LN and I had a brief discussion on this topic after the HHS-Mason County game the other night.

 

Highlands' next game is arguably the most important of the regular-season. Arch-rival CCHS, and they have a pretty strong team. Here's where my question comes in. HHS showed exclusively passing plays with its first string against Mason County - no designed running plays. Im not quite sure which "camp" I'm in. The "don't show any of your cards for the next team on the schedule" - especially if it's a huge rivalry that could go down to the wire; or the "let's show them everything but the kitchen sink" so the next team will have to game-plan for every eventuality.

 

LN says (and he should know) that Coach Mueller has done both over the years. Do you favor one strategy over the other? Is it situational/fluid? I'm not a coach, so I don't know what I'd do, but I am curious as to which side I would take.

 

Again - you're playing an overmatched squad and the biggest game of the year is next week. Do you run a limited number of plays (e.g. exclusively pass or exclusively run; limited formations, etc.) and not show your hand; or do you run all kinds of plays and formations to give next week's opponent "more stuff" to think about?

Edited September 17, 201214 yr by mcpapa

I feel like a good coaching staff is going to have just about the same idea of what their opponent is going to do regardless of hiding plays, formations, etc. Personally I think it's silly to limit your offense, or defense in non district games. It is my belief that a team should use all of their weapons, all the time so they have those formations, and plays down to a science when it matters. If your team is good enough, it shouldnt matter if the opponent knows what plays you could potentially run out of a certain formation, because although they may have an idea, they still aren't going to know for certain. 90% of offensive plays, if executed correctly, are designed to score, so if the defense has an idea of what may be coming, you still have to execute the play. Many times, a team can run 4 or 5 different plays out of the same or similar formations. So showing all of your formations, doesn't really mean your showing everything. I hope that makes sense..

 

So to answer the question, I am in favor of the "were running in right here, I dare you to stop us" school of thought. Im in favor of putting it all out there, and mastering everyting for when it really matters. Although I think it's always a good idea to have one or two "tricks" up your sleeve, just in case

This may not be the case for all the schools, for instance Highlands may not do this, but for the most part I find this to be true, and that is this...

 

Most teams and coaching staffs don't really "hide" a lot of things they do in games because they are afraid a future opponent will see what they are doing etc.

 

What I mean by this is, I think it's more talk than anything else. If your team is great at the running game they aren't going to play the first 5 games before they enter into district games throwing the ball a lot. If you have a team that is great in the passing game, you don't refuse to pass before district games and only run the ball the majority of time. You go out there to win games, you are not going to refuse to use your strengths if it can cost you a W at the end of the day.

 

So instead of just running a "Vanilla" offense or defense so your district rivals can't game plan against you really doesn't exist as much as people like to think it does. For instance, Boone Co. is a running team and always has been, they aren't going into each game before district games start by throwing the ball around. Instead they run their normal offense running between the tackles and they play the same way in district games.

 

What you will find though is coaching staffs will toss in new plays, or wrinkles for instance. Their game plan or scheme really doesn't change but what does change is a new play here and there. That doesn't mean the scheme has changed, it simply means they will toss something new in there you may not have seen them run before. An example of this is what Cooper did in their playoff game last year. They ran the same offense they ran all year but they added 2 new offensive plays. Trick plays. That was the only difference in their game planning. the rest of the game was the same, they run what they have been successful with all year and that is what all teams do.

Teams may change their defense up a lot more from week to week than they do their offense. They change their defenses up depending on what their next opponent does on offense, and every team is different when it comes to their offenses, so defense will always seem to be tweaked here and there.

 

What coaches do is plan their game plan on simply stopping the other teams bread and butter and vice versa. The "not showing" what they can do in games from week to week is more talk than fact.

Head coaches/offensive coordinators have an offensive style that they like to run. The good ones adjust their system to the athletes and players they have every year. With that being said, the same should go for the opponent they play week to week. Add different plays, same plays different formations, new formations. I think it's easier to mask what a team likes to do on defense moreso than offense. You don't have to play as aggressive against a weaker opponent.

Several ways to go here, so situational is the correct answer.

With that being said, HHS knows what CCH is going to run and CCH knows what HHS is going to do.

The bottom line when 2 teams meet that know each other so well is who executes and who makes the right calls at the right time.

A chess match if you will.

Right now, HHS is the Grand Master.....

Here's hoping that CCH's staff has been studying the board.

I don't think hiding anything really helps, but I do like it when a staff puts in a completely new set just to make other teams prepare for it. I have seen teams put a new formation and set of plays in and run it against a weaker opponent just to make a future opponent have to devote some time in practice to it. That makes more sense to me then trying to hide something that the other team probably already knows is possible.

 

Now, if you are playing a weaker opponent, then working on a part of your game that is not the strongest aspect of your offense is a good idea. If you are a predominate running team and you work on the passing offense in real game situation, that is a good idea.

I don't think hiding anything really helps, but I do like it when a staff puts in a completely new set just to make other teams prepare for it. I have seen teams put a new formation and set of plays in and run it against a weaker opponent just to make a future opponent have to devote some time in practice to it. That makes more sense to me then trying to hide something that the other team probably already knows is possible.

 

Now, if you are playing a weaker opponent, then working on a part of your game that is not the strongest aspect of your offense is a good idea. If you are a predominate running team and you work on the passing offense in real game situation, that is a good idea.

 

 

I think a good example of this was shown earlier this season when Colerain played Ryle. Colerain, a traditionally, heavy running team, took this opportunity to work on the passing game. I think it worked out well for them.

I think a good example of this was shown earlier this season when Colerain played Ryle. Colerain, a traditionally, heavy running team, took this opportunity to work on the passing game. I think it worked out well for them.

 

I know that Highlands/ Mueller went into his season thinking that they were going to be a very balanced team. They returned a real nice group of experienced receivers and a QB who can get the ball downfield. However, injuries to what I think are the top two receivers in Christian and Collinsworth, and a lack of continuity in using six other receivers, has led to a slow development in the passing game. Last week was the makeup for all of that. Collinsworth was back because he was ready. Christian did not play because he won't be ready for CovCath. 44 pass plays is the equivalent to two or more games.

In a nutshell,I don't think it has a thing to do with what CovCath is seeing or not seeing on film. I think Mueller was getting his passing game up to speed. Not worried about CovCath. Worried about getting his team ready.

When SK played NCC last week SK's defense was not as aggressive as they usually are. I am sure they unleash the dogs this week.

When SK played NCC last week SK's defense was not as aggressive as they usually are. I am sure they unleash the dogs this week.

 

Being less aggressive is not a coaching stratgegy.

I always thought it would be kind of fun, but probably not feasible, to actually run three different offenses. One week you run a single wing attack, the next week you run shotgun and 4 wide receivers, then when your opponent gets film on you, he sees those two, and you run a power i against him. And that cycle continues. Again, its not really possible, and district play would mess it up since they would have seen more film on you, but i always joked that would be crazy tough to prepare for!