Get more repetitions in your drills by using more footballs

On USA Football:

Quarterback is one of the most technical positions in all of sports. The quarterback not only has to process mentally but also needs to perform the fundamentals and techniques of the position with great precision. In order to maximize the repetition of our quarterbacks’ skills, we incorporate two footballs into many of the drills. This allows the quarterbacks to get more work, and other positions can work with the quarterback as well One example of this is the in the zone option drill. This drill allows the running back to work his mesh and ball security skills and allows the quarterback to work his hand off, read and pitch mechanics…read more

NEED MORE ANSWERS? Get interactive resources for solutions that will help you this season:

I have been working with some great coaches to put together interactive coaching manuals that blend text, diagrams, animations and videos.  While I would have liked to release those earlier, there are great concepts in each manual that are worth learning now.

Dan Gonzalez shares his knowledge in Developing an Offensive System – Part 1:  The Need for Change.  I’ve shared my thoughts on his navigation tags.  It’s a cutting edge tool that can be adapted to improve any offense right now.

Bill Renner is an authority on kicking and punting.  He has created a manual on each topic.  His manual, Core Drills for Developing Football Kicking Skills is available now.  He does a great job in teaching you exactly what to do to develop a kicker.  He also released a book on protecting the QB from spread formations.  The video and teaching are outstanding.  Again, he is able to share his knowledge in a clear and concise way.  This protection has only allowed an average of 1.1 sacks per game over the last decade.  Check out Pass Protections from No TE Formations.  

Rob Zeitman has developed one of the most potent rushing attacks in NCAA Division II football.  His teams averages 317 yards per game on the ground.  He shares his base running game concepts, the inside veer and the midline from the short pistol or what he likes to call “The Show Gun” offense.  The Show Gun Offense: Inside Veer is available now.

The first book in this dynamic format is my book titled 101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays.  I have released this by chapter as well as creating a version of the play action chapter for the iPhone.  My second book provides a template for setting up the structure of your offense to turn it into a system rather than a collection of plays.  It’s the first of a 4-part series.  Get The Zone Offense:  Create a Structured System for your iPad or Mac.

I am excited to share our ever growing library.  Other “coming soon” titles are just a glimpse of what we will be offering.  Check out the entire website: https://coachesedgetechnologies.com

 

On USA Football: Parent/Coach expectations: Be clear up front

Having a positive and productive season regardless of the win-loss record includes having a solid plan for communicating with parents. As with any plan, we like to keep it simple, clear and concise. We list our dos and don’ts for parents, plainly identifying what things we are willing to discuss and what we are not willing to discuss. Because of the nature of some issues, I have always felt it best to include an athletic administrator. This way, if for some reason, the problem escalates or is not resolved, the administrator was involved from the beginning.

Most issues never get past the point of the player-coach level. When the players understand they are expected to conduct themselves appropriately, including taking responsibility for their own problems, many issues are resolved without parent involvement. I’m always sure to ask if the player discussed the issue with mom or dad. If he did, then I usually follow-up with the parent to make sure the player communicated our resolution to the issue. When I plan to call, I let the player know as well so he feels that he is included and I didn’t go around him. The entire process promotes trust and honesty…read more

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 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:

 

On USA Football: Maximize summer practice time

This article on USA Football includes videos of Dan Gonzalez’s drag drill.  At the end of the drill is a movie trailer of Dan’s latest project.  This is an exciting development.  Dan’s interactive book goes well beyond what he presented in his first two books (both of which are outstanding).  Take a look at the trailer at the end of the video. Here it is on its own:

On USA Football:

For coaches and players, summer is a fun time a year. The challenge is to strike a balance between family, football and fun. With some simple guidelines to help maintain focus, the summer months can be utilized in a way that it isn’t overwhelming for players and maximum commitment is attained. Establish an attendance policy The first thing we always do is establish a summer attendance policy. We want players and families to know that their time is important, but their commitment is expected. We outline that if they are in town, they must attend. We establish well beforehand that summer jobs are not an excuse. We put our workouts in the morning – other than some 7-on-7 nights – at the exact same time that camp will start in August. We feel that this way their bodies are acclimated to working at that time of day, and there isn’t an adjustment period when camp hits. We are flexible with athletes involved in other sports during the summer. We communicate with the other coaches before the summer so that we know what each other’s plans are and can work things out so that the athlete doesn’t miss important events. We also establish communication expectations. We never want to hear from a player that: “Johnny told me to tell you he is out of town today.” We want and expect direct communication with the player. Under these simple guidelines, we have always had very high attendance at our summer workouts…read more

Check out my interactive books:

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 USA Football: Empty Red Zone Package

Check out my iBooks:   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 USA Football:

It’s summer, and just about every team enters at least one 7-on-7 competition. As explained in an earlier article, opportunities at 7-on-7s can be maximized in several ways. Whether you are doing it on your own or as part of a competition, the field space most worked in is the red zone and pre-red zone.

In this area, vertical space begins to disappear as you move closer to the end zone. Stressing a defense with horizontal spacing is at a premium. Defenses will use a mix of man and zone coverage. A favorite way to stretch the field and clean up the box for easy identification of blitzes is through 3-by-2 empty formations…read more

 

Enhance player understanding with “flipped coaching”

My books are on the cutting edge of presenting football knowledge.  They are packed with interactive presentations and video.  Get them for your iPad or mac here:

101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays

The Zone Offense:  Create a Structured System

On USA Football:

Summer is here, and for just about every high school coach, now is the time when you become a full-time coach. Time feels like it is on your side, and you can work on things that will make your team better in the fall. What is the most effective way you can put yourself and your team ahead of the time crunch and the week-to-week in-season sense of urgency? Last summer, I had the privilege of interviewing coaches who use a classroom method called “flipped learning.” The coaches refer to the method as “flipped coaching.” I adopted this method last season, and I was able to help a young offensive unit learn what they needed to do to be successful. Flipped coaching utilizes simple tools to give your players the ability to learn at their own pace and have some materials to refer to when they need review. Installation meetings and film review can be done beforehand with the coaches’ key points and instruction saved for further review. The advantage comes for the player in that he can learn at a pace comfortable for him. In a live meeting, a coach cannot be rewound and listened to again. With flipped coaching, the player can do exactly that and review as many times as he needs…read more

On USA Football: Get more out of your 7-on-7 drills

Many coaches have mixed feelings about 7-on-7 scrimmages and competitions. In some regards, they don’t simulate many things that happen during a real game. On the offensive side of the ball, the quarterback works without a pocket or pressure. On the defensive side, the linebackers don’t have anything to hold them on the run game, and defenders don’t have inside keys to read.

The benefits come in having your team work together and compete even if some of the game day aspects are missing. With some thought and planning, you can get more out of your own 7-on-7 competitions as well as tournaments or scrimmages you might take your team to…read more

Speaking of efficiency and effectiveness, check out Football Play Card and see how you can gain hours of preparation time on your opponents.

Two coaching resources that dig deeper than any other resource:

101+ Pro Style Pistol Offense Plays

The Zone Offense:  Create a Structured System