Coach's Corner with Jason White

Published on Sep 10 2025

Building a Culture of Success: Inside the CR Football Program

The College of the Redwoods football program has kicked off its season with clear goals: play in its fourth straight bowl game and bring home a third consecutive win. But for Head Coach Jason White, success goes far beyond the scoreboard.

“We spend a lot of time on developing culture within our program,” White explained. “Servant leadership, accountability, resourcefulness, mental toughness, preparation, and perfect effort are all values we try to instill within our program.”

Leadership development is another cornerstone. Using the Focus 3 training program and a unique “strength team” competition each spring, players are challenged to lead small groups, earn points for things like good grades, and lose points for things like bad grades, and build the skills they’ll need to guide the team in the fall.

Game day itself is a mix of preparation and ritual. The team arrives three hours early to review game plans, warm up, and get into the right mindset. After every practice and game, players and coaches take part in “put-ups,” a tradition where teammates and coaches recognize each other for outstanding efforts—whether that’s making a big play or lending a hand to a fellow player.

For White, football is more than a job; it’s a calling. Inspired by his high school coach, he pursued a career in coaching to do what he loves every day. Along the way, mentors like Roy Perkins and Fred Whitmire have shaped his philosophy and approach.

His motivation now comes from the challenge of building a great program, the support of the community, and, most importantly, the players themselves. “At the end of the day,” White said, “you have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say you did everything you could to put your team in the best position to be successful.”

It’s safe to say that White and his coaching staff are making a big impact, not just on the field, but off the field as well by helping players develop into leaders, mentors, and community members.