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When you get into a presentation has to be the organizer. You are the
with your own peers it is always a coach who has to get the practice
little touchy. But Coach Earl Cek times set up and you must schedule
called me and asked me if I would the practices. That is something I
lecture this year. He has been bug- have thought about over the years.
ging me for a few years. He said “We We have been able to do some things
want you to do a presentation for in our situation that have been very
the Coach of the Year Clinic.” I good to us.
have been dodging him for years. He
asked me what I would like to talk If you can get a couple of ideas
about. from what we do then it will be
worthwhile. I know every presenter
I thought maybe I could do something at every clinic will stress this
on defense because that is the side point. If you could take just one
of the football I coach. I told him thing away from this lecture then
I could talk about defensive end that is an accomplishment. Hope-
plays on the 50-base defense. He fully, you will get more than one
asked me what else I could talk idea here.
about. “Well, I can talk about
blitzing schemes, and using differ- Football coaches all learn to steal
ent fronts out of the 50. We do a from other people through game tape
lot on different things on the move. or listening to lectures at clinics.
We move a lot of people around, and We get a lot of good ideas listing
we stunt people in our fronts and so to others talk about what they do
on.” He said, “What else can you that makes their program a success.
do?” I said, “Coach I’m running out So if I can give you a few things of
of topics.” He said we have people what we have accomplished at Moon
talking about defense. “Could you High School we will all be happy.
talk about Organization and the
Practice Schedule?” I agreed I would I have with me my trusted assistant
talk about the things we do in game and technical assistant, Coach Steve
preparation each week and how we get Smiley. We talked about doing this
ready for the next opponent. presentation in Power Point. I teach
mathematics and I wanted to impress
Speaking here is something that I you by telling you that I know about
have relished. I thought about it Power Point. I never use it in my
and I concluded that 35 years of classroom, however, I do know about
coaching should provide me with some Power Point. So we decided we were
thoughts on the subject. I have been going to use it today in our
a head coach for 18 years. Becoming presentation. We got to the clinic
a head coach after being an assis- and found out we didn’t have the
tant is a big difference. A lot of right cables to run Power Point, so
things change and there is a lot we can’t use Power Point. We will
more responsibility as a head coach. use the old trusty overhead projec-
All of a sudden you are the guy who tor. We did make overhead slides and
they will help with this presenta-
1
will help with this presentation. sophomores, or the younger players.
The Blue Team becomes our scout
What I want to do is talk about what team.
we do for preparation our program
for one week. But before we get into One thing we have done over the last
that subject I want to talk about a few years is to use different color
few points in our summertime prac- practice jerseys. At one time we all
tice set up. wore white practice jerseys. That is
all we wore for several years. Like
We have a coaches meeting and we go everybody else we had to put the
about organizing the teams. Coach scrimmage vests on the other players
Ron Skosnik is our offensive coordi- to distinguish our scout teams. Now
nator. Jim Boni coaches our offen- we put the Blue Team in RED practice
sive and defensive line. Roy Meanor jerseys. That has worked out real
works with our defensive backs. Todd well for us. We have the Red Team on
Fuller works with the defensive offense vs. the Blue Team. The Blue
backs and wide receivers. Steve Team has on the red jerseys. That
Smiley is our special teams coach way we don’t have to worry about
and he works with our linebackers getting the scout team to put the
and tight ends. scrimmage vests on. I know you are
going to have some of those kids who
We knew that we would have between have the red jerseys on that are go-
50 to 60 players, and we know basi- ing to get moved up to the White
cally who would be coming back from Team and you are going to have to
the previous year. We have a pretty use some of them on other teams, but
good idea of the players if they it does save time, overall in the
have been working out in the summer. organization of your team. I wanted
I want that program to be organized. to talk about this point because we
I have always been one who has organize this in the summertime.
wanted to be organized.
One other thing that we started a
We use color schemes with our teams. few years ago was Saturday JV games.
The first thing we do in our meeting I don’t know when you guys play your
is to sit down and talk about who JV games. Traditional JV games are
the Red Offense is going to be. That always played on Monday after school
is our first team offense. Next we or on Monday night. We did that for
want to decide who our Red Defense a lot of years and then the last few
is going to be. We post these teams years, I started talking to the
up in the locker room. We want our coaches in our conference about
players to know what teams they are switching to Saturday JV games.
on so if we call for the Red Team,
they know who that is. If we call I started trying to get them to
for the White Team they know it is change over to Saturday JV games for
our second group. They will know who a couple of reasons. I am sure most
that is. of you are probably the same as we
are as far as your practice routine.
As coaches you can waste time by One of your hard practice days is
saying “Give me a guard.” Usually Tuesday. That is a hard work day in
the wrong kid jumps in at that posi- our practice week. We need to have
tion. Or a kid that you don’t want everybody there for that Tuesday
to be in there lines up at that po- practice. But what happened to us is
sition. So this really helps to or- this. If we played a JV game on Mon-
ganize the teams and it saves time. day, we would have 15 kids who would
We do this in the summertime. Our say they can’t practice on Tuesday
Blue Team is basically made up of because they are banged up, or they
2
are hurt, and they are sore. game tape Friday night. That prac-
tice will eventually get to you. It
If you think about it, that is true. is bad enough if you lost the game.
If they played in a game on Friday If an official made a bad call you
night our kids are sore on Saturday do not want to see that call again.
morning. We know that. You know we What are you going to gain by seeing
are not going to play them a full the play again that night? Are you
game on Saturday. So we decided we going to call him up at his house
would try to get other teams on our late at night? It is too late be-
schedule to play the JV games on cause the game is over. It is not
Saturday. It worked well for us. going to make a difference. Do some-
thing to relax, go home and take it
SATURDAY SCHEDULE out on your dog.
I have some ideas of what we should On defense, someone may have a sug-
do. Our other coaches have their gestion at this time. Again, we do
thoughts about what they should do. this because we all coach both sides
We get together and we might look at of the ball. If anybody has input we
some more tapes if we think we need go over it at that time. By that
to look at something special. We do time we are somewhere around 9:00 PM
that during this time period. Steve or later. We try to be finished by
Smiley is our special team coach so 9:30 PM. We would like to be out of
he is looking at the other team’s there by 9:30 PM. We have had a long
special team. He is looking at what day by this time.
they do. He is making the plan for
the special teams. Our staff will Next I want to get into the Tuesday
take time somewhere during this ses- practice. On Tuesday and Wednesday
sion to eat. we call those our hard work days. On
Tuesday we have full practice with
We put the scouting report together the emphasis on the running game im-
on Monday night. The defensive staff plementation, special teams, and
is responsible for getting every- game day corrections.
thing together. Other teams may do
the scouting report a little differ- TUESDAY PRACTICE SCHEDULE
ent. Some teams have all those com-
puterized reports and the detailed 2:40 – Players dressed in locker
information. room for the scouting report.
3:10 – Pre Practice.
I still draw up the formations and I 3:30 – Flexibilities.
still write the plays down. I have 3:45 – Punt and Punt Return
found by writing the plays down and 3:55 – Individual Defense
drawing the formations for the 4:05 – Individual Offense
scouting report it becomes ingrained 4:15 – Group Offense
in me. I know what the other team is 4:35 – Water
doing and I know their tendencies. I 4:40 – Stunt Review
8
4:50 – Goal Line Offense & Defense you were not allowed to drive to the
(Two Point Plays) field house. If you drove to school
5:00 – All Up you had to park your car and walk to
6:15 – Conditioning Drills the field house, and walk back to
(JV’s lift weights) school after practice.
7:00 – Coaches set Wednesday Plans
The reason I did this was because
Tuesday and Wednesday are our hard everyone can drive to school. At the
practice days. We have full practice end of the day there are a zillion
with emphasis on the run game on cars tying to get out of the parking
Tuesday. On Wednesday we are going lot. There is an accident everyday.
to stress the passing game. We try It is ridiculous. Sometimes kids
to break up the practices this way. will be late for practice. They come
Our school is dismissed at 2:15 PM. up to me and say, “Coach, I had an
I think it is important for your accident, or I couldn’t get out of
kids to get into a regimented day. the parking lot because there was so
We talk about having discipline in much traffic.” You have to make them
football. They expect the team meet- responsible to be on time. That is
ing at 2:40 PM. They have to be important.
dressed from the waist down. If they
have to see the trainer they must Our pre practice time starts at 3:10
take care of that earlier. At 2:40 PM. I don’t know about the coaching
PM we pass out the scouting report. situations at your school but some
We talk about what we are going to of our coaches do not teach at the
do out on the field. We tell them high school. Some of our coaches
what we are going to do on the game teach at the middle school. The mid-
plan. We do not go into every little dle school kids get out of school
detail because we do not have time. later than the high school. The
coaches can’t get over to the high
If there is a major change to be school until 3:00 PM. They may not
made on offense or a defensive stunt be teachers and they have other jobs
to be added, we go over it at that and can’t be there until 3:30 PM. So
time. If you need to make changes what we have done over the years is
you need to show them how you are to develop a pre-practice.
going to do it. On offense, if we
have any special formations, or any Again, this pre practice time is not
special plays that we are putting just standing around and talking and
in, then we are going to put all telling jokes. They are not just out
that in and talk about that ahead of there with someone throwing the
time in the locker room. football around. Pre practice time
is valuable time. We use this time
Let me go back to the time situa- in several ways.
tion. We expect our players to be
there at 2:40 PM. If they come to On Monday night before we leave we
practice after 2:40 PM they must set up the pre practice form. I set
have a note from a teacher that ex- up the time periods and then each
plains why they are late. They can’t coach is responsible for that time
just show up late. They must have a slot. The assistant coaches must be
note from the teacher saying that prepared for that session. Each
they were getting help. They can not coach is responsible for setting up
be late because they were hanging what they want to get done in that
out in the halls. Because our field time period. They need to be pre-
house is not beside the school, some pared for that session. As teachers
of the kids drive over to the field they have to be prepared and it is
house. Years ago I had a rule that the same with this period.
9
We may have a certain emphasis on off returns and then work on the ex-
working together with another group tra points. We work on the extra
during that time period. If the point snaps and the hold on the ex-
linebackers are going to get to- tra points. The players that are
gether with the defensive ends then holders rotate a lot of time with
we have to know in our practice plan our quarterbacks. That is what you
what we are going to work on. So we do with the pre-practice period.
put the plan together the day be-
fore. In the pre-practice plan we Sometimes we emphasize a special
have every thing worked out. The team during that period. If we are
punters are going to punt with the going to work on the punt team then
punt return team. The snappers are we call out that team and we work on
going to work on all snaps. You the punt during that period. This
never get enough time to work on the could be a different special team
snaps. Our line coach, Jim Boni is a each day. Then we blow the whistle
great guy but he thinks this session and we go to flex drills.
should be five hours long. He is
probably right because what we do in We usually run a lap around the
this period is important. He wants field first. Then we get into our
time anywhere he can get it. This lines and we flex. We use the rubber
gives him an opportunity to work bands in the flexibility drills.
with the line for about 20 minutes. Over the years we have used rubber
He can get his whole line together bands to help us stretch. We got
and start working on the blocking that from Youngstown State Univer-
techniques. sity. I think it really does help in
flexing. The players can run through
Our ends and other receivers are go- the drills with partners. They are
ing to go down with the quarterbacks just rubber bands. You can lie on
and work. This is not a formal prac- your back and pull back up. It
tice and we are not going 100 per- really stretches the groin area and
cent. We will work on loosening the hamstrings.
quarterbacks up. We have the receiv-
ers run the routes. We are not just Then we break up after we have fin-
loosening the quarterback up but we ished the flexibilities. We come off
are running particular pass routes the field to the sideline. The field
that we are going to emphasize that is lined because the field is used
week. Some of your receivers are by the JV and ninth grade teams to
probably defensive backs so we will plays games. I blow the whistle and
turn around and run some defensive they sprint off to the sideline and
coverage’s. If we are going to see then we go into our punt and our
Cover 2 that week we can put up a punt return on Tuesday. We call out
Cover 2 and run our routes against a punt situation and we run right
them. out onto the field and line up in
punt formation and kick the foot-
You definitely could use this time ball. That is what we do. This is
to work on your fade route when you good practice for us. We yell “Punt,
get down on the goal line. You al- punt, punt,” and everybody runs out,
ways have something you can work on. gets on the ball and is ready to go.
If our kickers are at practice we We have the defense set up with the
work with them. There a lot of times blue team being the defense and we
when our kicker is a soccer player. punt the football.
He may not be there on a Tuesday be-
cause they play a lot of games on The player that catches the punt
Tuesday in soccer. If he is there places it down on the line. The punt
you can work on some kickoffs, kick- team runs down to the ball turns
10
around and we punt it back the other the White Team. They are facing in-
way. It is kicked back the other side. We have the defenses on the
way. Then we try to move the ball other side of the line. We use two
around to different locations on the groups if we have enough players
field. Then we place the ball deep available. We get injuries, players
back against the goal line. We work get sick, and then you end up with
on kicking the ball out of the end one group. If you have two groups it
zone. We work on different phases of is really good because you have both
the punting game. Sometimes we might the Red and White Teams working. The
put our two Spikers on one side and coach calls out a play and the line-
practice kicking the ball deep and men make their blocks on the play.
try to down it inside the 5 yard We start from the outside and work
line. inside. We go over all of the dif-
ferent blocks. Half way through the
Then we flip it over and run punt period the split ends and the tight
returns. Punt returns for us are ba- ends might leave us to go down and
sically done by our defensive team. work with the quarterbacks and the
The defensive team lines up at the backs.
50 yard line. Our punt return team
works on setting up a wall right and Then we have the water break. After
a wall left. the water break we do the stunt re-
view. I have talked about that
Next we go to our individual de- drill. We do it again each day. Now
fense. Again the emphasis is on run. we may have some new stuff in be-
But it gives you time to work with cause we now have our game plan. We
your individual defensive positions. might be putting some new things in
You might work better in groups dur- the game plan.
ing this time. We might work to-
gether on key drills for the defen- Because Tuesday is a run day we work
sive ends and the linebackers. on our goal line. We put the ball
down on the 10 yard line and we are
In the individual offensive period on offense. We run our goal line
we break up into individual groups. package for that game. We go over
Then we do group offense. Now in our our Two Point plays. We are going
group offense, the difference is against the defense for four to six
this. When we go to group offense we plays
have all the interior linemen and we
have a split end, and a tight end. Then we turn around and go on the
In other words we have a 7 man front defensive. We put the ball on the
but we do not have flankers. ten yard line. We run the defense we
are going to be using that week.
The flankers will stay with the Then we move the ball down inside
quarterbacks and the other backs. the ten yard line. We move it from
They may work on counter plays dur- the 10, to the 8, to the 5, and then
ing this period. we put it inside the 2 yard line.
Then I will run the other teams Two
When we work on the group offense Point plays against our defense. We
with the line we do have the split must decide what we want to do
ends and the tight ends. We work on against their Two Point play. We
our offense just like we did with have that defense ready. Sometimes
our Stunt Review. We have two groups we will kick the extra point.
on offense. We put a ball down and
we have the Red Team. Ten yards Then we call the “All Up” and hope-
apart we have another ball. They are fully we are on the time schedule. I
ten yards apart. The other team is am trying to make them think it is
11
5:00 PM but it is really about 5:20 to be ready to kick the field goal.
PM. Because the offensive line coach
did not have enough time to cover We might yell out “Punt Team - Punt
everything he wanted to cover. So we Team.” Again this is to emphasize to
are in the “All Up” period. We start the special teams and to keep the
on the offensive side of the ball. kids thinking about special teams.
We have two groups running. Again, After we kick the field goal we turn
this is organization. We have the around and come back up the field.
Red and the White Teams in the hud- And that is the team offense.
dle and the Blue Team on defense.
And the defense does have on the Then we go to defense in our “All
shields for defense. Up front the Up” period. This is something I
defenders have the shields. started a few years ago. I have
talked about the scout team, which I
We run one play at the defense. run. I have them use our terminology
Sometimes we run the same play by for the scout team plays. Again I
both offensive teams. At other times don’t use the cards with the scout
we run two different plays. The team. What I started doing some
White Team has the tendency to make years ago was to script the plays of
the same mistake the Red Team makes the other team on offense. You might
if we run the same play. They will want to try this. It has been good
watch the Red Team run the play and for us for a couple of reasons. It
then they will run the play the same organizes your practice. If you
way. If the Red Team makes a mis- script the other teams’ plays, you
take, guess what? The White Team find out a lot about the other team.
will make the same mistake. They The most plays we script will be
just look to see what the man did in about 20 plays for their team. I
front of him. will write down the situation that
will lead to that first down. On
By doing that they are not really first and ten I tell the defense the
learning the play. So I try to tell situation. “It is first and ten.”
the coach in charge of the White All of the coaches know the play be-
Team to run a few different plays so ing called. They are watching their
they have to learn the offense. We positions.
try to get as much accomplished as
we can in this time period. We try Next we work on the defense we are
to go as fast as we can on the going to run. One of the coaches
drill. will signal in the defense to the
linebackers. We run the play and
We are trying to get our offense to come back to the huddle. Now it is
concentrate on the run on Tuesday. “2nd and 8 to go for the first
We will move the ball up and down down.” It may be second and 12 to go
the field. We do not keep the ball for the first down. Now we are going
in one spot. We move the ball and we to start thinking 2nd & 12, what are
coach on the run. We move it to the they going to run in this situation?
hash marks and to the center of the We are thinking Draw or Screen Pass.
field. The defensive team must start think-
ing about different situations. Then
When we get down toward the end zone we may work on any special plays our
I will yell “Field Goal - Field opponents like to run.
Goal.” The field goal team has to
run out there and kick the ball. They may come out of the huddle real
They run out on the field and kick quick. We must be ready to get in
the field goal. The field goal team and out of our defensive huddle. I
has to be ready and the kicker has have to teach the scout team to go
12
on “Down.” The offense may run the out in about a 50 yard square. So we
unbalanced line. We must be ready to say it is more of an “Aerobic Run.”
read the unbalanced line. If they do We do different drills for condi-
run the unbalanced line we must go tioning in that period.
over how we are going to cover the
unbalanced line. On Tuesday our JV’s lift weights.
Then we go inside and practice is
We are going to run 20 plays against over. After the players are gone we
our defense with the plays scripted. go in as a staff and talk about
We will rotate in some of our second Wednesday’s practice. We need to be
team players. We try to keep our prepared for the next day. This is
first team players in for the major- when we work on the schedule for the
ity of the plays but some of the next day. That is Tuesday practice.
subs can rotate. I tell the position
coach it is up to them as far as us- Question: Do the JV’s run at condi-
ing the subs. They can rotate the tioning or do they go in and start
subs, but not until we have run their weight lifting?
about 10 plays. This has helped us
as far as being organized. No! They condition too. They would
like to skip the running but we make
Next we go back at the end of the them run too.
day and see if we want to change
anything. Do we want to change any- Let me move to Wednesday and the
thing on defense? Do we want to do practice schedule. On Wednesday the
anything different? Do we want to emphasis is on our passing game. We
put in another play? “What do they still start at 2:40 PM. At that time
like to do on 2nd & 3rd downs? What do they have to be in the locker room
they like to do on 1st and 10?” as they did on Tuesday. They must be
dressed from the waist down. And now
We call out “Turnover, Turnover.” we are talking about our opponent’s
Our team just had a turnover. A lot film. We are looking at our next op-
of teams try to score real quickly ponent and we are going to show them
when they get a turnover, especially as much tape as we can. We are going
with the ball in their territory. to show them both sides of the ball.
So, we make that note. That is our We show them some of the plays we
defensive period. feel they need to see. It is a great
opportunity for them to see what the
Then of course at 6:15 PM or some- opponents are doing. Then we have
where around that time we start our our pre practice.
conditioning. We mix the drills up
on conditioning. We do what we call WEDNESDAY PRACTICE
our “Aerobic Run”. We put the
coaches out on 4 corners of a It is a full practice with emphasis
square. We have half of the team on the passing game implementation
consisting of all the skilled people and special teams.
at one corner of the square. At the
other corner we have all the line- 2:40 – Players dressed for film.
men. The players must run for about 3:10 – Pre Practice.
2 minutes. Actually, they run four 3:30 – Flexibilities.
laps around the outside of the 3:45 – Field Goals/Extra Points.
coaches. 3:55 – Pass Skelly – Defense.
4:10 – Pass Skelly – Offense.
They run a total of about 50 yards. 4:25 – Water.
They are running for times. It is an 4:30 – Stunt Review.
“Aerobic Run” because we are spread 4:40 – All UP (Emphasis on Pass)
13
6:00 – Conditioning – Varsity Lift. shields. We go live on the pass
6:30 – Coaches Review Game Plan. rush. We go live pass offense be-
cause the linemen need to see the
We might change some of the schedule defense live. They need to know who
around on the pre practice schedule. they are blocking. The quarterback
We may just review some of the other needs somebody in his face. The re-
drills. Then at 3:30 we blow the ceivers need a defender up on them
whistle and flex. At 3:45 we work on bumping them. We do that for about
our field goal and extra points. 10 minutes.