A cognitive neuroscientist says screens aren't just distracting kids. They're making them less cognitively capable.
According to Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, Gen Z is the first generation in modern history to underperform their parents on key cognitive measures, including attention, memory, literacy, numeracy, and executive function.
He argues the turning point was the widespread adoption of screens and digital technology in education.
Attention spans are shrinking. Reading is becoming skimming. Cognitive performance is declining.
Do you agree?
Down to the last few days of school. Everyone getting excited to be done for the summer. Yet...us coaches...are just starting. @coachinggripes#notagripe#maybeagripe
Was Alabama’s 2014 coaching staff the best under Nick Saban? 👀🤔
OC/QBs - Lane Kiffin
DC/DBs - Kirby Smart
RBs - Burton Burns
WRs - Billy Napier
TEs/ST - Bobby Williams
OL - Mario Cristobal
DL - Bo Davis
LBs - Kevin Steele
OLBs - Lance Thompson
S&C - Scott Cochran
GA - Glenn Schumann
If a student is failing, has 25 absences and 58 tardies, and the administrator’s first question is, “What could the teacher be doing differently?” then we’re asking the wrong questions.
11 personnel is still the operating foundation of college football. In this sample, it accounted for 65.4% of all offensive snaps. Add 12 personnel, and those two groupings alone make up 87.3% of the offensive structure.
Defenses are being forced to live in the nickel world while still fitting the box against tight end surfaces. The modern offense is not just “spread.” It is spread structure with enough attached surface variation to keep the defense from getting comfortable.
The more interesting trend is hidden inside the two-back data.
Two-back football does not automatically mean fullback football anymore. In 20 personnel, 86.6% of the snaps came with 2 HB / 0 FB. In 21 personnel, 72.4% came from 2 HB / 0 FB. Even in 22 personnel, more than half of the snaps came without a true fullback.
That changes the conversation.
If a defense hears “21” and immediately thinks old-school fullback, base personnel, and downhill insert fits, it may be wrong. Modern two-back structures can create motion stress, empty shifts, split-flow conflict, option variation, angle routes, wheels, and matchup problems without changing the personnel tag.
Personnel is only the starting point.
The real question is what the offense can make the defense declare after the grouping is announced.
Success is not random.
It is built through disciplined routines repeated over time.
Your daily structure creates your outcomes.
What routine are you committing to today?