UPSET SPECIAL Give your underdog team a shot with these strategies.

Nearly every coach has entered a game week knowing that the only people picking his team to win are on his staff or inside his own locker room.

These situations can be an opportunity to galvanize a team by instilling an us-against-them world mentality; freeing the underdogs to play loose and pulling off an upset.

No one knows that more than George O’Leary, the head coach at the University of Central Florida. The Knights pulled off the biggest upset in BCS history by beating Baylor in last January’s Fiesta Bowl, 52-42. A 17-point underdog, UCF, under QB Blake Bortles, led the entire game to beat the Bears, who had the #1 ranked offense in the nation. “Our win was a great moment for our program, the players, coaches, fans and the school,” said O’Leary. “This kind of national exposure you can’t buy anywhere.”

What are the keys to preparing your team to upset a favorite? Are there motivational methods that give underdogs the confidence to play over their heads?

AFM asked six prominent high school and college coaches about upset victories they achieved in the 2013 season and the techniques they used to get their teams mentally and physically prepared to knock off a big favorite. Whether you’re an underdog in a single game or every game, you can learn from their experiences.

Dominic Saltaformaggio
East Jefferson High School (LA)

Perhaps no coach in the country pulled off two greater upsets last season than Dominic Saltaformaggio. Then coach at East Jefferson High School, he led a program that had not won a playoff game in the 44-year history of the school to a Class 4A state championship and in doing so downed nationally-ranked programs Neville and Edna Karr in the process.

Entering the playoffs, Saltaformaggio looked at the experience as an opportunity to gain extra practice sessions, but as the wins came – and the doubt continued – part of his motivation was to place a chip on the shoulder of his assistants as well as his players.

“Honestly, we felt like we were the guys that were on the short side of landing the great job and we talked about that – why weren’t we coaching at Hahnville or Acadiana or Karr or Neville – and we went to work in the playoffs proving that we belonged,” he said. “We took that same mentality to our players. I remember telling them that the private schools picked their teams and left them out. Our school shares the neighborhoods with John Curtis and Archbishop Rummel and I told those kids that those schools handpicked the players that they wanted and they left you here.

“We let anger drive us those last few weeks. We didn’t have Division I players, not one, and those guys were loaded with talent but we were so tight and together that we weren’t going to get beat and we were going to prove that each previous win wasn’t a fluke. People still will say we had a miracle season but it wasn’t. It was hard work, focus, determination, anger, and execution.”

Entering the two contests, Neville was ranked No. 47 in the NationalHSFootball.com HSFB100 rankings, and Karr was No. 30 in the same poll prior to its contest with East Jefferson.

Saltaformaggio said that the kids and the coaches both knew the rankings and the expectations of their pending demise but that they consistently worked toward shifting that focus.

“We didn’t mention Neville once the week of that game,” he said. “I felt it was important to stay focused on us. I preached to the kids that we can’t control the opponent; that the first team up was the first team up, then the second and third. Each of those teams were who we had to play because they earned the right to be there and then the final message was that the same was true of us and that we had earned the right to be in the semifinals. We had to focus on who we were on offense, defense, and in the kicking game.

“In the championship game, we were much looser and it really was the same thing: we didn’t talk about Karr and their talent. We looked at common opponents and how we rolled through Warren-Easton and how we beat McDonough and both of those teams nearly knocked off Karr. We stayed focused on fundamentals and being opportunistic with forcing turnovers.”

While focusing on what they could control, the staff also did something that few in the profession would risk by cranking up the intensity of practice. Saltaformaggio said the team worked more on the goal line sets. The inside-run drills were more physical. Live tackling was introduced into the 7-on-7 sessions.

Surviving practice was as important as advancing in the playoffs. “It sounds cliché, but we just wanted to keep any focus off of Neville and Karr,” he said. “The kids weren’t talking about the guys going to LSU or whatever because they were talking about how hard practice was. We wanted to drive them a little harder and I’d like to think it worked. They didn’t get wrapped up in what the other team had and what the other team could do because they would say, ‘Man, Coach must really think we can win because he is working us so hard,’ it was a mentality that we wanted to stay in-house and not let those other programs into our thoughts.”

Ultimately the balls did bounce the way of the underdog. East Jefferson defeated Neville, 18-15, and then went on to down Karr, 38-28.
 
Craig Bohl
Former Head Coach, North Dakota State
 
Situation: The season-opening game for both teams pitted the two-time defending FCS National Champions against the defending Big XII Champions. Kansas State was nearly a two-touchdown favorite despite turning over a large portion of its offense, including quarterback Jake Waters taking over for Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein.

Philosophy entering the game: The thing that worked for our staff was knowing who we were, playing to our strengths and recognizing that, if you try to become somebody that you’re not, then you won’t have any chance. You know that you need your best shot because, if you play them 10 times, you may lose nine but this time might be your shot. That mentality has to come into play in everything from your strength and conditioning program to things you are doing on offense and defense and in the kicking game.
 
Building up emotionally: Our fall camp was very focused. I was more concerned about the emotional rollercoaster that could happen during the game and then the aftermath. Win or lose, it was going to be hard to control how high they would be or how low they could get.
 
Managing the game experience: We think you need to articulate a plan to win the game before you get into it. You don’t want to be awestruck that it’s the middle of the fourth quarter when things have gone well and you have an opportunity to win. It is important for our staff to paint a clear picture of ‘This is how we see the game unfolding,’ and, ‘When we are in the middle of the fourth quarter these are the key components for us to win the game.’

Outcome: North Dakota State trailed Kansas State by four with nine minutes remaining when it got the ball. It used an 18-play drive that covered 80 yards to score a game- winning touchdown with 28 seconds left. North Dakota State had earned wins over Colorado State, Minnesota, and Kansas in previous years but this victory resounded around college football and helped push Bohl to his new position at Wyoming.

Hugh Freeze
Head Coach, University of Mississippi
 
Situation: After a hot start to the season, Ole Miss had fallen in three straight games while 6-1 LSU was coming off of a win over Florida. The game was at Ole Miss but the Rebels were still a double-digit underdog without six key players on a defense that was already allowing nearly four touchdowns per game.
 
Philosophy entering the game: The thing I remember vividly was that we were without six defensive starters. We were going into a game with a roster that was not as deep as other teams in this conference. Knowing that LSU was a very talented opponent, I knew that it would be a tremendous challenge. Our defensive staff did a great job of building confidence as the week went on. They would tell the new guys that it was an opportunity that they haven’t had because they weren’t playing as much. They had a chance to show the world that when you play together and with a great gameplan that mighty things can happen.
 
Extra motivation: We did a great number of team-building things that week, trying our best to make sure we had a confident team. All that we heard from the media was how we were shorthanded. In those types of games, for an upset to occur, you need to have a good week and go into the game with positive vibes. We used motivational videos and I pulled out a few things that I thought related to this game. We kept the normal week preparation which included our character traits program, which was great because it was about adversity. Our coaches really did a great job of getting the guys together in the Wednesday meeting and then Friday night at the hotel.

Don’t change the routine: We treated the practices the same, even though we were without some guys. Shuffling around and doing things that you aren’t used to doing hasn’t worked out for me so we treated the practices exactly the same. Our coaches worked just as hard on the gameplan and we had one for that game that worked. We were able to run the ball decently and we got a few turnovers and that kept us in it until the end. In some ways, the guys that stepped in didn’t know any better and they were just excited to get ready and to get their opportunities.
 
Outcome: Ole Miss jumped out to a 10-0 lead at halftime and extended it to 24-14 entering the fourth quarter. It gave away two scores with a fumble as well as a muffed punt that tied the game with just over three minutes to play. Ole Miss responded with a final drive and a 41-yard field goal to earn the 27-24 victory.

Rob Freeman
Head Coach, Palm Beach Gardens
High School (FL)

Situation: The four-loss Palm Beach Gardens team entered the third round of the Class 8A playoffs preparing to face a Miramar (FL) High program that was ranked No. 19 in the HSFB100 and had previously scored wins over St. Thomas Aquinas as well as Deerfield Beach.

Philosophy entering the game: We played upon our history. We have a proud tradition at Gardens and we played on the pride of being from Palm Beach County. We told the team that we have had success here at Gardens and were state champs in 2005. We felt like we were getting back to where we could compete with the top teams in the state. If you are a top team in this state, you are a top team nationally. The kids saw the rankings and they knew they were playing a talented team and that served as motivation.
 
Game plan: Offensively, we knew we needed to run the ball. We wanted to be physical because that is something that traditionally isn’t the strength for teams in Dade and Broward Counties. They are usually pretty wide-open and fast-paced. So we went with a lot of two-back sets to let them know we were there to play. At first, it was to send a message that they were in for a physical football game and then, if that worked, we were going to keep them off the field by moving the chains and controlling the clock. And that worked, too.

A little bit of luck doesn’t hurt: Miramar made their share of mistakes. They dropped a few passes that they probably hadn’t dropped all year. They had some key penalties that hurt them at inopportune times. They may also have been looking past us.

Outcome: Miramar had 14 penalties, dropped nine passes, and lost three fumbles which led to a 12-10 upset for Palm Beach Gardens. Neither team scored in the second half as Gardens rode its defense and physical play to one of the most remarkable upsets of the year.

Rich Rodriguez
Head Coach, University of Arizona
 
Situation: Arizona came into their home finale after losing two straight home games – UCLA and Washington State. Both games were considered winnable, but the Cats dropped both. Oregon was two weeks removed from a loss to Stanford that eliminated them from the title talk but they still entered as a three-touchdown favorite.
 
Philosophy entering the game: There are so few opportunities to play college football and showcase yourself, and so you hope your guys stay humble and hungry for every one. But, when you are the underdog, it is probably easier to motivate yourself. The best players and the best teams compete on every snap of every practice and every game because they want to be the best. That is something you work on.
 
Belabor the point or subtle jabs: Leading up to that game, specifically, I did mention it at the end of every practice for a few minutes that no one expects you to win this game, and that no one thinks that you have a chance. So, we put that chip on their shoulders. By the time the game gets there, they had already been pretty jacked up to prove themselves. I frequently reminded them that it is an opportunity to be relevant. That it is a chance to take down a nationally-ranked team. While all of our games are already on television, this was a game that people outside of our fanbase would see. When you get to this level, you don’t just want to play, but you want to play and have success and be relevant. One time when we played USC a few years ago at home and won that one in an upset, I remember that I said, ‘How many of you guys were even recruited by USC’? Three guys raised their hand and I knew that two of them were lying. Then we asked how they felt about being at Arizona.
 
Facing an explosive foe: From a coach’s standpoint, I don’t ever relax until it’s over. But you also have to make sure the kids are matching that intensity. Against Oregon, I didn’t have to do too much of that in the game because our kids knew that at any time they could answer back. We were so dialed in that it was fun to see them stay aggressive and stay on track the whole game. I didn’t even get a little comfortable until maybe the last minute or so when the game was well in hand. Our players played with that edge, that hunger until the last whistle.
 
Keeping focused: We try not to have too many Dr. Phil moments where you have to sit down and hold their hands and talk about the situation. We just work. So we make sure that our guys know that we expect them to work and our focus and push on that area is going to remain pretty consistent. We had felt good about the week of practice. It was our seniors last home game so they were dialed in pretty good. We were coming off a tough loss, too, so that can get your focus sharpened.
 
Outcome: The game never got going for No. 5-ranked Oregon as every big play went the way of Arizona. Oregon dropped four passes, had a handful of penalties, and gave up over 200 yards rushing. The Wildcats got rolling early with an interception – the first one of the year against Oregon QB Marcus Marriota. Final score – 42-16, Arizona.

Mike Leach
Head Coach, Washington State University
 
Situation: The second game of the season for two PAC 12 foes had all the earmarks of a loss for Washington State. They had allowed nearly 300 yards rushing in an opening week loss to Auburn – well before anyone knew Auburn was a team of destiny. Coupled with the game being the home opener for No. 25-ranked USC, signs pointed in favor of the Trojans. The Cougars came in as 15-point underdogs.
 
Philosophy entering the game: We played Auburn at Auburn (and should have won that game) and then were playing USC at USC, so that isn’t what you want at the top of the order. But the biggest thing in the USC week was to stay positive and to focus on ourself. Worry about what you can do and not what USC can do because we needed to develop our skills. So we spent a lot of time in skill development, because it was early in the season, and then, in the game, we had to keep the approach the same. When you play against a physically superior opponent, there is a tendency to allow your technique to break down. So, more than ever, it’s important to maintain your technique and discipline. So many times, you will see guys want to go out and make superhuman plays but you end up squandering plays or forcing the issue and hurting yourself.
 
Staying level headed: You have to get the name on the front of the jersey out of the players heads early in the week or it will hurt you in the game. When you are playing a really talented opponent like USC, you have to figure they are going to get their plays. You constantly have to be going over to your guys to make sure they aren’t hanging their heads. You have to be zeroed in on the next play. Then, when something good happens like a touchdown or interception, you have to be able to bring them back down and get ready for the next play. The emotional swings need to be minimized so you can go about your business and stay focused and ready.
 
Youthful exuberance: It depends on the nature of your team. It’s only our second year. We had the best team that has been here in 10 years and we have a great group of guys. We were a team of sophomores, redshirt freshmen, and freshmen but there was a lot of enthusiasm. If it is a meaningful game against a rival and your team is already fired up, they don’t need extra motivation. You want them calm enough to be clear-minded. The other thing is constantly emphasizing the importance of playing 60 minutes and focusing on every snap.
 
Outcome: The Washington State defense stood tall, blocking a field goal, stopping a fourth down play, forcing a punt, and securing an interception to preserve a 10-7 victory. The lone touchdown for the Cougars was scored on a 70-yard interception return in the first quarter and its game-winning field goal was set up after the fourth-down stop with six minutes left in regulation.