Football is Football

First of all, I just realized that it was exactly a year ago today that I wrote my first post. Thanks to any of you who happened to read each of them. I really do appreciate it!

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Watching the NFL games this weekend reinforced some truisms we see at all levels of play:

1.    

      1.Quarterback/Center – the snap is the most important part of the play. Doing it perfectly only      allows you to continue. Getting it wrong can cost you the game. Ask Philip Rivers and the Chargers.

On that note, remember that when your center or QB get injured, they should go down. Let the trainer come out, even if it is a hand injury (one exception: less than about 30 seconds left in half with no time outs, where the 10 second run-off would hurt you even more). Have the trainer go out while the backup QB or center get some snaps in on the sideline. The absolute only thing that can make this situation worse is a botched snap on the next play.

2.       Keep it simple, relative to your level of play. Watching Eli Manning try and communicate to his receivers with small hand signals was painful. There seemed to be several instances of miscommunication. Hand signals are one thing, but “finger” sized ones are another. Keep it basic and clear.

3.     2. Be mindful of how much you ask your QB to check at the line, again relative to your level. Several times last night, Rivers with the Chargers seemed to be in an awful hurry towards the end of the play clock. Much has been made here in the San Diego media about him being allowed the freedom to change things up, but it is clear that it isn’t smooth sailing yet.

You as an OC or QB coach need to understand how comfortable your QB actually is with their reads and ability to change things into a better play. Don’t give them more options than they can process in the allotted time. I try and use an “if this, then that” type of process where the QB has a defined change to go to if they see a defined look.

The other option would be liberal use of a “look” cadence where you see what the defense is lined up in, and your cadence goes on something other than “one” and the offense looks to the sideline for a new play.

4.     3. Have fun! Texas A&M offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was asked why he allowed each of his backup QB’s to take shots down the field as their first plays in a 73-3 rout over Lamar this weekend. “Because it is fun!” Great answer.

5.     4. Do what you do. In the same vein, while A&M was dismantling #9 South Carolina IN South Carolina in Week 1, Kenny Hill was throwing the ball all over the place. Some A&M fans probably would have preferred to see the Aggies pound the rock a bit to take some time off the clock. The way Hill was throwing it around, that was the safest course to take! It was clear that he was comfortable, in command and was completely inside the heads of the South Carolina defense. Why take them off the hook, or take your foot off the gas? Against Lamar, sure….but against SEC foe the Gamecocks? Nope……

6.     5. Package, package, package…. I wrote about making plays look alike here and Seattle did that to perfection the other night, running variants of the fly sweep action to Percy Harvin.

Whenever you put in a new play, you really need to have an idea how many times a game you’re going to run it. If it is more than twice a game, then you’d better have something else that looks like it to start and then….isn’t.

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Hey, there’s getting to be a ton of interest in the camp! We’re getting to the point on the calendar where flight prices are hitting their sweet spot and remember, the hotel with the best rates in the area only has 47 rooms. Camp details here and the Facebook event is here. Be sure and check the Facebook event for some food-related updates!