This month, I’d like to share a “system” of development which I’ve been able to use the last couple of seasons. It has been a big benefit to our program’s on-field success, as well as a key element of development for our younger players.
In the early part of my career, I was a guy who identified my starters, and rode them as far as they’d take me. Obviously, we had some backups, but it wasn’t uncommon for my “2s” to not see a snap on game day. This approach had two glaring flaws: A) my starters got worn down and banged up and B) my younger, back up players did not gain any real game experience. If a starter was injured, or graduated, I ended up starting from scratch. I altered my approach, and I think it’s been a very positive move.
RECRUIT
Nothing I mention in this article works without recruiting talented players who can gradually and incrementally help your program. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have a steady stream of very good linebackers here. I’d like to say that they’re coming for the excellent coaching within their position group, but I think that is highly unlikely! Nonetheless, it’s critical to bring in a couple of guys annually who can contribute.
ROTATE
Once your depth chart is set, and you’ve identified those guys who can help you win, establish a progression for them. This progression may initially be in your head, but have a plan and an approach. Let me provide a recent example from my experience:
In 2013, I had two seniors and a junior who had all started games for us, and performed well. Additionally, we picked up a transfer student who was a sophomore, but very, very talented. Behind those “top 4”, I had another sophomore and a freshman – both of whom were clearly going to be very good players for us. The challenge for me was to find ways for six really good players to remain invested and excited – while only having two of them on the field at a time.
My solution was to start the two seniors, and rotate the JR/SO combination in for a series at least every five possessions. There was some resistance at first because the “starters” did not want to come off the field. However, over the course of the season, they realized that they were taking less hits, and getting more rest. Their bodies felt better and more fresh. Those kids really became believers in what I was doing.
The in-game rotation was taking care of the “top 4” in my depth, but I still had two really good football players to think about. As the special teams coordinator, I had a bit of an advantage – those two were on every kicking unit, and therefore on the bus. Having them present for every game allowed me to sprinkle them in defensively when appropriate, and their experience in special teams kept them fully engaged in what we were doing as a program. It was a real positive.
Now, heading into this season, the JR/SO combo from last year have a year of solid experience under their belts and they are the starters. The guys who were my “special teams guys” last season are my second-stringers, and I’ve got (thanks to recruiting) another really solid group of guys competing to be this year’s special teamers. There has been a very natural progression which has allowed me to have experienced guys who are prepared when it’s their turn to be “the guy”. I plan to utilize my “top six” in the same way this season. I have really bought into this approach.
I fully realize this is not a ground-breaking disclosure, but I do think we all have a tendency to hitch our wagons to kids and potentially ride them too long or too hard. Football, at any level, is a long season, and for optimal performance, recovery and rest are needed. As I stated at the beginning, it all starts with recruiting. Identify those kids, and go get ’em!
Hopefully, this can be useful to you or your program. Perhaps, just hearing it from someone outside of your own head will be the push you need to commit to it. Either way, it’s a system of progression and development that I fully believe in and I doubt I’ll ever (willingly) go back to my old way.
As always, if you have questions, comments, concerns, or criticisms, I can be reached via email at wrussel1@norwich.edu. Best of luck this fall!