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Post by coachsky on Oct 27, 2008 12:54:57 GMT -6
So we are coming into the final game, we've clinched the league title and state playoff seeding. Outcome of game on Friday has no bearing on the playoffs.
Our game Friday is the first ever meeting against a neighboring district school. Prior to this year they have been in the North, us in the South. This will be our first football game against them in the 11 years of our school. When our school opened, most of the families went to that other school. Our kids have played youth football, and Jr High football against those guys, they want the win badly.
We have a couple of coaches that want to rest all of our top players and are not concerned with a victory or how we play. They want to spend the next ten day prepping for our first playoff game.
Some of us want to give them a strong half of football and try to bury them and then use back ups if we get up by a couple scores. We want the win, and we know it means a lot to our kids. I am Kay at spending a lot of time this week on our playoff opponent, but I don't want to blow off this upcoming game. Their a good team. They just missed the playoffs and our game will be their playoff.
What would you do?
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Post by levydisciple on Oct 27, 2008 13:51:52 GMT -6
Coach, I would prepare for your rival game. You should always prepare for the very next game, as a lot of coaches are fond of saying. Not only that, but a win over your rival would give a boost to your program and a psychological boost to your players (I would think almost 100% of your players would show up for practice next week. Nobody wants to miss out if you have a big game over your rival).
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Post by levydisciple on Oct 27, 2008 13:53:16 GMT -6
Coach, I would prepare for your rival game. You should always prepare for the very next game, as a lot of coaches are fond of saying. Not only that, but a win over your rival would give a boost to your program and a psychological boost to your players (I would think almost 100% of your players would show up for practice next week. Nobody wants to miss out if you have a big game over your rival).
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Post by rideanddecide on Oct 27, 2008 13:58:19 GMT -6
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Post by coachsky on Oct 27, 2008 14:52:32 GMT -6
I love Herman Edwards and that's a great clip. But these guys I am coaching with are adamant that this game means nothing.
We only have one loss this year. (22-28 in OT) It was to a non-league team. Going into that game we rested 4 guys who were dinged up, We also went with a reduced offense and defensive game plan because we didn't want to show much. The following week we beat the standing three time league champions without our D-1 all league runningback.
These guys are convinced the only reason we won our league game was because of our strategy in the non league game. I think we could have one both and been unbeaten and ranked going into the playoffs.
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Post by coachd5085 on Oct 27, 2008 15:49:40 GMT -6
beardc--when I saw the title of the thread, that is exactly what went through my mind. I came here to post that very quote..but the written word can't do Herm justice.
PLAY to win THE game.
U might want to bring up the momentum the NY football Giants gained when they played balls out against the Pats last year in week 17..
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Post by poweriguy on Oct 27, 2008 19:07:40 GMT -6
You never want to go into the playoffs on a downer. Play to win the game.
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Post by Yash on Oct 27, 2008 20:04:33 GMT -6
Don't give the kids an excuse to lose. I think that if you lose that game with your back ups the kids will say oh that didn't matter we played our back ups. Play to win. Maybe get your other guys in but your starters have to play and you have to play to win.
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Post by thunder17 on Oct 27, 2008 20:12:56 GMT -6
Have you guy's watched a Chiefs game this year? Herm stinks. That being said, Play To Win The Game.
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Post by Wingtman on Oct 28, 2008 9:54:43 GMT -6
agree. Pile it on early, get the starters out after the first series in the 3rd quarter. Play up the "playoff like" atmosphere. You can still prep for the playoffs by showing one or two offensive sets during team d or the front during team o.
My senior year we practiced against the counter trey all year. We never knew that our coach had been preping us for our big district game since two a days. We killed that play and went on to make a nice run in the post-season
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Post by Coach JR on Oct 28, 2008 10:03:14 GMT -6
I guess ultimately the strategy will be up to the HC. I can see both sides of it, and playing to win the game seems like the best deal as far as teaching your kids what's important. But it can wind up a tough deal for the coach too if you get your QB (or some other big time player) hurt in a meaningless game right before playoffs. I'd say practice to win the game, play to win, but don't take any wild chances on getting people hurt, and get your starters out as early as possible.
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Post by lochness on Oct 28, 2008 10:11:43 GMT -6
To mirror what's already been said 2389547598374 times: "The only game that matters is THIS week's game..."
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Post by phantom on Oct 28, 2008 10:40:57 GMT -6
Win. Maybe you can peak ahead and throw a few things into the game plan and prep for next week but you always try to win.
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Post by bucksweepdotcom on Oct 28, 2008 11:49:49 GMT -6
Bang up your crosstown rival! Don't even let your kids think about the playoffs until it is playoff week!
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Post by coachsky on Oct 28, 2008 12:57:20 GMT -6
A little more background information.
Our success is predicated on a high powered offense. We rely on 4 pretty special athletes to accomplish that. If one of them goes down, we are way less effective.
The Rival team is a Wing-T team, our playoff path goes through three spread teams. We have a lot of work to do to improve pass coverage and blitz packages to compete against those spread teams.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2008 15:55:54 GMT -6
Is that an exact count, loch. I only want accurate info ;D
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Post by airraider on Oct 28, 2008 19:03:19 GMT -6
Ok, I'll say it.. let your JV team play the game..
Get your kids ready to play that playoff game..
No reason risking injury when you have already accomplished your regular season goal.
Just my thoughts.
But then again.. I have a buddy whose team once threw a game thinking it would help his playoff seeding.. and it ended up biting them in the arse.
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Post by coachpoe on Oct 28, 2008 21:08:25 GMT -6
anybody see the Giants/Patriots game at the end of the last season. Everyone was saying the Giants should rest all their starters for the playoffs since they had nothing to gain from the game. Instead Coughlin played the starters, the Giants almost won and gained a lot of confidence and momentum heading into the playoffs.
Coachsky, you may not be playing a top team, like the example, but it is still a crosstown rival. I am sure this game means a lot to the kids and they want to go out and win. I say play to win and carry that confidence and momentum you have already built up into the playoffs. Don't end the regular season on a low note.
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