1. The job you have right now is the best one in the world. you will look back when you move on and say to yourself, I wish I would have enjoyed that experience more
2. Never stop learning and asking questions...remember those guys your asking were not born with that knowledge out of the womb
3. Enjoy the process. The product will come and it will be that much more rewarding. If you really work at it you'll succeed.
4. Be loyal to the guys you are working with and for. I read on one of the threads that the OL coach was underminding the OC. For what purpose? Did it help them win? In my opinion there is no place for this on a staff and must be dealt with by the HC immediately.
5. Believe in a philosophy and run with it. Know it so well you will have the answers to make adjustments.
6. While evaluating players dont pigeon hole a kid. How can he best help your team win. Thats whats important.
7. The only way a true team can survive is from the inside out. That goes for families, businesses etc. If you are strong inside your group who can tear it apart....no one
8. I would tell my coaches to coach the performance and never demean a player. I have found that players want to be coached and by coaching them hard they will respond if they know you are there to help them and care about them. This is especially true on the upper levels also. I would tell my coaches what if a player comes back on you? You are in a no Win situation. Take the player aside and keep both yours and his dignity intact.
9. There are no badges of honor for the guy that can stay there the latest. I would tell my staff when you get yourself done go home. The biggest pet peeve I have in coaching is when a coach tells everyone how late he stayed. Those guys are not on my staff. We have always gone into games prepared. Take a look at your watch right now and draw a three technique on your board. Go home and come back at three in the morning and he will still be a three. Go find out a way to block him. You can both be a great coach and a great family man. We had just recently moved and we were unpacking...there were some old pictures of my kids. It saddened me to not have remembered those times with them because I wont have the opportunity to get those times in their lives back. Your kids only turn a certain age once be there.
10. Have fun, its a game. When you look back on your career you will remember the players and coaches. The people you surrounded yourself with. I promise on your death bed you wont be thinking about cover three.
Monday, November 2, 2009
a good play to put in
"Putting Out the Fire (Zone)" - Gunter Brewer (Part II)
Another way OSU looks to attack the fire zone is with their quick passing game.
(for a detailed view of the staple of OSU’s passing attack, the four verticals package, check out Chris Brown’s blog)
SCAT out of 3 x 1
The scat concept out of 3 x 1 is a great way of exposing the horizontal stretch of a 3 underneath zone coverage. It is an evolution of Y Stick, and further evolved itself to the current spacing concept.
Just like the spacing concept detailed before, the inside receivers are looking to put the middle hole defender in conflict. They work to get in between the MLB and the PSL B at 6 yards and sit down.
The Z (playside outside receiver) runs the clearing fade (FOR / Force Outside Release) to draw greater a void underneath. The shoot by the F converts to a wheel if seeing press man coverage.
The added benefit of 3 x 1 is the bubble route run by the H. This not only provides a release outlet, but also stretches the SCIF player to defend the sideline to the hash.
Regardless of the coverage, this concept is adaptable and can stress the defense regardless of the assignment. The X & Y run a “sneak” (stick) route at a depth of 6 yards to 2-on-1 attack the MLB.
- Vs zone – split the difference between defenders
- Vs man – push in hard and bounce back out
If the linebacker crosses the receiver's face, he should look for the ball. If the receiver gets walled (from an inside stem), he will sit and bounce back out (working off of MLB)
This provides a failsafe plan of attack for the quarterback. All he has to determine is if it is MOFC or MOFO coverage and then immediately attack the appropriate defender.
- Vs 1 high – look weak (key the flat defender)
- Vs 2 high – look strong (key the flat defender)
- Vs man – Sneak/Wheel
It is important to see the seams / voids created with so much defensive movement of players replacing one another.
“You have to get them, before they get you”
Attacking the Linebackers
Against the zone blitz, the inside receiver should look for the dropper (weight not on the hands), and anticipate his drop. The rationale on spotting the dropper, is because in 3x1 the MLB is the target. He will have to expand to #3 away from the hole to match #3’s route dispersion.
When the playside linebacker is in man coverage, he will not be sitting or dropping to the seam, he will be expanding to chase the back on flare (leaving a large void in the area he is leaving). The WR to the chasing linebacker must look for the ball in his first 3 steps. To take advantage of this big-play potential, it is important to identify the coverage presnap via shifts, motions, and altering the tempo.
If the linebacker drops, the receiver will go underneath, work the hole inside, and off the drop of the MLB.
If the linebacker “sits”, the WR must decide the over/under position to best work (find the hole).
If the linebacker walls or prevents an inside release (typically if the defense is aggressively trying to stop follows, meshes, etc) the WR should use a bounce technique and work back outside.
The following is an example of the evolution of the (double stick) scat concept (and how it helped evolve spacing)
Shown here by BYU and NC State, featuring a young Philip Rivers
Does this Y Stick concept from Norm Chow's 1995 playbook look familiar?
It should
Y Stick vs the Fire Zone
This is a great concept to work against the leverage of hole and seam players. This also works against both 1-high (MOFC) and 2-high (MOFO) coverages equally well. Where spacing featured 3 sticks, Scats featured 2 sticks, now Y Stick features just the TE sticking based on the MLB.
1 high defense
With the backside 2 receiver combo, the inside receiver route essentially becomes the shoot route being run on the TE side. Rather than elongate the throw by immediately pressing the sideline, the receiver vertically presses 6 yards and then keys the corner on whether he should sit (if corner sits / flat) or continue expanding to the flat (if corner retreats).
2 high defense
An illustration of the stick concept vs 2-high defense against Texas Tech (actually the very play that the opening picture was taken from)
This play / pictorial best illustrates identifying the 'hot' key of a man-linebacker. Watch the 8 technique SLB racing to chase the shooting F out of the backfield. The SLB isn't dropping, he is quickly widening flat. Recognizing this, the Y quickly turns his shoulder in anticipation of receiving this quick throw.
Once the QB identified man-coverage, he locks onto his Y and is going to deliver the ball away to the shoulder away from the MLB on his hitch step.
(Very little thining required here - just react to the immediate key)
The TE makes a great catch outside his body, which affords him more room and momentum to turn upfield away from the MLB. Now it is the Y versus the Safety.
The receiver runs over the safety, the chase ensues, and makes a bad-angled corner miss.....and its SHOWTIME in the endzone!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
How to turn this situation around
1. Have an attendance policy and stick to it.
All absences must be notified to the coach before hand or they are considered unexcused. If you are sick from school, the absence is excused and no added conditioning. For all other excused absences:
1 absence= 100 updowns and no start
2nd abscence= 100 updowns and no first half
3rd absence= 100 updowns and no dress
This is on a weekly basis.
3 unexcused absences a year and you are removed from the team. Once you quit or are removed there is no coming back.
2. Build a weight program and require kids to attend.
3. Run a systematic offense. I would recommend running something that is not run in your league ala double wing or Navy Flexbone.
4. Build relationships with everyone.
5. Teach fundamentals over scheme.
6. Do it your way, you may get fired, but if you do the job wasn't worth it.
7. Teach character over winning.
8. Create high expectations for the classroom.
9. Don't accept background as an excuse.
10. Drug test, if it is legal and there are funds.
All absences must be notified to the coach before hand or they are considered unexcused. If you are sick from school, the absence is excused and no added conditioning. For all other excused absences:
1 absence= 100 updowns and no start
2nd abscence= 100 updowns and no first half
3rd absence= 100 updowns and no dress
This is on a weekly basis.
3 unexcused absences a year and you are removed from the team. Once you quit or are removed there is no coming back.
2. Build a weight program and require kids to attend.
3. Run a systematic offense. I would recommend running something that is not run in your league ala double wing or Navy Flexbone.
4. Build relationships with everyone.
5. Teach fundamentals over scheme.
6. Do it your way, you may get fired, but if you do the job wasn't worth it.
7. Teach character over winning.
8. Create high expectations for the classroom.
9. Don't accept background as an excuse.
10. Drug test, if it is legal and there are funds.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Colts
Plays are simple & basic. Runs are Inside Zone, Counter, Stretch, Draw, etc. Passes roughly same as everybody elses'. They KEEP IT SIMPLE & OUT-EXECUTE PEOPLE.
Personnel = basically 1 TE - 3 WR - 1 RB, AND, 2 TE - 2 WR - 1 RB. They can go from one to the other by flexing Dallas Clark out as a WR, or bringing him in tight as a second TE (he is good enough to do both).
The PLAY CALLING at the LOS is the big thing. Essentially, they give Manning a 3 play package of choices (run left, run right, pass). He makes the decision based upon the number of safeties deep, or, the front alignment (techniques of DT is an important factor).
His big answer to blitz = WR screens.
This is some stuff on their philosophy I have pieced together:
TOM MOORE OFFENSIVE THINKING
1. “LESS IS BETTER”!
2. “IF THINGS ARE GOING BAD – REDUCE. GET BETTER AT WHAT YOU DO BEST”!
3. “DON’T ADD OR CHANGE THINGS (IF IT WAS THAT GOOD – WE WOULD HAVE PUT IT IN DURING AUGUST”)!
FROM AN ARTICLE: Offensive coordinator Tom Moore is a brilliant minimalist who keeps it simple. He stretches the canvas and lets his quarterback paint masterpieces. Sometimes it seems like the Colts only have four formations and seven plays, but defenses never know what's coming next.
TONY DUNGY PHILOSOPHY:
1. BE SIMPLE
2. TEACH FUNDAMENTALS
3. PLAY HARD
PEYTON MANNING: “KEEP IT SIMPLE”:
MANNING’S STRAIGHT FORWARD BUT EFFECTIVE PHILOSOPHY: “EVERY TIME YOU DROP BACK TO THROW, YOUR GOAL IS TO POSSESS THE BALL ON THE NEXT PLAY”!!!!!
Limited runs, but TONS of passes, & TONS of protections. MOVEMENTS (shifts/motions/finished fortmation packages) can be difficult to assimilate also. I spent 1 year working with a NFL Taxi Squad - what they have to learn is unreal!
One of the ways the good ones make a complex scheme somewhat simplified (at least we did) was by "conceptualizing" just about everything. For EXAMPLE:
1. We may have 25-30 formations, but all of them fell into two CONCEPTS:
a. Pro Family (Flanker & TE on SAME side);
b. Slot Family (Flanker & SE on same side).
Most all of these are accomplished ONLY by alignments of TWO people (Flanker & Slotback or H-Back).
2. We may have 80-100 passes, but all of them fall into 7-8 CONCEPTS. Each of the 8 concepts may have 10-12 passes. Each pass within that concept has the same READS (& generally the same PROTECTION).
3. We may have 23-24 protections, but each protection is a VARIATION (usually a "call") WITHIN a few basic protection categories. EXAMPLE: This is a CHART of the 7 basic protections we taught (& all 7 of these were "offshoots" of only 3 basic CONCEPTS). Each of these 7 had about 3-4 variations, that if multiplied by 7 - made it appear there were 21-28 protections:
7 BASIC PROTECTIONS CHART
“BASE”
TYPE = man
# = 7 (can be made 8 with H/Y both checking)
DB Action = split flow
Hot = none
B.O. = #4 str/wk
REDIRECT CENTER = 4 man side Call side
WEAKNESS = Ins. A gap dogs; mismatch RB on outs.
VARIATION = “OH” (RB takes H’s man; Y takes RB’s man; H takes Y’s route)
“HI/LO”
TYPE = man
# = 7
DB Action = wk flow
Hot = none
B.O. = #4 str/wk
REDIRECT CENTER = 4 man side Call side
WEAKNESS = same as BASE
“SCAT”
TYPE = man
# = 6
DB Action = split flow
Hot = #3/4 str
B.O. = #4 str/wk
REDIRECT CENTER = call side R/L 4 man side
WEAKNESS = strong side dogs
“SCRAM”
TYPE = man
# = 7
DB Action = wk flow
Hot = #3/4 wk
B.O. = #4 wk
REDIRECT CENTER = Center always weak
WEAKNESS = weak side dog
“OPTION TRIPLE”
TYPE = turn back
# = 6
DB Action = Str flow
Hot = #3/4 str
B.O. = #4 weak
REDIRECT CENTER = opposite into reduction
WEAKNESS = Str side dogs; wk 4 man rush
“OPTION SINGLE”
TYPE = turn back
# = 7
DB Action = str flow
Hot = none
B.O. = #4 weak
REDIRECT CENTER = none
WEAKNESS = wk 4 man rush; # of receivers out
“FLASH/LIGHTNING”
TYPE = man
# = 8
DB Action = split flow
Hot = none
B.O. = none
REDIRECT CENTER = weak
WEAKNESS = receivers check way out
Could go "on & on", but I simply do not have the time!
Personnel = basically 1 TE - 3 WR - 1 RB, AND, 2 TE - 2 WR - 1 RB. They can go from one to the other by flexing Dallas Clark out as a WR, or bringing him in tight as a second TE (he is good enough to do both).
The PLAY CALLING at the LOS is the big thing. Essentially, they give Manning a 3 play package of choices (run left, run right, pass). He makes the decision based upon the number of safeties deep, or, the front alignment (techniques of DT is an important factor).
His big answer to blitz = WR screens.
This is some stuff on their philosophy I have pieced together:
TOM MOORE OFFENSIVE THINKING
1. “LESS IS BETTER”!
2. “IF THINGS ARE GOING BAD – REDUCE. GET BETTER AT WHAT YOU DO BEST”!
3. “DON’T ADD OR CHANGE THINGS (IF IT WAS THAT GOOD – WE WOULD HAVE PUT IT IN DURING AUGUST”)!
FROM AN ARTICLE: Offensive coordinator Tom Moore is a brilliant minimalist who keeps it simple. He stretches the canvas and lets his quarterback paint masterpieces. Sometimes it seems like the Colts only have four formations and seven plays, but defenses never know what's coming next.
TONY DUNGY PHILOSOPHY:
1. BE SIMPLE
2. TEACH FUNDAMENTALS
3. PLAY HARD
PEYTON MANNING: “KEEP IT SIMPLE”:
MANNING’S STRAIGHT FORWARD BUT EFFECTIVE PHILOSOPHY: “EVERY TIME YOU DROP BACK TO THROW, YOUR GOAL IS TO POSSESS THE BALL ON THE NEXT PLAY”!!!!!
Limited runs, but TONS of passes, & TONS of protections. MOVEMENTS (shifts/motions/finished fortmation packages) can be difficult to assimilate also. I spent 1 year working with a NFL Taxi Squad - what they have to learn is unreal!
One of the ways the good ones make a complex scheme somewhat simplified (at least we did) was by "conceptualizing" just about everything. For EXAMPLE:
1. We may have 25-30 formations, but all of them fell into two CONCEPTS:
a. Pro Family (Flanker & TE on SAME side);
b. Slot Family (Flanker & SE on same side).
Most all of these are accomplished ONLY by alignments of TWO people (Flanker & Slotback or H-Back).
2. We may have 80-100 passes, but all of them fall into 7-8 CONCEPTS. Each of the 8 concepts may have 10-12 passes. Each pass within that concept has the same READS (& generally the same PROTECTION).
3. We may have 23-24 protections, but each protection is a VARIATION (usually a "call") WITHIN a few basic protection categories. EXAMPLE: This is a CHART of the 7 basic protections we taught (& all 7 of these were "offshoots" of only 3 basic CONCEPTS). Each of these 7 had about 3-4 variations, that if multiplied by 7 - made it appear there were 21-28 protections:
7 BASIC PROTECTIONS CHART
“BASE”
TYPE = man
# = 7 (can be made 8 with H/Y both checking)
DB Action = split flow
Hot = none
B.O. = #4 str/wk
REDIRECT CENTER = 4 man side Call side
WEAKNESS = Ins. A gap dogs; mismatch RB on outs.
VARIATION = “OH” (RB takes H’s man; Y takes RB’s man; H takes Y’s route)
“HI/LO”
TYPE = man
# = 7
DB Action = wk flow
Hot = none
B.O. = #4 str/wk
REDIRECT CENTER = 4 man side Call side
WEAKNESS = same as BASE
“SCAT”
TYPE = man
# = 6
DB Action = split flow
Hot = #3/4 str
B.O. = #4 str/wk
REDIRECT CENTER = call side R/L 4 man side
WEAKNESS = strong side dogs
“SCRAM”
TYPE = man
# = 7
DB Action = wk flow
Hot = #3/4 wk
B.O. = #4 wk
REDIRECT CENTER = Center always weak
WEAKNESS = weak side dog
“OPTION TRIPLE”
TYPE = turn back
# = 6
DB Action = Str flow
Hot = #3/4 str
B.O. = #4 weak
REDIRECT CENTER = opposite into reduction
WEAKNESS = Str side dogs; wk 4 man rush
“OPTION SINGLE”
TYPE = turn back
# = 7
DB Action = str flow
Hot = none
B.O. = #4 weak
REDIRECT CENTER = none
WEAKNESS = wk 4 man rush; # of receivers out
“FLASH/LIGHTNING”
TYPE = man
# = 8
DB Action = split flow
Hot = none
B.O. = none
REDIRECT CENTER = weak
WEAKNESS = receivers check way out
Could go "on & on", but I simply do not have the time!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Cover 4 Rules
Match Players
Take anyone who comes through your zone.
If #2 goes in, push to MHC and yell "In"
If #2 goes out, settle and get eyes on #1
If #1 goes outside, settle and eyes on #2; alert for smash
If #1 goes inside, settle first then push to MHC. Be alert to #2
Corners
Read #1
If #1 goes vertical, he is your responsibility
If #1 goes inside, let him go and eyes on #2
If #1 settles in flat, settle with him. Make "Smash" call.
Safeties
Read #2
If #2 to your side goes vertical, he is your responsibility. Match player should pass him off after 10 yards.
If #2 to your side goes in, shade #1
If #2 to your side goes out, follow with over-the-top leverage. If there is no #3 when #2 goes out, Match player should take #2. However, #2 is still the Safeties' responsibility. If there is a #3, or he is slow to show, Match player takes #3 and Safety should get to #2 as fast as possible.
Take anyone who comes through your zone.
If #2 goes in, push to MHC and yell "In"
If #2 goes out, settle and get eyes on #1
If #1 goes outside, settle and eyes on #2; alert for smash
If #1 goes inside, settle first then push to MHC. Be alert to #2
Corners
Read #1
If #1 goes vertical, he is your responsibility
If #1 goes inside, let him go and eyes on #2
If #1 settles in flat, settle with him. Make "Smash" call.
Safeties
Read #2
If #2 to your side goes vertical, he is your responsibility. Match player should pass him off after 10 yards.
If #2 to your side goes in, shade #1
If #2 to your side goes out, follow with over-the-top leverage. If there is no #3 when #2 goes out, Match player should take #2. However, #2 is still the Safeties' responsibility. If there is a #3, or he is slow to show, Match player takes #3 and Safety should get to #2 as fast as possible.
Monday, October 5, 2009
SP teams
PUNT RUSH PRINCIPLES (VIRGINIA TECH)
1. USE ATHLETES: WANT PEOPLE THAT CAN BLOCK KICKS, NOT WALL OFF.
2. STANCE – MAKE BLOCK & RETURN LOOK THE SAME.
3. LINE UP AS CLOSE TO NEUTRAL ZONE AS POSSIBLE.
4. KEEP HAND OUT IN FRONT OF HEAD.
5. KEY THE BALL – GREAT GET OFF ON SNAP.
6. STAY LOW IN YOUR CHARGE, MAKE YOURSELF SMALL.
7. BLOCK POINT LANDMARK CRITICAL, BETTER SHORT THAN LONG. NEVER BE PAST BLOCK POINT - - IF SO, PULL OFF.
8. ACCELERATE – SPRINT – HANDS UP AT LAST SECOND.
9. NEVER WORK ON A DIRECT ANGLE WITH KICKER – ALWAYS BE TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
10. LOOK AT BALL – EYES OPEN.
11. ALWAYS STAY ON FEET.
12. ONLY ONE PERSON FREE AT BLOCKING POINT.
13. KNOCKED OFF COURSE MORE THAN ONE STEP – STOP – WORK TO OUTSIDE.
14. DON’T AVOID OR KNOCK PERSONAL PROTECTOR INTO BLOCK POINT.
15. RUN A DIRECT LINE TO BLOCK POINT – DO NOT GET KNOCKED OUT OF YOUR LANE AND BLOCK OTHER PEOPLE.
16. BLOCKED KICK:
IF BEHIND LOS (WORK ON GETTING BALL TO END ZONE)
IF ACROSS LOS (GET AWAY FROM IT)
IF IN DOUBT (RIGHT AT LOS) – GET BEHIND BALL & LET THEM MAKE MOVE.
17. WHEN KICK IS BLOCKED – NEAREST PERSON TO BALL PICK UP – OTHERS BLOCK – SCORE!
_________________________________________________________
VIRGINIA TECH PUNT BLOCK PRINCIPLES
TO PREVENT ROUGHING THE KICKER:
1. Landmark is 2 yds. in front of where punter usually kicks the ball (if he lines up at 13 & kicks at 10 – the landmark is 8 yds deep). Adjust to the kicker from there. If you get past the landmark, pull off.
2. Angle to kicker – never put your body on a collision course with the kicker – run thru block area full speed. Come ACROSS kicker’s foot.
3. Stay on your feet (so you can adjust).
4. If you’re blocked – stop and work outside (in case kicker runs, or ball is blocked). We WANT 7 blocked and the 8th man coming free (if two come free they may collide).
TECHNIQUE:
1. Sprinter’s stance.
2. Hand close to ball.
3. Head turned looking at ball.
4. Get off (move on ball).
5. First 5 yds. most critical (stay low, turn shoulders making yourself small, & expect to go free).
6. Never get hands up till last second (hands come from hips quick and fast to ball level). If you put your hands up too soon, it slows you down.
7. Where are your eyes? Don’t turn your head or close your eyes – look at his foot, keep your eyes open – put your hands on his foot at the last second.
DRILL: (ONLY ONE)
Snapper snaps a ball (about half deflated) to punter , & blocker takes his zone approach – go upfield (making body small) then redirect to landmark.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN PERSONNEL TO BLOCK PUNT:
1. Explosive get off.
2. Speed.
3. Long arms.
ZONE APPROACH TO BLOCKING A PUNT (STRETCHING ZONES)
------------------O
O--------------------O-O-C
-1--------------2-3--4--5
#5 = work your way behind Center – get as far upfield as you can & work to your landmark.
#4 = line up outside & jump back inside, OR line up inside and work straight up the field and redirect to your landmark.
#3 = work upfield until Tackle can no longer block you then bend inside to your landmark (run away from slot).
#2 = take a step and try to go 1 step outside where slot can get his hand on you and bend hard to your landmark.
1. USE ATHLETES: WANT PEOPLE THAT CAN BLOCK KICKS, NOT WALL OFF.
2. STANCE – MAKE BLOCK & RETURN LOOK THE SAME.
3. LINE UP AS CLOSE TO NEUTRAL ZONE AS POSSIBLE.
4. KEEP HAND OUT IN FRONT OF HEAD.
5. KEY THE BALL – GREAT GET OFF ON SNAP.
6. STAY LOW IN YOUR CHARGE, MAKE YOURSELF SMALL.
7. BLOCK POINT LANDMARK CRITICAL, BETTER SHORT THAN LONG. NEVER BE PAST BLOCK POINT - - IF SO, PULL OFF.
8. ACCELERATE – SPRINT – HANDS UP AT LAST SECOND.
9. NEVER WORK ON A DIRECT ANGLE WITH KICKER – ALWAYS BE TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
10. LOOK AT BALL – EYES OPEN.
11. ALWAYS STAY ON FEET.
12. ONLY ONE PERSON FREE AT BLOCKING POINT.
13. KNOCKED OFF COURSE MORE THAN ONE STEP – STOP – WORK TO OUTSIDE.
14. DON’T AVOID OR KNOCK PERSONAL PROTECTOR INTO BLOCK POINT.
15. RUN A DIRECT LINE TO BLOCK POINT – DO NOT GET KNOCKED OUT OF YOUR LANE AND BLOCK OTHER PEOPLE.
16. BLOCKED KICK:
IF BEHIND LOS (WORK ON GETTING BALL TO END ZONE)
IF ACROSS LOS (GET AWAY FROM IT)
IF IN DOUBT (RIGHT AT LOS) – GET BEHIND BALL & LET THEM MAKE MOVE.
17. WHEN KICK IS BLOCKED – NEAREST PERSON TO BALL PICK UP – OTHERS BLOCK – SCORE!
_________________________________________________________
VIRGINIA TECH PUNT BLOCK PRINCIPLES
TO PREVENT ROUGHING THE KICKER:
1. Landmark is 2 yds. in front of where punter usually kicks the ball (if he lines up at 13 & kicks at 10 – the landmark is 8 yds deep). Adjust to the kicker from there. If you get past the landmark, pull off.
2. Angle to kicker – never put your body on a collision course with the kicker – run thru block area full speed. Come ACROSS kicker’s foot.
3. Stay on your feet (so you can adjust).
4. If you’re blocked – stop and work outside (in case kicker runs, or ball is blocked). We WANT 7 blocked and the 8th man coming free (if two come free they may collide).
TECHNIQUE:
1. Sprinter’s stance.
2. Hand close to ball.
3. Head turned looking at ball.
4. Get off (move on ball).
5. First 5 yds. most critical (stay low, turn shoulders making yourself small, & expect to go free).
6. Never get hands up till last second (hands come from hips quick and fast to ball level). If you put your hands up too soon, it slows you down.
7. Where are your eyes? Don’t turn your head or close your eyes – look at his foot, keep your eyes open – put your hands on his foot at the last second.
DRILL: (ONLY ONE)
Snapper snaps a ball (about half deflated) to punter , & blocker takes his zone approach – go upfield (making body small) then redirect to landmark.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN PERSONNEL TO BLOCK PUNT:
1. Explosive get off.
2. Speed.
3. Long arms.
ZONE APPROACH TO BLOCKING A PUNT (STRETCHING ZONES)
------------------O
O--------------------O-O-C
-1--------------2-3--4--5
#5 = work your way behind Center – get as far upfield as you can & work to your landmark.
#4 = line up outside & jump back inside, OR line up inside and work straight up the field and redirect to your landmark.
#3 = work upfield until Tackle can no longer block you then bend inside to your landmark (run away from slot).
#2 = take a step and try to go 1 step outside where slot can get his hand on you and bend hard to your landmark.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Winning Attitude
It's that winning attitude that makes the difference.
Sometimes, players get stuck in the "we can't win games" mentality. It's hard to achieve success when you don't know what it feels like.
As coaches, this is the most difficult to achieve in a program.
I mean, your staff and your players can absolutely work their arses off, but come gametime, there is failure.
It's hard to fix something that doesn't involve scheme, personnel, work ethic, behavior, etc.
How do you build and foster a winning attitude?
I know I don't have the widest frame of reference here, but unfortunately the only times I've ever witnessed programs get turned around it involved a coaching change that brought a new attitude AND fixed a lot of the organization, structure, and management that was missing before.
There are a lot of things that successful programs take for granted that many "losers" don't have, and you can't always fix them all at once. Just off the top of my head, stuff like:
1. A decent fundraising structure (solicit donations, raffle things off, etc.)
2. Parental Support (ties in with fundraising)
3. Winning Tradition (proves to players it's been done before and can be done again)
4. Community Support (goes hand in hand with tradition/fundraising--if you build it, they will come).
5. Senior Leadership/Ownership of the team
6. Build around new, enthusiastic kids in MS and 9th grade--work closely w/feeders in youth and MS
7. Revamped offseason weight/speed/agility programs to make athletes better in offseason
8. Taking advantage of spring ball, 7 on 7, summer camps, 2 a days, etc. to hone skills and see who wants to get better.
9. Team building activities to get players bonded after class.
10. Adding an athletic period.
11. Getting players to believe they can win if they just do the right things.
12. Getting the coaching staff all on the same page--you might be amazed.
13. A coherent offensive/defensive schemes that fit the talent/coaches' strengths better
14. Finding creative ways to work around/build that which you don't have.
15. Get kids involved in other sports (basketball, track, wrestling, etc.) so they actually get in better shape in the offseason.
16. Points systems to reward hard work/good behavior.
17. Better organization of practice time--make it more efficient and fun.
18. Overall raising of standards: conduct, weightroom participation, expectations in weightroom and on field, etc.
19. Let it be known that the mistakes that have cost games in the past will not be tolerated or repeated.
20. Demonstrate through actions that no player, parent, or booster is bigger than the team. The coaches coach. Players play. Parents parent. Boosters support the team. That's it. Even if it means losing an All State stud or a fat donation check, everyone has to know his role and not overstep his bounds.
21. Give everybody involved a role to play where they feel valued, including the scrubs, underclassmen, newbs, etc. It's politics, but people care more and work harder for you when they feel their contributions are valued and important.
22. Soften the schedule as much as possible so the kids get to experience a taste of winning. Especially helpful to get some wins late in a season to build momentum into the offseason.
23. How much are you focusing on technique and mental preparation in Indies? A lot of good programs spend most of their practice time on indies and fundamentals, with classroom sessions devoted to the mental aspects. A lot of bad programs don't.
I don't mean to get on a high horse here, because Lord knows you and the kids've been banging your heads against a brick wall for years and you obviously are trying everything to right the ship. Even then there are a ton of things beyond your control. All you can worry about is the stuff you can fix.
I'm just trying to throw things out you might not have thought of to give you some ideas. If you're going to build something, you need an overall plan of how all the pieces fit together, maybe even how to build the pieces themselves. Maybe you could sit down as a staff and take a long look at yourselves and the program itself to see what you can work on together. Decide on the concrete stuff you can change and the attitude you want to project to the kids. Get together on it and execute it just like you want your team to execute. Enthusiasm and Optimism is contagious, but only if you prove you believe it yourself. Make the game fun and competitive and the kids will buy in!
Now, an old trick that my own HS coaches used to good effect (we were perennial doormats who were told we couldn't beat anyone, even by our previous HC!) was to paint and revamp the weightroom, field house, and locker room as much as you can. A few cans of paint are cheap, but with an increased focus on quality and becoming better, the spiffed up environment helps reinforce a powerful message that a new day is here and higher standards are a part of it.
The things the new HC did to build the program taught me a lot, both good and bad. Painting the locker room, starting a TD Club when we had no fundraising before, revamping our terribly ineffective workouts, recruiting the halls, and adding spring ball and a spring game really helped my school go from doormat to respectability. We always had talent in the school, but we never got much out of it because the previous HCs didn't have the organizational side down pat.
However, as much good as this guy did, he also made the mistake of selling out his program to selfish players and parents in the name of placating "better athletes." They became known for taking talented kids who'd been kicked off at other schools and this bit them a few times. Overall discipline and work ethic took a nosedive when the other kids saw what these "favorites" got away with, which kept those teams from becoming all they could've been.
Anyway, I'll stop rambling now, but I hope these ramblings are some use to you. You've got a lot more experience than me, and you obviously know your situation a lot better than I do, but I'm just trying to help you brainstorm here. Good luck, coach.
Most of us work very hard for what we got but most of us don't work hard enough for what we want.
Sometimes, players get stuck in the "we can't win games" mentality. It's hard to achieve success when you don't know what it feels like.
As coaches, this is the most difficult to achieve in a program.
I mean, your staff and your players can absolutely work their arses off, but come gametime, there is failure.
It's hard to fix something that doesn't involve scheme, personnel, work ethic, behavior, etc.
How do you build and foster a winning attitude?
I know I don't have the widest frame of reference here, but unfortunately the only times I've ever witnessed programs get turned around it involved a coaching change that brought a new attitude AND fixed a lot of the organization, structure, and management that was missing before.
There are a lot of things that successful programs take for granted that many "losers" don't have, and you can't always fix them all at once. Just off the top of my head, stuff like:
1. A decent fundraising structure (solicit donations, raffle things off, etc.)
2. Parental Support (ties in with fundraising)
3. Winning Tradition (proves to players it's been done before and can be done again)
4. Community Support (goes hand in hand with tradition/fundraising--if you build it, they will come).
5. Senior Leadership/Ownership of the team
6. Build around new, enthusiastic kids in MS and 9th grade--work closely w/feeders in youth and MS
7. Revamped offseason weight/speed/agility programs to make athletes better in offseason
8. Taking advantage of spring ball, 7 on 7, summer camps, 2 a days, etc. to hone skills and see who wants to get better.
9. Team building activities to get players bonded after class.
10. Adding an athletic period.
11. Getting players to believe they can win if they just do the right things.
12. Getting the coaching staff all on the same page--you might be amazed.
13. A coherent offensive/defensive schemes that fit the talent/coaches' strengths better
14. Finding creative ways to work around/build that which you don't have.
15. Get kids involved in other sports (basketball, track, wrestling, etc.) so they actually get in better shape in the offseason.
16. Points systems to reward hard work/good behavior.
17. Better organization of practice time--make it more efficient and fun.
18. Overall raising of standards: conduct, weightroom participation, expectations in weightroom and on field, etc.
19. Let it be known that the mistakes that have cost games in the past will not be tolerated or repeated.
20. Demonstrate through actions that no player, parent, or booster is bigger than the team. The coaches coach. Players play. Parents parent. Boosters support the team. That's it. Even if it means losing an All State stud or a fat donation check, everyone has to know his role and not overstep his bounds.
21. Give everybody involved a role to play where they feel valued, including the scrubs, underclassmen, newbs, etc. It's politics, but people care more and work harder for you when they feel their contributions are valued and important.
22. Soften the schedule as much as possible so the kids get to experience a taste of winning. Especially helpful to get some wins late in a season to build momentum into the offseason.
23. How much are you focusing on technique and mental preparation in Indies? A lot of good programs spend most of their practice time on indies and fundamentals, with classroom sessions devoted to the mental aspects. A lot of bad programs don't.
I don't mean to get on a high horse here, because Lord knows you and the kids've been banging your heads against a brick wall for years and you obviously are trying everything to right the ship. Even then there are a ton of things beyond your control. All you can worry about is the stuff you can fix.
I'm just trying to throw things out you might not have thought of to give you some ideas. If you're going to build something, you need an overall plan of how all the pieces fit together, maybe even how to build the pieces themselves. Maybe you could sit down as a staff and take a long look at yourselves and the program itself to see what you can work on together. Decide on the concrete stuff you can change and the attitude you want to project to the kids. Get together on it and execute it just like you want your team to execute. Enthusiasm and Optimism is contagious, but only if you prove you believe it yourself. Make the game fun and competitive and the kids will buy in!
Now, an old trick that my own HS coaches used to good effect (we were perennial doormats who were told we couldn't beat anyone, even by our previous HC!) was to paint and revamp the weightroom, field house, and locker room as much as you can. A few cans of paint are cheap, but with an increased focus on quality and becoming better, the spiffed up environment helps reinforce a powerful message that a new day is here and higher standards are a part of it.
The things the new HC did to build the program taught me a lot, both good and bad. Painting the locker room, starting a TD Club when we had no fundraising before, revamping our terribly ineffective workouts, recruiting the halls, and adding spring ball and a spring game really helped my school go from doormat to respectability. We always had talent in the school, but we never got much out of it because the previous HCs didn't have the organizational side down pat.
However, as much good as this guy did, he also made the mistake of selling out his program to selfish players and parents in the name of placating "better athletes." They became known for taking talented kids who'd been kicked off at other schools and this bit them a few times. Overall discipline and work ethic took a nosedive when the other kids saw what these "favorites" got away with, which kept those teams from becoming all they could've been.
Anyway, I'll stop rambling now, but I hope these ramblings are some use to you. You've got a lot more experience than me, and you obviously know your situation a lot better than I do, but I'm just trying to help you brainstorm here. Good luck, coach.
Most of us work very hard for what we got but most of us don't work hard enough for what we want.
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