AFQ X's and O's

Free football coaching strategies, play diagrams, X’s and O’s for coaches at all levels

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The Triple Option B-Back

The B-Back is the heart and soul of any triple option offense.  Sometimes called a “fullback”, the B-Back must above all be a tough runner, not afraid of contact.  Whether or not he ends up getting the ball during the…

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The University of Sioux Falls Six Basics of Defense

Last month, we talked about our three weapons (eyes, hands, and feet) that we teach each player as a part of our defense at the University of Sioux Falls.  This month we will advance in our progression to what we…

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Developing Toughness Through Strongman Training/ Gut Check Workouts

Toughness is a characteristic that is highly desirable in football players. The ability to endure, adapt and overcome is a trait that allows teams and players to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. As coaches, we are always looking for…

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Special Teams

Kicking Scrimmage – Practicing Special Teams, Third Down Offense, and The Free Kick

Years ago I heard now retired coach Wally Hood present a clinic on the kicking scrimmage. This special teams focused scrimmage format allowed a team to work all phases of the game, but gave emphasis and most reps to the…

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Starting the Season: Firsts Things first – Remembering What is Important

  We started a ceremony here a few years ago to start our pre-season.  The purpose of the ceremony was to help us focus on the things that are most important: 1- Football is fun. We have grown up watching…

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42 Rules for Getting Better at Practice

Practice. How do you use it? How do your players view it? Hopefully, they don’t disparage it like Allen Iverson did in this famous interview. As coaches, we understand the importance of it. Some of us may even prefer practice…

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3 Quick Drills for LBs – Man Coverage

This month, in keeping with the theme of my last few posts, I’d like to share three quick drills I use to work on man coverage with my linebackers. This is interesting for me to share, because this is one…

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A Variation of “The Pit” in Daily D-line Drills

  In my May article in American Football Monthly, I outlined the everyday drills I use to prepare my d-linemen to read offensive blocks. I sometimes find that they do become robotic in their approach to “The Pit”. So, I…

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Spread Single-Wing Offense: Basic QB Run Plays

Traditionally, I have always been a Spread Wing-T offensive guy incorporating both versions of the two most powerful offenses on the high school level, the Spread and Wing-T offenses. However, over the last couple of years, my offensive philosophy has…

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Oldie But a Goodie

Summer is a great time to go through old materials in preparation for the fall.  July is my month to work on projects and reference manuals from the past while reorganizing where resources are to make them more accessible.  On…

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