Now for something completely different.......

Well, that's our offense but we don't run it to be different. We run it because we know it well. I think that's a better plan- find a system you believe in and get good at it.

I think there is definitely an advantage to running a unique scheme. We have three 4WR "spread gun" teams in our division, and we see 2 others in the pre-season. Defending the "spread" becomes a common, every-day thing as a result. It was like the late 90's in our state with the Wing-T. Literally half of the schools in our division ran the wing-t back then. So, you can gear your defense around stopping those teams.

When everyone runs the same kinds of things, defenses get geared toward stopping them. The personnel are geared toward it (as you mentioned). The scheme and alignments are geared toward it. The reads and keys are geared toward it. Now, along comes Johnny Doublewing or Power-I High...and you have to re-think everything. Your alignments, reads, keys, and even personnel are not geared toward stopping power blocking schemes, lead blockers, kick-outs, and pulling linemen. Your DE's and OLB's aren't used to playing against TE's. Your backers aren't used to taking on FB's at the point of attack.

A legendary coach in our state, now retired, changed from the Wing-T to the SW a few years before he stepped down. When asked why, after a lifetime of being a Wing-T advocate, he would now change, he simply said "if a rival in your division runs your offense, and they run it better than YOU, it's time to find a new offense."

I think there's some truth in that.

We run a totally unique offense in our division. I think we have an advantage becuase teams aren't familliar with our style of play and our formations.

This is why I never go for the "cookie-cutter" or "canned" offenses. It's not because they're "bad..." it's simply becuase I'd much rather blend and integrate individual things from other offenses than wholesale-scrap an offense in favor of something anyone can get online or off of TV / out of a book.

nm

I cannot wait for power football to come back. It will benefit me as a guy who likes to throw the ball. 10-15 years ago running a spread passing attack was like steeling. lbers who were built to defend the run where easy to exploit.

then came fritz schumer with the green bay packers who created the 3-3-5 defense on nickle/dime downs in the nfl which could play the run and pass.

I do think power football with make a return at the college level which will then trickle down to the high school level.

So, it's like holding on to your bell bottoms.......eventually it's cool again.


For those who can't tell, this ultimately came from Chris Brown's article www.smartfootball.com


Another aspect is the proliferation of information on the internet.


When I was in high school (not that long ago), EVERYBODY ran Pro-I, Full House something, or Wing-T.......


This season, we'll have our first three opponents change schemes on us, and the variations are wild.........I'm assuming that has to do with easier access to the information.


The double edge sword is the internet can help a coach catch up...........if we faced a SW opponent in week 8, I could come on here and at least get some IDEAS.........in 1997, if you faced an opponent who broke the SW out on you, you had to go to a nursing home to find someone who knew how to defend it.

This is an example of where scheme can really be the great equalizer.

Back when I was in school we were winning state championships running the triple running game married with a run and shoot passing attack. We were the only team in our league and region that was running this stuff. We were also the only team we faced until very late in the playoffs that two-platooned (smaller school in Ohio). We could physically and mentally see teams wear down. We had a total of 2 kids go play division II or higher college ball when I in school, so we werent winning on athlethic talent alone.

Fast forward to today and I am back coaching where I went to school. While we have not dropped off the face of the earth we have certainly taken a step or two back. We are now gun spread, along with 5 other teams we face in the regular season and most of the good schools in our region.

The back to back state champion came out of our region and guess what.....they are a triple team. The team most expect to have the best chance at knocking them off this year is a double tight full house team.

I feel like the deception and uniqueness that used to allow our team to win with lesser talent has gone out the window to be replaced with the "latest and greatest" offense.

In a Sea of 21 Personell Off-Tackle Run Oriented schemes there is a screaming need for something different. It makes the game more fun.

More fun for those Coaches preparing against the Oddball, because of the extra detail they need to invest on Video, Scout Team prep, Key Reads etc.

More fun for those Players preparing against the Oddball, because of the new looks they are facing, the new angles on Tactics and overall Strategy.

More fun for those Oddball Coaches as they dont need to waste much more time preparing against yet another 21 OffTackle Running Team.

More fun for those Oddball Players as they get to be better prepared against their Schedule Opponents.

At our level we do not have the luxury of having a scout Team per se, the starting players need to fulfill that role. So if we are investing time to get them to play an Oddball Scheme, we are loosing time to Coach our own Game. For me thats the main advantage of having a radical scheme. Causing the Opposition to loose practice time is helping beat them before the Weekend.

As for the question: When should the Scheme be revamped? At the end of the Season I would say. What worked and what did not Vs what needs work and what cannot.

Airman,
I have to disagree a tad, Saban's personnel isn't equal-they are superior to everyone but Florida's. Last year they beat them.
Saban is one of the best recruiters in the country.

He's got is going because he has a great scheme, superior talent and runs power football. It won't last forever, but currently-he's the top dog. Also, don't think that Alabama fans are not as fickle as the rest of the world. He starts having trouble on offense and they'll jump ship like everybody else.

Airman,
The SEC has been playing power football long before Saban got there. The SEC is one of the few conferences that didn't go "Spread Offense" crazy.

woodall's post is the crux of the matter. Whole thread is making my head hurt.

A lot of it may have to do with coach's personality. For example I was never a great athlete so had to be resourceful to compete.

That may have something to do with liking to be a little different in scheme (was running 4-3 defense in 1979 when whole world was Michigan Angle-Slant or Notre Dame 4-4) and other things.

I wish we could give the ball to the fastest kid in the league behind the biggest, baddest tackle 25 times a game and win that way. But at the head jobs I've been able to get we've rarely had that at our disposal.

Besides, I just like option and throwing the ball. And at this point I know it a lot better than anything else I could change to.

I know that doesn't answer the question one bit. And yes, lochness, I know I should be developing "those kind of kids." I just am not good at it, apparently.

Someone mentioned about being in a "sea of 21 personnel"......


Really, it is a sea of anything.....if you are in a sea spread teams, Power-T would stand out, and have an advantage.


I also liked the term "contrarian" scheme.


We hear all the time about "so-and-so high school sucked forever, and then they got a new coach who uses scheme X, and won 85% of their games since then"............


Above all else, you need a good teacher........


But a unique scheme can move you along after that.

Not until they're running the Air Raid better than you are.

They probably wouldn't (or shouldn't) be able to run it as well as someone established with it.

It would be like Lee Corso when he tried to emulate Woody Hayes' program while coaching at Indiana. Not so fast, my friend.

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery - I guess at that point you just try to be better at what you do than the others, perhaps stay on the "cutting edge" of innovations ("tweaks") to your system.