”4th and 3” - Where Coaches Get the Edge cover art

”4th and 3” - Where Coaches Get the Edge

”4th and 3” - Where Coaches Get the Edge

Written by: coachrandyjackson
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About this listen

4th & 3 helps head football coaches make better decisions with tactics and strategies they can use the very next day — on and off the field.

4th & 3 is a football coaching podcast that brings you inside the conversations most people never hear.

Hosted by veteran head coach and best-selling author Randy Jackson, each episode gives coaches a seat at the staff table—where scheme, leadership development, and culture are aligned toward a shared True North, and the edge is built on the field and off it.

The show dives into real staff-room intel: offensive structure and tempo, leadership training and accountability, culture enforcement, and program organization—the behind-the-scenes decisions that show up on Friday night. Conversations also extend beyond the field, covering staff leadership, career growth, and the head-coaching journey.

This is where coaches share what worked, what had to be adjusted, and what made the difference inside real programs.

4th & 3 is built for coaches who value clarity over complexity and understand that the edge—the confidence to go for it on 4th down—isn’t found in one big moment. It’s earned through alignment, discipline, and decisions made when the doors are closed.

Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
Football (American)
Episodes
  • 🎙️ Top 1% Leadership Culture-With and Without Offseason Access
    Jan 29 2026

    In this episode of 4th & 3, Coach Randy Jackson sits down with Ryan Porter and Scott Przymus for a real, behind-closed-doors conversation on what it actually takes to build a Top 1% leadership culture.

    We examine two totally different situations:

    • One program with a year-round athletic period built into the school day

    • One program without that advantage, forcing the staff to think creatively and outside the box to train leadership

    Different access. Same standard.

    This isn’t a conversation about slogans, signs, or hoping kids figure leadership out. It’s about intentional systems.

    In this episode, Ryan and Scott share:

    • The moment they realized leadership had to be taught on purpose

    • What a typical leadership meeting actually looks like

    • How to lead when you only have five minutes

    • Daily and weekly routines that reinforce leadership

    • How group chats and short touchpoints can shape culture

    • Why most programs believe in leadership but don’t actually train it

    If you’re a coach who wants more than motivation — and you’re looking for practical ways to lead your team every time you gather — this conversation will give you ideas you can use immediately.

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    50 mins
  • 🎙️ Make Time With the Team the Best Part of Their Day
    Jan 24 2026

    Make Time With the Team the Best Part of Their Day

    What actually makes athletes want to be in your program every single day?

    In this episode of 4th & 3, Coach Randy Jackson sits down with John Perry and Chris Yeager for a true coaches’-office conversation about how to intentionally make athletes’ time with the team the best part of their day—without lowering standards or expectations.

    This isn’t theory or motivational talk. In true 4th & 3 fashion, the focus is on ideas coaches can use the very next day.

    The conversation centers on four key drivers of the daily athlete experience:

    • Relationships – building trust and connection without losing authority

    • Excitement – creating energy and purpose kids feel when they walk in

    • Improvement – making sure athletes leave better than when they arrived

    • Celebration – recognizing effort, growth, and doing things the right way

    From practice design to daily interactions, this episode challenges coaches to think less about motivation and more about intentional moments that shape culture.

    🎧 4th & 3 is built for head coaches. Real conversations. Real experience. Practical takeaways you can use tomorrow.

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • 🎙️ How We're Making Our Program More Competitive In Every Area w/ Robert Causey
    Jan 15 2026

    In this episode of Fourth and Three, Coach Randy Jackson sits down with Coach Robert Causey of Leesville High School for an honest conversation about what it really takes to turn a season around.

    After starting 1–5, Coach Causey and his staff faced a choice: stay the course or confront hard truths. What followed wasn’t a schematic overhaul—it was a mindset shift that led to a 6–6 finish and a playoff win.

    This episode isn’t about X’s and O’s. It’s about the hardest competition any coach faces: you vs. you.

    In this conversation, we break down:

    • Why the first competition must be won by the head coach

    • How a single honest bus-ride conversation sparked real change

    • The power of positive energy and daily standards

    • When you vs. you matters—and when me vs. you matters

    • Simple ways to create daily competitive wins in the offseason

    Coach Causey also shares candid lessons on handling losing streaks, managing emotions, and making unpopular decisions that serve the team.

    If you’re a coach navigating adversity—or trying to build real competitiveness beyond drills—this episode is for you.

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    52 mins
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