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Post by hlb2 on Jun 1, 2009 20:09:28 GMT -6
How many of you have ever had teams like this? Were you able to overcome it? If so, how did you? Are there things you can incorporate into drills that will help? I think it's more mental than anything to be honest, but I'm no expert. I was watching the Softball World Series this weekend and heard the analyst talk about Michigan and last season they were unable to finish games, and lost a lot of close ones in the last innings. They went on to state that this season they had this season was different in that they were winning those close ones and had won several after being down early and then coming from behind. The announcer stated that the coaches during practice would go into situations, and the team was not allowed to leave practice until they won that situation. How do you feel about this mentality incorporated into high school football? I see where it could work, but I've never dealt with teams that did not finish, so I'm at a loss. Any ideas?
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byuwolverine
Junior Member
Life is a game of inches --- Add them up in any aspect and there is your outcome.
Posts: 285
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Post by byuwolverine on Jun 1, 2009 20:21:37 GMT -6
I personally think it is the execution of the fundamentals. Great play cannot be sustained by an above average team for a whole game. Focus on the execution i.e. if you run the bootleg, perfect it. Not finishing can be as simple as the backside guard that is pulled on a boot not getting a good block on the support player thus the QB making an errant throw and stopping the drive.
Fundamentals baby, they can be made fun to practice but it is our job as coaches to spice the drills up through our coaching to translate to the players.
When we are not playing to our potential, we go back to the basics and perfect them. No sense running 3 different counter plays and 5 boots off them if you cant execute.
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Post by morris on Jun 1, 2009 20:52:59 GMT -6
I thinkwhat they were refering to is teaching through games and game like conditions. Teaching in game strategy is common in a number of sports. It is drills that force player to think strategically while excuting.
There is a ton of teams that never practice under game conditions. That is something Bill Walsh is always mentioned with. They practiced plays under the conditions they would be used. "The Catch" was practiced. Put your players in key conditions and practice using down and distance on everything you can. If done correctly your players develop a been there, done that time of feeling.
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Post by hlb2 on Jun 2, 2009 5:25:25 GMT -6
Yes, that's exactly what I was looking for morris. I think we've been guilty of just that! I like situational drills, but building them into practice is not easy, does anybody have any suggestions on how to do this. Keep in mind I have a small staff (5 coaches plus myself).
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Jun 2, 2009 5:51:58 GMT -6
HLB2
Yes it can be a hard transition from what you may be doing now, but you have to commit yourself to do it. If you have never been a part of practice run in this manner you may want to get in contact with a local college and get a practice plan from them. In my eyes this method of practice can be highly effective and is not difficult to manage once you get in the groove.
The easiest way to implement this is within your practice format. Segment periods for drilling your 3&10+, 3&Medium, 3&short, Goalline, coming out, 2min etc each week. Tell the kids the situation, and practice them.
It forces you as a coordinator to put some thought into your practice playcalling, not just shooting from the hip. Every minute/every play of practice will be scripted and and most of the time you will stay on course.
This helps you come game time when you have practiced specific plays during the week to fit that situation. You come into the game with you, your staff, and most importantly the kids knowing EXACTLY what the 2pt play(s) are, what are the 2-3 3+Long plays, etc...
Hope this helps
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Post by morris on Jun 2, 2009 6:56:55 GMT -6
Slack's Matrix drill is an example of teaching strategy through games/drills.
One drill we do is a 3rd and med drill (7-9yds). We work 1/3rd of the field and work a concept like curl flat or the likes. So we get 3 recs and 4 DBs and just work the play. The defense knows they need to prevent the 1st down and the offense is trying to get it. It helps our defense get into the mindset of understanding where the marker is and keeping things in front. The offense works on taking what is there and placing themselves in a position to make the 1st by catching it past the marker or getting it through YAC. It has helped our kids learn that they have to get up the field now after the catch. Our QBs have stopped trying to force the ball to the guy past the marker. We also talk about even if we do not get the 1st we might get ourselves in a position to go for it.
When working on defense use your scouting report on the other team. That week your defense goes against the plays they like to run on certain down and distances, formations, etc. Keep ponding it into there head through them seeing the play(s) over and over that you condition the response you need for that week. Also put your guys in tougher than real game positions.
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Post by Coach Bennett on Jun 2, 2009 7:03:55 GMT -6
I would put all of the aforementioned ideas before this one but another reason why teams perpetually can't seem to get it done after a good start is because they run out of gas.
You have to create an attitude within your team that they own the 4th quarter and one part of owning it is seeing the other team with their heads lowered and hands on their knees.
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Post by jpdaley25 on Jun 2, 2009 8:55:29 GMT -6
Another reason teams don't finish is because they are young and inexperienced. They get ahead and then let up. They get behind and let up. They can't maintain a high level of intensity and the other team grabs the momentum. We did everything we could think of in practice to overcome this, but in the end, our kids had to learn the hard lessons and we just had to wait for them to grow up. Patience is the hardest thing for a football coach to have, but sometimes it's required. (The team I am refering to had 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 17 sophomores and 3 freshmen.)
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Post by jpdaley25 on Jun 2, 2009 8:57:36 GMT -6
One of those seniors, two of those juniors, and 10 of those sophomores were first year players.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jun 2, 2009 11:55:20 GMT -6
I was in a similar situation.. Had only 3 seniors start and had 16 sophomores/freshmen play... We took our lumps and could not finish... Not a matter of "Not wanting" but not able.
We commited to the weight room since 12/1/2008 and the kids are a different team... Bigger, stronger and are developing that "edge". They have more confidence.
I believe that challenging your players in the off-season and having high expectations for them helps with this as well.
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