This week is Part 2 of our four-part series evaluating some of the aspects of becoming and performing the role of a head football coach.
Over the next few weeks, this series will briefly examine thought processes that are to be considered.
Pete Kempf is elated to co-author this series with former Fremont head coach, East Noble and Angola defensive coordinator Nick Maksimchuk. Nick is currently a social studies educator at Angola High School and serves as self-scout and video analysis consultant for high school programs across the United States.
In this second part of “Being a Head Coach,” we take on the weekend after game day!
Coach Maksimchuk – Saturdays
Ever wonder what goes on in the mind of a head coach when the game clock shows zeroes on a Friday night? It probably is not what you imagined.
In Part 2, I am going to mention a lot of items that are on the minds of coaches after the game, from film exchange to laundry.
No matter what the outcome of a game is, as a new head coach after every game, remember this – it is not always as bad as it seems and it isn’t always as good as it seems.
Good thing for the eye in the sky (reminder to purchase Hudl – no, I am not a sales rep).
When I say eye in the sky, I am referring to the game film. Coaches will need to get the game film uploaded to Hudl to be ready to share with next week’s opponent, as well as having the opportunity to start breaking down film for the Saturday morning practice.
I always enjoyed trading the previous week’s film during the school day on Friday, so we had film on our opponent to watch Saturday morning. The real OG’s of this game probably remember making copies of VHS tapes and driving for what seemed like an eternity (especially after a loss) to trade film with another coach.
Now, it is effortless to exchange movies over the internet; the only issue is sometimes you get a terrible copy of the film, so now you get to use your connections with other coaches to get more film or better quality film. Yes, some coaches send crappy game film on purpose. Do not do that! Not only is it classless, but it also disrespects the game!
As the head coach, make sure you find a few people to film every Friday. Yes, I said few people because teams today will have both a press box view and a tight shot (end zone camera).
Oh yeah, you will need to find people to help with stats also.
Are we having fun yet?
Hopefully, the program you take over already has an end zone camera; if not, give it a friendly Google search to see the price.
When you are addressing your team after the game, make sure you are clear on what time the athletes need to be in for Saturday morning practice or get ready for the JV game (if it is on a Saturday.) It is always good to set up a team Remind (communication tool) and send out a message an hour or so after the game to reiterate the time players need to arrive.
As players are walking off the field, make sure they know the laundry situation!
The unsung heroes of the team will be your student managers. They are a godsend. We have had some amazing student managers at every coaching stop I have been at. I mention them because they will be a massive help with laundry, not just with starting it after the game, but also switching the laundry and organizing the jerseys and pants on Saturday morning. To all the student managers…THANK YOU!!!!
Friday night and Saturday morning for a head coach are just a blur because of the massive amounts of tasks looming. Remember to get game film uploaded, break down film, get stats to the newspaper and Outside the Huddle, message the team about Saturday’s practice time and then start thinking of all the tasks you can work on when you finally get home. Ya know…home, the place you live at when you are not at football.
Depending on the type of person you are, you may not actually get to bed till 2 or 3 in the morning. I was always ready to relax for a few when I got home, and then I would wake up around 4:15 or 4:30 a.m. to start breaking down film of our game and the next opponent’s games before heading back to the locker room for Saturday morning practice.
What do I mean when I say “break down” film? Coaches are entering data such as ODK (offense, defense, kicking), hash, down and distance, play type, play direction, offensive formation, offensive play, defensive front, defensive coverage, blitz, motion and motion direction. Entering this data and much more helps the athletes learn about their performance the night before, but also begins the process of scouting our next opponent and finding any tendencies we can exploit.
When you get to practice on Saturday morning, you need to have a few playlists ready to show your athletes. It is always good to show pivotal plays (good and bad) from Friday’s game. Do not spend a lot of time on film just watching random clips. Be prepared with clips for offense, defense and special teams.
In your coach’s manual we talked about in Part 1, be clear on coaches responsibilities so you are not doing all these items yourself. Coaches will be breaking down film from your game Friday, but also breaking down opponents film to prepare for the scouting report that you will send out to the athletes on Sunday.
Before or after watching film, you will have a strength and conditioning plan for Saturday. Some teams have athletes lift that are not in weights class and others condition to get the lactic acid out of their system. I was always a big fan of more stretching (dynamic and static) then a lovely team jog.
Either way, your athletes need to continue to train on Saturday. Of course, those athletes that got a personal foul Friday will get to do some extra conditioning.
As you are winding down Saturday practice, you will need to find some varsity players to do the chain gang for the JV game either on Saturday or Monday. This is an excellent time for the varsity players to support the JV.
Once the JV game is completed, it is time for more laundry. THANK YOU, student managers! On your way home, do not forget to breathe and prepare yourself for more work the rest of Saturday as you watch college football and converse with those other people who live in your house.
Coaches cannot thank their wives and family members enough for the support and understanding during the season. So here is a small recap of what you need to accomplish:
- Post-game meeting
- Film uploaded to Hudl
- Laundry (Do not forget the SHOUT to get those stains out)
- Locker clean-up (Friday night)
- Hudl Breakdown
- Saturday Morning Practice
- JV Game
- More laundry
- Locker clean-up (Saturday)
- Head home
- Continue Hudl breakdown
- Plan for Sunday
- COVID-19 decontamination (Here’s to you 2020)
Coach Maksimchuk – Sundays
Wherever you are as a coach, each program is a bit different on the weekends. Practices vary, but the end goal is almost always the same – learn what went and what did not go well on Friday, build-out processes to improve on what needs to be improved upon and get ready to be prepared for the following week.
Coach Maksimchuk outlined the multitude of considerations that occur on Saturday.
To provide perspective, my typical Friday nights after the game, we broke down (ODK’s, D&D, Play Type, Direction, Play Call, etc.) the film. Usually somewere private while celebrating or… not. This process is generally wrapped up anywhere between midnight and 1 a.m.
Saturday players were in at 9 a.m. for film, lifting and recovery with coaches arriving by 7:30 a.m. Coaches were all together to break down exchanged game film, and each side of the ball would begin their game planning process. We would end around 1:30 p.m. Of course, coordinators would continue to do film work all day.
Sundays are the epitome of the phrase, “being home, but not really home.” Faith, family, football has always been a foundational phrase in the Kempf household, so we went to church on Sunday mornings. Of course, as a head coach or coordinator, your mind was never entirely focused on what mattered most.
You would then go home and attempt to spend time doing family-centric activities, but your thoughts are almost always elsewhere. Coaches’ wives deserve some profound love. Coaches may be home on weekends in body, but often not in mind.
When coaching work begins around family time and there is no more film work, the game planning process is now in full swing. On Sunday, you are focusing on the schedule for the week. Considerations by the head coach must include the players’ skills, health, and needs to know. “Needs to knows” are the absolute essential information each coach, parent, and player must have internalized come game day on Friday. The construction of the practice schedule centers around those ideals. Even with the players as the primary focus, conversations with coordinators about the game plan, roster depth and opponents will be the driver of much of the Sunday discussion.
If you ask any coordinator, they never get enough time, or the other coordinator gets too much and so on. The head coach’s focus in these conversations needs to ensure everyone is comfortable with the game plan, coordinators and assistants are on the same page, and the coordinators’ primary needs are met for the week.
Programs approach coaching meetings differently for Sundays. In the age of lay coaches, the need to have group communication on Sunday is imperative. Coaches are spread too thin during the week to have fundamental changes to a week’s plan.
I believe the bare necessity for a coaches meeting on Sunday is each coordinator must take time to discuss game plans and areas of focus with their position coaches. These conversations should occur only after the coordinator/HC communication. These meetings may occur in person, group phone calls or on Zoom.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I worked for a head coach that would have the staff meet on Sunday afternoons for four-plus hours. Every detail would be discussed, argued about and discussed again until coaches ironed out every point.
No matter the method, what is essential is the staff understands the identified, comprehensive game plan. The players need only to hear one message.
As a head coach, I would consolidate a team-wide game plan packet for player distribution on Monday. In the past, we have given these packets both electronically and printed. I found that the printed version helps keep players more accountable for consuming the information. When producing these packets, in the age of HUDL, the data can be overwhelming. It is upon the coaches to pare down to the absolute necessities for the players to best process and execute expectations.
The scouting reports would include an introduction page with the weekly message, special notes, opponent roster, starters and the schedule. Each facet of the game has its section in the scouting report. Possibly included could be opponent personnel break down, new offensive or defensive plays and opponent’s top plays.
Defensively you could focus on the top run plays, pass plays, formation tendencies, protections and anything that needs to be keyed on for the week.
Offensively you could break down defensive fronts, rule reviews, new formations or plays and defensive tendencies. It is simple to overburden your players with data. The coaches must pair down what data that enables players to play fast!
When the weekend is over, and your brain is mush because you have watched every film of your opponent 30 times, a head coach needs to ensure coaching staff solidarity. The message for the week must be fully transparent and understood from the head coach down to the position coaches. This way, when covering the scouting report on Monday, coaches know and understand their expectations. The coaches must then clearly and concisely communicate down to the players. Regardless of the process on Saturday and Sunday, one heartbeat must be the outcome.
Thank you for checking out part 2 of Coach Maksimchuk and I’s four-part series of Being a Head Coach. This sky-high view of the weekend process was enjoyable for us to discuss!
Please check back next week as we break down the Monday-Thursday practice week. As always, make sure to reach out with comments, questions, or topics you would love to discuss!
Yours in the Pursuit of Excellence,
Nick Maksimchuk and Pete Kempf
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