HERE ARE VALUABLE tips to help you develop a coaching philosophy that will keep your program consistent and successful.

Winning Attitude

This is by far the most important aspect of your program. Attitude will be woven into the fabric of everything that you do:
X  Playing    X  Practice
X  Team activities    X  Conditioning
X  School conduct    X  Off-season workouts

Sell the concept of team play through attitude. Your players must buy into the idea that giving themselves to the team means getting more in return.

You’ll never get the same level of effort from one player seeking glory as from a group of players who pull together for a shared goal.

Lou Holtz, head coach of the University of South Carolina once said: “I believe that if you create the right attitude, you can win anywhere.”

Talent
Talent is cyclical and must be judged in comparison to the level of talent that you play. Who do you have on your schedule?

Move your players to positions where they’ll have the best chance for success.

Expectations
Make sure that you have guidelines and team expectations written down and handed out to everyone. These should be your expectations — not those of parents, players or alumni.

Generally, you will get what is expected out of your players. Do not lower your expectations to meet low effort or attitudes.

Coaching Philosophy
Here are some areas of philosophy that you can stress to everyone in your program:
-  Your players will only do what they’ve been taught, so make sure they’re taught correctly at an early age. Give your players a reason for why they’re performing certain drills in practice.
-  Be flexible. Adapt to the particular skills of your players each year (running the ball, stopping the run, etc.).
-  Don’t overlook the kicking game, special teams can be the easiest area to gain an advantage over an opponent.
-  Establish continuity in your program and have your players thinking about the football program throughout the off-season.
-  Give your seniors considerable responsibility with the team. Let them make some decisions on the direction of the team.
-  Remember that linemen and defensive players are attitude positions. Work on getting the players at these positions to develop a mentally strong, aggressive attitude.
-  Always remember that fun must be part of the equation. Football should be fun for you, your assistants and your players.
-  Try to establish tradition in your program. Utilize helmets, jersey numbers, lockers, annual weight lift-a-thons and practices to set a tone of tradition from year to year.
-  Have and enforce minimum standards. Don’t be afraid to ruffle feathers or make cuts if your minimum standards aren’t being met.
-  Create a pace that will have your team peaking during the playoff run. Experiment with your team during the season, getting them ready for a playoff run.

How your team performs in the playoffs helps dictate your off-season. The playoffs are the last thing any of your players or coaches remember about your season.

Make sure that your team is ready to play in different weather conditions for its playoff run. It’s often much colder and field conditions are much worse late in the season. Your team must be prepared to play in bad conditions.

-  Never underestimate the importance of a solid strength and conditioning program. A good weight program is just a matter of time and effort — yours and your players.

Things like commitment, leadership, teamwork and character are often determined in the weight room.

Use Platoon System
-  Install a platoon system. There are many advantages to utilizing a platoon system:

Advantages:
-  With a platoon system, there are more positions and more players can get involved.
-  More players being involved will generate more interest among the players.
-  Injuries won’t be as devastating to your team.
-  By playing fewer positions, there will be less for your players to learn.
-  There will be more returning lettermen each year.

Negatives:
-  Your best athletes aren’t always on the field.