Scott Schnell Feature

THE CODY BRONCS COACHING STAFF HAS SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TURNOVER THIS YEAR BUT THINGS LOOK BRIGHT FOR A BRONC SQUAD COMING OFF A SEMI-FINALS APPEARANCE A YEAR AGO. NEW TO THE BRONC COACHING STAFF THIS YEAR IS SCOTT SCHNELL. COACH SCHNELL MAY BE NEW TO THIS GROUP OF COACHES BUT HE’S ALL TO FAMILIAR WITH CODY BRONC FOOTBALL, HAVING PLAYED FOR THE BRONCS IN THE 1980’S. COACH SCHNELL HAS BEEN TEACHING AND COACHING IN COLORADO FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND RETIREMENT HAS BROUGHT HIM BACK TO CODY.

“WE MOVED BACK UP HERE IN MARCH. HAD TALKED TO MATT (MCFADDEN) BEFORE I HAD EVEN RETIRED, SEEING IF HE NEEDED ANY HELP AND WE KIND OF WENT BACK AND FORTH. OF COURSE THE COVID STUFF KIND OF PUT A HICCUP IN THERE BUT EXPRESSED MY INTEREST IN COMING OUT AND COACHING AND WAS LUCKY ENOUGH THAT HE CALLED ME UP AND ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED. SO THAT’S WHY I’M BACK OUT HERE. GLAD TO BE OUT HERE. HE DOES A GREAT JOB, HE’S GOT A GREAT PROGRAM, BUNCH OF GREAT COACHES AROUND HIM. SO I FEEL LUCKY AND I’M EXCITED TO BE OUT HERE.”

COACH SCHNELL WILL BE HANDS ON WITH THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS THIS YEAR AND ADDS WHAT HE’S LOOKING FOR EARLY ON.

“JUST SOME REALLY BASIC THINGS. WHEN YOU’RE SITTING THERE AND YOU’RE COACHING A POSITION GROUP, IF YOU’RE COACHING ONE KID, YOU’RE COACHING THEM ALL. NOT MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE TOMORROW THAT WE MADE TODAY, LEARNING FROM THAT. JUST SEEING THAT IMPROVEMENT FROM DAY-TO-DAY, THAT ENTHUSIASM, PREACHING THAT AGGRESSIVENESS. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I LOOK FOR.”

WHILE IT’S STILL EARLY THEIR ARE SOME PLAYERS THAT HAVE CAUGHT COACHES EYE THUS FAR.

“I’VE REALLY ONLY BEEN OUT HERE FOR THE TEAM CAMPS, SO THOSE FOUR DAYS, BUT THERE ARE SOME KIDS I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH. THE TROTTER KID, GOOD PLAYER, GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BANDITS. THERE’S SOME OTHER KIDS IN THAT MIX: BRICE, REMY AND JUST SOME OF THE OTHER KIDS THAT ARE PART OF THE PROGRAM, WHO I’M JUST STARTING TO GET TO KNOW. THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF TALENT AND KIDS WHO CARE ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON.”

THIS YEARS BRONCS ARE LOADED WITH SKILL POSITION PLAYERS AND DEPTH AND COACH TALKS ABOUT THAT ADVANTAGE.

“THEY DO. THEY HAVE A LOT OF TEAM SPEED JUST IN GENERAL AND SOME KIDS WHO CAN REALLY FLY AND I THINK THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE SCHEMES THAT ARE BEING PLAYED ON THE OFFENSIVE END/DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL. FOR US DEFENSIVELY WITH THAT 3-3 STACK, YOU CAN REALLY USE THAT SPEED. ALLOW THE KIDS TO BE AGGRESSIVE WITH YOUR CALLS, STUNTS, BLITZES, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THAT THE TEAM SPEED REALLY PARLAYS INTO THAT DEFENSE BEING SUCCESSFUL.”

AND TO SAY COACH SCHNELL IS EXCITED TO GET THE SEASON UNDERWAY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

“I’M REALLY EXCITED. LIKE I SAID, FEEL PRIVILEGED TO BE BACK. LIKE I SAID, PLAYED HERE THE SAME AGE AS COACH THOMPSON. WE PLAYED TOGETHER. SO IT’S KIND OF IRONIC AND FUN TO BE BACK AT A PLACE WHERE YOU WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL AND JUST BE PART OF A PROGRAM THAT’S RUN THE WAY THAT THIS IS. SO YEAH I’M REALLY EXCITED.”