Journal of Psychology and Sport
by Dr. Pat Ivey In 2021, we lost a legendary college head football coach. I never personally met Coach Bobby Bowden but I did have a chance to hear him speak at a national conference. The room was packed and everyone was eager to hear him present. If you ever listen to any of his…
Read More
We can’t say “I told you so” but we have been skeptics from the start. Back in 2019, we were critical of the Raiders team Jon Gruden was assembling. Since then, Gruden and his band of high-talent/low-character athletes have proven the concept that over the long haul, talent is an over-valued commodity. In today’s game,…
Read More
When he played running back at Dartmouth, Bob Higgins’ specialties were picking up tough first downs and doing whatever was needed to prepare his team for their upcoming opponent. A knee injury halfway through his college career forced him to imagine life after sport and allowed him an opportunity to double down on academics. Higgins’…
Read More
This article originally appeared in the Harvard Crimson in September, 2019. Football season is upon us. The current instantiation of the 10,000 men of Harvard take the field on Sept. 21 and finish on Nov. 23 when, for the 136th time, Harvard locks horns with Yale. But the battle surrounding Harvard football will not end…
Read More
On November 28 2020, Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game. Two weeks later, she kicked a field goal for the Commodores, becoming the first woman to score in a Power 5 football game. In the course of two weeks, Sarah Fuller had made her mark on football history.
Read More
Aaron Willits, the newly appointed Head Football Coach at Knox College (Galesburg, IL), says that the Hulk image is not only a talking point with players, but serves as important metaphor for the Knox athlete. “It represents the ideal Knox football player,” says Willits. “You have to have some of Professor Banner in you to get into a school of this quality, and to succeed in the classroom,” he says, noting that “you also have to be able to flip the switch come game day and let the Hulk come out.” It is a metaphor for balance.
Read More
Texas A&M just beat Tennessee 34-13 to finish the SEC regular season with a record of 8-1. In his postgame interview, Jimbo Fisher made it clear that he believes the Aggies deserve a shot at the College Football Playoff. He has a point. The Aggies’ only loss was to the Alabama Crimson Tide, who has…
Read More
with Indiana University Head Football Coach Tom Allen On December 11, 2020, Tom Allen gave a keynote presentation at a virtual conference hosted by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association. His guiding thesis was something all coaches, regardless of sport, would benefit from understanding: Mindset drives expectations and beliefs. Indiana football had not been…
Read More
Millions have seen the viral video of a high school defensive lineman from Texas clobbering the referee after being ejected from a football game. It is a signal that the “sports-gone-wrong” concern has yet to be resolved. While his name can be found all over the internet, we will keep it anonymous here. Check out…
Read More
In the early morning, before the sun has baked the mist of night from the green expanse of Skokie playfields in Winnetka, Illinois, you can find Coach Mike Hohensee mentoring student athletes. He’s adjusting the technique of a talented young quarterback. He’s focused on footwork, posture, and the nuances of elite performance. The athletes he’s…
Read More