2 1/2 Practice Narrative

Daily football practice will be broken down into 5-minute segments for two and a half hours. Each day the team will be in the locker room getting ready for practice at 3:15 and will be expected to be on the field for pre-warm at 3:30. Pre-warm will consist of mainly the quarterbacks, wide receivers, long snappers, punters, and kickers.

Then at 3:45, it will be time to start the stretch lines with 10 x 10 rows. It begins with dynamic stretch, first with high knees and moving on to reverse lunges, walking knee tucks, and ending with karaoke.

Then at 3:55, move to static stretches. Side lungs, sumo squats, shoulder stretches, hamstring stretches, hip and thigh stretches, adductor stretches, quad stretches, and standing toe touches will be performed. It is essential to get a good stretch in before getting started in any sports activity. Conditioning is up from 4:05 to 4:10.

The team will run gassers. The most important part of the practice is to stay hydrated. Water breaks are essential so that the first water break will be from 4:10-4:15.

Next, it will be time to move on to special teams from 4:15-4:40, focusing on all aspects of special teams. Special teams should always focus on the fundamentals.

From 4:40-4:55, it will be time for the individual offensive part of the practice. It will be broken up with each position coach taking their players and working with them in the areas that are specific for them.

Once again, at 4:55, it will be time for another water break until 5:00.

From 5:15 until 5:30, it will be time to work with the first sting offensive team. The first-string offense will run plays against the scout team's defense. It will be essential to work as many players on both sides of the ball as possible. Next, it will be time to move on to the defensive individual. Like the offensive individual, each coach will work with their position players on drills that fit the need of the day. This portion of the practice will be from 5:15-5:30.

From 5:30-5:35 will be the final water break of the day.

The final practice phase will be the defensive team from 5:35-5:50. This will be when the first-string defense goes against the scout team offense. Getting as many players an opportunity to get reps as possible will be essential. The coaching staff will give the defense as many different looks as possible. This will give the defense the ability to make the proper adjustments.

At 5:50 will be the time for the team to get on one knee so the coaches can talk with them about what they have seen in practice. Coaches will point out where improvement needs improvement and what positive things they saw. Coaches will point out the leaders of the day at each practice.

The Value of Practice

Football is consider the ultimate team sport. In the game of football each teammate will

be depended on at some point of the season. In one game of football a team will experience

similar situation in every game. The game will start off with either a kick off or a kickoff return

group, a center will have to snap a ball to a quarterback, players are going to have to know how

to block and tackle, and teams will have to know there responsibilities for each play. There are

many details that players and coaches will have to prepare for. Football is a game of strategy.

Along the way of preparing for a game, a coach has the opportunity to provide his/her team with

life lessons and skills. For example, a team will set goals for the year, create an environment of

teamwork, build mental and physical toughness, and most important experience times of failure

and success. The most unique experience of practices and games typically build character.

Practice provides opportunities for winners and losers but also provide an opportunity to try

again. A cliché quote that is used in sport is “practice how you play”. This allows teams to

understand the habits and tendency being practiced will come forward into a game.


Practice Overview

Players will have opportunities to work with both sides of the ball. While the Varsity is

doing offense, the JV will be working defense. During inside, 7 on 7, BPU we will have two

huddles with varsity on one side and JV on the other. During team we will have varsity and JV

going on opposite sides with different focus. While the varsity offense is having team the JV

defense will have its team session. All offense coaches will be on the offense side while all the

defensive coaches except the Defensive Coordinator will be on the defensive side. When they

switch the varsity will have team defense with all defensive coaches except the JV defensive

coordinator. With only the Head Coach staying on offense all other offensive coaches will be on

JV offense. This practice schedule allows every kid to be coached by the varsity coaches. In this

format, the athlete will be evaluated daily to potentially play on the varsity level. The format also

allows the coaches to build a relationship with every player in the program versus only half of

the team. This practice schedule incorporates collaboration among coaches and allows the head

coach to circulate, observer, and support all facets of the team.


Pre-Practice 4:30 pm to 4:40 pm

Pre-Practice is a time that will allow an athlete to gear their focus to practice. This time

period is where your quarterback and center are getting exchanges before practice while also

allowing the quarterbacks to throw before practice. This period allows the special team coach to

teach the unit that will be focused during practice. While the special team coach is teaching

alignment and assignment, the long snappers, kickers and holders will be warming up as well.

During this time as well leaders of the team and coaches will be encouraging and uplifting to set

the tone for practice all day. Pre-Practice provides that opportunity for players to build

comradery and relationship with each other before the work begins.


Flex/Warm up 4:40 pm to 4:52 pm

The athletes will have six lines on each of the hashes from the 45 to the 20 yard line. The

warm up will consist of a more dynamic stretch and a little static stretch. The first whistle will

blow to allow the athletes to jog on the right side of the line from number to number of the field.

As the players past their teammates the players will give each other “pound” on the run by. The

program is being ignited with the enthusiasm in “flex”. After the dynamic warm up from hash to

the top of the numbers, the athletes will then break off to get a slight static stretch before

practice. This will allow blood flow to the muscles and reduce the risk of an injury. There will

be only four periods that will not have a full 5, 10, or 15 minute period. “Flex” will be a strict 12

minutes, to allow constant movement for the first 8 minutes and the static stretch for the last 4

minutes.


Competition Drill 4:52 pm – 5:00 pm

These eight minutes may be the most enthused part of practice. This drill will vary daily.

Start of the week it is player versus player, in what is called “man makers”. This drill forces the

players to exemplify mental and physical toughness. The two players are locked up hands inside

of the shoulder pads waiting for the whistle to blow. While the two players are locked up, the

coaches are having their teammates choose who will win the drill. To win the drill each player

will have to drive the player back 5 yards from the initial start. For example, the initial “lock up”

would be on the plus five. This will allow one player to be drove to the end zone or drove back to

the 10 yard line. Once the whistle blows both players are trying to drive one another back, the

rep is not complete until either player is drove back 5 yards or one of the players is put on his

back, which is called a “pancake”. Once a winner is decided, the loser and his teammates that

chose him to win will do 10 “up downs”. The drill allows the team to encourage competition and

toughness to grind for a group of people who believe in them.


Varsity Offensive / Junior Varsity Defensive Individual 5:00pm to 5:15pm

During this time each position coach will conduct there every day drills that will focus on

fundamentals. A program should never be bored with the basics. When fatigue sets in, the habits

and technique taught every day in individual will show. The focus will be to master the craft of

the position being played. Weather it involves throwing, catching, kicking, tackling, or running

there are basics to ensure that the game is being maxed out by the players.


Inside Run 5:15 pm to 5:30 pm

Running the football is a formula that has been studied every year. Having a running

game allows a team to manage and control the game clock. During this period the offensive line,

running backs, tight ends, fullbacks, and quarterbacks are all involved in mastering each run for

that period. During spring ball coaches break a 15 minute period into three 5 minute period to

stress a certain run scheme. For example, the first 5 minutes the team is working all the variation

of running inside zone, then the next 5 minutes the offenses will work all variations of outside

zone, and then the last 5 minutes the offense will work power scheme run. This allows the

players to understand the staple runs that has to be mastered for the offense to be successful.


Water Break from 5:30 pm to 5:31 pm

The team needs to hydrate to keep the body pure to perform. There are numerous water

station all around the field. The quick water break is very strategic because a game may present a

quick squirt of water and have to quickly take the field. This break allows the team to re-energize

themselves to complete the rest of the periods.


Sudden Change (Special Team) 5:31 pm to 5:34 pm

During a water break a special team will be called to prepare a situation in a game.

Depending on what side of the ball is being focused for the team that will be the special team

being called. For example, if the varsity players are still in the offensive periods then varsity will

be doing punt and the junior varsity will be doing punt return. During this period the first rep will

be practicing pinning the football within the 5 yard line. The second rep will be practice a punt

on the negative 5 yard line to emphasize a closed punt to protect a block punt for a touchdown.

The third rep would focus on a open field punt. Each rep focuses on different scenario of the

game, but also allows the athletes to understand situations that will alter their technique to

perform there job.


7 on 7 Drills 5:35 pm to 5:42 pm

These drills allow the offensive skill players to perform and providing an opportunity to

learn plays through experience. Wide Receivers and Quarterbacks gain confidence and

cohesiveness in one another during this drill. Being on the same page amongst this group is a top

priority for this drill. Throwing and catching is a focal point especially on 3rd and medium and 3rd

and long. During this drill the offensive line will be working one on one pass rush. This allows

the lineman to work on protecting or defending a one on one matchup.


Blitz Pick Up (BPU) 5:42 pm to 5:50 pm

During this 8 minute period the whole team will come together for this drill. This drill the

focus will be running against and protecting against the blitz from the defense. Blitzing is a very

important entity for a defense to stop the offense. Offenses must work the “screen” game during

this period also. A lot of times the offensive players would be put in a real chaotic situation. This

allows the athletes to rep against the best possible blitz or the correct technique to perform the

play against each blitz.


Situational Team 5:50 pm to 6:00 pm

Situational football is such a crucial part of coaching. Providing different situations for

the team during practice brings awareness when they accrue in the game. 3rd down in football is

the most glorified down in the game. If 3rd downs are not being converted though out the game

then that is saying the offense has not been productive and usually means the defense has been

on the field a lot during the game. During this period throughout the week will change slightly.

For example, one day may be 3rd short emphasis the next day may be 3rd long emphasis and then

the next day may be 3rd and long. This also provides an opportunity for the lateral part of the

week to work 2 minute drill, last play of the game, or 4 minute offense.


Switch Varsity to Defense/ Junior Varsity to Offense 6:00pm to 6:01 pm

Two way players are very rare in today’s football community. Some programs allow the

opportunity to learn multiple positions. The only way for that to be successful, coaches must

structure practices to meet this want. If coaches want the best 11 on the field, coaches must

practice and prepare the athletes to do so.


In Conclusion, this format provides athletes to learn both sides of the game. The format

also provides the opportunity for the coaches to coach every player in the program. The only way

a player gets better is to practice and to be coached on every rep. Practice is such a major deal

while playing sports because the athletes gain confidence, knowledge, and skill for the game.