Low numbers strategy

*Teach your QB to use as much of the play clock as possible. That will give longer breaks between plays and reduce the number of plays per game.
*When you kickoff, either go onside or pooch it so the return team has to fair catch it. Either of those will greatly reduce the distance they have to run on kickoff.
*If your punter is accurate, have him kick it out of bounds each time.
*Don't throw deep very often.
*Don't run crossing routes.
*Don't run plays that get stretched to the sidelines.
*Avoid long motion.

Great suggestions by everyone.

One thing that SEEMS obvious, but bears mentioning, is to use all 3 of your time outs in the first half...even if you don't have a specific reason. Use them just to give the kids a breather and get some water.

This may be a little more involved than what you're looking for, but one thing we do that is a little different is in our defensive line.

We run a defense where our guys are heads up on the OL and slanting on every play. This lets us use smaller kids on the D line. Consequently, we are able to play a lot more kids, who might not otherwise be physically ready to play as a 'conventional' defensive lineman.

So, we have a base sub chart that is 3 or 4 deep for each D line position. And we sub based on field position and down and distance, as well as the ability of the players.

For instance, we have 4 kids at our D End position: A starter and 3 backups. The starter may play 4 plays, backup 1 may play 2, and backups 3 and 4 may get 1 play each. However, we have other charts that alter this basic rotation. One chart for 3rd & short. One chart for when the opponent crosses the 50, and in the red zone the starters are always in.

I know it sounds fairly complex, but if you have it set up properly, and can find someone to oversee the substitutions on Friday nights, it works quite well. I'm not kidding, we played kids that couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time. Kids that wouldn't have seen the field any other way. In our second round playoff game I looked up and saw a 140 pound freshman lined up across from a 6'5" 280 pound monster. But it works!

Our kids were always very fresh in the 4th quarter, and it had the added benefit of giving a lot of kids playing time.

I was skeptical when our DC said we were going to do this before last season, but now I am convinced. It may be too much for you if it requires a scheme change, but it's something to consider. Our DC called it "Smoke & Mirrors", but it was effective and that's what matters.

The one that I'm surprised no one has suggested is go no huddle. Not super warp speed mach 10 fast no huddle, but a get to the ball and relax a few seconds paced no huddle. It will save your linemen a lot of running by not making them go back and forth to the huddle.

Care to explain how to do that, coach?

...unless you wear them out during the week "running them hard" so they have nothing left on game night - when it counts.

One thing I've done is to designate 3 starters for two positions like DE or ILB's. The kids can rotate on their own and I have less to worry about. They stay fresh and the added depth pays dividends.

keep the ball on your hash

Lots of experience in this area as we struggle for #s often.

I've had success with the following.

Kickoffs: Squib / onside every time. 80 sprints really wear down kids.

Timeouts: Sorry, cash them in. After a big play, or a series of plays, call timeouts when you see your kids are getting tired, especially your workhorse back.

Stall: Between possessions, take your time, make the ref actually come over by you and say c'mon lets go. Extrend those water breaks as much as possible. Also, burn as much clock between plays on offense as possible.

Punt: punt it out of bounds every time. No sense in having 11 players chase after the other team's fastest guy.

Rotate backs: If you can, don't give the ball to the same back more than twice in a row. And get that back off the field.

Hope this helps