Tony Romo has done nothing short but take the NFL world by storm since stepping off the field and into the broadcast booth earlier this year. As the color commentator for CBS, he’s dazzled fans with his ability to seemingly predict the future, all while explaining complex ideas seamlessly.

How does he do it? Well, opening up in the first time in a longform interview with Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch, Romo explains how he’s been able to hit the ground running during his first year in the booth. In a particularly enlightening part of the interview, Romo says it essentially comes down to one thing: Preparation, especially in regards to head coaches.

Via the story, which is well worth your time.

“It’s a hard thing to describe because it also goes to things like: Are they in the red zone? Is it third or first down? Is it situational? Also, given I know some specific systems, I don’t have to watch if someone is blitzing because I know the tendencies for a Rod Marinelli defense—14% of the time they will be putting pressure [on the offense]. I will know if they are coming into a game with a pressure plan or not. My eyes might be going to which linebackers are moving, which nickelback or safety is getting to the line. My eyes might move to the coverage, and then you look at the coverage and you all of sudden find quickly what they could run out of a certain pre-snap look…Things like that go through your brain.”

He continued:

“You get into a meeting with Bill Belichick, it is really fascinating. I am asking him about the flex defense or things about Tom Landry’s system. We are both football junkies, it makes it really enjoyable to meet and talk football and schematics. I know the rest of our CBS staff might be bored for an hour, but it is fascinating for me. This is why you have to be prepared, so you can talk to those guys that way.”

Is your head spinning, too? That’s a whole lot of stuff to be focusing on at once, but whatever works. And for Romo, it certainly does.

Once again, read the full piece when you have a chance, it’s well worth your time.