down the page. As Rich explained it though it made sense if you draw a defensive play going up the page as a D player reads it the play is facing forward as he would be. So if his player is going backwards on the page he is going backwards on the field.
Rich gave me a bunch of knowledge that I could take forward and definately helped make me move forward with greater flexibilty and adaptability. I also got some dynamic stretches that my boys either don't enjoy or enjoy to much I haven't decided yet but they laugh at each other while doing them.
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