Today’s Coach and Coordinator podcast guest is Noel Mazzone, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Arizona. This will be Mazzone’s second season at Arizona after two seasons at Texas A&M under former Aggies and current Wildcats head coach Kevin Sumlin. Prior to that, he served as UCLA’s offensive coordinator from 2012-15 and Arizona State from 2010-11. He spent four seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets as a wide receivers coach/consultant, in addition to collegiate stops at Mississippi, NC State, Oregon State, Auburn, Minnesota, TCU and Colorado State.

Mazzone has coached in 12 bowl games with seven different teams. He’s tutored several NFL quarterbacks, including Josh Rosen and Brett Hundley at UCLA, Brock Osweiler at Arizona State and Phillip Rivers at NC State. As a player, Mazzone played quarterback at the University of New Mexico and graduated in 1980.

On today’s show, Mazzone discusses with host Keith Grabowski how he puts together his plans for installation during camp and answers questions from coaches from around the country.

Show Notes:

2:38 Basic installation preparations

5:26 Rationale behind which plays to install when (question by Josh Wolfram, HC Willamette HS, OR)

8:08 How long before installing base do you put into down and distance (question by Tye Hiatt, OC Shepherd University, WV)

13:18 Finding a balance of technique and install during camp (question by Curtis Peterson, Indianapolis, IN)

16:44 How does having guys playing both ways affect install (question by Jacob Morris, HC Grant County HS, KY)

18:56 Handing out playbooks vs. Hudl clips and how to best teach a playbook (question by Justin Deltavio, NC)

21:46 Learning through VR (question from Justin Deltavio, NC)

24:02 Types of plays that take longer to install and how to adjust (question by Peter Kaufman)

26:20 Plays that get one-word tags

27:52 How to approach putting in specialty/trick plays

30:19 How to incorporate special situation plays

33:42 Handing the script for each practice

35:30 What a daily schedule looks like during camp

38:02 Scripting plays during pass skeleton

40:58 Charting plays and reps during camp

42:23 Benefits of team vs. inside run

46:25 Benefits of “no sweat” Thursdays (Wednesday for HS)

51:08 Mental benefits of fast Friday

52:05 Making fast Fridays work with guys playing two ways

Related Content:

The game planning process. Noel Mazzone- Offensive Coordinator, University of Arizona

How long does it take to install your offensive game plan? 5 coaches weigh in

Implementing motion with RPO's

Best of Coach and Coordinator: The game planning process, Part I