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Post by nltdiego on Jul 27, 2013 19:56:29 GMT -6
I have taken over a program that has not won a league game in two years. We have gotten completely strong in the weight room in the off season. We recently went to a contact camp and were getting beaten up and thrown around by guys who were smaller and weaker than us.
I guess my question is.. how do you coaches teach and coach to be physical without getting hurt during practice?
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Post by coachphillip on Jul 27, 2013 21:44:10 GMT -6
Physicality is something that is not inherent in all individuals. Emphasize it in all you do. Sled work is great. It ain't called the man maker for no reason. It needs to trickle down from the top. Be upbeat and enthusiastic about physical play. Stop a drill and get excited about physicality. Highlight it. Lastly, don't expect a kid to be physical if you're also asking him to think too much. The number one reason I've experiences soft play was kids were unsure of what they were supposed to do. I coached the Veer and Wishbone and kids were marshmallows on the OL. One of our first tech days in summer I stopped a play a split second before the snap because what I saw on their faces across the board was absolute confusion. I asked our guard what he was thinking about and he said "what am I not thinking about." Apparently, the verbiage and rules I used were totally different from my lower level (Inside Zone background) coaches. We scrapped team session and went straight into a spring style boot camp. Went into the season with inside veer, outside veer, midline, trap, counter, 3 step pro, and very basic PA pro. We had an average season, but it is still one of the most physical teams I have ever coached. You can't be physical if you're overwhelmed a second before you have to get on your horse and go. Scale back the play book, focus on fundamentals, preach physicality wins championships.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2013 22:07:04 GMT -6
I have taken over a program that has not won a league game in two years. We have gotten completely strong in the weight room in the off season. We recently went to a contact camp and were getting beaten up and thrown around by guys who were smaller and weaker than us. I guess my question is.. how do you coaches teach and coach to be physical without getting hurt during practice? technique, repetition, execution. No matter system you run you can be soft and you can be physical. |
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osceola
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Post by osceola on Jul 27, 2013 22:38:44 GMT -6
I think with physicality it is a lot like "toughness". You can not just make a kid physical. What you can do is praise it, show examples of it, and explain why it is so important to be physical.
One thing that will help is making sure the kid is absolutely positive what he is suppose to do every play.
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Post by joker31 on Jul 28, 2013 1:35:20 GMT -6
We have some competitive guys this year that want to get after it physically, some players are just wired that way and luckily for us it has spread to most of our team. You can talk about it and harp on it daily to hopefully see it improve.
One thing we changed in the last couple years is that we tackle and block each other in the off-season, without pads... We picked it up from a coach at a clinic and he talked about increasing the pain threshold for each player. It is our 2nd year doing it and we already see the differences. Last year we did it and it was a little different for the Varsity guys since we never did it before, but this year our guys didn't even flinch at the idea. |
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Post by brophy on Jul 28, 2013 1:55:08 GMT -6
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Post by gators1422 on Jul 28, 2013 9:53:20 GMT -6
We as a program absolutely teach kids to be tough. Everyday at practice we hit, and I mean hitting drills, and if you don't you most likely don't play. We do board drills under the chute with everybody and we encourage kids to bury kids who don't go hard. Its a kill or be killed mentality. We go to the 50 during pregame and do a hitting drill before every game, most teams look at us like we've lost our mind and we love it. They know they better strap it up that night.
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Post by coach2013 on Jul 28, 2013 10:02:11 GMT -6
Love it. I used to do full contact tackling and shedding drills when I coached freshman ball. I got away from it as a HS coach because I figured Id be fired by Monday if someone got hurt during pre game warm ups.
Softness kills xs and os. No doubt about it.
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Post by blb on Jul 28, 2013 10:11:13 GMT -6
Kids have different degrees of Contact Courage.
Most will hit satisfactorily if you teach them HOW.
Need to start early - "If a dog won't bite when he's a pup..."
That's when sleds have their most value - getting kids used to the shock of contact-perfecting techniques before going against other human beings.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2013 22:43:19 GMT -6
We have some competitive guys this year that want to get after it physically, some players are just wired that way and luckily for us it has spread to most of our team. You can talk about it and harp on it daily to hopefully see it improve.
One thing we changed in the last couple years is that we tackle and block each other in the off-season, without pads... We picked it up from a coach at a clinic and he talked about increasing the pain threshold for each player. It is our 2nd year doing it and we already see the differences. Last year we did it and it was a little different for the Varsity guys since we never did it before, but this year our guys didn't even flinch at the idea. When you say you tackle and block each other in the offseason without pads, how "physical" are you going with this? I'm envisioning a bunch of kids running around in shirts and shorts drilling each other full-speed in the street like we used to do playing backyard (read: backroad) football growing up. Speaking as an adult, I wouldn't recommend that. |
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Post by joker31 on Jul 31, 2013 10:59:55 GMT -6
We have some competitive guys this year that want to get after it physically, some players are just wired that way and luckily for us it has spread to most of our team. You can talk about it and harp on it daily to hopefully see it improve.
One thing we changed in the last couple years is that we tackle and block each other in the off-season, without pads... We picked it up from a coach at a clinic and he talked about increasing the pain threshold for each player. It is our 2nd year doing it and we already see the differences. Last year we did it and it was a little different for the Varsity guys since we never did it before, but this year our guys didn't even flinch at the idea. When you say you tackle and block each other in the offseason without pads, how "physical" are you going with this? I'm envisioning a bunch of kids running around in shirts and shorts drilling each other full-speed in the street like we used to do playing backyard (read: backroad) football growing up. Speaking as an adult, I wouldn't recommend that. That's exactly how we do it! Just kidding... We tackle and block from a progression of a 6 point stance where both players are on the ground, then one knee up where we finish a tackle 5 yards through. These two drills the person getting tackled is stationary. We do this for both tackling and our shield blocking technique. From here we move onto a missile tackle (angle tackle with a bit further distance) and we teach our acceleration, break down and tackle... No one goes to the ground. Completely safe and no injuries so far. Biggest thing that happened the first year was the feeling out process people, the SRs weren't sure about going "thud" tempo without pads because they had never done it before. Our underclassmen and incoming freshman that year thought this was the norm and just went with it. Not completely crediting it to this, but it was by far our toughest team at the JV level last season. |
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Post by veerman on Aug 1, 2013 20:48:01 GMT -6
There is only so much you can do to help kids be physical. Like others said preach it and praise it when you see it. Also agree with commit about keeping it simple to help kids. We are a veer team also, and we wedge block up front for majority of our plays to help out line stay physical.
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Post by coachbozwhs on Aug 1, 2013 21:57:27 GMT -6
We have some competitive guys this year that want to get after it physically, some players are just wired that way and luckily for us it has spread to most of our team. You can talk about it and harp on it daily to hopefully see it improve.
One thing we changed in the last couple years is that we tackle and block each other in the off-season, without pads... We picked it up from a coach at a clinic and he talked about increasing the pain threshold for each player. It is our 2nd year doing it and we already see the differences. Last year we did it and it was a little different for the Varsity guys since we never did it before, but this year our guys didn't even flinch at the idea. You must not coach in WV. Would lose our jobs if we did that. We can't even have kids touch a dummy or shield until we are in pads (5th day of August practice). Can't contact another player until 3rd day of pads (7th day of August practice). As for physicality, I feel sleds have a role in fits, hand placement and leg drive, but do not believe that something static can build functional, physical play against an actual opponent. It begins with fundamentals, stance, get-off, hands and knowledge of assignment which sleds can provide to a degree. Competitive drills after fundamentals have been repped go a long way in bringing out the "player" IMHO. Finally, If kids know that they are fundamentally sound and are confident in their assignment they are given the chance to be physical. Indecision/poor technique=timid. |
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Post by joker31 on Aug 2, 2013 1:16:05 GMT -6
We have some competitive guys this year that want to get after it physically, some players are just wired that way and luckily for us it has spread to most of our team. You can talk about it and harp on it daily to hopefully see it improve.
One thing we changed in the last couple years is that we tackle and block each other in the off-season, without pads... We picked it up from a coach at a clinic and he talked about increasing the pain threshold for each player. It is our 2nd year doing it and we already see the differences. Last year we did it and it was a little different for the Varsity guys since we never did it before, but this year our guys didn't even flinch at the idea. You must not coach in WV. Would lose our jobs if we did that. We can't even have kids touch a dummy or shield until we are in pads (5th day of August practice). Can't contact another player until 3rd day of pads (7th day of August practice). As for physicality, I feel sleds have a role in fits, hand placement and leg drive, but do not believe that something static can build functional, physical play against an actual opponent. It begins with fundamentals, stance, get-off, hands and knowledge of assignment which sleds can provide to a degree. Competitive drills after fundamentals have been repped go a long way in bringing out the "player" IMHO. Finally, If kids know that they are fundamentally sound and are confident in their assignment they are given the chance to be physical. Indecision/poor technique=timid. I'm not allowed to get fired  I'm an assistant coach in Canada and every single person on the staff is a volunteer, including the HC. No stipends allowed. All kidding aside, we picked it up from a school in Sacramento... And some of their other non-padded drills they do were even crazier than this. They had something called a "homie" drill, where 1 player would call out another player and it was essentially a football version of a street fight. Stuff was too much for us, but the tackling has worked out for us. |
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Post by coachphillip on Aug 2, 2013 8:03:54 GMT -6
Which school in Sacramento, Joker? Sounds like Grant.
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Post by joker31 on Aug 2, 2013 11:46:45 GMT -6
I can't remember the name of the school, but I know it wasn't Grant. I remember the HC from the clinic being a BIG dude
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Post by coach2013 on Aug 2, 2013 12:42:41 GMT -6
I am beginning to think that losing the shields would be good for us as well.
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Post by tigerpride on Aug 3, 2013 9:04:11 GMT -6
We do Oklahoma Drill every day. One RB & one Blocker vs one Defensive Player. D-player is at disadvantage and makes tackle. Goal is for defense to be physical, low, inside hands, separation, shed blocker! We view it as 11 guys must get off a block on every single play. This is more important than scheme.
We do a 4 station tackling circuit every day. Full contact, nobody goes down. All drills focus on Bite the ball, wrap, grab high cloth, drive hips, legs never stop! We want our players to drive ball carrier 5 yards after contact and stay up.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2013 12:33:39 GMT -6
get rid of the equipment. I say that understanding their is an exception to everything or most everything.
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Post by coachiminime on Aug 3, 2013 14:12:05 GMT -6
We do Oklahoma Drill every day. One RB & one Blocker vs one Defensive Player. D-player is at disadvantage and makes tackle. Goal is for defense to be physical, low, inside hands, separation, shed blocker! We view it as 11 guys must get off a block on every single play. This is more important than scheme. We do a 4 station tackling circuit every day. Full contact, nobody goes down. All drills focus on Bite the ball, wrap, grab high cloth, drive hips, legs never stop! We want our players to drive ball carrier 5 yards after contact and stay up. Coach what are your tacking stations you do? |
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Post by kad02002 on Aug 3, 2013 14:53:03 GMT -6
In addition to what other people have said, I'd say the following:
There is a relationship between hitting toughness and overall toughness. Its not a perfect relationship, but it is there. Develop that toughness in all areas. A primary way is through old school hard conditioning. Do wind sprints. Do gassers. Do bear crawls. Combine gassers and bear crawls. Make it hard.
You'll see who the leaders are, and you'll get a team who is pissed off at opponents who they know haven't felt the pain that they have.
Also, can't replace hitting drills. Teach the proper technique. Make sure some of the hitting drills are against bags. But you also need some full contact pads popping all out hitting. It might raise your injury risk a little bit during practice. But it will probably lower your injury risk during games, when YOUR guys are doing the hitting, not the other way around.
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Post by tigerpride on Aug 3, 2013 19:10:38 GMT -6
We do Oklahoma Drill every day. One RB & one Blocker vs one Defensive Player. D-player is at disadvantage and makes tackle. Goal is for defense to be physical, low, inside hands, separation, shed blocker! We view it as 11 guys must get off a block on every single play. This is more important than scheme. We do a 4 station tackling circuit every day. Full contact, nobody goes down. All drills focus on Bite the ball, wrap, grab high cloth, drive hips, legs never stop! We want our players to drive ball carrier 5 yards after contact and stay up. Coach what are your tacking stations you do? 1. 4 bags lay on the ground and the RB needs to choose a path towards the tackler between the bags. Tackler shuffles, lagging behind the RB, RB chooses path and tackler form fits and runs RB back 5 yds. 2. RB and tackler are 20 yds apart. On whistle, they sprint towards each other until they are 10 yds apart. Tackler breaks down, and RB runs at 45 degree angle one way or the other. Tackler reacts and form tackles, working his head across the RB and driving RB back 5 yds. 3. Form tackle on the one man sled. 4. Slowed down tackling drill - players pair up and go thru tackling. This is learning part of the circuit. During this, we ask that themRB try to spin out of the tackle so tackler holds on. **full go except station 4. Nobody goes down. |
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Post by fantom on Aug 3, 2013 19:46:27 GMT -6
I have taken over a program that has not won a league game in two years. We have gotten completely strong in the weight room in the off season. We recently went to a contact camp and were getting beaten up and thrown around by guys who were smaller and weaker than us. I guess my question is.. how do you coaches teach and coach to be physical without getting hurt during practice? A lot of good suggestions but I think that you my have to adjust your expectations. In the offseason you may have gotten strong-ER but that doesn't mean that you're STRONG yet. It really does take more than one offseason to get from zero to really competitive. |
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Post by cenglish56 on Aug 4, 2013 15:06:31 GMT -6
I may be oversimplifying this but....
Teams that are series based offensively are almost always physical in nature because its what they live off of.
Db wing, flexbone, sbv, wishbone, wing t ect. Not a perfect scenario but if base olays is power, an option, buck sweep etc. It goes a long way. Seen a lot of teams with lesser talent thst were considered soft get real physical fast once in the db wing as an example.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using proboards
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Post by blb on Aug 4, 2013 15:35:06 GMT -6
It's somewhat analagous to Baseball for young kids.
Natural reaction for some if not most is to be afraid of a hard, thrown object coming near them.
So you have to get them over the fear of the ball.
In Football this means the first thing you must do is to teach them how to protect themselves and get used to the shock of contact.
This is where sleds (if available) can help. If not, use hand shields.
You teach them how to be the "hitter" and not the "hittee."
Contact Courage can be taught if done correctly - from the ground up.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2013 16:07:32 GMT -6
I may be oversimplifying this but.... Teams that are series based offensively are almost always physical in nature because its what they live off of. Db wing, flexbone, sbv, wishbone, wing t ect. Not a perfect scenario but if base olays is power, an option, buck sweep etc. It goes a long way. Seen a lot of teams with lesser talent thst were considered soft get real physical fast once in the db wing as an example. Sent from my SGH-M919 using proboards I don't think it's the plays themselves that make the team seem more physical. I think it the fact that they rep it and know it so well there is no hesitation, and they make confident decisive actions. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2013 20:56:15 GMT -6
I may be oversimplifying this but.... Teams that are series based offensively are almost always physical in nature because its what they live off of. Db wing, flexbone, sbv, wishbone, wing t ect. Not a perfect scenario but if base olays is power, an option, buck sweep etc. It goes a long way. Seen a lot of teams with lesser talent thst were considered soft get real physical fast once in the db wing as an example. Sent from my SGH-M919 using proboards Physicality is more about execution than plays or formations. jmo though and of course. |
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I'm an assistant coach in Canada and every single person on the staff is a volunteer, including the HC. No stipends allowed.
