Returning to the UK 2015 - 2016
Following my season in Starkville I returned back to the UK, and quickly picked up where I left off.
I rejoined the Tamworth Phoenix, with the goal of helping out the team in a voluntary basis, but it was only a matter of time before I got sucked back in full time.
Now, with the knowledge of my four seasons in the U.S. I was ready to share my knowledge with the British game, and - in particular - the Tamworth Phoenix defense. I was appointed Defensive Coordinator, and built a playbook that borrowed liberally from Endicott and Mississippi State concepts, along with my own thoughts and philosophies.
The third evolution of the Phoenix defense was now in place, using the same aggressive styles, but now using a fire zone coverage concept behind it - something unusual for the British game. The results were fantastic, over the twelve game season, we conceded only 90 points, whilst scoring 67 of our own through turnovers run back. We lost to the London Warriors - the eventual National Champions - 14-9 in the semi final, as we finished the year ranked 3 in the nation.
In the offseason, I helped rewrite the constitution, and was subsequently elected as the team's first ever Director of Performance - tasked with ensuring the quality of coaching across all age ranges is of a suitably high standard.
I helped add a junior and flag program to our elite and youth programs, and started building a proper off-season schedule, which included team work-outs, organised activities and recruiting fairs.
The 2016 saw a wealth of 'firsts' for the Tamworth Phoenix; as we recorded our first unbeaten season in the British Premier League, on the way to our first Northern Conference Championship. The defense was in dominant form, shutting out five of our opponents, helping guide the way to a National Semi final. Several members of the team were rewarded with International call-ups, with Al Jarvis, Jake Harbon, and Will Stone all playing significant roles in the European tri-nations tournament that summer.
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Not content with coaching during the summer, I also took the opportunity to return to Loughborough as a positional coach, and Special Teams coordinator for the 2016-17 BUCS season. After struggling though the previous season, the students team wanted to change the way they approached practice, and I was able to help and apply my knowledge to both the Defensive Line and Special teams play. Loughborough ended the season 6-2, and hosted (and won) their first home playoff game in five seasons, before losing the National Semi final by one score.
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