Posts Tagged ‘game plan’

Being able to lead your team to consecutive ten win seasons is impressive. Especially when it happens after following up a head coach like Jim Harbaugh that revitalized a program around and the #1 overall draft pick in the NFL draft shows just how good of a head coach David Shaw is. For the record, we hear that same sentiment from many coaches  around the country.

Being able to entice some of the best and brightest players in the country with a Stanford degree has undoubtedly played a role in that success. But as Shaw explains, he also thinks part of their key to success has been making players feel a sense of investment of the game plan week to week. 

Shaw explained the reason behind that outlook with Tom Tolbert of KNBR in San Francisco.

"I tell our guys all the time that if they do that just be ready to hear the words ‘no, no way and not going to happen.’ For us to be receptive it keeps these guys looking ahead and I want them to be proactive and I want them to look at film and say ‘hey here’s what I see coach, I would love to run this route.’

"Especially quarterbacks, receivers and running backs and even linebackers sometimes, they see a certain protection and say ‘hey if I blitz this way I can get home.’ I like that as players if you feel completely invested in the way the game plan is put together it kind of makes you want to play that much harder because you each have a hand in it.”

Interesting advice. It will be interesting to see the how everything plays out tonight in the Pac 12 title game when the Cardinal take on UCLA at 8pm ET on FOX.

John Keim of The Examiner did an interesting piece on the Washington Redskins offensive staff and particularly how offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has decided to split up the game planning duties on a week to week basis.

Shanahan admits that dividing up the responsibilities isn;t something that he did as a young coach, but has come to realize that there just aren't enough hours in a day to accomplish everything by himself, which is why it is important to surround yourself with quality, hard working  assistant coaches that you trust.

“When I was younger I tried to do everything. You’re so excited to have the opportunity to be a coordinator that you want to work at every single area as hard as you can. But you start to go crazy because there aren’t enough hours in the week. So I’ve gotten better at divvying up stuff and allowing others to help me. Just getting to know them, you start to trust them more and they start to know what I like. It becomes more efficient when you work with the same people.” he explained in the Examiner.

So now every Monday, each offensive coach has an area to break down. Receivers coach Ike Hilliard handles first and second down tendencies, three receiver formations and the two minute game plan, quarterbacks coach Matt LaFluer does third down and empty sets, tight ends coach Sean McVay plans the red zone and 22 personnel sets (two tight ends, two running backs) as welll as first and second down. Running backs coach Bobby Turner takes care of goal line and short yardage situations, assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan is in charge of pass protections and making sure they are sound against all of the opponents blitzes.

Mike McDaniel and Richmond Flowers, the quality control coaches, break down the overall defensive alignments and tendencies and enter it in the computer so that coaches get down and distance and situational stats and percentages. Offensive line coach Chris Foerster and Shanahan break down film on their own and help with the overall game plan.

This is really good stuff. Having a set system where your staff has a set of responsibilities for each week is a great idea. Clearly defined roles are a great way to keep things as efficient as possible and ensures that each assistant on staff is not only invested in the game plan, but also helps the team utilize each of your coaches strengths while also letting them grow within the profession.

If you're not breaking down the weekly responsibilities amongst your staff like Shanahan, you and your staff should definitely take a long look at it.