Installing a new offensive system in the offseason

The most important factor to consider when taking on any change to your philosophies or schemes is how to block it vs worst case scenerios. If you don't know how to fix it when it goes wrong don't install it. Coach Campbell

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Originally posted by: Coach Campbell
The most important factor to consider when taking on any change to your philosophies or schemes is how to block it vs worst case scenerios. If you don't know how to fix it when it goes wrong don't install it. Coach Campbell

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Coach, can you provide some examples of worst case scenarios? Particularly for the inside and outside zone plays? Thanks.

Slaught, I think that in choosing your new system, remembering the fact that your staff is going to have to learn it from the bottom up to where they are well versed enough to TEACH it correctly always should come into play. An experienced staff is such a tremendous asset in this area, but if you have a young staff with limited knowledge of the game in general, other than what they have been doing recently, this could present problems. Just a thought. Bill hit it right on the nose when he offered the advice of not getting it from books and videos, GO TO THE BEST SCOURCE AVAILABLE TO YOU THAT WILL PERMIT YOU ACCESS TO THEIR PRACTICE FIELD AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF! BE A GOOD NOTE TAKER AND TAKE DOWN ANYTHING THAT WOULD APPEAR RELEVANT, OR GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND TAKE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU SEE AND HEAR. The average human retains about 10 % of what he hears, 30-40 % of what he sees. But, he retains about 65% of what he hears and sees in combination. Bill stated correctly that you have to be able to out tough an opponent. I would like to add that you have to be able to out smart them as well. On the nights that they are just bigger and tougher than you are, you can beat them by being smarter! But, in order to be smarter, you have to understand your schemes inside and out and sell the kids on the fact that they WILL BE SMARTER by doing what they are coached to do. Coach Campbell offered that you had better know how to fix it when it blows up! He is sure right about that! There is no offesive or defensive system ever devised that does not have it's own unique weaknesses, and when you come up against a well coached team that knows how to exploit those weaknesses, you had better know how to stop the bleeding. In summing up, my suggestion would be to pick a system that is easy to learn from a coaching stand point, easy to learn from a players stand point. Install it as soon as you have the knowledge to do so correctly, and then get after it in the x and o room and on the field! I would not pick one that everyone else runs, as they see it everyday in practice. My way has always been to be innovative (sound of course) but doing something that the rest of your opponents are not also doing. There is nothing wrong with taking the basics of an established system and making a hybrid out of it with your own wrinkles. Thats how this game evolves constantly. Would be interested in knowing what you decide on, please keep us informed.

Coach Easton

SLAUGHT - I now live in the Richmond area, & did not get to see the "Hornets" this season. DC is a GREAT place to coach. In my last year there - we lost to State Champion Hampton in the Regional Finals.

You begin to build a football team in this fashion (this comes from the GREAT Paul Brown, & his disciple - Ara Parseghian - two of the greatest coaches in history).

FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY ("TOP 10")

#1 THERE ARE 4 PARTS TO A FOOTBALL PROGRAM. LISTED IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE THEY ARE:

A) MORALE (CONTROLS THE "WHO", "HOW", & "WHAT")
B) PERSONNEL ("WHO")
C) TECHNIQUE ("HOW") *IF YOU HAVE A & B, C & D WILL COME EASY!
D) STRATEGY ("WHAT")

#2 3 THINGS YOU MUST TEACH YOUR PLAYERS IF YOU ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

A) WORK ETHIC (HOW TO WORK)
B) NEVER GIVE UP ATTITUDE
C) TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES

#3 "WILL OVER SKILL" — "ATTITUDE OVER ABILITY"! "PERFORMANCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FORM"! "TOUGHNESS IS CONTAGIOUS"!

#4 CHARACTER IS HIGHER THAN INTELLECT

#5 A FOOTBALL GAME IS DIVIDED INTO 3 PARTS (OFFENSE; DEFENSE; KICKING). YOU MUST CONTROL AT LEAST 2 OF THESE (ANY 2) IN ORDER TO WIN!

#6 BE SURE YOUR TERMINOLOGY JELLS (OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE SIDE OF BALL SHOULD USE SAME TERMINOLOGY). WHAT A QB READS AS "COVER 3" SHOULD BE THE SAME AS WHAT YOUR SECONDARY COACH CALLS "COVER 3", ETC.

#7 BALANCE IS NOT DOING SOMETHING 50% OF THE TIME (SUCH AS RUN), AND DOING SOMETHING ELSE 50% OF THE TIME (SUCH AS PASS). THIS WOULD INDICATE PREDICTABITY RATHER THAN BALANCE. BALANCE IS BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WHEN YOU NEED TO DO IT!

#8 TITLES DO NOT AN ASSISTANT MAKE! HAVING OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS STIFLES THE CREATIVITY OF THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS!

#9 THREE FACTORS WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE THE MOST TO YOUR SUCCESS (FROM MIKE SMITH @ HAMPTON):

A) TRADITION
B) GOOD ASSISTANTS (LOYAL; WITH AN APPETITE FOR THE GAME)
C) TALENT

#10 DON'T RELAX DISCIPLINE — IT PRECEDES MORALE! (DISCIPLINE STARTS WITH ALWAYS BEING ON TIME)! REMEMBER — TEAM RIGHTS ALWAYS SUPERCEDE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS!!!!!


THIS IS OF VALUE ALSO:

COMMON COACHING ERRORS AND HOW TO AVIOD THEM

By: Bud Wilkinson (winner of a record 47 straight games at Oklahoma)

GENERAL COMMENTS: The best coach is the one who makes the fewest mistakes; the one who does the best teaching job; the one who is the best organizer. Writing the X's & O's is not the most important thing. There are 22 variables in a football game. Coach must be a salesman to the extent that when his team loses, they don't blame him or the offensive and/or defensive system, but rather themselves.

ERRORS IN TEACHING METHODS:
FIRST = FAILURE TO USE TIME EFFICIENTLY. Failure to recognize the time factor available to get the job done. Planning makes for valuable use of time. Too long on any one thing produces boredom. When boredom comes in, learning goes out. Football players have a short attention span. Hold to time schedule.
SECOND = FAILURE TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE DRILL. Tell the boy WHY he is doing what he is trying to accomplish and he will do a better job. Explain WHY, then show HOW.
THIRD = IMPROPER TEACHING PROGRESSION. You can't teach a boy how to block until he has learned stance. If he hasn't learned stance, he doesn't know how to step out of the stance into the block.
FOURTH = TOO MUCH VERBAL INSTRUCTION ON THE FIELD. How much can boy learn from your verbal instruction with his helmet on, he's breathing hard, he aches, he's stunned, etc. Do WHO and WHY in chalk talk. Teach assignments before hitting the field. Correct on the field. Teach — no! (HOW is taught on the field — not WHO & WHY).
FIFTH = TOO MUCH DEMONSTRATION BY COACH. How much you know is not important. How much player knows is.
SIXTH = BEING ON THE FIELD TOO LONG. Better to have a team eager to play rather than physically tired. How long to practice is a judgment factor. Cut down as season goes along — not going to change mechanical ability late in season. Only one rule never violated at Oklahoma. If one coach on staff feels practice too long, we must cut it down. More boys play poorly because they practiced too long than boys playing poorly because they didn't practice long enough.

ERRORS IN TACTICS AND STRATEGY:
FIRST = TACTICS AND VICTORY. You get very few victories on tactics. Victories come if you can out block, out tackle, out fundamental your opponent. Red Sanders quote: "Intimidate them physically"! Outmaneuver — no. Defeat — yes.
SECOND = CLEAR CUT PHILOSOPHY A MUST. Decide on an offense and defense that will suit your personnel then stick to it. Depth of morale can be determined by a kid's reaction to a loss. If morale deep, they'll blame themselves. If morale shallow, they'll blame you.
THIRD = TOO MANY PLAYS AND DEFENSES. Subtract the number of different plays used in the game from the total number of plays you practiced. If this number is too large you better get rid of some plays. It is difficult enough to know when to run off- tackle, but if you have four ways to run off-tackle, you will never get the right play. Beauty of Split-T was it's very limited number of plays
ERRORS IN JUDGMENT:
FIRST = BE REALISTIC ABOUT PLAYER'S ABILITY. Don't just put an X or an O on the board. Put up the boy's name. Immediately his limitations affect the offense or defense you put up. Whale of a lot of difference between Dick Butkus and Humpty Dumpty.
SECOND = WHEN CHIPS ARE DOWN, BEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE GAME. It is a mistake to be able to play blue chippers only one way. Say best kid you have can only go on offense. Say opponent has ball for 45 minutes. These are 45 minutes he cannot help you.

ERRORS IN OFF FIELD RELATIONSHIP:
FIRST = RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS. The environment that exists has a lot to do with winning or losing. If they are with you, your job is easier. If they are against you, you're in trouble. Work on a program of how to win friends and influence faculty members.
SECOND = ORGANIZE A MOTHER'S CLUB. Get mother on your side by pointing out to her what he can get out of football besides winning games.
THIRD = PRESS, TV, AND RADIO. Straight up fact of life that the great majority of people get their impression of you from what they read in the paper, see on TV, or hear on radio. Their jobs depend on info. Get it to them to make their jobs easier. Get these people on your side. Let them know what you're doing. They will interpret what you're doing in the way you want it interpreted if they are with you.

ERRORS IN DEVELOPING MORALE (MORALE IS TO THE PHYSICAL AS 4 IS TO 1).
FIRST = FOOTBALL BEGINS WITH MORALE! Once you get morale, it is easy to maintain. How to get it is a problem.
SECOND = HOW TO LOSE MORALE. Do what you said you're going to do. Don't say we're going to practice 1 ½ hours and go 2 ½ hours. Training rules — if you're not going to enforce them, don't have them.
THIRD = MORALE STEMS FROM DISCIPLINE.
FOURTH = TREAT PLAYERS AS A PERSON. If he feels you are interested in him only as a football player, he won't go all out for you. If you are interested in his academics, his personal problems, etc. and he knows this, he'll go all out for you. Convince him that football is good for his future.
FIFTH = One year, Knute Rockne had 2 QB's. Under great athlete, team failed; under mediocre QB, team succeeded. Why? Captain's reply — "the great athlete is trying to show how good HE is. The TEAM is trying to make the average guy look good".

COACH IN YOUR OWN WAY:
FIRST = DON'T COPY! Note clinicians and their personalities. ALL different ways of being successful. Plan carefully in the off season. Can't take golf lessons between the 8th green and 9th tee.

CONCLUDING REMARKS: The man who is best organized and does the best teaching job, is the best coach.


PS: I retired from active coaching in 2001 (after 40 years in High School, College, & Semi-Pro). This year, I was an offensive consultant to two of the best High Schools in Central Va. Powhatan HS went 9-1 (they were AA Division4 State Champions in 2003 with a 14-0 recoord), & Matoaca High School (AAA Division 5), which went 7-3 starting only 1 Senior (JV was 10-0). Both teams use our complete offense (which was what we were using at DCHS in 1986 - Joe Gibbs' original Redskins offense of the 1981-1993 era). Matoaca lost to Meadowbrook in the regionals. Meadowbrook (which uses our PASS offense, but not the same runs) plays Hampton this Saturday up here in the State Semis. I will be at the game.

If you care to give me a call - my phone number in Richmond = 804-740-4479.

J.C. - you named the GOOD ones!

In college (1950 to today) - it's hard to beat Gen Bob Neyland (Tenn. who beat Bear Bryant 5 times in 5 tries); Frank Leahy (ND); Bear Bryant; Bud Wilkinson. I feel Bowden belongs to that list also. There are MANY, MANY more that could be added here, but I feel the above were the top 5.

In the Pros - certainly Halas; Paul Brown; Sid Gillman; Don Shula; Tom Landry; Vince Lombardi; Chuch Noll; Joe Gibbs; Bill Walsh.

If you go back PRE 1950 there are many to add to both the college & pro list (Rockne, Warner; etc.)