The Truck Stick: Transforming Player Performance in Garrett Mueller’s Program

Football is blocking and tackling. Games are won or lost at the line of scrimmage and in open-field collisions, and the ability to deliver force effectively can make all the difference. For back-to-back state champion head coach Garrett Mueller, this idea is encapsulated in a game-changing metric called the Truck Stick, an innovation he introduced before the 2021 season. Named after the classic Madden feature, the Truck Stick quantifies a player’s momentum—a powerful blend of size and speed that directly translates to success on the football field.

What Is the Truck Stick?

At its core, the Truck Stick measures momentum: the product of a player’s mass and velocity. It’s not just about how big or fast someone is, but how well those traits combine to create game-changing impacts, whether it’s delivering a crushing block, making a game-saving tackle, or breaking through a defensive line.

Garrett sees this metric as more than just a number; it’s a leveling tool that evaluates players across all positions. Offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, and even wide receivers are ranked not only by their size or speed but by how effectively they generate and control momentum. This holistic approach to performance evaluation bridges the gap between the trenches and skill positions.

Why Momentum Matters

“Football is all about blocking and tackling,” Garrett emphasizes. “The team that does those two things best typically wins on a Friday night.” The Truck Stick is built on this foundation. A higher Truck Stick number indicates a player’s ability to dominate collisions, whether on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

But it’s not just about brute force. Garrett’s program pairs this momentum development with agility and control. Players train in eccentric movements, braking techniques, and change-of-direction drills to ensure their momentum is applied effectively and safely. “We don’t just want players running full speed in one direction without control,” he explains. “The goal is to harness that momentum to deliver force appropriately.”

Setting the Standard for Success

The Truck Stick isn’t just theoretical—it’s backed by tangible benchmarks. Garrett’s program has identified thresholds for each position group:

Offensive and Defensive Linemen: A score of 700 or higher marks a varsity impact player, with elite players exceeding 800.
Big Skill Positions (RBs, LBs, TEs): 650 is the baseline for impact, while 750 signals all-conference potential.
Small Skill Positions (WRs, DBs, QBs): Players should aim for 600 to make an impact, with 700 or more showcasing elite ability.

These thresholds aren’t arbitrary. Data from past seasons shows a clear correlation between high Truck Stick scores and individual success. In 2023, seven of the top 11 Truck Stick rankings on Garrett’s team belonged to all-conference players, further validating the metric’s role in identifying and developing talent.

Real-World Impact

Garrett’s players have embraced the Truck Stick, and the results speak for themselves. Take Caden King, an all-conference offensive lineman who posted a remarkable score of 857. Or a standout wide receiver—6’6”, 200 pounds, running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash—who hit an incredible 829. These athletes exemplify the power of combining size, speed, and control, proving that the Truck Stick isn’t just a metric but a recipe for success.

A New Era in Football Training

The Truck Stick represents a paradigm shift in how coaches evaluate and develop players. By emphasizing momentum and its application on the field, Garrett Mueller’s program is creating athletes who are not just fast or strong but efficient and impactful in game situations.

As Garrett looks to the future, the Truck Stick remains the cornerstone of his off-season and in-season training philosophy. “It’s the number one thing we focus on to transfer players’ abilities to the field,” he says. And with its proven track record, the Truck Stick is poised to become a staple for football programs aiming to maximize player potential.

In football, the hits may be hard, but the numbers don’t lie—momentum wins games. And for Garrett Mueller, the Truck Stick is the key to unlocking that winning formula.