What are your best scout team tips?

sorry for the delay in answering, but if a team runs a play in a noticeably different way than we run the play we will make the adjustment with our scout guys. We also know that we need to stop the opponent's best plays, so there is not a huge long list of stuff. we play some flexbone option teams(we are not) so we come up with signals for that offense, and we do have to spend some time teaching up the scout team, just like you would if you drew up cards. But the majority of the time, with most "common" offensive plays, we can just signal it in and we know what a power is, what a smash route is..

That always works the best.... Minimal screwing off, usually the players respond and compete. Whether or not they are in a position battle I'm sure the players feel that they're being evaluated like they are.

I'll chime in to agree with the Head Coach doing the scout team. One, it makes them feel important since the boss is watching. Second, if they don't do well, you can point out to them first hand what they need to improve. Next, you get to see kids you overlooked at the beginning of the season. We've had scout kids move up to starting roles because they either improved, or we had a chance to get a second look. Also, they get a lot more reps than standing in the back while the first group gets the majority of the reps. Finally, if your Head Coach is more of an Administrator type, it gives him something concrete to do.
We always had the DC coach the defensive scout team, and the OC/Head Coach do the offense.

"We always had the DC coach the defensive scout team, and the OC/Head Coach do the offense."

This quote got me thinking. I am the DC, and I coach the scout defense along with the d-line coach (he deals with the front/I deal with DB's). I coach those kids as if they are the starters getting ready for the championship game. I constantly tell them that this is their defensive team period. I can tell you countless stories about kids who started on scout team, listened and applied coaching, and eventually played in games (before mop-up time). Once the scout guys realized this, attitudes changed and we got better.
So the moral of the story is coach the crap out of the scout team guys. Don't view them as fodder for the big dogs because someday these puppies will be the big dogs.