Coach ,

The procedures which you operate with must be installed early on in camp if you want to be able to play fast as part of your offensive attack. The consensus of coaches when talking to them that it is much easier to slow players down as the coach than to try to get them to speed up. What you do early on in camp and installation will become habit.

With that in mind, I have put together a few tips to think about as you get ready to roll with camp. These are simple things which you can add now and emphasize early to create a team that operates efficiently.

#1) Every Second Counts!

Measurable operation is critical in operating at this blistering pace. As with any concept, attention to detail and a method of evaluating and giving feedback is the way to make it effective. Keith Barefield studied every aspect of how tempo is done to shave critical seconds off of the time between the whistle and the next snap. Here are a few:

• OL- get to the ball and get the feet set.
• 5 eligibles without the ball - head snaps to the signaler on sideline 
• Ball carrier - give the ball to the umpire inside the hashes. This will eliminate 3-4 seconds. Giving it to the sideline official will slow the operation down.  

Video: Measurable Operation

#2) Train the linemen as much as you train the receivers and backs

Tennessee Offensive Line Coach Glen Elarbee has specific mechanics and coaching points for the offensive line when utilizing tempo. It helps the Volunteers save critical seconds off their operations when the objective is to go as fast as possible. He also explains that they will utilize scrimmage film to teach these aspects of tempo to their linemen (click on image for video):

Video: In-Game Mechanics

#3) Use Waves of Tempo

Yes, you can go fast all the time. Like anything, there is an aspect of when something is done one way, the opponent can adjust and settle in to playing that way.  I like to think of utilizing tempo in waves and having a variety of procedures to do so.  In this video example we use 3 variations of our tempo.  

The first is a procedure that simply tells our players to “run it again.” The second tells them to use the same formation but a different play, and the third gives them a sequence of plays. The timing of how quickly the ball was snapped went as follows: fast, fast, fast, slowed down slightly, fast (defense timeout to slow us down), fast. In this example, it’s clear that the resulting touchdown was aided by the use of our procedures (click on image for video):

Video: Tempo Example - 3 Procedures

Whether you choose to go fast all of the time or change-up your tempos, teaching these procedures early on is critical. If you haven’t organized it within your install plans you may want to go back through and see when and how they will be installed as well as creating the resources your players need to learn your procedures.

The cliche that has been around forever is that “it’s a game of inches.” Those inches which propel your team forward this season can be found in the details that you coach!

Good luck and have fun as camp gets underway.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski and the Coaches Clinic Community of Coaches helping Coaches