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Post by flexoption91 on Aug 27, 2010 8:36:20 GMT -6
I have long wondered how everyone handles scrimmages in terms of results, personnel, and play calling. Last Friday we played, and "beat" a typically strong team in a scrimmage. After the scrimmage our header and him were talking and he said he was very vanilla and plain. Now it is not like we were not running reverses and getting in 100 different formations, but our play calling was designed to move forward and we made adjustments as the scrimmage was played.
I am at a loss at how much I should "care" about what takes place in scrimmage. Even back to my playing days, I have always been under the mindset that if they are keeping score I always want to have more than the other guy. I did not care if it was a preseason intra-squad scrimmage or the state championship, I wanted to beat the other guy and it meant something if I did or did not. As Herm Edwards said, you play to win the game.
That being said, a scrimmage is a fake game. It has no true effect on the outcome of the season in a positive way, but with the injury factor could have a major negative effect.
So how do you guys handle scrimmages?
Do you base it on who you play week 1, whether or not you have a young or experienced team, what plays/series need the most game action to determine how well your team is execution (i.e. triple option), or some other factors?
Do you care about the score and do you voice that with your team? If you scrimmage a team that is significantly better or worse does the score then become much more important?
For those that play to win, do you feel like you do not gain anything by playing against a team that does not make adjustments and does not simulate game like conditions?
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Post by blb on Aug 27, 2010 8:44:06 GMT -6
No score is kept during scrimmages in our state. They are glorified practices. We are still 0-0 afterwards.
Main value is getting "feel" of game speed before opener, which can be hard to simulate in practice, and getting out anxiety of competing against somebody other than teammates. We try to get everyone approximately equal reps.
We stay pretty basic, don't need to show everything to Week 1 opponents.
And you're right, flex, coming out of it healthy is huge. But kids can get hurt in a regular practice too. Heck we lost our starting QB doing a DB ball drill (broken pinky) and starting Center (torn ACL) playing Air Force football during summer camp!
Older I get, less my ego about "winning" the scrimmage is important.
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Post by coachdubyah on Aug 27, 2010 10:00:22 GMT -6
7 on 7's, scrimmages, etc... is all about reps and developing young guys. Starters never get a lot of reps unless their position is up for grabs. Now if you have low numbers I think you should treat as though it's a practice. Always compete, but understand that the 2 teams should be trying to help each other.
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Post by coachks on Aug 27, 2010 10:13:37 GMT -6
Depends on the state of our team. We've had strong teams and ran about 5 plays before pulling the starters. We've had younger teams who needed to build confidence and played to "win."
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Post by phantom on Aug 27, 2010 10:14:16 GMT -6
Winning" is nice, of course, but you can't let it get in the way of your agenda and you can't make too much of the final "score". If you're going in looking to evaluate and develop the seconds then do that. If the other guys score some points and you "lose" so be it. If you want to see your #2 QB throw then do it, even if you're up a TD and would normally be milking clock. Have a plan going in and stick to it.
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bighit65
Junior Member
Make a statement without saying a word.
Posts: 397
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Post by bighit65 on Aug 27, 2010 10:20:29 GMT -6
I agree that starters only play extended periods if they are in a position battle. The one thing that we really emphasize is to get used to have a physical mentality. When you have your young players in, it is important that they practice this mindset.
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Post by kboyd on Aug 27, 2010 10:32:45 GMT -6
I like them and use scrimmages as a way to see how kids on the bubble & new kids react to game situation. Plus it's nice for the kids to take a break from beating each other up and see some new faces.
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Post by coachd5085 on Aug 27, 2010 22:00:24 GMT -6
Pulling starters? What is the scrimmage format?
Generally here in Louisiana, they are controlled enviornments. Each team gets a predetermined amount of reps on each side of the ball. Usually 1vs1, then 2vs2..etc.
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Post by phantom on Aug 28, 2010 5:31:59 GMT -6
Pulling starters? What is the scrimmage format? Generally here in Louisiana, they are controlled enviornments. Each team gets a predetermined amount of reps on each side of the ball. Usually 1vs1, then 2vs2..etc. Around here most do use a controlled format for the first scrimmage but a game format for the second. In our state we don't start practicing at the same time. Many teams started last night but we and the rest of our league don't play until next week. For that reason both of our scrimmages were the other team's second so they were both game format. In addition there's getting to be more publicity for scrimmages every year. That's why it's important to have a plan and stick to it.Otherwise it's very easy to get too competitive and waste your time. |
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Post by Yash on Aug 28, 2010 6:37:09 GMT -6
I feel its about execution and individual match ups. Is my guy taking the right steps against a live front. Are they talking. Are we moving the ball. Simple things against a live front instead of your own defense. I want to call plays to see if my guys can do what they are asked.
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Post by flexoption91 on Aug 29, 2010 17:48:52 GMT -6
Pulling starters? What is the scrimmage format? Generally here in Louisiana, they are controlled enviornments. Each team gets a predetermined amount of reps on each side of the ball. Usually 1vs1, then 2vs2..etc. Around here the first two scrimmages are generally very scripted and controlled. The second scrimmage is a 2 or 3 quarter game. Everything is live except special teams. We run the chains and it is as close to a game as you can get without being one. For me, that is why I am having such a delimma. I really questions if high school players, with lack of maturity and understanding, can distinquish between true game and fake game. |
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Post by coachd5085 on Aug 29, 2010 19:12:45 GMT -6
Hmm..i guess it is all in the definitions
here in LA, there is the controlled scrimmage I described ( we are on offense for 10, then you guys for 10..then twos..then back to 1's etc. ..sometimes a 3 way scrimmage) and then the next week a jamboree consisting of two 15 minute halves that is played under full game situations. The game doesn't count, so i guess it is also a "scrimmage"
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djr4373
Sophomore Member
"AA State Champions or Bust"
Posts: 129
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Post by djr4373 on Aug 30, 2010 9:41:26 GMT -6
I believe, like most coaches, that you are never as good as you think you are and never as bad as you think you are.
Here is Western PA, we have 2 scrimmages before the season. The first one is usually two sets of 10/10 plays, and then a set or 2 of sticks.
The second one varies. Some teams play a half, with everything live except special teams. We actually had one last week where our 1's went 10/10, and then one set of sticks and that was it.
I actually ran the same script 2 weeks in a row. That is the one thing I go back and forth about.
Should you show a bunch and adjust off of them early in the opener, or should you be very vanilla and make them adjust off of you?
We actually are "supposed" to be one of the top teams in our classification and we have 10 starters back on O, and low and behold we went up and down the field on O the last 2 scrimmages being very vanilla, but our D looked very suspect. But then again, they were very base and vanilla.
So only time will tell.
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Post by rpetrie on Aug 30, 2010 10:01:40 GMT -6
I want to always have 1 more than the other guy...but its most important to evaluate the physicality that the kids play with. I don't really deviate from the script...base plays and can we execute them? Are they aggressive or tentative? Are we aligning correctly or losing our focus in the heat of the moment? The speed/tempo of the action and how we respond is really important and that is something that might not be fixed in certain players. Look like Tarzan...play like Jane sometimes shows up when the new faces get in front of them.
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Post by coachfurn on Aug 30, 2010 14:11:39 GMT -6
I believe scrimmages to be more about working on us. Getting things right.... we don't scout the other team. Just get def alignment & formations for the other team. We want to see who will hit and give some dadgum effort.
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Post by calkayne on Aug 30, 2010 14:38:08 GMT -6
Scrimmage or Pre-Season Game?
IMO:
Scrimmage is for the Coaches. What works well, what needs Coaching? What assignments are well executed and what assignments are blown.
Pre-Season Game is about the Team. Play Calling, Assignment and Execution under fire. For the players the Score is important, for the Coaches the Reps are important (whos getting them Vs who needs them).
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Post by dacoordinator on Aug 31, 2010 10:43:00 GMT -6
No score is kept during scrimmages in our state. They are glorified practices. We are still 0-0 afterwards. Main value is getting "feel" of game speed before opener, which can be hard to simulate in practice, and getting out anxiety of competing against somebody other than teammates. We try to get everyone approximately equal reps. We stay pretty basic, don't need to show everything to Week 1 opponents. And you're right, flex, coming out of it healthy is huge. But kids can get hurt in a regular practice too. Heck we lost our starting QB doing a DB ball drill (broken pinky) and starting Center (torn ACL) playing Air Force football during summer camp! Older I get, less my ego about "winning" the scrimmage is important. agreed.... I think scrimmages are to put your kids in situations that they will mostly be in during a game. Playing against another defense that is not so familiar with your plays. i know i hated to be in camp in college and have to run a route and the DB was running the route before i was, just because he and the entire defense have been seeing our plays over and over. But staying healthy in scrimmages can be key, while you dont want to lose anyone, you really dont want to lose your key players. |
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