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Post by coachlaseak on Oct 25, 2022 10:11:11 GMT -6
I know that some teams are in the playoffs and others have ended (here in Ohio). But, I am sure every coach can look back and reflect on their season (playoffs or not) and share some lessons that they have learned and will apply to the next season.
For myself, the lesson is don't take winning for granted. This is my first season in which I came from a program that had won back to back state titles. Winning a football game, in my opinion, is different than winning. It feels as though that there is a lot of work to be done, but let's get after it.
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Post by chi5hi on Oct 25, 2022 11:13:27 GMT -6
For me, each season ends with a confirmation of what I already know.
If we block and tackle better than the other guy...and the "breaks" are even...we'll win.
The "breaks" in football are which way the ball bounces when it hits the ground. If it bounces into my guy's hands...that's a good "break".
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Post by blb on Oct 25, 2022 11:20:49 GMT -6
I know that some teams are in the playoffs and others have ended (here in Ohio). But, I am sure every coach can look back and reflect on their season (playoffs or not) and share some lessons that they have learned and will apply to the next season. For myself, the lesson is don't take winning for granted. This is my first season in which I came from a program that had won back to back state titles. Winning a football game, in my opinion, is different than winning. It feels as though that there is a lot of work to be done, but let's get after it. Winning football games at any level is hard. Even if you have superior personnel you still have to do the work. Sometimes the Dragon (bad guys) wins. At my last head job we got knocked out of playoffs twice by eventual state champs. We didn't win a state title but we sure knew what it looked like. |
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moose18
Junior Member
"If it didn't matter who won or lost, they wouldn't keep score"
Posts: 286
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Post by moose18 on Oct 25, 2022 11:22:08 GMT -6
That scheme and X's and O's are fun and they matter, but probably aren't in the Top 20 most important things that determine a program's success
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Post by coachcb on Oct 25, 2022 11:25:39 GMT -6
For me, each season ends with a confirmation of what I already know. If we block and tackle better than the other guy...and the "breaks" are even...we'll win. The "breaks" in football are which way the ball bounces when it hits the ground. If it bounces into my guy's hands...that's a good "break". Amen....
I also need to be better at teaching the kids to handle the bad breaks better. I didn't program enough situational or competitive drills into the practice schedule this year and it showed. We had several close games turn into lopsided affairs because the kids fell apart when the breaks didn't go our way.
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Post by coachdubyah on Oct 25, 2022 12:11:55 GMT -6
More games are lost than won...especially in football. Want to win more games...stop doing stupid stuff to lose them....as in the post by coachcb would entail. |
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Post by coachcb on Oct 25, 2022 12:23:30 GMT -6
More games are lost than won...especially in football. Want to win more games...stop doing stupid stuff to lose them....as in the post by coachcb would entail.
Yep... We had several close games turn into lopsided blowouts because the kids couldn't bounce back from bad breaks. We were tied 8-8 at halftime and playing well on both sides of the ball. We got the kickoff, started marching and fumbled a snap. They recovered and scored quickly with a short field. We went from looking like a competitive football team to a group of beaten dogs. We lost the game 30-8. We were a completely different football team.
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Post by carookie on Oct 25, 2022 12:36:25 GMT -6
Already knew this one, but definitely re-enforced throughout this season: just because someone is a grown-up doesn't mean they are an adult. Have dealt with a shockingly large number of people (coaches and parents) who have shown limited abilities to behave like an adult- often times manifesting itself in how they work with kids or the amount of work they put forth in general.
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Post by wolverine55 on Oct 25, 2022 13:22:31 GMT -6
Week 9 film was depressing. I'm a defensive coordinator, but coach the OL as well and my group was making some fairly routine mistakes on stuff we had installed since June contact days. Obviously, I had noticed some of these mistakes being made before, but never could get them corrected. I need to reexamine how I teach some things, but large scale I also need to reexamine how I communicate with the current generation. Nothing I did this season seemed to "light a spark" or get any response from the players, whether it was my defensive unit or OL group in particular. And, by reexamine, I also mean figuring out if I even want to coach anymore. It was a tough year...
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 25, 2022 17:45:49 GMT -6
Having not coached for the 4th consecutive season, but having gone to about a dozen more HS football games this year because of my son playing as a freshman I learned something this year.
It amazes me how many programs/coaches want to do glitzy/flashy/modern/gadget stuff on offense and defense, but completely ignore fundamental things like stances, blocking, tackling, coverages, etc. Absolutely astounded me how bad it was.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2022 17:47:41 GMT -6
Having not coached for the 4th consecutive season, but having gone to about a dozen more HS football games this year because of my son playing as a freshman I learned something this year. It amazes me how many programs/coaches want to do glitzy/flashy/modern/gadget stuff on offense and defense, but completely ignore fundamental things like stances, blocking, tackling, coverages, etc. Absolutely astounded me how bad it was. How many people really know what the fundies are of their position much less an entire defense? |
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Post by Down 'n Out on Oct 26, 2022 4:48:46 GMT -6
Reinforced the belief in KISS.
Also, you can teach them but sometimes they just don't listen or absorb that
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 26, 2022 6:35:33 GMT -6
Having not coached for the 4th consecutive season, but having gone to about a dozen more HS football games this year because of my son playing as a freshman I learned something this year. It amazes me how many programs/coaches want to do glitzy/flashy/modern/gadget stuff on offense and defense, but completely ignore fundamental things like stances, blocking, tackling, coverages, etc. Absolutely astounded me how bad it was. How many people really know what the fundies are of their position much less an entire defense? Very few apparently. |
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Post by coachdubyah on Oct 26, 2022 7:51:27 GMT -6
Ok here's something...
On Tuesdays we started really going with a Game Speed Practice. Full Pads to the ground for TEAM. Our big thing was "Stress them out". Sometimes it looked bad. Sometimes we didn't get lined up on Defense, sometimes we blocked things wrong on Offense. We did 2 Special Teams that day at full speed....Usually Punt because that's the special team that will get you beat.
On Wednesday we basically watched every clip of film and went out for a walk thru on at the end to correct mistakes.
Thursdays we would go back out in pads and go thru script again with some 3rd Down situation type stuff.
Yes, I know this is "NO SWEAT" Wednesday type deal but our production took off.
We have started games faster and games "seem more fun/relaxed" for our kids...(that's the kids' words).
IDK if it would work for everyone, but it worked for us.
I'll also say that we haven't won a game this year, but this is going to make us really look into more of this during the off-season. We look like a different team now. We have jumped on our previous 2 opponents by doing this. Maybe it's a fluke, maybe we are innovative geniuses. But I'm in love with this.
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Post by chi5hi on Oct 26, 2022 9:31:13 GMT -6
Two things that always need improvement, especially since today's game is much different from the "old-school", 3 yards and a cloud of dust...
Down field blocking...and open field tackling.
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Post by CanyonCoach on Oct 26, 2022 13:34:21 GMT -6
Having not coached for the 4th consecutive season, but having gone to about a dozen more HS football games this year because of my son playing as a freshman I learned something this year. It amazes me how many programs/coaches want to do glitzy/flashy/modern/gadget stuff on offense and defense, but completely ignore fundamental things like stances, blocking, tackling, coverages, etc. Absolutely astounded me how bad it was. How many people really know what the fundies are of their position much less an entire defense? We have tried to use a BIG 3 for O/D and ST and then a BIG 3 at each position. Try to use it in indy/small group and team plus the weight room. Some coaches are awesome about using them to coach fundamentals some never mention them to the kids... When our kids coach youth events you can tell which kids are coached by BIG 3 coaches. |
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Post by veerwego on Oct 26, 2022 13:47:14 GMT -6
How many people really know what the fundies are of their position much less an entire defense? We have tried to use a BIG 3 for O/D and ST and then a BIG 3 at each position. Try to use it in indy/small group and team plus the weight room. Some coaches are awesome about using them to coach fundamentals some never mention them to the kids... When our kids coach youth events you can tell which kids are coached by BIG 3 coaches. Can you please explain BIG 3? |
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Post by vicvinegar on Oct 26, 2022 15:30:30 GMT -6
There are a lot of bad coaches out there. They may know some things about the X's & O's, but they know little about any other aspects of coaching.
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Post by CS on Oct 26, 2022 15:43:54 GMT -6
We have tried to use a BIG 3 for O/D and ST and then a BIG 3 at each position. Try to use it in indy/small group and team plus the weight room. Some coaches are awesome about using them to coach fundamentals some never mention them to the kids... When our kids coach youth events you can tell which kids are coached by BIG 3 coaches. Can you please explain BIG 3? I’m going to take a stab at it and say it’s catch, block, and tackle |
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 26, 2022 16:24:57 GMT -6
There are a lot of bad coaches out there. They may know some things about the X's & O's, but they know little about any other aspects of coaching. Yes. And there's more and more of them as the job becomes more and more less desirable. |
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CoachK
Sophomore Member
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Post by CoachK on Oct 26, 2022 18:39:24 GMT -6
Week 9 film was depressing. I'm a defensive coordinator, but coach the OL as well and my group was making some fairly routine mistakes on stuff we had installed since June contact days. Obviously, I had noticed some of these mistakes being made before, but never could get them corrected. I need to reexamine how I teach some things, but large scale I also need to reexamine how I communicate with the current generation. Nothing I did this season seemed to "light a spark" or get any response from the players, whether it was my defensive unit or OL group in particular. And, by reexamine, I also mean figuring out if I even want to coach anymore. It was a tough year... Brother I felt this post in my soul. I quit my high school OC job last November. I just couldn't do it. We had about 6 football players and 45 kids just out there to hang out with their friends. The COVID stuff threw wrenches into everything as well. I never learned how to deal with the blank stares. After an 0-4 start I had to reexamine a lot of stuff we were doing and my approach to teaching this particular generation. Finished 6-4 but it was only because we had some reshuffling of personnel after some injury issues and lucky found a combo that worked. I didn't really do anything. This year I, luckily, got a JC OL job in an already-good program and we've been steam rolling people, but last year taught me a lot about the assumptions I made about players and how much they really care about this sport. That's what ends up mattering 95% of the time, unless you have some freaks who can outplay their apathy. |
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Post by coachwoodall on Oct 26, 2022 20:03:22 GMT -6
Week 9 film was depressing. I'm a defensive coordinator, but coach the OL as well and my group was making some fairly routine mistakes on stuff we had installed since June contact days. Obviously, I had noticed some of these mistakes being made before, but never could get them corrected. I need to reexamine how I teach some things, but large scale I also need to reexamine how I communicate with the current generation. Nothing I did this season seemed to "light a spark" or get any response from the players, whether it was my defensive unit or OL group in particular. And, by reexamine, I also mean figuring out if I even want to coach anymore. It was a tough year... Brother I felt this post in my soul. I quit my high school OC job last November. I just couldn't do it. We had about 6 football players and 45 kids just out there to hang out with their friends. The COVID stuff threw wrenches into everything as well. I never learned how to deal with the blank stares. After an 0-4 start I had to reexamine a lot of stuff we were doing and my approach to teaching this particular generation. Finished 6-4 but it was only because we had some reshuffling of personnel after some injury issues and lucky found a combo that worked. I didn't really do anything. This year I, luckily, got a JC OL job in an already-good program and we've been steam rolling people, but last year taught me a lot about the assumptions I made about players and how much they really care about this sport. That's what ends up mattering 95% of the time, unless you have some freaks who can outplay their apathy. One of the late term changes in fundamental football for me has been this; there is seldom, if ever a player on the team in which football is more important than the lowest on the coaching staff. |
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Post by waddles52 on Oct 26, 2022 20:29:11 GMT -6
Some good ones in here already. We're also a program that has spent the past five years contending for state titles and took a major step backward this year. So I can echo OP about the difference in winning a game vs the vision of winning it all. Other big thing this year for me was the importance of coaching my coaches (I'm the DC) during the off-season. We had two new assistant DB coaches this year that I thought were more capable then they were, so I wasn't as thorough and explicit with expectations for Indy and things of that nature as I should have been.
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Post by CanyonCoach on Oct 27, 2022 7:57:23 GMT -6
We have tried to use a BIG 3 for O/D and ST and then a BIG 3 at each position. Try to use it in indy/small group and team plus the weight room. Some coaches are awesome about using them to coach fundamentals some never mention them to the kids... When our kids coach youth events you can tell which kids are coached by BIG 3 coaches. Can you please explain BIG 3? We have adjusted these over the last 4 years to some extent but the basis is the same. Offensively- BAD- Block/Assignment/Dynamic Block- all positions, great technique, be tenacious (daily indy drills) Assignment- Know your role, know your alignment, know your opponent (group and team scheme) Dynamic- be athletic, be explosive, be a play maker (weight room, on field drills) Quarterbacks- BIG- Balance/I eyes/Gains Balance- Drills will emphasize balance and change in weight distribution in both run game and throwing mechanics- expanding this to ball distribution, run-pass, right-left, field-boundary, strong-weak. This is the basis for most of the drills, the other 2 areas cover the mental aspects of the game that are more a part of film and meeting sessions. I's eyes- pre snap reads, front, secondary shell, IDing the impact players on "D", this is expanded into taking responsibility for the entire offense- "I"am in charge. Gains- What is the defense giving us "Gifts"- Take what they are giving us and leave no doubt. If the flat is open take the flat route, if the pull is there on zone read pull and go. No zero and negative plays. |
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Post by flballcoach on Oct 27, 2022 10:43:41 GMT -6
If you are in a situation where the kids do not know much, or can't remember much, or you don't know who will get in trouble or not and be able to play, or you don't have a qb, or you don't have a dynamic rb, or you have a terrible OL. (I think I covered most) Do yourself a favor and run double tight double wing. There are no rules other than block down, you can run dive, power each way and run counter one way. You can run pop pass and boot one way. If you have some athletes you can do the double handoff reverse and just have it go outside (works great this way). Practice it against 15, 16, 17 guys on defense lined up where ever they want (we play in a league with some terrible coaching so a lot of times guys arnt even in stances). You will at least be going the right direction and have a chance. And this way when you play another team that has your struggles you might win because you will make fewer mistakes and block better. I'm at an urban school in a big city, so there is a lot going on and not a lot of football knowledge coming in but this can work anywhere.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2022 13:10:27 GMT -6
How many people really know what the fundies are of their position much less an entire defense? We have tried to use a BIG 3 for O/D and ST and then a BIG 3 at each position. Try to use it in indy/small group and team plus the weight room. Some coaches are awesome about using them to coach fundamentals some never mention them to the kids... When our kids coach youth events you can tell which kids are coached by BIG 3 coaches. I saw what it looks like at 24/25ish. To get a kid to the point where he is “serviceable” is more work than most would ever stick around for. Cause its not just drills and drilling. If program just lets kids play on frosh and Jv they are killing their own program. |
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Post by junior6589 on Oct 31, 2022 18:51:33 GMT -6
For me, each season ends with a confirmation of what I already know. If we block and tackle better than the other guy...and the "breaks" are even...we'll win. The "breaks" in football are which way the ball bounces when it hits the ground. If it bounces into my guy's hands...that's a good "break". Amen....
I also need to be better at teaching the kids to handle the bad breaks better. I didn't program enough situational or competitive drills into the practice schedule this year and it showed. We had several close games turn into lopsided affairs because the kids fell apart when the breaks didn't go our way.
Experienced the same thing coach. What have you done in the past to work on these situations in practice? |
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Post by 33coach on Oct 31, 2022 19:34:59 GMT -6
dont piss off every referee in the section...
thats all i learned.
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Post by coachcb on Nov 1, 2022 7:19:58 GMT -6
Amen....
I also need to be better at teaching the kids to handle the bad breaks better. I didn't program enough situational or competitive drills into the practice schedule this year and it showed. We had several close games turn into lopsided affairs because the kids fell apart when the breaks didn't go our way.
Experienced the same thing coach. What have you done in the past to work on these situations in practice? Short yardage/goal line offense and defense go a long way. We didn't have the numbers to go with a reasonable full scout team this year so we didn't rep these enough. We did some half-line but I got spooky because it screwed up our backside pursuit on defense. I just need to be more creative with those drills. All and all, we just needed more pressure and competition in practice. |
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Post by larrymoe on Nov 1, 2022 18:26:49 GMT -6
For me, each season ends with a confirmation of what I already know. If we block and tackle better than the other guy...and the "breaks" are even...we'll win. The "breaks" in football are which way the ball bounces when it hits the ground. If it bounces into my guy's hands...that's a good "break". Amen....
I also need to be better at teaching the kids to handle the bad breaks better. I didn't program enough situational or competitive drills into the practice schedule this year and it showed. We had several close games turn into lopsided affairs because the kids fell apart when the breaks didn't go our way.
I'm not sure that it's not just how kids think. Have you seen scores of games anymore? Very rarely do you see a 28-7 anymore. It's either very close or a running clock. When I was still on the sideline I noticed that once a team got 2-3 scores behind, they just sorta quit. They feel no difference between losing 21-7 or 63-7. |
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