What are the average # of Snaps?

We average around 35-37 plays a game when running the power I. We did not try to run at a extreme pace but often we would have a play in, called and snapped within about 10 sec off the game clock. We also bring a ton of pressure so other teams tend to throw to get back into the game.

Ive never coached 8 minute quarters.
In 10 minute "no mercy rule" games with no running clock we average about 55 offensive snaps. We run no huddle and it is not a rapid pace, but we are at the LOS getting plays off without a huge wast of time.

If you are better than or equal to the other team we are trying to maximize possessions, more snaps.

If we are severly outmatched we use up the entire 25 second clock, every snap ( unless before half or end of game scoring opp)

Our main reason for going no huddle has been to get the kids more snaps. more snaps = more playing time = more fun. We tell the other coaches we are going no huddle, not meant to catch anyone off-guard, meant to get more playing time for the kids.

When I started coaching....the league we played in was 6 min. qtrs for the little guys(8-10) and 8 min. qtrs. for the older group (11-12), we later changed it to 8 and 10 min qtrs......those 6 min. qtrs just zoomed by too fast......regular clock....just like a HS game....we had no "mercy rule", but the teams were usually fairly evenly matched.....and were always fairly close games......I think thats pretty close Brophy? = somewhere between 35 - 45 offensive plays.....we always huddled....some years we could signal in the play.....other years, the QB just trotted over close and got the play......or we sent it in with players rotating in and out......nothing real speedy... but also....never really tried to slow the game pace down/ or eat clock......with the exception of "strategic neccessity", like right before the half, really deep in our end.....or at the end of a close game(if you're ahead)... stuff like that.....mostly just tried to keep a steady pace.....and use timeouts strategically. I will say, since the emphasis here was more on defense,(as far as playing the better players) for "most" of the teams we played(including ours)....the average offensive production, relative to being successful in most games, was kinda like this......1 score = fair.....make the pat = good enough to win half your games......2 scores = very good....make both pats = awesome, you're gonna win 75% of the games.....3 scores = excellent.....make all three pat's = super awesome....you'll win 95% of your games....4 scores = you....my friend....are a friggin offensive genius, lol.....make all 4 pat's = unbelievable....you just won all your games this year.....check your mail.... cause those job offers from all the big hs and major college teams will be coming in.... any day now.......promise......I wouldn't lie

2.5 possessions per quarter. If we three and out or they do then that increases.

Using our no huddle into the second quarter and on the first scripted possession usually adds a couple of possessions per team to the plan.

Clock runs in the second half most of the games, it's why my preference is to treat the first half like the game's end when it comes to the notion of urgency. We were down enough to close the gap on those types of leads and bring the clock back down the few times we trailed by more than a score.

My preference is reps, regardless of the scoreboard. More plays for both teams, more reps so I can get everyone some meaningful snaps. Everyone from the city teams will be on the same team in one or two years, reps are important for long term development, it details game management just as much. The two teams who tried to slow us down like that we scored on, one with six seconds left in the half and the other with about forty seconds left. I almost got them into the red zone with 26 seconds left in the game I got to call plays, we had three shots at the end zone on the effort anyways. I'd use time outs just to emphasize that you had better not assume the clock was on your side and that we couldn't move the ball, many teams would let an opposing team run it down when leading.

We'd always script at least the first four to five plays when we reviewed our best scoring efforts. The original wristband contained almost no cohesive call order to it, just random plays thrown together. After the game this was used I had us use series or groupings for players/call sides to it and it really accelerated what we could do. Then my QB could be told to choose from three plays we selected off a grouping of plays or to pick the first of a series and go through it from that starting point.

A lot of the times I'd just see how they developed their front and send in four plays in a row for one message when we huddled near so we could get the plays out in time. The first time I did that we scored 3 of four plays, two touchdowns, a two pointer, and a six yard gain in four calls.

The scores broke the game open, we'd gotten into the red zone three drives before(result of special teams return, a defensive turnover, and our first possession on scripted runs) and kept floundering on trick play calls, etc that were used in the red zone. Their team was undefeated at the time and playing well, we were fortunate to have kept them on one side of the field for so long.


Don't leave what works until they stop it or change fronts to match a call you would anticipate.

Adding no huddle and scripted reps for at least two series per half will increase your possessions and usually produce better results in those possessions. Done well it can shape the way that a half ends so you leave the field on a score. If your system has audibles, line checks, where a QB can change the play if the defense is where it is going, by all means use the tempo to let that player command the game.

If the defense is playing well it will build on what the tempo produces for your offense, and usually add about four possessions per half, two for your team, with field position from your defense being based on what they do. If they can't get far into the playbook then you need with yours, to in terms of tempo.