Gus Smith
@CoachGusSmith1
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Defensive Coordinator & Defensive Line coach at Russellville High School | Fear the SPEAR | Sacrifice - Pride - Energy - Accountability - Relentlessness
Hartsburg, MO
Joined May 2018
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Coaches at Glazier Clinics: “yeah we don’t worry about the tite front. We’ll just run power and wash that 4i down.”
The 4i:
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Something I don’t think gets talked about enough in block destruction - STACKING the blocker after beating him. Great way to steal gaps. Great rip & stack drill from Harding!
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Regardless of offensive schemes, who’s carrying a true if-then sheet into games? Would love to hear some answers
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You don’t have to be a WZ guy to love this. Look at the organization + uniformity of the first 3 steps!
This is a sign of having a base play. The footwork + timing of the cuts/combos come with reps. That detail isn’t there if WZ is their 6th run play.
BE GREAT AT SOMETHING!
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This play is incredible!!
I see a lot of replies from coaches saying that this is “textbook!” This is not “textbook,” this is an unrealistic play by a freak of nature. I hope to God you’re not expecting a zit-faced 17 year old DE to do this every play
Good play, not “textbook”
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One of my favorite lessons learned as an OL coach:
Don’t block the defensive alignment, block the run fit
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Worst bit of advice I’ve ever received to me as a coach - “don’t smile till thanksgiving” (to earn respect of players as a young coach)
I will eternally be sarcastic and tell dad jokes throughout Indy periods. It’s who I am. Never take advice from someone who promotes fakeness
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I am just some no-name 24-year old DB coach with no big-time connections, no college ball experience, coaching at a school of 200 kids in rural Missouri.
To get followed and DM’ed by Clemson’s DC is why the coaching community is so awesome! Always willing to help one another
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I gotta say, I despise the way most Centers get coached.
IMHO, the C should be coached like a QB. You wouldn’t scream at a QB for overthrowing a hitch route. It would mess with his confidence. So why scream at C’s for bad snaps? Encourage them and give them tangible feedback
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This season, we’ve played against:
• Pro I x2
• Gun-T x2
• Single Wing x2
• Flexbone x2
• Double Tight Double Wing
And now we’re playing an Air Raid team in the playoffs
Being a small-school defensive coordinator has been a non-stop learning experience
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This isn’t sexy clinic talk but avoiding missed assignments are so crucial to HSFB…
• Bad teams = 5/11 look confused
Average teams = 2/11 look confused
• Good teams = nobody looks confused
• Great teams = no MA’s, players know scheme and own the concepts
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After watching this, I have realized I know nothing about football
Southern Miss Defensive QC coach Dante Bartee talking about the "Area" call adjustment to 3 match coverage.
Coach Bartee details Cover 7 man match, 1 Match, 3 Match & Game Plan adjustments in this series. Incredible detail if you run the 4-2-5.
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The guys coaching at high schools of 1,200+ with 85+ man rosters are living in a different world than guys coaching at schools of <600 with 30 man rosters…
You can absolutely learn a lot from big school guys and mimic what they do, but you have to accommodate
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The Delaware Wing T!
• Trap is so difficult to defend for HS kids
• Such a democratic offense in terms of touches. Everybody gets a slice of the 🥧
• Matches my personality. Analytical, reason-based, etc.
• You will always have Wing T personnel in your HS
Here’s a question to think about Coaches. Since most offenses today are 90 % shotgun.
If you HAD TO stay Under center for an entire game. Who’s/what offense would you base it around?
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OZ visual example
Block the FRONT = 2-for-2, LB determines who comes off doubles, push crack SS, man blocking principles
Block the FIT = tracks, DL determines who comes off, Mike plug taken by Ace and Deuce pushes to SS, zone principles
One of my favorite lessons learned as an OL coach:
Don’t block the defensive alignment, block the run fit
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Zone Read coaches:
How are y’all handling this stunt? It’s a popular option game. We played a team that would throw this at us when I coached OL
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Well, guys. It finally happened.
I led a breakdown today in camp, accidentally letting loose a loud & confident “EAGLES ON THREE! 1, 2, 3, EAGLES!”
All while forgetting I’m now coaching at a school called the “Indians”
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The 3 philosophies of defense -
• Aggressive
• Conservative
• Balanced
While there is situational & schematic fluidity, everyone’s got a base philosophy. The offseason is a good time to self-evaluate and consider how true you are to it!
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There is no offense harder to defend than the double tight double wing. You have to match bodies and hope you don’t get play-actioned to death. I thank God every day that nobody wants to run it
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The best asset a young coach can have is to be on a staff that lets them get ideas out, regardless of how stupid they may be. There’s nothing worse than constantly walking on eggshells and fearing the word “no.”
It’s truly liberating to be free to think outside the box!
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Learned from coaching OL years ago that the defense can determine who keeps the ball on option. The defense has the chalk last
One of my favorite option stunts is the SWAP path - DE upfield & OLB underneath
Force the give read into an unblocked blitz
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Anybody who uses the term “Twitter coach” 🚩🚩🚩
I’m here to build connections and talk football. I’m not going to be sorry that me sharing what I know offends middle aged men who only use Twitter to retweet recycled “hit the weight room/play multiple sports” tweets
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Sad to hear about Gary Patterson. Indirectly, GP was a major influence on my love for studying the game. I’ll never forget being a HS senior, writing detailed notes about Blue coverage, blitz packages, and Cobra pass rush games and learning how much I want to be a coach.
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Cover 3 - Middle of the Field 1/3 technique
- "Melt" to the first look of the QB (angle pedal, kick-slide from depth)
- "Break" to the second look of the QB
There better not be a third look if your pass rush is competent!
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“Football’s not played on a whiteboard” is one saying that gets under my skin. Complete cop-out. The offseason is for finding schematic answers to issues. And there’s nothing wrong with saying “we have a dude at __ so thats not an issue”
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As a defensive coach, I never really worry about “chasing ghosts.”
Do I prepare for a 10p spread team to come out in the Wing-T? No
But I’ve been snake bitten by 100% tendency-chasing before. Always expect them to break tendency & have a plan. You never know the whole context
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Watch
#10
playing the “hard shoulder” (as Dave Aranda calls it) of the LT down block. It wrecks the entire play.
Fellow offensive line guys, this is why I think down blocking 4i’s is a tough ask.
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Everyone talks about getting rubs vs. man, but it's more than intersecting routes on a whiteboard. Love the details here!
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Defensive guys naming formations:
"Gun Split Pro Flip Dirty Stack Nasty F-Sniffer"
Offensive guys naming formations:
"Twins Left Squeeze"
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I don’t care what the score is. People who dangle this game over G5 teams and think this is why they “don’t belong” in the playoffs are ignoring the fact that Bama does this to just about everyone they play..
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Clinics are great. But this past weekend, I got to watch a D-II powerhouse practice, sit in positional meetings, and pick some brains before practice. Incredibly educational experience.
Don’t just go to clinics in the offseason. Visit a college team and record everything!
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@EmoryWilhite
We need to stop using the term “simple” and start using “learnable”
You can run 4 plays, but if it’s taught poorly and the terminology is a mess, that’s not a very learnable scheme anymore
If you run 39 plays in a well-structured system that’s taught well, it’s not complex
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Did collinsworth just say it’s unusual to slide protection to a DT?? As if half slide hasn’t been a base protection in the NFL for decades?😟
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See a lot of assistant openings across MO right now
My advice:
Don’t go chasing job titles, certain schemes, or the winningest teams
Find the most organized, high character HC in your area and find a way to get on his staff. That’s what I’ve done and every day is like a clinic
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AirPods died, had some time to think while mowing the yard today.
Why do I hate the “KISS” (Keep it Simple Stupid) philosophy in coaching? 🧵
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Under center, FB trap.. one of the most terrifying runs in football. Very few defenses see quick hitting A-gap runs anymore. Even if the 3T wrong arms the trap, it hits so fast that you’re guaranteed 2 yards.
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I know a lot of people despise Colin Cowherd, but this is actually a really good take. Like I’m looking through this with a coaching lens and everything he says is 100% right
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Like anything in life, there is balance to this. You never want to overload kids in indy. That’s for more bare-bones stuff. I’ll pull kids aside individually during group/team and give them true INDIVIDUAL coaching tailored to them & where they’re at.
Teach in MULTIPLE ways!!
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The 6 option games to practice & plan against:
• “PLUG”
• “POP”
• “BACK TO BACK” (P-P)
• “ECHO” (P-P)
• “BACK TO BACK SWITCH” (re-spot the read)
• “ECHO SWITCH” (re-spot the read)
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Any coach who’s interested in a “multiple-formation/few plays” offense applicable for the HS level should be studying what Eli Drinkwitz is doing (1/2)
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Used to see this every year at my last stop. Mexico (MO) would do this to max fit our 10p spread option stuff. They’d get in a pseudo 3-4 look, but have the safeties sitting in 20’s at 7.5 yards
Hardest D I’ve ever had to scheme against
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"Force" and "Flame" calls from Bama
Getting that scrape exchange to the reduction (3-5) side as well as the bubble (G-5) side
Great Zone Read/GT Counter answer
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Most frustrating part of professional development & learning how to be a teacher? Easily the fact that so many times those teaching you this don’t practice what they preach
“Nobody can learn effectively for longer than __ minutes, but I’m going to spend 2 hrs telling you why”
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If you're just getting into the Saban stuff, I'd start with taking religious notes from
@CoachCogan
and the
@MDGAPodcast
, then study the 2001 LSU playbook before looking at the more modern stuff.
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Cover 3 coaches - how do you play your nub-side CB vs. 2x1 I twins?
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I love this
Don't let the offense simply isolate "conflict defenders" and read them
Wisconsin brings a creeper here, dropping the BSDE right into the slant window. Mucks up the read and rattles the QB!
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All-hitches is one of my favorite quick concepts. Like the “Tilt” & “Aim” techniques
Good way to see which defenders are “quick” game responsible. If a “deep” defender jumps the quick, run a double move off of it.
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Wish more people understood coverage builds your defense, not your front.
I admittedly get annoyed when coaches talk about defense in numerical terms - “the 3-4,” “the 4-4,” etc.
“The 3-4” can be anything. 3-4 Quarters is an entirely different world than 3-4 Cover 0
I get the 3-4 or 4-2-5? question in interviews a fair bit.
My answer: Best 11 on the field and whatever front and coverage is most advantageous.
A real system has all the looks.
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Feed the Cats 🏈 coaches:
What were the first changes you implemented in your football/offseason programs?
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We play a bunch of teams next year who use heavier personnel groupings in spread formations, would like to pick some brains about defending these
In this example, offense is in 30p “Empty.”
Are you using Empty checks for this or defending it like 30p?
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It makes me BEYOND excited to announce I have been promoted to full-time offensive line coach at THE Southern Boone High School!
My alma mater, coaching the position I once played. This is a dream come true! GO EAGLES!!!
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@jcharles25
could read wide zone better than anyone I’ve ever seen. Clinic tape here!
How good was
@jcharles25
?
He averaged 5.4 yards per carry in 11 seasons, which ranks 1st among all RBs in the modern era.
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One of the tougher runs to fit. Really taxing on a defense that likes to spin safeties to the A-back motion as well!
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That’s a 7-man box lol they’re max fitting it from a 4-down alignment. If anybody says this is a 4-man box they need to study defense more
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No greater way to be a hypocrite than to be the coach who preaches mental toughness, acting with high character, and respecting others, but ALSO bullies and harasses officials every Friday night
Modeling is teaching
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Today I stepped on the scale and saw a number higher than I’ve seen since 2018. Nobody tells you this but maintaining weight loss (I lost 70 lbs in 2018) is just as difficult as losing it in the first place. I’m tweeting this to hold myself accountable to losing it back
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Coaches who preach “accountability” but won’t be accountable themselves. Putting the weight of the world on your kids workload while you party your way thru the one clinic you went to is a double standard.
I see a lot of “you’re not working hard enough” tweets & they disgust me
Great topic from Texas. What’s your biggest football pet peeve?
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Been studying the ‘21 Army offense. Out of 230 snaps, I counted only 8 inside veer plays! What I found interesting is that while there are still option plays in the offense, so much of it has evolved to predetermined runs or simple double options
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Great look at the “checkmark” pull technique Harding teaches. It makes the play hit super tight and kills overpursuit. Works similar to the shuffle technique NDSU uses on their skip pulls on A-gap Power
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Power I/Wishbone run fits are not easy. So many moveable gaps. Have to deny free releases to LB’s, account for misdirection looks, and effectively back gap the run game in tight quarters.
Small school defense is a challenge! So much offensive diversity. Gonna be a fun year
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If you’re a defensive coach, I can’t recommend
@CoachVass
patreon enough. I literally learn something new every time I log on
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Cover 3 is amazing. You’re gapped out, protecting the middle of the field, forcing everything to the sideline.
What is Cover 3 NOT? Cover 3 is NOT a simple coverage.
It’s like the under-center option of defense. You cannot dabble in it!
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THREAD: breaking down some zone match Cover 2
I couldn’t tell you why, but Cover 2 has always been one of my favorite coverages in football. I think it’s great vs. quick games and if you can comfortably ball fit and beat 5 blocks, it’s good vs. RPO’s
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He was literally a TD away from winning the SEC last year. Nobody has any patience anymore good lord
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A4: Put aside all the “tough guy/alpha dog” BS. You have to get 5 guys playing in sync and that takes reps & coaching. Don’t be spending 90% of your Indy on driving sleds & 1v1’s and wonder why your OL sucks. Have some respect for OL play.
#hogfbchat
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From an OL perspective, there is nothing worse than preparing a pass protection plan against a chaotic defense. Not grab bag, but one that’ll pressure you off the bus and live in the creeper/simulated pressure world.
Looking at some of my past scripts, no wonder I lost sleep
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It’s 2022. Let’s stop assigning guys to “Dive/QB/Pitch” when defending option. DEFEND THE BLOCKING SCHEME!
We spend so much practice time teaching DL/LB to read and react properly to blocks, but all that goes out the window when facing option?
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One of the major issues a defense can present is a double 4i odd front (a.k.a. “Tite” front) where the 4i’s play like true 4i’s - jamming the tackles release, not moving an inch
Lots of guys just see a 4i and try to block him down. Gotta see if he’s a true 4i or a wide 3
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What irks me about coaches saying “we can’t teach that!” is that those same coaches would never allow a player to say they “can’t” make a workout or “can’t” learn the plays.
Be accountable. Don’t write off new ideas because you’re unwilling to put forth the effort to teach them
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Saw this and immediately thought of all I’ve learned from
@pntrack
. Sounds like Notre Dame needs to feed the cats!
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“KISS” subconsciously is a complaint - “our kids aren’t smart enough, so we’re going to keep it really simple”
If I was a player and my coach thought that about me, I’d be pissed.
We should always look to MAXIMIZE the potential of who we have!
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I thought I knew something about offensive football. Then I started reading the
@CoachDubMaddox
“Adapt or Die” book. I now realize I know absolutely nothing.
Would definitely recommend this book if you haven’t read it already!
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* Thread*
Interesting evolution I’m seeing from offenses at the college level:
There’s more OC’s that have one goal in mind - to confuse defenses & DC’s. It seems like we’re seeing a return in shifts, motions, diverse splits/motions, FIB
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It’s been absolutely unbelievable this year. 3rd varsity season, undefeated in October & 1 game away from an undefeated regular season! Our kids are still so new to FB, but have been 100% bought in! Love being the underdogs!!
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Press-man coaches:
If you ever face an offense that’ll outside release their WR’s on in-breaking routes to draw the off-hand jam and cut underneath, do you ever adjust to a near-hand jam on outside releases? Or do you just play it out?
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Best way to run GT Read in my opinion
You get much more fallback fits with the backfield action, and the RB going outside beats the scrape exchange with momentum alone.
Scrape exchange vs. QB pull in traditional GT Read ruins the play
South Dakota State (2022) running Q Counter Bash Read
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How are you attacking this defense?
FS/SS sit at 6.5. FS is one of the top athletes in the area and can patrol the MOF. Will make tackles at LOS if you don’t block him.
M/W play a yard behind the DL’s heels
Coverages are mainly Catch 0, Quarters, and Inverted 2. Usually drop 8
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Underrated even front = double 2i/shades
Can get into any coverage & spacing!
• 7-man spacing/2-high = you can “gate/torch” to steal gaps
• 8-man spacing/1-high = no double rotation concerns
• 9-man spacing/blitz-invert 2 = spike DE’s to B-gap, you have a 4-down bear look
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2x2 zone read/bubble is the worst run play in football. As is Counter Read or any split-flow option play from that look
To be sound running option, you have to get a 4x1 look pre or post-snap or you’ll have no answer for anything besides plug LB/sit DE looks
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To finalize my thoughts, that’s why I am 100% bought in to the “KILL” philosophy (stolen from my friend,
@CoachGower
)
KISS is demeaning to kids because it implies that they CAN’T learn
KEEP IT LEARNABLE & LIKEABLE (KILL)
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You wanna know what it looks like to commit to a play?
Having 15 different ways to run the same thing.
Solving issues without new teaching
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I was running pregame music in the pressbox and being a volunteer assistant MS OL/DL coach just 3 years ago, wondering if I’d keep coaching. Tonight is my first practice as the varsity OL coach at the same school.
Great things happen when you put your head ⬇️ and WORK
#ChopWood
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Learning a ton here at the Harding University clinic! Best culture in CFB. Great coaches, facilities, and kids.
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Information I've learned on twitter is literally 100x more valuable than information I've learned from clinics. I don't even agree with half of the people who respond to my (potentially idiotic) takes, but getting the conversation & brainstorming going is what drives creativity!
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Underrated concept. Way better than 2x2 4 Verticals as you have a built in answer to 7-man pressure with deep shot opportunities.
I get against 1Hi you want to pick on the 1/3 CB with the sail/fade. But what would cause you to attack the dig/pivot side?
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OL coaches:
Evaluating my 2019 season & I did a poor job of prepping for dynamic fronts/movement. We could block static fronts all night long, but our guys had a hard time w/ the concept of blocking “gaps”
How do you combat movement? Any drills, installation tips, or verbiage?
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What a great time to be a coach. Spent the past few days studying CB tech from
@CoachCogan
and the
@MDGAPodcast
. This OL/DL lifer got a first class education in man-match corner play!
Get out there and learn!! So much free information
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It's funny how in football, terms aren't always specific to one position group. I'm learning there is a lot of carryover between coverages & offensive line play.
There are really four families of coverages as well as blocking schemes:
- MAN
- ZONE
- MAN MATCH
- ZONE MATCH
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Using motion to create leverage & formations >>>> using motion to determine man or zone
I like this simple use of Motion from VT. Field safety doesn’t move an inch➡️ 1on1 go ball completion
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THREAD: 5-man “Will” protection install. (You can still make some clean playbooks/installs from PowerPoint for free)
Very popular protection concept in pro-style/west coast offenses. Priority is to protect backside first, not inside-out.
Can flip it vs. 4-strong pressure looks
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99% of 5th graders at recess: play catch, scrimmage, etc.
Russellville 5th graders at recess: get Coach Smith to come and watch them practice our zone dive play
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Quarters isn’t conducive to one gap defense unless you sling the fit. You have to be comfortable playing a 5-man box if you want to play 2-high coverages
Quarters is all numbers. You want to be +1 over receivers and evened out in the box
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In my coaching career, I’ve coached rosters of 100, 50-60, and now 30. It’s a fun challenge with smaller rosters! You really have to find ways to get every kid to meaningfully learn the concepts because you’re probably going to need them!
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Fronts are the most overrated thing in God’s creation.
Stop thinking “4-3” or “3-3”
You have even spacing (an open B gap) or odd spacing (no open B-gap)
You have 7-man spacing (two-gap), 8-man spacing (one-gap), and 9-man spacing (max fits) - all dictated by coverage
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In high school football, I sincerely believe pass rush lanes are just as (if not more) important as the moves.
Have to get to the right spots. No sense in spinning inside immediately if you’re the contain rusher.
I love read twists, too - don’t be static.
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Was blown away by the number of coaches who responded to this! I love this profession & community.
I created a google doc with some of the questions that I have. Pardon any ignorance here, just a young guy trying to learn all I can. God bless
DC’s - who out here is running the old 4-3 Press Quarters (Narduzzi)? 9-man spacing, Safety takes 2 up and out, etc.
Have some questions!
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In honor of 7-on-7 season coming soon, here’s a little innovation - our 7 blockers on your 7 defenders!
#RunTheDamnBall
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DC's - does anyone out there use a split-field system of formation ID? One where you just ID your side of the field and don't care about the other?
I'm intrigued by this idea. I think asking a kid to see an entire formation is a lot when you play multiple offenses. I believe TCU
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