joebev
Freshmen Member
Posts: 41
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Post by joebev on Apr 4, 2015 5:51:50 GMT -6
I am in a position as a head coach where I have enough assistant coaches to coach Indy periods. Sounds stupid, but what do you do as a HC to keep involved in the practice while Indy periods are going on? I coached QB's for years so I can help there, and want to learn OL a lot better so feel like I'm going to spend a lot of time over there as well. Do you generally rotate group to group and make sure things are running smoothly?
I feel strongly the team takes on the personality and enthusiasm of the HC and I don't want to seem distant during stretches of practice, nor do I just want to be a time keeper of segments.
I will be heavily involved during 7v7, Inside/Outisde Run Periods, Team, etc.
Any thoughts on this are appreciated.
Thanks
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Post by morris on Apr 4, 2015 6:28:57 GMT -6
I go with my OL. We pretty much end up having two OL coaches with myself and another. I want to be involved with those guys. I'll drift over to the RBs at times or do things so they know I'm watching/paying attention. I want my OL to feel special. The RB typically already do. The RB stuff more is to challenge them or to pick on a detail. I'm involved in as much group work as I can.
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Post by rsmith627 on Apr 4, 2015 6:43:26 GMT -6
I'm not a HC yet but if I get the job where I'm at I will go with the OL most of the time as well. We have another OL guy that I'm going to keep on staff if he wants but I feel that it is a position that merits two coaches, especially with the option system I'll run.
I plan on floating between OL and QBs.
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Post by coach2013 on Apr 4, 2015 7:32:39 GMT -6
I am in a position as a head coach where I have enough assistant coaches to coach Indy periods. Sounds stupid, but what do you do as a HC to keep involved in the practice while Indy periods are going on? I coached QB's for years so I can help there, and want to learn OL a lot better so feel like I'm going to spend a lot of time over there as well. Do you generally rotate group to group and make sure things are running smoothly? I feel strongly the team takes on the personality and enthusiasm of the HC and I don't want to seem distant during stretches of practice, nor do I just want to be a time keeper of segments. I will be heavily involved during 7v7, Inside/Outisde Run Periods, Team, etc. Any thoughts on this are appreciated. Thanks My first couple of years as a HC I spent all of my time with the oline during indy.
Now I have a couple of oline guys who are getting it done pretty well and they know what I expect. I now spend more time with my qbs and rbs to help young coaches there.
This year, I expect to spend more time with the oline again because I have some younger olinemen that have to develop quickly, the backs have returned.
Ill be busy.
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Post by blb on Apr 4, 2015 7:34:11 GMT -6
If you have an assistant you feel completely confident in turning QBs over to - the two places that could use an extra coach most are OL (especially TEs if you use them) and DBs (can split Corners and Safeties).
Both areas extremely critical to Team success that require a lot of teaching-coaching.
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Post by lochness on Apr 4, 2015 8:28:48 GMT -6
I'd find it difficult to justify not coaching Indy, even if I had enough coaches. By the time you achieve a head-coaching position, you should be experienced and highly capable at at least one position. I would want to make sure our players were receiving the best skills coaching possible.
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Post by blb on Apr 4, 2015 8:32:56 GMT -6
I'd find it difficult to justify not coaching Indy, even if I had enough coaches. By the time you achieve a head-coaching position, you should be experienced and highly capable at at least one position. I would want to make sure our players were receiving the best skills coaching possible.
In addition to above, on the rare times I had somebody to coach my position area during Individual, I was both bored and antsy.
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Post by shocktroop34 on Apr 4, 2015 9:46:01 GMT -6
I'd find it difficult to justify not coaching Indy, even if I had enough coaches. By the time you achieve a head-coaching position, you should be experienced and highly capable at at least one position. I would want to make sure our players were receiving the best skills coaching possible. This is a great point. One year, I had a highly effective staff and a coach at every position. When I didn't coach a position I started to feel like more of the "CEO" HC type. I hated it. If you are a HC assign yourself a position and keep your coaching edge. And not to sound negative, but if you ever get fired, the likelihood of you becoming a coordinator, or position coach on another staff is highly probable. You want to make sure you can coach a position in a highly effective manner. To answer the OP, when I didn't have a position, I always had a place on my practice plan to jot down quick notes. I always carry a pen around my lanyard, hang it on my shirt, etc. I would make it around to each position and jot down a quick note or two. When we met as a staff, I would use the same philosophy for the coaches as I would for the players (praise in public, punish in private). Not that I would "punish" a coach, but if I saw something I wanted him to do differently, I would catch him one on one, text, or call if need be. Otherwise, I would highlight a coach if he was doing (or saying) something we all could learn from. The whole purpose was that I wanted the coaches to know that a part of my job, whether they like it or not, is to make sure they are doing what I need them to do. Some people call it "coaching your coaches," but call it what you want. The funny thing is, once they get used to seeing you come around, they act like the players and start coaching harder because, like the players, they want to impress. These were things that I experienced. Good thread.
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Post by bluboy on Apr 4, 2015 9:51:01 GMT -6
Our head coach is the OC, coaches RB's on offense, coaches LB's on defense and runs the scout offense. Oh yeah, he is also a position coach for all special teams. Keeping busy is not a problem for him.
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Post by freezeoption on Apr 4, 2015 14:41:19 GMT -6
i wish i had enough assistants to do that, plus do it right, i'm still grooming my assts to do what i want
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Post by fcboiler87 on Apr 4, 2015 15:19:48 GMT -6
I am a new head coach and will find myself in this situation by choice. I will coach QB's offensively, but defensively, I will not have a positions (we do not 2 platoon). My staff is young and relatively inexperienced, but we are spending a ton of time this off season investing in learning what I am putting in on both sides of the ball. My goal is to have them very well prepared to be able to coach what we expect individually. When it comes to defensive periods during practice, I will float to all positions throughout the periods, though we will really have only 15 minutes of indy and 15 of tackling each day so there's the only time I have to fill. The rest will be group periods with specific focuses where I will be looking at the whole of the period. I haven't done it yet, but I feel as though it will be the best thing for our kids and staff. I have 10+ assistant coaches so it makes it easier for me to do. I know I will always be coaching someone. I did this last year on basically the same staff as a walk-around defensive coordinator. I specifically coached DB's, but trusted my DB coach to get done what I needed if I wanted to go work with another position.
I know many of you are saying you don't want to distance yourself, but I feel it will be beneficial to our team. I am looking forward to it. As far as advice to the OP, if you can do it, just do it and make sure you're always coaching and helping someone.
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Post by agap on Apr 4, 2015 15:52:10 GMT -6
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joebev
Freshmen Member
Posts: 41
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Post by joebev on Apr 5, 2015 5:18:09 GMT -6
Thank you for your replies. A lot to think about, but the consensus seems pretty universal. I've been reading these posts for years to improve and I really respect a lot of the posters here. Thanks again.
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Post by olinedude on Apr 6, 2015 13:54:38 GMT -6
As a position coach I don't know where our HC is during indy and I don't care. I'm the OL guy, had them by myself last year, and I'd rather have them by myself. Our HC doesn't come and try to do much coaching mostly just wandering and motivating, and I think thats how it should be. Get great assistants you trust, and go motivate.
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Post by coachdawhip on Apr 6, 2015 14:18:10 GMT -6
It depends on the game plan. I am the OC but I don't have a position, H-backs involved heavily in the game plan then I go there. I take the safeties sometimes, luxury of being the boss is I could switch all day.
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Post by justaballcoach on Apr 7, 2015 9:15:05 GMT -6
I've never understood why people leave the position that got them the job to coach something else. I love it when opposing coaches who were linebacker/DC types decide they need to start coaching the QBs now because they're the head dog.
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Post by newhope on Apr 7, 2015 11:07:00 GMT -6
I used to coach QBs or RBs or both as a head coach. I don't now. I've got good people and they handle those things. I move from group to group, observing as much as I can. I motivate, and offer a little individual coaching as I go. I can go where I'm needed or just go where I want. I'm not tied down every day to any one place. I like it that way. I run the 7 on 7 and team stuff, but I leave indy primarily to the assistants. Now, if I didn't have guys who did a good job, I will coach one or observe/assist one who's learning.
I also like being able to see what players are doing in individual rather than having someone tell me what goes on in their group. I also like being able to take a look at what's going on with JV as well.
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Post by breakerdog on Apr 7, 2015 11:29:27 GMT -6
I can't speak as an HC, but as an OC what I really liked doing when not working with a specific position group was to grab the stragglers in a position group and work with them. We tended to have a few kids at each position that for whatever reason ( genetics, intelligence, missing practice etc) were not very good and tended to slow down drills and limit high level teach time. The position coach would spend %80 of his time working with the %20 that needed the most help. I like to take those guys off his hands for an Indy period and work on basic fundamentals. The theory being that I was trying to raise the ability of our lowest level of athlete. I let the position coach handle raising the bar for our highest level. The Oline coach could work on hand position with Jimmy while I teach Joe how to get into a 3 point stance.
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Post by 3rdandlong on Apr 7, 2015 17:29:35 GMT -6
How long is your Indy period? It's a great time for a head coach to talk to players individually, set up another drill, or even be the guy who goes around with a water bottle for players while making coaching points at each position.... If you are not a position coach as a HC, then you should know what's happening at each station and what is being coached at each position.
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Post by CoachWeitz on Apr 9, 2015 10:27:52 GMT -6
Never been a football HC but our HC does a lot of moving from one group to the other talking to kids one on one and dealing with thing I don't know or want to know about. Personally I love it, his big theory is "I want to bring in the best coaches in the country and let those coaches coach, I'll deal with the rest of the stuff." As an assistant coach it's great, you can focus on coaching. That being said I think it totally depends on your situation and the trust you have with your assistants.
When I was a HC for rugby (obviously a bit different but similar in this case) I really enjoyed being able to get each of our assistants a drill that fit their specialty and let them kill it in that drill. I'd go around and pull one or two guys aside that were outside of the main stream (either higher or lower) and coach them up or set up the next drill or be their gopher and grab them anything they needed. Like everything I assume it depends on the circumstances.
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Post by blb on Apr 9, 2015 10:33:12 GMT -6
Some old-timers here may remember Bill Mallory, who was Woody's TNT coach at Ohio State before becoming HC at Miami (OH), Colorado, Northern Illinois, and Indiana. He11 of a Football coach. Has three sons in the business.
Friend of mine coached DL for him at IU. He said he had the "highest-paid GA in the country" because when they did Individual Mal would come down and help him!
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jelotts
Sophomore Member
Posts: 120
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Post by jelotts on Apr 9, 2015 10:40:23 GMT -6
I'd find it difficult to justify not coaching Indy, even if I had enough coaches. By the time you achieve a head-coaching position, you should be experienced and highly capable at at least one position. I would want to make sure our players were receiving the best skills coaching possible.
In addition to above, on the rare times I had somebody to coach my position area during Individual, I was both bored and antsy.
I agree with the both posts above 100%. I still coach positions on both O and D. I think it is important the HC is coaching during Indy time. I do not have enough coaches not to, but even if I did, I know I would still have a position during Indy time.
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mhs99
Junior Member
Posts: 250
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Post by mhs99 on Apr 9, 2015 20:26:57 GMT -6
If you have an assistant you feel completely confident in turning QBs over to - the two places that could use an extra coach most are OL (especially TEs if you use them) and DBs (can split Corners and Safeties). Both areas extremely critical to Team success that require a lot of teaching-coaching. Great points on TE's. I coach them up and work them with OT's. We split OT's/TE's, Guards, and Center and do a ton of specific stuff with them. Have 2 OL coaches and myself to help, we get a lot out of these periods.
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Post by Send_the_House on Apr 10, 2015 9:18:21 GMT -6
i wish i had enough assistants to do that, plus do it right, i'm still grooming my assts to do what i want Part of the problem might be that you said "I" 4 times in 1 sentence.
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Post by s73 on Apr 10, 2015 10:03:05 GMT -6
I am in a position as a head coach where I have enough assistant coaches to coach Indy periods. Sounds stupid, but what do you do as a HC to keep involved in the practice while Indy periods are going on? I coached QB's for years so I can help there, and want to learn OL a lot better so feel like I'm going to spend a lot of time over there as well. Do you generally rotate group to group and make sure things are running smoothly? I feel strongly the team takes on the personality and enthusiasm of the HC and I don't want to seem distant during stretches of practice, nor do I just want to be a time keeper of segments. I will be heavily involved during 7v7, Inside/Outisde Run Periods, Team, etc. Any thoughts on this are appreciated. Thanks I'm a big believer that this is a great time to coach your coaches. Maybe throw out a buzz word here or there. Or silently evaluate and mention some constructive things to them after practice. Can also be a great time to become the "rah - rah" guy to some of the kids who don't normally get to see you in that light. Maybe a little extra enthusiasm towards a kid for performing a drill exceptionally well. That's kind of how I see that time. JMO.
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Post by olinedude on Apr 10, 2015 13:36:51 GMT -6
Totally agree with s73, throw some buzz words around and build kids up. They hear good stuff from their position coaches all the time, but if the HC comes over and tells them they're doing a great job it makes the kid's day.
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Post by freezeoption on Apr 10, 2015 21:21:21 GMT -6
i wish i did have assts, but i only have 3 so i don't know if i will get more there is 5 for you
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Post by bleefb on Apr 11, 2015 22:29:43 GMT -6
Obviously you have to have solid assistants you trust if you're going to delegate that authority. I've been in that situation as an OC with a large staff. Our HC was a CEO type who was great at fundraising, Booster Club, Public Relations, etc. The problem was, because he had so much of that on his plate, he started to become more distant from the players and team in general. Often times, he would be there at the start of practice, and the end of practice, but be missing for large chunks in the middle to catch up on all the Administrative duties he had created for himself. I don't think he came to an offensive meeting on four or five years, which was great for me as an OC as far as having total autonomy over the offense. We were VERY successful as a team during all of this, and it was the model he set up when he arrived at our school,(We were mostly holdovers from the previous staff and had not done this before) but I don't think he enjoyed it after awhile. One year we lost our DB coach at the last minute and he had to take over the position, which meant he HAD to be there every day, and that was the happiest I saw him out of all the seasons he was there. After I became a Head Coach, I understood a little better the "tug" on your time, but I like coaching kids more. The moral of the story is make sure you stay closely involved with your kids and team. Find something specific to do.
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Post by coachdawhip on Jul 3, 2015 12:04:33 GMT -6
How long is your Indy period? It's a great time for a head coach to talk to players individually, set up another drill, or even be the guy who goes around with a water bottle for players while making coaching points at each position.... If you are not a position coach as a HC, then you should know what's happening at each station and what is being coached at each position. This is very undervalued. I feel like I know ALL my players because I just don't coach one spot. I move all over the interaction is there.
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