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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 14, 2011 22:07:46 GMT -6
Hey coaches,
I read a lot of posts and I'm very appreciative of everyone's knowledge as well as kindness on this website. I coached football last year for the first time in my life (I'm 23 years old), and the last time I played was freshman year of HS. I was labeled a "coach" but did a lot of observing and took a lot of notes all year long. I was with the TEs/LBs (depending on offensive or defensive day) and learned as much as I could from the coach at those positions (as well as the players).
We had a staff review this week, I met individually with the head coach. I was originally hired in August to coach the freshman team, but I showed dedication and intelligence during camp by learning all our signals for our offensive plays and formations. So he promoted me the formation guy (We had tempo, formation, and play, + a dummy signaler). So in this interview he told me I was one of the most dedicated and hardest working on the staff but I need to do a better job with the X + Os.
I feel like I know our offensive playbook (well what the plays are, WR routes, where the RB runs, etc) minus the blocking. I asked my head coach "How do I improve my knowledge of the game? What should I do?" He told me just to end some clinics with him and the other coaches. I said okay but I feel like there is a lot of down time between now and August that I could be doing something to be a better coach. I don't want to be the weak link on the coaching staff, I want to make our team better.
Can you guys offer me any advice of what to learn? RB technique? OL footwork? I don't really know where to begin. Should I be thinking big picture, such as the pros and cons to certain defenses? I know what C1, C2, C3, C4 are (those type of defenses, and fire zones)... It's difficult to try and make you understand what I know haha.
PS, what's a Cover 6? Is that a corner and safety are in C2 and the other corner and safety are playing C4? Also, Cover 8?
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Post by runtoball on Jan 14, 2011 22:17:36 GMT -6
hmmm that's kind of tought to tell you what to start with. everything would be my answer haha. It's going to be tough to learn everything scheme wise at once simply b/c there's so much different terminology. same thing goes with fundamentals too though. the best advice i can come up with i guess is don't be afraid to annoy people by asking tons of questions.
any time you can get with the head coach at your school do it. ask as many question as you can. same thing with this site. read as many different posts as possible. if you don't understand something someone says, ask. no one on here is going to be offended by you asking us to explain something, in fact it's nice to be able to talk about it in the off season. go to as many clinics/other schools as possible to see what other coaches do.
so in short,just take in as much as you can. i know that's not a good answer to your question but i hope it helps. good luck
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 14, 2011 22:32:33 GMT -6
hmmm that's kind of tought to tell you what to start with. everything would be my answer haha. It's going to be tough to learn everything scheme wise at once simply b/c there's so much different terminology. same thing goes with fundamentals too though. the best advice i can come up with i guess is don't be afraid to annoy people by asking tons of questions. any time you can get with the head coach at your school do it. ask as many question as you can. same thing with this site. read as many different posts as possible. if you don't understand something someone says, ask. no one on here is going to be offended by you asking us to explain something, in fact it's nice to be able to talk about it in the off season. go to as many clinics/other schools as possible to see what other coaches do. so in short,just take in as much as you can. i know that's not a good answer to your question but i hope it helps. good luck I appreciate the answer, Coach! I will definitely take your advice. In the past day or so I've been learning our defensive playbook better (a small, personal goal). Thank you for the help. |
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Post by coachguy83 on Jan 14, 2011 22:49:26 GMT -6
Coach you have already taken the biggest step in becoming a better coach, and that is wanting to be a better coach. I am in the exact same boat you are right now. I've coached three years at the youth level and this past season was my first at the HS level. The biggest thing I can add is take advantage of everything that is available on the internet. Check out all the free websites out there for playbooks then come back to a site like this with questions. Books are another great source of information I highly recomend taking advantage of if you haven't already. You can get some through interlibrary loan and if you have any colleges near by you might want to check out there library. I know the college that I attended had a great selection of old college books that I learned quite a bit from.
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Post by tog on Jan 14, 2011 22:49:54 GMT -6
read the entire forum
start in one section--read it all
then go to the next
ask questions
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Post by brophy on Jan 14, 2011 22:50:47 GMT -6
thats an odd request.
If the HC is telling you your weakness is Xs and Os, I would think he would take the time to build your knowledge starting with the rationale behind what YOUR PROGRAM does, rather than leave you to fend for yourself. Is he inviting you to go with THEM to clinics?
Thats kind of strange to say "you're sick" and order you to "get better".
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 14, 2011 23:05:30 GMT -6
Coach you have already taken the biggest step in becoming a better coach, and that is wanting to be a better coach. I am in the exact same boat you are right now. I've coached three years at the youth level and this past season was my first at the HS level. The biggest thing I can add is take advantage of everything that is available on the internet. Check out all the free websites out there for playbooks then come back to a site like this with questions. Books are another great source of information I highly recomend taking advantage of if you haven't already. You can get some through interlibrary loan and if you have any colleges near by you might want to check out there library. I know the college that I attended had a great selection of old college books that I learned quite a bit from. Thank you, Coach. I've read and own "The Football Coaching Bible", "Coaching Football" and a few Nike Coach of the Year Clinic Manuals. They all have been really helpful. I appreciate your words. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 14, 2011 23:05:53 GMT -6
read the entire forum start in one section--read it all then go to the next ask questions Will do. Thank you. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 14, 2011 23:07:50 GMT -6
thats an odd request. If the HC is telling you your weakness is Xs and Os, I would think he would take the time to build your knowledge starting with the rationale behind what YOUR PROGRAM does, rather than leave you to fend for yourself. Is he inviting you to go with THEM to clinics? Thats kind of strange to say "you're sick" and order you to "get better". Yeah, our head coach just finished his first year coaching high school football. He was a D1 player in college and coaching is his passion. We're all new to the program to be honest. Yeah, I just gave him my check last week actually to go to a Nike clinic this spring. |
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Post by phantom on Jan 14, 2011 23:11:24 GMT -6
Hey coaches, I read a lot of posts and I'm very appreciative of everyone's knowledge as well as kindness on this website. I coached football last year for the first time in my life (I'm 23 years old), and the last time I played was freshman year of HS. I was labeled a "coach" but did a lot of observing and took a lot of notes all year long. I was with the TEs/LBs (depending on offensive or defensive day) and learned as much as I could from the coach at those positions (as well as the players). We had a staff review this week, I met individually with the head coach. I was originally hired in August to coach the freshman team, but I showed dedication and intelligence during camp by learning all our signals for our offensive plays and formations. So he promoted me the formation guy (We had tempo, formation, and play, + a dummy signaler). So in this interview he told me I was one of the most dedicated and hardest working on the staff but I need to do a better job with the X + Os. I feel like I know our offensive playbook (well what the plays are, WR routes, where the RB runs, etc) minus the blocking. quote] Learn the blocking. |
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Post by mariner42 on Jan 14, 2011 23:18:02 GMT -6
IMO, branching off of Tog's advice, go in this order: 1-running game section. Order the threads by # of replies and read through the first two pages or so. ALL of the threads  2-general offense section. Same thing. 3-general defense section. Ditto. 4-passing game section. ditto. 5-secondary section. ditto. By the end of this all, you'll have questions and thoughts and ideas. Now go back and order the threads alphabetically and see what you can find about the stuff you're interested about. Read all of those. After that, repeat with the new stuff you're interested in. This should occupy your time from here to August |
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arbond
Sophomore Member
No "philosophy". Just play.
Posts: 103
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Post by arbond on Jan 15, 2011 6:07:56 GMT -6
Coach,
As stated above - the fact that you are here and asking is a sign that you are going to be ok!
I agree with the post that tell you to read as much as you can - here - other internet sights - books - magazines. Go to as many clinic sessions as you can.
But....learn to filter.
There is a TON if information....but not ALL of it will be helpful to YOUR situation.
So, the first thing you need to do....is recognize YOUR situation. Understand your HC's offensive and defensive philosopies. KNOW the basics of his formations and schemes.
Second, look for material that supports or compliments what you guys do at your school. There is a lot of information out there that will really have nothing to do to support what you are doing at your school, so learn to recognize that stuff and move on to another article.
One thing that astounds me is the variety of terminology that is out there. Two coaches (heck, a dozen coaches) can be trying to describe the same offensive formations - but they are speaking two different languages. If you are reading something and you don't understand the author's language - move on to another article.
Bottom line: read as much as you can with this goal: if you get ONE good tidbit of information from an article - right it down some place - and consider it time well spent. Some articles will give you more - that is a bonanza!
Tip: Start a file - a word document - put some categories on it like "preseason practice"..."offensive line"......"understanding teenagers"....."dealing with parents"......."WR drills"....etc. Whenever you come across a gem of an idea from some article, copy and paste into your file, under the appropriate heading. Keep collecting.....and every once in a while, go back and read through the file.
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Post by jlenwood on Jan 15, 2011 6:21:15 GMT -6
Just my two cents....but what positions are you going to coach next season? Has he given you a specific assignment? You said TE/LB, if so, that is where I would focus first.
Figure out how those positions fit directly into your scheme and focus like a laser on being the best position coach you can be, because the worst thing that can happen is a player ask you a question about the position you are coaching and you can't answer. Also, make sure you get with the coordinators to be assured you are on the same page with them.
I heard a quote once (forget who it was) where the person said they "Know what they don't know". Once you figure out what you don't know (but should), now you can start to build on what knowledge you already have. Do this by researching, building a library and finding some mentors that can help you out. This site is a tremendous resource by the way, not just by the postings you find here, but by going to the blog sites that a ton of members have.
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Post by realdawg on Jan 15, 2011 7:27:53 GMT -6
As someone else mentioned......learn the blocking.
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Post by jackedup on Jan 15, 2011 8:21:04 GMT -6
Coach, I did something that arbond mentioned. I downloaded every piece of football that was available. I copy&pasted every article on websites that I thought would help me. I subscribed to AFM. I attended as many clinics as possible that were within a couples hour drive. I became part of Bill Williams Coaching Association and would record as many videos as possible and then spend the entire summer/off- season watching and learning. I think it's important to know that if you want to be an offensive coach, you better learn about the blocking and you better learn about defenses. If you want to be a defensive coach, you better learn about offensive philosophies. JMHO
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dania
Junior Member
Posts: 365
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Post by dania on Jan 15, 2011 8:54:37 GMT -6
To piggyback on what jackedup said and quote a bible verse
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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celtic
Freshmen Member
Posts: 86
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Post by celtic on Jan 15, 2011 9:05:42 GMT -6
Coach,
I'll add my 2 cents to the great suggestions you've already gotten.
Ask your HC about the coverage questions. You'd be suprised how dback terminology differs from program to program.
One thing that helped me tremendously during my first few years was self scouting. Get a copy of all your game films. Get freshmen, JV and varsity if they're available. Get your games from the year before too if you really want to put some time in. Start with your offense. Go through play by play and chart down & distance, hash, formation, play, d front & coverage and +/- yards. Then flip it around and do the same for your D. Use all your HC's terminology. You'll start to recognize plays based on blocking, footwork by the RB, QB's footwork, etc. See if your HC still has individual game call sheets he'll give you a copy of to help. The first one will take you a while. I guarantee you that by the last tape you'll have a better grasp of your own stuff than when you started.
You can then take your notes and evaluate. What's your 10 biggest + plays on O? What was the front or coverage that it worked best against? Why? Draw it up. What plays did you lose yards on? Was it schematic (x's and o's don't match up) or did guys just get beat, miss blocks, miss holes, etc.
I'm a firm believer in self scouting to prepare for next season. And like I said, it helped me a ton early in my career.
Hope this helps!
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Post by brophy on Jan 15, 2011 9:22:57 GMT -6
I reallly dont know how someone is supposed to "read all the threads". Yes - everything and every possible question has already been asked on this board, but that sounds like a Mr Miagi task.
When you're just starting out yeah its great to find a focus, but to gain a quicker understanding of scheme and the game, one really needs to take a step BACK
I think Chris Brown does this really well where he can give you a perspective without drowning you in details.
How many guys do you know that coud tell you a dozen ways to block power but never understand how a formation affects front/coverage? How many guys do you know that have 100 LB drills in their arsenal but.have no idea of gap support?
Get a grasp WHY formations and coverages exist, thay will flesh out the concepts used with them. Once you can understand the difference between a 2 man surface and a 3 man surface against cover 3, then you can really have a foundation and security to technique and drills
Rely HEAVILY on the coaches on your staff and dont be in a hurry to start calling the shots
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Post by davishfc on Jan 15, 2011 10:20:53 GMT -6
Just my two cents....but what positions are you going to coach next season? Has he given you a specific assignment? You said TE/LB, if so, that is where I would focus first. Figure out how those positions fit directly into your scheme and focus like a laser on being the best position coach you can be, because the worst thing that can happen is a player ask you a question about the position you are coaching and you can't answer. Also, make sure you get with the coordinators to be assured you are on the same page with them. Coach, congratulations to you for the responsibilities you have and the commitment you've made to becoming a better coach for your program. First and foremost, the program needs a TE/LB coach. You are the ONLY coach that will coach those positions. During Individual, the Head Coach will not coach the the TE/LB, the Offensive Coordinator will not coach the TE's, and the Defensive Coordinator will not coach the LB's. I understand during the team segment they may intervene and say something to those positions but the teaching and learning of those positions takes place during Individual when they're with YOU. Not discrediting what the other coaches stated here because it's quite valuable but I think that your entire focus should be on TE's and LB's. My rationale for saying this is because the off-season is not as long as you think. It's goes by very fast. You will not learn everything about the game of football this off-season nor will you even learn everything about an aspect of the game like offense, defense, or special teams. It just won't happen and not just for you but for anyone in your situation taking up coaching for the first time with only your high school playing experience to reflect back on. I'm not being pessimistic but rather realistic. Learning is a process, a marathon not a sprint. It makes sense, to me, to have you learn a particular skill set that will allow you to better perform the responsibilities you have within the football program. That makes you a better football coach for this coming season. To me, the effectiveness of a football coach is not dependent on how much they've learned about the game but instead about how much of the game their players have learned from them. It's not about what you know, it's about what your players know. What I believe you have the ability to do this off-season is learn your respective offensive and defensive schemes and stances, footwork, techniques/drills, and teaching progressions for the positions you coach...TE/LB. Completely focusing on overall scheme is not the best priority because the Head Coach and Coordinators can and will do that constantly both in and out of season. That's their responsibility. What those individuals don't have time to do and what they really need are Position Group Coaches that will do everything in their power with the time they're alloted to prepare their players to execute assignments for their respective positions. This off-season, learn everything you can about the stances, footwork, techniques/drills, and teaching progressions for TE's and LB's as well as and perhaps, more importantly, whether or not those drills fit with what you're doing offensively and defensively. That will obviously take some understanding of the big picture. From a big picture offensive perspective, learn the blocking schemes inside and out because that will introduce you to blocking rules, defensive fronts, picking up blitzes and stunts. To be honest but not critical, I can't believe you were coaching the TE's without an in-depth understanding of the blocking schemes. I've got to believe there was some blocking that took place by that position. Anyway, on a more positive note you have blocking schemes I'm sure you can learn and that will give you a better understanding of how the TE fits into the blocking and protection if he stays in. From a big picture defensive perspective, learn the defensive fronts, coverages, and pressure package because all of those aspects will influence what you should be teaching to the LB's. I'm impressed by your passion and commitment to learn and it seems as if you're after a direction to head in. Not saying this is the only way you can prioritize your learning this off-season but I would recommend it because this will allow you to make the most significant contribution to the program your involved in and the players your responsible for on a daily basis. Become the resident expert for the TE's and LB's, someone the Head Coach and Offensive/Defensive Coordinators feel it absolutely necessary to consult before they decide upon anything for those positions. Now you're part of a coaching staff helping to influence decisions but with the knowledge necessary to make those decisions. You're not the guy on staff that is there so he feels like he should have unlimited input. Those who know what they're talking about will always have more input from others on staff. JMO. Hope something out of here helps Coach. Good luck this off-season and when the 2011 games begin. |
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Post by blb on Jan 16, 2011 10:00:05 GMT -6
I assume head coach gave you a playbook. Spend time studying it.
Attend clinics with him and other coaches as he suggested. Keep your ears and mind open.
Continue to read posts on here.
Learning the blocking will help you to understand not only offensive philosophy but defensive structures and weaknesses.
Personally, I feel it's my job as head coach to teach our coaches the Xs and Os.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 16, 2011 10:18:03 GMT -6
Personally, I feel it's my job as head coach to teach our coaches the Xs and Os. I believe this as well. This is part of coaching the coaches. |
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Post by touchdowng on Jan 16, 2011 11:25:58 GMT -6
hey noplaysoff
Let me frame my reply by saying that I haven't coached for the past two seasons but did put in 26 years on the sideline and 20 of them as a HC at the HS level.
When I was a young coach one of the best pieces of advice given to me was from one of my state's most respected coaches. He said to find my niche by becoming a specialist at a position (oline, dbs, qbs, whatever) and to challenge myself by doing this in an area I wasn't familiar with. He said I'd have a lot of aha moments by doing this and it would help solidify what I already knew.
He said by doing this I would become very fluent at something and could be known for something. My background at the time was that I had played through college and had played QB and DB. I thought I had a pretty good handle on this but there is SO much to learn once you become a coach.
I did take his advice and decided to focus on the defensive side of the ball (primarily LBs). This led to moving up the ladder quickly and becoming a DC. That experience allowed me to use my LB expertise and begin looking outside of my position scope.
If I hadn't started with a focus I think it would have been easy to just stay within my areas of comfort (QB and DB) and I wouldn't have grown. His advice also allowed me to give myself permission that I didn't have to learn it all at once. I've watched coaches try to do this and not only are they ineffective they get frustrated and lack a purpose. Later, when going back to the offensive side of the ball as a HC/OC/QB coach I had so much more insight due to my DC days. Everything builds on your previous learning. The less gaps the better.
What's the best way to eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.
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Post by mhcoach on Jan 16, 2011 11:39:50 GMT -6
No Plays Off
So many have given such great advice! I love to see a young coach hungry to learn our craft. It truly is a craft & should be respected as such. One thing I haven't seen posted is to go & watch practices. Find a college close, call & ask(usually most schools will accommodate you) & go watch spring practice. You will be amazed at how helpful this can be. I have visited many schools & watched practice( everything from JUCO to Division1), usually one or more of the coaches will be kind enough to talk to you when they are free.
Joe
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:48:52 GMT -6
Hey coaches, I read a lot of posts and I'm very appreciative of everyone's knowledge as well as kindness on this website. I coached football last year for the first time in my life (I'm 23 years old), and the last time I played was freshman year of HS. I was labeled a "coach" but did a lot of observing and took a lot of notes all year long. I was with the TEs/LBs (depending on offensive or defensive day) and learned as much as I could from the coach at those positions (as well as the players). We had a staff review this week, I met individually with the head coach. I was originally hired in August to coach the freshman team, but I showed dedication and intelligence during camp by learning all our signals for our offensive plays and formations. So he promoted me the formation guy (We had tempo, formation, and play, + a dummy signaler). So in this interview he told me I was one of the most dedicated and hardest working on the staff but I need to do a better job with the X + Os. I feel like I know our offensive playbook (well what the plays are, WR routes, where the RB runs, etc) minus the blocking. quote] Learn the blocking. I started that last night. I'm trying to learn one run play like the back of my hand every day. Last night was 18/19 Money, vs pro and okie. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:49:51 GMT -6
Coach, As stated above - the fact that you are here and asking is a sign that you are going to be ok! I agree with the post that tell you to read as much as you can - here - other internet sights - books - magazines. Go to as many clinic sessions as you can. But....learn to filter. There is a TON if information....but not ALL of it will be helpful to YOUR situation. So, the first thing you need to do....is recognize YOUR situation. Understand your HC's offensive and defensive philosopies. KNOW the basics of his formations and schemes. Second, look for material that supports or compliments what you guys do at your school. There is a lot of information out there that will really have nothing to do to support what you are doing at your school, so learn to recognize that stuff and move on to another article. One thing that astounds me is the variety of terminology that is out there. Two coaches (heck, a dozen coaches) can be trying to describe the same offensive formations - but they are speaking two different languages. If you are reading something and you don't understand the author's language - move on to another article. Bottom line: read as much as you can with this goal: if you get ONE good tidbit of information from an article - right it down some place - and consider it time well spent. Some articles will give you more - that is a bonanza! Tip: Start a file - a word document - put some categories on it like "preseason practice"..."offensive line"......"understanding teenagers"....."dealing with parents"......."WR drills"....etc. Whenever you come across a gem of an idea from some article, copy and paste into your file, under the appropriate heading. Keep collecting.....and every once in a while, go back and read through the file. Thank you for the advice. That's a great idea. I will keeping files and collecting information, I like that. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:51:08 GMT -6
Just my two cents....but what positions are you going to coach next season? Has he given you a specific assignment? You said TE/LB, if so, that is where I would focus first. Figure out how those positions fit directly into your scheme and focus like a laser on being the best position coach you can be, because the worst thing that can happen is a player ask you a question about the position you are coaching and you can't answer. Also, make sure you get with the coordinators to be assured you are on the same page with them. I heard a quote once (forget who it was) where the person said they "Know what they don't know". Once you figure out what you don't know (but should), now you can start to build on what knowledge you already have. Do this by researching, building a library and finding some mentors that can help you out. This site is a tremendous resource by the way, not just by the postings you find here, but by going to the blog sites that a ton of members have. He hasn't specified, but there is an off chance we might be short a RB coach. If not I'd be with LB/TE or even if I wanted, I can probably request what positions to help with if every one is filled. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:52:54 GMT -6
Coach, I'll add my 2 cents to the great suggestions you've already gotten. Ask your HC about the coverage questions. You'd be suprised how dback terminology differs from program to program. One thing that helped me tremendously during my first few years was self scouting. Get a copy of all your game films. Get freshmen, JV and varsity if they're available. Get your games from the year before too if you really want to put some time in. Start with your offense. Go through play by play and chart down & distance, hash, formation, play, d front & coverage and +/- yards. Then flip it around and do the same for your D. Use all your HC's terminology. You'll start to recognize plays based on blocking, footwork by the RB, QB's footwork, etc. See if your HC still has individual game call sheets he'll give you a copy of to help. The first one will take you a while. I guarantee you that by the last tape you'll have a better grasp of your own stuff than when you started. You can then take your notes and evaluate. What's your 10 biggest + plays on O? What was the front or coverage that it worked best against? Why? Draw it up. What plays did you lose yards on? Was it schematic (x's and o's don't match up) or did guys just get beat, miss blocks, miss holes, etc. I'm a firm believer in self scouting to prepare for next season. And like I said, it helped me a ton early in my career. Hope this helps! Great advice, coach. I'm getting the DVDs from last season tomorrow. Thank you. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:54:39 GMT -6
I reallly dont know how someone is supposed to "read all the threads". Yes - everything and every possible question has already been asked on this board, but that sounds like a Mr Miagi task. When you're just starting out yeah its great to find a focus, but to gain a quicker understanding of scheme and the game, one really needs to take a step BACK I think Chris Brown does this really well where he can give you a perspective without drowning you in details. How many guys do you know that coud tell you a dozen ways to block power but never understand how a formation affects front/coverage? How many guys do you know that have 100 LB drills in their arsenal but.have no idea of gap support? Get a grasp WHY formations and coverages exist, thay will flesh out the concepts used with them. Once you can understand the difference between a 2 man surface and a 3 man surface against cover 3, then you can really have a foundation and security to technique and drills Rely HEAVILY on the coaches on your staff and dont be in a hurry to start calling the shots I like you Brophy, you make a lot of sense. One of the first things I learned as a coach was to ask "why" we were doing something. Thank you. |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:56:33 GMT -6
Just my two cents....but what positions are you going to coach next season? Has he given you a specific assignment? You said TE/LB, if so, that is where I would focus first. Figure out how those positions fit directly into your scheme and focus like a laser on being the best position coach you can be, because the worst thing that can happen is a player ask you a question about the position you are coaching and you can't answer. Also, make sure you get with the coordinators to be assured you are on the same page with them. Coach, congratulations to you for the responsibilities you have and the commitment you've made to becoming a better coach for your program. First and foremost, the program needs a TE/LB coach. You are the ONLY coach that will coach those positions. During Individual, the Head Coach will not coach the the TE/LB, the Offensive Coordinator will not coach the TE's, and the Defensive Coordinator will not coach the LB's. I understand during the team segment they may intervene and say something to those positions but the teaching and learning of those positions takes place during Individual when they're with YOU. Not discrediting what the other coaches stated here because it's quite valuable but I think that your entire focus should be on TE's and LB's. My rationale for saying this is because the off-season is not as long as you think. It's goes by very fast. You will not learn everything about the game of football this off-season nor will you even learn everything about an aspect of the game like offense, defense, or special teams. It just won't happen and not just for you but for anyone in your situation taking up coaching for the first time with only your high school playing experience to reflect back on. I'm not being pessimistic but rather realistic. Learning is a process, a marathon not a sprint. It makes sense, to me, to have you learn a particular skill set that will allow you to better perform the responsibilities you have within the football program. That makes you a better football coach for this coming season. To me, the effectiveness of a football coach is not dependent on how much they've learned about the game but instead about how much of the game their players have learned from them. It's not about what you know, it's about what your players know. What I believe you have the ability to do this off-season is learn your respective offensive and defensive schemes and stances, footwork, techniques/drills, and teaching progressions for the positions you coach...TE/LB. Completely focusing on overall scheme is not the best priority because the Head Coach and Coordinators can and will do that constantly both in and out of season. That's their responsibility. What those individuals don't have time to do and what they really need are Position Group Coaches that will do everything in their power with the time they're alloted to prepare their players to execute assignments for their respective positions. This off-season, learn everything you can about the stances, footwork, techniques/drills, and teaching progressions for TE's and LB's as well as and perhaps, more importantly, whether or not those drills fit with what you're doing offensively and defensively. That will obviously take some understanding of the big picture. From a big picture offensive perspective, learn the blocking schemes inside and out because that will introduce you to blocking rules, defensive fronts, picking up blitzes and stunts. To be honest but not critical, I can't believe you were coaching the TE's without an in-depth understanding of the blocking schemes. I've got to believe there was some blocking that took place by that position. Anyway, on a more positive note you have blocking schemes I'm sure you can learn and that will give you a better understanding of how the TE fits into the blocking and protection if he stays in. From a big picture defensive perspective, learn the defensive fronts, coverages, and pressure package because all of those aspects will influence what you should be teaching to the LB's. I'm impressed by your passion and commitment to learn and it seems as if you're after a direction to head in. Not saying this is the only way you can prioritize your learning this off-season but I would recommend it because this will allow you to make the most significant contribution to the program your involved in and the players your responsible for on a daily basis. Become the resident expert for the TE's and LB's, someone the Head Coach and Offensive/Defensive Coordinators feel it absolutely necessary to consult before they decide upon anything for those positions. Now you're part of a coaching staff helping to influence decisions but with the knowledge necessary to make those decisions. You're not the guy on staff that is there so he feels like he should have unlimited input. Those who know what they're talking about will always have more input from others on staff. JMO. Hope something out of here helps Coach. Good luck this off-season and when the 2011 games begin. Coach, my short response doesn't represent how appreciative I am of your answer. It's really helpful and good luck to you this upcoming season as well. Thank you! |
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Post by noplaysoff on Jan 16, 2011 22:58:07 GMT -6
hey noplaysoff Let me frame my reply by saying that I haven't coached for the past two seasons but did put in 26 years on the sideline and 20 of them as a HC at the HS level. When I was a young coach one of the best pieces of advice given to me was from one of my state's most respected coaches. He said to find my niche by becoming a specialist at a position (oline, dbs, qbs, whatever) and to challenge myself by doing this in an area I wasn't familiar with. He said I'd have a lot of aha moments by doing this and it would help solidify what I already knew. He said by doing this I would become very fluent at something and could be known for something. My background at the time was that I had played through college and had played QB and DB. I thought I had a pretty good handle on this but there is SO much to learn once you become a coach. I did take his advice and decided to focus on the defensive side of the ball (primarily LBs). This led to moving up the ladder quickly and becoming a DC. That experience allowed me to use my LB expertise and begin looking outside of my position scope. If I hadn't started with a focus I think it would have been easy to just stay within my areas of comfort (QB and DB) and I wouldn't have grown. His advice also allowed me to give myself permission that I didn't have to learn it all at once. I've watched coaches try to do this and not only are they ineffective they get frustrated and lack a purpose. Later, when going back to the offensive side of the ball as a HC/OC/QB coach I had so much more insight due to my DC days. Everything builds on your previous learning. The less gaps the better. What's the best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Thank you, coach. This is what I was going through previously. I'd read these lengthy books, but then be discouraged because even if I did absorb it, I had nothing to apply it to (this was before August camp started). Thank you. |
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