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Post by trojanoc5 on Mar 20, 2024 10:45:38 GMT -6
Situation: You are the Defensive Coordinator in one of the smaller classifications in your state. The team has a new assistant coach who will be your defensive "assistant." Meaning he will be the JV DC, in the booth on Fridays on the defensive headsets, helping you break down film, and game plan.
He has one year of experience coaching high school football. He's going to be a great coach, but is just young. He really wants to learn, wants to meet, spend time digging into the defense, etc. I trust him to be willing to learn, not just constantly try to input his ideas, while also being honest and telling me any flaws he sees or issues with how I’m explaining it. Point is, he’ll be a good student.
I want him to learn the defense as well as possible. He'll put time in and wants to meet with me, though my schedule is a little more crowded than his. I really won’t be able to spend much more than an hour or two per week MAX, so we can’t really sit down and do it in one big session.
How would you structure teaching him the defense over the course of 2 - 2.5 months? How would you break it down week by week? What are non-negotiables that HAVE to be taught? What needs to be taught first? What can be put off until later? Breaking it down by DL/LB/DBs? Run game vs. Pass Game?
If you have an outline you already use, even if it’s one for teaching an offense, I would love to see it.
If it makes any difference, we are a Base Even Front, Spilling, Pattern Match Defense.
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Post by rsmith627 on Mar 20, 2024 11:05:39 GMT -6
This would probably go better on the defensive board and I'm sure it'll get moved.
I am an O guy but I would start with fronts and fills. How you stop the run is probably most important. I'd then get into my coverages, and how those fit in with your front if they aren't fully divorced. Fun stuff like stunts and other adjustments after he understands the basics and your base D.
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coachtconkle
Freshmen Member
"Perfection is not attainable; but, if we chase perfection we can catch excellence" – V. Lombardi
Posts: 70 
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Post by coachtconkle on Mar 20, 2024 11:28:14 GMT -6
There are many strategies for how to cook an egg, so I'll give you my perspective on your dilemma. It works for me. Coach (Bear) Bryant use to say that "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." To me that means being sure every coach on the staff understands the big picture, their side of the ball, and the other 2 phases of the game as well every year -- regarding what we do, why we do it this or that way, and are there alternative ways, and better ways. I presume we are talking about spring and summer off-season time?
I (as HC) want to have the entire staff (including B-team, JV; and coaches from other feeder program(s) in our building or the jr high or middle school down the street, that use our system) meet together. That includes newby coaches and the vets. A 2-4 hour session 1 morning suffices - refreshing everyone on what we do on each of the 3 phases of the game, and based on the talent (or lack thereof) how we may be or will be tweaking what we do and how we do it. That could mean the HC running the whole show, or having each Coord. cover their aspect. I prefer this being a Q&A when needed so there is a full understanding and all have a chance to address things for emphasis or to let them explain something about the position techniques or something.
If we face mostly passing offenses, I would address the passing game first, and the running defense 2nd. Or, vice-versa.
If our offense is mostly running-game then I would cover that first, and the passing game 2nd. Or, vice-versa.
If 50/50 run-pass on the 2 above, it doesn't matter the order.
Depending on how complex things are, or how much didn't get covered in the morning session, how many new or young coaches are involved, we may come back for 1-4 hours in the afternoon. If everything was crystal clear that morning and all are on the same page, the afternoon session could be scenarios and what-ifs to help the staff with considering possibilities for Plan B, Plan C, Plan D (in general for the season) in game situations. It could be that everyone takes 2-3 days to have these meetings, and maybe have lunch brought in or delivered and have a working lunch, or it could be just a time of relaxation and comradery.
After that, I might want to spend 1-2 hours per week meeting with the new coach(es) to check for understanding and discuss. If there is mutual agreement that there is little to discuss, say so in an email or phone call and we'll see about meeting next week or in 2 weeks.
I know a coach who made everything so simple that there was no need for meeting and the man won state championships and played in the finals for many more. His defensive philosophy was: here is how we line up, here is what positions do with motion, here is what we do with an overloaded line, and a few other simple things and there was ZERO technique. Everybody go tackle the ball on defense. His offense was Play #1 through Play #12 and it was to the right and to the left - some were pass plays and some were run plays. His motto, "Just play football." Agree or disagree it worked for him and his players for years!
I hope I have given you a thing or 2 that prompts your thinking and maybe others will give better advice than I did. Good luck!!
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Post by MICoach on Mar 20, 2024 11:28:25 GMT -6
I'd teach philosophy first - why do you do the things you do (even front, spill, match).
Then I'd start from the ground up - what is your "base" call essentially. What are you calling on 1st and 10 week 1. I'd teach him the techniques associated with it.
Then I'd pepper in the couple other things you want the JV team to be able to run.
I would try to find some time to teach him different things the varsity will run that the JV won't, but that is also a low priority. Week to week you can just tell him what things you need to know when he's in the box, and if that necessitates teaching more scheme that's fine but if not, avoid it. I've had my best success both in the box and having guys in the box for me when that role simply had to do with identifying a few tells (personnel was always my biggest one when calling D).
There is some specifics that will depend on your situation, but I'd expect with him being pretty new you're not really looking for him to give a lot of input and rather just be a valuable assistant. To me that comes from having a limited role but being really good at it.
I don't know if that helps but it's my thoughts.
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Post by bulldogsdc on Mar 20, 2024 13:13:27 GMT -6
Let him watch hudl on his own for a bit. See what he can figure out.
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Post by chi5hi on Mar 20, 2024 14:30:30 GMT -6
Situation: You are the Defensive Coordinator in one of the smaller classifications in your state. The team has a new assistant coach who will be your defensive "assistant." Meaning he will be the JV DC, in the booth on Fridays on the defensive headsets, helping you break down film, and game plan. He has one year of experience coaching high school football. He's going to be a great coach, but is just young. He really wants to learn, wants to meet, spend time digging into the defense, etc. I trust him to be willing to learn, not just constantly try to input his ideas, while also being honest and telling me any flaws he sees or issues with how I’m explaining it. Point is, he’ll be a good student. I want him to learn the defense as well as possible. He'll put time in and wants to meet with me, though my schedule is a little more crowded than his. I really won’t be able to spend much more than an hour or two per week MAX, so we can’t really sit down and do it in one big session. How would you structure teaching him the defense over the course of 2 - 2.5 months? How would you break it down week by week? What are non-negotiables that HAVE to be taught? What needs to be taught first? What can be put off until later? Breaking it down by DL/LB/DBs? Run game vs. Pass Game? If you have an outline you already use, even if it’s one for teaching an offense, I would love to see it. If it makes any difference, we are a Base Even Front, Spilling, Pattern Match Defense. ! E.g. "Our defense will blow gaps and chase the ball". OR..."Our defense will occupy gaps and pursue to the ball". OR..."Our defense will read blocks first, then react to the ball", etc, etc. "This is our base alignment." "This is our adjustment to the hashmarks. To the sideline." "This is how we define RUN strength, and this is how we define PASS strength. This is how we define "empty"." "This is the first pass coverage we will install"..."and this is how we play it against Pro/Trips/Quads/Motion/Twins". Start there is my $.02. |
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Post by larrymoe on Mar 20, 2024 16:05:10 GMT -6
Let him watch hudl on his own for a bit. See what he can figure out. I like this answer a lot. If a guy shows promise, let him see what he can do on his own. You might just learn something from him. |
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Post by coachwoodall on Mar 20, 2024 18:21:17 GMT -6
This would probably go better on the defensive board and I'm sure it'll get moved. 3 post noobes can't get there |
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Post by coachwoodall on Mar 20, 2024 18:55:07 GMT -6
Situation: You are the Defensive Coordinator in one of the smaller classifications in your state. The team has a new assistant coach who will be your defensive "assistant." Meaning he will be the JV DC, in the booth on Fridays on the defensive headsets, helping you break down film, and game plan. He has one year of experience coaching high school football. He's going to be a great coach, but is just young. He really wants to learn, wants to meet, spend time digging into the defense, etc. I trust him to be willing to learn, not just constantly try to input his ideas, while also being honest and telling me any flaws he sees or issues with how I’m explaining it. Point is, he’ll be a good student. I want him to learn the defense as well as possible. He'll put time in and wants to meet with me, though my schedule is a little more crowded than his. I really won’t be able to spend much more than an hour or two per week MAX, so we can’t really sit down and do it in one big session. How would you structure teaching him the defense over the course of 2 - 2.5 months? How would you break it down week by week? What are non-negotiables that HAVE to be taught? What needs to be taught first? What can be put off until later? Breaking it down by DL/LB/DBs? Run game vs. Pass Game? If you have an outline you already use, even if it’s one for teaching an offense, I would love to see it. If it makes any difference, we are a Base Even Front, Spilling, Pattern Match Defense. The 1st thing I would teach beyond the basic philosophy of the/my defense would be communication. So meeting 1 -basic overview -philosophy -daily musts meeting 2 -communication; I.E. what you want to hear from the box on Friday night -- formations -- D&D -- personnel -- adjustments -- calls -- coverages -- etc....... build the vocabulary meeting 3 -what you want to install 1st/most important meeting 3+ -what ever you deem important after that Why I put box communication so high? I've been the box guy for 26 of 32 years I've been a coach. Other than the 1st year of coaching; the years I wasn't the box guy I was the DC on the field. When I couldn't clearly and concisely communicate with the other end, it was a miserable and frustrating experience. Having that common language makes that work so much easier. As time goes by also having the common understanding of defensive scheme continues making it better. But the communication/common language comes first. -what do you call the offensive formation --personnel grouping ---key personnel alignments -how do you call --certain run plays --certain pass, or do you just call concepts -how do call strength?  from defensive (preferred) or offensive --personnel changes that affect that call -what do you (the DC) want to hear NOW --what do you want to hear between plays ---what do you want to hear when the offense is on the field Just think of it in teaching terms; first you have to teach vocabulary so that students can understand what you're talking about. |
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Post by vicvinegar on Mar 21, 2024 6:41:11 GMT -6
For the time constraints, use Google Meets. We have done this as an entire staff, it just makes things so much easier. We have them around 7 or 8 during the evenings. That gives guys time to eat dinner with their family... Whatever else they may need to do. We have done one every week or two.
First night we talked about philosophy/ base. Second week we went over tackling/ responsibilities during spring practices. Next I plan on sitting down with each position group (on different nights) and going over their position manuals.
It's been a total game changer.
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Post by veerman on Mar 21, 2024 8:16:33 GMT -6
For the time constraints, use Google Meets. We have done this as an entire staff, it just makes things so much easier. We have them around 7 or 8 during the evenings. That gives guys time to eat dinner with their family... Whatever else they may need to do. We have done one every week or two. First night we talked about philosophy/ base. Second week we went over tackling/ responsibilities during spring practices. Next I plan on sitting down with each position group (on different nights) and going over their position manuals. It's been a total game changer. I agree with this! Use Google Meet/Zoom. Talked about scheduling is more crowded than his, but you can always meet at night. We have meet as late as 10pm before after we have put kids to bed. If you know how to use the whiteboard feature you can essentially do everything you want that you could do sitting in an office. With technology the way it is today there is no real reason that you MUST meet in an office anymore, unless it's just personal preference, and that includes during the season as well. |
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Post by irishdog on Mar 21, 2024 8:39:33 GMT -6
Philosophy and terminology first. Can't get anything done if he doesn't know what you want/expect, or what you're talking about.
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coachtconkle
Freshmen Member
"Perfection is not attainable; but, if we chase perfection we can catch excellence" – V. Lombardi
Posts: 70
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Post by coachtconkle on Mar 21, 2024 11:16:29 GMT -6
Philosophy and terminology first. Can't get anything done if he doesn't know what you want/expect, or what you're talking about. That is very true. For example, I was in a meeting once where I discussing an offensive Guard and Tackle Cross Block. That is what I have known going back to Jr High in the 70s. Not a soul in the room knew what I meant. I stopped for a moment and then said, "as far as I am concerned it is the same thing as an 'X Block' or a "Fold Block" or a "Loop Block." Then everyone laughed, among everyone in the bunch all of those were in their mental glossary. Ran into the same thing with me not understanding an "A-Block" and a "G-Block." I then learned that the A-Block was blocking anyone in your area and the G-Block was a pulling guard kicking out or sealing in. Terminology is an interesting thing. |
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Post by carookie on Mar 21, 2024 23:31:16 GMT -6
Make sure you set aside time to teach him all the techniques you want players to use, and then teach him how you want those techniques taught (at least for his position group). Guys who can talk and diagram X's & O's are a dime a dozen. A coach who can instruct a player on how to move in space or take on a block, and get him to execute it in a game situation, thats someone you want.
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Post by trojanoc5 on Mar 22, 2024 7:39:12 GMT -6
Appreciate all the responses. Didn't really consider the importance of getting our terminology taught to make sure we're on the same page, but that will be a priority.
Any thoughts on how much position specific details to include? He will probably coach DBs, but at the same time, I want him to understand the DL play to a certain extent so that he knows what he is seeing from the box and can fix issues in JV games. Time is obviously a factor, but this could also carry over into the summer a bit.
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Post by Defcord on Mar 22, 2024 8:07:25 GMT -6
I would watch a ton of film with him and tell him how I would coach stuff for a few practices and games. Then I would ask him to go in and do some notes on copies of film so I can see what he is picking up. After that I would watch it together and have him coach me up on it. As he was doing that I would give him feedback on what I am seeing.
I would also remind him regularly to be willing in these sessions to make mistakes. I don't want guys that I am teaching to worry about making a mistake. If they don't make them, then we can't correct them.
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Post by carookie on Mar 22, 2024 13:52:41 GMT -6
Do you have a playbook or an ap you use to share installs? If he has a rudimentary understanding of the game already giving him one of these could be a good start too.
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Post by trojanoc5 on Mar 22, 2024 20:20:52 GMT -6
Do you have a playbook or an ap you use to share installs? If he has a rudimentary understanding of the game already giving him one of these could be a good start too. Good thought. I do put together a Google Classroom for the coaches every year that has our alignments, coverages, etc. all broken down. He'll be able to reference that. |
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Post by IronmanFootball on Mar 23, 2024 7:04:36 GMT -6
Situation: You are the Defensive Coordinator in one of the smaller classifications in your state. The team has a new assistant coach who will be your defensive "assistant." Meaning he will be the JV DC, in the booth on Fridays on the defensive headsets, helping you break down film, and game plan. He has one year of experience coaching high school football. He's going to be a great coach, but is just young. He really wants to learn, wants to meet, spend time digging into the defense, etc. I trust him to be willing to learn, not just constantly try to input his ideas, while also being honest and telling me any flaws he sees or issues with how I’m explaining it. Point is, he’ll be a good student. I want him to learn the defense as well as possible. He'll put time in and wants to meet with me, though my schedule is a little more crowded than his. I really won’t be able to spend much more than an hour or two per week MAX, so we can’t really sit down and do it in one big session. How would you structure teaching him the defense over the course of 2 - 2.5 months? How would you break it down week by week? What are non-negotiables that HAVE to be taught? What needs to be taught first? What can be put off until later? Breaking it down by DL/LB/DBs? Run game vs. Pass Game? If you have an outline you already use, even if it’s one for teaching an offense, I would love to see it. If it makes any difference, we are a Base Even Front, Spilling, Pattern Match Defense. Give them a notebook and a pen. Define what the base of your defense is to them. Even, spill, pattern match- define them for them Draw up the base vs your O's base. Assign them what you want them to learn day 1 (what is your day 1 install?) Do you have a Hudl playbook type thing built? Hudl installs? If you have your day 1 install made on Hudl, share it. Then say "I want you to teach this back to me like I'm a JV player" That way they have your base DOWN immediately. Give them a week to prep. Give them those installs for camp one week at a time. How many install days do you use in camp? As an OC I did 3 days, start over, 4 days, start over, 5 days and ~90% was in (adjustments / wrinkles for opponents) When I was in the 4-2-5 as DC our day 1 for spring was "Miami" aka our 4-3 over look. I chose that because our day 1 offensive install was an 11 personnel, 3-back pistol balanced formation. Then as our offense spread out, we taught our defensive rules for every added threat out wide. |
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Post by coachd5085 on Mar 23, 2024 8:59:29 GMT -6
So the key here is determining if you are trying to teach him Defense, or Your Defense and then plan accordingly. For practical purposes- it seems obvious that the latter is the better choice, while slowly working towards the more general goal.
Have you read “Coaching team defense” by Fritz Shurmur? If not you two should both read.
Sit down and think about EXACTLY what you would want/need him to do- and then focus on that. If you try and teach everything-it will likely be a fruitless endeavor.
As far as your defensive scheme- I believe drawing scout cards is probably the best way to learn your scheme. Give him a sheet with your terms for offensive formations. Start with your base front and coverage Create a script :
1. 1st and 10 - left hash OFF- Deuce right split. DEF call Eagle field 5
2. 1st and 10 middle OFF - PRO Denver DEF Eagle field 5
3. 1st and 10 RT hash OFF - spread trips right. EAGLE field 5
Etc. This process will help you identify the base checks necessary- and will demonstrate why as he draws them up
The goal would be to work up to things like
1. 1st and 10 - Left Hash- Deuce Right split- zac motion 37 OZ.
Defensive call “eagle field sizzle 5”. Then have him draw it all up. First draw up Deuce right split. Then have him draw the defense. Then have him draw the little sqiggly line showing the zac motion, then have him draw lines to show the defensive reaction to that. Then have him draw the 37 Oz blocking scheme.
This provides several benefits- 1 learning the scheme inside and out, 2 teaching how to perform an important task that will contribute to the program, 3 you have scout cards pre made if you ever need them (although I believe greatly in the value of drawing them by hand freshly based on the new scripts)
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from defensive (preferred) or offensive
