Mark Helfrich at Notre Dame Coaches Clinic 2017

“Leave it better than you found it”

Principles/Logistics of the No Huddle Offense

Tempo/Mindset

Question>> What is your goal?

• Control mind and tempo of BOTH TEAMS
• We want the appearance of hyper speed
• Physical in the run

Meetings… quick reactions make quick reactors

• Players need to ask questions, not always coach driven/lecture
• Make sure QBs come into meeting with questions
• QBs learn from each other!

Practice - make it harder than the game

• It should include unexpected situations
• Helps to narrow their focus, leave outside distraction off the field

Weight Room - This is where you prepare to become a great football player!

Make your physical fitness a real AND physiological weapon.

This is taught as a fundamental just like blocking and tackling.

Playbook

How many words do use?

Motions?

Shifts?

Formations?

Cadence/Snap Count/True Tempo

• The offense controls when the ball is snapped.
• You can manipulate and stress the defense before you snap the ball.
• You give the QB or the Offensive playcaller a tremendous advantage using the time at the LOS instead of the huddle.

Communication-Pre Snap

How do get plays in?

Signals

Signs

Numbers

Coaches/Players/Managers

Wristbands

Use terms/phrases that your team can identify with…

Holtz/ROCKNE

Kelly/BREY

At Oregon….

We used ONE to signal to LINE

And ONE to signal to SKILLED

Practice

• Whatever it is...keep it game like as possible
• Keep your coaching as game like as possible...NO REDOS...have a “NEXT PLAY” mentality
• Number of plays vs number of minutes (The defense on a different schedule usually…
• Use walkthroughs tempo for teaching periods to rest/recover and adjust when tired

Game Planning

• Whatever you run
• You cater to the QB- sometimes you want to call it; sometimes he checks
• You make it more difficult to disguise their defense
• You find or create mismatches 
• Always dictate tempo-mind games and stress
• Brand new every week in the first series >>>> SHIFTS,ACTIONS,ROUTE,FORMATION

***QBs are becoming too much like a specialized position.
Too much GURU/drill work.
More Competition is needed to be successful!!

QUICKEST WAY to communicate a play?

USE ONE WORD for everything= Formation,Strength,Play PERSONNEL TOO!

TENDENCY BREAK= Have one formation that has each of the following

• STRONG RUN
• WEAK RUN

• PLAY ACTION
• VERTICAL

I was writing fast and furious anyone else in attendance feel free to fill in the blanks at

Mark Helfrich

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