First off, why did you decide to get into coaching?
I came to the fact that my playing days were over – you have to have a severance mentally and accept that next phase. I felt a void after the game and coaching was my way to stay close and fill the void.
So in 2023 I started holding group training sessions and invited people free of charge. The first time there were two guys and we trained at CMU and got kicked off the field! I spoke to the folks at CMU afterward and they said it was fine as long as no one was using the field.
And it took off?
More and more people started showing up. Then in 2025 my buddy Shawn Ray asked me if I wanted to coach with him at Bethel Park. He was a Pen Hills guy and I was a Woody High guy but it worked! I took the running backs job there and enjoyed the team environment.
Now, I’m at Pine-Richland. I wanted to coach wide receivers – as a former receiver I was happy to do that. They wanted me to come in and work Kalil Taylor who committed to Kansas. That was an awesome experience.
Were there guys who helped impact the way you coached?
That’s a great question -I was just recently thinking about that. My Senior year in high school Steve Breaston was my Wide Receivers Coach. He helped me understand the position in ways that I still teach now to kids. He created a foundation for me as a coach.
Also, Terry Grassetti. I think of myself as a hybrid coach – not just receivers, but speed and agility development. The way Terry explained things – they were intense workout environments.
Did you have NFL interest as a player?
My Senior year I had about 20 teams come to Slippery Rock and show interest in me and a couple of other guys on the team. I was an undersized DII receiver but my agent said with a good 40 and workout I would get signed. I ran a 4.3 40 and had a 40-inch vertical. But, I never got the chance. In my last game with Slippery Rock I tore three ligaments in my knee. That was tough – it halted my NFL dreams.
As an undersized receiver, do you watch the NFL’s leaning towards big wide receivers and think they are missing out on smaller, talented guys?
Honestly, different teams look for specific traits. Some look for undersized guys but most just look at a height number and decide on that.
I was excited to see the Steelers draft Wetjen out of Iowa – an undersized 5’9 guy. That pumps me up to see that. Too many teams look at the height number and don’t watch the film. They should think more about explosion and twitchiness and you don’t get that as much with bigger receivers.
As a coach, what are the key attributes you look for in a receiver
I make it universal for all of my guys. I lead with four pillars. First, the release. Are you able to get off clean and not get disrupted in your release? The second is route progression – your footwork at the top of your route and your ability to get separation. The third is catch radius – keeping the ball away from your body and your ability to catch it in stride and get yards after the catch. The last is about being a good teammate. If you’re on the backside of a play and the catch is on the other side, are you turning upfield to block?
I give my guys all four – and you need all four to be good.
Did you have any chance to work with the Steelers or meet those guys at all?
Last Summer I got to spend some time at OTAs. Coach Faulkner invited me there to hang out and learn from him, so I took a PTO day! I got to attend the meetings and hear Danny Smith give the most fired-up speech I ever heard. He was getting in people’s faces telling them they won’t be on the team if they put up more film like they did. He told them straight up they wouldn’t have a job on the team.
In college we were coddled – it was crazy to see that.
What did Coach Faulkner show you?
He gave me a lot of good advice on rotations – how to manage running backs throughout a season. It was a great experience. I also got to see how Coach Tomlin got his guys together. He had each one of his coaches get up i front of the team for a five-minute speech. It could have been on anything. One of the defensive backs coaches talked about mental health – how to manage that as you fight for your career in camp.
What advice would you give to young receivers – what did you do that made you so successful at Slippery Rock?
Mostly, it is all about developing good habits. You have to practice like a madman – that’s what I did. I practiced so hard that when it was gametime it felt like recess. You have to create good habits.
I worked by butt off at Slippery Rock. I never felt good enough- it kept me humble and kept me going.