You're a new HC at a school.....

Find a way to maximize the talent that you have, while transitioning long-range to what you know will work best and what you believe in for the future.

Keep in mind if you're starting this far in advance: you will get an entire winter, spring, and summer to identify what you think people can develop into, as far as working into your prefered scheme, and then you have several months to help bring them along in those roles...while developing the younger guys (freshmen and jv) based completely on what you believe in--your system.

What level?

If it is varsity, I would say run 'your' system. The way you call formations, checks, routes etc. But fit your schemes to what you have. i.e. if your QB is going to a D-1 school and you are a wing-T guy, maybe you throw it more than normal. But that allows your other players to develop in the system so that when you do not have a D-1 QB, they do not have to learn a whole new offense.

If it is a middle school, or younger, I would find out what the varsity team does and try to incorporate their stuff as much as possible. Try to get their staff to sit down with you and 'clinic' on what they run and how you can best serve their program AND put your kids in a position to be successful.


I hope that makes sense?

No coach has ideal personnel year in and year out. However, good coaches will have a system that is flexible enough to incorporate the talent they have from year to year. If you're an "option" guy and don't have a QB who can run, maybe you run some double dive stuff and read DL's like the option just without the pitch phase. If you're an "I" guy without a true FB, maybe you use a backup TE as an H-back and use motions/formations to give him leverage on the guys he has to block.

Bottom line is that you need to run your system. If it's not flexible enough to fit different kids at each position, then you either need to find a new system, or use the weight room to develope the kids you need.

It's funny that you say "good coaches" adapt. I see way too many who have no business running some stuff they run, but are either too stubborn or unfamiliar with other offenses.

There is not a system out there that will make up for poor fundamentals, lack of organization and eventually, lack of talent / better players.

Coach what you know the absolute best, because in the long run, you will then have your players better taught, better prepared and in an overall better position to experience success playing the game of football.

Your talent and team make up will never be the same year to year. Take your system (which if it is any good) should be fluid enough to handle changes in your personnel.

For instance, being a Power / Counter / ISO guy who does not always have what we would call a "true FB." We take a kid no matter his size, but with a don't give a crap attitude and teach him the fundamentals of his position and the techniques which will help him. To compensate for him not being a "true fb" we may line him up in different spots to give him a better chance. Motion him across the formation to kick-out on power instead of coming out of the backfield. He has a much better success rate doing that. Same offense, same system, appears different because it is fluid.

Less about system...more about teaching kids the fundamental skills needed to be successful and using your system to find that right home where they have a chance.

I consider myself an option guy and would run flexbone if I could however when I look at the players we have and are going to get...i just don't see a qb that can do that...its not like college where you can recruit.....now we do still run some I option (freeze and load) just not a huge part of what we do

I used to think that too...ran it for years...we literally have 3 kids on our varsity that run a sub 5.0...we are best going north/ south

It does not take "infinite wisdom" just observation. Simply put, they are not successful at what they are running. This is determined by breaking them down on film, and of course, their record.

What is going to keep a QB from being able to run veer? This is where you make some adjustments; find ways to run veer as a double option; dive and pitch. You can still throw the ball around but you work with what you've got.

IMO, you need to keep your offensive philosophy the same throughout all levels. Use a vertical development philosophy; add something in each yea until you have the full offensive package.

There's nothing wrong with making adjustments to personnel. Our starting QB went down this week and we're making adjustments around that. His back-up is much faster but doesn't have a very strong arm. So, we're going to run a lot more of our naked boots, Belly Keeps/Follows and Belly Option.

"Vertical Continuity" at least in the HS program is invaluable.

I think it's important to be known for something, have an identity too whether it's "different" or not.

The difference is - when you get kids at an early age, you can teach them how to play the game in a certain way, because that's all they'll know.

And they'll get good at it.

Especially before or if they start worrying about getting to the NFL.

We have a pretty big "system" that can encompass a lot of offensive plays. Every year we go back and look at (in this order):

1. Players - who do we have coming back, who are our playmakers, who has the skill sets to accomplish what we are trying to do
2. Formations - how can we put them on the field to maximize their ability to make plays
3. Plays - What plays are we actually going to run this year? When our running QB graduates, we are going to set a whole section of our playbook on the back burner and only run what is going to give us the best chance to win.

Inside zone will always be a big part of our offense, but one year we might use a mobile QB to read the backside DE out of 3x1, some years we will get numbers in the box with a stud TE and use play action quite a bit off of it, some years we might be in a lot of two back sets and motion a wing around to seal backside, lead up through, etc.

On the other hand, midline will not be run by our varsity offense for the next two years until our pocket passer QB is gone.

That's just how we do it. If you trace it back far enough, I think it is Mt. Union that we got that from.