Contents

PART 1 OVERVIEW 5
 1 Overview 5
 2 Freshman and J.V. versus varsity football 20
 3 Transition from youth sports to freshman football 28

PART 2 COACHING 36
 4 Practice organization 36
 5 Tests to administer 44
 6 Conditioning 45
 7 Water 50
 8 Coaching techniques 51
 9 Discipline 53
10 Grading performance 56
11 Injured players 60
12 Platooning versus going both ways 63
13 Anatomy  of a freshman or J.V. team 66
14 Position clinics 67

PART 3 OFFENSE 74
15 Offense 74
16 Offensive formations 81
17 Playbook 87
18 Making sure your players know their assignments 88

PART 4 DEFENSE 97
19 Defense 97
20 Tip offs 109

PART 5 SPECIAL TEAMS 114
21 Special Teams 114
22 Kick return 117
23 Kickoff 134
24 Punt- and field-goal-blocking team 149
25 Scrimmage kicks 154

PART 6 COACH HUSTLE 180
26 Videoing games 180
27 Scouting 183

PART 7 ADMINISTRATION 190
28 ‘The right situation’ 190
29 The ‘R’ word 200
30 Rules you must know 207
31 Parents 209
32 Commandments of coaching and playing 211
33 Dumb reasons I and others have lost football games 212
34 Common coaching mistakes 215
35 Assistant coaches 217
36 Coach equipment and apparel 219
37 Your players’ academic grades 223
38 Game play list 223

Bibliography 226

Index 231