The Depth Chart

We have a ton of new subscribers here and I just want to thank you all for finding value in the information I’ve been providing. Leech Letters is an email every Saturday about whatever is on my mind. No sales pitch here. Let’s get into today’s letter. This week is when the depth chart becomes real. Some players are right where they hoped to be. Others are not. And for a lot of guys, it’s the first time in their lives they’ve been told they’re not the guy. That’s hard. High school stars who touched the ball every snap are now asked to run scout team. To mimic another offense or defense. To give a good look all week and then not get on the bus to go to the game they've been helping prepare for. Here’s what I know: the grass is always green where you water it. If you water bitterness, you grow weeds. If you water your skills, your habits, your resilience, you grow roots that are stronger than this moment in your life. Our job as coaches is to make sure those players know we see them, we value them, and we believe in them. Because when they give us their best look, they make everyone better.

And for my strength coaches reading this: this is our window. These are the kids we can help build physically while they wait. Add five pounds to their squat. Clean up their mechanics. Teach them how to fuel their body. Pour into them. Because sometimes, when they’re low on the depth chart, we’re the ones giving them the belief and support they need to keep going. The depth chart might dictate playing time. It should never dictate effort, growth, or the standard. Keep the Fire Burning, Leech