Coach ,

As we get ready to break camp, the rhythm of the season and our routine as coaches changes. We like to refer to it as a “grind,” but having strategies for your work flow as well as how to attack the work can make this weekly huge task of game planning more manageable and give you more organized information for you and your staff to make decisions.

Game planning is a crucial element in football that requires meticulous organization and preparation. As a defense coordinator with experience in multiple schools, Ty Gower, Defensive Coordinator at West Plano HS (TX), learned the importance of self-scouting and analyzing opponents' data. 

Today, we will explore three key strategies he utilizes for successful game planning from Saturday through Sunday, focusing on defensive perspective. These strategies include self-scouting, analyzing opponents' tendencies, and creating comprehensive play cut-ups.

Strategy 1: Self-Scouting:

Self-scouting plays a vital role in game planning as it helps teams understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. After Friday night's game, it is essential to review and break down yourown team's performance. 

Analyze factors such as down-distance, defensive fronts, personnel, blitzes, and coverages. By evaluating your own performance, you gain valuable insights into what your opponents see and how they may exploit your weaknesses. 

This self-evaluation process ensures that you are proactive in addressing your team's shortcomings and making necessary adjustments.

Strategy 2: Analyzing Opponents' Tendencies:

To effectively plan for the next game, it is crucial to thoroughly analyze your opponents' tendencies. Break down their previous games, paying attention to their run-pass ratio on first down, their play-calling patterns in different situations, and their go-to players. 

Identifying the strategies that worked well for your opponent and the areas where they struggled is key to formulating a defensive game plan. By understanding their tendencies, you can devise strategies to counter their strengths and exploit their weaknesses, ultimately increasing your chances of success on game day.

Strategy 3: Creating Comprehensive Play Cut-ups:

The process of creating play cut-ups is instrumental in both assessing your team's progress and showcasing your achievements. Utilize the off-season to compile the ten best plays from each game throughout the season. 

These cut-ups should include impressive tackles, sacks, coverages, and other exceptional plays that highlight your team's growth and success. By visually presenting these cut-ups to your players, coaches, and even at clinics, you can demonstrate the progress made from week one to the end of the season. 

This not only boosts team morale but also helps in refining off-season training programs and developing new strategies for the upcoming season.

The Continuous Process

Effective game planning is a continuous process that spans from Saturday to Sunday. By implementing strategies such as self-scouting, analyzing opponents' tendencies, and creating comprehensive play cut-ups, teams can enhance their defensive performance and increase their chances of success on the field. 

Remember, self-evaluation and adaptation are the keys to staying ahead of the competition. So, take the time to break down your team's performance, study your opponents, and compile meaningful play cut-ups. 

Everyone on the staff can have an area to cover making what seems like a pile of work easier to complete. An additional benefit is a coach responsible for one particular area can become an expert on that weekly and over the course of a season.

With these strategies in place, you will be well-equipped to tackle any challenges that come your way and achieve optimal results in the game of football.

Coach Gower explains his Saturday-Sunday process in this video:

Video: Intro to Saturday-Sunday

Good luck as you prepare for kickoff!

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski

P.S. Coach Gower’s presentation Defensive Weekly Game Prep-Saturday To Game Day Guide To Winning The Battle is 25% off. He has done a nice job sharing the details of their process.