Will enclose two items from our notebook that I have always lived by (in two seperate posts):

#1 COMMON COACHING ERRORS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM By: Bud Wilkinson GENERAL COMMENTS: The best coach is the one who makes the fewest mistakes; the one who does the best teaching job; the one who is the best organizer. Writing the Xs & Os is not the most important thing. There are 22 variables in a football game. Coach must be a salesman to the extent that when his team loses, they dont blame him or the offensive and/or defensive system, but rather themselves. ERRORS IN TEACHING METHODS: FIRST = FAILURE TO USE TIME EFFICIENTLY. Failure to recognize the time factor available to get the job done. Planning makes for valuable use of time. Too long on any one thing produces boredom. When boredom comes in, learning goes out. Football players have a short attention span. Hold to time schedule. SECOND = FAILURE TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE DRILL. Tell the boy WHY he is doing what he is trying to accomplish and he will do a better job. Explain WHY, then show HOW. THIRD = IMPROPER TEACHING PROGRESSION. You cant teach a boy how to block until he has learned stance. If he hasnt learned stance, he doesnt know how to step out of the stance into the block. FOURTH = TOO MUCH VERBAL INSTRUCTION ON THE FIELD. How much can boy learn from your verbal instruction with his helmet on, hes breathing hard, he aches, hes stunned, etc. Do WHO and WHY in chalk talk. Teach assignments before hitting the field. Correct on the field. Teach no! (HOW is taught on the field not WHO & WHY). FIFTH = TOO MUCH DEMONSTRATION BY COACH. How much you know is not important. How much player knows is. SIXTH = BEING ON THE FIELD TOO LONG. Better to have a team eager to play rather than physically tired. How long to practice is a judgment factor. Cut down as season goes along not going to change mechanical ability late in season. Only one rule never violated at Oklahoma. If one coach on staff feels practice too long, we must cut it down. More boys play poorly because they practiced too long than boys playing poorly because they didnt practice long enough. ERRORS IN TACTICS AND STRATEGY: FIRST = TACTICS AND VICTORY. You get very few victories on tactics. Victories come if you can out block, out tackle, out fundamental your opponent. Red Sanders quote: Intimidate them physically! Outmaneuver no. Defeat yes. SECOND = CLEAR CUT PHILOSOPHY A MUST. Decide on an offense and defense that will suit your personnel then stick to it. Depth of morale can be determined by a kids reaction to a loss. If morale deep, theyll blame themselves. If morale shallow,

theyll blame you. THIRD = TOO MANY PLAYS AND DEFENSES. Subtract the number of different plays used in the game from the total number of plays you practiced. If this number is too large you better get rid of some plays. It is difficult enough to know when to run offtackle, but if you have four ways to run off-tackle, you will never get the right play. Beauty of Split-T was its very limited number of plays ERRORS IN JUDGMENT: FIRST = BE REALISTIC ABOUT PLAYERS ABILITY. Dont just put an X or an O on the board. Put up the boys name. Immediately his limitations affect the offense or defense you put up. Whale of a lot of difference between Dick Butkus and Humpty Dumpty. SECOND = WHEN CHIPS ARE DOWN, BEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE GAME. It is a mistake to be able to play blue chippers only one way. Say best kid you have can only go on offense. Say opponent has ball for 45 minutes. These are 45 minutes he cannot help you. ERRORS IN OFF FIELD RELATIONSHIP: FIRST = RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS. The environment that exists has a lot to do with winning or losing. If they are with you, your job is easier. If they are against you, youre in trouble. Work on a program of how to win friends and influence faculty members. SECOND = ORGANIZE A MOTHERS CLUB. Get mother on your side by pointing out to her what he can get out of football besides winning games. THIRD = PRESS, TV, AND RADIO. Straight up fact of life that the great majority of people get their impression of you from what they read in the paper, see on TV, or hear on radio. Their jobs depend on info. Get it to them to make their jobs easier. Get these people on your side. Let them know what youre doing. They will interpret what youre doing in the way you want it interpreted if they are with you. ERRORS IN DEVELOPING MORALE (MORALE IS TO THE PHYSICAL AS 4 TO 1). FIRST = FOOTBALL BEGINS WITH MORALE! Once you get morale, it is easy to maintain. How to get it is a problem. SECOND = HOW TO LOSE MORALE. Do what you said youre going to do. Dont say were going to practice 1 hours and go 2 hours. Training rules if youre not going to enforce them, dont have them. THIRD = MORALE STEMS FROM DISCIPLINE (ALL Discipline begins by being on time). FOURTH = TREAT PLAYERS AS A PERSON. If he feels you are interested in him only as a football player, he wont go all out for you. If you are interested in his academics, his personal problems, etc. and he knows this, hell go all out for you. Convince him that football is good for his future. FIFTH = One year, Knute Rockne had 2 QBs. Under great athlete, team failed; under

mediocre QB, team succeeded. Why? Captains reply the great athlete is trying to show how good HE is. The TEAM is trying to make the average guy look good. COACH IN YOUR OWN WAY: FIRST = DONT COPY! Note clinicians and their personalities. ALL different ways of being successful. Plan carefully in the off season. Cant take golf lessons between the 8th green and 9th tee. CONCLUDING REMARKS: The man who is best organized and does the best teaching job, is the best coach.

------------------------Bill Mountjoy FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY (TOP 10) #1 THERE ARE 4 PARTS TO A FOOTBALL PROGRAM. LISTED IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE THEY ARE: A) MORALE (CONTROLS THE WHO, HOW, & WHAT) B) PERSONNEL (WHO) C) TECHNIQUE (HOW) *IF YOU HAVE A & B, C & D WILL COME EASY! D) STRATEGY (WHAT) #2 3 THINGS YOU MUST TEACH YOUR PLAYERS IF YOU ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL: A) WORK ETHIC (HOW TO WORK) B) NEVER GIVE UP ATTITUDE C) TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES #3 WILL OVER SKILL ATTITUDE OVER ABILITY! PERFORMANCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FORM! TOUGHNESS IS CONTAGIOUS! #4 CHARACTER IS HIGHER THAN INTELLECT

#5 A FOOTBALL GAME IS DIVIDED INTO 3 PARTS (OFFENSE; DEFENSE; KICKING). YOU MUST CONTROL AT LEAST 2 OF THESE (ANY 2) IN ORDER TO WIN! #6 BE SURE YOUR TERMINOLOGY JELLS (OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE SIDE OF BALL SHOULD USE SAME TERMINOLOGY). WHAT A QB READS AS COVER 3 SHOULD BE THE SAME AS WHAT YOUR SECONDARY COACH CALLS COVER 3, ETC. #7 BALANCE IS NOT DOING SOMETHING 50% OF THE TIME (SUCH AS RUN), AND DOING SOMETHING ELSE 50% OF THE TIME (SUCH AS PASS). THIS WOULD INDICATE PREDICTABITY RATHER THAN BALANCE. BALANCE IS BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WHEN YOU NEED TO DO IT! #8 TITLES DO NOT AN ASSISTANT MAKE! HAVING OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS STIFLES THE CREATIVITY OF THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS! #9 THREE FACTORS WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE THE MOST TO YOUR SUCCESS (FROM A POLL OF GREAT COACHES): A) TRADITION B) GOOD ASSISTANTS (LOYAL; WITH AN APPETITE FOR THE GAME) C) TALENT #10 DONT RELAX DISCIPLINE IT PRECEDES MORALE! (DISCIPLINE STARTS WITH ALWAYS BEING ON TIME)! REMEMBER TEAM RIGHTS ALWAYS SUPERCEDE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS!!!!!

------------------------Bill Mountjoy Report this to a Moderator 12/13/2005 6:31 AM

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Here is something we give the assistants. This also helps more than the actual SYSTEM!!!!! PRACTICE AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 1. Goal is to out practice our opponents. a. Practice harder b. Practice smarter c. Practice with game day intensity 2. You Must Get Your Position To Believe That You Are The Best Coach And Teacher In The League. If The Players Dont Believe, We Wont Win. 3. We Must Be Great Teachers. What you see on video is what you have coached. You are a teacher! Your teaching is evaluated by your players performance. Profs can have A, B, C, D, F students. We must have all As. Keep things simple. Dont over coach. Find the best way to teach. Teach fundamentals. Our goal is that each player masters the fundamentals at his position. 4. We Know What Must Be Taught Staff Growth. Improve Schemes, But Have A Philosophy And Sell It To The Players. 5. Utilize Teaching Aids. Change up procedure of meetings Must use them Video Breakdown (find a way to use it). Marking Boards accuracy of diagrams is critical 75% of learning is visual. Practice and Scrimmage Video Training Video 6. Great Enthusiasm (Not Cheerleading) - 3/1 Theory (3 Positive 1 Negative). Explain to athlete we criticize performance and not to take it personally. Find things to be positive about. 80% of your communication and motivation should be positive! If this is not true, then change! 7. Must Be Consistent. All players must be team players and abide by the Team Covenant. Consistency in everything. Praise and criticize all players. Players will notice any inconsistency in your player interaction.

Coach toughness. Coach toughness. Coach toughness. Coach toughness. Coach 100% effort every play. Every Play Every Day! - Play Hard Players must be on time every scheduled meeting or practice. Attention to detail. Demand players to compete in everything they do. (6-second player) 8. Hard Workers On Field. Coaching. Coach every play! Coach every play! Coach every play! Coach every play! Dont stand in one spot. (Hands in pockets, arms folded not permitted in our program.) Get to where the action is. If coach stands around, so will players. No clinics on field. Thats why we meet and have walk-thru. Coach will run drill to drill just like the players. Players must run on the field - never walk. Players dont lay on the ground. Demand enthusiasm, intensity and knowing assignment. 9. Control The Hitting - Tag-off, Play Ball Live-Tag Off, Thud, Live. 10. The best coaches in the country take their players performance personal. OUR COACHES TAKE THEIR PLAYERS PERFORMANCE PERSONAL!

------------------------Bill Mountjoy