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Post by mariner42 on Jan 21, 2010 11:09:25 GMT -6
So we're potentially hiring a new head coach soon, which is cool. I'm looking forward to the solidity it'll bring to our program, which has basically been on a kind of temporary status since last April. The leading candidate is a guy that's accomplished a whole lot, is a proven winner, and has pretty specific plans to make our program one of the best around. I'm really stoked on that.
BUT, I believe part of his very specific plan is to change our defense. For those who may not be aware, this year was my first as our DC and I worked my butt off to design and implement our scheme. We had good, almost great, results (#2 D in our league, #6 D in tri-county area) with reason to believe we're only going to get better next year. I'm pretty invested in this scheme, since it's kind of my brainchild of sorts. I've spent a good deal of time arguing and convincing myself of the positive aspects of our scheme (I'm not a native 3-4 guy).
Should the new guy want to change to 'his' scheme, am I out of line for wanting to pitch my scheme? Is it weird that I'm bummed on the idea of not getting to run 'my' scheme? If he insists, I'm obviously gonna do what he says, but at this point, I've got some pretty solid ideas about how I want to do things and how things should go.
Have any of you been in this kind of situation where the scheme you're asked to run is different from what you'd like to do? What did you do? How did it work for you?
I'm gonna sell out on what I'm doing either way, but I just want to know other people's opinion.
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lyons
Sophomore Member
Posts: 164
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Post by lyons on Jan 21, 2010 11:14:32 GMT -6
Just tell him you understand if he wants to change but some consistency in the program will benefit the kids. Plus you have had some success. Show him film and the stats and what you have coming back. The worst he can say is no and you know you did your best to show him that it could benefit the program
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mce86
Junior Member
Posts: 281
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Post by mce86 on Jan 21, 2010 11:15:24 GMT -6
You can pitch the idea, and also combine your ideas with his to ideally get better ideas! If he doesnt like it, then be the best coordinator of his defense there is!
I was an O-coordinator, but I wouldnt even run my old offense now that ive learned a new scheme...you may feel the same way..in addition, the "new D" will only add to all the schemes you can master and implement to shut down future opponents. Good luck.
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Post by touchdownmaker on Jan 21, 2010 11:54:58 GMT -6
Yes, he should have full say over "his" scheme, afterall, its "his" job that will be on the line when they evaluate "his" program.
should he be willing to LISTEN if you try to sell him on YOUR ideas? absolutely, but dont make it personal if he says "this is what WE will do and I need YOUR full support".
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Post by seawolf93 on Jan 21, 2010 12:27:43 GMT -6
I probably have a different perspective on this as I am not a football coach by vocation, but this is similar to the situation I am in right now. I recently joined a company in a group leadership capacity, and I'm dealing with a bunch of things that a new head coach would deal with. My 2 cents:
My first order of business was to evaluate the team we have in place-- the folks that really stood out were people who:
1. Recognized that change was coming.
2. Had a perspective on what needed to change and what could stay the same.
3. Proactively came to me and provided honest, fact-based assessments and/or recommendations.
4. Supported the decisions I made based on the mandate I have, experience I bring and the facts they presented.
I would think that the new HC would appreciate a staff member who was extremely prepared, organized, engaged and invested in the program. I would also think that the new HC would appreciate staff that gets on board with his vision. The trick for you will be to sell your vision such that it becomes the HC's vision.
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Post by easye17 on Jan 21, 2010 12:42:32 GMT -6
I say when you talk to him, respectfully make your pitch, if it doesn't work - be a good soldier.
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Post by coachbdud on Jan 21, 2010 12:47:39 GMT -6
I understand where you are at right now.
You should sit down with him, and explain to him that your a team guy, and at the end of the day you will do whatever it is he wants.
But make your pitch, show him your scheme, i would imagine you have a defensive playbook, with individual position manuals and such. Sit him down and show him YOUR defense. Explain your philosophy to him. If he buys in then great, if he still wants to run HIS D, then you have to respect that and move on... It could be a good learning opportunity for you
Rememebr, you said in your original post that you didnt always know the 3-4, it was something it took you a long time to learn and perfect. Now you will be learning something new and the same thing can happen. You will pick up a lot of new information , and be a bettwe coach for it
But i still say you try to have a talk with him about your scheme...
Remember, closed mouths dont get fed
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Post by phantom on Jan 21, 2010 12:59:51 GMT -6
Another reason to present your scheme is that it may help convince him to keep you as his DC. A new HC is under no obligation to keep you as his DC just because you had the job last year. If you make a well-organized, thoughtful presentation that may not convince him to use your system but may show him that you can handle the DC job.
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Post by k on Jan 21, 2010 13:19:43 GMT -6
If he doesnt like it, then be the best coordinator of his defense there is! IMO if you're not running YOUR offense you're not really the coordinator just the playcaller. |
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Post by touchdownmaker on Jan 21, 2010 13:22:46 GMT -6
This sounds harsh but its probably not any different for the kids, might be a kid who played tailback the year before that has to become the slot back this year under the new coach. Doesnt matter if that kid was the leading rusher in the conference etc.
"ITS NOT ABOUT YOU" applies to coaches as well as players.
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Post by mariner42 on Jan 21, 2010 13:33:15 GMT -6
"ITS NOT ABOUT YOU" applies to coaches as well as players. Agreed. I feel lame for being hesitant to doing what a proven winner asks me to do, but, like I said, I'm heavily invested in this and seeing the amount of work I've put in go out the window would be unfortunate. Phantom, that's good advice and I need to keep in mind that he's not obligated to keep me as the DC at all. Thanks folks, there's been a bunch of good points made. |
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Post by redandwhite on Jan 21, 2010 13:55:17 GMT -6
As a HC, I would want to hear what the returning coaches are passionate about. When I came to my current job, I interviewed all of the coaches who were wanting to stay on staff. When I interviewed the incumbent DC, the first, and almost the only, question in the interview wasn't even a question, but "try to sell me on what you would run as the DC." I learned everything I needed to know - his passion, his knowledge, his thoroughness and his ability to teach. With only a few minor adjustments that we collaborated on, we ran the defense he had been running. Ironically, two years later we made a wholesale change to the 3-4 anyway. If the new HC asks you to interview and doesn't take a similar approach, I would advise that you ask him for the opportunity - if nothing else it will also show your inititive.
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Post by touchdownmaker on Jan 21, 2010 13:56:49 GMT -6
LEARNING A NEW DEFENSE might be a real plus.
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lyons
Sophomore Member
Posts: 164
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Post by lyons on Jan 21, 2010 14:15:29 GMT -6
Phantom has brought up a great idea. prove to him that you can be a quality DC
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Post by Coach Huey on Jan 21, 2010 14:20:56 GMT -6
If he doesnt like it, then be the best coordinator of his defense there is! IMO if you're not running YOUR offense you're not really the coordinator just the playcaller. no... a coordinator coordinates ... sets up the practice schedules, the install schedules, develops game plans, etc. etc. i didn't invent the 4-3, so if i'm a 4-3 coach is that "my" defense? isn't cover 2 pretty much cover 2? or is it "my" cover 2? coordinate means to organize, plan, order, arrange, tie things together.... if one is doing that they are the coordinator... regardless if they are the playcaller or not. playcaller is merely one who calls the plays. |
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Post by captain31 on Jan 22, 2010 12:07:43 GMT -6
"ITS NOT ABOUT YOU" applies to coaches as well as players. I'm heavily invested in this and seeing the amount of work I've put in go out the window would be unfortunate. Mariner- Just because you are running a different defense doesn't mean your work is out the window. Can you use principles from your old D? Did you learn while developing it? Does your philosophy really have to change? Could you use it at some point down the road (current or future job)? Just because you are running something else doesn't mean your old D is wiped off the face of the earth. It is good that you said you are going to sell out on way or the other. If he tells you to do things his way, do that and incorporate what you know into it so you can put your kids in the best position possible. If he allows you to do it your way, learn what you can from him and his success to put your kids in the best position possible. |
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Post by jgordon1 on Jan 22, 2010 12:47:47 GMT -6
From listening to guys on this board..any HC would be lucky to have a committed guy on his staff..any committed guy..defense is shed..pursuit and tackle..get it done..from what I rememebr from your previous posts..you are a one gap guy...hate to say this but..it's all pretty much the same....if the coach is adamant about running his defense (if you are dc) well after time..if you are successful..well it just kinda morphs into another thing....started as a G guy..got into some under and now using some over principles..nothing has changed..it's all just dots on a piece of paper...get your dots bigger, faster stronger and moving quickly in the correct direction
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Post by touchdownmaker on Jan 22, 2010 13:06:28 GMT -6
I admit, Id drop over to have a guy on staff who really knew his defense inside and out and believed in it so passionately that he came to me to teach it to me ....but Id be doubly excited to have a guy that knew my defense and wanted to run it. Call it what you want but the head coach picks the schemes unless he chooses to give that to his assistants.
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Post by calicoachh on Jan 22, 2010 14:08:28 GMT -6
i agree with what has been said, you have to run what the head caoch wants to run, however, if he is planning on changing the offesne, then unless totally needed, changing both side s of the ball is really rough on the kids.
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Post by outlawjoseywales on Jan 22, 2010 16:43:40 GMT -6
JG, so THAT'S my problem my "dots" aren't fast enough, I knew there was something I was missing.  Commenting on something Coach "the boss" Huey said. I was on a staff years ago where I had to coordinate both sides of the football. Literally, the HC (chosen before I got there) knew nothing much at all about football. I know, I know, I should have run, but I'm WAY too stupid for that) Anyway, I coordinated everything. I was my offense and defense that was on the field. The kids knew how ran the program. Get this, I had to teach the HC the plays as I was teaching the kids the plays, just nuts. Anyway, he refused to allow me to be the OC, insisted on calling the plays himself. It did indeed, end badly. Coach Huey said it, Coordinator does all those things, the playcaller may not be coordinating anything-just calling plays. First time I'd ever been in a mess like that and hopefully, the last time. OJW |
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Post by lukethadrifter on Jan 22, 2010 17:30:36 GMT -6
If this new HC is worth his salt, then he will evaluate the entire situation (film, kids, etc...) before totally scrapping something. It must be said that if your defense was that good, then they would probably be pretty good in any scheme. It is ultimately the HC's job that is on the line, but he should also know that he will only be as good as his staff. And a big part of that is everybody feeling important and needed. If he has been very successful as a HC in the past, then I wouldn't worry too much. I would work my tail off and see what happens.
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Post by phantom on Jan 22, 2010 18:14:08 GMT -6
It is ultimately the HC's job that is on the line, but he should also know that he will only be as good as his staff. And a big part of that is everybody feeling important and Everybody says that but assistants get fired too. |
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Post by mariner42 on Jan 30, 2010 15:48:07 GMT -6
Update: Hired the guy, we've had preliminary talks and I'll get the opportunity to argue for keeping our scheme from last year. He's already seen a bunch of film from last year and likes what we did, but has already thrown out some of the ideas I've had for next year (specifically 2-gapping, time to go back to the drawing board).
All in all, positive stuff.
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Post by thakatalyst on Jan 30, 2010 18:04:51 GMT -6
Many people choose to become head coaches because they want to do things their way. Not all will think THEIR way is the BEST way, just the way they know best. Just feel lucky that you still have a job and that the guy is willing to listen to input. I went from one regime to another only once in my career. The head coach came in and switched up our entire scheme in all facets of the game not because he felt it was necessarily better, but because it was what he knew.
This same head coach also made me the defensive coordinator a year later and said: "Let's spill the ball outside and allow our athletes to make plays in space. Find the best way to do that and sell it to me." I studied the 4-3 and we ran it. It was the defense he wanted to run and I coordinated ALL aspects of it. If we weren't tackling well, he told me to find a way to fix it. We used more tackling circuits. If we were giving up too many yards between the tackles, he told me to find the solution. I found the under. He told me I was gambling too much with pressures, I sold him on zone blitzing.
Head coaches want loyal guys who will do what they are asked...that doesn't mean being a robot, but to be resourceful and find solutions to problems.
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eric58
Junior Member
Me sparring Bruce Lee back in 79'
Posts: 298
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Post by eric58 on Jan 30, 2010 23:10:46 GMT -6
Coach, the school did good in hiring R.B. He is a great coach and will turn the program around like he has at other places. I believe you guys will be great. I know he was at Madera last and he turned that program around. In 2006 they had the #1 offense in the whole valley. Once they opened up the new school in Madera it hurt them. I'm glad he is over in our area. This was pulled from another site. Here is what he has accomplished
Has close to 150 HC'ing victories. His teams have played in over 1/2 a dozen (7) section title games. He has won section crowns in two different sections and has 5 rings in the jewelery box. His teams have been ranked in the state top 25 numerous times (actually three different teams (schools) have "appearred" in the state top 25 rankings while he was their HC). Is a coaching legend, revolutionized the game in this section/set the bar higher than it ever was........when he has "some" level of tallent.......... he wins!!!!!
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