how many of you assistants have a say?

I am an assistant (had been an OC for almost 15 years), but I have a ton of say in offensive, defensive, and special teams personnel and strategy.

I think it's just a matter of how hard have you worked "knowing your stuff"...how much do you know about our systems and how much do you know about our opponent (scouting, film study, etc)...

I have found that the more I know, the more my opinion has been valued and even actively solicited (ie: my head coach EXPECTS me to bring a lot to the table).

When I came to my current school I asked the HC what he coached. Figuring he'd answer with "I'm the QB coach and LBs on defense". He looked at me and said, "everything". I said to myself, "okay, I get it".

For the longest time he was overbearing and controlled too much, I thought. This is year 10 (17 overall) for me and each year he has loosened the grip. To the point of letting me come up with the defensive game plan. Giving up control of a plan? Unheard of a few years ago. I think trust is a huge factor. After all, the HC's name is in the paper when we win or lose. I have NO problem with a HC that wants it "his way". After all, it's HIS TEAM. The best HC's can use the best of both worlds. Take what the assistants offer and apply it to the team as he sees fit.

On a funny note. We (the assistants) have a running joke. Whenver we offer a great idea for the squad the HC seems to take credit for the idea. We think this is hilarious when he claims that the idea is his. We laugh it off, but that might irk some guys. "Hey, I'm the one who came up with that fake punt, but he is staking claim to it". We howl....and then call him on it..."great idea coach" with a lot of sarcasm.

I create defensive game plan, I present it every Sunday and get a lot of what if's... did you consider.... which i appreciate. We decide personell together I won't put a second team kid w/o him knowing it first. The starting Qb is my Free (his son) I usally want to rest him and he says no.... Offensively, we talk protections and running game, occasionally I might suggest a pass play but that is his baby so I tread lightly here. on game day he really doesn't want to hear much from me and says absolutely nothing to me during the game except we gotta stop'em here which I usually reply No Chit ;D

All of our assistants have a say, some more than others...

At the end of the day, we all can have our opinions, but our HC makes the final call.

I'm a DC. I make up a preliminary game plan which is subject to discussion at our staff meeting. There are rarely major changes but I do not have nor do I expect carte blanche.

As for subbing, I can sub at my positions but generally within parameters. At the meeting we agree on rotation subs who can go in at an any time, injury subs who can play a series or two in a pinch, and 40/40 guys. The HC has veto power over any subs. Within a game there may be a brief, quiet exchange over the matter but substantial discussions will be saved for staff meetings.

Until my assistants have earned my trust I am in charge of everything. Sorry in Iowa HS FB assistants do not get fired for losing, but head coach does....earn my trust and I still have the final say...

I believe a head coach needs to be teaching his assistants how to run his systems. This means showing the ins and outs of the offense and defense. This means going over 'hypothetical' game plans. How your offense attacks the 44 or 33. How your defense defends the wing T or zone read. White board like crazy. I've worked with far too many HCs that hand you a packet and go over the basics but never really show you how to RUN the offense or defense.

In most situations I have worked in, assistants have input as long as it's intelligent input. The coordinator or HC will listen to the input on the game plan, but they're the ones that make the final call.

Far too many times, I have worked with guys who think that reading the first chapter of "Football For Dummies" and watching an NFL game every other week make them a coach. Assistants are either assets or not, those that aren't don't last long on the staff.

jgordon, read my post again. i said in IOWA HS assistants typically do not get let go, headers do...before you try to "pick me apart" learn to read a post.

And great, you have a "pedigree" in coaching...good for you, but does that mean I can trust you? Trust is earned with me period. I do not give you responsibility until you prove you can handle it and that I can trust you to handle it. I run my systems on offense and defense, also run my systems in all special teams situations. You either learn my stuff, or you get left behind. Sorry, I do things my way. Pretty sure that is why I got hired to begin with...

As an OL/DL coach last year (1st assistant job in 30 years) I had a great amount of input as did the other assistant coaches. I did feel that the head coach did not curb some of the input as he only coached one side of the ball essentially. I think that it could lead to him catching a lot of flack from the patrons and possibly administration.

As a head coach I always gave my assistants input but I had the final say in what we did. Once we knew, as coaches that we couldn't win the game, and all of my assistants said lets go double tight wishbone and run time off the clock and keep the ball away from our opponents. I felt that this would probably get some of our backs hurt as I explained to them. Instead we installed a shotgun quick passing game, everything was catch the ball and throw it. We ended up completing 30 out of 60 pasees for over 350 yards and got beat 35 to 65. We got no one hurt and controlled the ball to some degree as our opponent rushed for over 600 yards to our 9 on 9 carries. That was one time I over ruled what my assistants wanted to do. In most cases we would incorporate some of the things the assistants wanted to do.

Usually I would chime right in here agreeing with you. However, I believe (could be wrong) that Knighter's coaching situation is pretty different than most of ours. It must be EXTREMELY hard to develop a program with the type of turnover he has (alternative school setting with students enrolled in various short term length programs).

I have been coaching offensive line for a long time and since I am not a college coach at a clinic charging $5,000 anything I say has no validity. And we are talking basic answers to problems. "Don't break the wrist when snapping the football". "Utilize a snap count, don't always go on gun cadence". "When Trapping, have the trapper cross the nose of the football using the same shoulder inside out". "When slide protecting, give up some ground keeping your shoulders square and engaging the man, one man over." "The tackle you are sliding to needs to kick-slide and give up a lot of ground cutting off any speed rush and giving up ground to any twist coming his way". "Can't completely turn you shoulders and toe when taking a gap step". Against a 35 team, the BSG needs to knock the center off the nose and get him in the playside A gap when running inside and outside zone". "An NCAA route is good to run when backers are clearing the middle of the field on a blitz". "Dig Seam is a great combo when the corners in cover three are over playing the fade". The list goes on.

I don't let it bother me; however, because I am not around that much as I am coaching a lower grade program this year (meaning I am only there on Friday nights and occasionally for some meetings) and the coaches who are there are really good guys with a lot of good knowledge. Maybe in time, my comments will resinate, I just have to be careful to not be too cumbersome.

Hopefully, I am speaking gospel truths and as we attend more clinics other more reputable coaches will bring up these nuances and some of my points will be validated; I am just happy to be part of the varisty program to some degree, because that is all I have ever known. I just will keep putting my time in.

I'm the DC, and I hope that the defensive assistants know that their input is crucial. I'm fortunate to have 3 great guys with me. All of them are former offensive guys, all 3 are sharp guys, and I do respect their opinions. One is a great veer guy, so I like his input on that, another was a college OL coach with great vision of that aspect. The other guy is a very, very good technique guy.

I try to get input, but I know that I'm responsible to the head guy for what happens. When we lose (and fortunately it's not a lot) I'm the one who hears about it, about wrong calls, about what we missed, etc. And I know that I'm not about to say, "well that was his idea." The way I see it, if the other guys make a suggestion and I go with it, then it's their idea if it works and my idea if it doesn't. I'm a believer that if you don't shelter the other assistants from some of the scrutiny, you'll lose their input entirely.

We have, for example, one blitz that one coach thinks is a very solid blitz. Another assistant thinks it's bad--can't stand it. If I call that stunt then you risk the chance that the one guy feels that you didn't value his input. If you don't call it then the other guy may feel like that.

How do you handle that situation? It's easy--if you're the one making the call, you have to run what you think is best. I know WHY the one guy likes it. I know WHY the other guy doesn't. I know how and when I like it. I'd say I run it halfway between how often the one guy would want it and how rarely the other guy likes it. But I run it when I think it's right.

As for our head coach, I wouldn't say he LETS us have input in everything. I would say he EXPECTS us to have input. Great leader. He doesn't expect to have to tell you to do it right. He expects you to do it right.