Live scouting vs Film?

Pass patterns, coverage, and STs which may not show up well on film sometimes.

Personnel:

1. Starters- easier to get players numbers during warmups and in the huddle than it is clicking
back and forth on film looking for numbers that may be hard to see on film.
2. Size- I like to stand near them as they go on or come off of the field to get a sense for how
big they are really.
3. Actual numbers- how many guys actually play?

Injuries
1. Is somebody being treated on the sideline? How does he look later?
2. You can notice on film that a starter went out and didn't return. You don't see that there
was a five minute stoppage while the EMTs put him in the ambulance or that he didn't
play but was walking and talking normally afterward.

Intangibles
1. How does the sideline react to adversity. How's the body language? Is there arguing? How
long does it last?

Team speed, size & aggressiveness sometimes don't show up as well on film as they do live. Cadences and signals certainly are important to take note of. Snappers, Punters and Kickers in pregame and during the game are important to spy on.
Years ago (In the early 90's scouting was common because you'd get a scouting report most of the time before you got film, 16mm was just going out and VHS was coming into use) I scouted a very good team that would huddle but signaled everything in. They used very basic signals and it was very easy to pick them up. When we played them, I signaled in to our LB the play that they were going to run. Nothing like knowing exactly where and how they are coming....LOL....anyway, our defense looked like 11 All Americans in the first half. The other team finally figured out that their signals had been compromised and sent the plays in with a WR after that.
Another time I went and scouted a team that we were going to play the following week. Sat through the game, took copious detailed notes and with about 2 minutes left in the game and the target team down by I think 18 points, I figured I'd beat the rush and head for the gate....Next morning at 7AM sharp I'm in front of the entire team giving an outstanding presentation on everything they do, personnel, etc....tell the story of the game and outcome..... The HC gives me a funny look at the end of my presentation and asks me, did you stay for the whole game? Uh, nope, I cut out a few minutes early.....
Well, as it turned out, the team that I scouted got a turnover, scored, kicked onside, scored again and kicked onside again, and scored again, they ended up scoring 3 times in under two minutes and ended up winning. Oops....LOL

I think this was the biggest transition I had to make from coaching college ball, and AIRRAIDER...I think your knowledge of the passing game would really help in this area.

HS film, especially trade film, is notorious for being "the tv shot". You see the ball, the OL, the dl.. the offensive back field, and MAYBE an LB. You rarely get to see the coverage or routes develop... especially if it is a 4 or 5 wide set.

When I was assisting with a scouting trip against our big rivals and perennial powerhouse, me and the other coach went down to where they came out of the locker room to get a sense of how big they were (you can never trust what the program says). We also took a hard look at what the players were doing during warm ups, between plays, on the sideline, how they carried themselves, who their captains were, all the stuff that doesn't show up on film.

We ended up noticing that even though they had some good athletes, they didn't have the same swagger as in past years. So we opened the game with something they've never seen before and scored right away. When we recovered the onside kick, first one we tried all year, they hung their heads and let us walk all over them.