Why We Do This

Every so often a story comes that shows us the way sports and society are integrated. Recently, a story has emerged about a basketball team from Texas with a student athletes with developmental disabilities. A CBS affiliate covered the story:

Stories like this show us why sports are so important. In the microcosm of this game, we got to see that there are truly good people out there, great relationships developing, people willing to help each other out, parents that have raised their kids right, and kids that understand what the right things to do are.

Its through stories like these that we as coaches can grow to understand we can make a difference in the lives of so many everyday, not just on our team, and not just for wins and losses, but in the world; and because of this we are blessed to be part of this profession.

Motivation Monday

Last week of February, let's make it a good one.

Having a rough morning? Place your hand over your heart. Feel that? That's called purpose. Your alive for a reason....Dont give up!!

The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him. Love is the key.

The difference between who you ARE and who you WANT TO BE is the work you put in.

Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.

There's no quit, there's no stopping, there's no such thing as a break. #NoDaysOff #KeepGrinding

Train like an athlete. Eat like a nutritionist. Sleep like a baby. WIN like a champion.

No excuses. No explanations. No apologies. Just hard work! How can we push harder? Believe or Leave.

Mediocrity is a series of judgements you make that are seemingly insignificant, but over time lead to a life of average.

You define you, you decide who you are friends with, you control you choices, reflect, and make the best choices.....

Few succeed because they are destined to; rather, most succeed because they are determined.

The public eye never closes. Be strong & committed to what you believe to be right. Unwarranted criticism and praise WILL both come! FOCUS !

The things we think about, focus on, and surround ourselves with will shape who we become.

Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your character. #Life

It's the small things you do every day, that over time, amount to greatness #DifferenceMakers

Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.  #Blessed

At the end of the day, ask yourself, have you done everything you can to be your best you today. Win the Day! Make your 1440 count!

Perfect 40 Yard Dash Start

In light of the NFL Combine taking place this weekend, I wanted to look further into the 40 yard dash.  So far this has been a record setting year, with a lineman running a 4.6 at 305 lbs., and Tavon Austin running a 4.2 (both unofficial).  This is obvioulsy part given ability, but also, I believe, a product of the increased coaching going into the testing of measureable.
I asked our Special Teams Coordinator, also a track coach, and speed and agility specialist, Jeff Papcun, to write on how to gain tenths, if not full, seconds on the 40 with a perfect start.  Below is his article:

Coach Papcun's Perfect 40 Stance and Start

 

The biggest thing before you do your 40 is a proper warm up where you break into a sweat, doing this will get your core body temperature up.

 

Determine what foot you want forward. If you are a righty you usually put your left foot forward and lefty, right foot forward. Find out which one is more comfortable for you.

 

Where do we place our front foot?

We want to be as close to the line as possible where we are really running a 39 1/2 yard dash. The shorter the athlete the closer they can be, most likely around 6 inches, maybe closer from the line. For taller athletes, you will be a little further back, around 8 inches.

 

This setup will allow your body to lean over the line.  There is no penalty for your body hanging over the line and doing this will cut a tenth of a second off of your time.

 

Play with your stance to see what's more comfortable for you.

 

Where to put your back leg?

What you are going to do is literally put your back foots toes against the heel of your front foot. You will then slide your back foot so it is in line with your hip.

It is a key to have your feet lined up with your hips; this is where you will generate your power to have a explosive STRAIGHT start.

 

Before we get into our stance make sure our toes, knees, hips, and shoulders are all squared and facing forward.

 

8 Steps to a Perfect stance and start

 

1: Get up on your toes

 

2: Creep out as far as you can over the line. The reason we do this is to mimic a forward lean as much as possible in your stance so we can get used to having our body leaning over the line

 

3: Start creeping back a few inches by putting your opposite hand of your front foot behind the line, we are going to try to hold this body lean position that we are in for about 2 seconds. Doing this will already put our weight forward so we can shoot out of our stance.

 

4: Where to place your arm:

Most athletes put there arm straight up in the air. Instead we are going to put our arm at a 90* angle next to our hip.

*Remember, during most 40s, the timers go by the first movement and if not it is electric timed so having your arm straight up you're being timed by your arm swing when most athletes haven't even broken out of their stance*

 

5: Proper angles:

We want our shins with the most forward lean as possible. We do not want our butt too high. If it’s too high it will hurt your time, because going on first movement, the first thing you will do is drop your butt before you even move off the line.

 

6: Keeping your head down:

While in your stance we want to keep our head down and look at your first step. This will help keep your body down. Head should stay down and low for the first ten yards. From there we will gradually stand up so by 15-20 yards we will be in perfect sprinters form.

 

7: We want to get the biggest first step possible. We want to cover the first ten yards in the least possible steps.

 

8: Breathing:

When you first reach out over the line to get into the stance you should take a deep breath and hold it. Hold it through the first ten yards. 

The reason for this is because it will build up your nerves and actually make you run faster

* Think about when you are swimming from one end to another in your pool underwater. When you want to come up for breathe you start swimming faster to get to the wall. This is the same concept as when you are running the first ten yards*

 

 

Jeff Papcun

 

 

Thank you to Coach Papcun for his article, and best of luck to all of the players fighting for their futures at the combine.

Combo Plays/ Neal Brown- Air Raid Offense Clinic Notes

Air Raid Offense/Combo Plays


The following article is a combination of notes on Neal Brown's (OC- University of Kentucky) Louisville Nike Clinic + Additional Combo Plays

University of Kentucky Offense

- Fast/Hard/Physical
- Fast Paced No Huddle (Aim for 10 Secs. between plays)
- Throw to set up Run
- Get Playmakers ball in space
- Attack the entire field
________________________________________________________________________
University of Kentucky Plays



Play 67



Rules for 67:

A- Check Protection/ Checkdown/ Find Window
X- 6 yd Read Route (Soft=Hitch, Tight=In)
Y- 10 yd Dig
Z- 6 yd Read
H- 4 yd Read
QB- 1 Step Drop

Progression:
Pre Snap= Backside (Take a 1on1 matchup)
Post Snap= Nickel Defender


_________________________________________________________________________





Play 98

Rules for 98:
A- Check/Swing
X- Skinny, Post at 7 Steps
Y- Seam
H- Pivot Route
Z- Banana Route
QB- 3 Step Drop

Progression:
Pre Snap= FS Backside- If he comes down read 1 to 2 backside
Post Snap= FS Backside- If he drops middle (Cvr 3) read 1 to 2 backside
                                        If he gets width (Cvr 2) or comes down (Invert 2) Read the Frontside

_______________________________________________________________________


Combo Draw/68

Rules:
Y- Stick
H- 4 Step Out Route
Z- Go Route
X- Stalk Block (or tagged route)
A- Take steps to get over top of ball on possible handoff
QB- Eyes to Stick Route, Throw it or Hand it
C- Down Block
BSG- Slow Fold
All Other OL- Pass set, drive out

Progression:
Presnap- Z 1on1= Throw it
Post Snap- Read Hook/Curl Backer OR Just look at Stick Route
                  Stick Is Open=Throw it
                  Stick Covered= Hand the ball
_____________________________________________________________________





Combo Zone Left/63 Right

Rules:
X- Stalk
H- Crack or Dig out
OL- Zone Rules Left
A- Zone Steps- Get body over ball
Y- 3 Step out route
Z- Go Route
QB- Read out, throw without laces, get the ball out, read flat defender
        If you dont have out, give the zone, carry out fake

Progression:

Pre Snap: If Z is 1on1 take it

Post Snap: Read Flat Defender OR Is out open?

                 If covered give zone

*************PLAY CAN ALSO BE RUN AS ZONE READ*******

___________________________________________________________________

 Additional Combo Plays

After seeing Coach Brown's clinic, and seeing the concept of combo plays, I did more research to find additional combo plays. We as a team, and me as a DC, worked hard this past offseason to install what we called Cover 6, basically a pattern read 2 or 4 coverage.  We felt that this put us in the best position to defend concept routes that were consistently beating us and becoming the basis for many offenses in New Jersey. I felt that as a defense, this gave us the upperhand once again, as there wasnt anything they were running against us that we could not defend with the right reads. I feel like combo plays such as these now give the offense back the advantage in the offense/defense chess match.

The following plays I got from several different places during research. I am not sure what came from where, so in order to give the proper credit, I am listing the sites with links here:  Coachhuey.com, Smart football, and Spread Football. 

Same reads as  UK's Combo Zone/Out

_______________________________________________________________________


Same Reads as Combo Stick/Draw

_____________________________________________________________________

Rules:
OL- 2 count, Block Screen
Y- Run Stick
H- 4 Step Out
Z- Go
X- Fake Post, Block Safety
A- Pass Pro Fake, Set Up for Screen
QB- 3 Step=Stick/5 Step=Screen

Progression:
Pre Snap- Z 1on1 Take it
Post Snap- Stick Open, Throw It,
                  Covered take two more steps and throw screen
____________________________________________________________________



Stick/Bubble

 Rules:
OL- Pass Block
BSOT- Seal Block for Bubble
Z- Go
Y- Stick
A- Flat
H- Block Bubble
X- Bubble Route

Progression:
Pre Snap- Z is 1on1 take it
Post Snap- Look Y, if open throw it, if not throw bubble
___________________________________________________________________




Outside Zone-Stretch/Snag

 Rules:
Y- Flag
Z- Snag
H- Flat
A- OZ
X- Block OZ
OL- Block OZ

Progression:
Read the Curl/Flat Linebacker for the snag route. Covered give the outside zone.
___________________________________________________________________

Those are the combo plays that I have so far. I know the next evolution are plays that combine 3 concepts at a time. Ole Miss ran one such play all the way down the field during their bowl game. I believe it was bubble/zone/quick screen but I am not sure as I am trying to find film on it.

I would love to see what other combo plays are out there. Feel free to comment if you have any, or if you have film on the Ole Miss bowl game that we can exchange.

Rich Rodriguez- Louisville Nike Clinic Notes

Rich Rodriguez- University of Arizona

“Keys to a Successful Offense”

NO HUDDLE KEYS

1)      Do not have just a set of plays, but a system

2)      Have answers to problems, coverages, fronts (2-3 answers for each)

3)      Have them available to be quickly decided upon and executed

3a) Along with his standard playsheet, he has a sheet that lists all possible “problems” and “answers”

4)      Make conditioning a factor. A plus for you and a negative for them

5)      Have your players get comfortable being uncomfortable

5a) Uncomfortable for coaches too

5b) Plays are not scripted so coaches need to react

5c) Coaches also have headsets on for many practices so they can practice

      communication

6)      Dictate the Tempo of the game….the whole game

7)      Coaches should have an across the board clear understanding of how you want to attack specific situations

8)      Run and Throw to where the numbers are in your favor

9)      Practice the executions of plays at a faster pace than in the game

10)   Always be aware of game situations and practice them (d/d, field zone, etc.)

BASIC ELEMENTS TO AN OFFENSE

1)      Make the defense defend the whole field…110 x 53 1/3

2)      Offense has 2 distinct advantages

2a) Know where you are going

2b) Know when you are going

2c) Defense has one advantage (they can move pre-snap)

3)      Ability to Execute = Appear complicated but be simple

4)      Get good at the base answers to defenses you will see

5)      Its ok to have tendencies- just know what they are and how to adjust when the defense figures them out.

6)      Have an answer sheet for every situation with familiar answers for players and coaches

CLINIC TIPS

1)      Shotgun

a)      Shotgun is the new “Pro-Style”

b)      Get used to throwing without the laces

c)      Practice with a wet ball once a week

d)     Gives the QB better vision

e)      Gives QB time and space to react to unblocked defenders

f)       Adds a number to the run game

2)      Trick Plays

a)      Ok, but don’t waste more than 5 minutes a week practicing them

b)      Better if related to your best play (Double Moves, Reverses, etc.)

c)      If you can’t run it well in practice don’t run it!!

3)      Situations

a)      Critical Times- Think players as well as plays (Saban Said Same Thing)

b)      Get first downs if you want to control the tempo (Number of 1^st downs most important stat at the end of the game)

c)      Don’t force things- Take what the defense gives you- EVEN ON 3^rd DOWN

4)      Run Philosophy

a)      Run with the Numbers

b)      Run where you have best blocking angles

c)      Run to Grass

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Weekly Inspiration Week Two: 

Unfortunately, I got delayed yesterday (I know screwing up after only one week), but here we go....

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes"

"Strength does not come from what you can do. It comes from OVERCOMING the things you COULD'T"

"Risking nothing = Gaining nothing"

"Accept your past with no regrets. Handle your present with confidence. Face your future without fear"





"Deal with the world the way it is, not the way you wish it was"

"Words you should never hold back: "Im Sorry" and "I Love You""

"Dont wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great"

"You attitude shapes your relationships with the people around you"

"Sometimes you go home tired, beat down, and mentally drained....but you can go to bed excited for one reason; Tomorrow is another chance to be great"

"To improve attitude: Avoid arrogance, embrace humility, give thanks continuously!"

"Its easy to place blame on others; but, the best look inward first as thats where the problem may be and the SOLUTION surely is"

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

"Its your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you"

"You decided every moment of everyday: Who you are and what you believe in. You get a second chance EVERY SECOND"

Make one of these your mantra this week.  Do the best you can every day!! Make your 1440 count!! Have a great week.

Quotes of the Week

Starting today, every monday I am going to start putting up some quotes/ideas to get us all through the week!!

"If tomorrow wasn't promised, what would you give for today?"



"Greatness is a lot of small things done well, stacked up on each other."



"We get one opportunity in life, one chance at life to do whatever you're going to do, and lay your foundation and make whatever mark you're going to make. Whatever legacy you're going to leave; leave your legacy!"




"If you trade what you need long term for what you want in a moment of impulsiveness, all that you will find is unhappiness"

"Promise only what you can deliver, then deliver more than you promised"

"People become successful the moment they decide to be"

"It takes 10,000 hours to become great at something. You can start hour #1 right now"



"Be Boundless in your faith and relentless in your hard work" #enjoymovingyourmountains

Have a great week!! Do something special everyday!! Make your 1440 count!!