Love having your opinion.

 

With the recent conversation about punting, or not punting, what are you thought about punting in high school football? Do most coaches punt because it's expected? Or, do they punt because they think they get an advantage?

 

My decision to punt or not goes back to how good is my punter and snapper? If they are good, I will use them. If I am about to screw up a snap or punt, etc. why not go for it?

 

In general, the higher level of football and the better the program, most coaches will punt because if they don't do something stupid they will win and if they go for it and don't make it, their fanbase/alumni will go off on them.

 

At Mason, we started off so low, there was no where to go but up. We faked them from our 10 yard line and my DC knew going into every game to get ready for it. At that point, anything we did was going to be an improvement. It gives the head coach alot more freedom be creative and aggressive when anything you do is going to be a positive compared to past performances.

My decision to punt or not goes back to how good is my punter and snapper? If they are good, I will use them. If I am about to screw up a snap or punt, etc. why not go for it?

Thanks for your thoughts on the matter. If a coach/OC knows they have four plays to pick up the first down it changes those calls and gives them a great chance of converting that fourth down. It sometimes seems that going for it is many times the "safer" decision in many high school games.

Lets see if we have any coaches that will answer this,,

Your team is O and four in the conference, you record is 1 and 10, do you really want to travel 4 hours to face an undefeated team that you know is going to put a running clock on you before halftime?

 

Absolutely. Playoffs are huge experience. A lot of our success this year came from the confidence from our playoff game last year. We weren't 1-9 or anything like that but we were a four seed, playing a 1.

 

We got down 24-0 right off the bat. Came back and made it a one score game late in the game. Showed our kids how good they could be.

 

Next thing you know we go 9-3 and set school records. Ironically our 2nd round game this year was nearly identical to last years game at Garrard.

With that said, if you are automatically in the playoffs, I could see where there is no benefit to playing.

I have had teams that do both styles, I think the advantage of platooning comes with practice time, 2 hours of defense a day or 1 hour.

I have had teams that do both styles, I think the advantage of platooning comes with practice time, 2 hours of defense a day or 1 hour.

I think that is the biggest advantage, first team D practices against first team O every day, much more reps at their position.

 

What gives an average player a better chance of excelling at the position, one day of offense and one day of defense at two different position per week, or two full days at one position?

Coaches - I always here coaches talk about "being balanced" on offense to be successful. What is your balance, run / pass? 60/40, 50/50, etc? Or, is that a stat that you even look at as a coach?

Thanks in advance for the insight. Great thread.

Coaches - I always here coaches talk about "being balanced" on offense to be successful. What is your balance, run / pass? 60/40, 50/50, etc? Or, is that a stat that you even look at as a coach?

Thanks in advance for the insight. Great thread.

 

If you're trying for perfect play balance I think you're probably over thinking it.

 

As a defensive coach, the most "balanced teams" that we see are teams that are dangerous in both phases of the game. Maybe they throw 30% of the time, but they complete 60% of their passes, etc. Those teams are the ones that end up with 200 rushing and 150 passing yards, which is harder to plan for than a team that excels in one area.

 

However balance is overrated IMO. How balanced is Belfry? That's the team we're all chasing in 3A.

 

Champions are made in high school with every offense. Single wing, Air Raid, Wishbone, Flexbone option, spread option, etc. will all win titles this year across the country.

Coaches - I always here coaches talk about "being balanced" on offense to be successful. What is your balance, run / pass? 60/40, 50/50, etc? Or, is that a stat that you even look at as a coach?

Thanks in advance for the insight. Great thread.

 

The toughest thing to defend is an offense that is balanced with pass and run. Maybe not 50/50, but making the defense defend the entire field every snap. Being able to pass on a heavy run Down & Distance, and being able pass from a heavy run formation is great stuff- and vice versa.

 

The key is that you practice these scenarios and execute them well.

 

In Run to Daylight, Vince Lombardi says, " All your effort in any business should be directed to taking the risks out of it."

 

If I practice throwing a deep route from a Pwr I all season on 3rd & Short, there is much less risk than if I make the same decision on Friday night, but we have never practiced that.

 

We will script alot of scenarios all season, but I will try to save those as long as I can. I love having a great 3rd & Medium play that we have practiced for 5 weeks that no one has seen in the formation we will run it from at that moment.

The kicking game or lack of one.

 

How much work is actually put into the kicking game during practice?

 

Again thanks in advance.

The kicking game or lack of one.

 

How much work is actually put into the kicking game during practice?

 

Again thanks in advance.

 

Should get work every day even if it is just kicking, snapping and catching kicks.

Do you like the bye week? Advantages of having it. Disadvantages of it being there.

Yes. I like a week to heal up and rest guys. It is always much better hitting the bye week after a win. I also like getting a chance to work fundamentals for a week without the pressure of a game.

 

The negative is that you can be rusty after a week off, but the advantages outweigh the positives.

Do you like the bye week? Advantages of having it. Disadvantages of it being there.

 

Love it if we're not healthy. Love it as a way to work on fundamentals and to get better. Hate everything else about it.

Yes. I like a week to heal up and rest guys. It is always much better hitting the bye week after a win. I also like getting a chance to work fundamentals for a week without the pressure of a game.

 

The negative is that you can be rusty after a week off, but the advantages outweigh the positives.

Coach, during our bye week we relax practice for our starters and give our younger kids more practice reps. Good idea?