Dante Scarnecchia, the legendary offensive line coach who spent 36 years in the NFL—19 of them with Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots—knows a thing or two about coaching. At the 2021 C.O.O.L. Clinic, he dropped gold on how to make your meeting room the heart of player growth, no matter if you’re coaching high school or pros.
“Your meeting room’s only as good as what you pour into it,” Scarnecchia says.
Here’s how he builds a space where players learn, connect, and get ready to dominate:
1. Set Up the Room Right
Late in his career, Scarnecchia had a game-changer moment. After coming back from retirement, he ditched teaching from the back of the room—where players just stared at a screen. Instead, he stood up front, locking eyes with his guys.
“I had their full attention,” he says. “No one could doze off, and I could see who got it or who was lost.”
He watched for “validators”—players nodding, showing they were dialed in—and spotted confusion on faces when his point didn’t land. That face-to-face vibe let him tweak his teaching on the spot.
2. Make Video Personal
Scarnecchia leaned hard on game and practice clips, but only ones featuring the players in the room.
“If they’re on the tape, they’re glued in,” he says. “If not, they zone out.”
He didn’t just lecture. He fired off questions, called guys by name, and opened the floor for real talk. When players feel like they’re part of the action, they stay locked in.
3. Build a “No Dumb Questions” Vibe
From his Marine Corps days, Scarnecchia carried a rule: “The only dumb question is the one you don’t ask.”
He never shot down a question or made a player feel small for asking. Questions weren’t just okay—they were a win. Why? One guy speaking up usually means others are wondering the same thing. That open vibe kept everyone learning.
4. Test Smart and Team Up
Scarnecchia loved written tests, especially in spring and training camp. But it wasn’t about slapping grades on papers. He pushed players to work together.
“What’s better than getting guys talking about how to nail their jobs?” he says.
Tests sparked teamwork, built trust, and cemented calls and assignments for the whole group.
5. Keep It Tight and Mix It Up
Meetings maxed out at 40 minutes, followed by a strict five-minute break. If a concept needed more, he’d take the group to the weight room for a quick walk-through. Scarnecchia knew players learn differently, so he switched up his approach to hit every angle.
6. Tie Meetings to Practice
Every day, Scarnecchia mapped out:
- Which drills they’d hit in individual sessions.
- What techniques to sharpen.
- Who’d rotate in each rep group.
- How reps and depth charts fit the week’s plan.
This prep made practices smooth and gave players a clear picture of what was coming.
The Big Picture
Your meeting room is your classroom, no matter what position you coach. Scarnecchia’s game plan—thoughtful setup, real engagement, and clear structure—lifts players’ skills and accountability.
Ask yourself: Can I see their eyes? Are they nodding or confused? Are they in the convo or just sitting there?
Make your meetings count, and your players will show it on the field.
Video: Check out Coach Scarnecchia’s meeting room tips in action:
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