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Post by irishdog on Jan 28, 2024 11:39:52 GMT -6
Senator makes a good point about the "OG's" still in the profession learning something from the young guys. At the same time the younger guys will also benefit from learning something from those same "OG"s. I would add when I was in I also learned a lot from my players.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 28, 2024 9:52:49 GMT -6
All of the comments in this thread are valid, and true. "Re=branding" has as much to do with building, or re-building, or developing a CULTURE of success as much as it has to do with creating field systems. We have to face the fact that much has changed over the years. Society in general, (especially the technology piece), families, education, the game itself, and of course the youngsters we serve who have been affected by all of it have changed. IE: Frankly, coaches in the larger cities face many challenges that are not the same as coaches who work in rural towns, and vice-versa. It is why I mentioned in a previous post (maybe a different thread?) that a coach today must first KNOW his/her own expectations, and do their homework (EVALUATIONS) of the job they are interested in, and EVALUATIONS of the job when accepted in order to formulate that "Brand."
I don't envy you young guys trying to break into coaching at this present time. When I did 50 years ago we didn't have HALF the issues to deal with that you do, and MUST be dealt with today. Sure, we had some of the same issues, but not nearly as many, and we dealt with them in a much different way. Kids basically are not much different, but TIMES have changed, and those changes have effected change in the kids.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 27, 2024 15:04:57 GMT -6
How about a district/school/department mandate for all "team sports" athletes to be in a department strength training program run by Strength coaches (1 male and 1 female)? Designed for in-season and off-season. Held in the AM for those who practice in the PM, and in the PM for those who practice in the AM. The coaches paid seasonal stipends (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) OR, full-time certified PE or Science teachers in the HS or the MS who have certifications in strength training. Make it a graded class 2x per week on the days the athletes do not have scheduled games. The AD provides the strength coaches a composite team games/practices schedule to schedule the class accordingly. The HC's and athletes receive the class schedule from the strength coaches.
As a former AD I think it would help all the athletes in traditional "team sports" like football, volleyball, basketball, hockey, baseball, softball, lacrosse). However it would not eliminate or discriminate against athletes in more traditional individual sports if they chose to be enrolled.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 25, 2024 17:31:13 GMT -6
Winning solves everything! As I mentioned before, “Winning” does not solve everything. It should, but it does not. Out of our current sophomores (which is our most athletic class in the building by far) we have 6 of the 11 best athletes out for football. All of them played in junior high and EVERY YEAR when these kids were in junior high, they all traveled across the state to watch us play in the state championship game. Nearly half of them do not play now because they are going to the NBA or NHL or MLB… or because there are expectations in our program (much the same as the rest of you have), whatever the excuse may be. Our current 8th grade is a similar class to our sophomores- but if we don’t get most of them out, there is a chance that football dies here. A school/town very similar to ours (just on the other side of the river) no longer plays football. They co-op with a “neighboring town” (55 miles away). Another one, slightly larger than us, did not play for two years. They are slowly on the path back to recovery… but it’s like watching SMU after the death penalty. Here is the breakdown for next year re: returning players: (Next year’s) Seniors – 5 players. 3 who started the season ineligible. 3 of them were 2 way starters, the other two got a lot better and may help in 2024. Juniors (the sophomore class referenced above) 6 players. All starters (really 5 and an emergency defensive starter by week 3… undersized and slow DB).
Freshmen – 3 players One starter, one who played some, one just on KOR. Every one of the above was on a special team somewhere.
We played one 9-man JV jamboree. We had all our freshmen, two foreign exchange students, the two junior non-starters and two seniors who were in their first year of playing football (one of them started the last game when it came down to him or our Italian student). If my math is right, that’s 14 players. We are not 6man, 8 man or 9 man. We are 11 man. As we all know, there are down classes… we’ve just never had this many jammed together and have never had so few multi-sport athletes. The above is my reason for starting this thread in the first place. I appreciate the suggestions like 60zgo to run a spread single wing… but after 18 years in this offense we’ve done it all (2 SE balanced, 1 TE balanced/unbalanced, 2 TE unbalanced…). I’ve been a SW kool-aid drinker for a long time and have used many variations. In 2012 we averaged around 200 yds. a game passing. In 2022 we didn’t attempt a pass for 3 weeks in a row during October. Both those years we made the semi-finals. You do what best fits your personnel within your system; that is one of my core philosophies. I like the “Single Wing” (which is a pretty generic term anyway… like “spread”) BECAUSE it is so adaptable (more so than our Wishbone was… no offense to that offense because I still love that as well). As far as the original question- I only posed this question to see the angles I wasn’t seeing/looking for. Being on here is like being at the social at the clinic (minus the beer and wings)- most of my “thoughts” I would only share with coaches. You are the only ones who “know”. There are many on here whose thoughts and commentary I truly appreciate/value. I don’t always agree… but sometimes I need to hear the contrary to my position. It makes me a better coach. When all is said and done, I really don’t think I was asking the right question… but it is one that crossed my mind more than once after the worst season we’ve had in over 20 years.
I truly sympathize with you coach. 14? 11 man? Wow. As I mentioned in my original post on this topic EVALUATION of the entire program is a must. It has nothing to do with "branding" what you do on the field. Your school's "re-branding" for the future involves a helluva lot more than that. It has everything to do with RE-EVALUATING the state of the program. What is missing from what made it work in the past? Is it community driven? Enrollment driven? Are low participation numbers driven by the first two questions? Are the participation numbers driven by current sports norms? Are the participation numbers driven by current societal norms? Those questions must be answered honestly, and sometimes, whether we want to hear them or not, are not the answers we like. How then do we go about changing the current environment? How do we encourage the athletes to play the game of football? How do we show and prove to parents that the game has never been safer? How do we convince the athletes, the parents, and yes...even the other sports coaches that strength training is good for ALL sports? How do we come up with efficient and effective practice methods, schedules, and coaching? How do we connect with the athletes and parents to convince them of the advantages in playing multiple sports including football? These are the tough questions in the evaluation process that will help determine the future of the program.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 25, 2024 12:47:21 GMT -6
I was a football coach for 50 years, 8 years as a JC assistant, D3 assistant, and D2 DC. The other 42 years as a HS HC, DC, position coach at the varsity, JV, and freshman levels. I've coached the Wishbone, Trap Option, Wing-T, Straight-T, Double Wing, and Spread on offense, and the 5-2, 3-4, 4-3, 4-4, and 4-2. My niche as a HC was rebuilding failing programs. Gentlemen, let me just say I have seen it all, heard it all, and experienced it all.
Through those years of experience the one thing I learned from MANY outstanding coaches/mentors was no matter how much experience I gained from the game there was NO experience more valuable than what I learned from EACH experience. I used that no matter where I ended up, and I ended up in 5 different states because my wife was a damn good corporate accountant! I was just blessed and thankful to have found work getting paid for doing what I loved!
Each school was different. Each administration was different. Each school's alumni/boosters were different. Each school's students were different, making the athletes different from each school. My approach was to EVALUATE EVERYTHING FIRST. After that I did everything I could to employ the KISS philosophy in EVERYTHING it took to rebuild the entire program. This was especially true in what I decided to run on offense and defense. What would enhance my athletes talents, and not expose their weaknesses?
At the same time I would get the parents involved, BUT, they always knew what the expectations were from the get-go. KISS. We had a Parent/Coach Communication Plan, we had a Football Program Expectations Plan, and a Parent/Coach Expectations Plan WE all agreed to and signed. WE held each other responsible and accountable for the young men in our charge. I shared those documents first with the admin which were always approved before handing them out.
Typically our first year was spent building the foundation by learning how to compete both on and off the field, spent fortifying that foundation by learning how to win in the classroom and in life. The next year was spent reinforcing that foundation by establishing a winning Spirit (not the rah-rah type; the Holy Spirit type). After that the sky was the limit. Always kept it simple. Never over-analyzed. Made it tough, but fun. Won games, lost games, won championships, lost championships, but always did what I could to win hearts.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 22, 2024 9:50:35 GMT -6
So when can my 50 years of experience qualify to sit on the Executive Board as an "Executive" member? Coach Ken be out his mind to take SJSU. He gonna have his hands full as it is, and recruiting will just be ONE of MANY pieces of putting that massive jigsaw puzzle together. Frankly...he be out his mind even considering taking that job.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 19, 2024 17:44:28 GMT -6
-I had NUMEROUS concussions while playing, you got your bell rung and you toughed it out. I think it causes me to forget stuff. Nowadays they don't pull that. -I had NUMEROUS concussions while playing, you got your bell rung and you toughed it out. I think it causes me to forget stuff. Nowadays they don't pull that. -I had NUMEROUS concussions while playing, you got your bell rung and you toughed it out. I think it causes me to forget stuff. Nowadays they don't pull that. nice way to put it!!! I'm convinced that my horrible tinnitus today was caused by those 'bell ringers' Had my bell rung four times. Once in HS, twice in JC, and once in college. No, wait, once in JC and twice in college. No...it was twice in JC. Anyway, I do remember that one happened in Bakersfield, and one in Coalinga. Not only had the bell ringer in Bakersfield but it also came with 7 stitches in my chin. Even after watching the film we couldn't tell how that happened. The Coalinga ringer was rough. Found myself on the bench with an ice pack on the back of my neck. Had NO IDEA what happened or where I was. At first I thought I was in Santa Maria, but my buddies laughed and told me we had already played there. Eventually figured out where I was on my own. Nice.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 19, 2024 13:18:16 GMT -6
Who you vote for is important. Problem is, most people don't know what they are voting for, and in actuality, vote against their own interests It doesn't matter who I vote for in Illinois state politics. We are completely overridden by Chicagoland. It is why my relatives have all left Chicago, and Illinois. They said, "Y'all can go to hell, I'm going to Texas!" They couldn't be happier.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 18, 2024 17:24:21 GMT -6
Played high school ball in CA from 66-70. Watch Remember the Titans and you'll get a pretty good picture of what it was like for me (but without the racial thing). Long sleeve cotton practice jerseys and pants. Cleats. Jock. Girdle. Suspension helmet. Dick Butkus face guard. Also had laundry pins. Water only in practices (either from an irrigation hose or the sprinkler) ONLY when the coach told you to get water. 7 man Crowther sled you blocked with your shoulders blocking it over, and over, and over, and over with the coach riding it until the coach got tired. Salt tablets (found out the hard way they should be taken with water). Three hour practices. Full gear. Run stadiums on Monday. Bull in the Ring on Tuesday. Oklahoma drill on Wednesday. Tackled EVERY day. Almost all of the coaches were ex-military.
The best part was Friday. Wore team sport coat and tie to school. Attended school rally for the FOOTBALL TEAM EVERY Friday. Loaded buses immediately after school for pre-game team steak dinner at Happy Steak (NY strip, baked potato, salad, and a dessert). Return to school to get game uniform (short sleeved and buttoned at the crotch). Watched first half of JV game (they played before the varsity game). Went back to locker room as a TEAM, got dressed, relaxed, and then...GAME TIME!
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Post by irishdog on Jan 17, 2024 17:11:35 GMT -6
If you have matte helmets do you think i should go with a regular, chrome, or matte stripe? Chrome baby, chrome!
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Post by irishdog on Jan 16, 2024 13:25:27 GMT -6
It's extremely difficult to follow a coaching legend. Even "legends" who did will tell you that.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 14, 2024 11:54:58 GMT -6
Played "youth" sports when I was a kid. We would gather at a local field in the fall and choose sides to play a little tackle football. Or, gather at that same field in the summer and choose sides to play a little baseball. Or, when I lived in the city the neighborhood kids would get together and play a little stickball. Played Babe Ruth baseball in JH, but didn't play organized football until I went to high school. My parents NEVER forced me to play any sport, but they always encouraged me to go out and play with my friends. When I got to HS some of my friends who played football in JH convinced me to play in HS and were more experienced and advanced than I so I spent most of my HS time learning how to play the game as a freshman, honing my skills as a sophomore, serving as a backup as a junior, and playing a lot as a senior. All of those experiences taught me to LOVE playing the game, and WANTING to play more after HS. Couldn't get enough of the gamet. I had fun playing in college, and was NEVER misled to believe I had the talent to become a pro. I enjoyed the game so much I wanted to write about it so I majored in journalism. However my old HS coach contacted me to ask if I would be interested in helping coach his freshman team and, well...50 years later I still LOVE the game, but hate seeing what's happening to it. A state government, or federal government taking away the freedom for us to choose whether our kids should play the game before age 12 or not is NOT the answer though. I "liked" your post because I agreed with most of it. Your experience with "youth" sports mirrored mine: We played a lot of tackle football, just not on organized teams. Your last statement contradicts that, though. As far as I know the bill in Cal. would only ban ORGANIZED tackle football for kids under 12. The cols will NOT be on the lookout for backyard 3-on-3 games. Then the government should ban other organized sports for kids under 12 as well because of the "dangers" and risks to the kids. Gymnastics? Wrestling? Skiing? Hockey? Basketball? Baseball? You want to see people lose their **** ? Just Watch. NO, just leave it alone and let parents have the freedom to choose what THEY think is good for their kids, or not.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 14, 2024 11:07:23 GMT -6
All of the above. AND, know your audience! Hopefully you are a coach at a small school who can relate to us peons regarding squad size, two-way players, practice scheduling, utilizing existing facilities, staff size and assignments, and other challenges facing us in small schools. I gave up going to major clinics to listen to P5, or G5, or big-time HS coaches talk about their programs that had absolutely NOTHING I could relate my program to with the exception of our football commonality.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 14, 2024 10:44:08 GMT -6
Played "youth" sports when I was a kid. We would gather at a local field in the fall and choose sides to play a little tackle football. Or, gather at that same field in the summer and choose sides to play a little baseball. Or, when I lived in the city the neighborhood kids would get together and play a little stickball. Played Babe Ruth baseball in JH, but didn't play organized football until I went to high school. My parents NEVER forced me to play any sport, but they always encouraged me to go out and play with my friends.
When I got to HS some of my friends who played football in JH convinced me to play in HS and were more experienced and advanced than I so I spent most of my HS time learning how to play the game as a freshman, honing my skills as a sophomore, serving as a backup as a junior, and playing a lot as a senior. All of those experiences taught me to LOVE playing the game, and WANTING to play more after HS. Couldn't get enough of the gamet. I had fun playing in college, and was NEVER misled to believe I had the talent to become a pro. I enjoyed the game so much I wanted to write about it so I majored in journalism. However my old HS coach contacted me to ask if I would be interested in helping coach his freshman team and, well...50 years later I still LOVE the game, but hate seeing what's happening to it.
A state government, or federal government taking away the freedom for us to choose whether our kids should play the game before age 12 or not is NOT the answer though.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 11, 2024 13:52:17 GMT -6
Pete Carroll retiring (Likely) Bill Belichick retiring They're all the same age. Not a moment too soon with the current landscape on a fast track to the dumpster. The last sinews holding this sports relevance together was the ability to foster a lasting culture of perfection; an incubator of self improvement... Something tbose coaches where renowned for. Is my outlook too pessimistic to believe those days of football being a (masculine) rite of passage are over? That the sport is more about the temporary individual profit rather than joining something bigger than yourself to contribute to the collective? Do kids grow up wanting to be part of the legacy of a program (earn the right to wear such and such colors) or do they just dream of their Jordan dunking on weak opponents to get "the bag"? Yes, it is NOT the same game it was when I was a kid. Everything you touched on is a REAL concern. No, you are not pessimistic. You are REALISTIC. Nick Saban is my age (maybe yours?), and he likely views the changes the same way we do.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 9, 2024 19:26:15 GMT -6
Glad to see Army back under center! Well, at least more often than not. Worley was the guy calling the plays against Coastal when Army beat them using the "old" offense. Good call Coach Monken!
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Post by irishdog on Jan 8, 2024 17:34:52 GMT -6
I was blessed to have spent most of my 50 year career coaching/teaching in private/parochial schools where those contracts were an extension of the student-parent handbook, mandated, supported, and reinforced by the school administration, so they certainly were worth more than the paper they were written on for us. Those "contracts" were considered "preventative legal insurance." I had many coaching friends who worked in government schools (aka public) where my experience was not necessarily the case for them. Legally speaking, those contracts aren't worth the paper they're printed on at a private school either. Maybe so, but there has always been those "individuals" who have challenged coaches' decisions. Some taking things further than others. However, in my experience MOST individuals either back off, or drop their challenges when a prepared document written in the best "legaleeze" is presented with THEIR own signatures acknowledging their agreement and support of the document, especially when the school administration stands behind it.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 8, 2024 15:12:51 GMT -6
How many of us are willing to have the conversation with a parent about playing time? I have changed a little. I will have the talk, but it has to be respectful. I guess for me it's a chance to control the narrative. We are all on the same team here, and if little Johnny was failing history one way or the other we need to communicate with parents. If it turns sour the discussion is over. Other people's kids are still off-limits. I am happy to talk strategy in the right context. I have only really had one parent in 25 years of coaching actually want to talk ball about why we do things the way we do. Our Parent/Coach Communication Plan which we handed out prior to August practices and had to be signed by the parent(s)/guardian(s) was always our go-to. Discussion of Play calling, Strategy, and Other Players were strictly off-limits. However, if a parent wanted to discuss HOW his/her son could achieve playing time I would be willing to discuss it with all of them as long as the discussion was focused on the son and not include comparisons to/with other team mates.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 8, 2024 14:35:03 GMT -6
Those contracts aren't worth the paper they're printed on. I was blessed to have spent most of my 50 year career coaching/teaching in private/parochial schools where those contracts were an extension of the student-parent handbook, mandated, supported, and reinforced by the school administration, so they certainly were worth more than the paper they were written on for us. Those "contracts" were considered "preventative legal insurance." I had many coaching friends who worked in government schools (aka public) where my experience was not necessarily the case for them.
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Post by irishdog on Dec 31, 2023 17:46:40 GMT -6
Thursday night - Carbo Load - Parents would host (typically held at one of the players' homes, or in the cafeteria). Parents would divide up the weeks to supply Thursday nights pot luck type meal. Parents would sign up to bring a main dish (usually pasta), or a protein (usually meatballs), or a grain (breads/rolls), or veggie dish (usually salads), or dessert. Players would stay to help clean-up, and then go watch the JV play if playing at home.
Pre-game - 3:00 for both Home and Away games unless the road trip was a long one. Other Parents would sign-up to split cost of providing deli-style sandwiches/chips/fruit and drinks from local sandwich shop. A few of the moms would coordinate ordering/pick-up/set-up. We stayed away from Turkey/Chicken especially if we were taking a long road trip.
Game Night - Other parents would sign-up to provide halftime snacks (fruit, snickers bars) and provide burgers/fries/drinks for post-game road trips. Again, all coordinated by the parents (moms).
Not sure about y'all but everywhere I've been I was always blessed to have a number of moms willing to go above and beyond the call of duty in helping the program.
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Post by irishdog on Dec 28, 2023 17:42:08 GMT -6
Gave our guys two weeks off after the season was over. We tested our CORE lifts for the two weeks following (our guys would schedule their own days/times). It provided them a benchmark when they started the off-season program in January. We insisted they test (max out) BEFORE break. Giving them the responsibility to schedule themselves reinforced our philosophy of developing accountability which also helped us identify those we needed to work on. At the same time it provided them the time they needed in their own schedules to prepare for final exams.
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Post by irishdog on Dec 21, 2023 12:58:32 GMT -6
Not that my intention is stir up trouble here. Yes, Monken ran his "old offense" against Coastal AFTER being accepted into the AAC. I'm not in Monken's head, but he has always struck me as an "I'll prove it" type of guy. Could it be he was sending a message to his new opponents? It is my opinion Army did what it had to do in order to bet accepted into the AAC, and Monken will run HIS offense HIS way, and any damn time he sees fit. Army could beat Navy running ANY offense this year (although they could use a little help defensively in late game coverage schemes), but was the offense Monken used against Navy (and most teams) just an additional headache AAC coaches will have to face next year? Because IMHO Monken proved against Coastal he could run his "old offense" at a moment's notice. He should run his old offense and throw the new one in the garbage I would be fine with that!!
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Post by irishdog on Dec 21, 2023 10:01:51 GMT -6
Not that my intention is stir up trouble here. Yes, Monken ran his "old offense" against Coastal AFTER being accepted into the AAC. I'm not in Monken's head, but he has always struck me as an "I'll prove it" type of guy. Could it be he was sending a message to his new opponents? It is my opinion Army did what it had to do in order to bet accepted into the AAC, and Monken will run HIS offense HIS way, and any damn time he sees fit. Army could beat Navy running ANY offense this year (although they could use a little help defensively in late game coverage schemes), but was the offense Monken used against Navy (and most teams) just an additional headache AAC coaches will have to face next year? Because IMHO Monken proved against Coastal he could run his "old offense" at a moment's notice.
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Post by irishdog on Dec 21, 2023 9:43:14 GMT -6
irishdog CS s73 Wait, so now we are suggesting that there is an underlying conspiracy from Group of 5 ADs and football coaches to direct another AD to order his football coach to not run a particular offensive scheme? Group of Five Conspiracy? Hardly. But I'm certain those AAC coaches had plenty of input to their OWN AD's regarding adding Army, and as a former college/high school HC I know I would have had something to say, especially taking into consideration what the climate of college football is as a Group of Five coach. I'm also certain those AD's gave that input to the AAC Commish, who in turn, likely had a lengthy discussion with the Army AD. You can take it from there.
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Post by irishdog on Dec 15, 2023 9:12:03 GMT -6
Was at the game. I agree with everyone that Navy had zero identity. Army was just a little better but not by much when it came to this as well. But Army went for 365 on the ground in the "old system" the previous game and Monken said "felt like army football". Just don't get it. I'm going to beat the dead horse one more time, rather than change everything, why not add outside veer? I think it would keep the offense viable. Like someone said above, Harding dropped 55 in the D2 semi's and it going to the National Chip I believe for the 1st time (don't quote me) under the "no cut" rules. SMH Not sure what Army is doing. If Monken's comment "felt like Army football" then as the HC why isn't he running THAT offense? I don't buy his initial reason that the "no cut" rule will hurt the old Army offense. That was a diversion. The rule didn't seem to hurt Army vs. Coastal. I think it's deeper than that. I think it has everything to do with joining the AAC. I bet the AAC coaches/AD's weren't too thrilled with playing the "old" Army offense forcing the Army AD to negotiate with Monken in making some changes in order for the merger to happen. In this day and age of entertainment steering "financial" considerations that seems to be more of a "reason" than a rules change.
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Post by irishdog on Nov 28, 2023 22:29:19 GMT -6
Frankly, after spending most of my career (50 years) working in small schools (300-400 enrollments), most of the larger clinics (Glazier, Nike, Champion, etc.) didn't offer much in the way of speakers who would clinic on topics that dealt with the challenges of coaching in a small school. There would occasionally be a few guys from "small" (between 500 and 700 enrollments) schools but hardly ever found speakers from smaller schools. Eventually found a clinic in TX that focused on those smaller schools which I found to be invaluable, and would get to speak individually with those coaches who were more than willing to provide the time. From that point on my staff and I rarely attended one of the larger clinics. What clinic in Texas is that? Was held in Round Rock for a few years and ended in the mid-20teens.
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Post by irishdog on Nov 27, 2023 17:20:18 GMT -6
One thing I think we are forgetting here is that teenagers have an unbelievable recovery time. Can't tell you how many times we've finished a pretty grueling practice only to find kids goofing off, running around near the parking lot waiting for their kids to pick them up. We're not dealing with old men with back pain who have 1 good play left in them. Smartassery aside, I agree. I also think that grinding them for 16 straight weeks can be very detrimental. If I had to do it all over again, I'd definitely lighten up a LOT more toward the end of the season if I thought we had a chance to make a run. I didn't do that in 13 and it will always eat at me. The what if. I'm with you on that. The only "tough" part of practices later in the season were the "fundamentals" periods. Most of practices at that time was spent on game prep, O/D recognition, reps, 2 minute drill, special teams, and goal line O/D. After eight or nine games playing well enough to qualify for the playoffs if our kids weren't "tough" enough by that point we would likely not make a deep run anyway. I just felt no matter what happened there would always be the "what ifs."
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Post by irishdog on Nov 27, 2023 13:45:06 GMT -6
Old school here. During our "fundamentals" period (15 minutes each day except Thursdays) our offensive interior linemen hit the 5 man sled, our TE's and RB's hit the 2 man sled, and the WR's hit the 1 man sled. This was done on M-W. Defense "fundamentals" period was done on M-T. Not only helped our conditioning but obviously helped with our overall strength, learning to be physical, and blocking/tackling skills. I can't speak for FTC (whatever that is), but we always concerned ourselves with improving, developing, and highlighting our players' strengths, and prevent exposing their weaknesses. I coached at schools where we rarely had football only athletes, so it was incumbent upon me (as HFC and AD) to do as much as possible to enhance our athletes' strength, conditioning, and mindsets to get them through football successfully and prepare them for their winter/spring sports.
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Post by irishdog on Nov 27, 2023 13:27:20 GMT -6
Frankly, after spending most of my career (50 years) working in small schools (300-400 enrollments), most of the larger clinics (Glazier, Nike, Champion, etc.) didn't offer much in the way of speakers who would clinic on topics that dealt with the challenges of coaching in a small school. There would occasionally be a few guys from "small" (between 500 and 700 enrollments) schools but hardly ever found speakers from smaller schools. Eventually found a clinic in TX that focused on those smaller schools which I found to be invaluable, and would get to speak individually with those coaches who were more than willing to provide the time. From that point on my staff and I rarely attended one of the larger clinics.
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Post by irishdog on Oct 30, 2023 9:25:19 GMT -6
They come to us with a ceiling. Some kids have more of the "it" factor. It's our job to get them to the ceiling. 1. Weight Room (not because of strength, that's secondary. It's hard. It's work. It builds confidence) 2. Sleds/Tires/Trucks. Push / Pull heavy things. See above. 3. Play other sports: Baseball/Basketball/Wrestling/Track/Whatever... Compete, Compete, Compete. 4. Matt Drills with purpose. Learning to tumble and throw yourself around is becoming a lost art for children. Couldn't agree more. 1. Weight Room builds strength. Strength builds confidence. Confidence builds mental toughness. 2. Make those sled/tires/truck events competitive. 3. Play other sports to learn how to compete, yes, but also will help develop football skills. 4. I called them "Mat Wars". (Towel tug 'o' war, Bar hang, Ab face off, King of the Ring, Basketball Push-ups challenge).
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