The State Champion Who Handed the Tablet to a Student Manager

The Coach’s Challenge

When Coach Trevor Hudson looked at how to get the most out of Modern Football Technology on game day, he saw a common problem—coaches were trying to run the system while coaching.

“We had a coach running around in practice with a tablet in his hand,” he said. “He couldn’t coach the way he needed to.” The answer? Student assistants.

The Turning Point: Let the Kids Run It

Hudson’s epiphany came during a practice. “I looked over at a manager holding a water bottle—and not doing much else,” he said. “These kids can edit video, run TikTok, CapCut, Snapchat… if they can do all that, why couldn’t they tag plays live?”

He gave his manager a tablet, some quick instructions, and turned her loose. “There was some trial and error, sure,” Hudson admitted. “But she picked it up faster than most of my coaches—because to her, it was just another app.”

How They Use It Now

Hudson’s staff started using Modern Football in practice—not just on Friday night. “We wanted to be prepared on game day, which meant using it daily,” he said. That gave his student assistants valuable reps and let the coaching staff focus on coaching.

On game night, his manager wore a headset and listened to Trevor’s play calls while charting each one in Modern Football. “She’d be nearby, and if she missed something, she’d ask. Then she’d give me a quick recap on what worked before I even reached the sideline TV.”

How This Transformed Their Coaching

Modern Football eliminated guesswork and gave Hudson real-time clarity—without slowing him down.

“Every coach thinks every play they call is going to score,” he said, laughing. “But what this did was humble me. It helped me be less prideful and more strategic.”

His student assistant gave him quick-hit summaries after every series, so he could adjust—not at halftime, but before the next possession. “She didn’t need to be a football expert. She just needed to see which numbers were higher—and that was enough to help us win.”

The Lasting Advantage

Hudson and his team won the California state championship in 2024, putting up a record 583 yards and 68 points—throwing the ball only twice.

“If someone says you can’t trust a student to run your game-day tech,” he said, “I’ll tell them this: Don’t listen to me. Just look at the numbers. We made history—and a student assistant helped us do it.”

Now heading to a new program in Colorado, Hudson plans to implement the same workflow from day one. “We’re not waiting until game week. We’re practicing this in 7-on-7 and team periods. It’s about reps—for players and assistants.”

“The app gives me real-time feedback during the game—and a reality check after. That’s how you grow as a coach.”

— Trevor Hudson, State Champion Head Coach