Coaching a younger age.

Your 8-9 year olds can learn all the same offensive running plays as 10-12 year olds. It may take them a little bit longer to learn it, but they can eventually be taught the same level of complexity. Where the significant difference shows up is in passing. In most cases, you might just as well be throwing an anvil at your receivers instead of a football. The result is the same. Only about one in fifteen kids under age 10 can catch - And he's often the same kid that can throw the ball (Since catching and throwing are both hand/eye coordination skills). So unless this kid is going to throw passes to himself, you're pretty much SOL on throwing. This makes 8-9 year old defenses very run oriented and you often see "goal line" defenses all over the field. Split 6's, 7-4's, and 7-3-1's are pretty common. This makes running the ball more difficult. Adding to this problem is that going ten yards for a first down for an 8 year old, is proportionately further to go than 10 yards is for an 11 year old. Body size wise, that's a L-O-N-G ways for those little guys to go for a first down, especially against a goal line defense. The result is usually a low scoring game. In fact, there would probably be no scoring at all if not for reverses. The little 8-9 year olds just suck for reverses big time. The entire defense will fall for a reverse - And not just once. Some will fall for it over and over again. You can think of 8-9's as kittens. Dangle string in front of a kitten and the kitten will chase it whereas an adult cat will just yawn and look at you with a "Where's the tunafish?" look in his eye. To little kids, the football is string and they'll chase the string. You can demonstrate this to yourself on your first day with them by having them all sit down in front of you while you're holding a football. Now as you talk to them move the football in your hand to your left. Then move the ball to your right while still talking. If you watch their eyes, their eyes will move with the ball. They're kittens and you're holding string. Want proof? Drop the ball in front of yourself and watch them all pounce on it. They're kittens. To take advantage of this offensively, you will need a good power play against a short yardage defense that also has a good reverse off of that same play. Defensively, you need to stack to stop the run and teach your kids to play the reverse or the other guy is going to do to you the same thing you're doing to him.