Building A Championship Football Team - free ebook by Paul W. Bryant

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Building A Championship Football Team

Paul W. Bryant

81 chapters

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81 chapters

Dedication

Dedication

To a few close associates who were genuinely dedicated to the game of football. These men were not only great assets to the game; they also exemplified the true American way of life. Had it not been for men like these, many of us would have fallen by the wayside. To them, I am forever grateful....

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Acknowledgment

Acknowledgment

This book would not have been possible had it not been for the untiring efforts of Eugene Stallings, co-captain Texas A &amp; M 1956, All Conference SWC End, and assistant football coach, University of Alabama. “Bebes” Stallings exemplifies the true meaning of football, both as a player and as a coach....

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A Real Competitor

A Real Competitor

If Sir Andrew were coaching football today, he would be accused of teaching “hard-nosed football,” for his battlecry “I’ll rise and fight again” is that of Paul “Bear” Bryant, author of this book and self-acknowledged teacher of hard-nosed or all-out football. Paul Bryant is one of the ablest, most colorful, most controversial mentors. Fans either love Bear Bryant or despise him—which makes him excellent box office. Competitive fires flame high in Coach Bryant. Legend has it he once played an en

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Building a CHAMPIONSHIP Football Team

Building a CHAMPIONSHIP Football Team

Have you ever wondered about football? Why it’s only a game which is as fundamental as a ball and a helmet. But the sport is a game of great importance. If you take all of the ingredients that go into making up the game of football and put them into a jar, shake well and pour out, you’ve got a well-proportioned phase of the American way of life....

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FOOTBALL IS MORE THAN A GAME

FOOTBALL IS MORE THAN A GAME

Football is the All-American and the scrub. It’s the Rose Bowl with 102,000 cheering fans, and it’s the ragged kids in a vacant lot using a dime-store ball. It’s a field in Colorado ankle-deep in snow, and one in Florida sun-baked and shimmering. Leaping cheerleaders, a brassy band, and the Dixie Darlings are a part of the wonderful game of football. It’s a rich guy being chauffeured to the stadium gate, and a frightened boy shinnying the fence and darting for the end zone seats. It’s a crowd wh

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FOOTBALL IS THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL

FOOTBALL IS THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL

For four quarters, football is the Great American Novel, with chapters from Frank Merriwell, the Bible, Horatio Alger, the life of Lincoln and Jack the Giant-Killer. Newspaper photos, arguments, Mr. Touchdown USA, yellowed clippings, the Hall of Fame, The Star-Spangled Banner—they’re all football. It’s a game of young men with big shoulders and hard muscles. It’s also a game of old pros, such as, 38-year-old Charlie Conerly quarterbacking the New York Giants to a football championship. Football

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FOOTBALL IS THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

FOOTBALL IS THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

Football, in its rightful place, can be one of the most wholesome, exciting and valuable activities in which our youth can possibly participate. It is the only sport I know of that teaches boys to have complete control of themselves, to gain self-respect, give forth a tremendous effort, and at the same time learn to observe the rules of the game, regard the rights of others and stay within bounds dictated by decency and sportsmanship. Football in reality is very much the American way of life. As

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HOW TO START BUILDING A WINNER

HOW TO START BUILDING A WINNER

Building a winning football team is something that cannot be accomplished overnight, or even in a year or two, if the program is starting from scratch. I believe, irrespective of the time element involved, a football program has little chance of succeeding unless the following “musts” are adhered to: 1. The coach must have a definite plan in which he believes, and there must be no compromise on his part. 2. The football coach must have the complete cooperation and support of the administrators a

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THE TYPE OF BOY = SUCCESS OR FAILURE

THE TYPE OF BOY = SUCCESS OR FAILURE

The team with the best athletes will usually win the tough ball games, other things being equal. It is a well recognized fact that a coach is no better than his material. Therefore we must have the best material available in order to be a winner. I tell my coaches if they can recruit the best athletes to our school, then I can coach them. If they recruit mediocre athletes, then the assistants will have to coach them. There are a number of qualifications that we look for in our athletes, and some

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GOOD ORGANIZATION—A BIG FACTOR IN BUILDING WINNERS

GOOD ORGANIZATION—A BIG FACTOR IN BUILDING WINNERS

Without good organization our thoughts or plans of any kind would be absolutely useless. Good organization is a must if a team is to operate at maximum efficiency. There are many plans of organization that are good, and I am not saying mine is the best, but I believe my plan is sound and this is what really counts. It always has been my practice to observe people who are successful in a particular field, and try to determine what makes their operation successful. There is little originality rema

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

Winning theories vary from coach to coach, but our philosophy toward building a winner consists of the following factors: (1) a hard working staff that is dedicated to football; (2) players with a genuine desire to excel, to “out-mean” the opponent, and be in top physical condition; (3) a strong organization and a sound plan; (4) mental toughness in both staff and players; and (5) the full confidence of the school administration. In addition, you must teach sound football. Your boys and your sta

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ASSISTANT COACH: TYPE OF MAN

ASSISTANT COACH: TYPE OF MAN

There are many characteristics I am seeking in an assistant coach. I shall not attempt to list them in the order of importance because I think they all belong at the top of the list. Briefly, the desirable traits and characteristics I am seeking in an assistant are as follows: 1. He should be dedicated to the game of football. 2. He should be willing to work hard and to make personal sacrifices. 3. He should be an honest person. 4. He should have a sound knowledge of football. 5. He should have

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DIVISION OF COACHING DUTIES

DIVISION OF COACHING DUTIES

Morale on a squad is very important. The morale of a coaching staff is very important, too. I feel the latter group will influence the former group, consequently I am vitally concerned about my assistants having good morale. With this thought in mind, I try to delegate duties and responsibilities so the assistants enjoy their work. Each man is really a specialist, or he can do some phase a little better than another coach. Therefore it’s just common sense to permit him to work at the specialty i

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

In order for the head coach to get the maximum from his assistants, he must set a good example. Since others will follow a leader who actually leads, rather than one who merely tells what to do, I believe a head coach must work longer, harder, and stay a jump ahead of his assistants and the other coaches in the profession. He must be dedicated to the game of football, well organized, sound in his thinking, and have the ability to delegate authority and responsibility to his assistants if he expe

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DEFENSIVE OBJECTIVES

DEFENSIVE OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of defensive football is to keep the opposition from scoring. We want our players to feel their ultimate objective is to keep the opposition from crossing our goal line. A more functional facet of the primary object is to keep the opposition from scoring the “easy” touchdown, which is the cheap one, the long pass or the long run for six points. While a singular long run or a long completed pass may not actually defeat us, it is very likely if either play breaks for the “eas

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DEFENSIVE AXIOMS

DEFENSIVE AXIOMS

There are numerous defensive alignments, just as there are different points-of-view or theories toward how defense should be played. Regardless of the differences and a coach’s particular plan, the following “musts” are considered basic axioms if a defense is to be sound: 1. The defense must not allow the opponent to complete a long pass for an “easy” touchdown. 2. The defense must not allow the opponent to make a long run for an “easy” touchdown. 3. The defense must not allow the opposition to

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OUR DEFENSIVE NUMBERING SYSTEM AND TERMINOLOGY

OUR DEFENSIVE NUMBERING SYSTEM AND TERMINOLOGY

After coaching for a number of years, and always trying to find something that would make football easier to understand for the average player, I came upon a system of defensive numbering that has proven very valuable to me since then. In the past I have used many different defenses. I always employed the technique of giving each defense a name. Most of the time the name had little in common with the defense, and this confused, rather than helped, the players. After discussing the possibility of

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PLAYING OUR DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES

PLAYING OUR DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES

As illustrated in Figure 1 , and mentioned earlier, our techniques and defensive positions are numbered from 0-9 on both sides of the defensive line, numbering from inside-out (with certain exceptions noted, Figure 1 ). I now wish to explain in detail each particular technique, although there is only a slight difference between several of them. As an example, when playing the 2 technique, a defender lines up head on the offensive guard, and when playing a 4 technique he is head up on the offensi

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OUR DEFENSIVE STANCE

OUR DEFENSIVE STANCE

We are not too particular about the stance our defensive players employ, but on the other hand we are not so indifferent that we ignore how they line up defensively. We want them to be comfortable, but at the same time the linemen must be in a position so they can uncoil, make good contact, and be in a good position so they can move quickly. We never permit a man to take a stance in which he gets too extended and loses most of his hitting power. There are a few basic techniques we insist our def

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OUR SURPRISE DEFENSE

OUR SURPRISE DEFENSE

We never send our boys into a football game without trying to prepare them for every conceivable situation that might arise during the contest. We must try to anticipate every situation, and counteract with a sound defense. A situation might be very unusual, and we cannot actually defense it properly until the coach in the press box tells us exactly what the opposition is doing. Then we can work out the proper defense on the sideline and send it in. In the meantime the boys must have something t

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OUR VICTORY DEFENSE

OUR VICTORY DEFENSE

I think it is very important for a team to be able to go into a “ Victory Defense ” when the occasion warrants its use; for example, when you have a slim lead with little time remaining before the termination of the first half or the game. We will go into a 5-man line if we have the game won and our opponents are not close to our goal line. Under such circumstances we can afford to permit the opposition to get a first down or two, but we cannot afford to let them complete the long pass or the lo

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OUR GOAL LINE DEFENSE

OUR GOAL LINE DEFENSE

Our goal line defense is very simple, and I am certain many other coaches use the same goal line defense, as illustrated in Figure 25 . Perhaps there are a number of goal line defenses that are better than ours, but we have faith and believe in our goal line defense, and I believe this is 50% of the battle. When we go into our goal line defense, we want our boys to be so sold on what they are doing that they are not going to let the opposition score. Each man is going to take it upon himself to

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A SPLIT-T DEFENSE

A SPLIT-T DEFENSE

There are a number of good defenses versus a T team with a straight-up T backfield. I will go over several of the defenses we have used more frequently than others. Figure 29 illustrates our 59 call or the Oklahoma 5-4 defense versus the T formation. The individual and team duties and responsibilities are as follows: Figure 29 Ends —The defensive ends play a 9 technique, and on this particular defense both ends’ assignments and techniques will be identical. They will not penetrate beyond the lin

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OUR DEFENSE VERSUS AN UNBALANCED LINE

OUR DEFENSE VERSUS AN UNBALANCED LINE

We do not adjust a great deal to an unbalanced line, and our adjustments are relatively simple. We merely move our defensive line over one whole man, and then revolve the secondary toward the weak side, as illustrated in Figure 35 . Figure 35 When we do this, we carry out our same assignments, which I have explained already. The only difference is that our middle guard lines up on the offensive strong side guard, instead of on the center. If we are playing a 3-deep defense, we would adjust with

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ADJUSTMENTS VERSUS BACKS AND ENDS FLANKED

ADJUSTMENTS VERSUS BACKS AND ENDS FLANKED

When we have a defense called and the opposition comes out and lines up with a back or an end out, we can play it one of two ways. If it is a floater out or an end split, we will adjust slightly with our secondary, and we will drop the defensive end off the line a little. The remainder of the defensive linemen will play the defense that has been called. If a flanker is put out to one side or the other, we will revolve our 4-spoke secondary toward him and leave the linemen in their regular positi

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OUR DEFENSES VERSUS THE SINGLE WING OFFENSE

OUR DEFENSES VERSUS THE SINGLE WING OFFENSE

Defensing the single wing offense has always created problems for us because we feel we must meet strength with strength, and then we get hurt to the weak side. Figures 36-37 illustrate two defenses which we believe are sound, and we have used them successfully against the single wing offense. Of course, personnel makes the defense as we all know, and a linebacker like Jack Pardee whom I had at Texas A &amp; M made all of our defenses sound. Figure 36 is a defense which I feel is especially

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

There are many defenses that are good versus various offensive formations. The important point is to have a defense you and your players believe in, and which is sound in all respects. Each player must take pride in himself and his defensive ability. He must personally feel he is not going to permit the opposition to score. He must accept it as a personal challenge to himself. He must eliminate the long run and/or the long pass for the “easy” touchdown, pursue relentlessly and tackle viciously i

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PASS DEFENSE OBJECTIVES

PASS DEFENSE OBJECTIVES

Pass defense is so vital that one simple defensive mistake can cost your team a football game. In order to have a good football team, the play in the defensive secondary must be sound. The primary objective of pass defense is to keep the opponent from scoring, and secondly, to get the football. We stress these points all the time. On every play we want each player trying to get possession of the football for our team. Pass defense consists of the following phases: 1. Rushing the passer. 2. Holdi

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OUR FIVE-SPOKE PASS DEFENSE

OUR FIVE-SPOKE PASS DEFENSE

The 5-spoke or 3-deep, as it is commonly referred to at times, is a very sound defense in the secondary. Let me explain exactly what I mean by a 5-spoke defense. We compare the perimeter of our defensive secondary to one-half of a wheel, which may have 5 spokes or 4 spokes. The principles are basically the same, as you will see shortly. I shall discuss the 5-spoke defense first, however. Figure 46 illustrates our 5-spoke defense. At the end of each of the imaginary spokes is a defender. The dist

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OUR PASS COVERAGE

OUR PASS COVERAGE

We normally want a man in every area on our pass coverage, unless we decide for one reason or another not to cover one of the “fourths,” as I indicated previously we sometimes do. The defender must intercept or knock down any and all passes thrown in his area. The defenders do not play man-to-man in their areas, but each man covers a zone. If he will play in the middle of his zone or area, when the ball is thrown he can go to it. If a defender plays a man instead of his zone, the decoy can take

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PASS DEFENSE BY POSITIONS

PASS DEFENSE BY POSITIONS

Defensive End (Flow toward a defensive end)—After lining up in his proper stance and position, when he sees the action coming toward him he crosses the line of scrimmage approximately two yards deep in the offensive backfield. His inside foot should be forward, and his shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage, as he plays off the outside blocker. He must contain the passer quickly. He cannot permit the passer to get outside of his position. On certain defenses he will drop off and cover the s

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ADVANTAGES OF THE 5-SPOKE PASS DEFENSE

ADVANTAGES OF THE 5-SPOKE PASS DEFENSE

The advantages of the 5-spoke pass defense are as follows: 1. When playing a team that quick kicks frequently, we have a man in position to field the kick without weakening our defense. Figure 61 2. The 3-deep men only have one position to learn on defense. The defensive right halfback is always the defensive right halfback, etc. 3. When the offense flanks backs and splits ends, it is easy to adjust our defensive backs. Instead of revolving, they simply loosen up or line up wider and still play

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THE 4-SPOKE PASS DEFENSE

THE 4-SPOKE PASS DEFENSE

The 4-spoke or 2-deep defense is also a very good pass defense. I believe it requires a little better athlete to play some of the positions in a 4-spoke as compared to the 5-spoke defense. I would probably be using the 4-spoke defense if it were not for the fact that a number of teams we play quick kick frequently. This was a major factor in my changing from the 4-spoke defense which we used successfully at Texas A &amp; M to the 5-spoke defense which we now use at the University of Alabama.

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PREDETERMINED ROTATION

PREDETERMINED ROTATION

When identifying our different defenses, we decided to number all of our 4-spoke defenses in the 40 series as far as the secondary was concerned. I mentioned in a previous chapter that we have a defensive signal caller for the secondary, as well as for the defensive line. We decided that 4-spoke and 40 had something in common (the 4’s), and would be easy for our players to remember. Consequently a 4-spoke defense is in the 40 series. In addition, we gave our right and left corner men numbers. Ou

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STUNTING IN THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY

STUNTING IN THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY

A team must be sound in its defensive secondary in order to be a good football team. All of us use certain basic principles, but we must be careful we do not “type” ourselves as this could be very costly if the opponents pick up our maneuvers while scouting our team. One of the basic principles we try to teach our quarterback when we are discussing different phases of the passing game is where not to throw the football. While we might not complete the pass, as long as the opposition does not int

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

The basic principles of pass defense are: when the ball is in the air, your secondary men must sprint for the football, play through the receiver for the ball and not around him, and play the football at the highest point possible. If your defenders will apply these basic principles along with an aggressive attitude that the ball belongs to the defenders when it is in the air, you will have a good defensive secondary. In a later chapter I shall explain and illustrate our drills for the defensive

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THE PUNTING GAME

THE PUNTING GAME

I am certain our players are “sold” on the kicking game, and take pride in it. If a player takes pride in something, he will do it well. Incidentally, we work on our kicking game every Tuesday during the regular season. Previously we waited until Thursday to work on our kicking game, but we found our boys were tired the day of the football game, probably as a result of so much running on Thursday. We use the kicking together with our kick-return game in our pre-season practice as a conditioner.

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OUR SPREAD PUNT FORMATION

OUR SPREAD PUNT FORMATION

Before discussing the techniques of our spread punt, I would like to tell you how we adopted it. I related previously that Tennessee defeated my 1946 Kentucky team with a punt return. In 1947 a number of teams hurt us badly by returning our punts. In 1948 the University of Mississippi ran back punts for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Our Mississippi game bothered me a great deal. At the time we were using only the tight punt formation. I was searching for another type of formation which would giv

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OUR TIGHT PUNT FORMATION

OUR TIGHT PUNT FORMATION

The only time we kick from a tight punt formation is when we are backed up inside of our own 3-yard line and it is impossible for us to kick from a spread formation since our kicker cannot get the sufficient depth of 13 yards which we think is necessary. Therefore, we always tell our quarterback we should never kick the ball from behind our own 3-yard line. His objective is to get us out to at least the 3-yard line so we can employ spread punt. Assuming we can’t get out to the 3-yard line, then

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OUR QUICK KICK FORMATION

OUR QUICK KICK FORMATION

The quick kick is a tremendous offensive weapon which we now employ frequently, depending upon our particular opponent. We think the quick kick has helped us win a few football games in the past, and I suspect it will continue to aid us in the future if we execute it properly. Consequently we will continue to spend time practicing and coaching the quick kick. Since we quick kick frequently, this makes our short passing game more effective as our opponents must play their safety man deeper than u

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OUR PUNT RETURN

OUR PUNT RETURN

We have never done what I would consider an outstanding job of returning our opposition’s punts. One reason for this is that it is awfully easy to overlook this particular phase of the kicking game. I am planning to devote more time on punt returns from now on. We feel about punt returns about the same as we do pass defense—you must either rush or return, and it is difficult to accomplish both at the same time. Therefore, we try to do one or the other, depending upon the game situation. We use a

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OUR KICK-OFF AND ITS COVERAGE

OUR KICK-OFF AND ITS COVERAGE

The kick-off is a very important phase of the defensive kicking game because of the number of times it is used in a game. As you know, the kick-off comes at the start of the game, at the beginning of the second half, and after a team has scored. It is a terrific advantage to get a deep kick-off with good coverage, and tackle the ball carrier inside of his 20-yard line. It is important to eliminate the long run on the kick-off return for several reasons. First, a long run has a demoralizing effec

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OUR KICK-OFF RETURN

OUR KICK-OFF RETURN

I explained previously the advantages of returning the kick-off. I like to get this psychological and strategical “jump” on our opposition when we receive the kick-off; consequently, we attach much importance and significance to returning the kick-off. We work hard on our returns. We want a good return so that if we must surrender the ball by punting to the opposition, we’ll give it to them back in their 3-down zone. By this I mean they must make a first down in their first three plays or they w

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OUR ON-SIDE (SHORT) KICK

OUR ON-SIDE (SHORT) KICK

The on-side kick, i.e., legal short kick, is one of the best weapons a team can have when you must gain possession of the ball after a touchdown. We work on the on-side kick, practicing it every week. If an on-side kick helps us to win one football game, then it is well worth all the time we have spent on it. Previously I mentioned our 1955 game with Rice where we were behind 12-0, with three minutes remaining to play in the game. We scored on a running play, kicked the extra point, and with the

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DEFENDING AGAINST AN ON-SIDE KICK

DEFENDING AGAINST AN ON-SIDE KICK

We also work on defending against the on-side (short) kick because we know the opposition will attempt to use it against us. The last year I was at Kentucky, we were playing Cincinnati and I knew they would attempt an on-side kick. I sent 11 players into the game with the sole responsibility of recovering the kick and not permitting Cincinnati to get the football. I wish I could report that we were successful, but Cincinnati recovered its on-side kick. However, our boys at least knew we had work

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OUR EXTRA POINT AND FIELD GOAL PROTECTION

OUR EXTRA POINT AND FIELD GOAL PROTECTION

Our extra point and field goal protection are the same with the exception that on the latter we must cover the kick. Our point-after-touchdown and field goal attempt blocking rules are as follows: Center —Our center’s main responsibility is to make a perfect snap to the holder, and then he braces himself and holds his ground. We actually try to get our center to grab the ground with his hands so that he cannot be knocked backwards. Should the latter occur, the center would leave a hole in the li

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DEFENDING AGAINST A FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT

DEFENDING AGAINST A FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT

When we are trying to rush a field goal attempt, we never rush from both sides at the same time, and we always play our 3-deep pass coverage. The only exception is that our safety will line up a little deeper so he can handle the ball if the situation warrants it. We are always as conscious of the fake field goal attempt and pass as we are of the actual place kick. We only rush from one side at a time, and it will probably be our right side if the kicker is right-footed. We overload to that side

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

I think the kicking game is very important as it is tied in closely with our defensive football. You must be sound in all phases of the kicking game, as neglecting any one phase can cost you a football game. In order to have a winner, our kicking game must be sound. The number one objective of offensive football is to score. If we cannot score, then the only alternative is to kick. We never want to surrender the ball to our opposition outside of the 4-down zone other than by kicking it to them.

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BASIC PRINCIPLES AND REQUIREMENTS OF OFFENSIVE FOOTBALL

BASIC PRINCIPLES AND REQUIREMENTS OF OFFENSIVE FOOTBALL

Offense is based on two primary principles, running with and/or passing the football. They go hand in hand and complement each other in all respects. A team must pass sufficiently in order to keep the opposition from putting all of its strength on or relatively close to the line of scrimmage. A team also must be able to advance the football with its ground game so the opposition does not have to defend against only one phase of the game, the passing attack. The main requirements for playing offe

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OUR OFFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY

OUR OFFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY

To be sure that we are all talking the same “language” and can understand each other readily, we have adopted the following offensive terminology: Flow —Direction in which most of the backs start. On-Side —Lineman on side of point of attack. Off-Side —Lineman on side away from point of attack. Near Back —Halfback on side of flow. Far Back —Halfback away from side of flow. On-Back —Of the two remaining backs in the backfield, the back toward call. Off-Back —Of the two remaining backs in the backf

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OUR OFFENSIVE STANCE

OUR OFFENSIVE STANCE

The offensive stance is very important. It is difficult enough trying to attain maximum results when they are lined up in their proper stance, but it puts your players at a distinct disadvantage and handicaps them greatly if you permit them to assume a stance that is improper and incorrect. Therefore, we put first things first, and try to coach our players always to take the proper stance. The stance for the linemen, with the exception of the center, is basically the same, with allowances being

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OFFENSIVE LINE SPLITS

OFFENSIVE LINE SPLITS

The use of intelligent line splits by the offensive guards, tackles and ends must be mastered in order to realize the full potential of our basic offensive attack. Without proper line splits, it is impossible for the offense to function at 100% efficiency. Therefore, we must present line split theory and coach our linemen in such a way they will have a clear understanding of why and when we want to move in, out or remain stationary. Mastering the intelligent use of line splits is one of the most

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OUR SNAP COUNT

OUR SNAP COUNT

In order for a team to operate at maximum efficiency offensively all of the players must get off with the ball at the same time. They must uncoil as a unit and strike the opposition as quickly as possible. The only advantage the offense has over the defense is the former knows where the play is going and when the ball will be snapped. In order to maintain this advantage the offense must strike quickly as a unit. Should the defense penetrate the offense or the offense not get off on the ball toge

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THE OFFENSIVE HUDDLE

THE OFFENSIVE HUDDLE

The entire offensive operation starts with the huddle; therefore, it is very important to insist that proper huddle techniques are carried out properly. It is not too important the way the men are spaced or lined up in forming the huddle, as long as everyone can see, hear, and get to their proper offensive positions with as little confusion as possible. It is a must, however, for the quarterback to use the proper techniques in calling his plays and in controlling the huddle. A quarterback should

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THE QUARTERBACK’S TECHNIQUES

THE QUARTERBACK’S TECHNIQUES

I spoke previously of the quarterback’s stance. It is very important for him to take the same stance every time. The center must know where to place the ball every time. Centers and quarterbacks should work with each other frequently giving them as much practice as possible. Each center or quarterback has particular traits, and by the centers and quarterbacks working with each other they get to know one another better, thus eliminating bad exchanges between them. The quarterback should have his

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BALL CARRYING TECHNIQUES

BALL CARRYING TECHNIQUES

Every team wins or loses a great percentage of its games due to the manner in which the backs and ends carry the football. All players, not only the backs, should be drilled in the proper mechanics and techniques of carrying a football properly as it is possible on occasions an interior lineman will have an opportunity to run with the ball. The outstanding characteristics or strength of each ball carrier is likely to be different as one might possess outstanding speed, another is a nifty, shifty

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OUR BLOCKING TECHNIQUES

OUR BLOCKING TECHNIQUES

Blocking techniques are basically the same for all linemen. The blocks the backs are called upon to execute are basically the same, too. Therefore, we will not discuss the techniques of each position, but merely discuss techniques and procedures as a whole. The drive block or the one-on-one block was developed primarily for a fast hitting attack, and is one that we use on many occasions. All blocks consist of the following steps: (1) the approach, (2) the contact, and (3) the follow through. 1.

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NUMBERING THE DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENTS

NUMBERING THE DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENTS

Figure 102 a In making our blocking rules or assignments for all of the players versus all different defensive alignments, there are several factors to take into consideration. The rules must be simple, and secondly, they must be brief. We have used several different kinds of rules, such as, “Inside gap, over, linebacker,” and others. This was a good method, but it amounted to quite a bit of memory work for the players because the majority of the blocks were all different and the players were re

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ATTACKING THE DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT

ATTACKING THE DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT

Probably like many other football teams, we have too much offense. However, in order to do an intelligent job of planning our attack versus the numerous defensive alignments, one must have sufficient offense since not all plays are good against all defenses. Regardless of one’s offense, the first approach is to establish a good sound middle attack that is based on the trap, fullback hand-off, and a pass off of the same action. Unless a team can force the defense to respect the inside power and f

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GOING WIDE

GOING WIDE

It is an offensive must for a team to be able to go wide and to get the long gainer. Occasionally all of us get a good gainer from the inside attack, but most long gainers are from passes or some form of wide attack. Previously we operated on the assumption if we could gain four yards on each play we would score with a sustained drive. Statistics will prove a team will generally stop itself by some error, or the defense will stop the offense, before the attack can make four consecutive first dow

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

My objective has been to present each phase of our offensive running game, which can be utilized against the various defensive alignments. Our offensive passing game will be discussed in Chapter 8 . My philosophy is to keep the offense simple, be sound in our coaching, and never settle for anything less than perfection in its execution! The passing game is one of the two main weapons of offensive football. In order for your passing game to be successful, you must sell this phase of football to y

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THE PASSER

THE PASSER

It is beyond the wildest expectation of any optimist to hope for a good passing game without a good passer. Therefore, select an individual who has the natural ability to throw. There are certain things one can and cannot teach a passer. It was my good fortune to have Vito “Babe” Parilli at Kentucky, one of the finest natural passers in modern-day football. Since his motion was natural, we coached him very little, other than on the basic mechanics of grip, holding the ball, etc. I feel it is pos

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PASS ROUTES

PASS ROUTES

A good passing game is based on the following primary objectives: 1. To flood an area, that is, to have more receivers in a particular area than there are defenders. 2. To get a one-on-one situation, and let the offensive man outmaneuver the defensive man by using various cuts or patterns. Flooding an area is perhaps the easiest and surest way of having a receiver open or in a position to catch the ball. The basic thinking in this particular type of passing game is to assign two or three receive

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PASS RECEIVING

PASS RECEIVING

A football team can have a great passer and good cuts and patterns, but unless the receivers do their jobs correctly the passing game is of little value. The pass receiving phase is broken down into the following six basic maneuvers: (1) the release, (2) the approach, (3) faking, (4) running, (5) catching the ball, and (6) running with the ball. To be a good and consistent receiver, the first prerequisite is clearing the line of scrimmage. A good receiver should never be held up at the line of s

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

Offense is based on two primary principles, running with and/or passing the football. The passing and running games supplement and complement each other. Neither phase is of particular value, however, unless the quarterback knows when, where, why and how to use each phase, along with the kicking game. Training the quarterback will be discussed in Chapter 9 . All outstanding football teams have two distinct characteristics in common—a great fighting spirit and a great quarterback. A smart, capabl

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THREE TYPES OF QUARTERBACKS

THREE TYPES OF QUARTERBACKS

There are basically three types of quarterbacks. There is the quarterback who makes positive mistakes, due to his total disregard for the basic principles of generalship. He does not know his offense, and has little understanding and knowledge why his plays are not effective. He is unaware of what the defense is doing. Generally he calls plays quickly—any play to get the team out of the huddle. He destroys team morale and spirit. His team generally loses badly. He is not coachable. I cannot buil

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FIELD POSITION

FIELD POSITION

Of the many factors that go into selecting a play, probably the most important single factor is field position. To aid our quarterback in his play selection, we divide the field into different areas and zones, as illustrated in Figure 116 . Each zone is given a name, and there are some very important “musts” concerning each area. Figure 116 We divide the field into the following areas and zones, with the most important coaching points listed as follows: In this zone we must move the ball out at

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RECOGNIZING AND ATTACKING DEFENSES

RECOGNIZING AND ATTACKING DEFENSES

When working with our quarterbacks “picking” a defense, we never tell them to attack the opposition’s weakness but merely to run away from their strength. The only time your quarterback really needs to know how to recognize a defense and its strengths and weaknesses is when he is changing plays at the line of scrimmage. Otherwise your quarterback will call specific plays in certain zones or areas according to your scouting report and game plans. There are two basic defensive alignments, which ar

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THE QUARTERBACK’S GUIDE

THE QUARTERBACK’S GUIDE

In order for a quarterback to be outstanding, he must be cognizant of certain pertinent information relating to his offense, the opposition’s defense, tactical and strategical information, and the principles of quarterbacking and field generalship. The following information is of value and significance to the quarterback: 1. Know your teammates thoroughly, including your best ball carrier, your best blocker, best pass receiver, best faker, etc. 2. Know all of your plays and everyone’s blocking a

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

It is virtually impossible for a quarterback to know and do everything correctly. However, a coach must work with his quarterback, and the individual must spend many additional hours studying and preparing himself so he will be able to handle any situation that arises. It is an absolute must for your quarterback to be well prepared if you expect to have a successful football team. If you are rebuilding a football team, it is very important for you to pick your quarterback first, find out what he

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OUT-OF-SEASON PLANNING

OUT-OF-SEASON PLANNING

Our planning commences in early summer when I assign each assistant coach to a particular game opponent for the coming season. If we do not have as many coaches as we have football games, several assistants will have to double up and prepare for two opponents. Each coach will secure as many movies as possible on his particular opponent and break-down the films. He also familiarizes himself with the returning personnel, and studies each player’s characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. The coac

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IN-SEASON PLANNING

IN-SEASON PLANNING

During the season we like to see an opponent play at least three times. We feel we can do a better job of planning after we have a fairly clear understanding of what our opponents are likely to do. We want to have a fairly definite idea of what our opposition will do offensively in the following situations: 1. First down and 10 yards to go. 2. Second down and long yardage. 3. Second down and short yardage. 4. Third down and long yardage. 5. Third down and short yardage. 6. Fourth down and short

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GRADING THE GAME FILM

GRADING THE GAME FILM

Grading the game film is a very definite part of our planning. If we do not know who is doing what during a game, we can’t do an intelligent job of planning and coaching. I am sold on our grading system, and we feel that through the study of films we can determine who to play, and also who not to play, in critical situations. Knowing this information in advance has won a number of football games for us. Our procedure for grading films is for one coach to take one position and grade every player

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

Coaching football is a race against time. Time lost on the practice field can never be regained. We attempt to utilize every minute possible in preparing for our opponents and our practice sessions. There are many good football drills. Since we place a great deal of emphasis on defensive football, it is only natural our drills for the most part emphasize individual and team defensive techniques....

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DRILLS FOR THE SECONDARY

DRILLS FOR THE SECONDARY

The following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques for the defensive secondary: With a defensive man standing in a good football position, the coach will move the ball back and forth, and the player will plant, pivot to the inside and sprint in the direction the coach is pointing the football. He will then throw the football and the defensive man will sprint to catch it. The Defensive Cuts Drill is illustrated in Figure 120 . Figure 120 Eight or 10 secondary men will line up b

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DRILLS FOR THE DEFENSIVE ENDS

DRILLS FOR THE DEFENSIVE ENDS

The following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques for the defensive ends: Figure 129 illustrates a good drill to teach reaction and to protect his area, which we use for our defensive ends. The end assumes his normal defensive position. The first backfield blocker attempts to block the end, then the second, and finally the third blocker. As soon as the first man leaves, the second starts, and then the third blocker leaves, giving the defensive end experience in playing one bl

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DRILLS FOR THE DEFENSIVE INTERIOR LINEMEN

DRILLS FOR THE DEFENSIVE INTERIOR LINEMEN

The following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques to the interior linemen: An offensive man is given a football and told to run a straight line laterally back and forth, carrying the ball on the side he is moving toward. The defensive man must be in a good football position moving back and forth with the offensive man, butting the football with his forehead. He bounces back and forth and keeps butting the football trying to knock it out of the ball carrier’s arm. The tackler’

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DRILLS FOR THE LINEBACKERS

DRILLS FOR THE LINEBACKERS

The following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques to our linebackers: Since our linebackers are a part of our defensive secondary, every drill relating to pass defense mentioned and illustrated previously, are also used for our linebackers. Figure 143 illustrates four large dummies, a line of ball carriers (O) and a line of tacklers (X). The ball carrier either fakes at one hole and goes through the next one, or goes through the first hole trying to beat the tackler. The line

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DEFENSIVE DRILLS FOR THE TEAM

DEFENSIVE DRILLS FOR THE TEAM

When we have defensive drills for our entire team, it is usually three-quarters full speed, or as we commonly refer to it, full speed except for tackling. We also have drills in which our linemen run half-speed and the defensive secondary, full speed. At times one side of the line will be full speed and the other half-speed. The offense is operating full speed and does not know which side of the defensive line is full speed and which side is half-speed. Our game condition scrimmages are about th

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

We think our drills are functional in nature, and this is why we use them. I cannot see the value of employing drills which are not functional and which do not adhere to the individual and team techniques we will use in a game. We want to drill and rehearse the players in practice the way we want them to perform in a game. Quitting comes easy for many people. Many do not want to pay the price to be a winner. It requires little effort to be a loser—and anyone who tries can be most successful. The

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It’s All in a State of Mind

It’s All in a State of Mind

We must inspire our boys to the degree they think and know they are capable of doing what it takes to win. Teaching the boys how to accomplish this is extremely gratifying and one of the rewards of coaching. From time to time I have been asked, “Coach, what has been your greatest thrill as a football coach?” Trying to single out the “greatest thrill,” or even one of my greatest thrills as a coach, is very difficult for me to do. The game of football has been thoroughly rewarding to me. I recall

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