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Hey Coach,
I'm a first year coach. I'll be coaching a seven year old tackle team. I was wondering what you would suggest as offensive and defensive schemes? I'm pretty clueless from a coaching standpoint...I've always been a player. I'm looking for something simple that works and scores frequently? Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
Mike Hurley
Hi Mike,
I have news for you, we all are looking for the offensive scheme that is simple, works well, and scores frequently. It reminded me of the advice I once received from a new owner in the NFL. He asked me to blitz more, but only when the other team was not expecting the blitz, and he wanted to make certain we did not give up a big play when we ran the blitz.
I can not guarantee the "scores frequently" part of your question -- so much will depend on your players -- but I would recommend one of two approaches. The first would be to contact the local high school coaching staff and see if they would be willing to provide you with a basic offense from part of their total offensive picture.
This arrangement can be helpful in that you will have an immediate resource should you run into a situation that could use some help. The second advantage is that you will be laying the ground work in technique and terminology for your players as they move on to play in the high school program.
If you are on your own, I would suggest starting with the wing-T as an offense as it is fairly easy to teach, provides deception in what the defense sees each play, allows you to attack across the line of scrimmage, and can be preformed with basic offensive blocking techniques.
For your age of players, you might want to start with an 8 man front [8 players = a combination of DL and LB] such as a 4-4 or 5-3 defense, both of which will give you the ability to play good gap defense with a three-deep zone pass coverage.
Both defensive schemes will allow you to slowly add a basic blitz package when you feel that your defensive linemen and linebackers understand your base defense.
Check our Coaching Playbook section for some ideas that may get you started. Try to remember as you teach your offense and defense that each time you give a player an assignment, you must teach him the technique he needs to use to accomplish his assignment. If you introduce your offensive and defensive plays in this manner, you will find that you will naturally go slow as you add new material and that your players will have time to grasp what you are teaching and will be less likely to be confused.
Teaching good technique, reinforcing the techniques every practice, and not asking your players to do something that you have not completely thought through, is the foundation for any offensive or defensive scheme.
Start with a few base plays, add slowly and, run to the right and left by changing the formation. Make sure you praise effort as well as performance, allow everyone to play and have fun.
- Coach Tom Bass