Like most of you, I watch football games with a notepad and a remote to rewind and watch plays again. I diagram plays and take notes on what teams are doing that we can adapt.
As I was watching the college football playoff games, I found three things we can use at every level of football. These three things were consistent across all of the games that were played, and many of us can relate to these three things. It is a great reminder as we enter the winter growth period in preparation for the 2026 season.
1. Games are won at the line of scrimmage
This is true at just about every level of football. In nearly every one of our wins we won the line of scrimmage. I don't think we any games where we won the line of scrimmage. In football, everything starts and ends up front. In every CFP game, the team that won the line of scrimmage won the game. You have to be able to run the ball and you have to be able to stop the run.
What do you need to to do to improve your play on your offensive and defensive lines? Do you need to make schematic changes? How can you improve your technique? What do you need to do in the weight room to become more explosive? There is no substitute for strength and no excuse for a lack of it.
A big part of your success up front is your mindset. Your players have to believe in themselves. They have to believe they can perform at a high level. They have to believe that you have prepared them to play at a high level. As you prepare for your season, what do you need to do to prepare your guys up front to play with more confidence?
2. Take Shots
This is huge. You have got to take shots down field. One of the most important things you can do as an offensive coordinator is keep a shot chart. Make a mark every time you take a shot down field. You need to take at least two shots a quarter.
When we talk about taking a shot, we are not just talking about throwing a vertical route. That is part of it, but a shot can look different depending on your system. If you are a wing-t team, your shot might be counter criss cross. If you are an option team, your shot might be reverse off veer. An air raid team might run screen and go. A pro style offense might run boot throwback.
One way we got really good at taking shots was getting better at throwing and catching. We invested time running vertical routes, throwing vertical routes, and catching vertical routes. When we got press coverage, we were going to take a shot. We had a definitive way of throwing the vertical route vs press coverage the same every time. The receiver knew where the ball would be, and the QB knew where he had to place the ball.
Take shots down field, and make sure you chart your shots. Hold yourself accountable to taking at least 2 shots a quarter. How can you get your best guy in a position to win a matchup?
I wrote more about this here: Shots, Screens, and Snap Count
3. Less is more
I watch every game with a pad and paper and I am trying to chart as much as I can. One thing that stood out was how teams playing in the CFP did not run a lot of concepts. They ran a few concepts but changed the presentation. They used different formations, motions, shifts, trades, and backfield actions, without changing the blocking scheme.
In one CFP game, I watched a team run inside zone or a variation of inside zone on nearly every run play. They ran maybe two outside zone concepts. They ran a couple of gap runs.
Defenses today are multiple. They change fronts. They gap exchange. They bring a variety of pressures and simulated pressures. The us post-snap rotation with their secondary to disguise coverages. Teams that are successful making deep runs keep things simple for their big guys. This allows their big guys to be able to make adjustments and play fast.
Where can you simplify some things in your offense? Are you carrying too many concepts, and that is keeping you from being really good at what you do?
I wrote about this here: How Much Is Too Much Part 1 and Here: How Much is Too Much Part Two: Fully Installed Concepts
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