Important Information You Need to Win

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I received this email from Brendan Reilly, CEO of EON Sports Virtual Reality with the subject line “Important Information Needed to Win.”  Obviously, this is an email that was sent out to thousands of coaches, but I felt it was worth posting on this blog.  EON is on the cutting edge of using technology to give players and a team an advantage.

At the end of the 2006 season, while I was at the high school level, we knew we had to develop more experience at the linebacker position for the next season.  We weren’t sure JV reps would be enough to prepare a young group to play on the varsity level. Toward the end of the season I had our video guy shoot video from behind the linebackers in all inside run drills.  We were going to use the video on our floor-to-ceiling video screen and have our young linebackers take their steps to their run fits.  It was a primitive form of virtual reality.

Since meeting Brendan Reilly and receiving a demo I have been both impressed by the virtual reality technology and excited about what it can do to help train players and make the game better.  Reilly’s email is below, as are links to his site and his contact information if you are interested.

Injuries, the other team’s schemes, player’s decisions during games, weather, etc.  There are a lot of things you cannot control.

But there is one thing….experience from repetitions. 

Turns out that has a HUGE impact on how your team will do this upcoming year. Take these stats into account:

– Below 7 returning offensive starters and your team’s odds for this season having as many or more wins than last season drops to or below 50%

– Anything less than 16 returning starters and your team average more losses and the odds of the same or improved record next year dip under 50%

– Returning 17 or more total starters and your odds jump to nearly 71% for having as good or better win total in the upcoming year

We’ve been going around the country testing QB’s as a part of our QB Challenge.  The results so far have been unreal.  In some cases we’ve seen an increase of 60% decision making, with an average of 30% improvement.  A snapshot of our KC Challenge is attached.

If you would like to have an EON Sports rep come to your school and train your QB’s for free, emailinfo@eonrealitysportsvr.com or call 323-813-6687.

Please check out my interactive books.  These present an innovative way to learn the game.    101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays and The Zone Running Game:  Create a Structured System. Both resources are filled with detailed information, interactive presentations, and game film.

Make a play concept multiple by utilizing personnel, formations and motions

Please check out my interactive books.  These present an innovative way to learn the game.    101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays and The Zone Running Game:  Create a Structured System. Both resources are filled with detailed information, interactive presentations, and game film.

For an offensive concept to make its way into our system, it must meet certain criteria. In general, we want a running game concept to be able to do the following: Be run from multiple formations Utilize multiple personnel groups Be run to a tight end side and split end or open side Have an added dynamic when motion is utilized The plays we utilize that meet that criteria for us are inside zone, outside zone, power, counter and pin and pull sweep. While we usually favor three to four of these in any particular season, these runs are in our menu because we can use them in multiple ways to attack any defense. Let’s look at the power concept to illustrate our thought process. For us, it starts with defining each run. Power is a one- or two-back gap blocked play designed to attack the A-gap out. It is used to create angles and displace gaps versus penetrating situations. Read more…

On USA Football: Use field space to stress the defense

Please check out my interactive books.  These present an innovative way to learn the game.    101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays and The Zone Running Game:  Create a Structured System. Both resources are filled with detailed information, interactive presentations, and game film.

Much attention is paid to using multiple formations to stress a defense. Running the same play from multiple formations is a sound way to attack. However, further advantages can be realized in utilizing field space to dictate defensive structure and stress defender responsibilities. To illustrate this point, let’s look at one formation that utilizes two tight ends, two receivers and a running back. The formation is diagrammed below.

Read more

On USA Football: Emphasis on third down – 2nd and 8 scrimmage format

Please check out my interactive books.  These present an innovative way to learn the game.    101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays and The Zone Running Game:  Create a Structured System. Both resources are filled with detailed information, interactive presentations, and game film.

In 2005, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Stan Parrish who was the offensive coordinator at Ball Sate at the time.  He introduced me to his 2nd and 8 scrimmage format.  In this format, the offense has one play from 2nd and 8, and the next rep is third down, unless they can convert it on 2nd and 8.  The idea is that the offensive unit will stay on the field as long as they are converting and moving the chains.  If they fail to convert, the next offensive unit comes on the field and gets their opportunity.

Typically, the 2nd and 8 scrimmage replaces our team period. While we are always working situations in team, we like the variety and break from routine that the 2nd and 8 scrimmage provides.  We add a competitive element by keeping score on the number of conversions by each offensive unit as well as the number of stops for each defensive unit…read more

On AFM: Kicking Scrimmage – Practicing Special Teams, Third Down Offense, and The Free Kick

Please check out my interactive books.  These present an innovative way to learn the game.    101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays and The Zone Running Game:  Create a Structured System. Both resources are filled with detailed information, interactive presentations, and game film.

On AFM:

Years ago I heard now retired coach Wally Hood present a clinic on the kicking scrimmage. This special teams focused scrimmage format allowed a team to work all phases of the game, but gave emphasis and most reps to the special teams. When I became a high school head coach this was something I implemented with my teams, and we also did this at the college level.

I’ve used a number of different variations of tho scrimmage format over the years, but my favorite also emphasizes third down offense.

Choosing teams

Depending on your situation, you can choose the teams, or you can select captains and allow them to choose the teams. I like the players selecting the teams because it gives them ownership, and gets them thinking about who the best special teams players are. This helps emphasize the importance of special teams in their minds. Kickers, punters, and long snappers are obviously drafted early, and when you let the whole team be involved in the draft, it’s good to see the specialists valued by their teammates.

After the teams are selected, players need to be put on units. Again, I like to give ownership to the players, but also understand in this area they need guidance. I usually have a different coach in charge of each unit of special teams, so each one would work with both teams to help them put together their units. We do the same with offense and defense, ensuring that all players have an opportunity to perform in the scrimmage.

Preparing for the kicking scrimmage

This is another opportunity for the team to realize the value of work on special teams. Usually the kicking scrimmage serves as the second practice of the day during two-a-days. We give each team time to practice and go over their units (with coach supervision) at the end of the first practice, and as a walk through before the scrimmage.

Because this is something unique, and an opportunity to compete and win a spot on a unit, the players pay attention to the units they are on and their assignments even more than they do during regular special teams practice time…read more

On USA Football: Educated Freedom – Teaching players to maximize effectiveness

On USA Football:

About 15 years ago I started using Andrew Coverdale’s resources on the quick passing game.  Coverdale is currently the offensive coordinator at Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky.  Within one of his books he introduced the concept of educated freedom.  This principle is something I began incorporating in my systems soon after.  The principle, as stated by Coverdale is simply this, “The receiver’s single most important job is to get open.  We do not want any assignment to be so rigid that it makes it impossible for this basic priority to be fulfilled.”

In other words, we don’t want a player to run his route, pick his running lane, or execute his blocking assignment simply because it is drawn that way on the diagram.  Diagrams are static, but what happens on the field is very dynamic.  The lines are rarely straight.  There are subtle adjustments needed to gain leverage …read more

Please check out my iBooks.  These present an innovative way to learn the game.    101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays and The Zone Running Game:  Create a Structured System. Both resources are filled with detailed information, interactive presentations, and game film.

New iBook coming soon:

 

My Newest Project: 101+ Read Game Plays

In 2013, I released 101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays.  This interactive book is the first of its kind, blending the information you normally get in a coaching book-text, diagrams, and coaching points, with the information you normally get on a DVD – video and game film.  The innovative format is able to go way beyond what you get in a book or DVD, giving coaches a depth of knowledge well beyond the other coaching products on the market.

I released my second interactive book in March 2014 – The Zone Offense Create a Structured System.  This utilizes even more capability of the technology, loading the book with 167 pages that included 662 interactive slides and 51 total minutes of video.

My new interactive book which will be released soon is 101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays:  The Read Game.  This includes the details on running zone read variations, zone option, veer, power read, play action off of the read game, and gives ideas for developing other types of read plays.

It will be available soon.  In the mean time, check out my other two books.