OT general coaching question
So I have a difference of opinion with somebody about the quality of my son's HS freshmen football coach and wondered what you think.
The coach runs the ball all the time- and wins all the time. He may pass once or twice a game.
I feel he should try to develop all the kids abilities and pass more- I mean you only play HS football once and to go a season without ever having a pass thrown at you kinda ruins the memories these kids will have.
But a friend disagrees and says winning more than makes up for those lost passes and gives better memories.
As a fan, It is really boring to watch them grind out yard after yard but it is nice to see them win.
This doesn't really affect my son as he is a Center but I feel bad for the QB and the receivers.
Is he doing the right thing as a coach or not?
October 9th, 2019 at 8:02 PM ^
Is this Grandville football. Lol.
October 9th, 2019 at 9:39 PM ^
Grandville football was my first thought too.
I love watching them grind it out and utliize the talent they have. Agree with everyone that the Freshman should prepare for Varsity.
Question is do the qb and wideouts care? Have they, not their parents, but have they ever complained?
Enjoy the W's and the experience. It zooms by in an instant.
October 9th, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
Its actually New Albany HS, a suburb of Columbus OH. I think the varsity team is pretty run oriented too but i am not 100% sure. This is the HS's first year in the big leagues (Div 1) and they are struggling (3-3 overall and 0-1 in conference).
New Albany is a strange place- it's almost like a scene from Citizen Kane. We have a billionaire named Les Wexner (CEO Limited Brand, Victoria's Secret) that is a big shot at OSU. He created a mall (Easton) and is so powerful he got the federal govt. to build an US highway exit ramp to it. He pretty much has expanded New Albany over 100 times larger in a decade and the HS has gone up division levels continuously- its dizzying. Everything here is corporate.
The little league teams also use the HS play book. The future is not good. The little league teams are dwindling in number and the feeder pattern situation looks dire in a couple of years. I don't know if it is due to the concussion scare thing.
I was really worried about concussions but my son loves football and its the only thing he is passionate about (other than PS4). So, I am rolling the dice and hoping for the best (Centers don't get hurt that often do they?)
October 9th, 2019 at 11:32 PM ^
I think you should hire Patrick Swayze to be your head bouncer and eventually kill Les Wexner. The end.
October 10th, 2019 at 4:10 AM ^
A polar bear fell on me.
October 10th, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
BE NICE...
October 10th, 2019 at 1:04 AM ^
Centers get as much repetitive sub-concussive head trauma as any player on the field. I don't know, man. Tough call.
October 10th, 2019 at 4:45 AM ^
Watch out for your kids if Wexner is in town. Ugggh.
October 10th, 2019 at 10:17 AM ^
"Wexner was just another victim" - Wexner's attorney and PR firm.
October 10th, 2019 at 8:46 AM ^
I’ve actually spent a lot of time in New Albany. Interesting place, sort of.
Relax and let him coach. If you don’t know what the varsity program is doing then you absolutely have no data to gripe about the freshman team. Almost certainly he’s coaching them based on what they will do in varsity.
October 10th, 2019 at 10:56 AM ^
Polaris 4 lyfe.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:03 PM ^
Brett Favre only threw about 1-5 times a game in high school.
I say save the arm, enjoy the wins, and let the kid become Brett Favre.
October 10th, 2019 at 2:20 AM ^
Going from playing Center in HS, to becoming a hall of fame Quarterback sounds fairly likely.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:05 PM ^
They should match the offense of the varsity team. If the varsity team runs the ball a lot, then it is what it is. If they pass, then the freshmen and JV teams should try to find a balance of running that offense to the extent that it still allows them to win games.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:14 PM ^
This is the correct answer. Freshman team should be about preparing the kids to run the varsity team's system to perfection first, and winning second. If this coaching is running the same system (I am assuming he is because not doing so would be insane), and that system is incredibly run heavy, then it is what it is, especially if he's winning.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:57 PM ^
100%. There are no trophies or banners for freshmen football, and no HoF for freshmen football coaches. There is also not a lot of* freshmen who can decently throw the ball.
*edited—mobile posting error
October 9th, 2019 at 9:34 PM ^
You want to put money on the no freshman can throw a football? You probably watch high school football in Michigan.
October 9th, 2019 at 10:09 PM ^
I edited—meant to say not a lot of freshmen. Those who can aren’t playing freshmen football.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:02 PM ^
So true! I live in northern California, and I also coached freshman football (as well as youth football). Believe me, there are plenty of incredibly talented 9th-grade passers (and receivers), even in small towns. A few years ago, I had a team of 11 and 12 year-olds. We had an 11-year-old QB. I happened to be in the box during one playoff game. We ran a play with a wheel route up the sideline. The kid uncorked a 40-yard perfect spiral that our RB caught without having to break stride. It was a thing to behold.
October 10th, 2019 at 12:51 AM ^
How soon can he suit up for Michigan? Asking for a few hundred thousand friends.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:15 PM ^
Perfect HS team for going to play for Army.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:16 PM ^
You play to win the game.
October 10th, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
Catchy. I like it
October 9th, 2019 at 8:18 PM ^
And now I understand why some of the most asinine takes come out of some of your mouths. My God....
October 9th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
This is a good discussion. Why are you choosing to vent on this thread and not others?
October 9th, 2019 at 8:29 PM ^
Good discussion? It’s high school football, the successful coach does not care what a bored fan thinks. He’s winning. That’s all that matters. The receivers should probably try and learn how to be running backs if they want to get involved.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:32 PM ^
Ok. I’ll start another Keith Jackson thread or Bielema thread How does that sound?
October 9th, 2019 at 8:39 PM ^
Bret Bielema knew a thing or two about how to get those big hog mollies to run the football. That is, until he went down south to get the hogs to run the football.
October 9th, 2019 at 9:10 PM ^
I once had pumpkin pancakes with Brett bielema, and after allowed our food to digest we jumped on a large trampoline to motley crew
October 9th, 2019 at 8:41 PM ^
This thread is on that level.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:49 PM ^
October 9th, 2019 at 9:05 PM ^
He’s winning. That’s all that matters.
When you're a HS freshman coach it's not that simple. You're supposed to be preparing your kids to move up to JV and varsity. If JV/Varsity aren't running the same offense, you're potentially putting the kids at a disadvantage later.
October 9th, 2019 at 9:07 PM ^
I’m assuming they are because what high school football program in their right mind wouldn’t do that?
October 9th, 2019 at 9:23 PM ^
Do you really think it’s about a high school football team or is it really analogous to Michigan being a grind it out team that won last year and should they really have changed that. I’ll give you an hint...
October 9th, 2019 at 8:26 PM ^
My stepson is playing JV football this year and they run an offense very similar to if it the exact same as Army ‘s. Same scheme as the varsity. The varsity team has won several (I think 4) state championships in the past 15 years so seems to work just fine
October 9th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
Detroit catholic central?
October 10th, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^
Nope, I'm in Charlotte
October 9th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
“You play to win the game” literally. Most coaches at any level would love to win 85% of their games by rushing 95% of the time. Just imagine how simplistic practices would be and how sound these kids would be at their craft. Any coach would envy that success.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
Several takes on this one.
First, if you’re judging the coach based on his run/pass ratio, that’s unfair. Judge him based on developing them as young men and athletes.
Second, many top high schools pass 8-12 times a game. Many more, of course. If a college team can pass less than 5 (any triple option team), then a freshman team certainly can.
Third, if coach doesn’t see a strong chance to complete passes for a decent gain, why waste a down? Football 101.
I coach a flag football team of 2nd/3rd graders. We’ve been undefeated for 2 years. We are 99% run and it drives some of the dads crazy. The kids want to win and run the ball doing it. The teams we beat are 50-60% pass and maybe complete 1 or 2 a game.
October 9th, 2019 at 8:42 PM ^
I've coached on teams that are anything from Air Raid to Wing T. Basically, the only offensive system I've never coached in is a Single Wing system.
Winning while running the ball 60 times and throwing it 10 times is a blast. Losing while running the ball 60 times and throwing it 10 times is terrible.
The same can be said for the other systems. The system doesn't matter; what matters is how it's implemented and whether it plays to the strengths of your athletes.
October 9th, 2019 at 9:38 PM ^
Ironically, my high school team ran the single wing ?
October 10th, 2019 at 2:55 AM ^
Menominee?
October 9th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
Maybe the quarterback can't pass.
October 9th, 2019 at 9:23 PM ^
This feels too familiar. But at least that high school team can run. *sigh*
October 10th, 2019 at 3:44 PM ^
Profile pictures matches!
October 9th, 2019 at 8:38 PM ^
Good grief, man. Do you know how miserable it is to lose? To spend hours every single day, throughout the off-season, watching film, lifting weights, game planning, handing out uniforms/equipment, and then...lose? As a coach you can't sleep at night. As a kid you get made fun of in school.
Be happy with the victories, whether they're throwing 60 times a game or running 60 times a game.
October 9th, 2019 at 10:27 PM ^
Thanks for that angle.
October 10th, 2019 at 1:06 AM ^
Are you asking Michigan fans if they know how miserable it is to lose?
October 10th, 2019 at 5:28 AM ^
I know you're joking, but it's a whole different animal when you're actually sweating and bleeding and losing vs. sitting on your couch watching your favorite team lose.