By: Nick Gradney (National Scout) @StatZ_G
Having a modern day offensive play caller is a luxury in today’s game. It’s not just about drawing up X’s and O’s, but also someone who understands every players strength and maximizing their ability. The game of football is growing in so many ways, including the coaching side of it. What separates the average from the greats is the ability to understand what doesn’t work. Every team is built differently. It’s up to the guys in the headsets to create an identity for their athletes. Let’s take a deeper look inside the mind of KIPP Sunnyside offensive coordinator Coach JayyRedd. (@CoachJayyRedd)
Jared Johnson aka JayyRedd is a graduate of KIPP Sunnyside and The University of Texas at San Antonio. For the past four seasons, he’s been the offensive coordinator for the Senators. They’ve won back-to-back TCSAAL (charter school) state championships in 2023 and 2024. During that span, Sunnyside averaged over 42 points per game under JayyRedd’s tutelage. The two time champs are known for their high powered offense with an aerial attack that is hard to game plan for. Sunnyside have so many underrated, talented players but they don’t have the household names you’re accustom to seeing. So to some, its mind-boggling when people look at the numbers that are being put up on a weekly basis. Teams have a difficult time figuring out what makes this squad go. There’s a growing respect in the city of Houston for what he does, even from opposing coaches.
Player development is also a strong suit for JayyRedd. As a former receiver himself, he’s hands-on and leads by example by performing drills, running routes, blocking or whatever else that needs to be done during practice. Teaching is a point of emphasis everyday and the results are undeniable. KIPP Sunnyside had its first 1,000 yard receiver in 2023 and just a year later that record was broken. It’s not just the receivers who make an impact, but the entire offense as well. Coach JayyRedd had to improvise many times throughout the 2024 season due to injury or unforseen incidents, which caused certain players who were lower in the depth chart to rise to the occasion and perform at a high level. There’s no favorites or seniority with Johnson. If you’re talented, you will play. If you know the plays, you will play. If you work hard and show effort, you will play. If you come to practice consistently, you will play. Simple as that.
Coach JayyRedd runs a spread offense with several formations and plays that can be ran in many different variations. Trust me when I tell you, the playbook is deep! Opossing teams can look at the footage from a previous KIPP Sunnyside game to strategize for and still be completely lost. JayyRedd can go multiple games without running the same play if he wants to. His ability to adjust mid game is what sets him apart from most. His style was inspired by Chip Kelly and the old Oregon teams that featured Tavon Austin, Geno Smith and Stedman Bailey but adds his own sauce to it. The zone running game is an important part to JayyRedd’s offense because it opens everything up and keeps defenses honest. You can run two backs in the spread due to the running backs being able to line up in the slot and still pose a threat. Perhaps, the most important part to any team is the trenches. The offensive lineman all have range and can fill in at multiple positions when necessary due to the way JayyRedd draw it up.
With the evolution of where the game is today, you must have a new age mindset and not just be stuck in your ways. One of the best things about the 2X state champ is how open-minded he is. If something isn’t working or it’s getting stagnant, he won’t hesitate to switch things on the fly and he’s open to suggestions. If you really paid attention to the Senators offense in recent years, you would know he’s main catalyst behind such a potent group of skilled athletes that can erupt at any moment. The kids believe in him, no matter how challenging it gets, but he also keeps a relatable balance that makes them feel at ease. The play calls are designed to make defensive coordinators on the other side of the field actually coach. It’s a chess match that majority of the time JayyRedd have the upper hand in. He keeps the play calls situational and the terminology makes sense.
Johnson is the epitome of what it means to be a players coach. A lot of young athletes lack confidence and often struggle with finding an identity as a player. Playing for a coach like Jared Johnson gives you purpose. He puts you in the right spots to have success. When a player have a glaring flaw, he helps them work constantly at it and knows how to mask it at the and time. That have turned players into monsters on the field. He’s a walking confidence booster. It’s no doubt that he’s one of the best, young offensive coordinators in Texas at 27 years old and I’d bet that he can turn any school around. There have been times where players who are reserves that got limited playing time in one game, then became a starter the following week. That is not only highly impressive, but it takes guts to even try that in the middle of the season. Every player in the offense have a significant role and feels important. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked how does the team fill up the stat sheet the way they do. My answer every single time begins with one word, one name…..JayyRedd!
Great OC and play caller