Your 2014 Offense Research and Development pt. 2

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The information in this article is from Andrew Coverdale’s clinic powerpoint on Off Season Game Planning.

Beginning your research and development for your 2014 offense listed some thoughts on how to approach this off season as you learn and evaluate new ideas.  I mentioned some questions that Coverdale uses to evaluate new ideas while he does his off season planning.  His clinic powerpoint expands on those four questions.

 

Coverdale’s approach takes into account both the skills needed in the new concept, how practice time ands reps will be allocated, and how well it integrates with the other concepts that already exist in your system.  Validity and applicability of a new concept begins with asking six questions:

THE 6-QUESTION TEST

1. Does it fit our philosophy, and does it compliment other things in our offense?
2. Does it fit our talent set?
3. Do we understand the least desirable things about it & are we prepared to live with them?
4. Can we coach it in detail and fix the problems?
5. Does it help us beat the teams we have to beat on our schedule?
6. Is it ‘CHEAP’ or ‘EXPENSIVE’?

What Coverdale is emphasizing is how well the idea integrates into your existing system.  The better it fits in terms of “same as” teaching, the easier it will be to implement, and ultimately fitting it into a practice plan, game plan and calling it on game day become easier.  The second aspect that is addressed is coaching expertise.  Your coaches need to have the knowledge to coach it and address an issues that may occur.  This isn’t something that can be picked up in an hour long clinic talk.  Clinic talks only scratch the surface of the detail needed to make a play or package effective.  Clinic talks also tend to address what occurs when things are done correctly, and little time is given to all of the issues that needed to get it to the point where it is an exciting set of cut-ups to show in a clinic talk.  That leads to a discussion of is it cheap or expensive?

CHEAP v. EXPENSIVE

1. How hard is it for kids to learn?
2. How similar or different is it, conceptually, to what your kids already understand about football?
3. How much practice time does it take to get good at?
4. How many new skills are involved as opposed to skills already being used elsewhere in the offense?

Coverdale emphasizes that learning must be simple.  As coaches, doing all of the work up front, including debugging any possible problems will help on the learning curve for both the players and coaches.  Again, finding skills that can be applied in the new concept can help cut down the learning curve.

Consideration to practice time is also something that should be thought about up front.  How much time on task will be required in drills and practice reps?  What will be sacrificed or cut out to implement the new concept?  These are considerations that need to occur well before you create your installation plan, and obviously before you hit the practice field next spring or summer.

Andrew Coverdale is one of the best in terms of organization and detail.  These points from his clinic talk should be helpful in your approach to evolving your 2014 offense.

My iBook 101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays provides concepts that can be utilized in any offense, not just the pistol. I have received some great feedback from coaches who adapted all or some of those ideas in 2013. Get 101+ PRO STYLE PISTOL OFFENSE PLAYS for your iPad or Mac from the iBookstore.