Go Down Gamblin'- Blood, Sweat & Tears
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo - Rick Derringer
Go All The Way - The Raspberries
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
The Coaches Office: Behind the Scenes of HS Football w/ Chuck Smith & David Buchanan: Season 2 Soundtrack
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Moving the Needle: Empower, Delegate, Organize, Work Ahead
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| Going back to Mason County setup, primary work space will be at the HS |
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| Wes Young made this solution possible. Much better set up in the equipment room |
When choosing between two tasks that you are currently facing, if one task will empower another staff member to start working and take tasks off your plate, that is the one you need to complete. Then, while you are working on one task, those staff members can get more done. I don't want to leave anyone out or forget a task that one of our assistants has taken over, but one reason we have been able to get so much done is the quantity and quality of the work performed by our assistant coaches.
We took our time in hiring a staff. It took some patience. And, in the first few weeks, it was tougher to get things done... including having enough coaches to run spring football. But it really paid off. And, to help us early while we were understaffed and still learning, some guys that had been with me in the past came and helped us in the short term. Every time you have somebody working that can do it better than you can do it, you are getting things done and making progress.
What we have been able to accomplish as a staff the past three months has been impressive.
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Two things that don't cost a dime and require zero talent that can really move the needle:
1) Working ahead
2) Being organized
Both of those are going to dramatically increase productivity, efficiency, the quantity, and quality of work. Bill Walsh said that everything we can do before the game, every decision we can make before kick off, we should do it. He believed our decision-making is much better in the calm than it is in the storm. From a practicality standpoint, some tasks, like game planning, I can't get it all done unless I do work ahead.
Gameplanning : Stealing Ideas from the Greats and Building a System that Works
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| Heaven's to Betsy: one of several cool places in downtown Lawrenceburg |
Also critical, my bosses that interviewed me in early April have been super in following through on those initial conversations. None of this would be possible if that were not the case.
Every minute invested up front, working ahead or getting organized, is going to pay a dividend in both time and quality. There is no substitute for surrounding yourself with good people. Put that all together, and you have a chance to do something special.
Saturday, May 6, 2023
One Year Off And Five Blessings...No, I did NOT see this coming
Well... I wish I had remembered this earlier.... even Vince Lombardi took a year off! I'm not qualified to bring Coach Lombardi his lunch time hamburger... but that still would have brought some comfort in the past year.
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| Lombardi had one season as HFC of the Washington Redskins |
One year off from being part of a football team was a tough one. But, there were five great things that came from that experience.
1) I enjoyed more time with my family. We tried to be intentional to do things together that in the past, that day would have been a football event. This fall, my father in law passed away. His last words were, "Show me David." I was thankful that I could be there for him and Stephanie during an awful tough time. We now have a grandson, John Parker! Having the freedom to drive to Maysville was great so that we could see him. But, looks like now I will need to stay in coaching for the next 19 seasons. I am thinking he is a linebacker. He has the same temperament as his Dad.
And the latest news, we are about to get a son-in-law, Josiah Robbins! Josiah is the only guy I know that Dick Webb, Chuck Smith, Larry French, Chris Mason, Boone Goldsmith, Billy Goldsmith & Jeff Hester all like! Josiah might be the guy that is most like Robert Allen Yankey that I have come across in 50 plus years. How crazy is that. If I didn't know better, I would say Emma's grandfather & Robert Allen's HS football coach wanted her to have a husband like old #11.
Speaking of old Rebels, my Dad's first team at Boyle(1969) invited me to their team reunion this past fall on a Friday night. The next night, they invited Stephanie and I to their class reunion. It was surreal. I really think part of why I love my old music is that it reminds me of those people and that very special time. Here I was, sitting with my heroes, listening to this old music that I love and brings back the best memories. I think I got a glimpse of heaven in that moment.
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| 1969 Boyle Football Team |
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| Me & Monty Wilkerson. He, Lee Glasscock & I talk often. |
2) I now know that I can survive after football and there are some really good things waiting on me. Before this experience, I really wasn't sure. It was tough, but there were more good days than I anticipated. Between my family, the KFCA, QB workouts, consulting, the podcast with Chuck & Mac, selling Team Issue Footballs, and, hate to admit this, hanging out with my little dog!
A time that I was really dreading is going to be good. When that time is coming, I don't know. But, I'm gonna be ok and I am thankful for that realization. There is certainly a dynamic of my love and calling to coach versus my love and calling for my family. For now, those two are compatible, and I am grateful that is the case.
3) I am a much better coach now than I was in November of 2022. Kevin Wallace is an excellent leader and watching the St. X Tigers every Monday was super. Watching some of the best football in the state was a great learning experience. Being able to step back from the day to day details of running your own program and seeing the big picture in regards to scheme and football's foundational pieces really helped me understand the game at a much better level. The podcast has been incredibly beneficial. Talking through some of the toughest tasks of coaching HS football, weekly, with a great coach who shares many of the same philosophies has pushed my learning curve. Chuck Smith is an incredible coach. And, he is an even better friend. He will never admit this, but I still think part of the motivation for the podcast was he felt sorry for me and wanted to give me a purpose. I am thankful for this podcast and it will always be a priority... no matter where I am coaching.
4) My perspective on football is much healthier and closer to what it was from the very beginning. Of course I want us to win. But, once again, I appreciate football for the sake of football more than I did at the end at Mercer. Coaching HS football in your hometown is a huge privilege, honor and experience. It also, for me, got real personal... too personal. It didn't change what I did or my decisions, but I would get really frustrated when I got resistance(from anyone...adult or kid) to what we needed to do to be our best. Any time someone was not all in, or things were not going the way I thought they should go, it felt like they were giving Tim Horn and Henry Parks the middle finger. Those guys are my heroes!
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| With Henry Parks on HIS field in November. He was our Hog that night. Wow! |
I didn't handle it well on the inside or outside... but much worse on the inside. When Dennis Davis was my boss, he told me one time, 'You can care too much." I don't think I cared too much, but I do think that some things I took way too personal. I know this wasn't the case, but everyday I went to practice, it felt like my Dad and Robert Allen(played his last game there, 9-24-1970) were on the sideline on that field. Strangely, since I resigned at Mercer, when I have been back at the field, I don't feel their presence anymore. Very weird. But, I do feel like that was confirmation that my time had passed in my home town, even though I did not want it be over.
I have a bunch of memories at Anderson County as well. We had a rough night there in 1982. Might have been the toughest of all for my great friend, Alan Hendren. But, he bounced back strong after that game and had a great season. It was an honor to do the eulogy at Alan's funeral just a few weeks ago. I think about him often when I am on that field at practice.
Another night that is a great memory, took place with my Dad after the 1971 Boyle - Anderson game. Six years old, I got to ride the bus home after a 15-14 victory. Those were the days... riding on the school bus was fun!
Another good memory is before the 2019 Mercer- Anderson game when Trosper took the field for pregame warm ups. The student section got after him pretty good. But, it was so dang funny, we had to laugh...probably not appropriate to get into those details. Lol
We are going to work like crazy to make Bearcat football the absolute best it can be. But, after going a whole year without a football team, I am the happiest guy in America to go to football practice in April and May with a brand new team. Football is back to being football. I used to think some times toward the end, "I wish I could get back to that feeling of playing football in the backyard." After Austin Jackson's accident, I ended up passing football with Ian in their yard this past October. I had to laugh. Here I was, playing football in the yard with a little guy... just like me, 50 years ago on Carrigan Drive! God didn't push Austin off that ladder. But God did what He always does... take bad things and use them for good. (Romans 8:28) Friday Nights ... can't wait and will be especially thankful this time around.
5) An incredible opportunity to serve my church. I did NOT want to be a Deacon at HBC. But, I agreed to it so that I could support my Pastor, Paul Gibson. My first Deacon's meeting was just a few days after I resigned at Mercer. Paul resigned! That made no sense!! That put into motion one of the TOUGHEST years I've ever seen for a church. It was also a year that I saw God do incredible things. God, in His infinite sense of humor had fun using an old Methodist in a pivotal year of a struggling Baptist church. I could just imagine my Baptist Music Minister, father-in-law, the basketball guy, laughing with Saints Peter & Paul in heaven about the Methodist football coach who doesn't have a football team, but he IS on the Pastor Search Committee! My Methodism always got under my father in law's skin a little bit. At the end of the day, he won! And, what I saw happen in that church blew my mind. It was a year that there is only one explanation.... God did it. I love Paul Gibson and his leadership put into motion many of the wonderful things that are happening right now at HBC. Trosper was the first one to tell me, "This Jonathan (Johnston) is special."
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| Jonathan & Trosper at a UK Football Game |
God has prepared Jonathan his entire life to be the Senior Pastor at HBC. And, guess what, he is a Pastor's son. He and I can relate to each other and how God's calling for us is so connected to our Dads.
Part of my hope this past year sounded like this... "If God can make me a Deacon in the Baptist Church, He can get me back into coaching football."
In February of 2023, Jonathan was named our Senior Pastor. No more Pastor Search Committee. In March of 2023, the Anderson County Head Football Coach position became available. The timing of these events at HBC and my job as a head football coach.... interesting.
So, here I am in 2023, a Baptist, living in my hometown, a Deacon at HBC, and the head football coach at Anderson County. Yeah... I saw that coming! Lol. What's coolest of all, I am super excited about all of this. I am thankful to be a Bearcat, coaching some wonderful young men w/ a staff of good men and bosses that are committed to a plan to to make Anderson County HS Football the best it can be.
One Year off for Five Blessings. Just when you think you have it all figured it out, it turns out God's plan and timing is the best of all.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Mr. 82... a life changing friendship
This weekend was a big time jolt and life will certainly never be the same, not even close. Friday, 3/3, 11:03 pm, the text(from his sister Lynne) on my phone said, "He's gone 💔." My wonderful friend and treasured teammate, old #82, Alan Hendren, had passed away.
Not sure of the exact year, but Alan moved to Mercer County when we were in elementary school. My first memory of Alan was playing football at recess in the big field next to our school. He was fast!
He later moved to Mount Washington, but he did return for our senior year of high school football, the fall of 1982. His return was a difference maker. Alan developed into an excellent wide receiver. And, he was an even better friend.
In a lifetime of HS football, one of my happiest memories will always be that October night in Berea. Freezing cold. Early in the game, we are on our own 21 yard line. Just as I let go of the ball, I get a facemask in the back. I felt that facemask for the next several weeks. But, with my face in the dirt, I can hear our fans that had rode the pep bus, cheering, but not real loud with my face buried on the 17 yard line. Old #82, Alan Hendren, had caught the ball and taken it the rest of the way for a touchdown. That moment and the people there will always be special to me.
Greg Sims, another old friend, played at Boyle and like me and Alan, enjoys telling those old stories. Greg told me one night, playing DB for the Rebels, he thought he had picked me off. Right as he reached out to make the interception, Alan plucked the football out of the sky to make the catch.
Alan struggled early in the season. But, we would stay after practice and throw. When we hit week 4, he was on fire. If he dropped a ball after that point, I don't remember it. In basically 8 ballgames, according to Donald Mac Yocum's Mercer's Friday Night Heroes, Alan had 7 touchdowns and 651 yards, receiving. In 1982, those were huge numbers! I never gave up on Alan, and thankful that I didn't make that mistake. In 30 years as a head coach, when my assistants wanted to write a guy off, I would remember Alan and tell those guys to keep coaching that young man.
Friday nights were incredibly important to both Alan and myself. We truly loved those games when the lights would come on. Alan was also really good. I tried real hard! But, we definitely had a special bond that was forged on those Friday nights.
As adults, we always tried to stay in touch. We talked about those fall of 1982 Friday nights, often. Alan and I, it is fair to say, we somewhat did live in the past. We loved HS football(1982), more than we should. Guilty. But, that is why we were good friends. When other people would roll their eyes, Alan and I could tell those stories, over and over... and then want to hear them again.
When I got back to Mercer, we were able to get together and talk more than we had the previous years. One of the best things about Alan, I never had to read his mind. He would always tell me EXACTLY what he thought. I would disagree and even get mad some times. But, I knew he was on my side. And, when it came to things like merger, hometown, etc... I knew he was telling me things that other people were thinking, even if they would not say it to my face. For that insight, I was always grateful, even if I didn't like the content.
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| Classmate & great friend, Chris Horn, recognizing Alan as our "Dog" November of 2018 |
One conversation went like this:
Alan: Now, Dave, you can't get mad at me when I tell you what I think you should do.
Me: That's fine. Just don't get mad at me when I tell you that you can stick your suggestions up your rear end.
Alan: Now Dave, you're getting mad.
Me: No, I'm not mad. But don't YOU get mad when I tell you what you can do with your suggestions.
😎
Real friends, Loyal friends... can have those types of conversations.
So... what is this magic of Friday night HS football? Why did we love them so much? Why did we have this bond? Why did we love each other, over 40 years after I threw him that last football under the lights?
The answer comes from Vince Lombardi during his HS football playing days. You can read it in David Maraniss' When Pride Still Mattered: A life of VINCE LOMBARDI. After a loss, Lombardi had what he called "a locker room epiphany."
As he sat slumped on the bench in his grass-stained red & blue uniform, he was overcome by joy, a rare feeling for him. Nothing on the sandlots felt quite like this. He understood that he was not a great player, but he had fought hard, given his best and discovered that no one on the field intimidated him, no matter how big or fast. He was confident, convinced that he could compete, puzzled why other players did not put out as much as he had. He felt fatigue, soreness, competitive yearning, accomplishment- and all of this, he said later, left him surprisingly elated.
Under those lights, together, on those football fields in central Kentucky, for Alan and I, that was the first time in our life that we were the best versions of ourselves. We gave our all and our best for each other and our teammates. We believed we could win and we definitely had the type of chemistry that a QB & WR will have that are great friends and spend time working together. When no one else believed in either of us, we believed in each other. Over the past 41 years, that experience made both of us better men.
James 1:17 reminds me... my friendship with Alan came from God and I thank Him for that life-changing friendship.
Going forward, I want to be, for other people, what Alan Hendren was for me. I want to help others to be the best version of themselves, not just in that moment, but moving forward. Don't get me wrong... we both stubbed our toes, often, since those great times. But, when we have been at our absolute best as grown men, we were those guys that were teammates in 1982.
A challenge for all of us, the next time you are listening to some old music, and a song from the fall of 1982 starts to play, remember Alan, and go be that person that helps others to be the very best that they can be.
Billboard Top 40- September 25, 1982
Old #82, I sure do miss you. But, you have inspired me to be a better person going forward and to try to do for others what you did for me. Love ya Alan and ... thank you.
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
New DC: Questions for the Old Coaches
Young guy, getting ready for his first season as a DC, reached out to four experienced, veteran coaches, to get some advice as he got ready for his new role. Here is what he got in return. Enjoy & Merry Christmas! 🎄
When watching films, what is the first thing you would look for?
How much Statistical information did you break down each week?
In HUDL what did you typically try to look at and break down each week formation, RB Depth etc?
Why did you break this information down?
What tendencies did you look for each week?
When breaking down information what tendencies did you look for first and foremost?
What is the first thing you would do each week when breaking down an opponent?
When putting your game plan together each week what is the first thing you would try to answer?
What are their favorite formations? What are they trying to do out of each formation?
How are we going to shut down their best run play?
What adjustments do we need to make in our pass coverage to stop certain route combinations?
Who is their best player? how do they get him the ball? How are we going to slow/stop that person?
What other things did you look for?
How do you approach
2nd down and short and long?
3rd down short and long?
What numbers/feelings/intuitions influenced when you would blitz, change coverage, alignments etc?
Did you try to take away their best run plays through blitzes or alignments or a combination of both?
Coverage
How did you approach trips/empty formations? What adjustments did you all make out your defense?
Blitzing
Did you set up a system to blitz out of?
If so would you only design blitzes from that system?
Did you create specific blitzes for each team and then rep them that week? Or would you try to use specific blitzes/stunts that had already been implemented into your system?
When looking at blitz packages to use against another team, what did you look at attacking?
The pass protection?
Trying to get the RB 1 on 1 with your best DL, LB etc?
Their worst Lineman?
Boundary?
Passing Formation/Pass plays out of that formations
Finally what was your favorite part of being a Defensive Coordinator?
Coach X
When watching films, what is the first thing you would look for? I break down the video first.... set, play, Dn/Dist, Hash, result. That info dictates everything else. And, you would find alot of info as you do it.
How much Statistical information did you break down each week? Tendencies generated by the breakdown.
In HUDL what did you typically try to look at and break down each week formation, RB Depth etc? I do #1 and then go from there.
Why did you break this information down?
What tendencies did you look for each week? Down/Distance, Formation, Personnel....
When breaking down information what tendencies did you look for first and foremost? See The above
What is the first thing you would do each week when breaking down an opponent? See #1
When putting your game plan together each week what is the first thing you would try to answer? What do they do best. Who are their best players.
What are their favorite formations? What are they trying to do out of each formation?
How are we going to shut down their best run play?
What adjustments do we need to make in our pass coverage to stop certain route combinations?
Who is their best player? how do they get him the ball? How are we going to slow/stop that person?
What other things did you look for? Tip offs. Is there anything they do that tells me the play, presnap.
How do you approach
2nd down and short and long? None.
3rd down short and long? Try to stop what they like best.
What numbers/feelings/intuitions influenced when you would blitz, change coverage, alignments etc? Try to blitz so that I can still cover their favorite pass areas.
Did you try to take away their best run plays through blitzes or alignments or a combination of both? Alignment and reads. If it is ridiculous, blitz the gap.
Coverage
How did you approach trips/empty formations? What adjustments did you all make out your defense? 30. Slide LBs and secondary to strength.
Blitzing
Did you set up a system to blitz out of? Yes
If so would you only design blitzes from that system? No
Did you create specific blitzes for each team and then rep them that week? Or would you try to use specific blitzes/stunts that had already been implemented into your system? Both
When looking at blitz packages to use against another team, what did you look at attacking? Numbers and bad blockers.
The pass protection?
Trying to get the RB 1 on 1 with your best DL, LB etc?
Their worst Lineman?
Boundary?
Passing Formation/Pass plays out of that formations
Finally what was your favorite part of being a Defensive Coordinator?
Solving the problem.... what do they do best and how do we stop it!
Coach A
1. I want to know how they are blocking each play from someone that is playing a similar defense as ours.
2. I am old school. I did everything by hand, I would draw every play and how the blocked it on paper, then I would group it (formation and play) on to a hit chart and analyze what would be the best defense to run versus the different formations. I would get an assistant coach to use hudl and group the formations and plays so that I could sort them by formation as I watched them throughout the week.
3. I would use the hit chart from #2 to get the tendencies.
4. #2
5. Yes to everything in this question. It is important to have answers for everything you mentioned.
6. It depends on what they like to do, you get an understanding of what they like to do by studying their film.
7. Everything I did was to stop what they like to do. It has to be sound on paper before you can sell that to the kids. You will do most all your work on paper every Sunday, then teach the assignments and techniques to execute it to the kids throughout the week.
8. No, with base defense first, blitzes and movement was plan B if the base defense did not work.
9. I would have two to three ways of defending trips, and two ways of defending empty. We would choose based upon what they did.
10. Tweak are already installed blitzes for each team and then rep them that week.
11. Yes to everything you mentioned.
It requires a tremendous amount of film study. Break it all down first thing, get it sorted and organized so that it makes sense to you, then begin analyzing and game planning. It is important that you rep everything you could possibly see on Friday night throughout the week, don"t let Coach X cheat you on practice time :). It will be a blast. I hope this helps
Coach B
When watching films, what is the first thing you would look for?
Coach -- I will tell you, I’m wired a little different than most. I loved football practice and I loved watching film. I enjoyed both. The first thing I would always do was just watch the games I had. I wouldn’t stop the video for anything I wanted to get a feel of the game from all angles. I watched their O and their D. Almost like watching the game as a fan, so to speak. When I was done, I had a feel of his sets, his best players, his adjustments to struggling, who can play, etc. I did that before I started entering any data. Once I entered all the data I wanted, then I would start to just watch him by sets. You have smart kids like we did. If you can teach them what he likes to do in each set, they’ll play faster. Once I had a feel of his sets, then I liked to watch his games from down and distance. What’s he like on first down? Coming out? 3rd and short and 3rd and long? At this point, I was almost quizzing myself. I had a good feel of how he would call the game and what he was trying to do. Some weeks it’s easy and some weeks it’s not. That’s what makes it so fun. Then, I would sort by run/pass and watch all the runs and then all the passes. Again, I’m just getting a feel for what he wants to do, what set he likes to do it out of. Who’s he trying to get the ball to -- why or how does he do that? Does he like the wide side? Is he afraid of the short side? Is there a OL he’s trying to run behind or is there a OL he’s trying to hide, etc.
How much information did you break down each week? And was there anything specific that you would add as far as custom columns in HUDL?
I think you can get into entering too much information. I wanted D/D, Formation, Play, Run or Pass, Hash
Why did you break this information down? Honestly because it was easy to sort and it would give me a great look into our opponents offense.
What tendencies did you look for each week? Other than what is above….I would always look for an OL tendency. You will play some teams where reading the guard or guards is the easiest thing in America. Some weeks it may be the fullback. Some weeks it’s the neck of the center. Some weeks you won’t have anything remotely close to a key to read to help your kids. You will have to rely on being sound and being in the right places.
When breaking down information what tendencies did you look for first and foremost? See above
What is the first thing you would do each week when breaking down an opponent?
See above
When putting your game plan together each week what is the first thing you would try to answer?
What are their favorite formations? What are they trying to do out of each formation? Yes, absolutely
How are we going to shut down their best run play? Yes, absolutely -- then how many reps can we get against this in practice. Walk thru reps, slow reps, fast reps, individual reps, team reps, etc.
What adjustments do we need to make in our pass coverage to stop certain route combinations? Yes, but only if vital / necessary. The only way this would change is if they hardly ever would run the ball.
Who is their best player? how do they get him the ball? How are we going to slow/stop that person? Yes and usually in high school football, you can put this at the top.
What other things did you look for? Are they physical? Are they fast? Will he give me some opportunities to blitz him on odd downs? Will he give away what he wants to do with motion? Will he give away what he wants to do with personnel? How many of his studs play both ways?
How do you approach
2nd down and short and long?
3rd down short and long?
You are always going to have a little idea of what a guy wants to do on short and long yardages. Rep those, teach your kids what he likes to do and move on. IMO, too much is made about downs and distances. If he has a tendency and you see it, rep it and teach your kids what it is. If not --- teach your kids what he likes to do out of each set, prep them with reps and video and you will be fine. You know as well as I do what’s coming when we get in Stack I (3-4 base plays), but more than likely, just 1. Does it really matter what down it is? Not really. When it’s whatever down it is and long, don’t get beat deep and don’t let the QB stand there and play Peyton Manning.
What numbers/feelings/intuitions influenced when you would blitz, change coverage, alignments etc?
I want to blitz to be aggressive and to develop an aggressive mentality with my defense. I don’t like to sit back and play what if. I’d rather be in control. Blitzing is harder on an offense to block guys that are moving. I liked blitzing on early downs. Again, because I want to be in control, not you. Offensive play callers want to be comfortable. They want you to stand there so they can do anything and everything that they want. Get them behind the chains and things change. And, you can be more conservative on 3rd down. I was more aggressive in the red zone. We implemented a period for inside of the 20 so we could cover differently and be more aggressive. I thought it helped us immensely. Don’t just blitz just to blitz and realize that you are going to give up something when you do.
If you are going to change coverage, make sure you have practiced changing coverages and your secondary coach knows what he’s doing ; ) We played 3, 2, 2 read, roll 3 and quarters. You can’t do any of that unless you have smart kids.
Alignment adjustments come from feel, experience and the press box. Communicate with your guy up top what you want and make sure you are asking questions. Most of the time it’s going to be your front lining up wrong, an LB out of position or you are attacking a guy you don’t need to.
Did you try to take away their best run plays through blitzes or alignments or a combination of both?
Are they any good? Then don’t show your hand. Don’t put film out there for others to see what you may need down the road. I’m going to go into each week prepared to do a combination of both. The one thing we know is that we cannot predict which team and what kids will show up ready to roll on Fridays. Be ready with your gameplan to do both and be ready to adjust. They may stink and you may have to open the kitchen sink to win.
Coverage
How did you approach trips/empty formations? What adjustments did you all make out your defense?
My approach depended on my kids. We approached trips/empty on what we could do well with our personnel. Some years it was stay in a 4-4, some years a 4-3, some years we played a lot of 3-4. I go back to this --- what’s he doing in Trips? Is he sprinting, half-rolling, quick game? Is he spreading you out in trips to formation you to run the ball? Is the back to the trips or away and why ? In empty is the QB ever a threat to run? Is the 3 man side a look for protection or is this a 5 man route concept? Is this his screen set or sets? Can the QB beat us if we let him out of the pocket?
Blitzing
Did you set up a system to blitz out of? Yes, a number system
If so would you only design blitzes from that system? We could blitz out of anything and sometimes we would use words, easy words that made sense to the kids.
Did you create specific blitzes for each team and then rep them that week? Or would you try to use specific blitzes/stunts that had already been implemented into your system?
All depended on what we needed to do and how smart and coachable our kids were. I tried not to add anything unless I knew for sure I had something. We killed a good Jefferson Co. team one year by blitzing the same concept vs. his keys. I’m not sure we had another blitz in our package that night, we just changed up some assignments and ran it a couple of ways. They expected us to sit there and we ate them alive. It was awesome.
When looking at blitz packages to use against another team, what did you look at attacking?The pass protection?
I always began with how they protected (slide, number of men, role of the back, etc)
Trying to get the RB 1 on 1 with your best DL, LB etc? Wasn’t as important to me
Their worst Lineman? Yes, overload the gap and make him play football
Boundary? I always prepared for the game with something coming from the boundary.
Passing Formation/Pass plays out of that formations Yes
Finally what was your favorite part of being a Defensive Coordinator?
The preparation and the teaching that went into preparing our kids to go out and play their best. I loved it. I enjoyed the adjustments I had to make, to get them to perform at a high level. It is tough being a coordinator, but it’s awesome as well. Be prepared to adjust, to dominate people and to get your butt kicked, it’s all going to happen. Remember that you cannot stop everything all the time. I wanted to, you will want to, but we aren’t going to hold every team to zero yards rushing, passing and zero points every single Friday night. You can dominate the game in other ways. You are going to coach some games where you are at your absolute best and you are going to lose. Those are probably the toughest. As much as possible, be the energy at practice and be the positivity at practice. Get your kids to enjoy playing for you and having fun with you. Set your standards high and don’t let your foot off the gas.
Coach Z
When watching films, what is the first thing you would do, just watch it through, onltake notes on certain things etc?
The first thing I do is just watch through before I break down anything. When I watch it again, I break down all the obvious things such as first down/distance, formations, hash mark, etc. For me, personnel grouping is something to watch as well. For example, is the TE the same in spread as it is in 2 back sets. That can be communicated from up top.
How much information did you break down each week? And was there anything specific that you would add as far as custom columns in HUDL?
Formations for alignment purposes, look for anything small such as splits, alignment of receivers, etc.Formations with plays was big one with me because certain plays can only be ran out of certain formations.Hashmark tendency for coverage purposes
Formations with hashmark is also a good indicator of play calls. Route Combinations to make sure all coverages can cover routes. After I left coaching with Coach X, motions became important because a lot teams want you to move so they can take advantage.
Why did you break this information down?
What tendencies did you look for each week?
When breaking down information what tendencies did you look for first and foremost?
Formations with plays is the first thing I look for, try to find tendencies with a formation for example, I know Coach X use to run off-tackle behind a TE no matter the formation so it was good to always know where the TE was located.
With all the passing, I think splits with route combination is a good one to know.
Hashmark by play/formation is a good indicator of what to look for.
What is the first thing you would do each week when breaking down an opponent on HUDL?
The first thing I would do on HUDL is look at formations, try to get an understanding of how plays are ran out of certain formations.
When putting your game plan together each week what is the first thing you would try to answer?
The first thing I would answer is are we sound against all formations and can we fit every play in our base defenses. And then make adjustments to special situations such as unbalance sets, unfamiliar formations, etc. I would look for their best players, see who lines up where in certain formations. I would check to see if they “flip” their offensive linemen or do they have a preference of who to run behind. I think also you have to have an understanding that all coverages do not fit everything perfectly so you may want to think about in the passing game what you are willing to give up.
Grouping of personnel is also key as well. I am also a big first down guy, I think you want to create 3rd and long as much as possible by emphasizing winning 1st down.
Formations is the first thing, how will we line up to those formations
Plays and how will we fit those plays in the run and pass game.
What are their favorite formations? What are they trying to do out of each formation?
How are we going to shut down their best run play?
What adjustments do we need to make in our pass coverage to stop certain route combinations?
Who is their best player? how do they get him the ball? How are we going to slow/stop that person?
Is there a go to plan that you would use to slow do a speedy slot?
What other things did you look for?
How do you approach 2nd down and short and long?
This is information I would get from HUDL, I would play tendencies
I would make sure to have blitz package for the short yardage situations
3rd down short and long?
3rd and short, try to stuff the box as much as possible without stretching your defense.
3rd and long, this was always a big blitz down for myself. I would use the HUDL breakdown to make sure my coverages can cover their favorite plays and blitz.
What numbers/feelings/intuitions influenced when you would blitz, change coverage, alignments etc?
Blitz on 3rd and long quite a bit, try to rush the QB at the very least.
In terms of alignment, I would align the same every time and try to mix coverages from the alignment. I like to run 2 high safeties but play a mixture of Cover 2, 3, 4 with those. Also do some combo coverage but the alignment is always the same.
Did you try to take away their best run plays through blitzes or alignments or a combination of both?
I always try to do everything out of our base defense and fits. I would adjust things by scouting and watching video. I may slide an LB or shift DL slightly but I never used a blitz to stop a best running play. I would however keep it in mind if your base packages are not working. I would use a blitz as in game adjustment.
Coverage
How did you approach trips/empty formations? What adjustments did you all make out your defense?
I personally like Cover 2 vs Trips, I think its best way to handle #3 receiver especially with a backside safety. One the things I like to do a lot is play 1-receiver side with soft man coverage, that allows your backside safety to help with the trips side. Cover 2 also allow for minimum adjustments up front with your LB.
I think empty is different depending on the QB. If he is a passing QB, cover 4 is what I preferred although you have to understand that will be gaps in the zones underneath. I also like to blitz and speed up the QB if there tendency is not quick game or screen game. If he is a running QB, I would widen the LB to the formation but I would make sure he doesn't beat me with his legs, make him pass it.
Blitzing
Did you set up a system to blitz out of?
Not really, we had blitzes that we practice and practiced them everyday during blitz period, very rarely did I create a new blitz for a specific team. The blitzes we used were already in place.
If so would you only design blitzes from that system?
Did you create specific blitzes for each team and then rep them that week? Or would you try to use specific blitzes/stunts that had already been implemented into your system?
When looking at blitz packages to use against another team, what did you look at attacking?
Pass protections is the first thing I would look at and try to find the worst lineman.
Also I would look at how they pass protect, are they stepping down, fanning out, pulling anyone, try to take advantage of what they give. If you have a “timid” QB, I would blitz on almost every passing down try to make him make quick decisions.
The pass protection?
Trying to get the RB 1 on 1 with your best DL, LB etc? Their worst Lineman? Boundary?
Passing Formation/Pass plays out of that formations
Did you have specific situations that you liked to practice?
Every defensive practice, I would practice 3rd down. I'm not sure if Coach X still uses but we had a drill called 3rd drill that emphasized 3rd down. I also started using it for 1st down to emphasize the importance of 1st down as well.
I think practicing unbalanced formations is important as well so your kids know how to adjust on the fly.
How did you view your drill work for the defense? Did you try to have everyone implement drills that were as game-like as possible?
Drill work is essential everyday. For me, I think every drill should have a read involved or something to react. For example, when I coach DB’s I would always use a ball or man to make kids to adjust to movement. The game-like drills are usually in groups such as pattern reading with all DBs are run fits with the front 7 or 8.
How often do you like to tackle in practice? Do you implement any creative measures to get more tackling practice in?
I would do tackle drills every day but not all the way to the ground. At Jefferson Catholic, we start to implement rugby tackling drills everyday. I like to do a lot of situational tackling drills such 2 on 1, sideline tackling, etc.
How did you communicate with your Defense on Friday night? Do you have them HUDDLE? Hand Signs?
I think hand signals are the most effective way especially with so many schools going no huddle. I think it also helps to have a second guy to signal the coverage after the coordinator has made the call.
Finally what was your favorite part of being a Defensive Coordinator?
The best thing about being a defensive coordinator is your kids do not necessarily have to a very specific skill set to play if they want, on offense kids need to be able to catch, throw, etc. I always thought if you can play fast and tackle, you can play defense. I know at Jefferson HS. I had LB and DB who were 5 foot nothing but could play because they were physical. They other part of coaching defense is you can let your kids play with an edge (nothing bad) and it takes a different to want to play defense.
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