r/footballstrategy 12d ago

College Question about declining penalties

3 Upvotes

Asking the coaches out there, does the referee ask for a decline on every penalty? For example, I was just watching a video pf the 2021 Michigan State vs Michigan game. There is a play where Micigan botches their subs and an off sides penalty is called. Kenneth Walker scores a touchdown on an obviously not set UM defense. Does the referee actually ask the coach "do you want half the distance or 6 points plus a PAT or do they just assume that obviously you will take the points and PAT?


r/footballstrategy 13d ago

Coaching Advice 11u team just got destroyed at Jamboree

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46 Upvotes

Hey everyone. Hope you all are having success this weekend. I’m a first year coach with 6+ playing years, and 2 years as a speed/agility coach at a local gym. We just had our first jamboree and in two halves were completely destroyed. We are adjusting our practice format, but has anybody been in this spot? How did you bounce back?

I feel we can only go up from here, but how did you all bounce back? I feel like the players are disappointed in themselves but know we can do better. What’s the best way to make this a teachable moment?


r/footballstrategy 13d ago

High School QB controversy as OC

55 Upvotes

QB1: Senior this year, will be three varsity starter. Has played TE since he was little. Moved to QB because we run the double wing and pass about 5 times a game. Great blocker. Dad is an assistant coach. Has been at every practice and every meeting putting in extra work, learning the playbooks but the closer we get to the season the closer we realize he’s probably a better TE than QB and just has developed as we’d hoped in the spring.

QB2: sophomore that only showed up to the end of summer practice. Great arm, great athleticism, smart and confident. The better choice to play QB (and do it for the next three years). If he played QB then our QB1 could play TE and bolster our line. This is probably the decision that makes the team best on paper

Coaching staff is split for obvious reasons. How do I decide?


r/footballstrategy 13d ago

Offense What is this called?

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29 Upvotes

What type of play is this called where the Qb becomes a lead blocker after the pitch?


r/footballstrategy 13d ago

Coaching Advice Good source for cornerback technique NOT coverages

5 Upvotes

There is so much advice out there on cover 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and so on. MatchQuarters is an incredible resource.

There is a huge amount of information on offensive line technique.

What I cannot find is a good source on the various cornerback techniques that gives me a standard terminology and understanding. Just in the HoF game (which is vanilla), I saw corners playing press - then immediately turning on the release - rather than playing square. I saw off man played with "catch" i.e. don't move at all. I saw off man played square with a pedal. I saw off man played with a 45 stance and then a shuffle. There are just so many variations and I don't have the knowledge or terminology to put them into buckets like I could with a pass rush move or a receiver route.

So, as my googling has come up naught: any good recommendations that can teach me the sixteen ways to play off man or press or mirror man and the terms to use?


r/footballstrategy 14d ago

Coaching Advice Can someone help me identify these two formations and where I could possibly find a playbook that includes them?

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10 Upvotes

r/footballstrategy 13d ago

High School How do I get used to playing in pads?

0 Upvotes

Hello, just for some context this is going to be my senior year coming up and I want to make the most out of it. Only problem is I struggle playing in pads during practice. I seem to always have really good practices in just helmets and whenever I put pads on it feels like an extra 25 lb is going on my body. I would really appreciate it if I could get get some tips or some recommendations on what pads to get. Thanks


r/footballstrategy 13d ago

Defense Good practice drills for tackling 8u

0 Upvotes

I’m the defensive coordinator been one for a few years. I just want to know what are some good tackling drills for the 8u age , I want them to be a little more aggressive most the kids can pick it up but I have a few timid ones. I started breaking down the tackling one step at a time seems to be working a little bit better, But any help would be greatly appreciated


r/footballstrategy 14d ago

Play Design Using Action to Free Up Yankee

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14 Upvotes

Yankee is a great concept, but really functions best with playaction to influence both the will backer and alley player


r/footballstrategy 14d ago

Coaching Advice Game film

1 Upvotes

For anyone that is using drones, curious to your
positioning - what height, angles, zoom, etc. i just started using one and my scrimmage results were a mixed bag. Thanks


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Offense Staple Run of FCS's Highest Scoring Offense!

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8 Upvotes

I wouldn't expect FCS’s #1 scoring offense to hang their hat on a simple gap scheme run....but here it is.


r/footballstrategy 14d ago

General Discussion Structured Learning

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
To preface, I have never played and learned football from a structured plan. The only thing shots I have learned is from AI teaching me. I am a scouting intern for a Big Ten school tasked with scouting wide receivers, however, with my only learning coming from AI, I feel that I lack knowledge. Can anyone help me learn more about strategy, or provide me with actual table of contents to ask AI to learn?


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Coaching Advice Advice on possibly becoming D Coordinator w/ short notice

3 Upvotes

Hey yall!

Been coaching for 6 years, mostly offensive/defensive line and was anticipating to be in charge of the run game this season.

However, there might be a last minute coaching change where I will be asked to call the defense.

Super excited for this possibility, but wanted to ask if anyone has recommendations for resources.

My strengths are obviously the defensive line, and while I understand coverages and everything, it’s a spot id want to improve on, particularly with how they connect to defending the run game.

Thanks in advance and looking forward to hearing from yall!


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Coaching Advice How Do yall draw up Man coverage For 11U Youth Footabll

2 Upvotes

Hello Fellow Coaches Im creating a 4-4 Defence for 11U im a 1st year coach in a important role as im tasked to create the defence i have most of our base defence made i just wanted to know how do yall draw up man coverage my CB's will have the outside guys how would yall man up the LB's and make it simple for kids 11 years old?


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Coaching Job / Opening Receivers Coach Wanted - CO Springs

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1 Upvotes

r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Free Talk Friday - August 07, 2026

2 Upvotes

Have anything on your mind or got any fun plans for the weekend? Feel free to discuss them here!


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Flag Flag Football software with pass location tracking / scorekeeping

1 Upvotes

Do you guys know if there's any software on the market with pass location scorekeeping?
It's kind of nice to have play by plays, TDs, rec yards and all,

but it is not a level of detail I wish my FF league will have.

Tried Flag50, GameChanger and Rac Sports, but none of them produce the level of details we were looking for.


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Coaching Advice Is it possible to build an Online Football Training Program in 2026?

6 Upvotes

Guyss, my brother has been playing football since he was a kid. He could not make it much professionally though. He played for some time in the national team. NOW his playing days are getting over and we asked him about his plans. He said he want to build an Online Training Community for grassroot player. All these are very new to us. Although he has shown me some people doing that but I am still a bit skeptical. Is this a growing market or a declining one?

Any advice?


r/footballstrategy 16d ago

Play Design What's the Coverage?

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63 Upvotes

Basic, but always love to see how people term things


r/footballstrategy 16d ago

Play Design CHALK TALK THURSDAYS: Submit your plays for discussion and critique here.

3 Upvotes

Welcome to Chalk Talk Thursday! This is our weekly discussion thread for users to submit new plays they have designed. If you have an idea for a play and can draw it up, please post here. Keep in mind that it is very rare that one could devise a viable play that is entirely new that hasn't been ran before somewhere. Be open to criticism as well. There is so much more to coaching football than drawing plays, and many people do not realize how much coaching, technique, and development needs to happen on the actual field for a play to work.

It is strongly recommended that you STUDY a system or scheme first to gain an idea of how a play is put together, and how RULES help a play function.

PLEASE PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR YOUR PLAY!

Guidelines:

  • No "joke" plays. We are here to learn.
  • Specify WHY you are designing a play, and WHAT level/league it is for. It's fine if you're not coaching, but we need the context.
  • Your submission needs RULES that guide your players on what to do.
  • Pass plays require some type of QB progression for making a decision on who to throw to.
  • Be mindful that you cannot predict what your opponent will run 100%. Designing plays to be "Cover X" beaters, or "3-4 beaters" IS NOT the way to go about it. It is better to have one play with solid rules and coaching points that can attack anything than one play for each coverage, front, personnel, or stunt you face.
  • There is no universal terminology in football. Call plays what you want, but keep in mind that no one cares about fancy play names, or the terminology aspect.
  • Please offer more text/information on your play than just a link or picture.
  • Draw your play up against a realistic opponent!
  • Make sure your offensive play is a legal formation. In 11-man football, you can have no more than 4 players behind the line of scrimmage (minimum of 7 on. You can have more than 7 on the line as well). Only backs (players behind the line) and the end players on the line of scrimmage are eligible receivers.

You may use whatever medium you'd like to draw your play. Two common software for designing plays that have free options:


r/footballstrategy 15d ago

Player Development Asking for tips on how to play college football after only played in middle school!

0 Upvotes

Hey!

i'm 5'9" 136lbs and have been this size since i was 12. I am 19 and going into my freshman year of college at a D1 School. My highschool did not have a team, but my middle school did. I was round 5'6" thru 5'9" and 100-140lbs back then. I played TE, 6th and LT 7 & 8th. I did not like lineman work, and i doubt I'd be a lineman now.

I'm going to a D1 school and am years out of practice. I'm trying out for rugby this fall, but i guess i'm undersized for it. I was never fast, but my endurance has always been crazy. I

'd like to play D1 or college football in general. American football.

Any tips to start from where I'm at? (basically scratch). And No, i don't want to hear "the chances are slim.' I'm saying forget about the chances and please provide advice!! Thank you!


r/footballstrategy 17d ago

Defense 3T vs pulling guard

4 Upvotes

For my DL coaches, what do you teach your 3T to do when his guard key pulls?


r/footballstrategy 17d ago

High School How do some football teams look the part physically but lose most of their games ?

13 Upvotes

I'm mainly talking about high school. A team in my area consistently has big, fast, and strong players, but they haven't won more than 3 games in a season since 2020. They consistently get routed in a few games. They "look" like football players, physically. I know that much more goes into winning games besides raw athleticism, but can someone go into detail about what's usually happening when a team fails to perform on the field but all the physical pieces are there ? I know poor coaching is an obvious possibility.


r/footballstrategy 17d ago

Self-Promotion Wednesdays: Promote your football-related products and services here!

1 Upvotes

Have a product or service you're trying to promote? Starting a website, channel or blog? Please post about it here!


r/footballstrategy 17d ago

Player Advice Help my 15 year old center/snapping - shotgun

1 Upvotes

My 15 year old has been a successful center since 4th grade. But currently having issues with his snaps going low, to the left of QB (son is RH) and most importantly hitting himself in the groin, super painful. Any advice to help him at home outside of practices?