Installing Today’s Hybrid Pistol Offense Run & Pass from Top to Bottom
This manual provides you with the full offensive line, receiver, and quarterback mechanics for installing each offensive play presented. Coach Campbell has left no stone unturned for implementing today’s Pistol Offense into your program.
This is my first year of being a head coach. Where do I start looking for ideas for motavational speeking. When I played our coaches had us fired up before the games and at half time. I believe this is one of the most important parts of the game, but where do I start?
I don't do anything to motivate right before the game. All the motivation should take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. That's how REAL coaches motivate. Good luck.
Lou Cella
Head Varsity Football Coach
Greater Nanticoke Area High School (PA)
I agree, pre-game motivation is gone by the time kickoff takes place. I set a theme for the week with a quote, build off of the quote all week and then have a poem or story that relates to the quote on Thursday night dinner. I refer to these items in pregame. I also try to use a quote that I can refer to winning or losing.
I always tell our kids that the pregame rah rah stuff does not win games. EXECUTION wins games. That pregame rah rah fades the first time you get your jock rocked by the other team. I agree that your gotta start the process early in the week and let it build. Occationally I have used movie cut-ups from Rocky, Remember the Titans, even Hoosers (etc) to set the tone for the week and reply it Thursday night at our team meal.
Wise men talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.---Plato
Those who have posted on this topic all seem to share the same philosophy, and I agree in part with it. But let me ask you this; the game plan has gone awry, the kids aren't executing worth a flip and your in the locker room at half time on the short end of a 22-0 score. The kids heads are on their chests, they are fatigued, and you can see " quit" written all over their faces when they lift them up long enough to be seen. Now if you haven't been in this predicament before, your in for a shock if you think that they are going to refocus themselves without motivation from you. You may not believe in pre-game motivation on game night, but the further you get down the road as a coach I'm sure you will find,as most of us do, that you really need excellent half-time motivational skills. Just one coach's opinion.
J.C.Easton
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
In '02 we found ourselves down 21-0 at halftime of a semi-final state championship game. Needless to say, we coaches were really PO'ed. As we walked in, the head coach said we were not to yell and scream; even though we had played poorly in the first half (since we can't change that anyway). He told us to focus on what we had to do to win the game (or at least make a game out of it). During halftime, all the coaches were calm; we talked to the kids about correcting errors and what we had to do. To make a long story short, we ended up winning the game 24-21 in overtime. In the championship game we were down 10-0 at the half. We tried the the same thing, and it worked again. I guess the moral of the story is that if the coaches come in and rant and rave, the kids either pucker or get so upset that they don't hear a word that's said. You can't correct errors if you waste time screaming about something that really can't be changed.
Now, thats what I'm talking about! Great point, Coach! There is a world of difference between going beserk (what we say is done just to cover up what a coach really doesn't know) and motivating kids. If you choose to do it in a quiet demeanor, which is a professional way of doing it, none the less your motivating through positive reinforcement and keeping th kids focused. I certainly did not intend to imply that I consider screaming and yelling motivational whatsoever, other than perhaps 30 seconds before taking the field a team high 5 or something similar. Our halftime consists of the guys hitting the urinals, reporting to their position coaches who each have their own spot in the locker room and getting their adjustments, etc. and then the last 5 minutes I address the team in a very positive manner. THE SIGN OF A STAFF THAT HAS BEEN TOGETHER FOR QUITE SOMETIME IS COMPLETE CONTINUITY THROUGHOUT. CONVERSATIONAL TONES ON THE PHONE, AND WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE PLAYERS. Another thing I don't allow is these players who want to take the floor and yell at their team mates, that is strictly bush n my opinion. Quiet effiency and under control is the way to go. Motivating doesn't mean yelling and screaming, it means getting your players to play over their heads by making them believe in themselves.
J.C.Easton
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
If you want an example of what these coaches are saying (and I agree with them), video the 2002 Mobile Bowl game with Marshall and East Carolina. Marshall was behind something like 33-8 at halftime. The ESPN announcers asked Terry Bowden what a coach tells his team when behind this far. Terry said something like, "'Well, you tell your seniors they've had a good run but now it is time to play the underclassmen' and you think about next season." Marshall's coaches talked to the players like Superchief mentioned. . .about correcting errors and take it one play at a time. To make a long story not so long. . . Marshall won in triple overtime something like 62-59. ESPN Classic channel made it an instant classic and it can be seen there. I would be interested to see it again. Bet ESPN Classics edited out Terry's remarks. It was quite embarrassing for him. But sadly, that is the mindset of some coaches who don't know how to overcome challenges. . . and won't attempt to. Coachbots, what I'd like to add is always stay positive and talk to your players in a positive (but not unrealistically). Kids will pick up on it if you are being phony. make notes about mistakes you want to mention at halftime that need to be corrected but don't embarrass a player in front of the other players. I'll always remember a quote from the thread on quotes on this site. "Don't quit. Don't ever, ever quit." I'd have to go back to see who is being quoted but that is not what's important. . .the thought is.
This is all good stuff. It's got me motivated already. Thanks for all the advise. I'm pretty nervous going into my first season, but I'm sure as soon as practice starts the butterflies will be gone and I'll be good to do. Thanks for the help and good luck this season.
We were down at halftime by 3 td's in a game back in 2002 against a superior opponent. We had a fine gameplan, everything was going poorly though. We just weren't playing our best game. Our kids were flat and maybe a bit intimidated.
We came into the coach's office at halftime and everyone was talking about adjustments and "what do we say to these guys to get them going??", and for the first time in my coaching career, I told my fellow coaches that we should do nothing...absolutely nothing! What do we need to fix? What can we possibly say that can tell these kids that will teach them something they don't already know? There was nothing to be said...they just had to play better, and I felt that if they couldn't figure that out by themselves, then we didn't deserve to win.
We let the kids sit in the team room until there was about 2 min left before we had to go back out. We went in there, said, "OK men, it's all up to you...just as it has always been. It's your game. YOU decide what to go do with it," in a calm and professional manner.
We went out and tied the game up (eventually having to score 3 times in 7 minutes and using all 3 TO's on defense to conserve the clock) and won in double OT.
The greatest motivation comes from the kids and the ammount of pride and hard work they put into the program. Our job is to teach them everything we can...but game night is really theirs.
Coach Ladouceur at DeLaSalle (150 game winning streak) said in his book that he wants all of his football players to be problem solvers. His halftime speeches often put the pressure on the players to make the decisions and always tells his players "you figure it out!"
Bill Walsh often said that on game days, you have to turn the game over to the team. The team has to be the one to win the game-- not the coach. The coach wins the game on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Coaches, it's a PLAYERS GAME. We may agree or disagree, but you'll never convince me otherwise. You win with athletes on gameday and coaching the days leading up to the game. Hopefully we all have good seasons and our players make us look good.
Lou Cella
Head Varsity Football Coach
Greater Nanticoke Area High School (PA)
Agree with that 100%!!! Coaching, on game night is maybe at best 20% of a succesful effort. Football games are won by athletes putting their butts on the line for 60 minutes. We all like to think that we are good coaches, at least I know I like to think that. But, it was Don coryell if memory serves correctly who said; "the world is full of good coaches, what we need is more good players" and in my opinion no truer words have ever been spoken.
J.C.Easton
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
This is really good stuff... unfortunately, I learned the hard way. Last year was my 1st year as HC and only 2nd year coaching. I felt pressure to motivate the guys before the game and at halftime with ways that weren't really me. I don't think it ever did much good. Either the players finally put it together or they didn't. I do have a question though - what do you do in say a few weeks when you've been practicing for a while and the newness wears off. It's about 100 degrees outside on a Tuesday, everyone is tired and sore and they are lacking energy, no matter how much the coaches are showing. What are some ways you pick up your practices? I always like to teach character and hard work, etc with a quote or something at the beginning of practice, but sometimes we still struggle in situations like this.
"Don't quit, don't ever, ever quit" is Jim Valvano's speech at the ESPY's just before he died. In my opinion, that speech is one of the most inspirational talks ever. It's a little long for a halftime talk however. I read it to my position players at the start of each season.
CUI... excellent question. I don't have the answer, but someone on this board does. I was thinking the exact same question today. Hopefully one of the 3,000 coaches on this board has an answer.
Lou Cella
Head Varsity Football Coach
Greater Nanticoke Area High School (PA)
I don't really think there is THE ANSWER to this age old problem, no matter what level your coaching, if your a championship team, or an also ran. This is a part of football that will always be there for us to contend with. The thing that works best for me is that when this syndrome hits, I really intensify the parctices. All position coaches are on full go! I work very diligently to reduce the lengths of the practice segments to as minimal as possible and yet get done what needs to be done in each period. What my thinking is = If we can keep them concentrating in short intense periods of reduced lengths be it individual periods or team periods, keep them moving and hustling to the next period location on the field for the various groups, we may just be able to work through it without too much negativity taking place. When you see it starting, really go to work. When the necessary things are covered, give them a break with a team activity like all going to the movies, or to the Mall, or whatever works for them! All work and no play, makes Jack a pain in the butt! I"m constantly reminding them of game day is right around the corner! Lets get through this so we can really have some fun on Friday night!!! Thats my approach.
J.C.Easton
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE