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Post by bignose on Jun 15, 2016 16:09:30 GMT -6
You are in a much better situation than your opponent is. He has just taken over a program in June. How much do you think he will have in for the first week of the season? Plus you get to see him in scrimmage. Do what you do, worry about your kids beating his kids, but be ready to "coach on the grass."
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Post by bignose on Jun 10, 2016 7:32:22 GMT -6
We had a similar situation a couple of years ago. We had a parent hire a "recruiting dude" ( Ben Franklin was right: "A fool and his money are soon parted." ) and the parent raised hell with the HC about not featuring his son in the offense. The kid was a wide receiver, talented, but not D1 quality, he was just a tad too slow, he ran a 4.6, and they want those 4.4 kids as "blue chippers." We ran the DW and had just won a State Championship in a game where we threw the ball 3 times.
The kid ended up playing lower level FBS as a defensive back. He eventually got a full ride, but the parent made the HC and administration miserable during his senior season and bad mouthed us until his kid got an offer.
Meeting with the parent for a reality check wouldn't be a bad idea, but generally, it is the parent who is paying the recruiting service, who has similar unrealistic ideas, and sees the High School program as a scholarship entitlement deal. You've got to submit film to the schools you think he can play for, and let the guy they are paying try to promote him to the upper level schools……… Develop a fall back plan.
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Post by bignose on May 26, 2016 7:38:18 GMT -6
There was a chart developed by Virgil Carter in the 1970s that had a relative point value based upon starting field position. It is based upon the NFL at the time, but the information is pretty universal.
Try to google points vs. starting field position, or expected points versus field position, it took a little digging to find this chart.
A couple of months ago, there was a thread about this on site and it has the chart converted, look up under my name, bignose, a posting from Dec. 21, 2015, and you'll find the chart ready to go.
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Post by bignose on May 21, 2016 7:40:26 GMT -6
We are in an opponent's locker room pre game. Our opponent, with a coach who was new to our league, formed a gauntlet for us when we came out on the field for warmups. There was a fair bit of taunting going on. Needless to say, the HC is fired up. He is standing on a bench jumping up and down, just going off on an epic rant: "We are going to rain $hit and storm thunder!" At that point he accidentally hits a bank of fluorescent lights overhead that explode in a spectacular shower of sparks and glass. The kids eyes were the size of dinner plates! After going down 14-0 we settle down and win something like 44-14. It got to the point where the paramedic wanted to stop the game because things were getting too rough!
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Post by bignose on May 20, 2016 15:32:08 GMT -6
I'd love to get Walter Camp's reaction to how football has changed over the years.
(Yes, I expect you to google up the name to find out who he was!)
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Post by bignose on May 13, 2016 18:59:15 GMT -6
For those of you with the water-boy style system, how do you clean it? We have had ours for several years and I feel like it needs a thorough cleaning but I'm not sure the best way to do that. I would like to clean all of the hoses, nozzles, everything. Any suggestions? Before the season, I flush the tank and run it through the system with some very diluted disinfectant/cleanser, and thoroughly rinse it several times. Weekly, during the season, I wipe the nozzles off with handi wipes.
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Post by bignose on May 4, 2016 19:27:13 GMT -6
GRIDiron Coach. I was a writer for them for a number of years. They tried to become a subscription e-mag, and kinda faded away.
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Post by bignose on Apr 28, 2016 16:37:35 GMT -6
Bellevue is a public school, but the WIAA, the supervisory agency, is from what I can tell, a private organization. I wonder who they are answerable too? There was certainly a large amount of money raised by the booster club……..who has control over this? The local School District? The County Government? The State Board of Education? Where is the accountability?
In this State, Maryland, the management of public school athletics comes under the purview of a State run organization that is answerable to the Department of Education and ultimately, the State Government. We also have a local County Board of Education Athletic Department that we are answerable to.
Judging from the level of obfuscation and lack of cooperation from the Superintendent on down, the entire group would be canned if something that egregious happened here. This would be up to and including the loss of their teaching or administration credentials.
Locally, we had a "scandal" here several years ago, where a Coach was accused of changing a student's grade. He was terminated. However, the Coach did not have access to the records, only the guidance counselor and Principal did……….and the coach had a law degree. The coach was reinstated as a teacher, and eventually transferred to another school as a Head Coach. The Principal was demoted, and more or less encouraged to retire a couple of years later.
We have had the occasional false residence listed and have to be very diligent in our record keeping, providing all sorts of documentation, bills, proof of residence, etc. to prevent this from happening again. At the very least, the teams have to forfeit games.
Student recruiting and transfers for various sports became so endemic in the suburbs around the Washington D.C. area, that several coaches were involuntarily transferred, and in D.C.it got so bad that kids would go to one school to play football, transfer to another for basketball, and yet a third to run track. The Washington School System finally had to implement a one year "no play" rule for these types of transfers.
The Private schools have their own set of regulations. But apparently there is some sneaky goings on between some of the teams and leagues.
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Post by bignose on Apr 25, 2016 12:24:54 GMT -6
eBay: Wrist Coaches -vendor lvcv711 We buy a couple of dozen each year from them.
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Post by bignose on Mar 28, 2016 17:36:29 GMT -6
Krylon spray works O.K. I mark the gaps and leave the player's spaces blank. I think cheaper is better, here. Brush on oil based paint like the Rustoleum mentioned above would work, as would an acrylic paint. I marked the hose in pencil, then masking tape.
BTW I have changed from a canvas firehouse to a 3" plastic flat drain hose. It is much lighter, doesn't get heavier when wet, rolls up a lot better, and unless you get fire hose donated, it is fairly inexpensive via eBay.
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Post by bignose on Mar 27, 2016 20:04:26 GMT -6
Forty three years of coaching perspective:
I started out scouting live on paper. Film was either 8 mm (or 16 mm if the school was wealthy). It cost about $250.00 for processing per game. We did not exchange film. Scouting this way is a lost art.
VHS was a significant improvement. We exchanged with some of our opponents, some we would not, due to edited tapes. We had one guy in the league edit out every play where either his team scored or was scored upon.
We still had to have a State wide scouting network when the playoffs were a couple of weeks away because not everybody in the State would exchange. We were almost always able to get several games on tape, although we occasionally had to resort to sneaking cameras into games, which was no easy feat with the clunky VHS cameras.
Digital media pre Hudl- we had a weekly league wide film exchange. Every Saturday at noon we met at a central location and exchanges DVDs. We had to use a DVD copier for this, it made for a pretty hectic Saturday morning.
Now via Hudl everyone in the league exchanges film online. This is mandated. Most of the teams have a regular video person ( I'm our varsity video guy), who knows what they are doing. Hey, everybody who films misses a play once in while. One or two teams will have a parent or kid filming the game, you get all kind of crazy zooms, camera following the ball on punts, missing plays, etc., but for the most part we get decent quality film.
Hudl exchanges rewards teams who are not wiling or able to arrange for scouting and kinda levels the playing field, although all-in-all, I sure wouldn't want to go back to paper scouting. It also make it harder to hide weaker players or tendencies, as everybody has everything, no secrets.
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Post by bignose on Feb 16, 2016 14:47:12 GMT -6
We have one of the original Waterboys that dates back to the early-mid 1990s. The new ones are much nicer. It's a very useful portable system, as long as you keep the battery charged. I generally fill it about 1/4 of the way with ice in warm weather, less as the season goes on. The kids appreciate it. Having the Waterboy out on the practice field really speeds things up.
I have also built a couple of "water horses" from ABS pipe and sawhorses for parts of our field that are near a source of running water.
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Post by bignose on Feb 7, 2016 21:44:44 GMT -6
The best part of this game was Lady Gaga singing the National Anthem.
I wished that Jim Nance would say: "Shut up Phil", kinda like Dan Fouts did to Brent Musberger in The Waterboy!
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Post by bignose on Jan 6, 2016 15:58:42 GMT -6
Did anybody notice that the Cleveland Browns just hired Paul DePodesta, an analytics maven, as "Chief Strategy officer?"
The power of data in making better decisions is his specialty. Not just X's and O's, but organizational decisions……...
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Post by bignose on Dec 31, 2015 11:30:12 GMT -6
#1 Fail:
Mental error: i.e. kid blocking wrong man, not using proper technique, misaligned defensively
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Post by bignose on Dec 30, 2015 9:11:26 GMT -6
re: Metrics Looking to find some useful data for comparison purposes are things like:
yards per carry-if you have 3 running backs, who has the best ypc ? Should that kid get more touches?
completion percentage/yards per completion- if you are completing 50% of your passes, (and you are averaging 8 yards per carry running the ball), you better be averaging 16 yards per reception, or you are better off continuing to run the ball.
turnovers: fumbles, interceptions-if your best ypc kid is also most likely to fumble, what is the risk vs. the reward? Does giving him the ball more give a diminishing return?
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Post by bignose on Dec 26, 2015 11:00:12 GMT -6
I look at metrics as broad generalities that may, or may not, affect your tactical thinking during the game.
As I mentioned earlier, I look at these as a part of the decision making process to help improve the odds in your favor. There are always going to be exceptions to these metrics due to the fluid nature of the situations that occur during the game.
As an example: You are 4 th and 2 at the 50 yard line. You are ahead by fours points. Are your odds better in going for the first down, and possibly giving your opponent the ball at midfield, or are you better off punting?
What are the odds. What are the risks versus the rewards?
Variables to consider: your punter, your ability to get the kick off, your opponents ability to return a punt, your offenses' ability to grind out a short gain, your opponents chances of driving for 50 yards or 80 yards. Some of this falls under the category of "Calculated Risk." Are you a Poker player who is going to raise with a pair of 2's?
This is where the metric of points versus starting field position could be considered. Me, I'm of the school of thought of: "Give them a long way to go, and not much time to get there."
Scouting and specific data are tools in which you can gather and apply information into the decision making process, both before and during the game, once again, to put you into the best position to win.
"Knowledge is Power" (unless you are in a "Game of Thrones" situation where you are bigger and better than your opponent). In that case "Power is Power!"
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Post by bignose on Dec 24, 2015 18:21:19 GMT -6
I went back and revisited the thread from 2013 on Analytics It's worthwhile to reread this.
Everybody is looking for an edge.
"If it can't be expressed in figures it is not science,it is opinion. It has long been know that one horse can run faster than the other-but which one? Differences are crucial."
Robert Heinlein
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Post by bignose on Dec 24, 2015 15:25:07 GMT -6
One of the issues I have had with a Hudl style program is how much useful information I can get after breaking down the aggregate of the data. Football is a fluid game, and the situations vary from game to game. Yet I find that many of my opponents do have tendencies.
Do I really need to know that: on the right hash, on third down and 3, between the 30-35 yard line, my opponent has a 50% chance of running a Sweep? 50% probability? That information is almost useless, so you end up with "paralysis by over analysis." If the probability approaches 66%, well, then you've on to something. (I've got a couple of guys on my schedule who are approaching 90% probability of running a certain play in a certain situation. But I've still got to get my 17 year old kid to beat his 17 year old kid).
Since I definitely qualify as being a surly old curmudgeon, having been coaching for the past 42 year, we all look for some useful ditty or convenient little tidbit to apply as a part of the analytical process.
My useful observations: "The team who has the fewest penalties usually wins." "The team that has the fewest unforced errors usually wins"
I'm sure that most of you can add a few of your own. I'd like to hear them.
Broad generalities………qualified by the usually, because there are always exceptions.
However, we all want tilt the odds in our favor.
Bottom line, as my Old Man used to tell me: "Don't ask how, ask how many!"
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Post by bignose on Dec 21, 2015 8:32:47 GMT -6
I draw up each play sheet directly off of Hudl, using a drawing program on 8-1/2" by 11" paper. Since I am a "dinosaur" I use Appleworks on an old computer-I had about 8,000 plays previously drawn up, so mostly I just reprint the same old ones . I do include our defense that I expect us to run so the kids can give a decent look on how the offense will attack us. These sheets are put in plastic sleeves and placed in a ring binder.
I arrange the sheets in priority order, best plays in front, seldom seen plays towards the back. We will spend most of our time trying to stop the offense's best 5-6 plays-make them go to "Plan B."
i separate out the passing plays and have them facing in the opposite direction-it makes it real easy to swap back and forth between passes on one side, and running plays facing the other. Just flip the book over.
If the team has a dominant player we give him a special color jersey to indicate him. Example: this year one of our opponents ran 90% of their plays to #80, so we made up a jersey with that number on it as a recognition key.
I give the scout book to the DC so he can make adjustments.
I color code each skill position a different color, including their paths.
It is so much easier to tell a kid: you're the Green guy, you're the Red guy, you're the Blue guy, etc. especially if you are dealing with a complicated offense like the Single Wing with Spinner plays. I used to take my scout team out for 15 minutes while the defense to looked at film to teach them this.
There have been times that I challenge the Scout team to score on the starters-bribe them with pizza if they score-kids will do darn near anything for free pizza.
How well does this work? In 1997 we were playing a Wing T team for the State Championship. In practice, the first time that the scout team ran the Counter Criss Cross, we scored on the starters. We spent a lot of time getting the kids to see the action and react. The result: the offense attempted to run this in a the game, it was a big play for them, and we held them to a 7 yard gain. They never ran it again. We won the game 7-0.
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Post by bignose on Nov 22, 2015 11:35:26 GMT -6
In 2010 we won a State Championship running the DW. We threw the ball 3 times in the State Championship game.
Darned if the next day we didn't get an email from an irate parent complaining that we weren't doing enough to help his son earn a scholarship as a wide receiver. He graduated and became a starting defensive back for an FBC program.
I'm sure that the writer didn't include his name. You have his email address. I would only reply with a positive response (while really wanting to tell the writer what an A-hole he was, it would accomplish nothing except to help you vent and could be turned around and bite you in the butt)
I'd share this with your school administration if you are coaching at that level. After speaking to the administrator, you could then reply to the guy asking if they would be interested in a conference where they could express his thoughts. Most of these internet trolls are chicken bleep in person.
A couple of thoughts: Kill them with success and bury them with a smile. Never waste your time trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstand you.
And my favorite: From Coach Frank Rhoades, a long time mentor:" "During the season, wish they was all orphans!"
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Post by bignose on Nov 10, 2015 18:10:04 GMT -6
We've played twice in Raven's Stadium for State Championships. The hashmarks get set by cones in the end zones to high school specs, so they are not a problem. The biggest issue we had is the goal posts are much narrower. In 2008 our kicker doinked one off of the upright from 30 yards out that would have been good on a High School field.
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Post by bignose on Sept 20, 2015 15:03:15 GMT -6
A few other pet hates: 15 minutes before walk thru: "Coach I need a,…………….name one: thigh pad, knee pad, belt, my helmet is missing a screw, not to mention the number of times a helmet has been left home, etc.
I swear some of my kids would leave their butts home if they weren't permanently attached.
Changing cleats on wet stinky shoes is right up there, especially if the cleats are so worn that I have remove them with vise grips.
Worst one of all, a couple of years ago, we had player show up with illegal metal tipped cleats, on his shiny new shoes which he had been told earlier were not allowed. "I figured no one would notice." Well, we did, about 20 minutes before kickoff. I am trying to find the jar of cleats we carry in the equipment box, my responsibility to check, only to find another assistant coach had taken them out to change another kids cleats and left them at home. I am sweating bullets, and then the dumbass tells us that he has a spare pair of cleats but they are in the locker room, which we don't have the key for, away game. I need to get up into the press box to film the game. The assistant who took the cleats jar out was able to get to the locker room and get idiot boy his cleats just before kickoff.
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Post by bignose on Sept 18, 2015 10:38:09 GMT -6
As a semi retired coach, I really enjoy almost everything you guys hate! I enjoy painting the field, it's good exercise! I admit, it's a drag when it's either 95 degrees or when it's 35 degrees. I like doing the scout sheets and breaking down film, it gives me something to do since I am no longer in the classroom, and helps keep me mentally active. It has made me enhance my computer skills to keep up with our younger coaches. I enjoyed being the scout team QB which I did until I turned 60! I maintain all of our on field and player equipment, just another part of the job, and you've gotta pay the price. Hey, everybody needs a hobby, and I've given up chasing women. Parents? I don't have to deal with them anymore, but there was a time that during the season I wished the kids wuz all orphans!
My pet hate? I supervise and dish out the food for the pre game meal. Scooping pasta, or making sure the kids don't take more then their portion….I didn't sign up for that, but I inherited the job so to give the game coaches a break 3 hours before we play. At least for the last two years we have had some awesome parent volunteers who have made my job easier.
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Post by bignose on Sept 17, 2015 11:38:52 GMT -6
Film? You had film to exchange?
I've been at this so long that I remember when nobody exchanged film. You either sent someone to scout a game on paper or you did without! We were required by the HC to always have 3 sharpened #2 pencils with us in our scouting packets………I was cocky enough to scout in ink!
Film ran about $250.00 per game for processing and nobody could afford copies.
I have nightmares of scouting in Super 8 and changing spools up in the stands, in the rain, and it wasn't legal to film an opponent unless you got permission. I got real good at hiding a camera under my coat.
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Post by bignose on Aug 7, 2015 11:37:07 GMT -6
About 10 years ago, our AD purchased one of those bulk, water based painting machines. It was terrible, never worked right, it kinda spit paint and never really put a line on the field properly. It was battery powered. At least I was able to salvage the battery for our water cart. Cleaning it was a horror show, especially when it was shared with other sports coaches who didn't have a clue about maintenance. It was one of those ideas that sounded good at the time.
At least with the aerosol you get a nice paint buzz…………lol.
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Post by bignose on Jul 22, 2015 13:08:54 GMT -6
We always assume (yeah, I know what it means) that the kids are speaking the same coaching language that we are.
I used to be the scout team QB, figuring that I'd rather run the play myself then try to explain it to a third team kid. One day I tell one of the scout running backs that we are going to throw him a screen pass, so just go out five steps, turn around and "show me his numbers." I drop back, look off the defense and turn to throw him the ball which hits him in the chest. He had pulled his scrimmage vest up over his face because he was "showing me his numbers."
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Post by bignose on Jul 4, 2015 7:09:22 GMT -6
Maryland separates the Public and the Private schools. The Publics compete for a "State" Championship, while the Privates compete for their own League Championships.
Who is better leads to endless speculation and much wasted energy on pointless discussions in the chatrooms.
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Post by bignose on Jun 20, 2015 15:04:26 GMT -6
Air shields and "Big Bertha" blocking dummies
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Post by bignose on Jun 11, 2015 16:55:47 GMT -6
I "creatively acquired" 8 highway marking barrels instead of trashcans.
We use "gates" made from 1 1/2" PVC to train our backs and receivers.
Instead of firehouse for scrimmage strips, which is heavy, use 3" flat plastic drainage hose. Much lighter and does get waterlogged. I get mine via eBay. Paint as needed.
55 gallon plastic drums filled part way up with water are useful to have your linemen stay low by having to push them around. (Better if you teach hand blocking!)
I made a "water horse" -a watering station made with a sawhorse, some 3/4" PVC pipe and a ball valve. This hooks to a standard hose bib. 6 kids can drink at a time.
I have connected LBs together with lengths of surgical tubing to get them used to moving in unison. Also good for resistance training.
I will caution those that make their own chutes, to be very careful about using metal pipes and anything that could cause injury. You don't carry the insurance that a company like Roger (for example) does in case of a liability lawsuit should one of the kids gets injured. That tire blaster mentioned above would fall under the same category. Home made stuff can be a problem!
If you use boards to train your linemen, be sure to round the edges over with a router bit, and sand them up a bit.
Gotta think safety like a lawyer would!
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