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Post by coachcb on Sept 26, 2008 8:44:35 GMT -6
I have a sophomore safety this year that's big, strong fast, and aggressive. Honestly, he's the size of a DE but fast enough to play SS for me.
However, he is honestly the one of the most UNCOACHABLE players I have ever had. He pays absolutely no attention during drills or to 1-1 instruction. I dumbed down the terminology for him (WAYY DOWN), we work on one simple skill at a time with him, I give him solid, simple cue words, and then he goes out and does what ever he wants. I am very patient with the kid; I praise him when he shows effort and aggression and correct his mistakes calmly (again- using simple verbage). The closest I get to being negative with him was to explain to him that he had the physical tools to play for me, but that he needed to pay attention to me and start being coachable. I told him point blank that he wouldn't play much at any level if he doesn't know our defense.
For example, yesterday, we are living in C2 during a team period, I have gone over everything he needs to do in C2 daily (and have just gone over it with him before throwing him in). I tell him he needs to align 12 yards off the ball, directly over top of the #47 (our TE- like I said, dumbed down), to backpedal to the hash at the snap (showed him what the hash was) and to keep backpedaling deep. I didn't talk about the zone he was responsible for or what he should be looking at; just wanted him to get deep and stay deep.
I am standing on the sideline and I watch him line-up 5 yards off the ball (LB depth), 4 yards outside of the #47, and takes two hops forward at the snap and the blitzes (we don't have a safety blitz in). They run #47 straight down the seam and score.
I pull him out, look him straight in the eye, and calmly ask him why he did what he did. His response: "I though they were going to run the ball."
Honestly, I have been putting a lot of time and energy into this kid over the past few weeks. He initially just played offense for us, but wouldn't learn the offense, so he decided to become a 2 way player and play DB as well.
What do I do?? After yesterday, I am ready to write the kid off.
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Post by liberalhater on Sept 26, 2008 9:05:08 GMT -6
Coach, He is is a sophomore. The light hasnt gone on yet. WAY TO EARLY to give up on him.
May I also suggest he may not be a safety. Maybe DE or linebacker is where he belongs. Especially if he is that big already.
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Post by silkyice on Sept 26, 2008 10:01:50 GMT -6
Coach,
This is easy. Put someone ahead of him until he does it right.
Don't write him off, just don't play him until he gets it.
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Post by coachcb on Sept 26, 2008 11:18:37 GMT -6
I have a lot kids ahead of him right now; he hasn't moved up the depth chart at all. I have told him on several occasions that he would be on top of the depth if he would just pay attention to me and play the position the way he needs to play it. He doesn't see much playing time because he messes up all of the reps he gets in practice. He gets a lot of individual attention from me; but it just doesn't soak in.
Its become a perpetually negative cycle; he knows he's more athletic than the fellows ahead of him, but he doesn't play because he won't be coached. Even with all of the individual attention I give him; he still doesn't listen and he thinks he should be starting.
dcohio:
I have sat down with him and watched the varsity guys practice (all state safeties); great teaching tool for everyone else, but his head was up his -colorful expletive)-. I am getting to the point where I am tired of putting in all of the time with the kid. I feel like it's detracting from those kids ahead of him that know their position and want to be coached.
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Post by phantom on Sept 26, 2008 11:34:59 GMT -6
I have a sophomore safety this year that's big, strong fast, and aggressive. Honestly, he's the size of a DE but fast enough to play SS for me. However, he is honestly the one of the most UNCOACHABLE players I have ever had. He pays absolutely no attention during drills or to 1-1 instruction. I dumbed down the terminology for him (WAYY DOWN), we work on one simple skill at a time with him, I give him solid, simple cue words, and then he goes out and does what ever he wants. I am very patient with the kid; I praise him when he shows effort and aggression and correct his mistakes calmly (again- using simple verbage). The closest I get to being negative with him was to explain to him that he had the physical tools to play for me, but that he needed to pay attention to me and start being coachable. I told him point blank that he wouldn't play much at any level if he doesn't know our defense. For example, yesterday, we are living in C2 during a team period, I have gone over everything he needs to do in C2 daily (and have just gone over it with him before throwing him in). I tell him he needs to align 12 yards off the ball, directly over top of the #47 (our TE- like I said, dumbed down), to backpedal to the hash at the snap (showed him what the hash was) and to keep backpedaling deep. I didn't talk about the zone he was responsible for or what he should be looking at; just wanted him to get deep and stay deep. I am standing on the sideline and I watch him line-up 5 yards off the ball (LB depth), 4 yards outside of the #47, and takes two hops forward at the snap and the blitzes (we don't have a safety blitz in). They run #47 straight down the seam and score. I pull him out, look him straight in the eye, and calmly ask him why he did what he did. His response: "I though they were going to run the ball." Honestly, I have been putting a lot of time and energy into this kid over the past few weeks. He initially just played offense for us, but wouldn't learn the offense, so he decided to become a 2 way player and play DB as well. What do I do?? After yesterday, I am ready to write the kid off. Not only is the size of a DE, he may be a DE not a SS. |
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Post by coachcb on Sept 26, 2008 12:49:36 GMT -6
sounds like you are doing all you can. I definitely wouldn't take instruction time from others to work this kid. Perhaps playing him on scout team and coaching him up then. Bottom line...if he ain't getting it, then he ain't getting it and he can't play. Like Phantom says maybe he's just not a safety. Is a Zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes? Don't try to over define him, find out what he can do well and be successful at and play him there. Heck I've got an OLB who won't contain a stitch, coached, coached and coached...still...inside, so rather than beat my head against the wall...I just play him on the weakside and coached the 5 tech to keep contain. It was either that, replace him or beat my head against the wall trying to get him to do it the way I wanted. Sometimes you have to coach around them. I have been debating about getting him moved down to DE, or even DT for that matter. I think it'll be an easy sell for him once he gets into position. Thanks for all the input fellas. |
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Post by 19delta on Sept 26, 2008 13:24:24 GMT -6
Had a kid a couple of years ago just like this guy...big, fast, strong, tough. Kid was dumber than a bag of hair, though. Couldn't read a key, didn't comprehend coverages...linebacker was simply too complex for him. We put him at DT and the kid turned in an all-Area season.
Put kids in a position to be successful. If the kid still doesn't do it right, at that point, it is on him. But the kid sounds like he has enough talent to contribute somewhere on the field. Find where that spot is.
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Post by coachorr on Sept 27, 2008 8:58:27 GMT -6
DCOHIO gave me some great advice once and said the following:
He can't do it.
He won't do it.
You haven't taught him.
I would say it is either one or two, and either way he is not doing it. So, it is time to move him to another spot or flush him. Kids are crazy, for all we know he is doing these things because he likes the negative attention.
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Post by coachcb on Sept 27, 2008 9:07:36 GMT -6
DCOHIO gave me some great advice once and said the following: He can't do it. He won't do it. You haven't taught him. I would say it is either one or two, and either way he is not doing it. So, it is time to move him to another spot or flush him. Kids are crazy, for all we know he is doing these things because he likes the negative attention. I always lean towards "you haven't taught him"; when I get these kinds of kids I take it as a personal challenge. I dip deep into my baggy of sports psych. tricks and try to find anything that will get the kid to learn the scheme. Until last week, I figured I just hadn't hit the right button with this kid. But, if he is going to do the complete opposite of what I JUST asked of him, than I am done with it. It's a "he won't"situation, will see if "he won't" at DE this week. |
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Post by coachorr on Sept 27, 2008 9:41:29 GMT -6
I think the good coaches take it as a challenge when kids can't do it and take it personally when kids won't do it. In other words, if a kid won't do it, I am going to give him the choice to do it, over and over and over and over again. If there is another kid who is doing it, then I will start the other kid, but I won't give up until he comes to Jesus and realizes our way as a team is the right way.
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Post by coachd5085 on Sept 27, 2008 9:46:31 GMT -6
Sounds like he is simply unaware of his surroundings. He views the game as 11 people doing their own thing, rather than 11 people working together to do ONE thing.
I agree with those who say move him. Confine his space (ie..put him on the line). Give him quality reps where he has ONE thing immediately to do, and that will NOT allow him to be conflicted. Perhaps a pass rush specialist as a soph. He goes in, his job is to get to the QB. It is NOT contain, it is NOT to play screen..he simply gets to the QB. If he is as physically gifted as you say, then you could certainly develop a situation where players less gifted than he is can do those things.
Remember, ultimately the kid WANTS to help the team. He wanted to make a tackle when he thought they were going to run. It is your job to make sure he realizes it is 11 people working together to achieve a goal. When coaching college, I did a good many drills without a ball, because we read schemes as a front 7. I didn't need a ball involved to see if the kids were fitting properly. They didn't need a ball involved to read a line scheme.
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Post by coachcb on Sept 27, 2008 9:56:35 GMT -6
I think the good coaches take it as a challenge when kids can't do it and take it personally when kids won't do it. In other words, if a kid won't do it, I am going to give him the choice to do it, over and over and over and over again. If there is another kid who is doing it, then I will start the other kid, but I won't give up until he comes to Jesus and realizes our way as a team is the right way. That's kind of where I have been at over the past few weeks. But, it's just not working; he keeps slipping lower and lower on the depth chart each week. It's not doing anyone any good to get him reps at safety anymore. As coachd said; he needs one simple assignment for now; he will be our long yardage Rush DE from here on out. We'll give him that assignment for now; if he flourishes there and learns the rest of the position, he'll be an every down kid. |
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Post by buck42 on Sept 27, 2008 12:48:13 GMT -6
If he is that aggressive then he might be a DE or an OLB type player anyway...just because he runs fast does not mean that he is a DB...of our 3 fastest kids in the program 2 play OLB because they are so aggressive...we have another that is on of our top 5 fastest kids that plays WDE...FWIW...good luck...
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Post by coachorr on Sept 27, 2008 13:26:43 GMT -6
CB, yeah it sounds as if you are doing everything you can. Just keep it up.
One thing I tell kids, to the team and not to the individual, but to the team. "If a coach is constantly talking to you and correcting you, it's because he wants to you to get better, and he knows that you have the potential to be better. Coaches coach the kids they really care about.... when you need to get worried if the coach cares is when he doesn't ever say anything to you."
Just a comment addressed to the team that usually hits home to those guys who either get down on themselves when criticized or who don't think the coach has the kid's best interest at heart.
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Post by tothehouse on Sept 27, 2008 16:45:04 GMT -6
put him at nose guard and let him do three things. Slant strong or weak or take the center on heads up.
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Post by coachcb on Sept 27, 2008 17:52:44 GMT -6
put him at nose guard and let him do three things. Slant strong or weak or take the center on heads up. The problem is, I would rep those 3 things with until it was child abuse. Then the kid would go out and bail into a deep 1/2 at the snap.  |
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