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Post by coachcb on Oct 7, 2007 14:09:46 GMT -6
Alright fellas, here's the situation. I am coaching a freshman football team this year; we are doing very well. Our kids are fundamentally sound, know their assignments and play extremely well. We practice separately from the varsity (sophs, jrs, srs.)
We have our own freshman schedule, but we also play several freshman/sophomore games as well. The sophomores are really, really struggling this year; the varsity staff is doing everything they can to get these kids ready, but it's been tough. They weren't coached very well last year (last years freshman staff is gone) and are basically a year behind everyone. Some of them get jv time, but there's about 20 of them that play only froshmore games.
Here's the issue, the freshman staff also coaches the froshmore games. The sophmores have really, really been having a hard time in these games; we've been pulling a lot of the sophs and playing a lot of freshman quite a bit. This is especially true with the OL; we run a very vanilla version of the varsity system yet the sophs are always missing assignments. And it has nothing to do with the varsity staffs preparation of these kids; they get a lot of reps a attention at the varsity level.
Now it's a froshmore game, so the freshman are supposed to play, but we've sat most of the sophs more than a few times. We've won the games where we've played a bunch of freshman and lost those those where we've held them in reserve.
What would you guys do; let the sophs play and struggle, or play the freshman and win?
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Post by brophy on Oct 7, 2007 14:19:26 GMT -6
Alright fellas, here's the situation. I am coaching a freshman football team this year; we are doing very well. Our kids are fundamentally sound, know their assignments and play extremely well. We practice separately from the varsity (sophs, jrs, srs.) We have our own freshman schedule, but we also play several freshman/sophomore games as well. The sophomores are really, really struggling this year; the varsity staff is doing everything they can to get these kids ready, but it's been tough. They weren't coached very well last year (last years freshman staff is gone) and are basically a year behind everyone. Some of them get jv time, but there's about 20 of them that play only froshmore games. Here's the issue, the freshman staff also coaches the froshmore games. The sophmores have really, really been having a hard time in these games; we've been pulling a lot of the sophs and playing a lot of freshman quite a bit. This is especially true with the OL; we run a very vanilla version of the varsity system yet the sophs are always missing assignments. And it has nothing to do with the varsity staffs preparation of these kids; they get a lot of reps a attention at the varsity level. Now it's a froshmore game, so the freshman are supposed to play, but we've sat most of the sophs more than a few times. We've won the games where we've played a bunch of freshman and lost those those where we've held them in reserve. What would you guys do; let the sophs play and struggle, or play the freshman and win? if the sophomores win, what will it really matter? However, if the freshmen can play 2 games instead of 1 (more experience) you have a great plan with good rewards. What are you doing now to make the weak unit (sophs) better individually (to prepare them for varsity)? "Winning" at the sophmore level (artificially with freshmen) doesn't really 'help' the sophomores. |
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Post by coachcb on Oct 7, 2007 14:34:20 GMT -6
I see whee you're coming from brophy; winning with the freshman doesn't help the sophs and we know that. In essence we're being a little selfish; winning these froshmore games with the freshman has been a huge boost for our freshman, particularly the offensive line. The more reps they get at our scheme against competition, the better.
There's not much that we can do to make the sophs better, given that we only have them for one pregame practice every few weeks.
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Post by coachd5085 on Oct 7, 2007 15:01:36 GMT -6
cb-- I think one key element is whether these soph's have any more non-varsity opportunities to play/develop in game situations. Do you also have a JV team, or is that the role of the froshmore team.
I disagree a bit with brophy here in that IF these soph's won't have anymore non-varsity opportunities to develop, then the premium has to be to get THEM game experience, as the freshmen are already getting that with the pure freshmen schedule.
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Post by coachcb on Oct 7, 2007 15:59:53 GMT -6
coachd5085- Yes, we have a JV team as well; they have the opportunity to play in those games as well. We have a couple of sophs that play a little bit of varsity as well. I've never coached a combined unit like this before, it's been an experience. They have plenty of opportunities to play in non varsity games.
coachjerk; Honestly, we've been trying to find a happy medium between winning and getting the sophs in. The sophs are the priority since the freshman have a 9 game schedule to themselves. We do try to leave the sophs in as much as we can and the skill positions are alright. The lineman are generally the problem; AND A HUGE ONE AT THAT. I leave them in until we just can't get anything done, and then I sub in the freshman OL/DL and we knock people around. It goes back and forth like that all game.....
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Post by coachd5085 on Oct 7, 2007 16:14:39 GMT -6
cb--sounds like a great program..full frosh schedule, JV team, and froshmore games. If those sophs can't get it done, but they have a chance to play JV next year if they get better, I would lean a little to the frosh playing...BUT ONLY if that allows you to play some lesser frosh in the frosh only games. I wouldn't play my stud frosh full time on frosh team, and on froshmore team just for the sake of winning frosh and froshmore games.
Something else to consider...are the mistakes physical or schematical. Meaning, would they be able to gain soemthing from playing, OR are they just getting whipped on because they arent good.
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Post by coachcb on Oct 7, 2007 16:37:45 GMT -6
cb--sounds like a great program..full frosh schedule, JV team, and froshmore games. If those sophs can't get it done, but they have a chance to play JV next year if they get better, I would lean a little to the frosh playing...BUT ONLY if that allows you to play some lesser frosh in the frosh only games. I wouldn't play my stud frosh full time on frosh team, and on froshmore team just for the sake of winning frosh and froshmore games. Something else to consider...are the mistakes physical or schematical. Meaning, would they be able to gain soemthing from playing, OR are they just getting whipped on because they arent good. It's a combination of the 2, coach. They miss a lot of easy assignments (center down blocking on a 1 tech, replacing for a pulling guard) and they get their butts kicked when they do get their assignments. The varsity OL coach does a great job; one of the best I've been around. The varsity and jv OLs get the job done very well; these 5-6 sophs are just friggin clueless. They don't have soph QB either; we're playing 2 of our freshman in those games. If the OL doesn't get the job done, our freshman QBs get smacked; that can't happen. That's what happened the last time I pulled them all out; blitz came free up the middle, our QB got drilled |
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Post by coachd5085 on Oct 7, 2007 16:51:26 GMT -6
Well, if it is physical...meaning that the game experience won't help that much (no amount of game experience would allow me to block Glen Dorsey for example) then I would sit down and talk with the V OL coach, and see what he thinks. Maybe you could do some rigging where they play backside only..or something.
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