How do pro teams practice?

When Don Shula had the Dolphins, he was 75% class room, 25% on field!
That certainly is not the norm by any means.
Coach Easton

I agree totally with Coach Campbells post, they draft and recruit specific athletes with specific abilities that fit their specific system. But, then you have a guy like Joe Bugel who comes in and takes a mediocre
offensive line, and by teaching a specific technique that was sadly lacking before his arrival, turns them into a very efficient unit. They, unlike high school coaches, have the ability to go out and BUY what they need to augment their system. Colleges recruit in a very similar method in this respect. However, they
have different schemes in other areas. Thats how Shula could do what he did with that ratio I quoted above. Other coaches think that the very physical aspects of the game need to be addressesd every day! But, if they are paying a guy these astonomical salaries and bonuses they are not about to beat him up during the week. Like Coach Campbell stated, their talent level dictates that they needn't be taught a lot of technique, they concentrate more on specific assignments according to the game plan, etc. Oh yes, don't forget the "stars" need lots of preparation in other areas such as making Rap recordings, getting into fights in bars, getting DUI's, practicing spousal abuse, selling dope, etc. Lets face it, that takes a lot of time and they can't be bothered by a whole lot of practice.

Coach Easton

Coach Easton

the big difference I think is in the nfl everyone is doing something.

in the nfl there is less contact in practice so the first team O can go against the first team D.

I was in a training camp working as a assistant to a oline coach. alex gibbs was the oline coach.

while the skill rec are working 7 on 7 the oline is working pass pro vs stunts.
individual periods are more intellectual then physcial. the oline works on picking up stunts and blitzes from a mental and physcial. they already have the tech part down.

another thing they do different is, the front 7 on offense will run a inside drill live vs the front 7 of the defense. those not in the front 7 will be working on individual routes vs the dbs.
it is just very different then the h.s. or college level.

This is how it is done at the D-1 level too...

As someone posted earlier, everyone is doing something. No standing around and they practice at a great tempo!!! Full speed, no wasted time. I once heard Bud Grant say "we need to be the most efficiant team during practice. Reps, Reps, Reps!!"

Coach Easton -

Not all of what we do is 1's vs. 1's. Some of the periods are designed to work against our JV group, i.e. our pass protection scheme periods. However, our depth is so slim that we really don't have "2's". Therefore, in order to get any kind of a look, we need to use at least a good percentage of our 1's during our team period. pdow

Coach Easton,

I only saw 1's vs 1's one time at Texas A&M during my freshman year. It was on a Sunday in full gear, following a good thumping we took at the hands of Jimmy Johnson's Oklahoma State team. To say that Coach Sherrill was not pleased with our performance the previous day would be somewhat of an understatement. Oh yeah, OSU's starting tailback was even out for that game (Thurman Thomas) and we let his backup rip us for about 250 yards or so... some guy with the last name of Sanders! For me, that was a practice I will never forget. That very special occasion was the only time I ever saw 1's on 1's at that level.

Dave Hartman
CYFL Coach

Bill,
Got that Bugel tape yesterday where he advocates 9 on 9 instead of 7 on 7 so as to have everyone involved, no standing around but everyone working and really getting after it. He says in 7 on 7 they figured to much time elapses and they are not moving enough.

JC

D3 National Champions University of St. Johns minnesota practices first team vs first team, second team vs second team, thrid team vs thrid team, fourth team vs fourth team.

His thoery is, you cannot get the proper look speed wise vs the 2nd team. at St. Johns they practice in shoulder pads and shorts. they limit contact. his theory is they are better prepared playing the 1st team defense. so his practice for 30 min the first team O runs there plays vs the first team D who is the other teams defense. then for 30 min the first team O runs the scout plays for the first team D.

this is happeing the same way for all 4 levels all doing this at the same time.

Virgina Tech runs first team O vs First team D twice per week for 10 to 15 period.

Fisher Deberry always has the first team Dline be the read key on the inside veer in all drills. He says it simulates game speed.

Personally I just donot see how you can get better playing against the second team or J.V. you have to play against the first teamers to get better. your wr better be goingup against first team dbs and make it live. sometimes the wr wins sometimes the dbs win. if you win vs the second team db or j.v. kids each team I feel it sets your team up for a false sense of reality.

J.C. - that Bugel tape is GREAT!!!!! Much of it is on NFL practice organization (he give Gibbs' & Bum Phillips'). "9 vs 9" is the same as "7 vs 7" with "2 on 2" included for O-Line & D-Line. This also helps QB's get used to throwing with people in his face!

Bill,

I was impressed enough with the tape to immediately incorporate 9 on 9 verses 7 on 7 that I have always used up until now! This tape features his breakdown of how they run the counter. He is one of "US" Bill, (old school) with his intensity and love for teaching the game hot enough to burn the tape up! Man, I can see how his players really get motivated! What a pleasure to see and to listen to a coach who does it like we always have! With his guts on fire for the game, and a genuine caring for his players
(not just some rhetoric)! I'm 63 years of age, and it made me want to strap it up and get back on the field! I only know one way, and that is 150% pedal to the metal and I know he is from the same mold! You are indeed a privileged man to know him on a personal basis, coach. Thanks for recommending that tape. I traded for it with about 100 plays or so out of my playbook passing section, plus another Russ Grim tape on the power series, with Black Fly. I also traded a QB training manual that I wrote entitled "Spread QB at the High School level" this week with another coach for a tape on Bill
McCartney's offense. It is excellent also.

JC

I think you guys are right on how in the pros everyone is different. I'm close enough to Macomb IL to where I watch the Rams practice quite often and even in two-a-days they don't do very much live contact. When Coughlin was still in Jacksonville, I remember the Sunday Countdown crew was absolutely in shock that he had them in full pads for practice late in the season, which gave me the impression it almost never happens in the NFL since most of the ESPN crew is former players. And in terms of the D1 question, I've heard Ohio State does at least a little bit of live sessions of 1's vs. 1's three days a week, but it's been a couple of years at least since I've heard this so I don't know if it was in reference to Tressel or Cooper. I don't know how accurate all of this is since I heard it through media, but thought I'd pass on a few things I've heard.