Dum Coach

In our league we're allowed to have an adult on the field with our 9's. So I take a notebook out with me with with file folder tabs. The tabs give the play name. By glancing at the file tabs I can turn to the play call which shows the play diagrammed against a 5-3 and, on the flip side, diagrammed against a 6-2. I just show the kids in the huddle the diagram and they look to see who they have. You'll see little fingers finding themselves on the diagram and tracing it to whom they have. The light comes on in their eyes and we break the huddle and, unless they get creative, the defense gets clobbered every time. I keep about 12 plays in the notebook this way. About 7-8 kids will eventually learn who they have without looking. But there's always 3-4 kids who have to check every play, whether it's the first game of the season or the last. If you're not allowed to be on the field with them, you can still use the notebook in practice in order to spot mentally weak players. Use it to teach every single play. You'll know when you've reached "peak player" play load when the following happens. If you call "23" against a 5-3 and show it in the huddle, and the little fingers trace, on your next call, if you "23" again against the same defense, there should be no little fingers tracing. It's the same play, same defense. Each player has the same person. If you see a kid tracing now, you're dealing with a player who has a mental block. This player is simply going to block whoever is in front of him on game day. He has reached the point of mental overload (Which may come very quickly). You have added one play too many. There are several ways to deal with this player. They are 1) reduce the number of plays by one and go back to where he was error free 2) Change him to a position that requires less thought and keep adding plays 3) Let the player who he lines up beside, and who does understand the system, call out the jersey number he has to block 4) Put him on a wedge team (There's an entire wedge offense) 5) Teach him "finger blocking" and 6) Keep your number of play calls up, but the number of "cues" that apply to him down.

There have been two important posts on this subject made by others. One was by JB who recognized my mistake in trying to keep the total number of plays down. I had been advocating six plays. The logic for that was simple. The average kid can learn 8 plays. Below average kids learn less. So 6 plays seemed like it would cover everyone. But the DC Wing T is not a 6 play offense. That's because it makes a threatening player out of every eligible ball carrier and receiver. Since you have six eligible, you automatically have "6" plays minimum before you have even begun picking your play series. Your better athletes will have more than one play. So you'll have at least 9 running plays and three pass plays - And which is why you'll look like you belong on TV with your team (I have a newspaper article on my 7-8's in which the sports editor marveled at how such little kids could possibly be taught to run the wing T.). Because multiple players are getting the ball, you need multiple plays. So look for ways to increase your plays while reducing mental load. The one play I find that if I leave out for the first game that reduces mental load the most is "20 midline". Unfortunately, it's often the play I find I need the most in my first game. What pointed the light to me that JB was already seeing was that I was having a tendency to lose my first game and then, as the season progressed, and I added more plays, we'd go on an undefeated roll. We weren't blocking any better. We weren't executing any better. We just had more plays. And since most of the plays are "conflict" plays where "whatever the defense does it's wrong", we simply put them in so many conflicts the defense became overloaded. More plays=more conflicts=more wins.

The second important post was written just a little while ago and is probably still up. Some coach ran my offense and lost his first six games. I've never seen or heard of that before. He did point out that he eventually discovered his problem was in the line, fixed it, and won his remaining games. That was an important post because it demonstrates where your time has to be invested. This problem has never occurred for me because I coach the line. If you don't want to coach your own line don't expect anyone else to want to either. You'll almost never be happy with what that "someone else" does. Run the line yourself with that "someone else" and then tell him to take over and keep doing what you were doing. When you leave, head for your fullback. This is the next critical spot you have to spend your time at. I'll post on that today.

Now! I really can't tell you what plays, and how many, to run without knowing your players. But I can comment on your current plan. So feel free to share what you've come up with. Further, there is no single one right answer. With so many plays to choose from, we could easily come up with three entirely different series for you, all of which will be good (But one which will be ultimately better based upon how it fits your individual players.).