Shedding Light on a Frequent Visitor
“Who is that guy?” I’ve been getting that question on Friday nights for 20 years. A lot of Friday nights while we are warming up, Coach Steele Harmon will come out on the field to visit with me. It is…
Basic ILB Run Reads in the Multiple 3-4 Defense
Defending the run in our 3-4 defensive scheme rests heavily on our inside linebackers ability to diagnose blocking schemes and attack the line of scrimmage with speed and efficiency. To accomplish this, our LBs need to be disciplined in their…
The “Pop” Pass in Modern Football – A Simple Yet Effective Play
As a young quarterback playing pee wee football, one of the first pass plays I learned was the tight end “pop” pass. It was a quick hitting play- action pass off of a dive play. From what I can remember…
Identifying The Action Key Defender In The Triple Option
The action key defender is defined as the first defensive lineman INSIDE of the dive key defender. In the diagram shown, the dive key is the first defensive lineman on or outside the play side OT (#1). The pitch key…
Small Target, Tight Hands
The number one detail that we have been attempting to emphasize to our defensive line this fall is to play with their hands at all times. This fundamental and technique detail is true for most positions as most all coaches…
How Did We Get Here?
As a lifelong New Englander, I’ve been a diehard Boston Red Sox fan for as long as I have been watching baseball. It pretty much comes with the territory here. As expected, most of my friends are as well. We’ve…
Importance of Relative Body Strength In High School Athletes
This generation of high school athletes is unique in many ways. One of the ways in which they are unique is their lack of strength in terms of relative body strength. This is a generation that for the most part…
Selecting a Game Call Sheet Format
When I first became an offensive coordinator, one of the biggest challenges I faced had nothing to do with which personnel I wanted to use, what plays I would call, or even what the opponent looked like. Rather, it was…
Are We Teaching Speed and Quickness?
It has become somehow universally accepted that if you increase your strength and perform specific running drills, you will increase your speed and quickness. However, I have not seen any results posted after athletes undergo these programs. In other words,…
Incorporating Lessons From One’s Own High School Coach
“Did you feel the earth start shaking under your feet?” Coach Larry French asked me. “No, sir,” I responded. Coach French continued, “Then, I don’t want you to run the ball.” My high school football coach was Larry French….