Playbook Application

I have been a big user of Powerpoint for my football needs, however I came across this program that has some promise...

www.wheelbarrowsoftware.com/playdesigner.php?sport=fpd&page=main

Does anyone own this program??

Watchgamefilm.tv

Here are a couple examples of some of things I have spoken about in some of my other threads. Watchgamefilm just got this part of the program working and it is a wonderful addition.

BEST TECHNOLOGY this year

As the year comes a close, I wanted to see what technology/gadgets you used this year and would suggest to our fellow coaches!!

My top two list

1) Watchgamefilm.com. I paid for this myself out of my own pocket (99 bucks can't be beat). I posted our offensive signals and playbook. I posted all Varsity and JV games with my comments for each position for improvement on plays. Note: having your home "old School" tower CPU is great for downloading and converting videos WITHOUT occupying your laptop.

2) PS2...yes I said PS2. we used it this year to watch game film with our players. Can't beat the "cowboy remote" feature. Only negative not all burned discs worked in the PS2.

NFL NETWORK

For those that have the NFL Network the Sound FX episode on Payton Manning was very entertaining. There was a short segment on no huddle.

Also, the AFC/NFC playbook shows are pretty cool too!!

Laterals after turnover

I was watching the Villanova vs. App State the other day and Villanova picked the ball off and the defender lateraled it to a teammate. This got me thinking, do teams still practice this?

I think that it would be an interesting concept to explore. I have asked some coaching friends and we have come up with a couple of rules when it should not be implemented.

Turnover in opponents red zone.
Turnover when the game has been iced
Turnover late in the game that allows the offense one more shot at the opposing defense.

Any comments?

Looking for cutups

It is the offseason once again and I am always in search of cutups. If you are interested in setting up something please let me know.

Getting your playmaker on the perimeter

This series of plays originated from the base Speed Option play. The three plays were designed so we could designate who WE wanted to carry the football. When Speed Option is run the defense reacts to it differently resulting in sometimes the QB running or the running back. Often the Speed Option is stretched to the edge to provide time for the pursuit of the defense. By tweaking the blocking scheme, we were able to dictate when we wanted the QB to run, the RB to run or have the traditional Speed Option.

We use a zone blocking scheme with emphasis on double teams on the down lineman. It is full zone blocking for the Speed and Zone plays. For Quick we read the DE and have the playside tackle get his best release to the playside linebacker.

One simple rule for each play.

On Quick, we don’t block the Defensive End.

On Speed, we don’t block the Outside Linebacker.

On Zone, we don’t block the Corner Back

QUICK

In reality this is Speed Option with the pitch key being the DE. We wanted to keep it simple for the QB on his read. Expect a QUICK pitch. This way, the QB doesn’t have the unexpected fast read which sometimes results in a poor pitch. The QB is expected to pitch and the RB is ready for the ball early. Every time we ran this play, it resulted in a pitch to the RB. One positive is MAKE THE DE CHANGE DIRECTIONS and RUN !

SPEED

For most teams this is the traditional (funny to use traditional and Speed Option?) Speed Option play. As I have stated before, Speed Option is a better “CHECK TO” play or “CHECK OPPOSITE” play. What I mean by this is often times coaches see “speed is open”. When it is a huddle call the defense somehow knows and takes the play away. So avoid this by calling a favorite play with a “CHECK TO SPEED” tag. When the play is open run Speed or just run your favorite play. Or if the defense rolls extra numbers to the side of the call then added a “CHECK OPPOSITE” call.

ZONE

We called this Zone Option and did say that the Cornerback is the pitch key, but it ended up being QB SWEEP. The RB did stay in pitch relationship giving the option illusion until reaching the Cornerback. The RB would then look to block the Corner. Why did we call it an option? This helped key the RB to stay in pitch relationship until the last possible moment.

We had great success with this series out of our WING formation. The diagrams show the plays against a 4-3 defense with rolled Cover Three.

One thing from the Webinar

Coach Miller's talk about Power and Counter was very informative!

One nugget was about trick plays. He carries about seven during the season but the key is he ROTATES them throughout the season. So when a team sees Trick play one on film...They prepare for trick play one...What he does is run trick play four!!!

PLUS he shared a poem

THE BUILDER

I saw them tearing a building down
A team of men in my hometown.
With a heave and a ho and a yes yes yell,
they swung a beam and a sidewall fell.

And I said to the foreman, "Are these men skilled?"
"Like the ones you'd use if you had to build?"
And he laughed and said, "Oh no, indeed...
the most common labor is all I need...
for I can destroy in a day or two
what takes a builder ten years to do."

So I thought to myself as I went on my way...
Which one of these roles am I willing to play?
Am I one who is tearing down as I carelessly make my way around?
Or am I one who builds with care, in order to make the world a
little better... because I was there?

Great Article

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/magazine/05Football-t.html

UPCOMING

I will try to get a few articles in before the holidays get into full swing...

Topics

1. How we got our athletes on the edge (variations of Speed Option)

2. Our best Quick game concept