5 Tips for Every Coordinator as You Prepare for 2022
Jul 19, 2022 2:11 pm
Coach ,
Taking the reins of an offense or defense as a coordinator is exciting. It’s also a lot more work and responsibility.
It’s important to understand the role and how to approach it. For me, success came through trial and error, studying others and talking to fellow coaches.
Here are 5 points to reflect on as you prepare for the season:
#1.) Remember “Coordinate'' means "bring together." Work well with your coaches and players. Give them input and listen. Empower them and help them take ownership in what all of you are doing together.
Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn embraces the idea that everything we accomplish, we accomplish as a team. Coach Quinn talks about the players in this example he shares, but this applies to the coordinator and everyone on the staff (click on image for video):
#2.) Be organized. Everything starts with organization. This is one of your primary roles as a coordinator. Organize your coaching materials, meeting times, video time, walkthroughs and practices for maximum efficiency. Don’t wing it. Be sure every position coach has a schedule, script, watch and whistle. Maximum efficiency and effectiveness is your objective.
Head Coach at Wittenberg University Jim Collins believes that the key to victory is organization. He explains it through this quote from Sun Tzu (click on image for video):
#3.) Outwork your opponent, but be sure you're always looking to work smarter. Find efficiency in your work habits and you'll find effectiveness. I know too many coaches who watch film until 3 a.m. and aren't effective. It’s not just about how well you know it, it’s how well your players know it. It’s about finding balance in your life as well. Get out of the office and spend time with your family.
Utilize technology as a way to get out of the office earlier. There are no awards for working 12, 14 or more hours in a day. In the long run, you'll burn out and put a strain on other aspects of your life. Technology should help provide balance to an already demanding and stressful job and it also expedites learning when used correctlu.
North Carolina Tarheels Analyst Coach Rob Everett believes that we need to think about our teaching of this generation of players. He breaks down his use of interactive playbooks and how it hits multiple learning styles here (click on image for video).
#4.) Prepare your players for the situations you'll face, and have clear objectives for those situations. If you're faced with a two-minute drill that requires a field goal, and your QB is taking low-percentage shots into the end zone, it’s not their fault if they've never practiced it. If you expect your defense to bat down a fourth down throw down the field instead of intercepting it, be sure it’s been coached. Don’t make assumptions that your players understand what to do in every situation. Teach them what you want.
Don’t forget to cover all contingencies. Unique scenarios in football are inevitable. There are different football scenarios that occur during the game. When those situations happen, the team must adapt its play and react appropriately.
There are two approaches to this. You can wait until they happen and teach based on that...OR you can start teaching those and make them a part of your team's collective Football IQ.
Create situational awareness for your team and be ready when the time presents itself. Penn OC Dan Swanstrom covers these scenarios and shows them on game film.
Here’s an example on offense at the end of a game which he calls “first down get down” (click on image for video):
“Free Lunch” is another end of game situation in which the defense is instructed to let them score in order to get the ball back and still have a chance at winning the game.
#5.) Be a great teacher. Understand how players develop. First, they need to learn what to do. Next, they need to learn how to do it. Only then will they work toward doing it aggressively. Build your teaching, practice and drills accordingly. You can’t skip a step. Being a great teacher means being able to utilize all resources, technology and time in order to maximize your effectiveness.
Former Duke Co-DC Matt Guerieri, now an analyst at Ohio State is an incredible teacher of the game and makes an important point in this video. Effective teaching methods meet them where they are and get them where you want them to be (click on image for video):
Nick Sheridan, now TE Coach at Washington, also values teaching. He is reflective and he points out something he learned from Dan Quinn’s presentation, that if we want to improve our group, we need to improve our teaching (click on image for video):
Those are five important aspects that deserve attention as final preparations are made for the 2022 season.
There are two great resources available now that teach these lessons in detail as well as every other aspect of coordinating your side of the ball. These are curated collections of clinic talks from some of the top coordinators in the game:
Offensive Coordinator School - 19 deep dives covering topics including:
- building identity
- organization
- creating a structure
- using your playmakers
- procedures and tempos
- putting defenders in conflict
- game and practice planning
- teaching
- analytics
- playcalling
Defensive Coordinator School Bundle - 21 deep dives covering topics including:
- setting standards
- relating to players
- using your personnel
- situational preparation
- defending specialty offenses
- red zone
- preparing for all contingencies
- working defensive fundamentals
- teaching
- game planning
- ideas for multiplicity.
I believe that you have to be disciplined about sticking with the plan you laid out for this season, but I also know that this is a dynamic game and it’s great to have detailed resources like the ones above at your fingertips.
Good luck with your final preparations for the 2022 season!
Coach Grabowski
P.S. The OC/DC School Bundles are 75% off for a limited time.