Maquoketa’s new head football coach is Colton Feller

The head football coach for Maquoketa has been decided, with longtime teacher Colton Feller stepping into the role.

With a new head coach for the football season, KMAQ reached out to Feller for a comment on what his plans are for the next season. Feller, who has been a teacher at the Maquoketa School District for 12 years, already serves in several different coaching positions, including assistant football coach for his entire time at the district.

Feller said that in terms of the next football season, he plans on “a blend of old school principles and new school methods.” He plans on emphasizing blocking and tackling, while fostering the best players to excel in their areas of strength.

He also stated to have different philosophies on practice design, structure, scouting and more, and is excited to test and apply his thoughts. More broadly, he said that their “success as a program will be based on having the right people doing the right things the right way.”

Here is Colton Feller’s full response:

I have worked in the school district for 12 years now. I started as a substitute teacher and then my first full-time teaching position in the district came as a 7th grade science teacher at the middle school. After three years of teaching there, I was able to move up to the high school where I currently teach Health and Physical Education. In addition to my teaching duties, I wear a lot of other coaching hats. Prior to being named head football coach, I have served as an assistant football coach throughout my entire time in the district, I have been head wrestling coach for the past 7 years (including this one, and planning on continuing to hold that position moving forward), I assist with our girls wrestling program, and also serve as the school’s “weight room supervisor” (I prefer “athletic performance coach”).

In regards to my plans with the team, I’m going to steal a phrase from current Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, “a blend of old school principles and new school methods.” I believe the best teams are fundamentally sound at the “Lombardi skills” (blocking and tackling), so we’re going to emphasize those regularly. Schematically, we’re going to figure out who our best players are and allow them to do what they do best. I’ve gained a lot of perspective from my time as an assistant coach, and I am always learning and reflecting on how successful programs do things. I think I have some different philosophies on practice design, scouting, etc… so I am excited to apply and test out some of my thoughts. Football thoughts aside, our success as a program will be based on having the right people doing the right things the right way.